by J. A. Saare
As he cleared his throat, the hair on my nape rose.
He already had something in the works.
I didn't know what it was or how long he'd been at it.
"We've cleared a dozen locations so far. Scouts are on other sites as we speak." He placed one of his large hands on my hip and moved his fingers, squeezing the flesh beneath his grasp. "We'll find it, love." His fingers drifted over my pelvic bones in lazy circles. "If we can't, we'll bargain."
My temper stirred, stretched, and came to life.
We weren't on the boat anymore. I could get bitchy if I wanted.
"No more bargains. Please." He was aware the please meant I was desperate for him to listen. I didn't like begging, but it wasn't beneath me. I'd already told him I wouldn't do another bargain exchange. To me, it was flipping and flopping. Owing meant owning, no matter how you looked at it. "We find her or it's game over."
His fingers went still, and I closed my eyes.
Here we go—explosion incoming.
"I've already told you I will do whatever it takes to keep you safe," he informed me in a firm and authoritative tone. He didn't move, letting me absorb the information, making sure I understood. "I'm always willing to listen to your concerns, but you will do as I say in the matter. That isn't open for discussion."
I considered arguing because I could, not to mention I hated when he put his own foot down and refused to be moved. He might get agitated if I gave him hell, but he'd listen. Then we'd go back and forth debating and arguing, trying to plead our cases. Those kinds of discussions never ended well, which is why we avoided them on The Minnow.
I decided to be quiet, relaxing against him. Our first day home wouldn't be a sour one. We had to meet Bane soon. I had no idea how that would go. As much as we'd done to make the deal happen, I still dreaded meeting new and deadly creepy crawlies. Marigold would be dealt with as soon as Disco spoke with the people Bane needed to introduce him to. He needed allies that gave him access to power and resources.
My silence was reply enough.
He was aware of what the lack of sound meant.
He could probably hear me when I thought, "You win this time, but only because I'm letting you."
He shifted me somewhat, inched forward, and retrieved the file he'd thrown on the desk. He wanted me close but had shit to do. He flicked it open and studied a page. I didn't want to leave him again so I let my weight settle, using his large form as my own personal chair. We'd arranged ourselves in the same position numerous times on The Minnow, getting comfortable as he read to me to pass the time. I took a look at the documents in his hand, noticing he was studying a spreadsheet that listed shops, locations, and spending.
I glanced at the money column and did a double-take. Holy Toledo. I wanted to jerk upright when I took stock of some of the numbers. "He did not."
Gabriel exhaled softly and informed me, "He absolutely did."
I wish I could kill him all over again.
Marius had blown over five million dollars in the time we'd been gone. The fountain he'd placed in the garden accounted for half of it. Gabriel liked nice things. In all honesty, I liked those nice things since he wore most of them. His clothing suited him, and the prices were more than fair. Still, he'd always been cautious and focused on finances closely as he had a family to care for and needed money for an eternity.
Suddenly Marigold didn't seem all that important. "What do we do?"
The tension in him faded as he tossed the file back on the desk and wrapped his arms around me. "Don't worry about it," he answered, looking into my eyes. The bright blue orbs revealed he wasn't at all disheartened. When he glimpsed my alarmed expression, he lowered his head and nipped my neck. "We don't have to do anything, love. Trust me. Considering what's transpired, that's a conservative figure."
When those words landed, it felt like he'd parked a plane on my head. "That is a conservative figure?" Thinking he'd lost his mind, I repeated myself, "That is a conservative figure to you?" He hadn't moved and seemed totally relaxed, which baffled me. "The Minnow wasn't and isn't cheap." I recalled the spiffy GPS system he'd had installed, as well as the envelope that gave us access to funds and new identities. "Neither were the identifications and passports you bought for us."
"You're right."
I pushed my hand against his chest to pummel him with a what-the-fuck stare. "Are you telling me that amount of money doesn't mean anything to you?"
"Yes, but no."
Sarcastic bastard. "That sounds like one of my answers."
He leaned forward, and his tongue lashed out and darted over my lower lip. His attention drifted up, and my stomach bottomed out. He was telling the truth, certainly, but he didn't have money on his mind.
I could see the heat in his gaze, and it turned my insides out.
"I don't like being swindled, but at the end of the day..." He brought his hand up, cupped my neck, and caressed the mark on my throat with his thumb. The minute he did, the erogenous zones of my body came to life, becoming hot and sensitive. I ached in all the places I wanted him to touch. He urged me closer to him, skimming his fingers over my breasts. "It's not all that important."
Teasing him was dangerous, but what did I care?
I wriggled against the firm outline of his cock. "You're right."
He lowered his hand, let me go, and instructed, "Close the door and lock it."
I immediately went to do what he said, welcoming the wet heat between my legs. Taking his blood ramped my libido, but the mark made it even stronger. I closed the door, slid the lock into place, and turned around. He'd left his perch and had moved to the safe in the wall. I thought I knew what was about to transpire, and it had nothing to do with him out of the chair.
"What are you doing?"
"Don't worry," he answered, keeping his back to me as he finished with the lock and opened the safe. "We'll get back to where we started, but I don't want you worrying about financial stability. I want you to see something. Maybe you'll understand."
Sexually frustrated and agitated, I went to him. I let my shoulders droop as I brought my neck down and mimicked being a slow-ass turquoise who only wanted to cross the finish line. "Understand what?"
He moved aside, letting me see into the safe.
My Twizzler stick spine whipped itself straight immediately. I was like a Pointer that had just spotted the biggest fucking bird of its life. I wasn't a jeweler, but I recognized precious gems when I saw them. There were vast portions of them in the back, all in varying shapes, colors, and sizes. I wondered if he'd been recovering hidden treasure at the bottom of the ocean while I'd been sleeping on The Minnow.
My boyfriend is Daddy Warbucks.
"There's more. I don't keep everything I own in one place." He slid the door closed and retrieved the picture. He thought the safe was a well-kept secret, but in reality, the location and framed art were suspect as hell. "If there's one thing you never have to worry about, it's money. You can remove that concern from your mind." He finished, turned around, and brought his hands to his belt. His eyes held mine as he undid the buckle, released the notch that kept it in place and let the ends dangle. His voice changed, becoming huskier, "I want you at my feet."
I knew the tone and my body instantly responded, causing me to squirm.
Christ, I really had become a wanton and raging sex addict who needed professional help. I couldn't seem to get enough of him, always on the hunt for another fix. I'd once been ashamed by my response, but now I welcomed it. When we were together, everything else faded into the background.
I went to him and took the place he indicated, kneeling as I peered up and waited for him to unbutton his slacks and tell me what he wanted.
Two soft taps came from the door.
"Gabriel?" It was Goose, and he sounded uncomfortable and embarrassed. "I didn't want to intrude, but Bane is here."
The master of the house rarely cursed, but he wanted to. He attempted to redo the belt while he helped me u
p and grumbled, "He's three hours early." He followed that up by responding to Goose, his voice unusually thick and deep as he shouted, "Give us a moment."
I stared at the tent in his pants. "Miss The Minnow yet?"
We'd gotten away with so much while we'd been on it, taking advantage of each other whenever the mood struck. I'd known our sexcapades would be curbed, but that didn't mean I liked it. Apparently he felt the same way. Making it to my feet, I reached out and shoved his hands aside. I finished buckling the belt, straightened his pants, and brushed my hands over his shirt. Once done, I took him in, making sure he was presentable. He was gorgeous as always, incredibly easy on the eyes.
"There," I whispered, tilting my head to study his face. "All better."
I started to turn, ready to leave before my hormones took control again, when his cool fingers surrounded one of my wrists. He turned me toward him, making sure we were face-to-face.
"Don't go far," he said quietly. His fair skin and multicolored eyes were incredibly impressive in the office lighting. "You stay close."
That was something else we had to deal with.
In the last few months, we were always in visual or hearing range of each other. The mansion wasn't like a boat, so large we could put rooms and entire areas between us. He'd gotten used to having me constantly underfoot, warning me more than once he didn't want that to change when things went back to normal. Judging by the look he was giving me, he'd absolutely fucking meant it.
"I'm not going anywhere for months. Goose has so much shit for me to sort through, I'll have a degree in the history of fallen angels by the time I finish."
If I finish.
I rose up on my tiptoes, kissed his cheek, and eased back. I didn't like the expression on his face, wanting to remove it. "If you get worried or want to check on me, listen in."
"Since you gave me permission, I will," he warned, wanting to be clear he'd be monitoring everything I did. I didn't let that bother me, aware when I made the offer that he'd take me up on it.
"I won't be far." If Bane was early, there was a reason. He was an asshole with a tight schedule. With the original Master Vampire of New York in charge once more, they had to make certain things happen. I attempted to soothe the edgy male standing before me. "I can be back here in a minute if that's what you want."
He brought my hand up, kissed my wrist, and scraped his fangs along the path his lips had created. He'd already opened his mind to me, revealing what he'd had in store if we hadn't been interrupted. The vision in his head had a warm rush of liquid bursting from my sex, causing me to rub my thighs together. He'd wanted to feed on the area he'd just scratched with his teeth as I'd taken his engorged length into my mouth, wanting us to drink each other down at the same time. Then he'd planned to drape me over the desk and return the favor.
"I'll be calling for you as soon as we're done here." His thumb caressed my skin, feathering across it before he let me go. "I want you with me for the rest."
"All right." I nodded because that's how things went. Bane made an agreement to bring Gabriel into his fold because he needed the vampire's powers and control to get things done. I was nothing more than a facilitator and Gabriel's lover. "I'll be waiting."
He returned to his chair as I went to the door and unlatched the lock. I stepped into the hallway and almost bumped into Bane. I stepped back, not wanting to run right into the wall his massive body created.
"About time, princess. I wondered if I should take a rain check." He patted me on the head. "Don't worry, I won't take advantage of him. That vampire is all yours." Before I could respond, he went into the office, turned around, and studied me. "Run along now. Go play with your friend."
He grinned when he saw me frown and shut the door.
Fucking asshole.
I glanced up, noticing Goose standing a couple of feet away.
His head remained down, but his eyes shot up so he could see me.
Lord help me. He was like a newly minted puppy.
"You want to show me those maps?" I asked, deciding I'd played enough pool for the day. Despite his happy demeanor, I'd seen strange expressions cross his face when he thought I wasn't looking. Knowing that, I chose to do what would make him most comfortable. "You'll have to explain the locations and relevance of each one. I did take a look but haven't had time to go over them."
He lifted his head. "Do you remember the cardinals?"
Smart-ass. "Lemme think." I pointed my finger north and said, "never," moved it to east, "eat," I pointed south, "stewed," and finished with west "worms."
"Never eat stewed worms? You have a mnemonic for four directions?" When I nodded, knowing he'd be annoyed, he looked like I'd sucked the hope right out of him. "You would learn from something like that."
"What can I say? I'll never be valedictorian."
"I put them in my room." He sighed, and I knew it was because he remembered how this went when he'd wanted me to work with him. He eventually found a way to teach me, but things never started well. "We can look at them there."
"Lead the way."
He didn't immediately, looking at me like a lost cause.
His lack of faith felt fucking fantastic.
It's good to be home.
When he moved, heading in the right direction, I followed along in a good mood. That wouldn't last long. I'd have a killer headache in an hour, ready to ditch the studies and move on. Goose was meticulous and didn't like when I wasn't attentive. I could already feel him glaring at me when I started daydreaming, and I would daydream. As much as I adored the guy, I wasn't the only issue in the classroom. He wasn't exactly the world's greatest teacher. He presented things precisely and expected me to learn them immediately.
Oh well.
For good or bad, we were stuck with each other.
No more play. Time to work.
The honeymoon phase was over.
Chapter Ten
A witch, a warlock, and a werewolf walked into a bar.
No, really. They did.
I still couldn't believe it.
The witch was a tiny thing and looked like she was in her thirties. She'd dressed in hippy garb, with a multitude of bangle bracelets and dinky rings, and had flowing blonde hair. The warlock seemed a bit older and had an average face and build. He donned clothing that matched his short sable locks and blended right in. The werewolf stood out because he was visibly striking and took up a lot of space. With his shoulder-length copper hair, Stetson hat, dark clothing, and boots, he was kicking it Old West style.
I wasn't all that surprised.
In the future, werewolves had a camouflage theme.
Bane had a reserved table in the back of a rundown bar in Highlands that he owned. I'd been introduced briefly to Tippie, Scott, and Joshua, but my primary function wasn't to take part in the meeting. The important people wanted to speak to the newest and shiniest member who actually had the power they needed to keep the city clean once and for all.
I studied them as they talked but paid attention to my surroundings.
The bar was a complete shithole, with peeling paint, leaky faucets, and broken furniture. The wooden floors were stained, cracked, and gave off a strong odor that wasn't pleasant. Portions of the ceilings had heavy water stains that caused the popcorn ceilings to flake. The business stayed crappy and out of date for a reason. Bane had bought the building and kept the interior and exterior looking completely wrecked so people would stay away.
He didn't want guests, and he didn't care about the income.
I lifted my bottle of water, opened the top, and took a sip. My gaze landed on those who'd accompanied the witch, warlock, and werewolf. A man and two women. They didn't speak to me, and they didn't ask me to join them at their table. I caught them staring a few times and recalled the witnesses at my inauguration. There had been so many eyes watching me lose my mind. They'd probably seen me in all my bloody glory.
They probably thought I wasn't right in the head.
So what?
Self-awareness and low self-esteem were a bitch, but I'd learned to cope over the years. At the end of the day, I could only make myself happy.
Therefore, I decided, I would not give a shit.
I had zero fucks left.
They could ask for them, but it wouldn't happen. Let them stare and keep to themselves. I didn't want to be part of their little clique. I had my own group of people, and I preferred to be anti-social in situations like this.
I wanted my attention on the most important person in the room.
Gabriel must have been listening to my thoughts because his bright aquamarine gaze darted up. His eyes locked onto mine across the distance, and I thought I saw him wink.
I considered eavesdropping.
With our mark, it wouldn't be difficult to do so.
I could slide right into his head and hear everything.
But...
There was an odd heaviness coming from the ones who used magic. The werewolf, while polite, seemed ready to shift into his heinous form if necessary. That meant something was up. I'd find out what the damage was soon enough. Bane met with those he trusted once a week, discussing what measures should be taken against those who brought death and tragedy to their domains. Once a decision had been made, a plan of attack was put into action. They set a scary example to those under their rule so no one would dare take a shit in their backyards.
Movement in my peripheral immediately had me on guard.
The people who'd come with Tippie, Scott, and Joshua had risen and were moving toward the table in the back. I focused on Gabriel. He'd placed himself against the wall. That alone created panic and put it into high gear, bringing me back to violent memories, building my fear and alarm.
He couldn't move easily or freely.
Those around him could try to take him down in a rush.
Even if he used his ability, I wasn't sure how things would work. Bane controlled New York with those he trusted, overseeing matters outside of vampire rule and control. I'd learned he also had authority in other areas across the United States, using the same sort of connections.
