by SF Benson
The angular vamp scoffed. “Won’t happen. He’s a dhampir.”
“That doesn’t mean he can’t metamorphosize,” I said.
I grew up enjoying the benefits of not being a full vampire. Walking in the sun without a charm and not having to drink blood were assets, but the vampiric code existed in my DNA. Same for Clint. It was the true curse for a hybrid. Our recessive gene could easily be triggered—like mine was on the night Ace and I mated. If Clint weren’t careful, he’d activate the damn thing and spend his days fighting the cravings. Like I did. Bottled crimson and a daytime amulet had become my staples. My existence morphed into a painstaking watch for signs of a pending transformation.
“I’m not worried,” said Kragen. “Clint can handle himself.”
Keep believing that.
My husband pushed to his feet. “Is there anything else? I have training to do.”
Kragen’s nose wrinkled, like a bad odor hit him. To be honest, I had the feeling the vamp didn’t appreciate Ace working with the Paranormal Fight Club. “I’ll let Morgan know when Edwina arrives.”
Ace nodded and we headed to the front door.
The short walk back to my parents’ house felt like an eternity. Our collective steps dragged as we approached the ancient property.
“What’s bothering you, Morgan?” asked Ace. “You’re keeping me out.”
I’d wrapped a shield around my thoughts. At times it was handy not having to relay what I was thinking, but in that moment, I required privacy. To get it, I had to block the connection between us.
“Sorry, baby. I was just going over what Kragen said.”
“About?”
I stopped short of opening the gate. “Can we go some place for breakfast? I really don’t want to discuss this in front of Mother.”
His eyebrows knitted together briefly, and then a slow smile spread across his handsome face. “Would my wife like to check out the progress on our house?”
The words rushed out of my mouth before I could stop them. “Oh, gosh! Yes!”
Our house, less than a block away from the cemetery, had been in the Broussard family for years. After Colby entered our lives, Ace and I realized our one-bedroom apartment wouldn’t do. The mansion made perfect sense, but no one had lived there for years.
The last time I saw the house the wood siding was badly peeling. Since the renovation started, the five-bedroom Colonial had been painted sunny yellow, and all of the trim, including the pillars, gleamed in white. Even the wrought-iron fencing and banisters shone like new. The former creaky stairs leading up to the porch had been reinforced and no longer made a sound.
Ace dug around in his pocket for the key and then unlocked the glass and wood door. The wood floors had been restored, and the long hall had been stripped of its ancient wallpaper.
“This level is finished. The contractor is working on the second level.”
“How long before we can move in?” I followed him through the rooms until we reached the kitchen. “Shit! This is gorgeous. You know I can’t use half of this.”
He laughed and leaned against the wood and granite island. Pulling me into his arms, he said, “Good thing I can. Dawlin’, it’s never too late for ya to learn.”
“Right. So, you want to rebuild this place after I burn it down?”
“On second thought…”
I swatted his chest.
“The workers are supposed to be done by the end of the month.” He kissed my forehead. “What did ya want to talk about?”
“A few things. First, my parents can’t know about Clint and Colby. Mother and Father can be more judgmental than Kragen.”
Ace nodded. “They won’t hear a word from me.”
“Our son has to figure out relationships for himself. I won’t be like my parents.” If my mother and father had been open-minded, I wouldn’t have had to hide my marriage.
“Speaking of which…” Ace gazed into my eyes. “When do we tell them we’re married?”
I gave him a weak smile. “When I finally shovel dirt into their faces?”
“Morgan.”
“I know, I know. When we move out, we’ll have a family dinner and make the announcement.”
“I suppose that’ll have to do. What else is going on?”
“I don’t like putting the Merciers on the back burner. It’s not a good idea to pour all of the BlackGuard’s resources into solving one case. There will always be misbehaving rogues. What are we going to do? Devote all our assets and hunt down one at a time? The Quarter could be destroyed before we handle the vampiress and Alexander.”
“True.”
“Kragen has a soft spot for other vampires. He’ll do whatever’s possible to avoid ending the girl’s existence. He might even go to the Elders and argue why she should be made a high priority.”
Ace tightened his arms around me. “He probably has already. But what are ya proposing?”
“I can work with Edwina to find Alexander. Can you take a few trusted wolves and find out what’s going on with the Merciers?”
My husband blew air through his cheeks. “That’s dicey. Having the Red Witch in town makes shit difficult. I’ve heard she’s more stubborn than Kragen.”
“Maybe I should make nice with Cassandra,” I teased. “I’m sure she’d be happy—”
“Don’t ya dare. I don’t believe in sharing with anyone.”
Despite my relationship with Ace, the ancient witch didn’t stop making passes at me. Honestly, I’d never done anything to make her think I was into women. Sadly, that simple fact alluded her.
“But…”
I glanced up at Ace. “But what?”
“She might be able to help. Ya need a powerful witch when dealing with the Merciers. It’s either her or Angéle.”
That was like making the choice between the Devil and one of his minions. Cassandra was a witch dating back to the Trojan Empire. The female thought inhabiting a youthful body and dressing like a twenty-something made her hot stuff. It didn’t. Everything about her predicated on some sort of sexual innuendo—gestures, speech, you name it. Angéle, on the other hand, was a gray-haired crone allegedly burned at the stake for giving birth to a demon who terrorized a French village.
“I’ll call Cassandra,” I volunteered.
He smirked. “Gee. I had my money on Angéle. Too much for ya?”
I rolled my eyes. The female walked around in tattered rags and eschewed soap and water. I’d take my chances with Cassandra.
The front door opened, and several footsteps pounded the front steps. Then the floorboards creaked overhead.
I pointed to the ceiling. “Are the workers fixing that? I don’t want to hear every time someone walks.”
“Could be helpful with Colby. We’d know if he was sneaking in and out.”
“Nope.” I stepped out of Ace’s embrace. “Remember, we’re treating him like an adult.”
“Okay.”
“Speaking of adults… Were you not going to tell me about your upcoming fight?”
His face reddened slightly. “It’s no big deal. I’m more than ready.”
“When?”
“A week. Then I’m done for a while. I told Duchamp I wanted a break.”
“Really?” That was news. “Not that I don’t appreciate having you around, but what’s going on?”
“I thought my new bride might want me to hang around the house more, preferably in the bedroom.”
I smiled. “So who is this bride? I should let her know what she’s in for. You can be a bit of a handful between the sheets.”
He grasped my arm and pulled me closer. “A bit? I’ll show ya who’s a handful.” My husband lowered his head and claimed my mouth.
As soon as our lips touched, my phone rang. The melody indicated the caller was my father. Ace broke off the kiss, and then his phone went off. He removed it from his back pocket and peered at the screen.
“It must be serious. Julien’s calling me too.”
&nb
sp; “Answer it. I’ll let mine go to voice mail.”
Ace nodded and put the phone to his ear. “Yeah, Julien. What’s up? Really? We’re in the Garden District… We can be there in about twenty minutes… Yeah. See ya then.”
“What is it?” Father didn’t go into the club during the daytime. It went against his traditional lifestyle.
“He wants to talk to us ‘bout Alexander the rogue. Apparently, they’ve been in one of the VIP suites all night.”
I folded my arms. “Why is Father there?”
“He never went home.”
8
Vamps Don’t Lie
Tabitha
* * *
Alexander hadn’t lied about not being able to walk. Every inch of my body hurt. Although I couldn’t decipher whether the pain was good or bad, the sex had been one hell of an experience.
There wasn’t a spot in the room where he hadn’t fucked me. Tables, floors, sofa, against the wall—every place imaginable along with a few I wouldn’t have thought possible. The same sentiment applied to how we had sex. I’d always been flexible but damn…
I rolled onto my side. Cracking open an eye, I spied the conceited vampire. He was fully dressed in a crisp white shirt, skinny blue tie, and trousers. The ass simply stared at me while sipping from a goblet of… I sniffed the air. Blood.
Jumping to my feet, I forgot about my distress and lunged for the glass. The bastard held it just out of reach.
His crimson-stained lips curled up. “Looking for something?”
“Give me,” I rasped. My throat was unbelievably dry. The hunger had returned with a vengeance.
The fiend, however, didn’t care about my agony. His snake-like gaze took me in. “Perhaps you should get dressed.”
I looked around the room and found my shredded clothes heaped into a pile. “What the hell? How am I supposed to leave the room?”
Alexander laughed deep in his throat. “Although the prospect of keeping you here is appealing, I have no intention of holding you prisoner. We already share a bond.”
“What type of bond?”
He guzzled the remainder of the crimson and set the glass on an end table. Slowly, he rolled up his sleeve, brought his wrist to his mouth, and bit down. The sound of fangs piercing flesh excited me. I licked my lips, anticipating the sweet nectar. Alexander held out his arm.
“Drink.”
Like an addict, I pounced on his wrist.
“Ahh,” he moaned. Before I could imbibe too much, Alexander pulled away. He lapped up the thin rivulet and then unrolled his sleeve.
“Why did you stop me?” I sat back on my heels and wiped my mouth with my hand.
“It’s not the first time you’ve feasted on me. My blood fed you, brought you back from the grave. Our bond transcends death.”
Memories of the night I met the vampire flooded my mind. Crawling out of the alley, tearing through the raw steak, and the sunlight burning my skin. When I remembered how my reflection disappeared in the mirror, the hatred rushed forward like a scream.
I jumped to my feet. Like a savage warrior, I kicked and pummeled the shit out of Alexander. Then the room flipped, and I was on my back. The vampire held my wrists with one hand. I snarled and hissed my disapproval.
“Stop,” he said calmly.
“Never!”
He leaned in, and his dark gaze met mine. Strange. I no longer felt angry. A sense of calm passed through me, and I slowly relaxed.
“Better,” he said and kissed my cheek. “You’ll never hurt me. You can’t.” Alexander moved and allowed me to rise from the floor.
“Why can’t I?”
Ignoring my question, he said, “If you look in the wardrobe, you’ll find a change of clothing. I believe it should fit.”
For the first time, I took a good look at my surroundings. When I first entered the room, it was practically dark. Now a lamp lit up the space. A black leather sofa, a few tables, and a chair practically filled the area. Tucked into a corner was a bed and a black cupboard. Opening the doors, I found a pair of black leather pants, a black silk blouse, and lacy underwear. There was even a full-length black leather coat. Great. I was leaving the club Matrix-style. All I needed was a pair of shades.
“Sunglasses will not help you, beloved, but this will.”
I whirled around. Alexander held a ring between his fingers. It was the oddest piece of jewelry I’d ever seen. The intricate filigreed gold had a stupendous red stone shaped like a coffin in its center.
“Is that a ruby?”
He smiled and slipped it onto my left hand. “No, my love. That’s too common for a woman of your great beauty. It’s a bixbite gem. Never remove this ring. As long as you wear it, you’ll be able to walk in sunlight again.”
Good to know.
“We’ll need to leave here soon. Before we do, I must inform you of some pressing matters. Get dressed.”
I desperately wanted a shower, but I guess it would have to wait until I got home. Instead, I reached for my underwear. “What are you talking about?”
“As we speak, the BlackGuard Society is rallying forth.”
“What’s the BlackGuard Society?”
Alexander frowned, clasped his hands behind him, and began pacing the floor. “A bunch of do-gooders. You should know we’re not the only supernaturals in the world. The planet is plagued with all matter of creatures. Different species of shifters, witches, and such. There are demons too.”
Hearing his words sent a shudder down my spine. Those things were supposed to be creatures from stories meant to keep small kids from misbehaving.
“Sorry to disappoint you, beloved. All you were told was true minus a few details. The shit you’ve seen in movies and television exists only in the imaginations of Hollywood producers and hack writers. You’ll never see a vampire walking through the streets in a cape and tuxedo. I’ve never rested in a coffin either.”
I stopped buttoning my shirt. “You said rested. You don’t sleep?”
“In time you won’t either.” Alexander ceased moving and looked at me. “The transformation process is different for everyone. It took me a year before I lost the need to sleep.”
“So what do you do?”
“I’m active at night.” He reached for his suit jacket. “During the day, I usually lie in bed. I’ll close my eyes, but it’s not necessary. It’s a human trait I have no desire to relinquish.”
“Okay. Anything else?”
“Oh, there’s plenty.” He cocked his head to one side. “The BlackGuard’s agents are converging on this place. They won’t stop until they end me.”
“With a stake through the heart?”
He smiled and pushed the hair away from my face. “It’s a good thing you’re so beautiful. Once again, that’s a stupid movie trope. Decapitation is the only way to end a vampire. Yanking out one’s heart will do it, but it’s not permanent. If the heart is replaced soon enough, our kind survives.”
“And the head thing?”
“Requires keeping the head and body separated. Then the carcass is burned.”
A whimper escaped from me as I slipped on my shoes.
“Do not fear, my love. I shall protect you.” His eyes darted around the room. “Grab your coat. Those sunglasses you mentioned are in a pocket. Put them on. We’ll need to go out the rear.”
I did as he said and rushed behind him. Right before he opened the door, Alexander faced me. “I’ll find you again this evening. I must collect on a debt, and then we’ll be free to leave this forsaken town.”
“Okay,” I mumbled and took his hand.
We tore down the hall, in the opposite direction we’d come from, and descended the stairs. The heavy metal door banged open, and we were in an alley. Alexander turned toward me and brushed his lips over mine.
“If the BlackGuard catches up to you, don’t panic. Tell them nothing about me. I’ll find you again.”
I nodded, and he was gone. The vampire moved so quickly he blurred.
>
It was time for me to leave as well. I walked toward the street and retraced the path I took the previous night. From the corner of my eye, I noticed a dark car rolling slowly behind me. It wasn’t Alexander’s vehicle. Recalling his words, I quickened my pace. If the BlackGuard wanted to pick me up, they could do so after I had a proper shower.
The car trailed me all the way to my building. I shook my head and pushed open the door. As soon as I reached my apartment, I began undressing. By the time I arrived at the bathroom, I was naked.
In the shower, I thought about all that had happened to me. I didn’t choose to become a vampire, but the jerk who made me one seemed to be totally into me. Figuratively and literally. Shit, my ass still hurt from all that Alexander did.
Turning off the water, I reached for a towel. Despite what he said about resting versus sleeping, I was worn out. Maybe a quick nap and then I’d be ready to deal with the asshole waiting for me downstairs.
* * *
I awakened to Alexander’s voice in my mind.
“Did you have a nice nap, beloved? I’m afraid you’ll have to deal with the BlackGuard on your own. Have no fear. You’re a strong woman. If you weren’t, I wouldn’t have chosen you. See you later.”
See me later?
Asshole.
Rather than find something else to wear, I slipped on a pair of fresh panties and skipped the bra. Then I got dressed in the garment I took off earlier.
Before leaving the apartment, I looked out the window. It was getting dark. Thankfully, the car was gone.
At least, that was what I thought. I hadn’t even left the block when I sensed someone behind me.
“Stop. Right. There.” The deep, unfamiliar voice froze my feet.
I turned around and saw a freakishly tall chocolate-colored brother beside a limo. When did it roll up? He opened the door and gestured toward it.
“I don’t think so, buddy. My last tryst with a stranger didn’t go so well.” I backed away and attempted to return to the building. A shadow crossed my path, and I stopped dead in my tracks. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t move a muscle.
