Longing for You

by Jenny Frame

  Amelia had been so nervous about this speech. She had practised it over and over for Byron, and Byron tried to give her pointers as she was used to talking to large groups of people. But as she’d reassured Amelia, everything was perfect on the night. She had looked extremely nervous at the start but soon got into her groove and relaxed.

  “And so, ladies and gentlemen, what I hope to create here is a safe place for women to explore bespoke tailoring and all it has to offer. Thank you.”

  The crowd broke into applause, and Amelia smiled with relief. Byron caught her eye and mouthed, I love you.

  Then a voice she didn’t recognize said, “I understand you are looking for information, Principe.”

  Byron looked to her side and saw a small man with round wire glasses and a suit and hat that had seen better days.

  “I might be. Who are you, sir?” Byron asked.

  He bowed his head and said, “Enoch Ratner at your service, Principe.”

  Byron spotted Alexis making her way over, to get rid of her new friend no doubt, but she waved her back.

  “You have information for me, Mr. Ratner?”

  “At a price. Of course I would normally give you anything I had free of charge, Principe, but times are hard.”

  Byron took her wallet out and extracted a large sum of notes but held on to them. “Tell me, then.”

  “There’s a witch, runs a bookshop with her granddaughter. It’s called The Portal.”

  “And why do you think this witch will be able to help?” Byron asked.

  “Magda always knows what’s going on in our community,” Enoch said.

  Byron handed him the notes. “This better not be a wild goose chase.”

  “It won’t be, Principe. I promise.”

  * * *

  One of the models, a really good-looking butch named Will, was chatting up Katie in the corner of the room. She liked her, but the situation was getting uncomfortable. Every time she looked up, she saw Alexis scowling at her.

  Then Daisy caught her eye. She was bracing herself against a chair and rubbing her temple.

  “You’ll have to excuse me, Will. I think my friend isn’t feeling too well.” She walked over and said, “Daisy, are you okay?”

  Daisy put on a smile. “Oh yeah, fine. It’s just been a lot of work getting this all ready for today. My head is a bit sore.”

  “As long as you’re okay. You’ve done a great job here.”

  “Thanks. Amelia has appointed me manager—did she tell you?”

  “No—congratulations, Daisy. That’s great news.” Katie gave her a kiss on the cheek.

  “Thanks. It’s going down well with the guests, isn’t it? Are there paranormals here?”

  “Oh, a few I’d guess, but none that will cause any harm,” Katie said.

  Daisy shook her head. “The things I could tell the world. It’s crazy hard to keep secrets.”

  “I know, but it’s to protect Amelia,” Katie said.

  Katie knew that Daisy wished she could tell the subscribers of her successful YouTube channel everything she had learned, but because of Amelia and her other new friends, she couldn’t tell anyone. The outing of the paranormal world would put them in danger.

  Daisy took a drink and pulled at the high collar of her jumper. “Hey, do you want to go out to The Sanctuary after this? I need to let off some steam.”

  “I’d love to,” Katie said.

  Daisy pointed to Alexis who was patrolling the room. “Super grumpy vamp is still gazing at you longingly.”

  “She dislikes everything about me, Daisy.”

  “I don’t know. Hate and love are very close.”

  Katie thought back to the moment they shared in the blood room, while Alexis was feeding and she had a vampire feeding on her. The air was electric, and sex and need permeated the air, but then Alexis had run again. Like she always did.

  “I don’t care what she is or she isn’t. I’m just sick of her scowling. Let’s go out and have some fun. Oh, let’s ask Sera too.”

  * * *

  The line of black Debrek cars pulled up in front of the house. Alexis got out and opened up the door for Byron, while Wilder, Amelia’s guard, did the same for her. Byron waited for Amelia and took her hand.

  “We’re in for the night, Duca,” Byron said.

  “Yes, Principe.”

  Alexis waited while Sera and Katie got out of the car behind. She wanted to make sure everyone was in the house safely before she gave everyone their orders. As Sera passed her, she heard Katie say, “Are you sure you won’t come out with us to The Sanctuary? I’m meeting Daisy there in an hour. Plenty of time to get ready.”

  “I’d love to. You know me—I never want to miss a party—but I’m flying out to New York at four a.m. It’s my friend’s art exhibition tomorrow night. The only way Byron’s letting me out of the country since our little fight with the Dreds is if I take the Debrek plane and I stay with our cousin Angelo. Everything’s been set, so if I miss my flight time, I’m in trouble.”

  “Oh, well, another time,” Katie said as they walked up the steps.

  Alexis was frozen on the spot. Katie was going out to The Sanctuary with Daisy. Two humans alone in a club full of paranormals, with things the way they were? She felt utter fear grip her heart.

  “Duca?”

  Alexis realized someone was trying to get her attention. It was Bhal, who was standing with Wilder.

  “Sorry, Bhal. Could you give the orders? I need to speak to Katie.”

  “Aye, no problem.”

  Alexis ran up the stairs and into the entrance hallway. Katie was saying goodnight to Sera, and then Sera walked upstairs to her room.

  Alexis’s fear was turning into anger. How could Katie be so reckless, going to a paranormal club alone after everything they’d been through recently?

  “Katie?” Alexis said sternly.

  Katie turned around and sighed when she saw it was Alexis. “Yes?”

  “Can I talk to you?”

  “You are, aren’t you?” Katie said sarcastically.

  Alexis looked around and saw the entrance hall was filling up with the guards.

  “A private word.”

  “If you insist.”

  Alexis led them into the drawing room and shut the door.

  Katie said, “What have I done wrong this time?”

  “I heard you were planning to go out to The Sanctuary,” Alexis said.

  “Listening in to my conversation, were you? Yes, I am. I’m getting ready and meeting Daisy there in an hour.”

  Alexis wasn’t going to sugar-coat her response. Katie just had to be told it wasn’t safe. “There is no way I’m letting you go to The Sanctuary. There’s been case after case in the last few months of vampires attacking at will. Most likely the Dred vampires causing trouble in our home city.”

  Katie looked furious. “Excuse me? You aren’t letting me? Who the hell do you think you are?”

  “I’m the Duca of the Debrek clan, and when I give an order, it’s followed,” Alexis said matter-of-factly.

  Katie stabbed a finger into Alexis’s chest. “I’m not one of your vampires or Bhal’s warriors. I answer to Byron and Amelia and no one else. You don’t and will never have any say in my life, Alexis Villiers.”

  Why did Katie have to be so insubordinate?

  “Listen, there are vampires turning humans and killing them with impunity, and witches who hate vampires out there. Our world has never been more unstable in at least a hundred years, and you want to go out dancing. Alone?”

  Katie looked her straight in the eye and said, “Why do you care if I’m safe or not?”

  Alexis wasn’t expecting that question. Her anger was making her flustered. “I’m responsible for the safety of the whole Debrek household.”

  “I don’t buy it.” Katie took a step closer to Alexis. So close that Alexis could smell her perfume and see the throbbing vein in her neck. There was still a mark from where the other vampire had fed,
and Alexis hated it. It fuelled her anger and frustration.

  Katie continued, “I don’t ever see you trying to impose these rules on any other human in the household. So try again. Why does the safety of someone who you won’t even feed from matter?”

  Inside Alexis was bursting to tell Katie that she cared, that she wanted Katie, but instead she stared at her stiffly.

  Katie said, “Just as I thought. I’m going now and maybe I’ll meet a vampire who isn’t repressed and emotionless.”

  Katie walked away, leaving Alexis alone. She looked over to the other side of the room, where long ago she discovered her Anna, dead by the Dred vampires’ hands. Finding Anna like that had nearly destroyed her.

  Alexis put her hands to her forehead and said, “No, I can’t feel this again. I won’t.”

  She had always been so determined that she would never let herself feel for another like she did for Anna, but it had crept up slowly on Alexis, and one taste of Katie’s blood was enough to stir her heart again.

  * * *

  At The Sanctuary club, Katie and Daisy were dancing with two werewolves who knew how to party. When the song came to an end, Katie said, “I think we’ll sit down for a while. Thanks for the dance.”

  “We’ll be here waiting for you if you change your mind, ladies.” The werewolves gave a synchronized theatrical bow.

  Katie took Daisy’s arm, and they both chuckled.

  “We’ve been popular tonight,” Katie said.

  They had been asked to dance by one person after another ever since they arrived. They took seats at the table.

  “It’s the novelty value, I think,” Daisy said. “They don’t often get humans in here.”

  “You know, Alexis was trying to stop me coming tonight.”

  Daisy grinned. “Oh, really. Someone feeling a little jealous?”

  “Even if she was, Alexis is repressed up to her eyeballs. Besides she doesn’t even like the taste of my blood. She just loves ordering me around.”

  Daisy raised an eyebrow. “You know, you haven’t thought about one thing.”

  “What?” Katie asked.

  Daisy leaned closer and said, “What if she didn’t run because she didn’t like the taste of your blood? What if she liked it too much, and it scared her?”

  Katie’s stomach flipped. Could that be true? Today when they had both been in the blood room, the feelings had been so intense. Did Alexis really—

  Before Katie could contemplate further, Daisy doubled over in pain and grasped her neck.

  “Daisy?” Katie took her hand. “There’s something wrong. You’re not going to dismiss this again. What’s going on? Tell me the truth.”

  Daisy took a few breaths to calm herself, then pulled the scarf on her neck to the side. Katie gasped and covered her mouth with her hand. There was a fiery red vampire bite on Daisy’s neck.

  “Is that—”

  Daisy covered over the bite again and nodded. “The bite Victorija gave me when the Dreds kidnapped Amelia? Yes.”

  Daisy had found Amelia in The Sanctuary, under the influence of Victorija’s compulsion. She’d tried to help Amelia escape and to hold the Dreds off until Byron got there.

  “The bite’s never healed, and I keep getting spasms of pain from it. It’s getting worse with every day that passes.”

  “Tell me exactly what happened when she bit you,” Katie said.

  “I got Amelia to the bathroom over there, and then Victorija and her Duca, Drasas, found us. I tried to protect Amelia. Victorija held me up by the neck, and I bit her trying to defend myself. She bled, and then Byron arrived at the club, and Victorija wanted to drink my blood before she retreated. She was angry, you see. She couldn’t compel me. Victorija bit me, then stumbled back, looking at me funny.”

  Katie was shocked. “Oh God, you must be bonded by blood to Victorija.”

  “That’s what I was frightened of. Byron’s vamps said it would heal quickly, and it hasn’t. It just keeps getting redder and sorer, but I can’t believe that I could be bonded to an evil vampire.”

  “Daisy, do you know that not any human—or even any vampire—is compatible with a vampire for a blood bond?”

  “What does that mean?” Daisy asked.

  “It means that your DNA and only yours is compatible with Victorija’s blood. She can’t pick and choose who is blood bonded to her.”

  “That means…” Daisy looked terrified.

  Katie moved her seat closer and squeezed Daisy’s hand. “Remember what happened to Byron? The blood of the bonded is like a drug to the vampire. No other blood will sate their need. Every time you feel pain in your bite, that is Victorija’s body crying out for your blood.”

  “Oh, shit,” Daisy said.

  “Daisy, you have to tell Byron and Amelia because when Victorija realizes what’s wrong with her, when the Dreds find out, they will come for you and use you for your blood. She can’t survive without it.”

  Daisy touched her hand to her head. “What, wait, I need to process this. Give me a little time to do some research and work out what this means, find out if there’s a way to break this so-called bond. Then I promise I’ll tell them.”

  Katie was reluctant. She knew Amelia would be angry that she kept this to herself, but if Daisy needed just a bit of time to get her head around it… “Okay, but just a short time. A few days.”

  “A week?” Daisy countered.

  Katie sighed. She was going to get into big trouble over this. “Okay, but that’s all, and you be careful.”

  Slaine approached them with a tray of drinks. “Here you are, ladies. Compliments of the two witches in the corner.”

  “Did they say why?” Katie asked.

  “They just said to thank Daisy,” Slaine said.

  “What for?” Daisy asked.

  Slaine shrugged. “They never said. Enjoy, ladies.”

  Katie looked over to the two witches, and they held up their drinks in a toast.

  “We are popular tonight, aren’t we?” Katie said.

  Chapter Five

  “It’s your move, Alexis,” Bhal said.

  Alexis realized her thoughts had drifted away from her game. After Byron and Amelia retired for the evening, she and Bhal set up a game of chess in one of the upstairs sitting rooms.

  They often played chess to unwind and discuss the day and the next day’s security matters. But tonight Alexis’s mind kept drifting to Katie alone at The Sanctuary. She was angry, worried, and frustrated.

  “Sorry,” Alexis said, then moved her pawn on the chess board.

  “Alexis, why don’t you just tell Katie you care about her?” Bhal said.

  Alexis, who was taking a sip of whisky at the time, nearly spat it out. “What are you talking about?”

  “You’re angry she went out tonight.”

  “I’m only concerned for her and Daisy’s safety, but of course Katie won’t listen. She’s behaving like a child.”

  “She’s not a child any more, Alexis. You can’t fool someone as old as me. I’ve seen your eyes follow her everywhere since she came home for holidays from university, and even more so since she began working with the clan.”

  “It doesn’t matter how I feel—humans break and break our hearts. I saw the woman I loved dead in this house. Her throat ripped out by the Dred vampires. It destroyed me and it will not happen again. Besides, Katie can’t stand me.”

  “I know what you went through. I was there to see your pain and grief, and believe me, I know how it feels to lose someone you love, but you can’t fight love. Maybe she behaves like she doesn’t like you because of the offhand way you treat her. You’re trying to make her hate you, so you have every excuse not to love her.”

  Alexis knocked over her king in surrender. “I’m sorry, Bhal. I need some time to myself.”

  “Think hard, Duca. Some people aren’t lucky enough to find love twice in their life.”

  Alexis didn’t consider love luck. She walked out of the room and made h
er way back to her quarters. Was she really in love?

  * * *

  Katie hugged Daisy outside The Sanctuary before she got into a taxi. “Are you sure you don’t want me to wait until you get a taxi too?” Daisy asked.

  “It’s okay. Another will be along in a minute. Besides”—Katie pointed to the seven-foot-five doorman of The Sanctuary—“Otto will make sure I’m safe.”

  “Okay, well, let me know you get in safely,” Daisy said.

  “I will.”

  Katie waved as Daisy’s taxi pulled away. She saw a few taxis stop further down the road, so she started to walk towards them. As she passed the alley at the side of the club, Katie heard moaning. She looked down the dark alleyway and wondered whether to go back and get Otto. Someone might be hurt. Alexis’s warnings floated through her mind, but what if this was someone in trouble?

  She looked down to the doorman again, and he was busy dealing with a pair of young, rowdy werewolves, so she decided to go down and see who needed help in the alley. As she started to walk down the dark alley, all she could hear was the clatter of her heels on the cobbled stones and moaning ahead. Fear gripped her. “What in God’s name am I doing?”

  Katie was about to turn back when the moaning got louder. Someone needed her help. She flicked the torch on her phone and started to walk again. All of a sudden, she saw a woman around her own age slumped against the wall of the building. Katie hurried over to her. She had a short blond pixie cut and a slim build.

  “Hello, it’s okay. I’ll get you help.”

  “Help me, please,” the woman mumbled.

  Katie started to check her over and found a vampire bite on her and blood on her lips.

  “I’m hungry, so hungry.”

  “Shit,” Katie said. “She’s been attacked and turned.”

  Katie had lived long enough with vampires to know the signs. This woman had been turned but hadn’t completed the final step, feeding on a human. That’s why she was in so much pain, and hungry. She had to make the choice to take the final step or die.