I walked slowly through the room and paused when I reached the doorway. It felt like I was leaving for two years and not two weeks. I had the urge to memorize everything as it was now as if I wouldn’t be back. Shaking my head, I left the room and closed the door firmly.
I was being ridiculous. Of course I was coming back. My maker wanted a chance to woo me back to him, but nothing he’d say would work. I wanted to be with Nicholas in every way, and I would be coming back here.
Nicholas was sitting on a stool at the island in the kitchen when I finally found him. He had a faraway look on his face that vanished when he saw me enter the room.
“All packed?” he asked, the words seemingly ripped from his throat.
“Yep. I’m just bringing some clothes. All my personal things I’m leaving here for when I come back,” I told him sternly. I’m not sure if I was trying to convince him or myself.
“You’ve got your phone?”
I patted my jeans pocket and nodded. “Right here.”
He nodded as well, and we stood there staring at each other for a moment. His eyes had that distant look again, and I tried to imagine what he was really seeing.
“I have something else for you,” he said, his voice monotone. He took my hand and led me to the kitchen table where I saw a few gadgets and wires I couldn’t identify.
Nicholas leaned over and picked up a black piece of plastic about the size of a credit card. I opened my hand, and he placed it on my palm.
“This is a GPS tracking device. I want you to wear it at all times,” he said.
I looked at the tracker and back up at him questioningly.
“I don’t trust him. I haven’t been able to find a permanent residence for him here in New York, so I don’t know where he’ll be keeping you for the next two weeks. I’m not willing to take any chances with your safety. If you have this on you, I’ll be able to monitor where you are at all times.” His words were firm but his face was tortured. “Will you do this for me?”
I digested his words slowly. “Do you know something I don’t?”
Nicholas shook his head quickly. “That’s the problem. I know far less about him than I’m comfortable with. This is a precaution, Adrienne. I just want to know where you are, so I know you’re safe.”
When he put it that way, how could I refuse? I nodded and went to slip the GPS in my front pocket, but Nicholas shot out a hand to stop me. “I think we should hide it on you, just to be safe.”
His precautions were worrying me. “You think Massimo’s going to search me?”
Nicholas’ eyes blazed with a dangerous fire. “He better not,” he said in a deadly tone. “This is just another precaution. Please.” The pleading tone of his voice did me in.
“Okay, where should we put it?”
“I’ve thought about this a lot already.”
I snorted because what hadn’t he thought of?
He ignored me and continued. “I think if we slip it into your bra under your arm it should be secure and difficult to notice. What do you think?”
He really had thought of everything. The elastic of my bra would hold the slim tracker in place while the out-of-the-way location would assure Massimo wouldn’t discover it by accident.
“I think that’s perfect,” I said.
Reaching to the hem of my shirt, I lifted the thin cotton up over the swell of my breasts. A low growl had me looking at Nicholas to see his eyes on fire again, but for a very different reason this time. I released a shaky breath and swiftly tucked the tracker into the elastic that sat against my ribs on my side, right under my armpit.
When I was done, I released my shirt and let it slide back down my body. I looked up to see Nicholas had moved much closer, his body radiating heat against my skin. He slid a hand under my shirt, his warm palm resting against the bare skin of my back. With a tug, I was in his arms, breathing in his masculine scent again. His other hand found its way under my shirt as well and he held me tightly against him.
“I’m going to miss you,” he whispered against my ear. “You’ve become my whole world. What am I going to do without you?”
My eyes watered again, and my throat constricted.
“I don’t know,” I choked out, unable to articulate all the ways I’d miss him too.
We stood like that for another few minutes, our bodies fitted against each other like two puzzle pieces. Finally, Nicholas stepped back, his hands sliding from my skin. I missed his touch already.
“I have one more thing,” Nicholas said.
He sprinted from the room and was back moments later with what looked like a knife sheathed in leather. My wide eyes met his curiously.
“This is a silver dagger. I want you to have it on you when you go with Massimo. I don’t think he’d work this hard to get you back just to hurt you, but I won’t risk your safety.”
I immediately shook my head. “Nicholas, I’m more likely to stab myself with that thing than to hurt anyone else with it!”
“Please.” His tortured gaze captured mine and I saw the depth of his worry for me. “This straps to your ankle and it’s sheathed so you can’t accidentally hurt yourself. Please, take it and wear it for me.”
My shoulders drooped and I nodded. Nicholas gave me a swift kiss on my forehead before he kneeled to strap the knife to my ankle. When he was done, he rolled my jeans over it gently and I gave my leg a little shake. Surprisingly, the dagger stayed in place and I could barely feel it there.
“See? Piece of pie!”
I choked out a laugh. “Cake, Nicholas. Piece of cake.”
He waved his hand dismissively. “We need to get going,” he said. “You need to feed before we meet with Massimo. With all the excitement of the trial, you didn’t hunt at all yesterday. I want you to feed twice as much today to make up for that.”
I nodded as he reached for the backpack I had slung over my shoulder. With a gentle hand against the small of my back, Nicholas led me through the apartment and out the front door.
Alexander was at the curb as usual, and as soon as we were seated, he drove us toward an unsavory neighborhood. He swiftly found a pair of drug dealers and I glamoured and fed from them. Although Nicholas was there to stop me, I was able to stop feeding from each man in a timely manner. I closed their wounds, gave them new memories and a little pep talk about their choice of careers before I hopped back in the Suburban to head toward Parliament.
Now that there was nothing standing between me and Massimo, the worry set in. I was really leaving Nicholas for Massimo. Although it wasn’t my choice, it still felt like a betrayal. My body shook, and I knew I needed to get myself under control. I didn’t want to show any fear to my maker. A man like him would revel in that and I wouldn’t give him that satisfaction.
I’m a vampire now.
Those words played over and over again in my head. Although I hadn’t tested it out, in theory I should have been pretty indestructible. What harm could Massimo really do to me? Even if he beat me like he did Charlotte, I would recover much faster. And if he wanted something more, something sexual, he’d better be expecting a fight.
I’m strong now.
I thought back to my time at the training facility when I’d lifted huge vehicles above my head. The vampire blood running through my veins made me so much more than what I’d been the first time I was at the mercy of Massimo. This time would be different. He wasn’t dealing with a human woman he’d snatched off the street anymore.
I was a vampire.
The stuff of legends.
And I was pissed.
I let the anger for my maker rush through my body, steeling my nerves and strengthening my resolve. This meeting would be different than the others. I wouldn’t be beaten down this time, and I wouldn’t have Nicholas there to defend me. It was just me and my maker and he would not come out on top again.
With this resolve in mind and my new mantra running through my head on repeat, the tremors slowly subsided. I sat up straighter in my sea
t and unclenched my fists.
“I’m a vampire now,” I repeated under my breath.
“What are you saying?” Nicholas asked from beside me.
I’d almost forgotten he was there.
“I’m a vampire now,” I spoke up. Seeing his look of confusion, I pressed on. “I’m not the same weak human Massimo encountered last time. I’m strong, I’m fast, and I’ll be fine.” I added that last part to assure him. He looked like he needed it.
Nicholas’ eyes shined with pride. “Yes, you are. You’re also smart. Don’t forget that your abilities lie both outside and inside you.”
His belief in me strengthened my resolve further. I’d play this game that Massimo insisted on playing, but I’d win it. He wanted me for two weeks? Well, he’d get me. At the end of it, he’d be begging Nicholas to take me back. That thought brought a small smile to my face that was still there when we pulled up outside Parliament headquarters.
Chapter 23
I scoured the city streets but saw no sign of Massimo and breathed a sigh of relief, my body relaxing slightly. Either he wasn’t there yet, or he was inside waiting.
“Nicholas? What are bonded mates? You never told me,” I reminded him.
He shifted uncomfortably in his seat.
“Alexander, could you give us a minute alone, please?” Nicholas said.
Alexander grunted before sliding out of the vehicle and disappearing inside the door to Parliament.
Nicholas turned to me and ran an agitated hand through his hair before answering. “Two mates become bonded when they share each other’s blood simultaneously. It is a union that is permanent. Once two mates are joined, their life forces are forever entwined. If one were to die, the other would perish shortly after.”
“So, it’s a bit like a human marriage without the option of divorce.”
Nicholas’ lips twitched. “I suppose it’s similar. But not only is there no divorce, there is no separating their lives. They will always be bonded.”
“And that trumps a maker’s rights to their progeny?”
He hesitated before answering. “Yes.”
Then why don’t we become bonded mates?
That question burned my throat as I swallowed it down. If Nicholas even wanted to be plain old mates he would have asked by now. But he hadn’t. I needed to get ahold of my rampant emotions. Besides, I knew I was in love with him, but was I sure I wanted to be bonded to him for the rest of my very long life? If I wasn’t entirely sure, then the answer had to be no.
Nicholas’ voice broke through my muddled thoughts.
“I want you to be careful with Massimo. We don’t know a lot about him, but we know he can be violent. I wouldn’t be able to stand it if something were to happen to you.” The look of anguish on his face undisguised.
I reached forward to run my palm against his whiskered face. The bags under his eyes were more pronounced than they’d been earlier, and I hoped he’d get some sleep soon. My gaze traveled up to his beautiful hazel eyes and I let myself get lost in them.
“I’ll be careful. I promise.”
He let out a deep breath, and I saw some of the lines around his eyes diminish. This man was practically worrying himself sick over me. When was the last time someone had cared that deeply? Worried that much on my behalf? When was the last time my wellbeing was so vitally important to someone?
My mind flashed to the unconditional love my parents had given me and I knew I had my answer. It had been many years, but the feeling of being cherished was there, in the SUV between Nicholas and me. I felt my love for him pulse inside my chest, threatening to spill over.
Should I keep this to myself? Let the words remain unspoken until a later time? What if there was no later time? What if something happened to me while in Massimo’s possession? I knew I’d always regret not admitting how I felt if I didn’t do it now. Maybe it wasn’t the right time, but was there ever really a right time to tell someone you love them?
The ticking clock made me bold, and I placed my hand back on Nicholas’ face, gently turning him to look at me.
“Nicholas, I need to tell you something.”
He looked at me expectantly and I fought for air, my lungs squeezing painfully with the knowledge of what I was about to do. How would he receive this?
Deciding to just get it over with, I blurted out, “I’m in love with you.”
Nicholas’ eyes widened, as he stopped breathing. I didn’t know how to interpret his silence, so I babbled on.
“I don’t know if you feel the same or not, but I wanted to tell you I love you in case I don’t get another chance.”
“Adrienne–”
I slapped my palm over his mouth. “No. Don’t say anything. It doesn’t matter if you love me back or not because it won’t change how I feel. I don’t want you to feel obligated to say it back so I’d rather you not say anything.”
His eyes were still wide, but he’d begun to breathe again. I suppose that was a good sign.
“I’m going to take my hand off your mouth, you’re going to kiss me, and then we’re going to get out of the car. Got it?”
I could feel Nicholas’ lips smiling beneath my palm as he nodded. I slowly slid my hand off his mouth and let it fall to my lap.
Nicholas’ body moved so fast he was just a dark blur. He pulled me across the seat until I was in his lap, straddling his hips. Without a word, he pulled my head towards him and fit his lips against mine. His kiss was domineering, and I melted into him as his mouth devoured my moans and sighs. I opened my mouth and my tongue met his in a battle I knew I’d lose.
His kiss conveyed his worry for my safety and his longing for me. There might have been a deeper emotion in there, but I refused to analyze it. I wanted to live in this moment forever and not ruin it with thoughts of whether he loved me back or not. Like I told him, it didn’t matter. He had my heart and there was nothing either of us could do about it.
We finally pulled away from each other, both of us struggling to breathe past the intensity of our kiss. Nicholas opened his mouth to speak, but I placed a finger against his full lips and shook my head. He rolled his eyes but stayed silent.
He speared me with a searching look before he opened his door and slid off the seat. I took the hand he offered and exited the vehicle as well. Taking a deep breath of the smoggy city air, I felt good about the coming confrontation. I’d told Nicholas my deepest feelings, and with that off my chest, I felt lighter than ever. Now I just had to get past these next fourteen days and get back to him in one piece.
Nicholas and I walked sedately across the sidewalk toward the Department of Sanitation door that hid Parliament headquarters.
“I wonder if Massimo is inside waiting for me,” I wondered out loud.
A deep, heavily accented voice had us both halting in our tracks.
“Adrienne.”
I turned to see Massimo striding down the street toward us, his ever-present trench coat flapping behind him. He reached us, and we all stood there silently for a moment, both men blatantly sizing each other up. Massimo turned his dark eyes to me and I fought to control the shiver that sped down my spine.
“You came,” he said.
I rolled my eyes. “I didn’t have much of a choice, did I?”
Massimo’s eyes flashed in anger and a low growl came from behind me. Nicholas gently pushed me aside, and faced my maker, the look on his face deadly.
“Let us make a few things clear, Romano,” he spat. “You will return Adrienne here to me in two weeks’ time. You will not lay a finger on her while she is in your care. You will not raise your voice to her. You will not upset her in any way. Are we clear?”
Massimo faced off with Nicholas for a few tense moments before he smiled a cold smile that didn’t reach his eyes.
“Of course, Mr. Talbot. I only have Adrienne’s best interests in my heart.” He clutched his chest for effect, and I barely suppressed another eye roll. “I only want the chance to know my progeny and h
ave her know me. After all, there is no substitution for a young vampire’s true maker,” he said, malicious joy evident on his face.
Nicholas’ jaw twitched, and his hands clenched into tight fists. He opened his mouth once to speak before shaking his head and turning toward me. Taking my backpack off his shoulders, he gently slid the straps onto mine and stepped back.
“I’ll see you soon, Adrienne.” His voice was soft, and his eyes were distraught. He ran the back of his hand along my jaw before turning on his heel and striding toward Parliament.
I watched Nicholas’ rigid shoulders walk away from me and my heart clenched in my chest. This was it. I was really on my own with my maker. At the mercy of the man who stole my human life from me.
Nicholas’ form disappeared through the door to Parliament, and my shoulders slumped. I felt his absence physically, like a huge hole in my chest. In such a short amount of time, he’d come to mean everything to me. He was my best friend, my teacher, my confidant, and more recently, my lover.
I felt the heat rise to my face as I thought about the night we’d spent in each other’s arms. When nothing and no one stood between us and we were left with only our passion and deep feelings for each other.
I knew that I was in love with Nicholas. There was no mistaking the gut-wrenching devotion I felt toward him. I wondered if Nicholas would have told me he loved me too if I’d given him the chance. My insecurities and nerves hadn’t allowed me to let him express himself. At the time, I’d thought it would be better to not know than to hear that he didn’t love me like I loved him. I don’t think I’d have survived that.
“Let’s go,” a sharp voice barked, breaking me out of my thoughts.
I whipped my head around to Massimo but only caught his back as he stalked down the street away from me. For a moment I hesitated, debating whether I could just walk away, disregard Parliament’s orders and run back to Nicholas. My heart swelled with hope and I took a step back, watching Massimo’s retreating form carefully.
Blood Debt Page 19
