by Tina Folsom
Not wanting to revisit his feelings about his father, Haven tried to fight against the memories. He understood now why he and his mother had fought before Katie’s birth. But he wasn’t ready to forgive his father for leaving them. Had he not loved him and Wes at all?
“Why didn’t he fight her? Why didn’t he take us with him?”
Francine’s look was full of pity. Haven averted his eyes, not wanting to show how the memories of his father affected him.
“Jennifer threatened him.”
Renewed anger started to boil up in him. “He could have fought for Wes and me.”
Francine placed her hand on his forearm and squeezed. “He did. He lost.”
“But he left us!”
She shook her head. “He didn’t leave you.” She paused and sighed. “He loved you and Wes. Even more than he loved her.”
Confusion made itself at home in Haven’s chest. “But you said so yourself: you told all of them in there that he left us.” He gestured toward the living room where the vampires were preparing for the tasks ahead.
“I had to lie. Wes and Katie can’t handle the truth. But you, you’re stronger. You’ve always been stronger, even as a boy.”
He knew the answer to his question before he even asked it, yet the words still tumbled over his lips. “What did she do to him?”
“She killed him.”
Haven felt his knees buckle and gripped the banister, his knuckles turning white under the strain. “No, it can’t be true.” But in his heart he knew the truth.
“She was obsessed with the lust for power. She hid it well for a long time. But I could see it. Once it gripped her, she couldn’t let go. It was like a curse. Like a sickness that takes hold and strangles you. Once you’re afflicted, it’s only a matter of time until you succumb. She never had a chance.” Francine’s eyes were moist with unshed tears. “I hope you and you brother and sister never succumb to it. You have to stop it before it’s too late.”
Haven shook his head, his thoughts jumbled. His mother had betrayed them all and robbed him of his father. How could he ever get past that? And for all these years, he’d hated his father when he didn’t deserve it. He’d fought for them, given his life to protect them. Shame spread in Haven’s heart about the feelings he’d harbored there for so many years. He wished he could ask him for forgiveness.
“I have no taste for the Power of Three. I don’t want it.”
“You say that now because you don’t know yet what it’s like to be within reach of it.” Her eyes shone with the glint of a child beneath the Christmas tree. “But once you can feel it, taste it, sense it …”
“I don’t want it.” The Power of Three was the reason why his father was dead, why his sister had grown up without them. He could never embrace a force so destructive.
“Then you have to destroy it.”
“But—”
“You’ll find a way.” She let go of his arm and made a motion to turn.
“Wait—there was one question I wanted to ask you.”
She looked at him, tilting her chin up. “Yes?”
“You spoke of the key to the power my mother took away. How would I find it?”
Francine remained silent for a few moments, before she answered with a question of her own. “Did she die instantly when the vampire attacked her, or did she have a chance to say anything?”
“She chanted a spell.”
Francine shook her head. “That’s not what I meant. When she knew she was dying, you were there with her. Did she say anything?”
Haven’s mind traveled back to that fateful night in his mother’s kitchen. She’d mumbled something, but the words were beyond his reach. “I don’t remember.”
“That’s a shame, Haven, because despite everything I said about your mother, once she knew she had lost, she would have given you the key so you could defend yourself in the future. You have to try and remember it.”
Remember it. Those words triggered something in him … He reached for it, but wasn’t quick enough, the echo of his mother’s final words escaping him once more.
Twenty-Seven
By the time all talk of how to find and defeat the hostile witch had ended and Haven had said his goodbyes to Wes and Kimberly, daylight was approaching again. A blackout van took him and his captors to the Twin Peaks neighborhood, where Thomas’ house was located.
Haven was painfully aware of Yvette’s presence in the van. Sitting close to her, yet not nearly close enough, his body heated with desire. They hadn’t exchanged a single private word since they’d escaped their prison, and if he had to wait much longer before he could touch her, he’d go up in flames.
He let his eyes dance over her body. Clad in tight black-leather pants, she looked as hot and sexy as in her halter dress, but he would have preferred her in a dress. It would take precious seconds to tear those pants off her, whereas a dress he could simply push up and he’d be home in an instant.
Haven shifted in his seat, hiding his growing erection. He’d long given up trying to suppress his body’s reactions to her, knowing it was no use. She turned him on, and there were just no two ways about it. He had to make the best of it.
Thomas drove the van into a garage. The moment the garage door came down behind them, everybody scampered out. Haven looked around. Apart from an unpretentious SUV, several motorcycles lined the large space. Somebody clearly had a love for bikes. It explained Thomas’ leather outfit.
“Come, I’ll show you my digs,” Thomas said lightheartedly and waved Haven to follow him up a narrow staircase.
Without looking behind him, he knew Yvette was following, close enough to touch. He’d never been so aware of another person.
At the top of the stairs, Thomas opened a door. Sunlight streamed in and hit Haven in the face, blinding him for a moment. He caught a glimpse of a window—no blinds or shades covering it. Panic struck him, his heart leapt into his throat and lodged there, hammering furiously.
“Shit!”
Knowing he had not a second to lose, he swiveled on the stairs, grabbed hold of Yvette behind him and slammed her against the wall, covering her body with his, hoping none of the sunlight touched her. He pressed her head into his chest, feeling her hot breath against him. Her hands dug into his shirt.
“Baby,” he whispered. “You okay?”
The roaring laughter from further down the stairs made him snap his head around. Zane stood there slapping himself on his thigh, laughing in wide-mouthed glee. Somehow he’d thought the guy wasn’t capable of laughing, but it appeared Haven had underestimated the vamp. Next to him, Eddie chuckled too.
“You’ve quite a protector there, Yvette,” Zane teased.
From the open doorway, Thomas reappeared. “Haven, I think you can let her go. What you see isn’t natural light. It’s safe.”
Looking at Thomas standing there, the light silhouetting him, he had no choice but to believe him. Thomas would have been burned to cinders if the light really were sunlight. Reluctantly, Haven released Yvette.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I didn’t know—”
“Don’t be.” Finally, she addressed him directly. “It’s the thought that counts.” Yvette was still clutching his shirt, and he hoped she didn’t notice that he made no attempt at separating his body from hers. When he looked into her eyes, the need to kiss her overwhelmed him. It had been too many hours since he’d tasted her. As if pulled by invisible strings, he lowered his lips to hers.
“Are you coming or what?” Thomas asked, breaking the spell.
Haven backed off and turned. When he reached the top of the stairs, he took in the view. He’d entered the living area of Thomas’ house. It was surrounded by floor-to-ceiling windows. And none of them were covered with drapes, affording a stunning view of San Francisco. A stunning daytime view.
“Quite realistic, isn’t it?” his host asked and waved at the windows.
“I thought you guys burn in sunlight.”
“We do. But that’s not sunlight. What you see is a movie screen: live feed. And the light is artificial, but very natural looking. I designed it all myself. You can’t get that at Home Depot.” Thomas grinned.
Haven nodded and turned back to Yvette and her colleagues, who’d crowed into the room behind him.
“Don’t know about you guys, but I’m beat,” Eddie declared. Then he turned to Thomas. “I guess Haven can take the guest room, and Yvette can have my room. I’ll just bunk with you.”
A quick flash of panic appeared in Thomas’ eyes before he quickly hid it. “Sure, no problem.” He looked at Zane. “You okay taking the living room?”
Zane nodded. “I’m not planning on sleeping.”
Haven glanced at the bald vampire, picking up the implied warning. Yeah, he understood: Zane was keeping watch on him rather than stand sentry in case the witch showed up. Mistrustful bugger.
“I’ll show you to your room,” Eddie said behind him.
Haven sought Yvette’s eyes to send her a silent message that they still had to talk. Nothing in her impassive face showed that she understood or agreed. Not wanting to give Zane any reason to be any more suspicious than he already was, he turned to Eddie.
“Sure, thanks.”
“The bedrooms are all in the back of the house. No windows.”
Eddie opened a door, and they stepped into a corridor which was lit with the same natural looking light as the living area. Several doors lined the hallway.
“This is it.” Eddie pushed the door to the guest room open and stepped inside. Haven followed into the comfortably furnished room. A large queen-size bed, bedside tables, and a dresser were made of the same wood. In one corner of the room was a large armchair with a reading lamp. The room was bathed in a warm glow coming from lighting strips hidden behind cornices on the walls.
“Thanks.”
“You have your own bathroom.” Eddie pointed at a sliding door.
“So this is your and Thomas’ house?”
Eddie laughed and slapped him on the shoulder like they were old buddies. “I wish. No, it’s Thomas’. I just live here. He’s my mentor.”
“Your mentor?” Haven had first assumed since they lived together that they were boyfriends, even though neither of the two acted in any way campy. But when Eddie had offered Yvette his own room, he figured if they were lovers, they’d share a bedroom.
“I’m new to the vampire thing.” Eddie grinned, showing his dimples. “Thomas has agreed to help me work through the change, teach me stuff, you know.”
Haven nodded, even though he didn’t really understand what Eddie meant. “Like biting?” As if a vampire needed to be taught. He was sure instinct told him just how.
“You’re funny, you know that?” Eddie’s goodnaturedness didn’t wane. “Trust me, I know how to bite. Comes with the territory. But Thomas teaches me to control my powers and instincts, so that I don’t accidentally hurt people. It’s kind of hard to understand your own strength at first.”
Haven was aware of that strength only too intimately. Yvette had used it on him, but he was also aware of how gently she had taken his cock in her mouth and sucked him when she could have easily ripped him apart. The thought of Yvette brought back the reason why he’d started to make small talk with Eddie in the first place: he needed to find out where his room was.
“That’s nice of Thomas to let you stay with him. So, you got your own room here.” Haven motioned his head toward the open door. He hoped Eddie didn’t see through his pathetic attempt at subterfuge.
A flash in Eddie’s eyes told him that the young vampire was just as smart as the rest of the bunch. And the grin that followed confirmed that he wasn’t as concerned with keeping him from Yvette as Zane seemed to be. “Down the hall, last door to the left.”
“Thanks, listen, I—”
Eddie held up his hand. “Two things: stay under Zane’s radar, and don’t hurt Yvette. She’s had a rough few days.”
“I know. I was there.”
Eddie shook his head. “No, you don’t understand. First she thought you were dead, and then we had to tell her that her dog’s gone, simply disappeared. She’s close to breaking.”
Yvette had a dog? Did that mean she formed emotional attachments? Was she capable of that? “She was upset?”
Eddie darted a quick look toward the door as if making sure they were still alone. “You seem like a nice guy, trying to shield her when you thought the sun was streaming in.”
Haven cringed, wishing to wipe that embarrassing moment from his memory. It had exposed his feelings for her, feelings he didn’t want to admit to himself, let alone to a bunch of vampires. “Just a reflex.”
A quick shake of his head meant that Eddie didn’t believe him. “Odd reflex for a vampire hunter. Hey, I’m not one to judge. Just saying, be nice to her. I don’t wanna see her cry again. It hits me in the gut.”
Eddie turned and left, pulling the door shut behind him.
Yvette had cried? Over him?
Haven raked his hand through his hair. What was he supposed to do now? Had this whole thing suddenly stopped being about sex and sexual attraction? Because if it had, then all bets were off. He wasn’t getting into a relationship with a vampire, no matter how hot and sexy she was.
Haven kicked off his boots and let himself fall onto the bed, crossing his arms behind his head as he stared up at the ceiling. Maybe it meant nothing. Maybe she’d cried about the disappearance of her dog, and Eddie had gotten it all wrong. Hell, the vampire was still a kid, barely in his early twenties by the looks of his fresh face. What did he know about women?
If Haven went to her room now to have sex with her—and he was going to have her; that was as sure as the sunrise—would she take that as an invitation for more? Would Yvette try to drag him into a relationship?
He sat up. Only one way to find out.
Twenty-Eight
Yvette paced in Eddie’s room, barely taking any notice of its coziness. Eddie had really created a nice homey place for himself. But despite her comfortable surroundings, Yvette felt anything but comfortable.
When Haven had shielded her from what he thought was the sun, everything had come flooding back to her: the events in the tiny bathroom of their prison, Haven’s hands on her skin, his mouth on hers, his blood on her lips. The need to consume him had started boiling up in her again, now stronger than before. At the same time, the fear she’d felt at losing him was back.
Now that the stress of imprisonment was over, would he come to his senses and push her away again? Would he be the vampire hunter once more, the man who despised vampires? Or had Samson gotten through to him and made him understand that vampires were not the bad guys?
As much as she wanted to go to him and simply fuck his brains out until neither of them could think straight, pride prevented her from doing just that. Pride and self-preservation. She hadn’t guarded her heart, and it now lay exposed. If Haven found out, he could hurt her with his rejection just as severely as if he drove a stake through it. And why wouldn’t he?
She’d done nothing to endear him to her. During the entire time of their imprisonment they’d fought. And she’d even bitten him, twice. Once with his permission, and later without, and actually against his express wishes. He had every right to be upset with her. And in the end, she hadn’t even been able to protect him and his siblings from Zane’s assault. It was only thanks to Francine that they were still alive. Had she made a lethal dose of her potion rather than just a debilitating one—Yvette shuddered at the thought.
Whatever Haven had made her promise while imprisoned—that they’d have a date—she wouldn’t hold him to it now. It was better if he knew that whatever they had planned wouldn’t work. She would tell him as much. Determined to explain to him that nothing would come of their attraction for each other, she opened the door and stepped into the corridor.
It was better she took this step now, before he came to her and told her he didn’t want her. At
least then she’d have the upper hand again. She would toss him away before he would do the same to her.
Yvette took a deep breath when she stopped in front of the guest room. Calming her thundering heart, she persuaded herself of the importance of her actions. When the door suddenly opened, she was caught by surprise.
***
The sight of Yvette outside his door made Haven’s heart lurch, then it settled into an erratic rhythm. Quickly glancing down the corridor and finding it empty, he pulled her inside the room and shut the door behind her.
He’d wanted to talk to her, explain that things couldn’t possibly go any further, but with Yvette so close, he couldn’t remember any of his reasoning of why they shouldn’t have a fling, or maybe a short relationship. There was only one thing he could think of, and he executed the thought straightaway.
Haven pressed Yvette against the wall, trapping her between two hard surfaces: the wall and his body. And at present he wasn’t sure the wall was the harder one of the two. Her low moan indicated that she could feel his erection pressing against her.
“I was just coming to see you,” he whispered against her lips.
“To do what?” Her gaze connected with his, her lids lowered to half mast, an invitation as good as any he’d ever get from her.
“Collect on our arrangement: you, me, a flat surface.”
Shit, he’d promised himself to talk to her first, to explain that this couldn’t go any further, that he wasn’t the kind of guy to stick around. But his dick couldn’t wait that long.
“We need to talk,” Yvette said.
“Later.” He sank his lips onto hers, half expecting her to push him back, half knowing she wouldn’t. He pulled her upper lip into his mouth and stroked his tongue over it. A sound akin to a whimper was her answer.
“I hate you.” There was no heat behind her words.
“Then let’s hate each other thoroughly.” Because he couldn’t admit to her that what was happening to him couldn’t be further from hate. Which didn’t mean he had to admit anything.
