I restrain myself from smirking. “I apologize, mo chroi. I thought it best to pull you away from Finn’s men and bring you to safety. But I will make it up to you.”
“Really? You’ll let me leave?”
Why does she still want to leave me? “No. I will send for your things. The pictures. Your book collection. And anything else you need.”
“How do you know I have books?” Her eyes narrow.
“I am assuming you have books, you like to read, don’t you?”
Kelly steps back from me and rubs up and down her arms. “You’re lying to me.”
That slip may cost me her trust. I take a deep breath. I need to come clean if I want any chance with her. “Yes. You’re right.”
“Then tell me. How do you know about my books?”
I want to pull her into my arms, but I don’t.
“The night before Nick and Tony brought you here, Nick had told me your eye was swollen, and you had a split lip.”
“It was Nick who talked to me that night at the coffee shop.”
I nod. “Yes, and afterwards he reported back to me. It worried him that Joe might hurt you again.” My jaw tightens thinking about it. “I needed to know you were all right.”
Her lips turn down. “You were in my room?”
“Yes.”
“When I was sleeping?”
She is too intuitive for me to risk an attempt to lie again. “Yes. I had to see for myself what he had done. Your bruised face. Your lip. It infuriated me.”
Kelly takes another step back from me. I am frightening her. I inhale another deep breath and reel in my anger.
“The bruise and swelling were gone by morning. I was fine.”
“Because I healed you, mo chroi.”
She takes a step towards the door.
“I couldn’t leave knowing you were possibly in pain.”
Her eyes blink. “What. What did you do to heal me, Grant?”
This may not go over well and she may not understand or accept my explanation. But I need to be honest with her. “Vampire blood can heal. I only gave you a drop to take away the pain and to quicken the healing process.”
Kelly paces the room. She wants space between us, so I allow her the illusion of safety. If she tries to run, she won’t stand a chance against my speed.
“I need air. May I leave?” She stands next to the door.
I agree she needs to breathe. “Would you like me to take you up to the roof?”
“Yes, I would. Thank you.” I watch her straighten her back and exhale the breath she is holding on to. I stand behind her as she opens the door to find both Nick and a furious Tony waiting for her. A small gasp slips from her lips.
“Uh. Hi.” Kelly’s face flushed.
Nick hovers over Kelly, caging her in-between the door frame and himself “Kitten, where are you off to?”
Tony takes a step toward her. “Doll face we have to talk.”
Kelly turns around to escape from facing Tony’s wrath and plants herself nose first into my chest. I catch her around the waist and hold her in place, enjoying her need for me to protect her. “I was just taking Kelly to the roof for some air. Would you care to join us?”
Kelly groans.
Nick reaches out and pulls her from me, turning her to face him. “If that’s all right with you, Kitten. Tony and I can use some air too.”
“Yeah. Okay.” She nods.
Nick moves to the side to allow her to leave the room, but she hesitates. “Um, Tony? I… I’m sorry. I saw an opportunity, and I took it without thinking. I really am sorry.”
Tony’s face softens. He blows out a breath and steps closer to her. “It pissed me off, Doll face. I’m on your side, you know?”
“I know.”
“Don’t do it again. Next time, I won’t be so forgiving.” He quirks an eyebrow.
“Understood.”
“Good. Now let’s get some air.” Tony waves toward the hallway.
Kelly and I follow Nick and Tony up the hallway to the roof’s access door. Nick opens the door and steps outside, checking the area first. Tony stands next to the entrance and waves Kelly and I outside. Putting my hand on her lower back, I guide her to the outdoor dining table sitting under a patio umbrella. I pull out a chair and motion for her to sit down, and she does.
Nick and I sit on either side of Kelly, and Tony continues to stand behind her. I gather he will not chance her getting the best of him again. We sit in silence for a few minutes before she speaks.
“Vampires can walk in daylight? I guess the whole sleeping in a coffin thing is a myth too?” She shifts back in her seat as her eyes stray to my face.
I lean forward, lacing my fingers together on the tabletop. “Not all vampires walk in daylight. Only those in my bloodline. We are Daywalkers.”
“Is Finn from your bloodline?”
“No. He is not.”
Kelly focusses her eyes in the distance as she continues. “So, I am safe from Finn during the daytime. There really isn’t any need for security if the sun is out.” She waves her hand at Nick and then behind her toward Tony,
“Kitten, he can still have a human servant come after you. Even though he can’t come out during the day, he can send one of his minions.”
Kelly snaps her attention to Nick. “Human servant? What does that even mean?”
Nick tenses and speaks to me telepathically.
Boss, she needs to know.
I nod once, giving him permission to explain it to her.
“Kitten, a human servant is just that. A human who serves a vampire.”
Kelly crosses her arms over her chest. “I gathered that much.”
Nick rolls his eyes. “Are you going to let me finish?”
“Sorry.” Her fingers zip over her lips.
“Vampires create a blood bond with a human. The human does things for the vampire that he could not do for himself. Like go out during the day to take care of business. Get it now?”
“Finn can send one of his servants to take me during the day. Yeah, I get it now.”
I didn’t expect her next question. I capture it from her mind before she speaks it. How she reacts will help me decide how to move forward with her.
“What does the human get out of this? Or are they forced into servitude?” Kelly snaps her gaze back at me. “Do you have human servants?”
Leaning back in my chair, I stretch my myself out, crossing my legs in front of me. “Yes, I have human servants. No, I do not force them into servitude.”
“Sophia.” She whispers.
“Yes, Sophia.”
“She is happy, Kitten.” Nick reaches over and touches Kelly’s arm to get her attention.
“Nick. Tony. Please give us some privacy.”
Without hesitation, Nick stands. He and Tony position themselves near the entrance.
“Mo chroi. Sophia pledged her loyalty to me. She allows me to feed from her. In exchange, I give her all that she needs, a home, clothing, food, and anything else that she could want.”
“You feed from her.” She shook her head as if it would bring her clarity. “What about the woman you were with earlier? You were… feeding from her too?”
I knew this would not be an easy conversation. “Tamara. Yes, I fed from her. Does this bother you, mo chroi?”
“To be honest, I don’t know.” She pulls both legs up into her chair and she sits crossed legged, pulling her arms in again across her chest. “I don’t know how I feel about it. Sophia is my friend. I didn’t realize she was more to you. And I’m not sure it’s any of my business what is between you and Tamara.”
“No, mo chroi. It’s not like that.” I reach out and pull her hand to my chest. “I care deeply for Sophia and will always care for her, giving her anything and everything she will ever need or want. And Tamara is here to offer her blood to us. She is well compensated, and no one here has ever taken advantage of her.”
I lean toward Kelly and brush my nose across her
skin where her neck and shoulder meet. “But I do not care for them the way I care for you. Do you understand?”
Kelly’s breath hitches as she pulls away from me. “No. No, I really don’t understand. Less than a month ago, I was working toward finishing high school. I planned to move away from Joe and start living my life, without being sucked into one of Joe’s con games.” She shifts in her chair, pulling her knees up into her chest. “I’ve been kidnapped, rescued, held against my will for my protection.”
“I want to be that girl that can roll with the punches, but I don’t think I can do it. So, no. No, I don’t understand what you mean. I don’t understand how I ended up being hunted by a crazy vampire.”
She drops her head against the back of the chair and closes her eyes.
“Let me help you make sense of it all.”
She turns toward me. I brush the hair from her face and continue.
“We have thrown you into a world you did not know existed. You are more than human mo chroi, and Finn wants you, and I promise to protect you from him. You have abilities locked inside of you. I want to help you, teach you how to use this untapped power of yours. I will protect you from the wickedness of my world. Our world. Let me help you unravel who you are.”
“I can’t imagine that you want to help me out of the goodness of your heart, Grant. What’s in it for you?”
I lean in. “You are my mate, Kelly. I know you don’t understand it all, but you feel the pull, the connection between us. Your body hums when I am around you. Can you admit to yourself at least that much? I’m not asking you to commit eternity to me. Not yet anyway. But be honest and tell me you feel it.”
She pauses for a moment. I brush against her mind to grab what she is thinking and smile.
“Yes, Grant. I feel something. But I’m scared.” She swallows. “Can this be enough right now? I’ve been honest with you. Just… just give me time to sort through all of this.”
I rub the stubble on my face. “For now, yes.”
Drawing back from her, I relax into my chair. “I want to help you learn to control your flares of energy. I think at some point it may prove beneficial to you.”
“And will my flares be beneficial to you? What choice do I have in this?”
Kelly watches. She uncrosses her arms and stands, but in the blink of an eye; I hold her down in the chair.
“No, mo chroi. I do not think you see your predicament here. The only choices you seem to have would be to do what I ask of you willingly or fight me until you do what I tell you to do.”
Sharp incisors burst from my gums to prove my point. Kelly shudders and closes her eyes. “Please, Grant.”
“What is it, mo chroi?” I can feel her energy ramp up. “Will you let me help you, willingly? Give me thirty days to show you.”
Kelly turns away from me, then nods.
“No, Kelly. Say it. Out loud. Look at me and tell me what you are agreeing to. Words have energy. An agreement between supernaturals are spoken and solidified out loud. It is important for you to speak your intentions to create a commitment bond with me.”
She hesitates. “Presuming I am like you, a supe, after you are done with me, then what will happen? Give me a reason not to fight this.”
I reel in the smugness of my victory. Not that she is afraid of me, she is afraid of what will happen when I lose interest in her. “You will have everything you ever want, Kelly. I have given you a beautiful suite, no? I have given you my protection. That means something in my world, mo chroi. No one will dare harm you.” I pull her chin up so she will make eye contact with me. “I will never be done with you, mo chroi. You’re my mate.”
“What about my freedom? Will you give me that too?”
“That, I can’t give you Kelly, not in the way you are thinking freedom should be. Let me take care of you. Let me give you a place to live and a life beyond your dreams. All I ask is for you to pledge your loyalty to me. You will never fear for your safety again. You will always have anything you could want or need. That’s what I’ll give you, mo chroi.”
Brushing against her mind again, her shoulders slump as the realization hits her, she has lost all control over her life.
“And if I choose not to pledge my loyalty to you?”
I scrape my fangs across her collarbone. The smell of her blood is intoxicating. “You can’t fight me and win. I’m offering you the chance to make your own choice.”
“Together we will figure out who you are. We’ll find your mother’s family. I can help you learn to control that bent up energy inside you, mo chroi. Let me help you.” Fighting me would be a waste of time.
“Fine. You win.”
“We both win mo chroi.” I stand and pull her to her feet and have her follow me across the patio.
“Where are we going?”
“I will take you back to your room to freshen up.” I dare to place my hand on Kelly’s lower back. She doesn’t flinch and allows me to guide her to the door and into the hallway. She is trusting me.
We walk down the hallway to her bedroom door, and she waits for me to unlock it for her. I wave a hand across the scanner and the lock clicks. Pushing the door open, I stand to the side and wave her into the room.
“Nick will come for you in an hour. That will give me time to gather everyone.”
“Gather everyone? For what purpose?”
I skate my index finger down Kelly’s cheek. “For you, mo chroi. You will pledge your loyalty to me.”
I look into her blank face. I know I scared her. But she continues to show her indifference. My girl has mettle. She will be an asset to our coven. And she will be my mate. No need to rush, we have an eternity.
“See you in an hour, mo chroi.”
Chapter 15
Kelly
I stiffen when I hear the knock at my door. As expected, Nick arrives one hour after Grant had left. Nick stands in the doorway wearing a black suit and tie, looking very handsome.
“You are all dressed up. Are you going somewhere?” I smile for Nick. Out of all the security guards, he is my favorite. He has forged a comfortable companionship with me, and I am happy to see him.
Nick looks me over. I am wearing yoga pants, a pink pullover cotton shirt and a pair of white Skechers.
“And you look… comfortable.” There is a hint of humor in Nick’s voice.
I frown. “What? Is this not good enough to wear? We are just going to see to Grant, right? Pledge my loyalty or whatever.”
“Did he explain to you what the pledging ceremony is about, Kitten?”
“No. Am I missing something here? I say I will be loyal and that’s it, right?”
Now Nick frowns. “I’ll let him explain it to you. Don’t worry, I’ll be there for you.”
“What did I get myself into, Nick?”
He wraps his big hand around my arm and ushers me out the door. “Come on. We don’t want to be late. You know how the Boss gets.” Nick rolls his wrist up to look down at his watch. “He’s expecting us right now. We gotta go, Kitten.”
We head up the hallway to the main area of the penthouse. As we make our way into the living room, I glimpse at familiar faces and then some unfamiliar. I try masking my trepidation before following Nick in the room. A lump is forming in my throat. Not realizing there would be a group of people here, I reconsider my outfit choice. Should I go back to my room and change into something more appropriate for a gathering? Maybe I should stay in my room altogether.
The lighting is dim, but I recognize Sofia and Tony standing near the lit fireplace. Grant is standing with two men. The first man must be at least seven feet tall, and long black hair that brushes his shoulders. He dressed in a black tailor-made suit, with a black dress shirt, along with a black-tie. The only color he wears is the piercing blue of his eyes.
The second man stands behind the man in black, as if he is his shadow. He has sandy brown hair that curls up at the top of his white dress shirt's collar. He is also wearing a dark suit, b
ut I cannot tell if it was dark blue or not.
All three men turn as Nick escorts me through the entryway. I take a step back to make my way back to my room, but Grant moves with lightning speed to catch me from retreating.
“Where are you going, mo chroi?”
“I am underdressed here. I had no idea you invited company.” I chastise Grant in a hushed tone.
“Mo chroi.” Grant leans toward me. “You could wear a potato sack and still be the loveliest woman in the room.” He wraps his arm around my waist and pulls me into him.
The tall stranger saunters over to us with a puzzled look on his face. He conceals his confusion then smiles down at me, taking my hand in his. “You must be Kelly. I am Alexander Chernov, Grant’s Sire.”
He kisses the top of my hand and then bows. It is an old-world gesture.
“Hello. It’s nice to meet you, Alexander.”
He stands and raises a brow to Grant. I can feel the power emanating from him. He is, in a word, beautiful. Beautiful and powerful. This adds up to dangerous.
The man standing behind Alexander jumps between us.
“You will not address him as Alexander! You will address him as Master. He deserves more respect from you, human! He is our King! Are we clear?”
What on earth? I move closer to Grant. “I’m, I’m so sorry! I didn’t know!”
“Drew! ENOUGH.” Alexander turns on the man. The King has picked him up with a single hand and holds him by the throat.
“S… sire?” The man wheezes out. His feet are dangling inches from the floor.
“You do not ever speak for me.” The king growls at the cowering man. “I expect you to apologize to Kelly. NOW.” He drops Drew to the ground and watches him gasp for air.
I try to move away from the scene, but Grant’s iron grip holds me in place.
“No, mo chroi. Stay.” Grant whispers.
I glance between Grant and Alexander. Alexander’s strength is unbelievable. He has the man by the throat, with one hand and then drops him into a heap on the floor as if he were a rag doll.
Drew kneels in front of me. “I apologize for my abruptness, Miss Kelly. It was uncalled for. I ask for your forgiveness.” He avoids making eye contact.
Paid in Full: Kelly Kennedy Series (Book One) Page 12
