“Seriously, Kitten. Let’s get the phone and then we’ll go. Okay? I promised Grant you would get a new phone, so let’s get that done, yeah?”
I shake my head. “Yeah, okay.”
Nick walks me to the middle of the shopping center and guides me into the Apple store.
“Welcome to the Apple Store! My name is Issac. How can I help you today?”
Issac is a young guy, dark hair and very tan skin. He must spend a lot of time outdoors.
“We need to get Kitten here a phone.” Nick stands behind me.
Issac smiles. “Okay, we can do that.” He smiles down at me. “Well, Kitten. Let’s look at our different iPhone models.” He motions his hand to a table across the room and heads in that direction.
I roll my eyes at Nick. He laughs out loud. “Come on, Kitten. Let’s go see what options we got!”
We stand at the table with the phones and Issac begins his spiel. “What do you need your phone to do?”
“Make phone calls. Text?” I look confused.
Nick speaks up. “She hasn’t had a smartphone before. Let’s just start with the basics.”
“Sounds good.” Issac picks up a sleek, rose gold tone slim phone. “This is the iPhone 11. It’s not as large as the 11 Pro and may fit better in your hand.”
I take the phone in my hand and feel the weight of it. I then hold it to my ear as if I am taking a call. “No, Grant. We will be back when we are finished and not a minute before.” I pretend to hit the end button. “Hmm. He is so demanding.”
This makes Nick laugh out loud. “I don’t recommend doing that. He might not appreciate the sass.”
I grin. “Yeah, he’s not one to take no for an answer, that’s for sure.”
Issac is becoming a little uncomfortable, and I move the conversation along. “Okay, so what does it do besides make phone calls.” I ask, trying to get him back on track.
“Well, this is the app store. There are thousands and thousands of apps you can download, games, calendar trackers, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter. You know what those are, right?”
I shift back and forth on my feet. I straighten my back and lifted my chin. “Is it a problem that I don’t know how to use that stuff? I mean we can go somewhere else to get a phone if you think the apps are too complicated for me.” I narrow my gaze at poor Issac.
“Oh! No, that’s… I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to imply it too complicated for you!” He backpedals. The poor guy hadn’t met someone who had no exposure to social media.
“I would love to be the one to show you how it all works.” He gives me his best winning sales smile.
“Kitten, let’s get this one.” He points to the phone I am holding. “I can show how all of this works later. Right now, we need to make sure Grant can call or text you when he wants to get a hold of you, yeah?”
The corner of my lip turns down in disappointment. I didn’t realize I was spoiling for a fight. I didn’t want to take it out on Issac.
“Yeah, you’re right. I’m sorry we got off track.” I look at Issac. “Is there anything else I will need with the phone?”
“We can get you hooked up to the service of your choice. We have the big ones, AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile…” Issac looks to Nick to decide.
“Let’s go with Verizon. That’s what the rest of the family has. Can you add her to our current account?”
“Yes. That will be easy. I just need the phone number to the main account, and we’ll get her set up.”
While Nick and Issac work on getting my phone activated, I notice a prickle on the back of my neck. My radar is sensing something is off and take a moment to look around the store. No one seems out of place. There is a couple deciding what computer to purchase, the iMac or a MacBook.
I turn to look out the glass entryway to the store and notice two men standing across the walkway, looking at me. Maybe I am imagining it. The two men start talking and laughing with each other. Both are tall and dark-haired and wore identical clothing. Dark jeans and black shirts.
“Kitten? Do you want to look at the laptops? What do you say?”
I turn my attention back to Nick. “A laptop? I don’t need a computer, do I?”
“Sure, you do.” He winks at me.
“Nick, I don’t know…” I don’t want Nick to spend that kind of money on me.
“If you don’t let me get you a laptop, you tell me something that you want right now so we can get it.” He raises his eyebrows, challenging me to think of something.
I know I will not win this battle. It wouldn’t be such a bad idea to have a laptop. Maybe I can take some online classes. I missed my graduation ceremony, but I know I have enough credits. I just need to get my diploma somehow. “Fine. Let’s go look at the laptops.”
Nick beams down at me. “Thank you, Kitten!” He gives me a shoulder hug. “Show us the way Issac.”
It thrills Issac he will get a huge sale from Nick today. As he ushers us toward the other side of the store, I glance back outside through the glass. The men are no longer there. I shake my head. My radar does not go off unless there is something I need to pay attention to.
They could have been dangerous, but maybe not to me. I shudder with the thought of someone else getting hurt. I can’t control everyone, I can only hope whoever they were after, would find safety.
“Here you go, Kitten!” Nick hands me my phone. I pick up the rose gold toned iPhone. Nick has already programmed in his number along with Grant’s. “You better text him to let him know it’s you and what your new number is.”
“How do I do that?” I start pressing icons on the home screen, hoping something will happen.
“Hold up!” He slaps away my hand and takes the phone from me. “Here, like this.” He taps on the message icon and shows me how to select Grant from my contact list. “Now hit this and then a keyboard will come up so you can send Grant a message.”
I take the phone back from him and begin typing.
Hi. It’s Kelly, and this is my phone number…
“Wait, what’s my phone number so I can tell him?”
“Don’t worry about it. It will show up on his caller ID. He’ll know what to do once he gets the text.”
Nick and I will be on our way back home soon.
I hit send and smile at Nick. “There. He will be happy now.”
PING. I look down at the phone. “What just happened?”
Nick chuckles and takes the phone from me. “He just responded. See?” He points down at the phone and shows me the new message icon. “Click this and you will read his response to you.”
I take the phone back and touch the glass screen where the message icon is. It opens to Grant’s reply.
Thank you. Are you behaving for Nick?
I growl. “He treats me like I’m a kid.”
“Kitten, to him you are still very young. Remember, he is over three hundred years old.” He whispers in my ear.
I chew the inside of my cheek. “I have a hard time thinking about him being ancient. He looks so young.” I smile. “But he acts like he’s from some old-world country.”
“He is from some old-world country.” He taps the tip of my nose.
I begin typing again.
I am BEHAVING. And I don’t appreciate you treating me like a child. I’m a grown woman. Please treat me like one.
PING.
Mo chroi, I have every intention of treating you like a woman. You are my woman.
I read the message twice and swallow. What am I supposed to say to that? I begin typing again.
I am my own woman and I no one owns me.
PING.
Technically mo chroi, I do own you. There is a little devil emoji after his statement.
This may be true, but you don’t own my heart.
Nick and I stand outside of the Apple store and my phone rings. I look up at Nick. “How do I answer it?”
Nick pointed “slide here”.
I follow his instruction and brought the phone t
o my ear. “Hello?”
“I want all of you mo chroi, your heart, your soul, and your loyalty. I know you don’t understand it yet, but you will. Give it time.” His velvety brogue voice carries over the airwaves into my ear.
“Grant.” I whisper.
“Mo chroi. You are mine and I’m keeping you. Do you understand? Hmm?”
I close my eyes. I want to be loved and cared for by someone. But his intensity scares me. Would I be able to live up to his expectations? What is it he expects from me? Maybe this is part of my fear.
“I don’t understand, Grant. I…”
“All you need to understand mo chroi is that you’re mine. Always.”
I shake my head to acknowledge him. “Okay.”
“That’s what I want to hear. You finish up with Nick and come back to me.”
I look up at Nick. “We are just about done. We’ll be back soon.”
“I’ll be waiting for you, mo chroi.” The line went dead.
I slip the phone into the back pocket of my jeans. “Well, nothing like being told what to do.” I frown.
PING.
Nick pulls his phone out of his jacket pocket.
Bring her home. Now.
Got it, boss.
“Seems our outing has ended, Kitten. Are you ready to go?”
I want to stomp my feet on the ground and pitch a fit, but this would only prove that I was still a girl. A girl throwing a tantrum. This does not help me prove maturity, so I settle for fisting my shopping bag in my hand. “Let’s go.”
We head through the shopping center toward the main exit when Nick wraps his arm around my shoulder.
“What’s wrong?” I can feel the tension pouring off of Nick.
Nick takes a quick survey of people around them. Nothing out of place. Nothing seems wrong, but he can feel it. “Kitten, I think we need to get to the car. Do me a favor, if we don’t make it back to the car, promise me you will run like your life depended on it. Get back to the hotel as fast as you can, got me?”
“What? What’s happening?”
We walk out the glass exit doors and into the twilight of night. I can feel the scratchy feeling creeping up my arms. There is danger, but I do not see it.
“Come on, Kitten.” Nick has my back and pushes me forward toward the car. “We’re almost…”
Nicked is pull away from behind. “Run Kitten!”
“Nick!” I do not want to leave my friend to fight off these two… vampires? I watch as all three men’s fangs descend. The streetlight captures the glint of sharp teeth on the taller attacker.
“Oh, my god! Nick!”
“RUN, KITTEN!” Nick is struggling to protect me.
I turn and pump my arms as my feet run across the hot asphalt. I crouch down and hide behind an SUV. I need to catch my breath. I need to call Grant.
I reach for my back pocket and pull out my new phone. I try to remember what Nick had told me. I went to the contacts list. There were only three names, Nick, Sofia and Grant. I clicked Grant’s name, and the phone rang.
“Mo chroi? What’s wrong?” Grant’s harsh voice comes through the earpiece.
“Grant. Help us! Nick…” I am hyperventilating.
“Slow down, Kelly! Where are you?” Grant tries to calm his voice. “I’m coming for ya, mo chroi! Just tell me where you are!”
I squeal out as a broad hand covers my mouth and pulls me against a chest. “Let me have the phone, love.”
The man squeezes my hand until I drop the phone.
“MO CHROI!” Grant is yelling for me.
“Hello, Grant.”
“Finn? God damn it if you hurt one hair on her head, I will kill you! Do you hear me?” Finn must have put the phone on speaker, I can hear the fear in Grant’s voice.
“I have no intention of hurting her… well, too much.”
“She’s mine! You can’t have her. I will hunt you down until I find you. And when I do…” Grant growls.
“I am just recovering what was mine to begin with Grant. You took from me and I am taking her back.”
I am not having any of this and bit Finn’s hand, forcing him to let go of his hold on me.
“BITCH!”
I try to run, but I was no match for him. His supernatural speed catches me with only two steps.
“You do that again and I will torture your friend, Nick.” He yanks my arm so hard I think he will pull it out of its socket, then he crushes my new phone under his boot.
I cry out. “Ahh!!”
Finn pulls me tight to his body and whispers in my ear. “Do not think for a moment I won’t cause you pain Kelly.” His fangs dripped with saliva. “I would love to taste you.”
I close my eyes and swallow. I straighten my back and despite my trembling body, I pulled myself together. “Fine.” I whisper. “What do you want from me?”
“I want you to behave like a good girl and come along. There are people waiting to meet you and I do not want to make them wait any longer.”
I try to peer between the cars for Nick. Maybe he is all right and will come for me. I am about to yell for him, but Finn covers my mouth and nose with his hand, cutting off the oxygen to my lungs.
“I. Said. Enough.” He hisses.
My body vibrates with energy. I am hoping it will spark and give me a chance to escape, but before it releases itself, Finn slaps cuffs around my wrists.
“Now we can’t have you shifting energy, can we?”
Finn wrenches my arm behind my back. “Come.” He pushes me in front of him. Two cars away sits a waiting SUV with the engine running.
“How? How did you do that?”
“Iron.” He looks down at me. “You really have no idea, do you?”
A man gets out of the passenger door and helps Finn usher me into the backseat. I struggle in his hold hoping to jump out the other side but slams me into another pair of broad shoulders.
“You’re not going anywhere, Princess.” The first brute hops into the backseat and closes the door. I was now sandwiched between two vampires and unable to get away.
“Let’s go.” Finn tells the driver.
“Now then.” He turns and looks back at me. “It’s time you understand this is out of your control. I expect your compliance. If you don’t, I will destroy Nick.”
He nods to the SUV behind them. They have Nick. That means he is still alive. Thank god.
We continue to drive into the desert for what seems like an hour. I nod off. My head bounces off of one broad shoulder and then the other. I have tried to summon my energy source but can not make it happen. Exhaustion takes over.
The SUV turns onto a dirt road that heads farther into the desert. I open my eyes and can’t see any light. The strip must be far away because I can’t see the glow of the Las Vegas lights.
“Where are we?” My voice is a little raspy.
No one responds, although the man to my right turns his head to look at me.
“It can’t be that much of a secret if we are out in the middle of nowhere.” I try to shimmy up the seat so I would be closer to Finn’s ear. “What are you going to do with me?”
My tired body is giving out again, and I lay my head on the back of Finn’s arm. Turning to look down at me, he rolls his eyes. “Move her away from me. Keep her down in the floorboard if you have too.”
“What? You fight to take me but don’t want to be near me?” I spit. “Are you afraid of me?” I am getting some of my fight back. “What could you want with me? I have nothing you could want.”
Finn doesn’t bother turning himself to face me. “You are worth something to me, Kelly Kennedy. There are people who have been looking for you for some time now and you have become my bargaining chip.”
“What are you talking about?”
Before I even realize it, Finn grabs me by the throat and squeezes his fingers to the point I can no longer breathe.
I struggle for air and do not take my eyes off of him. Finn’s eyes turn a shade of red. His fi
ngertips grow into claws, scratching my throat.
From his free hand, he takes his index finger and claws down my cheek, leaving a bloody gash.
The scream fills the SUV. The pain is excruciating, my fear is real now. This man will kill me if I don’t stop pushing him to his limits.
“Do we understand each other now, Princess?”
I close my eyes and nod. “Yes.”
“Good.” Finn pushes me away from him and back between the two guards. “Not another word from you.” He straightens his coat jacket and returns his eyes to the front of the SUV.
I sit in the back trying to calm my anxiety. Having a panic attack would make things worse. Or will it? Can I cause the electrical components of the SUV to fry?
I close my eyes and think about the only training I’ve had so far. Nick scaring me in the dark. What did that feel like? I had panicked and shocked Nick away from me and into a wall.
My body tingles. This was what I wanted. The energy source is ramping up. The air in the SUV thickens. Finn turns to me and can see I am attempting to make something happen.
“You might as well give that up, little one. You cannot do any damage. I have lined the SUVs cabin with iron. Your power is not strong enough to break through. It will only bounce back at you.”
“If it doesn’t bounce back to me, maybe it will just go straight to you instead.” I form a mental image of an energy pulse in my hands and imagine throwing the ball of energy at Finn. It is a direct hit to the back of his head.
I grin when Finn curses. He turns and before I realize it, he has gathered my collar and pushed me up against the SUV’s ceiling.
“DON’T. PUSH. ME. LITTLE. ONE.” His nostrils flare with each intake of breath. “I can make your very existence unbearable without even touching you.”
“I don’t know what you want from me. Can you at least tell me that?” Lifting my chin, I ignore his threats and continue to push my luck. “What, you can’t even tell me what the plan is? Or do you even have a plan?” I lick my lips. “That’s it! You don’t have a clue on what you’re doing and you’re hoping that I’ll help you figure it out.”
Paid in Full: Kelly Kennedy Series (Book One) Page 18
