As we made our way to the car, I surveyed her face. Set in determination, but other than that, no one but me would be able to discern her innermost thoughts.
While I’d intended to send her away to protect her, there wasn’t any way to safely extricate her from this situation. I could easily kill Dobson and the driver, but it was a given that one of them would go for her, and she could get hurt. Which meant I’d keep her close, where I could protect her. Even with my misgivings, I couldn’t deny that she felt like a natural at my side.
Panic rippled through her body and through her thoughts, panic I tried to soothe away.
Where are we going? To the meeting? Selena’s voice was filled with fear, but she kept her eyes pointed forward. Her mask slipped for a moment, revealing trembling lips.
Yes. Calm down. Your face is giving you away.
Fine. Her voice turned sharp as nails as she clamped her lips together in a straight, unwavering line. But I’m not doing any weird stuff. Well, weirder than this already is.
I fought the urge to chuckle, and we both watched out the windows as the city’s outermost buildings appeared. I had to change—I had no choice. We were walking into the lion’s den, and I intended to go in at full strength. The Elder wants a fight? I’ll be happy to give him one.
It didn’t escape me that, once again, I was going up against the Elder over a woman, but then again, I couldn’t think of a better reason. To get her attention, I gave Selena’s hand a squeeze. When her eyes flew to mine, I saw the glimmer of fear in them before she extinguished it.
I meant to whisper in her ear, to tell her everything would be okay. I meant to lie and pretend tonight was under control. But as I leaned in, she turned her head, her lips a velvet brush against mine. Blood rushed through me in a hot spike of lust as her tongue flicked out and licked her bottom lip, her eyes going dark.
For a moment I struggled with just how easy it would be to kill the driver and take her back to the plane. To be between her legs, lapping her up, to drink from her throat as she writhed beneath me. Then I realized I could have her. We could have each other, once the Elder and Dobson were out of the way. But only if she knew what I really was.
I didn’t want you to have to see this, but now there’s no avoiding it.
I held her hand as I loosened my control and began transforming. Instantly the stale air in the car was filled with a subtle, spicy perfume. Selena’s scent. I’d expected her to shrink back, to show a trace of fear, distaste at minimum, as she watched my face change from human to something other.
What she didn’t see was the increased speed, the enhanced senses, and—because Selena was so close to me, her sweet scent filling my senses—a pounding need to sink my teeth, and my cock, into her right here and now. We vampires were nothing but savage beasts, despite our thin veil of civility.
I opened my mouth to apologize, to make some comment to cover up my reaction, but her perfume turned sweeter, spicier, desire tinged with sexual interest, and fuck me if that wasn’t the sweetest thing I’d ever smelled.
But if I smelled it, so would the others, which would bring nothing but trouble. All we needed was her drug-like scent whipping the entire Assembly into bloodlust.
It would be easy enough to kill the driver, drive to the plane and put her on it, even if it was kicking and screaming over my shoulder. But now, Dobson knew who she was. He’d hunt her down, whether it was in two weeks or twenty years, and I couldn’t take that chance.
No, I’d let this play out. I was confident I could handle the Assembly, and as for Dobson…I was itching for some payback. The Elder would be trickier, and as curious as I was to find out why he’d reneged on our two-century-old deal, I was determined he’d never get close to Selena.
I ran a hand up her arm and rested it on her shoulder, feeling the fragility of the bones. Her green eyes flew to mine, a look of surprise curving her lips into a half-smile.
When we arrive, think of it like the curtains going up. You need to become a completely different person.
Watch me, Forge, she quipped, without her face showing a glimmer of humor. Just you watch me.
16
Corrennie Gardens, Edinburgh
The car glided to a stop in front of a tall hedge enclosed by a stone wall. Just over the manicured top of the bushes, a stately, dark brick house jutted into a black sky. From what I’d seen driving in, this could be any street in the city. But this place had an aura of palpable evil, even though we were still in the car.
Forge gave my hand the barest squeeze, then ducked out as soon as the driver opened the door. After scanning the street, he motioned me forward and helped me out. The driver growled audibly as we passed, and Forge snarled back before he pulled me even closer.
As I drank in his cologne, I’d be lying if I said I regretted coming.
Adrenaline was racing through my veins like it never had before. With Forge so close, looking every inch a dangerous predator, I was teetering between edgy excitement and lust, probably totally inappropriate, but I couldn’t help myself. Seeing Forge like this, in his element, was turning my insides to mush. But I appeared as sedate as Forge while we slowly meandered our way to the front door, as if we were arriving for tea.
Or whatever they drank in Scotland. Hopefully something strong.
I was determined to do this, to get Forge the leverage he needed to escape the death penalty and get this Elder off his back. However, now that we were here, it occurred to me that I didn’t actually know how to read vampire minds. Forge’s voice just kind of appeared in my head.
Maybe, I thought, we should have practiced the mind-reading part a bit more.
I squashed my urge to thank the man who took my coat, as Forge mentally warned me, You do not speak to anyone. Act as if they are beneath you.
I did as he commanded, even though I was a little itchy following his orders without so much as one smart-ass comment. Obviously, he’d been right—obedience was really not my thing. Not that I’d ever tell him that. Why ruin what we had going?
In true vamp-cliché fashion, the other participants—a mix of men and slinky-looking women—were dressed in red and black, and I was grateful for this fancy dress and heels. At least I hadn’t slunk in here in my sweatshirt and jeans. I also understood why Forge had been so insistent on me practicing.
Not so much as a twitch showed on anyone’s face; they were a study in unreadable, brutal calm—the kind I could never hope to attain. Power thrummed in this room, also something I could never hope to compete with. The further in we went, the less confident I was that my training—all two weeks of it—would get me through tonight.
Maybe Forge had a point. Maybe I couldn’t do this.
You can, Selena. You have something no one else in this room has, something they’d kill for. Forge’s voice caressed my mind, so confident that I almost believed him.
I didn’t let go of Forge’s hand as he strode through the crowd, most parting to allow him passage, some averting their gaze, others looking me over with rapt interest, until I felt stripped naked.
Along the way I caught snippets of thoughts—mostly petty grievances—as we skirted the table. I stole a sideways glance to put faces with the voices. So inconvenient, such short notice… Forge is finally going to get his… Who is that delicious-smelling human…
I forced myself to remain impassive, to remember why we were here, and what rode on this meeting. We took two seats next to each other, and I made sure my leg fell against Forge’s, savoring the now-familiar feeling of touching him. In response, he laid his hand on my thigh, making me instantly feel better.
Dobson, the asshole, slid in through a side door like the snake he was, took one look at me and licked his lips. I didn’t need to read his mind to tell what he was thinking, especially when Forge’s rage spiked in hot waves through my head. I did what any savvy woman did—I stared right at the smarmy blonde and pretended I didn’t see him. His mocking smile dimmed a bit, and a rush of triumph went t
hrough me.
Somehow, this strange assembly reminded me of the Langston-Forge board—pompous, self-interested people who thought they ran the world. Of course, these vampires had teeth and could tear me apart, but the concept was the same. The realization brought clarity and took some of the edge off. Hell, I dealt with assholes like this every day.
Just like in the human world, the Elder showed up last, two huge, pit bull bodyguards taking up positions behind him. Classic power move that only worked on the newbs. I took note of the vampires who instantly took their seats, one of them sliding his cell phone into his pocket. The older—and I assumed more powerful—vampires took their good old time milling around, then choosing their seats strategically.
Dobson set his back against the wall behind the Elder, smirking. We were directly across from them, where I could keep my eye on them both. The internal hum of voices hadn’t stopped since we’d arrived, and it was becoming harder and harder to sort through them, while keeping my gaze on Dobson and the Elder.
The Elder had some kind of bald and evil vibe going on, with a full-on turtleneck, the kind I hadn’t seen since I was little, paired with a wool jacket with actual elbow patches. Someone seriously needed to bring this guy’s wardrobe into the twentieth century.
Shit, at least Forge knew how to dress.
Thank you, Selena. Your approval means the world to me.
I squashed my smile and waited for the Elder’s thoughts to float to me on the air, like the other’s had, but I got nothing. He rapped his knuckles on the table, and instantly, the voices in my head—and those around the table—stopped.
He spoke in a gravelly voice, in a language I couldn’t understand—at least, not until Forge began translating in my head.
He’s welcoming the Assembly and going over the rules. For some reason, Forge skipped those, so I’d have to figure them out for myself, apparently. Now he’s asking for votes to move his motion forward.
Around us, most of the participants raised a hand, or nodded. Two young ones’ hands shot into the air. Jeez, teacher’s pet, much?
Forge paused as they took a count, then continued his commentary. He’s listing out the charges: murder, torture and treason. Seems like he’s hitting all the highlights. He must really want to bury me today. I really didn’t like the sound of that.
The Elder spoke again, his indifferent gaze skimming the table. The second his eyes fell on me, I felt it, the jolt traveling through me like I’d been plugged into an electric outlet. A corner of his mouth quirked up in pleasure before he struck. The crawling sensation encompassed my entire body, until all I heard was the scratchy wiggling of worms as they ate at my brain. He was scraping away my shield, a little bit at a time, and there was nothing I could do to stop him.
Put your head down. Break the eye contact.
Forge’s deep, steady voice cut through the sensation, pulled me back to the here and now, and I did as he said, the vampire still trying to dig his way inside. Forge’s shield locked into place over mine, creating an impenetrable barrier that made me feel safe. I hadn’t thought I’d need his help, not until I experienced the power of the Elder.
Hang on, Selena. He can’t touch you now.
I knew Forge wouldn’t let him get to me. I knew he’d do everything he could to keep me safe. But I was afraid to tip our hand as the Elder poked and prodded at me, a cat with a canary. The Elder was scowling now, his careful mask gone, and he murmured something indecipherable to Forge.
Who didn’t bother to translate, so it must have been bad.
The Elder finally gave up, shooting me a look that clearly said this wasn’t over, then went back to droning on about Forge and—I assumed—all the really bad things he was going to do.
Forge’s shield slid away, allowing snippets of the other vampires’ voices in, and this time, I focused on Dobson. Not that I wanted to know what he was thinking; it just seemed like he was a major player in this charade.
Even though I knew what he sounded like, it took a bit of trial and error to pick him out of the vengeful crowd, most of whom hated Forge with a passion and were eager to see him get what was coming to him.
As I was here to ensure Forge did not get what may or may not be coming to him, I took it upon myself to figure out who wanted him dead and why. Unfortunately, the Elder would be the ideal target, but as I didn’t speak his language, I was forced to focus on Dobson.
His running commentary about the meeting was interspersed with occasional images of Forge hanging upside down, blood dripping from everywhere. As disturbing as this was for me, killing Forge was obviously a favorite fantasy of Dobson’s, because he imagined it more often than I was sure was normal. My takeaway was that he had unresolved Forge issues, and thus was a willing participant to all of this madness, so long as it ended with Forge dead.
But he wasn’t a major player.
Dobson didn’t realize he was also constantly thinking about the three vampires positioned just outside the room, ready to swoop down and throw us into the waiting truck. According to his somewhat gloating thoughts, the plan was to kill us both and leave Forge for the sun. Maybe there was some kind of poetic justice in conning him while he was conning us, but it remained to be seen which of us would have an opportunity to gloat. Even worse, I had to warn Forge of the impending attack, but was afraid of being overheard.
The Elder abruptly stopped talking, staring at Forge. Forge held his stare unflinchingly, and the Elder’s face twisted in hatred. This time when he spoke, flecks of spittle coated the table between us, and I didn’t have to speak his language to know he’d just pronounced judgment.
When that murderous gaze slid over to me, I made my move, praying no one else heard me.
Three men outside the room. Waiting to take us so Dobson can kill us.
Whether those two sentences were enough, I didn’t know, but then Forge leaned back in his chair and stretched his arm across the back of mine, encircling my shoulders.
“Tell me, Meyer, why did it take you so long to kill Jackson? We made a deal, as I recall.”
I almost snickered. “Meyer the Elder” sounded like a game show host’s name.
This time, no translation was needed. “Jackson died in an unfortunate accident. As to a deal, I’m sure I don’t know what you’re talking about.” It turned out the Elder’s English was impeccable. “The entire clan agrees. Your offense—while long ago—demands recompense. All in favor?”
Every hand around us shot into the air.
Bunch of fucking kiss-asses.
“Separate him from his human and take him out back.” He turned his calculating gaze on me. “Let us see what makes her unique enough that he brought her tonight.”
Dobson’s victorious look was enough that I knew we were in trouble, and he leaned down and whispered something in the Elder’s ear that was clearly amusing. Then the meeting exploded as three vampires materialized in the room. One on either side of Forge, plus one directly behind me.
Blood and mayhem wasn’t how I’d planned for tonight to go, but neither had I expected Forge’s violent reaction when the vampires tried to separate us. My arm practically disappeared in the grip of a huge hand as I was yanked out of my seat and away from Forge. He tore the sleeve off my lovely dress, and in the melee, my necklace came loose, the pendant swinging wildly.
I was tossed around as I fought against his hold, until I finally landed on the floor, while the rest of the group shot to their feet, every eye fixed on my golden ouroboros pendant on full display.
The Elder’s gaze went to it like a laser, a slow, cruel smile creasing his lined face.
Then the world went mad. I’d grown up around rough men, but nothing prepared me for three vampires fighting. In the blink of an eye, Forge destroyed the one who held my arm, then bared his fangs and launched himself at the other. Blood sprayed the side of my face as he drove my attacker into the wall behind us and ripped out his throat.
It was over in seconds, the attackers dead o
n the floor, Forge looking like it had never happened. Maybe that was why he’d worn black. He helped me off the floor, then reached over and gently tucked the necklace beneath my neckline. A red mark on the wall was all that was left of my attacker by the time Forge casually took his seat beside me once more.
I curled my hands into fists to stop my trembling, fighting to regain my calm demeanor. However, after Forge’s demonstration, I was less worried about Dobson’s plot to assassinate us. Dobson had gone an extra shade of pale, his skin matching his white hair as he sidled toward the exit like a rat.
“Touch her again and I’ll kill you,” Forge said, completely unruffled. I managed to contain my shocked reaction to a raised eyebrow. Go me. “Now…why did it take you two hundred years to grow balls big enough to come after me?” Forge smirked.
“Killing a vampire—no matter the circumstances—is punishable by death.” Now the Elder sounded downright growly, which didn’t seem to faze Forge one bit. The Elder gestured around the table at the rapt audience. “It’s been voted on and agreed to. You will die for what you did.”
But the whole time the Elder spoke, he wasn’t looking at Forge at all. A sick feeling grew in my stomach as I realized his beady gaze was focused on me. “As for your Chosen…”
“She is not part of this, and is under the society’s protection.” His lip curled up, revealing dangerous-looking fangs. “And mine.” I froze as the Elder raked me with another covetous look.
That half-smile curled his lip again. “Despite what you think, convicted killers have no rights, including offering protection to humans. I find it interesting you took a Chosen under your wing. You never struck me as a humanitarian, Forge.” The Assembly drew in a collective breath and leaned closer.
Shit, I think that’s me…Chosen. Sounds like some kind of actual title.
Yet another thing I’d take up with Forge as soon as we got out of this. The bigger issue was I hadn’t yet discovered anything that might help us. Maybe I should have stuck with making whisky, since I kind of sucked at this spy stuff.
Devil's Cut: Immortal Keeper Vampire Paranormal Romance Series Page 9
