The Ripple Effect

by J. A. Saare

  “Missed you,” I murmured and rose onto my tiptoes to kiss him on the cheek.

  “Same here.” His relief was only obvious through our mark. He reached for my bags but I grinned and pulled them away.

  “Bad boy,” I chastised in a teasing voice that made me want to hurl. “You can’t ruin my surprises by learning what’s inside.”

  “Take your things upstairs. The family is waiting in the formal room. When you’re settled meet us there.”

  Crapedy, crap. No warm up. Taken from the pit and thrown straight into the fire.

  Paine stepped back and I started walking in an all too familiar path, one I wasn’t ready to take. I hadn’t entered Disco’s bedroom since the night it had all went to hell between us. Ethan remained just behind me until we reached my destination. I hesitated at the door, staring at the handle, when he placed his hand on my shoulder.

  “Going inside the bedroom is the easy part. Remember that.”

  I sighed, shoulders drooping. “Way to make me feel better.”

  “I’m just preparing you for what’s coming. You knew this wouldn’t be easy.”

  The metal doorknob was cold against my palm, sending an electric tremor up my spine. Before I could question it, I turned my wrist and opened the door. Goose must have realized I was back in the zone because he released my shoulder and resumed his trip to his room. I stepped inside Disco’s personal space and closed the door behind me.

  I froze, surprised by what I found.

  Aside from the placement of the furniture, everything was different. The bed, desk, and even the curtains had been replaced. The large bed had a large headboard carved with roses and vines, matching the imposing desk situated across from it. The linens were also new, the pillows and comforter a lovely shade of crimson.

  Shaking off my shock, I peered around.

  The fireplace was clean, no ash or charred wood inside. It was as though everything had been taken from the room and replaced. I hated myself for the relief I experienced, as well as for the jealousy I felt. Had Disco changed things to remove memories of the two of us inside his private chambers? Thinking of other human hosts seeing to Disco’s hungers and warming his bed during my absence didn’t sit well with me. I might be mad, and I might have continued pushing him away, but I still considered him mine.

  How fucked up was that?

  It didn’t take long for me to come out of my stupor and put my things against the wall, on the left side of the bed. It was the place I’d slept when my relationship with Disco was on the up and up. Bittersweet memories threatened to surface, but I denied them, keeping my focus on the suitcase. The large rectangular unit with hidden areas had cost more money than I cared to think about, but it was worth every penny. Unless any of the vampires in the residence got nosey, my personal arsenal would remain out of sight.

  I considered removing something—a gun, a cross, some holy water—but quickly decided my butterfly knife and rosary were more than adequate protection. If I went downstairs cocked and loaded it probably wouldn’t do me any favors.

  After I’d taken a look in the bathroom mirror—which, to my relief, remained as I remembered—I calmed my nerves and steeled myself for what was to come. I walked to the bedroom door and opened it. Goose was waiting for me in the hallway. If he was nervous, it didn’t show, but I’d learned a very long time ago that the man was a hell of an actor when necessary.

  “The bedroom,” I said, glancing back. “It’s—”

  “Different,” he replied, cutting me short, staring at me. “The night you left…when Gabriel went upstairs and you were gone…” His face conveyed sorrow and sympathy. “He destroyed everything. He ordered the furniture burned and had everything replaced.”

  Holy fucking shit.

  “Why?” I asked, struck stupid by what Disco had done.

  “You know why.” Goose took my arm, indicating we should go.

  We didn’t speak as we left the hall, descended the stairs, and started making our way to the formal room where family meetings were held. I wanted to think more about Disco’s bedroom and his reaction after I’d ran, but now wasn’t the time. I hadn’t faced any of Disco’s family—aside from Paine—since the night I’d fled. I was sure resentment was bound to be present, especially since I’d left Disco high and dry.

  Goose walked to the door and opened it before my nerves got the better of me. I followed him, noting the fireplace was in use. However, unlike times before when Disco stood before the flaming mantel as the head of the family, a youthful looking vampire was in his place. He had been changed in his early twenties and looked like a man straight out of college. His dark hair was cut short, into a Caesar style, and his clothing was more relaxed than I was accustomed to. His jeans were well worn, his long sleeved sweater thin enough I could see the muscle definition beneath. When our gazes met, I was stunned at just how gray his eyes were.

  “Take a seat.” Marius wasn’t asking—he was giving me a direct order, one I was certain was the first of many. I couldn’t place his dialect.

  I glanced around. Goose had already moved to an empty seat beside Peter. Adrian and Nala were also in folding chairs, side by side. Landon and Corey stood behind the loveseat, with Sirah and Jonny taking up the cushions in front of them. Paine and Disco were seated on the couch on the opposite side of the room with a broad space between them.

  It wasn’t difficult to figure out where my ass was supposed to be.

  When I hesitated, Disco’s voice appeared in my head. “Come to us, Rhiannon.”

  Us. Right. This wasn’t about me and Disco, our fucked up circumstances, or how Paine fit into the picture.

  One foot in front of the other, step by tiny step, and the distance between the door and the couch vanished. I slid between Disco and Paine, trying to pretend it was totally normal to be in the center of a manwich. Disco wrapped his arm around my shoulders, and Paine placed his hand on my thigh.

  Okay. Awkward and definitely weird.

  I tried to relax. I had to be convincing, but this situation was all kinds of fucked up. Disco and Paine obviously sensed my discomfort, because the marks broadened, allowing their emotions to merge with each other and surround me. No longer was I alone, I was blanketed by their powerful presences. The uncertainty dissipated, becoming something I never expected.

  Desire arose, choking me. The heavy tingle in my sex was met by matching currents in my nipples. When Disco wrapped his fingers in my hair and Paine squeezed my leg, I had to take a deep breath and force air into my lungs. Together they smelled like cloves and lemon, a perfect blend of fragrances, ones that had me gasping for breath.

  Holy shit.

  “You’re aware of why I’m here?”

  My body chilled at the question; the erotic sensations easier to combat. I came back to my surroundings, shaking my head clear. Everyone was watching the three of us, but it was Marius who demanded my attention. I gazed at him. His expression gave away nothing.

  “This is your city, your family, and your home,” I answered carefully. “You want to make sure things are on the up and up.”

  “On the up and up.” He glanced at Disco and Paine and intentionally lowered his gaze, staring at their crotches. “Interesting choice of words.”

  Rhiannon’s Law #28: If you’re going to fuck up, be sure to fuck up good and proper. Nothing makes failure acceptable, so you might as well make your misery count.

  Apparently I didn’t answer Marius’s question as well as I’d hoped.

  Marius returned his gaze to Disco, and for the first time, I saw something in his steely eyes, something I couldn’t place. “I don’t see what I asked for.”

  Disco didn’t lose his casual pose, but through our mark, I felt a brief rush of panic. “Rhiannon stored the knife in a safe place, she was concerned—”

  I was taken from my seat and planted on the floor—on my ass one second, on my back the next—and the wind was knocked out of me. The room spun as I tried to get my bearings, to p
iece together what had just happened.

  That fast, and I was no longer playing a game. I was facing the danger I’d been warned about, face to face with a vampire who would snap my neck without hesitation. Marius’s hand was around my throat, applying firm pressure, keeping me exactly where he wanted me as he kneeled by my side. I couldn’t see Paine, Disco, or the room around me. The only thing in my line of vision was a face that was as calm and blank as it had been when I gazed at him in front of the fireplace.

  “You have no concerns, no thoughts of your own, and no free will in my home. You provide what I ask for, when I ask for it. Do you understand?”

  “I...” Jesus, it was difficult to speak with his fingers pressing into my neck. “I understand.”

  “Where is the knife?”

  Since I’d lived a life in dangerous situations, I was good at thinking on my feet. I’d give my tormenter the truth but keep the important details to myself.

  “Miami.”

  Actually, Sucker was tucked away in a UPS box, which would be sent to Miami with a simple phone call. It was amazing what the Men In Brown were willing to do if you offered them a little extra cash.

  “Where?” He asked the question like he was asking for directions.

  “Safety box.” Another half-truth. The box inside the UPS box was a safe. The damned thing was made of steel and had a numerical lock.

  “You’re going to retrieve it and bring it to me.” Again, not a request, an order.

  Fuck, this wasn’t going as well as I’d hoped. Disco wasn’t shitting me. Marius would kill me. Period. Game over. You couldn’t argue with the grim reaper, or someone who had the power to turn off the lights permanently.

  “I’m making a trip there next weekend”—I gasped as he applied pressure to my throat—“I can get it then.”

  “I don’t believe you.” Again, talking to me as if I were as insignificant as a de-winged butterfly trapped in his deadly hand.

  Was I going to die? Right here? Right now? The warm hum of the amulet against my breast told me if I wanted to, I could break from of his grasp, call on the power of the stone, and might be able to take his ass. But what would the end result be? Would I cause more harm than good?

  Goose’s reminder came to me.

  Submission isn’t done out of respect, it’s done because it’s expected.

  It killed my pride to do it, to bow down. After my teenage years, I swore I’d never kiss anyone’s ass. “I’m sorry,” I rasped. Saying those two, small words hurt as much the unrelenting fingers around my throat.

  “That’s one step in the right direction. A little humility would do you good. I can sense the anger in you, the rage. No matter how much you try to hide it. You’re not suited to be a familiar. Your will is too strong. If I hadn’t promised Gabriel I’d give you the opportunity to prove your worth, I’d have him take the information I need from your mind and you’d be dead.”

  Marius stopped talking and looked at me. I understood then that his unreadable face made him undeniably opposing. When you couldn’t read your enemy, it was impossible to figure out the best strategy to defend yourself.

  “You’ll go, this very moment, and get what I came for.” Marius’s tone remained level and even. “You’ll bring it back to me, and when you do, you’ll hand it over on your knees. Anything less and you’ll regret it.”

  “Sire.” Disco spoke and Marius was no longer the only person in the room.

  Marius kept his eyes trained on me as he spoke. “She has to understand I’m not the most dangerous person she’ll face if she refuses to listen to orders, Gabriel.” Marius lowered his head, until his nose was inches from mine. “If my maker travels here, he will make you suffer in ways you cannot possibly conceive. He’ll harm those you care for. I’m showing you mercy, despite what you might think. Heed me if you want to keep your head attached to your shoulders. Contrary to what you believe, my protection in this home only goes so far.”

  Then Marius was gone.

  I coughed as I inhaled, gasping for air. I could feel the imprint of each of his fingers even though they were no longer touching me. As I rolled to my side and attempted to get to my feet, I glanced at the couch where Disco and Paine were seated, and their marks rolled through me. I collapsed onto my stomach. I wasn’t sure why, but having both of their powerful presences swarming me made it impossible to move, much less crawl or walk to them.

  “Stay down,” Disco instructed me telepathically. “Don’t move.”

  I wanted to ask why. What was wrong with having a little self respect? For wanting to rise to my feet and shake myself off?

  As the questions arose, I knew the answer.

  I wasn’t entitled to self respect. To Marius, I was nothing more than a dog or cat, kept around to fetch the paper or kill off mice if need be. If he saw me coming to my feet, he’d know that despite his warning he hadn’t managed to exert total control over me. That would be more than dangerous; it would likely sign my death certificate.

  “She can’t go tonight to retrieve the knife,” Paine said. Whereas Disco’s mark gave me strength, Paine’s comforted me in warm waves.

  “Explain,” Marius responded briskly.

  “When she joined the family, we gave our word she could keep her job,” Disco answered. “It was a small request, considering the power she brought to our home.”

  No further explanation, not telling him I enjoyed what I did, that I actually liked my job. A possession didn’t have the right to enjoy anything unless they were told to, or so I was guessing. I waited for Marius to respond, my belly flush against the carpet, my forehead resting on the floor.

  “You’ve grown weak in my absence, Gabriel. Your lingering humanity still dictates your thinking. We’ll discuss that before I leave.”

  “It wouldn’t be the first time.” I wasn’t sure how Disco managed to sound humored, considering the insult, but I knew without looking a breathtaking smile would be gracing his face.

  “When can you leave for Miami?” Marius asked, returning my attention to the biggest baddie in the room.

  “Monday.” I detested how weak I sounded, how defeated.

  The amulet at my breast came to life once again, tempting me to call on its power and go head to head with Disco’s maker. I resisted the compulsion, difficult as it was. I had exactly three days to sort shit out. Thank God for Deena, who was responsible for my work schedule.

  “Very well. I expect you back with the knife in hand no later than Tuesday morning.”

  Marius strode past me, and I heard shuffling as everyone rose from their seats and exited the room. I thought Disco or Paine would stay behind, but they didn’t. The marks between us vanished as they left me exactly as I remained long after I heard the door close.

  Insignificant and forgotten on the floor.

  Chapter Four

  After taking time to get my anger under control, I carefully rose to my hands and knees and dusted myself off. I had been in deep shit before, it was nothing new. However, Marius wasn’t your run of the mill vampire. Disco’s responses and reactions to my treatment told me everything I needed to know. He didn’t speak up for me or attempt to stop his maker when Marius decided it was time to get personal. Knowing my former lover as I did, that meant things were as bad, if not worse, than I bargained for. Disco would never willingly let Marius harm me—no matter how casually he reacted to my rough handling. That show earlier would have resulted in anyone else getting their ass kicked.

  So where did that leave me?

  What did it mean with regard to Sucker?

  Sonja and I had discussed transferring the power of the dagger into another weapon, one that was less noticeable, something I could keep in plain sight. The spell was tricky, even for her, but she felt it was possible. The only reason I’d hesitated was I feared losing the power of the knife. True, the things I’d read about Sucker indicated the blade containing the ability to slay a demon couldn’t be destroyed so easily, but there was no mention of
the magic. And even if we were able to pull it off, if Marius tested the knife I delivered he’d learn he’d been duped. I was pretty sure that would result in me resting in a box six feet underground.

  That left another option, one I didn’t want to consider until now.

  I dry washed my face with my hands, shaking the ache in my shoulder loose. Did I really want to indebt myself to a demon? That was the only way I could possibly convince one to bless another knife. That was the only way to create a weapon to replace the one I was pretty sure I was about to lose—something graced by the hand of a demon and angel, with the blessing of a holy man.

  The simple answer to my question? Fuck no. The harder one? If I had to.

  First things first. I had to survive the night. Tomorrow I could say I had things do, take my leave and think things over.

  I left the room and, to my relief, no one was in the hallway. As I started walking, intent on going straight to the bedroom and out of harm’s way, I heard voices coming from Disco’s office. The room was located under the stairs in a small alcove. The area was mostly hidden due to a set of pillars on either side. My curiosity might get me killed, but I tiptoed toward Disco’s voice, stopping when I stood against the wall and could make out the conversation.

  “She’s wrong for you,” Marius said.

  Disco chuckled. “You think everyone is wrong for me.”

  “True. But in this case, I mean it. She’s dangerous.”

  “She saved my life.”

  Someone took a deep breath, but I couldn’t see who it was. “You’re right,” Marius said as he exhaled, clueing me in on who needed a breath of fresh air. “Which is the only reason she’s still alive.”

  I inched closer to the pillar and peered around the structure to see inside the room. Disco was seated behind his desk and Marius was at his back.