Wounded Soul

by Annabelle Jacobs

  Jesse searched his face, and Ian hoped he saw the truth in his eyes, because he meant every word. The longer they spent together, the more it solidified inside him. Maybe it was this fixation that Jesse had mentioned, but Ian didn’t give a fuck either way. It was done now, and Jesse was his.

  They belonged together, and if they had to carry out this plan to be that way, then he’d just have to suck it up.

  It didn’t mean he had to like it, though.

  “What if Cate refuses to talk to you alone?” Ian had given her countless—unwanted and unappreciated—lectures about being careful at work. Of course Cate could handle herself, but she also rarely came out from behind the relative safety of the bar. For this to work, Jesse needed to get her alone.

  “I can be very persuasive,” Jesse said, and Ian’s mind immediately flashed back to Peter saying something very similar.

  “You’re not going to mess with her mind, are you?” He wanted this to work, but not like that.

  “No.” Jesse shook his head. “I can’t really do that sort of thing, and I wouldn’t even if I could.” He shrugged a shoulder. “I meant I can be charming.”

  Ian laughed, relieved. “That’s true.”

  “And she already knows me a little. Hopefully that’ll be enough to get her to trust me.”

  Ian had his doubts, but he kept them to himself. “Hopefully.”

  They lapsed into silence, Ian caught up in thoughts of what lay in store for them that evening. He got to sit in Jesse’s room, with Lys as his babysitter, and wait. He’d never been very good at sticking to the sidelines while someone else took all the risks.

  It was going to kill him.

  And he wasn’t prepared for it when Jesse tapped him on the shoulder. “I need to get ready.” He gestured over to the en suite. “Can’t leave here smelling so strongly of sex. And I need to feed again.”

  Ian felt immediately guilty. “Did I take too much?”

  “No.” Jesse smiled and kissed his nose. “But I don’t want to take any chances.” Sliding out from under Ian, he sat up and reached for Ian’s hand. “Join me for a shower?”

  Ian was about to answer, then he remembered what was in there. He wrinkled his nose. “Only if you move that bag of clothes first.”

  Jesse laughed, breaking some of the tension that suddenly surrounded them. “Of course. I’ll find somewhere else to stash them.”

  “You could always wash them. Just a thought,” Ian added at Jesse’s raised eyebrow.

  “I’ve had other things on my mind.” His smile didn’t falter though. “As soon as this mess is over, it’ll be the first thing I do.”

  Ian grinned. “The first?”

  Jesse’s smile turned wicked as he let his gaze run the length of Ian’s body. “Maybe the second.” Ian laughed this time, and when Jesse tugged him to his feet, he went willingly.

  “RIGHT,” JESSE SAID as he pulled on his jacket and patted his pockets. “I have my phone, charger, wallet, and car keys. And you’re certain Cate is working tonight?”

  “Yeah, only till eleven though.” Ian fidgeted as he paced in front of the windows, then stopped and looked at Jesse. “What if someone sees you leave?”

  “It’s not unusual for me to leave the coven at night.”

  “I guess not,” Ian conceded. His nerves were starting to get the better of him.

  Jesse walked over to him and put his hands on Ian’s shoulders. “Try not to worry while I’m gone.”

  Ian barked out a laugh. “Seriously?”

  “Fine, try not to drive Lys mad with your worrying then.”

  They both glanced over at where Lys sat perched on the edge of the bed, watching them. She grinned. “It would be much appreciated.”

  “What about Peter? Is he still holed up with Raph?” Ian would be happy if he stayed that way for the next few hours.

  “Unfortunately not.” Lys grimaced. “I ran into him—literally—on my way out of the kitchen. He was particularly handsy.” She mock-shuddered.

  “What if he comes up here while you’re gone?” Ian didn’t mean to imply that they were helpless without Jesse, but Lys’s raised eyebrow told him that was how it sounded. “I mean, what do we tell him?”

  “Tell him I’ve gone out. Where is none of his business.”

  “But—”

  “I can handle Peter.” Lys bared her fangs and gave Ian a look so terrifying he shrank back towards the window, only relaxing when she smiled with human-looking teeth. “And you can help if he brings those two idiots with him.” She shrugged. “We can always just not open the door. He won’t cause a scene out in the hall where others can hear him.”

  “Okay.” Slightly mollified, Ian sat down in Jesse’s armchair. “Good luck,” he whispered, voice catching on the words.

  Jesse strode across the room and knelt before him, taking Ian’s face in his hands. “I’ll see you soon.” The kiss he gave him was over too fast, and Ian had to fight the urge to hang on to him.

  And then Jesse was gone, Lys locking the door behind him.

  She turned to face Ian.

  “Now we wait.”

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  The bar was busy when Jesse got there, not Friday-night busy, but enough that he could move through the throng of people and not stand out. Lurking at the edge of the dance floor, he watched Cate as she worked the bar, smiling and laughing as she mixed drinks and popped the caps off bottles.

  She looked happy.

  And I’m about to ruin all of that.

  Jesse had no doubt that the news he was about to deliver was going to shatter her world. If she believed him. Ian might be more alive to Jesse now than before, but Cate wouldn’t feel that way. The Ian she knew and loved died in that alleyway.

  The last thing Jesse wanted to do was walk over to her bar, but everything depended on him doing just that. Steeling himself for the hate and blame about to come his way, he squared his shoulders and walked towards her.

  He knew the moment she noticed him. Her initial smile faltered, brow furrowing and confusion obvious as she glanced over his shoulder probably looking for Ian. When she failed to spot him, her expression darkened.

  She thinks I’m here to pick up someone else. If only it were that simple.

  Waiting until there was a lull in customers, Jesse took a seat at one end of the bar.

  Cate eyed him warily. “Evening, Jesse. What can I get for you?”

  “Whisky, please.” Might as well try and look like a normal guy out for a drink.

  He watched her retrieve a glass and pour out the required amount. When she set it on the counter in front of him, he went to grab her wrist, but thought better of it at the last minute. “I need to talk to you about Ian.”

  She eyed his hand, and Jesse wondered if she’d sensed his intention.

  “Please, it’s urgent.”

  Now she took a small step back, survival instinct taking over as her eyes darted around nervously.

  Fuck, she’s gonna bolt any second.

  “I know you think he’s away in St Austell on a business trip, but he’s not.”

  “And how would you know?” She still looked at him like he might make a grab for her any second, but at least she was still talking to him.

  “Because he’s been staying with me.”

  She eyed him for a second longer, then sighed. “Look, if Ian wants to throw a sickie to hole up with you for a few days, then that’s his business. I think he’s a twat for pissing work around like that, but it’s his choice.”

  Jesse grit his teeth. He couldn’t tell her the truth surrounded by people, but how did he get her alone when she was already wary of him. Short of slinging her over his shoulder, he was coming up blank.

  “He could’ve at least told me though,” Cate muttered. “He knows I worry about him driving down there. The M5 can be a nightmare.”

  And just like that Jesse saw his opening.

  Pulling out his phone, he sent Ian a quick text.

  Tell h
er you’ve been staying with me. Tell her I need to talk to her in private. That it’s urgent. Tell her she can trust me.

  Instead of a reply, he heard a text alert sound behind the bar.

  “You should read that, it’s from Ian.”

  “How the fuck do you know that?” Cate backed away from him.

  “Because I just asked him to send it you.”

  After a few agonising seconds, she finally relented and reached for her phone, just as a group of lads approached the bar.

  For fuck’s sake.

  Cate slipped her phone in her pocket, message unread, and turned to serve them.

  Jesse briefly entertained the thought of eating them all to make things go quicker but remained sat on his stool, not so patiently waiting for Cate to finish.

  Finally they paid, left, and Cate reached for her phone.

  Her eyebrows drew together as she read the message, then she glanced over at Jesse, and Jesse wondered what exactly Ian had said to her. She tapped out a reply and got a response a few seconds later. After a couple more text exchanges, Jesse was about ready to leap over the bar and snatch the phone out of her hand to read for himself, when finally she slid it back into her pocket, let out a heavy sigh, and said, “Fine. You’ve got five minutes. Wait here.” She disappeared through a door marked STAFF ONLY and came out a few minutes later accompanied by another girl who Jesse recognised from the last time he was there.

  “Won’t be long,” Cate said to her, getting a wink and a “Take your time” in return.

  Rolling her eyes, Cate beckoned for him to follow her back through the staff door. She glanced at him over her shoulder. “Steph saw you come in here with me, so don’t think about doing anything weird.”

  Jesse had to stifle a hysterical laugh. “Of course not.”

  It couldn’t get much weirder than what he was about to show her.

  Cate led him through to a small room containing a table, four chairs, a fridge, and a kettle. He noticed she left the door ajar. Leaning against the worktop, she faced him. “Talk. I’ve not got long.”

  Fuck, he’d not really given this part much thought. How did he get his point across without Cate running away screaming for help? There was no easing them into this conversation.

  “I know that Blake Jones is one of Ian’s best friends, and I know what Blake does for a living.”

  Her mouth fell open and she just stared at him a moment before catching herself. “He’s a policeman.”

  “He’s an officer with the Vampire Liaison and Crimes Division. He joined them a little over two weeks ago.”

  Her eyes went wide, eyebrows shooting up to her hairline. “Fuck’s sake, Blake’s gonna kill him.” Then realising she’d just confirmed it, she slapped her hand over her mouth with a mumbled, “Bollocks.”

  Now for the tricky part.

  “Ian didn’t tell me.” He let that hang there until curiosity got the better of her.

  “Then how . . . ?”

  “Blake came to my house to do a routine inspection, and I smelt Ian all over him.”

  Her mouth opened again, then closed as she struggled to process—and comprehend—what he was saying.

  He knew the moment the penny dropped.

  “Motherfu—” She darted towards the door, but Jesse was off his seat before she’d even taken a step, scooping her up, and closing the door in the same move. He clamped a hand over her mouth.

  “I didn’t want to do it like this, but you need to listen to me.”

  She struggled fruitlessly in his grip.

  “I’m not going to hurt you, I swear, but you have to stop fighting me. Ian’s life is in danger, and I need your help.” That got through to her, but for how long, Jesse had no idea. “I know you’re frightened, but you have to trust me.” She snorted, and Jesse smiled a little despite himself. “You’re right in thinking I’m a vampire.” He closed his eyes and prayed she’d believe him. “And so is Ian now.”

  Her whole body went eerily still. Jesse counted the seconds as the news sunk in. One . . . two . . . thr—

  She tried to shake her head, tried to deny what Jesse was saying, but he held her fast, hurriedly whispering in her ear everything that had transpired the previous night. So much had happened since then, Jesse struggled to believe his own words.

  She tensed when he mentioned the texts Peter had sent using her phone, and Jesse wondered if he’d jogged her memory or if it was just the thought of it creeping her out. “So you see,” he murmured. “We need your help. Ian needs your help.” As reluctant as he was to move his hand from her mouth, Jesse had to know if she believed him and if she was willing to go along with their plan. “I’m going to take my hand off your mouth. Please don’t scream.”

  Slowly he peeled his fingers away, bracing himself for an ear-piercing yell.

  “Jesus Christ,” she whispered, surprising him. “I need to see him.”

  He’d been counting on that.

  “I know, but I can’t take you to our coven, obviously.”

  “Obviously.” He could feel her eye-roll. “He’s got his phone, though right. I’m assuming he can FaceTime wherever he is?”

  Jesse let himself relax the tiniest amount. “He can, and he’s waiting for your call.”

  Cate scoffed. Pressing against his hold on her. “Well I can’t exactly use my phone while you’ve got me immobilised like this.”

  She had a point. “So you believe me?”

  “That you’re a vampire?” He didn’t miss the tremor in her voice as she said the word. “Yes. No one moves so fast that they fucking blur.” She sucked in a breath as though mentioning it terrified her all over again. “But about Ian . . . ? I don’t know.” She sighed again, her body losing some of its rigidity. “I don’t want to. But why would you be here telling me this if it wasn’t true?”

  He didn’t answer, figuring it was a rhetorical question.

  “Just let me see him,” she whispered.

  Keeping his back to the door, Jesse set her down and let go of her. She immediately bolted to the opposite wall, plastering herself against it. “Please stay over there.”

  Jesse nodded. “Of course.”

  With visibly trembling hands, Cate pulled her phone out and scrolled through to FaceTime Ian. It took her two attempts and lots of cursing before Jesse heard Ian’s voice. He closed his eyes for a moment, letting it wash over him.

  “Hey, Cate.” He sounded tentative, wary, as well he should be. The look on Cate’s face was murderous.

  “Don’t you fucking ‘Hey, Cate’ me!”

  “Sorry, I guess I—”

  “You know how terrified I am by the mere idea that there are vampires out there, yet you thought it a good idea to fucking send one to talk to me? Jesus Christ, Ian.” She let out a sound somewhere between a laugh and a sob. “Do you have any idea how frightened I am right now? Do you? I’d like to think the answer’s no, because I’m hoping my best friend wouldn’t have sent a vampire to terrorise me if he knew I’m seconds away from having a nervous breakdown.”

  “Cate—”

  “I almost wet myself when he scooped me up like I weighed nothing.” Her breathing turned ragged as she gulped in great lungful’s of air, heart pounding so fast, Jesse half expected to see it burst out of her chest any second. He quashed the urge to go over and put his arm around her. He doubted any comfort from him would be welcome.

  “I know you’re scared, and fuck, I’m sorry to have to do this to you, but we were out of options.” He spoke to her in hushed tones, retelling some of what Jesse had said, and reassuring her that he was okay, wasn’t being held hostage, and that Jesse wasn’t just biding his time until he could drink her blood.

  Finally she slumped to the floor, phone in hand, a heavy sigh escaping her. “I need you to show me.”

  “Will you believe me then?”

  “I don’t know.”

  Ian must have shown her his fangs, because Cate gasped, hand flying to her mouth. “Fucking hell, Ian.”


  “I know.”

  They stared at each other in silence, and Jesse forced himself to stay still and keep quiet. They needed Cate to be fully on board with this, and if that meant she needed time to let this sink in, then so be it. He watched as she traced a finger over the phone screen, tears spilling over and down her cheeks.

  “Cate,” Ian tried, voice soft, soothing. “It’s okay.”

  “No it’s not,” she sniffed. “Nothing’s going to be okay ever again because you’re fucking dead, Ian.”

  “I’m sat here talking to you, Cate.”

  “But you’re not you!” she cried, voice breaking. “You’re a . . . a . . .”

  “Vampire,” Ian whispered.

  She shook her head, obviously not wanting to believe it, but the evidence was staring her in the face. “No.”

  “Cate,” Ian tried again. “I wish there was time for this to sink in more, to let you get used to everything, but there isn’t. I’m still me,” he said, and Jesse wished he were in the room with them telling her this. “Just a different version.”

  She scoffed. “An undead, blood-drinking, supernatural version you mean?” Her tears had stopped, but Jesse couldn’t gauge if she was any closer to accepting all of this.

  “Yeah.” He paused. “But underneath all that, I’m still Ian, still your best friend who loves you more than any other woman on the planet.”

  Cate sniffled again, but this time Jesse caught the beginnings of a smile. “For fuck’s sake, Ian. I thought nothing would ever top Blake’s news, but there you go having to get one over on him.” She seemed to realise what she said and gasped. “Fuck, Blake. What the hell is he going to say when he finds out? And please don’t say I have to keep this a secret from him, Ian, because I don’t think I can.”

  He heard the smile in Ian’s voice when he spoke. “I’m not asking you to keep it from Blake. In fact, I need you to tell him.”

  For the first time since Jesse had walked into the bar, he had real hope that this plan might actually work.

  Jesse kept himself as far away as possible while Ian told Cate about their plan and what he needed her to do. She kept shooting him wary looks, but at least she’d relaxed a little around him. He had no doubt that would all change as soon as Ian wasn’t there as a buffer—even if it was on the other end of a phone—but as long as she made that phone call and the two of them convinced Blake to help. That was all that mattered.