“On the bed, vampire.”
He joins me on the bed, already stripped down. “Drink your fill.” He bares his neck to me. I hate the look of triumph in his eyes, but I hate the pain I am feeling more. My teeth sink into his flesh and the sweet ecstasy of his blood washes over my tongue. I suck harder and harder until I feel it hit my system. In the fog before his blood completely takes me over I feel him trying to restrain me. I’m not going to make it easy. If he’s going to take me, he’s going to work for it.
Soon the blood makes me unable to fight, and I head into the sweet bliss of nothingness. No pain, no thinking. Just before I lose consciousness, I think I hear someone else in the room, but I’m too far gone to care.
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
Matt
I finally tracked Onyx down. I don’t know what I expected to find when I got to his place, but it wasn’t him naked and shackled to his bed with Javier kneeling over him.
“YOU!” I feel myself already halfway through my shift, the wolf itching to tear Javier to shreds. He’s been a thorn in my side for a while now, always coming up connected to crimes but never any way to prove his involvement. He’s not clever enough to be able to cover his tracks this well, so I know someone is helping him, probably Kage. He’d lose his favorite blood whore if Javier is caught. I am on him before I can control it. Blood is flying everywhere.
My wolf has no patience for anymore of his shit. Besides, Javier touched what is ours. When I finally come back to myself I look at the carnage. Shit! This place is a disaster. I’ll need a clean up crew, fast. On the plus side, Xenobia won’t have to worry about Javier coming after the girls now. That problem is solved. I make a phone call to get someone over here to clean up the place before we have to deal with any unwanted questions.
Taking the restraints off of Onyx I realize that he’s completely out of it. I don’t even think he’s conscious. I’m worried because vampires don’t black out. He feels warm, like he’s had blood recently, so I know he’s at least fed. I have no idea what is going on. I’m covered in blood and I have to get it off of me before I set foot outside. Hopefully by the time I get out of the shower, he will be awake. I push down the panic that is trying to take over.
“It’s ok, baby. I’m here.” I put my forehead to his willing him to wake up, then I head to the bathroom.
***
After taking the quickest shower known to mankind, I pull on some of Onyx’s clothes and then dress him. I’m not going to let the cleaners find him like this. In fact, it is probably better if neither of us are here when they get here. The cleaners are neutral, but it is still better they don’t know exactly who was involved. I can’t take Onyx to my place because if any of the vampires come looking for him, that would be one of the first places they would look. I have to assume they know our history at this point. I’ve got to take him somewhere though. I have to have time to figure out what is wrong with him. He’s vulnerable in this state. If he has any enemies, well, it wouldn’t be good.
I have an idea, a really bad idea. Xenobia’s place. I manage to get Onyx in my car, which isn’t easy. The man is tall and is as heavy as an elephant when he’s unconscious. Good thing shifters have enhanced strength or it would be impossible. Driving as fast as I can without drawing attention, I head back to Xenobia’s and pray she will even take the time to listen to me.
CHAPTER FORTY
Xenobia
I cannot believe what I am hearing! How dare Matthew, especially after he knows what Mercy has been through. After he follows Mercy out, I turn back to Chi. “Please excuse me.”
“Go easy on him, little angel, the boy wants you. Mercy is strong. If she didn’t think she could deal with him, she wouldn’t have accepted.”
“Wants me. HA! It is purely a physical attraction. If he wanted me, he wouldn’t be upstairs with Mercy right now. The boy, as you call him, is an ass. Things between Matthew and me are just, weird.”
“Xen, give him a chance. You are a complicated woman. I should know, I’ve been watching you for years.” He kisses me gently on the forehead.
“Wait, why are you encouraging this? I thought…”
“You thought right, I’m interested in you both as a guardian and on a personal level. I also know that you will need a partner who can be with you during daylight hours when I cannot be. Ezrah is a good person to be my eyes, ears, and communication, but he is only human and cannot stand with you against everything.”
“So hypothetically, say you and I do develop a relationship, you are saying you would be okay with me having another partner. Am I hearing that correctly?”
“Oh, little angel, we already have a relationship, you just haven’t let yourself believe it yet.” He tucks a strand of hair behind my ear. “And yes, to answer your question, you heard me correctly.”
Chi walks out of the door leaving me speechless.
***
When I finally get my wits about me again, I head toward my office. It was a good evening up until that episode with Matthew. Well, I’ve got a stack of paperwork that needs attention so that ought to distract me for a bit. As I’m finishing up the paperwork and searching for another distraction, Mercy walks in with a weird look on her face.
“Oh my god! Did he hurt you?”
“What? No! He wouldn’t do something like that, and shame on you for thinking it. You’ve read him, you ought to know he’s got a good heart.”
“Then what’s with the look?”
Mercy sinks on to the couch with a sigh. “Xen, he’s having a hard time. He’s confused about things with Onyx. The poor guy is emotionally exhausted and has been trying to avoid dealing with it. I think the talk we had helped though, he’s going to go find Onyx and talk to him.”
So much for Chi’s theory that Matthew wants me. Not that it matters. I’m not sure I want him at this point. Yes, I’m attracted to him, but he’s also a colossal ass. He’s proved it over and over again. Things with Chi seem to be flowing so much easier, and that’s what I need, something uncomplicated. If I’m going to consider a relationship, I want to feel emotionally safe. Matthew has emotional roller coaster written all over him.
“But wait, there’s more. Matthew wants to spend time with you too. He just hasn’t figured out how to approach you. And that last vision you guys shared made him feel awkward. He just got all twisted up because he saw you with Chi. I think he was kind of mad at himself more than anything because he hadn’t made a move and he saw his chance potentially slipping away. Plus, he was still raw after an unexpected run-in with Onyx over the weekend.”
Crap.
“What the hell is going on with my life right now? We were going along just fine and then BAM! Everything is upside down and inside out. I’ve made a serious effort to keep myself focused on business. Relationships are messy, painful, and I’m not any good with them. I’m getting better at trusting men, I really am, but I feel so out of control right now. There are so many moving pieces that I can’t keep it all together. I need to be focused on what to do about Javier, not juggling men.”
“Are you done with your tantrum now? Life doesn’t stop just because there is a power-hungry asshat after us. You can’t keep shoving people away, Xen. If these men want to love you, why are you resisting it so much? You’ve read them, and you know they are open with you.”
And that is part of the problem. I know they want to get serious about a relationship with me. It’s scary. I read emotions, but it doesn’t mean I’m particularly good with my own.
***
It’s late by the time Mercy and I finish our talk. Well, it was more like Mercy lecturing me about how ridiculous I’m being and begging me to give Matthew another chance. I guess if she can stomach him after the stunt he pulled with her, I can at least hear him out whenever he decides to pull his head out of his ass and talk to me. But I’m definitely not going to be the one to make the first move.
The last client is out the door and we are locking up when a car pulls into
the drive. Matthew gets out of the car before he even has it turned off. I can feel the fear and worry he is projecting. Opening the door I see that he is trying to maneuver someone out of the back seat. “Mercy, come on,” I say as I’m rushing down the walk.
“Matthew, what is going on? What’s wrong?”
“Mercy, turn off the car and get my keys, please. Xen, help me get him in the house. Hurry, please.” I can feel him trying to keep it together. When the moonlight hits the face of the man we are trying to carry, I recognize Onyx.
“God, what happened? Why is he unconscious?”
“I don’t know. Can we get him inside so we can figure it out, please.”
Whatever anger I was feeling toward Matthew is melted by the desperation in his voice. No matter how put together he looks on the outside, he is coming apart on the inside.
***
Mercy leads the way to a room on the second floor and we get Onyx laid out on the bed. Matthew looks distraught. He is a swirl of emotions so, I send my power into him to take the edge off. Sitting down beside Onyx, Matthew takes his hand. “I’m so sorry. I should never have pushed you away. I want another chance, baby. Please, please wake up.”
The jackass he mimicked earlier is nowhere to be found. All I see is a man who is full of love, a lot of guilt, and a lot of regrets.
“Matthew, what happened?”
“I don’t know. I just found him like this. Well, I mean, technically I found him chained to his bed, but I don’t know what was going on exactly. I know what it looked like, but I don’t know anything for sure. One thing I do know is the bastard that did this to him is dead. Oh, and you won’t have to worry about Javier anymore.”
“Wait, are you saying Javier did this to him?”
“Yes. I walked in on him kneeling over Onyx, and my wolf just took over. I…I ripped him to shreds.”
Part of me is relieved, but the other part of me is scared. What happens now? Surely someone is going to notice Javier is gone.
“Why did you bring him here?”
“I can’t take him to the pack. I can’t take him to the vampires because then they would be nosing around about Javier, which will happen soon enough anyway. I just had to buy myself some time. I can’t take him to my place because that would be the first place anyone who found out about our history would look. Where else was I going to take him? I wish I knew what happened.”
“Xen, can’t you heal him like you did me?” Mercy questions.
“I have no idea. You are human, and it was risky when I did it then. There is no telling what would happen if I tried it on a vampire.”
Matthew stands up and takes my hands. “You have to try, please. I know you know how much I love him. You saw the vision, what we were to each other once. I want that again. I screwed this up by turning him away. I just want him back.”
Between the look in his eyes, and the emotions coming off of him I’m fighting not to be overwhelmed. “Ok, I’ll try. But you have to know that I can’t make any promises. Anything I do could make him worse, or kill him for all I know.”
Climbing up on the bed, I straddle Onyx. “Ok, work with me here, Onyx. Matthew is going to be colossally pissed if you die.” I let go of my glamour because there is no one here that doesn’t already know what I am. I’m going to need my whole focus to go into the healing. I push my power through Onyx. Nothing seems to be damaged internally. He doesn’t appear to be in pain, and in fact, his emotions are mimicking a state of ecstasy. “He’s not in pain. Are you sure you want me to do this? Wouldn’t you rather give it some time and see if he comes around?”
“What if he never does? Please, just do it.”
I let my fangs drop and bite. The blood he’s ingested tastes off. It definitely isn’t human blood. It’s not a poison, but I have no idea what it is. I try to skim off the unknown parts of it like I would with poison, but it doesn’t seem to make a difference. The only thing I can tell is that whatever is in the blood is losing potency so it will wear off eventually.
“There isn’t anything I can do. The blood he drank last tastes tainted, but not with any poison. And it isn’t human blood. It does appear that it is breaking down so, the good news is, he will eventually wake up.”
A look of relief washed over Matthew’s face. “Thank god! I’m going to stay here with him if that’s ok with you? I know I have no right to ask, especially since I made such a scene earlier.”
“It’s ok, Matthew. I’m not going to say that I wasn’t pissed, because I was, but Mercy explained everything to me.”
Matthew shoots Mercy a look and she shrugs. “She had to know. I was talking you up to her, don’t make me regret it.” And with that warning she kisses Matthew on the cheek and walks out.
Matthew pulls a chair to the bedside and sits down. He gives me a strange look when I pull up the other one. “I’ll sit here with you. We need to talk anyway.”
CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
Matt
Pulling up to Xenobia’s I’m hoping she still has the door open. I would hate to ring the bell and alert the whole house. I don’t even take time to turn the car off before I’m out and struggling to get Onyx out of the back seat. Xenobia must have been downstairs because she’s out the front door and headed toward me with Mercy trailing behind her.
We manage to get Onyx out of the car and upstairs to a bed. I’m so scared and worried. What if he never wakes up? I royally fucked up when I sent him away. He was right there in front of me, I could have had him right then, but no, I had to be a jackass and push him away. I’d take it all back if I could. What if I never get the chance to tell him how much I’ve missed him, how much I love him? Why does it take a major event for us to realize what is truly important?
It’s frightening, how still he is as I hold his hand. “I’m so sorry. I should never have pushed you away. I want another chance, baby. Please, please wake up.”
I jump on Mercy’s question when she asks if Xen can heal him. I don’t even care about the risk, we have to try something, and I’m not above begging, not for Onyx. In the back of my mind I register that this is probably a piece of how Mercy got her powers. I briefly wonder what that means for Onyx, but I can’t hold on to that line of query because I’m too busy watching Xen work her magic, or try to at least. If things weren’t so dire, I might be turned on by the fact that she’s straddling Onyx and she looks like she belongs there.
“There isn’t anything I can do. The blood he drank last tastes tainted, but not with any poison. And it isn’t human blood. It does appear that it is breaking down so, the good news is, he will eventually wake up.” Relief washes over me as I hear her say he will wake up. I’m still worried about what caused this though. Hopefully I will get answers once he wakes up. I have no idea how long it will take, but I’m going to stay with him. I’ll put work aside and move into this room with him if I have to.
When I tell Xenobia that I’m staying with him, I’m surprised that she decides to sit with me. I haven’t exactly been the epitome of civil to her, but she’s right, we do need to talk. We sit there in awkward silence. I think both of us are waiting to let the other one begin this conversation. It needs to happen, but things are just so bizarre. She’s not human or any creature I have ever even heard of. I’m not fully human. She is learning that there is a whole other set of beings here outside of humanity. In reality, we don’t know each other all that well, but we have a strange connection that lets us share dreams and visions. And we both have fucked up pasts that make us guarded, sarcastic, defensive, and lonely.
“Thank you for letting Onyx stay here. And thank you for trying to heal him.”
“You’re welcome. I can feel how much he means to you.” I’m shocked when Xenobia takes my hand. She’s not a physical contact kind of person. I can tell it is a bit unsettling to her, but she’s trying not to show it.
“I’m also sorry I’ve been such a childish, judgmental ass,” I say as I squeeze her hand gently. It feels good to have a physi
cal connection to her. “I haven’t had the best luck with relationships. Frankly, I haven’t been attracted to anyone in a while. At least anyone I wanted more than a fling with. I am having difficulty dealing with the feelings that you bring up in me. Then there is knowing that you entertain men for a living, I don’t know how to handle that. Now Onyx is back in my life. It is extremely confusing. I want us to get to know each other better, maybe let this evolve into something serious, but right now I don’t even know what that looks like. There are so many things to consider. I mean, now that Onyx and I have a second chance, I don’t want to give that up. I also don’t want to pass up an opportunity with you. I’ll always wonder what could have been. Maybe that makes me selfish to want both, but it is the truth.”
Standing, Xenobia tugs on my hand. “You need rest. You’ve had too long of a day.” She leads me around to the other side of the bed where I stretch out on my side and face Onyx. Again, Xenobia surprises me by laying down behind me. Everything catches up with me at once because I suddenly feel extremely tired. I let myself fall asleep between someone I love beyond all words and someone else that I could see myself loving just as much.
CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
Xenobia
Laying down behind Matthew, I press my power into him to help him fall asleep more quickly. He needs rest after everything that has happened, and I need time to think. The decision to let myself be this close to Matthew is uncomfortable, but it also feels good to be connecting.
What would it be like to have him in my life, wake up with him? What if I let myself open up to the possibilities with Matthew and Onyx isn’t able to share him with me? Do I even trust Onyx yet? After all, he came into my house and snacked on Maggie. Chi seems to be so open to sharing my time with another partner, encouraging it even. Of course, Chi and I haven’t forged any definite relationship, but he is ready to jump into one if I allow it. I guess after centuries, he has enough experience with relationships to recognize what he wants immediately.
The Rise of House Valdis Page 8
