by Nashoda Rose
Liam squeezed my waist to get my attention when we stopped at his table. “Abigail, my love, may I introduce Jasmine. A new business acquaintance of mine.” Bastard knew I hated when he called me Abigail.
“A pleasure,” the woman nodded to me, but remained seated in the booth.
She wrapped her long, manicured fingers around her wine glass and lifted it to her bright red lips. My eyes widened and breath caught in my throat when I noticed the white webbing tattooed on her fingers.
Shit, she was a Lilac. A vampire and a Lilac together couldn’t be good.
I’d never met a Lilac, as they were rare, but this woman’s gorgeous appearance matched how Trinity had described their fabled beauty. Perfectly smooth skin with long, ash-blonde hair that hung over her shoulders in soft tresses. Her eyes were so blue it was as if a can of cerulean paint had splashed into them. No wonder Lilac’s were able to draw in any man they chose. Not so good for the men.
What was Liam doing with a Lilac? What was a Lilac doing in Toronto? As far as I knew, it was an off-limits city, considering Waleron resided here and everyone knew Waleron’s history with Lilacs.
“Sit, my love.” Liam gestured with his arm to the booth. I slid in and he slid in after me. Jasmine sat across from us. “Abigail is making the Transition,” Liam drawled.
“Is that so?” Jasmine’s thin, penciled-on brows lifted. “My understanding is that you’re a witch at present. An interesting combination.”
So, Liam had spoken with this woman before and, obviously, it wasn’t all business. “Well, I don’t know if it worked—”
“Yes,” Liam interrupted. “It is a wonderful new beginning.”
She raised her glass of red wine. “A toast, to your new life. May it bring you both joy and an abundance of blood.”
I stiffened at Jasmine’s remark. No. It was impossible. She couldn’t know. No one knew, except Trinity and me. If any vampire found out—if the Scars found out—Christ, what had I done?
Everything would’ve been fine if not for the pregnancy. It wasn’t supposed to go down like this. I didn’t even know whether I could survive the detox and still keep my baby alive. Shit, if the detox would even work. If I Transitioned…
Jasmine wore a perfectly ironed white blouse with the two top buttons left undone, revealing a hint of her lace bra. Her smile was kind, and yet everything about her made me uneasy—sharp angular jaw and eyes that refused to waver, even under Liam’s intensity.
I shivered, rubbing my bare arms and shifting uncomfortably in my seat. Something felt off. Why had Liam wanted me to meet Jasmine? Or had it been the other way around? Did Jasmine want to meet me? Did she know about my ability? Liam and Jasmine knew I’d recognize what she was.
She reached into her black purse and pulled out an envelope, sliding it across the table to Liam. “I think this will help convince you.”
Liam picked it up without saying anything, slit it open with his long baby fingernail, and pulled out what appeared to be a legal document. His eyes scanned the document; then there was a tug upward at the corners of his mouth. When he looked up, his eyes sparkled a deep yellow and he chuckled.
“Interesting. And rather surprising news. You’re certain neither of them have any idea?” he asked.
Jasmine smiled. “Of course not. We never intended them to find out—so soon. But new developments have arisen and we must further our cause using other resources.”
“And that would include me,” Liam said, raising his brows and settling back in his seat, legal document left lying on the table.
I tipped forward to see if I could read it, but Liam’s arm shot out in front of my chest and pushed me back.
“Yes,” she said in a soft, lyrical tone. “You have a new development and so do I. Merging our resources will assist us in accomplishing what we both want.”
Liam was quiet, taking his time to answer. He lifted his wine, took a sip, and then set it back down again, finger tapping on the rim. “Your timing is impeccable, Jasmine, and I do believe a business partner is just what is needed.”
“And her?” Jasmine nodded in my direction and I swallowed.
Liam put his hand under the table and squeezed my thigh. “Unfortunately, now it’s complicated, as I said, but in time, she will be the greatest asset.”
Greatest asset? Oh, God, Liam knew. He had to. I couldn’t stay here any longer. I had to get out. My nerves sparked off in warning, and with the adrenaline rush, my thirst for blood intensified.
“I need to…” Shit, he’d never let me leave the bar. “I have to use the ladies’ room.” My heart pumped and saliva pooled in my mouth. Screw Jedrik’s plan. I needed out now.
Liam’s palm rested on my thigh and he slowly slid it up between my legs and cupped me. I stiffened and ground my teeth together. It was an owning gesture and a claim that I was soon to be his.
He leaned toward me and whispered in my ear. “Relax, my feisty witch.”
Liam turned his attention back to Jasmine and started talking, but I couldn’t focus on what they were saying because I trying not to throw up as Liam’s index finger twitched back and forth over my clit.
Bastard. He wasn’t going to let me go. Oh, God, I was so screwed. I shifted back in my seat, trying to escape his touch, but he merely moved with me.
My hand curled into a fist, one I wanted to slam into his balls. “Please, Liam. I have to go to the washroom. I’ll be only a minute.”
Bullshit. I had to disappear, Liam’s reach was far, but it would take him time to find me and, hopefully, by then, I’d have fought off the vampire blood in my system. Or died.
Liam sighed and moved his hand away. “Don’t be long.” He slipped out of the booth and I crawled out after him, but I only made it one step before his hand latched onto my wrist and he yanked me hard into his chest. His other hand slid up my back to cup my neck. “Remember who you belong to now, Abigail.”
I was never good at belonging to anyone. Trinity being my pseudo-mother knew that better than anyone. So the urge to slap his arrogant face was difficult to resist. Instead, I smiled, leaned into him, and kissed his cheek.
“How could I forget?” I held my breath, waiting for him to let me go as his eyes drove into me. Finally, he nodded and released me. I walked casually away until I was out of his sight, and then I half-ran toward the washroom.
I didn’t make it that far as I pushed up against people, hearing their throbbing heartbeats pumping loudly in my ears, smelling the fresh blood swimming in their veins eager for me to taste.
I staggered into someone, breathing erratically as I fought to stop the urgency of feeding. This was a mistake. What had I done? The thirst was so intense, like a cocaine addict surrounded by bags and bags of cocaine.
I hadn’t cried since I was four years old. The day my mother abandoned me to Trinity in a dark alley. I’d cried for days and days, begging for my mother to come back.
She never did. I never saw her again.
When I finally stopped crying, I swore to never shed a tear again.
Until now. Now, tears pooled because my control slipped and nothing else mattered except blood.
Nothing. And it was going to destroy so much more than me and my baby.
A tear glided down my check as I grabbed the closest person to me, a twenty-something guy standing at the bar with disheveled shoulder-length, dirty-blond hair and grunge clothing. He was too intoxicated and bewildered by the sudden attention of an attractive redhead and didn’t question my motives.
I leaned in to him, my hand sliding up his chest to his neck, where his pulse throbbed beneath the pad of my finger.
Thirsty. I was so thirsty.
I wrapped my arm around his neck, drawing him in closer, smelling the sweet scent of blood crying out to me.
He grinned from ear to ear, his soft hazel eyes dancing with pleasure at what he’d managed to snatch for the night. “Hey, baby.”
I pulled him closer, my lips inches from his neck, tongue f
licking out to trail a path along his naked skin.
“Fuck, yeah,” he slurred.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered and lowered my teeth to his neck.
I shot the white ball and it hit the green stripe, sinking it in the corner pocket. I knew he was watching me. Knew the second he appeared in the alley behind the bar, his scent growing stronger as he made his way into the bar.
Of course, the egomaniac would want retaliation. The fiery Wraith was the most arrogant man, or being, I’d met.
First Waleron’s surprise visit at the apartment and now Edan. This was turning out to be one bastard of a day.
I laid my pool stick on the green felt and nodded to the guy I was playing. “I forfeit, buddy.” I slapped a twenty on the table, picked up my bubbly water, and sauntered toward the bar.
Edan leaned back against it, elbows resting on it, red eyes penetrating as he watched me approach. The red hue was scary because I knew what it meant, pissed. I could attempt to run, but Edan was a Wraith, and running would only piss him off more.
I slid onto the stool next to him and placed my glass on the bar. “Took you long enough. I expected you sooner,” I said without meeting his piercing eyes. “Beer?” I knew damn well he’d refuse. Wraiths stayed clear of alcohol as it made them unpredictable.
“You’re a bitch,” Edan said. Okay, so he didn’t need to warm up with idle chitchat. “No one uses me, especially not a fuckin’ woman.”
“Great to see you in my part of the world, Edan,” I said.
“Slut,” Edan spat.
I shrugged. “I got what I wanted, didn’t I?”
His eyes flamed an orange glow, and if I didn’t cool it, he’d ignite this bar into flames. I took a sip of my sparkling water and the fizz tickled my throat. I actually liked Edan. He’d treated me well enough and the sex had been incredible.
“You’re mighty brave after pissing off a Wraith. I could have you incarcerated in our realm in seconds.”
Yeah, he could, but the Wraiths and Scars were on the same side. If he pissed off the Scars, all we did for the human world would be obliterated. So, my guess was he’d rant, rave, threaten, and then leave.
“Well, get it out of your system. I have shit to do.” I pulled my cell out of my back pocket and glanced at the screen. “I’ll give you two minutes.”
Edan’s arm shot out so fast that I didn’t have time to stop him. He knocked my water from my hand and it toppled over the end of the bar and shattered. Oh crap, here we go.
“Hey, man,” the bartender yelled.
I gave him an apologetic wince. “Sorry, Dave. Won’t happen again.”
Edan snagged my forearm, yanking me off the stool and up against his broad chest. I felt his cock through his jeans because it was hard as hell. Edan got off on a good fight; the Fire Wraith was impulsive and hot-blooded.
He grabbed my chin, but his fingers were gentle. “I want you. Right fuckin’ now.” His graveled voice was deep. “You owe me.”
Whoa. Time to cool his cucumber. “I used you. The sex was good, but not that good. Be pissed and hurt and spit fire, but that’s the truth.” The second lie tumbled from my lips easily. The sex had been great, and he’d given me more than he knew. He had shown me that not every man would hurt me out of anger. Despite his fiery attitude, Edan would never harm me physically. And that was why I felt guilty about using him to help Balen.
His hand dropped from my chin. “It’s because of him, isn’t it?”
“You just called me a bitch and a slut. I don’t think this is about anyone but you and me.” Another lie.
“I could take you with me.” Edan’s fingers splayed over my waist.
“You could and I’d hate you for it.” I stepped from his warmth. “I have to go.”
I turned to leave when he gently linked his fingers with mine. I sighed. Edan was not making this easy.
“Delara,” he whispered, “I care about you. What we had was—”
I placed my finger on his lips. He immediately grabbed it between his teeth and brought it into his mouth. Crap, wrong thing to do.
“Edan, please don’t,” I said.
“I can’t believe what we shared was all bull. Tell me it was real.”
How could I? It would only make things worse. There was sexual attraction, sure. He was tall, muscular, and had a strength that almost matched Waleron’s. And that there was the problem—Waleron.
“No matter what it was, you’re a Wraith. I’m a Scar. I can’t live permanently in your realm and you can’t in mine.” Wraiths were spirits, and spending more than a few hours at a time in the human world drained their powers.
“We can make it work,” he argued. “I didn’t mean what I said. I was angry.” Maybe he did or didn’t. The result was the same.
I wanted to say I didn’t either, but it was better this way.
“Come back with me.” He stroked the side of my throat with the tip of his finger. Shivers coursed down my spine at his gentle touch. I might not love Edan, but I did care about him and hated that I hurt him.
I wondered if Waleron felt that way using Trinity for her visions. No. He didn’t care about anything except his oaths.
“I want to fuck you again,” Edan whispered.
My cell vibrated.
Where are you? Need you at Liam’s club. ASAP.
Shit. “ I have to go, Edan.” I quickly typed back.
What are you doing at Liam’s?
“Will you think about it?” Edan asked.
My phone buzzed again and I glanced down.
Tell you when you get here. Hurry up. I get antsy all alone with these bloodsucking vampires and bug-people.
“It’s Jedrik, something’s going down. I need to go.”
“You need me?”
That was sweet and I leaned over and lightly kissed him. “No. But thanks.”
He nodded and let go of my hand as he turned back to the bar and sat on the barstool. Then he grabbed the beer from the guy next to him and chugged it back.
Give me five.
Make it two.
That couldn’t be good.
I DIDN’T KNOW HOW it happened, but one second I was wrapped in some stranger’s arms ready to bite his neck, and the next second the guy was on the floor unconscious and Jedrik was dragging me through the crowd toward the washrooms.
“Jedrik?” I lost my shoe and stumbled.
“Just in the nick of time, eh, sugar?” Jedrik shouted over the music as he continued to propel me to the hallway.
Shoe lost, I limped after him as he towed me past the washrooms. Was he taking me out of here? But he couldn’t. Liam expected me back.
Oh, God, I needed blood. It was too late for me.
“Stop. Jedrik, stop, damn it. It can’t happen like this. It’s too late. I’m too far gone.”
Jedrik ignored me until we were alone in the hallway, a hundred feet from the fire exit. He pushed me up against the wall, his hand at my throat.
“Have you tasted blood since I last saw you?” Jedrik’s fist plowed into the wall beside my head when I didn’t answer right away. “Have you?”
I shook my head, but it wasn’t easy with his hand still locked on my throat.
“Then it’s not too late.” He released my throat, but his palms rested on the wall on either side of my head. Then he chin-lifted to the left, down the dimly light corridor toward the bar.
I followed his vision.
Everything inside me went haywire—pulse, breath, my belly whirled with an out-of-control frenzy of butterflies.
It was him. I’d recognize him from just the way he moved. He didn’t just walk. He owned his walk. He owned the ground he walked on and everyone around him. Over six foot three, broad shoulders, and long confident strides that said ‘get the fuck out of my way.’ And people moved without him having to say or do anything.
I shook my head back and forth. “I told you I didn’t want him to know. Oh, my God, I told you.” I tried to slide out from und
er Jedrik’s caged arms, but he grabbed my elbow and held me in place.
“Oh no you don’t.”
“Why? Why did you have to tell him?”
“He deserves to know, Abby. And don’t think it was all ice cream and popsicles writing that email.”
Holy shit. “You emailed him?” Oh. My. God. He emailed him. Damien must have been livid.
My shoulders slumped and I sagged against the wall, staring at the floor, listening to the determined footsteps approach and stop beside Jedrik and me. I suddenly liked Jedrik’s arms caging me in because they kept me protected from Damien, but it didn’t last as Jedrik moved back and I was forced to look at him.
Damien’s eyes blazed with fury and his rock-hard body—in a snug black T-shirt and faded blue jeans—was tense, tatted arm muscles bulging. But he wasn’t looking at me; he was looking at Jedrik, which was somewhat of a relief.
“Delara coming to help with Liam?” Damien asked, and my heart skipped a beat at the sound of his deep, husky voice.
Jedrik nodded. “She’ll be here any minute. I’ll stay to make sure she’s safe. You get Abby the fuck out of here. Her thirst is too strong and Liam knows it. This goes down now.”
Damien nodded in my direction, but refused to look at me. “She know what’s up?”
“Umm, I’m right here,” I said.
Both men ignored me. “I stocked the cottage for six months. The room is ready and the place is seriously secluded, so no one will hear her. You have the directions, right?”
Hear me? The room was ready?
Damien nodded.
“Don’t leave her alone for a second and secure her, for fuck’s sake.”
We were leaving? Now? Liam would freak out if I took off. We were supposed to wait until later tonight after I left Liam.
