Passion For Hire (Passion #5)

by J. a Melville

  “Oh my God Adrian, oh Adrian darling, you do love this woman don’t you? Look at you, at this? You can’t get it up and this has never happened before. You normally have the endurance of ten men and now…nothing.”

  At her words he catapulted off the bed needing to get away from her, needing to get out of this house. “You’re wrong Nadine, I…don’t…love…her.” He ground out.

  “Yes you do.” She said and he could hear the sadness in her voice.

  “You’re wrong.” His tone was harsher than he would have liked to use on her. “I’m sorry.” He turned away and began to dress hastily. “Thank you for letting me rest here but now I must leave.” He walked back to her as she sat on the bed watching him and he dropped by her side cupping her cheeks in both hands. “I’m sorry for what I’m about to do. You have been a good friend but it’s time to say good bye.”

  “Darling, what, what do you mean?” Her large chocolate coloured eyes searched his.

  “Good bye Nadine. Come, see me to the door.” He stood and waited while she slipped her negligee back on. Once she was dressed again, she followed him and he opened the front door staring out for a moment into the blackness. With her living semi-rural there were no street lights so it was nothing, just dark, totally and completely dark.

  He turned away and back to the elegant woman by his side. Gently he took her face between his hands and stared into her eyes. “Goodbye Nadine, thank you for everything. Thank you for all the times we had together even if you were paying me, I enjoyed myself with you. Now you don’t know me, I have stumbled upon your home but it’s the wrong address. You have never seen me before. You can’t help me and ask me to leave. I am a stranger to you and I scare you because you don’t like people coming to your home.” As he spoke, he released his hold on her face but not the connection of their eyes and backed out the door until he stood on the verandah. “What I’m telling you now is all you will know of me. You...have…never…seen…me…before.” He said slowly, punctuating each word with a pause and then he broke eye contact and watched as Nadine’s focus shifted and changed.

  “What do you want? Who are you? Go away.” She yelled and Adrian did a double take at how vehemently she reacted to him. He’d witnessed plenty of changes in people when he’d mind controlled them but Nadine’s was more extreme than he was used to. “Go, please go.” She started to swing the door shut in his face.

  “Ok, I’m sorry miss. I must have the wrong house.” He murmured, but the door slammed shut in his face before he’d finished speaking, and with one final look of regret towards her home, he walked to his car.

  He turned the key and listened to the throaty rumble of the V8 engine, throwing the transmission into reverse; spinning the Trans Am around on her front lawn before roaring down the long driveway. The fact that this would be the last time he came here brought a feeling of sadness. Nadine had been more than just a client but she had ruined it by implying she loved him. He was still reeling from Faith’s declaration. He couldn’t handle another woman telling him she loved him too.

  He hadn’t liked that she’d insisted he loved Faith, and that’s why he couldn’t get hard even in the presence of an attractive, naked and very willing woman. He didn’t love Faith, Nadine was wrong. He slammed his hand down on the Trans Am’s steering wheel. Damn these women who foolishly thought they loved him, damn Nadine for trying to make out he loved Faith, damn his life for being so completely fucked up and damn his fucking cock for letting him down.

  A snort squeezed past his lips, which turned into laughter and he drove, laughing almost hysterically, insanely until his laughter turned to tears. Through his tears he growled, slamming on the brakes so the car skidded to a halt in the middle of the dark country road. Then with his hands fisted in his hair, tugging hard enough to hurt he threw his head back and shouted at the top of his lungs. On and on he yelled, screaming and shouting his way through anger, pain, fear, confusion, guilt. He yelled until he no longer knew why he was yelling, and he yelled until his voice failed him and it cracked, breaking and reducing his yell to little more than a pitiful growl in the back of his throat.

  Finally he dropped his head against the steering wheel and was silent. Only when he felt more settled, more calm, did he put the car back into drive and continued on towards home. As fucked up as he was feeling right now, he had to stop by his home and check Katherine. She didn’t need him to feed her, she could feed herself, but he took her food often to make life a bit easier, so when he passed by a few shops, he stopped and picked up something to take to her.

  She was going to be full of questions and he wasn’t really in the mood to deal with them, but he couldn’t ignore her or abandon her. She would be worried about her son and he owed Lucas the reassurance of at least making sure his mother was ok.

  After picking up some fish and chips for her and trying not to gag over the smell of them in his car, he turned in the direction of his home, his mind still spinning with all that had happened over the last couple of days.

  He had no idea what was going to happen, where the future was headed and that scared the hell out of him.

  Faith

  I don’t know why I had been filled with such hope that Adrian would return home while I was still in his bed and come lie with me, maybe even be happy to see me. Fabian had said it was unlikely he’d be home before dark, and I could tell as I lay in his bed that it was night time now.

  I’d just climbed out of bed when I heard a knock at the door. “Faith, are you there?” It was Lucas. “Faith please, I tried to find you in your room, are you in there?”

  I hastily slipped on a robe I found of Adrian’s and hurried over to the door, pulling it open to find a fairly ruffled looking Lucas standing there.

  Despite everything, seeing him looking, well, the only way I could describe him, was well and truly fucked, made me smile. “So, you had a good night obviously?” I grinned at him.

  A reluctant smile tugged at his lips. “Yeah, you could say that but now I need to get over to see mum. I’m worried about her. Please, can you drive me? There are a lot of cars out there, but I don’t want to ask to take one. Can you take me, please?”

  “You don’t want to ask Francesca?” I asked, sticking my head out the doorway to look up and down the hall.

  “She’s not here. She’s gone hunting, and you do know that was only a one night deal? Fran’s not exactly a forever girl. Anyway, can you take me? I need to feed too, how about you?”

  “Ok but I need to change. I’ll be quick.” I assured him as I rushed down the hall to my room to get ready.

  Fifteen minutes later I met up with Lucas in the living room and we were about to head out down the hall to the front door when Fabian and Sirene walked in. “How are you this evening little one?” He asked me.

  “I’m ok Fabian thank you. Lucas and I are about to go out. We need to feed and Lucas wishes to see his mother.”

  “You were going out alone?” Sirene’s tone sounded like she didn’t think that was such a good idea.

  “We’ll be ok. Lucas and I don’t have the blood lust and we can eat some human food anyway. It’s just Katherine, she should be checked on to make sure she’s ok.”

  “You are not going out alone, and I wish to meet this Katherine for myself. Her future must be decided.” Fabian’s eyes met Lucas’s. “You can’t go back to live there. You need to stay with us, get to learn all the ways of a vampire. Your mother will be well taken care of. She should be in a place where she gets to be with other people. Do you not agree?”

  “You’re talking about a home aren’t you?” Lucas asked.

  “Yes but somewhere she will be very happy and well cared for. A place that can look after her as her condition becomes more advanced.” Fabian assured him.

  “We cannot afford some expensive retirement home. Father has been very good to us and has cared for us but without him now, I don’t have the kind of money it would take to give mum the lifestyle you’re talking about
.”

  “What’s going on?” Flame breezed into the room with Damien’s arm draped casually over her shoulders.

  “I’m not sure this conversation concerns you.” Fabian’s expression seemed cooler than usual when he answered her. Obviously he had not forgiven her for her attack on Adrian yet. Well, I hadn’t really forgiven her either. It seemed my sister was incredibly hot headed and when she made up her mind about something, she wasn’t very good at changing it or admitting she might be wrong.

  “You’re home Faith. Are you ok? Do you need to feed? How about I take you out to feed?”

  “No thank you. I’m going with Lucas and now it would seem Fabian and Sirene are coming with us. We need to check on Lucas’s mother.” My tone was cool when I answered her. I wanted my sister to realise I would not be so forgiving of her attack on Adrian either.

  “You’re not still upset with me baby girl are you?” Flame came over to give me a brief hug but I remained stiff in her arms.

  I pulled away from her. “You tried to kill Adrian, and hate him all you want but I don’t hate him, I never will. I…I love him, and although he doesn’t…he doesn’t love me, I can’t forgive you for trying to kill him. Not yet, not now. I can’t talk anyway, I’m going out.”

  “Oh come on Faith, he survived. You can’t blame me for being upset.” She tried to hug me again.

  “Leave me alone Flame. I need some time. Everything is so…so messed up. I’m not going to forgive you, just to ease your guilt.” I snapped, my fangs descending. I pulled away from her and turned to the others. “Are you coming?” I asked and without waiting for them, I walked out of the room and headed for the front door.

  Adrian

  “Is my son alright Adrian, please, I haven’t seen him for hours? I’m so worried about him.” Katherine’s clouded eyes turned up towards him and he could see the concern etched in the deep frown lines on her face.

  “He is ok, please don’t worry about him. I will bring him by later to see you. He is with my family and they are very well experienced in dealing with the ‘health problems’ he has.” He tried to reassure her, wincing at having to refer to Lucas being vampire as ‘health problems.’ “Please eat your food while it’s hot.” He walked away from her and began to restlessly pace up and down the room.

  He stopped abruptly when he heard a noise from outside, and the sound of voices approaching, followed by someone knocking at his front door. Immediately he froze. He wasn’t in the mood to deal with visitors now.

  “Ooh we have guests? Please open the door for them Adrian, let them in.” Katherine’s tone was filled with excitement and he felt a pang of guilt when he heard it. He’d kept her isolated for so long too. She probably missed the company of others and someone to talk to.

  Still not even knowing she was excited made him feel any less dubious about opening the door. When he recognised the voices, he felt even more reluctant to open it. His parents were here. How the fuck had they found his home? When he pulled the door open and saw who was with his parents, he knew who had brought them here. Not only was his son Lucas with them, so was the woman who was turning his entire world upside down. Faith stood there looking nervous, tense and a little fearful when she briefly met his eyes.

  “Aren’t you going to invite us in son?” Fabian finally asked.

  Adrian stepped aside, saying nothing as they all filed in past him. His father knew he didn’t have to actually invite them in. Only if the home was owned by a human would that be necessary but he was vampire. Not even Katherine made a difference as she was a guest in his home.

  “Whose here?” Katherine rolled into the entryway where they all still stood. “Please tell me my boy is here? Lucas, Lucas?” She called, her head moving from side to side, her unseeing eyes appearing to search the room.

  “I’m here mum. I’m fine and I’ve brought some friends. These people are here to help us, not only myself but you too. Come; let me introduce them all to you.”

  Chapter Twenty

  Faith

  It was taking all my self-control not to simply just sit and stare at Adrian. He had taken us through to the living room and looked every bit the caged animal, as he paced restlessly up and down the room.

  He’d made all the introductions to Katherine and now Fabian had taken over the conversation. I tried to focus on what he had to say but I was too distracted by Adrian. Every time he passed by me, his gorgeous scent filled my nostrils and although as vampire, breathing wasn’t necessary, I still found myself inhaling, just so I could smell him.

  “We’ve come to see what you would think about leaving this house Katherine, and going to live in a place where you will have your own space but many other people living nearby, people like yourself, even some with your condition.”

  “What about my son? He’s always lived with me. Will he be able to live with me in this place you talk of?”

  “No mum.” Lucas answered before Fabian could. “This is a special place, a happy place for you to live and mix with people who are dealing with their own personal issues. I want to live with these people now. They can help me with my condition. I will come and see you all the time. What do you say?”

  “Where is this place? How much will it cost? Can I come and see you sometimes Lucas?” I could see the worry in Katherine’s clouded eyes.

  “Don’t you worry about the cost Katherine.” Fabian’s voice was gentle and I stared at him a little shocked. He was a confusing man to keep up with. One minute he could be nearly ripping someone’s head off, then he’d be all sweet, and he was too imposing, too intimidating to be sweet. “It’s already done. We have a beautiful home for you. We can take you over the next few days to see it. Would you like that?”

  That made me gape at Fabian then. When had he purchased something for Katherine? How much had that cost, and who was paying for it? I might have been shocked at his revelation, but obviously not as shocked as Adrian and Lucas going by their facial expressions.

  “Katherine, you remember me?” I stepped towards the old woman. “I am what they call a visionary. I can see things that are going to happen. Not everything, but I can see flashes of things that are happening or that are yet to come when I touch someone. I wish you could see what I see but if you trust me I will describe what I see if you like?”

  “Are you saying you’re like a psychic, child?” Katherine turned to me. “I am a believer in people’s ability to see the future. I am not familiar with this term you use, visionary, but I would very much like to know what you see for my future if you can.”

  I placed my hand on her arm and immediately my head filled with sounds. I was getting sounds. I never got sounds with my visions. Everything was mostly dark, only broken up by muted tones of grey and white. Then it hit me, I was seeing things as they would be seen through the eyes of a blind, or at least almost completely blind woman.

  I could hear laughter, a woman seemed to be giggling uncontrollably and there was a man talking, older going by the tone of his voice. He was telling jokes and it seemed a group of women were all laughing. I realised one of the women laughing was Katherine.

  The familiar flash of white light blinded me and I could hear a steady beep, beep sound. I frowned trying to work out what it was. There was some other sound too, a regular sucking and whooshing noise. Then I heard voices; Lucas. He sounded upset like he was crying. I jumped slightly when I heard myself. I hadn’t expected that. I was trying to reassure someone. Who? I spoke again and realised I was speaking to Lucas; I was telling him I was sorry and that his mum had lasted longer than anyone had expected. Just as the realisation of what I was hearing hit me, the vision changed again.

  I ripped my hand off Katherine’s arm and forced a smile to my lips in an attempt to cover up my shock over what I’d heard in my vision for Katherine. I forced my lips into a smile, but they felt stiff and I’m sure I probably looked more like I was grimacing than smiling. I looked up to find nearly everyone looking at me, and this time I pasted a
huge grin on my face. I couldn’t let them see what I’d heard. “Well, girl, what did you see?”

  I forced out a laugh. “I couldn’t see much besides shadows but I heard voices. I heard a man talking and laughter from a few ladies and you were one of them.” I stood up. I want to see what visions I get from Fabian now since he’s the one who has found this ideal home for you.”

  I walked over to the intimidating vampire and saw the question in his pale eyes. He knew something was up but when he reached out to tip my chin up, I gave him a barely detectable shake of my head. I couldn’t let Katherine and certainly not Lucas hear what I had heard. I placed my hand on his forearm feeling the muscles flex and almost immediately images began to fill my head.

  I see Katherine being wheeled through what looks like a brand new home. On closer inspection it’s not a free standing house, it’s a villa. It’s beautiful and open plan with a generous kitchen, spacious living area and down a short hallway are two bedrooms. There are grab handles everywhere throughout it and it’s fully furnished. Everything appears to be decorated in various shades of cream and everything is very modern looking. The place is obviously set up for people who have limited mobility.

  Katherine looks excited as Lucas wheels her around the villa and she turns talking to someone, and it’s then that I realise Fabian and Sirene are there too.

  The scene changed again and I see Adrian holding something while his head is tipped back, eyes closed and he is obviously crying. This vision has come to me before; I’ve seen it another time. What did it mean? Who or what was Adrian crying about? Fabian steps forward his hand dropping to Adrian’s shoulder but there is a flash of white again and my vision was gone. There were several more brief images but nothing I could clearly focus on and with a resigned sigh; I removed my hand from Fabian’s arm.