The phone rang next, and it was Simon. Before I could decide if I wanted to answer, Nikki grabbed my phone from my hands and ripped it apart with little effort. “What the hell, Nik?”
“He sent a text to see if you’d respond. He made the phone call to try and track us. I’m sure of it. They must not know we left for LA already. Given we’re not prepared to fight them right this minute, it’s better they wait to find out where we are exactly.”
Damn it. I hadn’t thought of that.
“We need to destroy Maciah’s phone as well. If they were trying it with mine, I’m sure they will with his, too,” I said, then hesitated, unsure if I’d be able to find him where there wasn’t any sun coming through the windows.
“I’ll go tell him,” Nikki offered and was out the door before either of us could say differently.
“We have to do something about this sun crap,” I grumbled.
“We’re going to Warlock tonight. Maybe we’ll find someone there who will help,” Rachel said with a small smile.
“Yeah, maybe.” Maciah had hoped for the same thing, but I wasn’t going to hold my breath.
CHAPTER 8
Maciah and Zeke had taken turns coming into the room at the worst times while we had a Marvel movie marathon. I thought I’d hate superheroes, but there was something intriguing about most of the ones in these movies. They were flawed, but they never gave up and were always trying to find humor at the darkest of times. Maybe not everything on television was utter crap.
The windows had long ago been covered, but I’d been having such a good time with Nikki and Rachel that we hadn’t bothered to leave the room until it was already dark outside.
“Any thoughts on when everyone wants to head to Warlock?” Maciah asked after we’d grabbed some more servings of blood and were relaxing on the couches.
I glanced at the clock on my replacement phone that Zeke had given me earlier. He’d gone out and gotten one for each of us. It was just after nine, so only early by supernatural standards. “Sooner rather than later. If we get there before the crowds, we can see who’s coming in.”
Zeke raised his hand in the air to high-five me. “Your girl has great ideas,” he said to Maciah.
“I told him before that I was the superior decision maker, but I don’t think he believed me,” I said, slapping my palm against Zeke’s with a grin.
Maciah stared blankly at both of us, clearly not impressed. He could be such a grumpy old vampire sometimes.
My clothes had arrived in the late afternoon, so I raced up the stairs with Rachel and Nikki right on my heels. I paused at my bedroom door. “You ladies going to get dressed in my room?”
Nikki bit her lower lip. “What were you planning to wear?”
“What did you want to borrow?” I laughed, knowing they’d watched me add a few purposely chosen dresses to the cart.
Her shoulders sagged. “That gold sequin dress is stunning.”
“Good, because I bought it for you,” I said, opening my door and gesturing for her to go in first, then glanced at Rachel. “Did you happen to see something you liked?”
She threw her arms around me, squeezing tightly. “We have the best womance in the world.” Releasing me, she squealed and entered the room.
Nikki was already undressed and slipping on the dress when Rachel disappeared into my closet.
“Zip me up?” Nikki asked.
I moved her long blonde hair to the side and tugged on the zipper. “It fits perfectly.”
“I needed this. Thank you,” she said as Rachel came out of the closet with a satin silver piece in her grasp.
I gave Nikki’s hand a squeeze, then moved my attention to Rachel.
“Was this for me?” she asked with wide eyes.
“Absolutely.” I’d never given gifts to anyone before, not unless I counted the homemade ones I’d given my family over the years. Seeing how ecstatic Nikki and Rachel were, I decided that giving was something I needed to do more often.
“What are you wearing?” Nikki asked, standing in front of the mirror and running her hands over the sequins of her dress.
Without answering, I went into the closet and reached in the back for the one I’d gotten just for me. It wasn’t often that I dressed up, or even wanted to, but Rachel and Nikki were breaking me down, showing me there was nothing wrong with having a little fun, even when everything was going to hell around us.
I undressed and slid the soft fabric over my head. The black dress hugged my curves, ending about mid-thigh with the smallest sequins sewn in, giving the dark fabric a shimmering appearance without being over the top. Long, loose sleeves covered my arms, and the neckline swooped just slightly beneath my neck.
The black two-inch heels I ordered were in front of me, and I slipped those on before exiting the closet. Rachel and Nikki’s grins grew simultaneously as they took in my outfit.
“Damn, girl.” Nikki made a sizzling sound. “Hawt!”
Rachel nodded, bouncing on the balls of her bare feet. “We’re going to have so much fun tonight.”
Oh, how I hoped those weren’t famous last words.
Though, instead of being a pessimist, I grinned in agreement. “Do either of you need shoes?” I asked.
“Nope. We’ll meet you downstairs,” Rachel said, and they took off out of my room.
I peeked in the mirror, grateful not to see bright red eyes staring back at me any longer. My ebony hair fell in thick waves down my back, and I had no makeup on, but the dress was enough to make me feel like a million dollars.
Entering the living room, my eyes roamed over Maciah’s wide shoulders covered in a fitted charcoal suit jacket with a black button-up underneath. I wasn’t sure where he’d gotten it from, because we’d been in the room, but I didn’t care. The dark color combo accented by his sharp jawline and coffee-colored hair had me enraptured.
We met in the middle of the living room, and his hands hovered just over my arms, heating my insides without even touching me. “Utter perfection,” he murmured against my cheek.
“I could say the same about you.” I gripped his chin and kissed him, needing the contact before I got too worked up.
His hands splayed over my lower back and ass, pulling me flush against him. “Are you sure you want to go to Warlock?”
“We have the rest of our lives to enjoy each other, but not until Viktor is dead,” I said with a bit of regret.
The sound of a lamp crashing onto the living room rug had us pulling apart just in time to see a flash of silver and black disappear down the hallway.
Nikki laughed. “Man, I knew Zeke and Rachel would be entertaining together, but I didn’t expect them to have no self-control.”
“Vampires. What can you do?” I joked, taking Maciah’s hand and leading him toward the door.
He slowed our steps. “Are we leaving without them?”
“Rachel will be out in just a moment.” I knew my friend. She wasn’t going to let Zeke embarrass her in front of all of us, but she’d enjoy the private moment for a few seconds.
Sure enough, as I opened the front door, Rachel appeared at my side.
“Everything good?” I asked jokingly.
She glared for a second, then wiped all emotion from her face. “Of course.”
Zeke was behind us, grumbling about womance and other things I didn’t bother to catch.
Eddie, Nick, and Gabe were waiting out front, and all three were dressed in Henleys and dark jeans. Maciah nodded at Eddie, and the three of them got into the first waiting SUV while the rest of us moved toward the Range Rover we’d driven back from the airport.
Rachel, Nikki, and I sat in the back while the guys took the front as usual. It was something small we could do to make Nikki feel less left out. She was in a great mood since putting on the dress, and I’d do whatever I could to make sure the rest of her night was enjoyable as well.
Just after ten, we pulled up to Warlock. Gregory was out front, and I grimaced, remembering how
I’d almost killed him. The fact that he hadn’t let the fae destroy me still made no sense. Regardless, I wasn’t sure how excited he’d be to see us show up.
We got out of the car, letting the valet take care of parking it out back for us. Gregory saw Zeke first, then his eyes landed on me and Maciah, appraising every inch of me with narrowed eyes.
He nodded at me as we slowed our steps. “I see you’ve settled well into your new life.”
“I have. Thank you for your help before,” I replied.
“Let’s not mention it,” he said, and I couldn’t be more glad about that.
Zeke led the way inside with Rachel at his side. They were holding hands, and she leaned her head on his shoulder as they walked. It was freaking adorable.
We took a table in the back, facing the entry just how I preferred. I saw Eddie, Nick, and Gabe come in next, but they didn’t come toward us. They ventured toward the bar, taking a seat there instead.
“Where is Jazz?” I asked. I hadn’t realized until then that he was the only one who hadn’t come with us.
“He’s taking the loss of our nest pretty hard. His younger brother was the one lying next to them in the gym, the one who didn’t make it right at the end,” Zeke said.
Mother eff. I couldn’t imagine. I felt for him and thought of how I’d lost my brother. I didn’t blame Jazz for staying away. I might have done the same, but I’d been living in grief for years now. I knew the only way forward was to keep forcing myself to get up and move. Not move on or forget those lost—that could never happen—but to still live for myself, and them as well.
I glanced at the door to my left, remembering the last time we were here. A smile crept up my face as I pictured the shocked look on Rigo’s face when I put a stake through the bastard’s chest. Hopefully, he and Dmitri were both rotting in hell together.
“Is that Beatrix?” Rachael asked.
I remembered that name from the last time we were here. In fact, I had her number in my phone…which I no longer had, thanks to Nikki destroying it earlier.
“It is,” Maciah said, watching the old witch waltz across the bar without a care in the world.
“Who is she, exactly?” I asked.
“A crazy, powerful witch you don’t want on your bad side. She is vengeful and takes joy from testing magic on other people, but when she wants to be helpful, she’s a great person to have at your side,” Zeke answered.
I raised a brow at his detailed description. “Sounds like you have a past dealing with her.”
“We worked with her once when we helped Roman and Cait, but not super closely. Most of what I know is because word tends to get around about those who don’t hide what they’re capable of. Beatrix loves the attention, because it makes smart people fear her and stupid people come after her.”
“Why would she enjoy someone coming after her?” I would have been over the moon if people left me alone for the foreseeable future.
Zeke leaned in closer, lowering his voice. “Because she is batshit crazy.”
A stream of light-blue magic slammed into Zeke’s shoulder, and Maciah did his best to hold in a laugh. I was on my feet, ready to defend us, if necessary, but had no clue what had just happened.
Beatrix approached our table wearing navy-blue linen pants and a loose black top. Her greying hair was flowing freely behind her as if there was wind blowing around us.
“You know, vampire, I don’t mind when people talk about me. So long as they’re speaking the truth, and you were not. I am not crazy,” she said, laying her hand on the table and smirking at Zeke with piercing eyes.
Yeah, everything about her said crazy, but I wasn’t going to say anything. I was capable of learning from Zeke’s mistakes.
Her head snapped up as she appraised me. I was the only one at the table standing with my hands out and ready to fight.
“Were you going to do something?” she asked.
“I would have to protect my friends,” I replied, keeping my tone even.
She nodded stiffly, then took a seat without being invited and gave Maciah her full attention. “Now, tell me why you’re here when there are vampires out there that are ready to take your head at first sight?”
CHAPTER 9
I sat back in my seat, curious as to how Maciah planned to answer the witch. I liked that she got straight to the point. Though, she could be a bit more discreet with her execution. I caught a few heads glancing our way that I didn’t care for.
“We’re not hiding from this, Beatrix. If that’s an inconvenience to you, I don’t know what you want me to do about it,” Maciah said.
She thrummed her fingers on the table, glancing over each of us before settling back on Maciah. “What’s your plan?”
Maciah smirked. “Why would I tell you?”
I tensed, assuming she’d react badly to his cocky attitude. Instead, she laughed. “I’m not sure. Maybe you want my help?”
Even if she was missing a few screws, help wasn’t a bad idea, but Maciah shut her down.
“No, thanks. We have things handled,” he said casually.
Her lips thinned, telling me she wasn’t used to being told no. I wasn’t sure that Maciah was making the right move, but I trusted him to know what was best.
Beatrix pushed back in the chair. “Okay, then.” She stood up slowly, still watching Maciah, but his poker face was on point.
The witch turned and took a few steps back toward the bar, but she spun around again, glaring at Maciah. “Seriously?”
He merely shrugged.
Beatrix huffed and crossed her arms, then moved her stare to me. “Come here.”
“I’m good right here,” I said, but Maciah pulled my chair out with one hand.
“Go ahead.”
My gaze moved between him and the witch. “What is happening?”
“Trust me,” he murmured, then nudged me to get up.
I did as he asked and walked toward the witch. She appraised me, then inhaled deeply. “You don’t smell like Junie anymore. That’s disappointing.”
“I died. I’m not going to apologize for that,” I deadpanned.
She winked. “No, you probably shouldn’t. You do need my help, though.”
My brow raised. “Do I? I don’t remember asking for it.”
“You didn’t.” She pulled the fabric of my dress down far enough that she could press her palm over my chest without the material getting in the way. “Wouldn’t want to ruin your outfit,” she mocked, then a zap of electricity rolled through me.
My teeth clenched together, and my hands grabbed on to her arm, ready to break the contact I hadn’t asked for, but the pain only lasted for a second until warmth replaced the ache.
Magic moved along my skin, awakening the power I’d kept locked down since we found the others alive. There hadn’t been any reason to use the mind control since then. The energy had been peacefully stagnant until the witch began poking at things that didn’t need poking.
“Enough,” I snarled.
She smirked. “I know. I was just seeing how far I could push you. What are you hiding inside there?”
“Nothing that concerns you,” I snapped, annoyed at her tactics.
Beatrix peered around me, nodding at Maciah. “I see why you two were meant for each other. Is my show of good faith enough for you? I’m frustrated with another task and could use a distraction. Plus, I have something that could help you.”
I moved away from the witch and back to the other side of the table. I wasn’t sure what good faith she was talking about, but clearly, she and Maciah had a silent conversation I’d completely missed.
Rachel leaned in closer and whispered, “Maciah doesn’t trust very easily. Beatrix just made it so you can be in the sun as proof she’s not trying to screw with us.”
Well, that was nice of her. I suddenly felt bad for calling her crazy.
She winked at me a second time, then reclaimed her seat. “So, what are we dealing with?”
A
gain, I never heard Maciah agree to working with her, but she seemed pretty certain that problem was dealt with.
“Viktor Cross. He screwed up seven years ago and now he’s trying to rectify that by hiring other vampires to kill Amersyn. Only they’ve all failed, and I have a feeling time is running out for the vampire to complete this particular task,” Maciah said quietly.
The mention of Viktor having messed up seven years ago caused my chest to twist in a way it hadn’t in weeks. I tried not to think about the fact that I was the reason vampires had attacked my family. I knew there was nothing I could do to change the past, so my motto was not to dwell on it, but when the event was brought up unexpectedly…sometimes I couldn’t control my emotions.
Maciah reached for me, likely sensing my distress. I tried to offer him a smile, but one never came.
“I have one of Viktor’s men locked up. He could be helpful,” Beatrix said.
Zeke shook his head. “We’re not negotiating with Viktor, and we don’t have the resources to keep an eye on a hostage.”
Beatrix smiled in a serial killer sort of way. “He wouldn’t need to be a hostage. I’ve spent a decent amount of time working to reform Dante.”
The way she said “reform” had me believing this witch enjoyed torturing people much more than she did helping them.
“Dante Rhodes?” Nikki asked.
“The one and only. He chose the wrong area to go on a blood binge, leaving me no choice but to deal with him,” Beatrix said.
“How did you get him?” Rachel asked next.
“I hired Lucinda Morrow. She used to be the type not to ask questions as long as she knew someone deserved to be punished. She’s not as fun anymore now that she fell in love.” Beatrix seemed truly put out by that fact.
Maciah still wasn’t liking the idea of taking the vampire. We had enough to deal with, and there was no way to trust Beatrix had truly changed someone who once worked for Viktor.
“We can’t take Dante off your hands, but if you’re willing to offer anything else, we’re happy to talk,” Maciah said.
Vampire Vow (Scorned by Blood Book 3) Page 6
