The feedings weren’t as uncomfortable as they were in the beginning. Ashess emotions and memories would rush into Bri each and every time she fed her. And Ash had nothing safe inside. Her emotions and memories were terrifying.
Bri never spoke of them though Ash knew the sadness Bri felt each time they finished.
So with that thought Bri followed Ashess back outside and stopped when the energy coming off of Ash was terrifying. Ashess was the master of all things despair, could spot the tragedy of lost love long before she was summoned. Somewhere at this party, someone’s heart was breaking or damn close to doing so. "Tell me..." Bri whispered and stood beside Ash.
This was business and the tiff they had not even a minute before would back burner it until they had the situation assessed.
"It’s coming from Marcus Bri." Winter didn’t flinch, never cried and was never the first to throw out an extreme emotion but when it came to the four of them Ashess was over protective and openly loving to her girls. If Marcus was intending to hurt Winter, well, he would soon have one pissed off Succubus on his ass. Not to mention a mad as hell Ware and a Vengeance demon.
"Any idea what he plans to hurt her with?" Marcus was human and had no idea the clout that Winter had, let alone the gritty little freaks she chose to associate with. He would be a fool to hurt her so deeply. Where Ashess and Bri answered to Ezek the Arch demon, Winter answered to the Devine, a sector of what the humans call heaven. And what the Devine would see fit to punish if a Contaca soul was harmed... shudder at the thought.
"No, I’m only picking up that he will." Ash sighed and ran a frazzled hand through her hair. "For all I know he may die in a car accident tomorrow." She looked at Bri and the absolute helplessness in her ice blue eyes made Bri whimper. Ash could literally do nothing unless Winter called out to her. Her ability to help came only then and Ash could physically do nothing about it until then. All about the god damned balance.
"Let’s just keep our eyes and ears on him as much as we can and we make sure someone is following him when he isn’t with Winter." Bri wished she would be able to say something to Win, somehow prepare her for the loss that was coming but Ashess would pay in sound lashing if Bri did.
Ash nodded and looked at Bri. "I’m sorry I jumped your shit before... I just..."
Bri nodded knowing the words were hard for Ash. "I just think that if Fil comes looking, we know he won’t hurt you, we know he will trash your place though looking for it. I would rather you be able to tell him it isn’t there. He will know if you’re lying and when he reads that you’re not he won’t mess your place up."
"Where would you put it?"
"Belles."
"Belles." They both said in unison knowing it was the safest place if not with Ashess. Bri had to face the truth and the truth was that even though she didn’t want them involved, they were her best option. Belle wasn’t just a turned Werewolf, she had been turned by a born wolf known as Beast to the world and Beast had paid dearly for turning her. Wolves had magic and strength. Born wolves were bigger, stronger and more deadly predators making Belle the scariest, most deadly, turned wolf alive. She would kill anything in seconds flat if they threatened her domain.
Ash nodded and Bri felt relief that Ash was seeing things Bri's way. It may have been premature planning, they didn’t know about the knife yet, but being prepared was sixty percent effective in the game.
When a very handsome, very available human male came up to talk with Ashess, Bri stepped aside and turned to go back to the bar and get sloshed on whatever apple drink thing Winter had in store. But like fate didn’t get a kick already, wanting to mess with them, it did when Marcus stood and decided to make an announcement.
Winter stood beside him, a smile from ear to ear as Marcus took her hand in his. "It's my baby's birthday tonight and from the faces of all those here I can see the well of love that surrounds her...." He looked at Winter eyes bright and full of hope. Bri stepped closer, watching close and could see Ash walking from the adorable looking human at her side, glancing at Bri she cringed not sure what he was doing.
"I want to join that well of love surrounding her, forever." He dropped to his knee before everyone and Bri snapped her head to Ash who looked like she would puke any minute. Not from the mooshy-ness of the moment... no she was ill because this was going to end badly and very soon.
Winter gasped and looked at Marcus every hope and every dream inside of her balancing on a tight rope at that very second. "Marry me Winter, be mine?"
The ring he placed on her finger was enormous and could be seen from a mile away, Bri took that as a bad sign. Ash had said on more than one occasions that the bigger the ring the bigger the prick and most often than not it was those women with the giant ring that had signed on for a life of hell.
The resounding yes coming from Winter said all they needed to hear.
Ash came back to Bri's side and Belle joined them seeing the complete lack of happiness for Winters biggest dream coming true. "Why are we not happy?" Belle asked in a low voice so only Ash and Briar could hear her.
Ashess spoke, "because this engagement is not a good thing, it’s gonna end bad Belle."
"You picked that up?"
Ash nodded and then looked over at Bri another shudder racking her body. "Jesus tonight I am getting no breaks am I?"
Bri came to a halt at the ghost from her past standing before her and couldn’t help but agree with Ash and the nice little hint that came from that statement. It looked like Fangs and Bri would not be reconciling tonight, not a shot if Ash could feel the pain already.
Maybe it was a clue or it could have been the amazingly beautiful woman at his side.
*
Fangs actually second guessed his big entrance when he saw Ash and Bri talking quietly in the corner, their posture a little too stiff to be casual. He knew then something was up but what he had no clue, he was out of the loop these days. He wanted to hang a fang in his own artery for giving a shit. This was about making her suffer for walking out on him with no god damn inkling as to why. He was completely aware that he was seconds from chicking out and asking her to talk feelings, so he dropped the cry baby shit and reached for the flask inside of his coat.
Aaah, there it was, the moment she noticed he was behind her. Fuck him but perhaps it was fun to play with a victim. He would never hurt Bri in the physical sense, and if she was capable of tears he would probably offer to buy her the moon and stars to stop her from crying. But the look she was giving was solid gold payment. She was either terrified or struck so completely stupid by his appearance that she was frozen.
Best go have a chat.
He walked towards her and wanted to smile at the deer in the headlights she was giving him. He knew Bri and this wasn’t fear, she had no reason to fear him... silly girl... this was her clueless on what to say. Rack the score one for one because neither did he. Instead of stopping he moved on by with nothing more than a nod and a smile showing the sharp and pearly whites as he passed. He made it to the bar when his… date for all intents and purposes came to stand beside him.
"Listen love, I have some unfinished business to wrap. Why not run along and dance or mingle and give me a few minutes." It was a request though his voice had that tone that always meant business. Little miss double D's smiled and obliged but not before leaning in and kissing him square on the mouth.
Perfect.
Bri walked over slowly and stood beside him saying nothing before reaching inside of his coat and pulling out his flask. "Do you mind? Winter made the party apple themed and I am so not looking for a hangover."
Cavalier. Absolutely caviler and he had no trouble admitting then and there he still wanted her. He could take her now, sate both their hungers because oh yeah she wanted him, he could smell it on her and she damn well knew it. But he didn’t want the trouble, the wondering. Hell, he could handle many things but being played for a fool was not one.
It was then and there he realized that all the
emotional shit he had been feeling was not hearts and roses and love songs. He was pissed the fuck off. He took the flask before it hit her lips and smiled. "I don’t share unless I know who I am sharing with and I do not know you!" His tone was icy and displaced and she looked at him with those amethyst eyes.
"I thought we were friends." The rise in her heartbeat said all he needed to know. She was acting like an innocent and ready to run like a thief.
He shook his head no. "My friends don’t disappear for over seven months without word." He leaned in until he spoke directly into her ear, his long hair dropping lightly on her bare shoulder. "At least not while I am still inside of them."
His senses picked up a lot of things but from Bri he knew that bringing the truth of their past out like he did he brought with it the obsession of the two of them together. Knew what it was the instant he said it. "Tell me pretty girl, where did you go that night?"
"I didn’t know we were married Fangs or I'd have called."
He snorted. "I doubt I’d have answered." She flinched like he slapped her. "What was the point right?" He walked away before she could answer and wanted to thank the Lord above because Winter fell right in front of him.
"Do not pick a fight with her." She all but pouted. He could feel the anger coming off her in waves but it was why he adored the young Contaca Soul. She didn’t have a mean bone in her body. Not against him anyways.
"Made a point to her that’s all I swear it." He smiled and Winter smiled back before hugging him.
"It's been a while Fangs how are you?" She asked when she stepped back from the hug.
"Eternity since seeing you love." Bri walked past him and headed up the stairs and he lost train of thought as she passed because she was still the most beautiful woman in the world. He wanted to strike himself for thinking that. It didn’t matter that she wanted him in bed again, but what mattered was that she didn’t want him.
"She had a long day today so lay off. I understand you’re upset but lay off." Maybe Winter did have a mean bone in her body where Fangs was concerned, a small one, but a mean one none the less. Didn’t matter though, he wouldn’t fight against Winter.
"I bet. It’s a hard day at the office when a Casper comes calling."
"The man she killed was one of the worst Fangs. He had killed twelve others prior to the one that found her today. Trust me, her calling isn’t a cake walk." He didn’t want to admit it but she was right. The darker the deed the harder Bri felt it. She was the most unique human he had ever met, perhaps it was the reason he fell so hard for her.
"Listen Winter...I didn’t come to fight. I came to see you and wish you yet another happy birthday. I don’t know why you bother but maybe it’s in the spirit." He kissed her on the cheek and made small talk, small being the diamond on her finger and the very public proposal that took place just seconds before he arrived. He found his way to the date he sent off in a hurry. He wanted out of here, of the confines of this party and the fact she was only a floor away from him.
He was wound tight and needed to feed before he bothered with the altercation that was bound to come from his next meeting with Bri. He had expected anything from her but what he got. She had been so wound tight he felt her emotions clearer than ever before. She had never been an open book he could read. He had to dig for pieces and scraps of what went on in her head. It had always intrigued him until tonight. Tonight she was willing to lay it out on the table in hopes he would come running.
He wanted to, but he was scared he would end up hurting her with the shit storming through his head. When he motioned for his date to come, like a lap dog she did and they made their way to the door.
"Leaving so soon?" Bri asked from the staircase behind him. He spun and was almost face to face with her as she descended the final three stairs.
"Dinner date." He replied in clipped tones. He was seething, wanting nothing more right now than to unravel the connection between them, snap it in half and walk away because he wasn’t a toy she could play with. Like all things he too could break.
Bri looked over his shoulder and seemed unfazed by his comment. "She looks yummy." Her tone was unemotional as she leaned into the rail.
Snap
"Sorry, need something?"
"I guess to say goodbye. Unless of course you’re coming back?" Was she playing him?
"For what purpose? I came to tell a friend best wishes and nothing else."
That grabbed her attention because that perfect smile was gone and in its place was a cold hard stare. "A phone call would have done the trick. Considering how important it is for you to keep in touch with your friends." She took a step toward him.
"Well sure, but see Winter knows why I am leaving, busy night ahead of me." He took two steps to counter her one and they stood toe to toe. "See I'm not disappearing on her without reason. I have manners you see, when I care for someone."
Bri laughed but there was no humor in the sound. "Have fun, hope dinner is great." She turned to walk away when he caught her arm.
"I’m sure she will taste fine." He whispered so only Bri would hear.
"Hope she knows what she is getting herself into."
He stepped back and looked Briar dead in the eye and spoke in a blatant matter of fact tone that chilled even himself. "She knows, has known for the last seven months. That’s the thing about mistakes Bri, you just didn’t know you were mine."
*
She slapped him along the side of his face but he didn’t flinch. "I... hate...you." Her voice cracked when she spoke those words. It killed her to say them. She had to leave for the sake of her pride and gather her be Brings, determined that when she came back down she would not let what they had end on these terms. Now she wanted him gone. She looked at his date who was eyeing her like the plague. "Your dinners getting cold."
"She won’t be running away I assure you, that was your roll." The music had been turned down to a silent hum but neither one of them noticed the crowed that had formed around them.
Bri laughed and spoke without a moment’s hesitation. "Tell her she's your life Fangs and see what she does then." She clapped a hand over her mouth at the realization she spoke aloud. The look Fangs gave her was crushing. Those were words he thought and never spoke aloud.
He raised an eyebrow at her, seeing the mistake in her eyes and knowing she was right at the same time. “I never said that to you Briar.”
“Your right, I misspoke.” She said it as simply as she could work to keep her voice from betraying her. “Run along Fangs.”
“Quick to let me go aren’t you Pretty Girl?” That seductive voice said wrapping around her like a blanket of heat and passion. “Miss guided words or the truth is pointless at this juncture. You were my life”- He didn’t finish when her head flashed up and she stared at him, shock and passion and anger rushing through her veins. She hated him the most in that moment for what he made her feel.
“What?” Bri asked, her voice thick with….hope? Damit!
“Were, you were my life. You barely exist at this point Bri.”
The room spun at the tone of his voice as he spoke through gritted teeth. Anyone who knew Fangs as well as Bri knew that it was not anger that fueled his cruel words. It was pain, pain because she had rejected him and walked away. Same as he was doing now. Tears spilled from the corners of her eyes and she was too struck by his words to hide them.
He snarled a curse and went to walk away as Winter and Belle rushed to Briar’s side having never seen her cry before as well as Fangs. He stopped a few feet away and turned back.
“You wanted this Bri. You left me remember?” He said, his voice laced with anger and arrogance. “Move on... I have.”
Chapter Five
Bri tried to seem interested in Marcus's extraordinary detail as he explained stocks and bonds and did a fine damn job because when she was finally free of the lesson, Fangs was gone and so was Wendee with two e's.
She refused to think about Fangs and his date and w
here and what they were doing right now. She put all her energy into Winters once a century 21st ball and did her best not to bawl. As people from their group of friends started splitting off for different reasons it became just the girls at the table and by eleven they were all making Fangs their gossip topic.
"It was arrogant and classless." Winter said leaning over the table to snag her Margarita from Ashess' hands.
"I thought it was pitiful and childish." Belle said before pouting her lip and crossing her arms in a child like pose for pouting. "My favowite fwend won’t pway wif me imona get new fwends."
Bri started laughing but noticed Ashess sitting a gentle smile on her lips but not really getting the joke. She knew the truth in Fangs heart knew it because she is a Succubus and specializes in the soul. Bri knew Ash and she found all of this sad. "What’s up Ash?" She asked as her laughter died out.
Awakened (A Fairy Tales Novel) Page 5
