by Casey Lane
His hand led her arm until it was around his waist, then he moved away until he was standing next to her instead of in front of her. She grabbed a wad of his shirt in her fist so he wouldn’t walk out of her grip.
“Ready?” He asked.
“Let’s go.”
He got moving, and she made sure she matched his pace. She was more shuffling than walking, he was going slowly enough for that. It made her less anxious. She held her breath when he stopped. He moved a little, stopped, moved a little, stopped. Then a blast of cool air made her gasp.
“Found it,” he said, taking her other hand and leading her forward. There were strange, metallic smells in this passage that there weren’t in the hallway, and there didn’t seem to be any light whatsoever, which only confirmed her horror that the whole way out would be in darkness. The scraping sound and the whoosh of air as the door Theo had opened closed, sealing them inside the passageway made her heart begin to pound too loudly to ignore. It was all she could hear as her fingers brushed the wall, telling herself everything was okay even as her throat tightened. She took another step and heard his leather jacket scrape against the bricks on her other side. It confirmed that the passage was extremely narrow. It made her fight to force in a breath. She tried to calm herself down. This was her escape. She had to do this. The alternative was likely death. It was the thought of the endless trail through the narrow passage that caused her panic to flare. She didn’t think she could make it.
She stopped, and he was forced to as well.
“What’s wrong?” He sounded worried.
She couldn’t get the words out right away; her breathing was too constricted. “I’m… I don’t like… I have to count or else…”
“You’re claustrophobic?”
She started to choke, and he came in close. As his body boxed her in against the wall, she felt tears drip from her eyes. She couldn’t suck in a breath. Her head was starting to thump. The sharp feeling of his fangs on her throat was followed by a swell of elation that released her from her fear. She relaxed and was able to breathe. He moved back quickly, his hands on her face. She could see the glow of his demon eyes in the darkness.
“I hope you’ll understand why I did that later.”
He took her hand, and she followed him along the passageway.
Chapter Seventeen
Theo’s conscience battled with him as he walked Skye through the narrow escape route. He shouldn’t have done what he did. There had to be a better way to deal with that. But he’d known being bitten would relax her, and he’d taken the easy way out. The path of least resistance. Now he understood why she’d been counting in the wardrobe. She didn’t like enclosed spaces. At least the bite would get her through this. He moved through the darkness, watching for threats. So far, so good. The passageway seemed endless, but he knew how far away the nightclub was from the brothel. It really couldn’t be much farther now.
The winding tunnel eventually came out into a cavern. He helped Skye down into the cavern and located the exit. Paranoid thoughts rushed through his head as he moved towards it. The same pattern of bricks told him he just needed to find the right places to press again to open the door. He let go of Skye’s hand. She smiled at him euphorically as he turned to her, to compel her to follow his orders. It felt wrong; he didn’t like to do this, but she wasn’t herself right now and she couldn’t be trusted not to do something crazy if he was attacked as soon as the door opened for them.
Swallowing, he turned back to the wall and began testing it. The same bricks that had opened the brothel end of the passage opened this one. He stared into the back office of the downstairs room at Haven. It was empty. No one was waiting for them. He’d save the sigh of relief for later. They weren’t quite out of the woods yet.
He took Skye’s hand again and led her into the room before closing the passageway behind them. The back office door wasn’t locked, which he was glad about considering there were only two keys on the chain Shayne had given him and one was to get him them into the main club while the other was to let them out of Haven’s main door if it was locked.
He could feel the bass up above them, telling him they wouldn’t need to worry about the main door. It was Saturday night. The club was open for business. He glanced at Skye. She hugged his arm and sighed happily. They’d look like any other couple out for the night when they got up there. He led her into the downstairs room, a hall that used to be used for live bands before the vampire massacre that made Brody shut down that room for good. It had bad energy, and that was never going to change. He’d mentioned something about the history of the place to Theo before. Dark magic had been attracted to the place like moths to a flame. He’d tried to counter it with spells to stop magic from being used there at all, but that had been the in the vampires needed to trap and kill the witches who’d come to see their band play.
He didn’t like the way the place felt. It wasn’t as dark as the passageway without the lights on, and he found the door to the stairway after a couple of tries.
“Almost home,” he said quietly, glad that Skye’s ordeal was almost over with.
She smiled at him as she moved back slightly. “Almost home.”
He led her up the stairs, and they stepped out into the main club without turning any heads. He was ready to breathe a sigh of relief. If nothing else, they’d gotten out of the brothel. He’d be able to contact Brody about what was happening.
“Dance?” She pulled him forward.
“Home,” he said, compelling her as she pouted at him.
She grinned suddenly. “Home it is!”
He followed her out of the club, ignoring the frown the bouncer gave him. The guy really needed to take a night off. He took his duties far too seriously.
He thought about asking her for her phone and realized it would be better to get her safely back to her place before he did anything else. He didn’t have Brody’s number memorized besides. He’d have to call the café and hope the endless ringing got Liv to pick up.
Chapter Eighteen
Skye’s flat wasn’t far from Haven. She fumbled in her bag for the keys and took a few tries to actually get the door open. Walking inside and kicking her shoes off, she turned to him.
“Are you coming in or what?”
He hesitated. This was where he should turn back. He’d brought her home safely. That should be enough. She should sleep off the after effects of his bite.
He had to leave. “I should go.”
She frowned at him. “Well. You’re not getting your jacket back.”
“Skye, is that…” the guy’s voice cut off as she slammed the door in Theo’s face.
He stood at the door, listening in, his heart sinking just a little. She has a boyfriend? Of course, she does. He shook his head as he walked away. He realized as he got to the building’s exit that he had no idea what his plan was now.
Go back to the brothel and wait for Brody’s father to kill him? Call his friend and ask what the hell is going on? The first one would be easy enough. The second meant finding a phone. Chances were Brody had no idea what his father was up to. So then, what was the point? Just go back. He said it over and over inside his head, but he couldn’t make his feet move.
It all came down to the girl in the flat upstairs. She’d turned everything upside down for him, for better or worse. He didn’t want to give up now. Turning, he headed back to her flat.
At the very least, he could use her phone.
Chapter Nineteen
Skye sighed as her new flat-mate’s boyfriend followed her into the kitchen. She’d tried so hard to get Anna to move in with her, but her friend claimed she preferred the trendy little box that had the audacity to call itself an apartment. It was in the cool part of town, apparently.
“No, I don’t know where the crackers are,” she told him, hauling a can of lemonade out of the fridge and cracking it open. She let the door fall closed as he leaned in the doorway, looking all sleep deprived and smelling like
he’d been rolling around inside a bong all day. She’d gotten used to calling him stoner-boy. She couldn’t even remember his real name anymore. “Ask Sian.”
He was staring now, and she so could not be bothered with this shit in her own house. Sian had seemed so nice and normal. She hadn’t mentioned a sleazy boy-toy at all.
“Get out the way,” she snapped at him, just wanting to go to bed and forget the weird-ass day she’d gotten through. Being turned down by the vampire right at the end had been the final straw. She didn’t need anything else to go wrong.
“You should have said yes to that trip,” he told her, not moving an inch.
He wasn’t exactly imposing, but he was a foot taller than her and he knew how to take up an exit. She prodded him in the chest.
“Get out of my fucking way, stoner-boy. I’m too tired for this shit.”
He smiled slowly and something happened to his eyes. It was just for a second, but the glow froze her to the spot. She blinked, not believing it. Was he one of them? A vampire? Her skin broke out in goose bumps as her fingers tightened on the can in her hand.
“I’ll make the orders around here, Skye.”
She took a step back, dropping the can and running to grab a knife from the rack. His laughter followed her, but he stayed at the door. She turned, willing her hand to stop shaking as she thought about using the weapon. Don’t look in his eyes. That was the mistake she’d made with Theo. She wouldn’t make that same mistake again.
“Get out of my way,” she said, wincing at the tremor in her tone. It was taking all she had not to shake as she glowered at him. Her gaze avoided his, but she could see the smirk on his face before he opened his mouth.
“You have no idea how much easier you just—” He cut off, slumping to the ground, his smug face hitting the tiled floor hard. Something made a cracking noise. She hoped it was his nose.
She looked up to see Theo standing there, the marble cat from her phone table in his hand.
“You came back.”
He nodded. “It sounded like you could use some help.”
She straightened, waving the knife at him. “I think I had it covered, but thanks.”
Putting the knife down, she moved towards him.
“Who is he?” The deep frown on his face and the emotion in his voice made it obvious he wasn’t pleased. There was more than one possible reason for that, but considering he’d rushed back to save her, she was pretty sure she knew what was bothering him the most.
Skye had to smile. “He’s my flat-mate’s disgusting boyfriend.”
“Then you won’t mind if I get rid of him.” Theo grabbed his ankle and dragged him out of the room. She could see the front door was still open, and Theo hauled stoner-boy right out into the landing. He was taking longer than she thought possible, so much so that she was afraid for a second he’d gone again. She glanced out and saw he was closing the stoner into the utility cupboard at the end of the hall. She stepped back as he came inside and hesitated to close the door properly before he put the ornament he’d used to knock the creep out back down.
He’d come back, and his awkwardness was impossible to hide. He ran a hand through his hair as she stared at him, waiting for him to speak. He didn’t. His eyes just travelled up her body until they locked with hers, then he took a step closer and pulled her into his arms.
His mouth lowered slowly to hers, the anticipation making her stomach flutter. She pulled him closer, melting into his arms as he backed her into the wall.
Chapter Twenty
Theo didn’t know what the hell he thought he was doing. Adrenaline rushed through him the second he realized Skye was in danger. He’d acted quickly, fear motivating him. He hadn’t wanted to risk losing her. That realization had led him to admit there was something more than physical to what was happening between them. He wasn’t ready to put it into words, but he knew his decision to kiss her showed it.
She wasn’t under his compulsion when she kissed him back.
He moved back slightly, giving her a chance to breathe. He didn’t let her go, and he didn’t think he was ever going to be able to again.
“I should probably call Brody.”
She blinked, confusion clouding her soft blue eyes before she nodded.
“I forgot about that for a second.”
He wanted to forget about it entirely, but he knew that wouldn’t be smart.
“My phone’s right there.” She pointed to it, and dropped her other hand to her side when he moved to pick up the receiver.
He dialled the number for the café and listened to it ring, and ring. There was every chance Liv would ignore it. He couldn’t think of anywhere else Brody would go. He hung up and wondered about calling the brothel. They weren’t able to make external calls, but would they be able to take them? Stacy would give him Brody’s mobile number if he could get through. But what Marina had said before they left made him worry. If they hadn’t stopped the escape and he messed that up for a phone call, he’d never forgive himself.
“No answer?” She slipped out of his jacket, sitting it on the chair by the phone table.
He shook his head.
“Try later,” she suggested, smiling as she opened the door behind her. A bedroom lay beyond, one that contained her sweet, exotic scent. It didn’t take much convincing to lure him into the room. She pulled the front of his shirt, and he closed the door behind them.
Chapter Twenty-One
Skye shivered as the vampire’s cold body fell on hers. It only seemed to fuel her fire when his cool lips touched her skin. The tingling sensation made her crave his touch. She pulled at his shirt, undoing buttons until he stopped kissing her to take it off. Her hands wandered the hard contours of his body as he started to trail kisses down her neck. Heat burned through her as he pushed and pulled at her clothes to access to the covered parts.
She pushed him away and pulled her vest and skirt over her head.
His heated gaze travelled the length of her body before she moved her hands to his trousers. He was straining the material, making it harder for her to undo the button and get hold of the damned zipper. She wanted him so badly, and she didn’t think it was just because it had been so long, and he was the best-looking guy—okay, vampire—that she’d ever seen in real life.
He’d tried to protect her from the crazy guy who was coming to the brothel, from her flat mate’s sleazy boyfriend, even from himself. This was the kind of guy she’d spent the last five years looking for, the kind that didn’t exist in the world she lived in.
He stood to haul the rest of his clothes off, and she took the chance to get rid of her underwear. This time, he climbed back over her slowly, positioning himself over her without quite touching. She put her arms around his neck and pulled him down until their lips were a breath away from meshing together.
“You’re too far away,” she said, gasping as his body crushed hers into the mattress in response to her complaint. She felt him throb between her legs, so close to entering her that she could barely stand it. One little hip-thrust is all it would take… “Wait!” Her eyes widened as she realized she’d almost let her eagerness get the better of her. “I don’t know if I have any—”
He blinked. “I can’t get you pregnant or give you anything. I’m not human.”
She had to stifle a giggle. It was only funny because she was used to dumb excuses from lazy idiot boyfriends who didn’t want to bother with the hassle. She didn’t give her standard response because she knew Theo wasn’t anything like those guys.
“What?” His intent stare took away the nervous energy she’d gotten tangled up in.
She bit her bottom lip and released it slowly. “I can’t believe I’m about to have sex with a vampire.”
He kissed her and she started believing it. The slow grind of his body against hers drove her crazy as his kiss deepened. She was more than ready for him by the time he thrust his cold, hard length home. The tingle spread over her body as he pushed deeper and de
eper, his cool skin moving over her heated body and creating sparks of pleasure that made her moan achingly. Having him inside her, filling her, made her tremble all over. He’d barely had to do a thing to stir her desire. The euphoria that burst through her when her climax hit was a million times stronger than how incredible she’d felt after he first bit her. He didn’t free her mouth from his even once as he continued to move, hitting hard and deep and making her stifled gasps and moans louder.
She could sense his climax before it hit, the faster movements followed a hot surge within her before he freed her mouth. His eyes were glowing when he moved back, though he closed them quickly, wincing slightly as he withdrew from her.
“What’s wrong?” She was breathless and her heart was pounding like crazy, she could barely think straight but she knew from the look on his face that something was definitely wrong and it made her tense up instantly.
“It’s nothing. It’ll pass.” He opened his eyes. They were still glowing.
“You need blood.”
He groaned. “I’ll get some when we can find Brody.”
She thrust her wrist under his nose. “Just drink.”
“I can’t.”
He got up, hauling on his trousers. Her heart sank as he looked around for his shirt.
“I’ll be back in a second,” he told her, calming the sudden vice that gripped her at being abandoned so soon after succumbing to his charms.
He wouldn’t do that, and she knew it. She hadn’t realized how much what her ex had done had actually affected her. She’d never have been so worried if something like this had happened before then. Her instincts had shifted, and she didn’t like that thought.
He put his shirt on and she lay back down.
