Bain set Izzy down gently a few miles away from the club parking lot. The frightened woman scrambled from him, brushing back her dark espresso locks. Her eyes were equally dark, though a stunning shade of navy, and glared with a snap of fire at him.
Izzy had gone from fear to anger, a bit of the Spanish fire of her ancestors lighting up inside of her.
What the hell was happening to her? What were these things? It was as if Steven King and the Greek Gods got together to make a stunning and terrifying creation. They were all sexy, male hardness, god-like good looks, piercing eyes, and so help her, whitish-gold, feathered angel wings on the one man and deep mahogany on the other.
The one smirking at her, the one Zander had called Bain, was gorgeous. He was, by far, the most stunning example of a man she’d ever seen, but he wasn’t a man. As evidence, there were those two sharp, white tips pressing gently against his full bottom lip.
Izzy tried to reason with herself, tried to keep her mind from running to the depths and corner of impossibility as she eyed him.
The man standing next to him, the one who introduced himself as Uriah, the one who had saved her from being a hood ornament, watched her carefully. He was stunning too, and something about him screamed you can trust me. He lacked the arrogance of the blond-haired, violet-eyed man standing next to him. His grey eyes were softer, so she chose to focus on him. With her head spinning and mind wondering to the deep corners that made her feel crazy, she murmured one word.
“Vampires?”
The grey-eyed man… no creature, maybe vampire, flinched slightly and dropped his head, the faint glow of the streetlights highlighting his mahogany hair, allowing the deep auburn base of the color to shine through.
“Bain,” he said softly, as if warning the other to hold something back. Izzy’s eyes widened a fraction as they drifted to catch Bain’s gaze; the violet glow of them almost hypnotizing her, that was, until he spoke.
“Fuck.” The brightness of his eyes intensified as he started a string of cursing at her. “Why is it always fucking vampires? You humans need to expand your horizons. I’m fucking tired of being called a God damned vampire.”
Izzy arched her brows at that, her spine straightening from its semi-huddled position that fear had frozen it in. Anger was quickly taking its place and was suddenly heating her veins. He didn’t need to curse at her—what the hell was she supposed to think? He had freaking wings and fangs.
“Well, excuse the hell out of me,” she shot out at him. “You have fucking fangs and wings, and you are clearly not human. My mind is a little muddled after you threw me a good twenty feet, attacked my date, and flew me God only knows how far from the club and my car! Where I’d had a nice time, and was enjoying the perks of my date.”
Uriah’s head lifted, an amused grin on his face. This pissed-off, fierce little thing was on uncharted territory; no one ever talked to Bain like that… especially a female. They usually just nodded, listened, and followed.
Bain actually laughed. It was a bark of beautiful, deep chords. “Time to go. Uriah, you can fly with her this time.”
Bain smiled to himself that woman probably would have jacked his jaw—or would have put one hell of an effort to try—if he had even moved towards her, let alone tried to pull her to him to fly her back to Ro.
Bain’s wings shot out of his shoulders, and he lifted into the air without another word, but with a pretty big smile.
Izzy stared wide-eyed as she watched the violet-eyed man disappear in the night sky. Once she could no longer see his silhouette against the stars, she turned to stare at Uriah.
“I’m sorry. He isn’t all that… Well, anyhow, you really need to come with me. If you haven’t figured this out yet, we’re not going to hurt you, we really are the good guys, and no, we’re not vampires.”
Izzy shook her head. “I want to go home.”
Uriah nodded, he bet she did. “I know, but… you can’t. It’s not safe.” He said it so sympathetically; his voice was soft, yet deep and warm. “You need to come with us while we figure out how to get Zander.”
“You don’t need me to get him; it was our first date,” Izzy said hopefully.
“I know, but now you’re in danger, you almost ran into a truck, and nearly landed face first on the pavement. We need to see how much of your luck he was able to steal, and Rowan will be able to tell us.”
“My luck?” Izzy questioned.
What kind of rabbit hole did she fall through? Gorgeous winged and fanged men had attacked her date and were now talking about her luck? She didn’t believe in luck. She wasn’t sure she believed in anything that had happened tonight, even if she had seen it with her own eyes.
“Welcome to the world of the Fae… you just met two Immortals and a Leprechaun.”
Chapter Three
Now Izzy knew she’d completely lost it… Immortals and Leprechaun’s? Or maybe he’d lost it. Either way, one or maybe both of them were not playing with a full deck of cards.
“I’m really not going anywhere with you,” she told Uriah and turned. With a crucial sense of survival and an accelerated rush to her steps, Izzy moved quickly away from him.
Uriah watched her go with a cautious eye. He wasn’t going to force her to come with him, but he would follow and make sure she made it home while they figured out what to do.
Izzy felt the steel grey of Uriah’s eyes watching her walk away. She was fortunate to have grown up here; she knew her hometown so well she could make her way to a main road and hail a taxi. Though walking was a bit difficult with one four-inch heel and one flat-to-the-ground, broken heel. Damn, she loved these boots too.
****
“Rowan? It’s Uriah.”
“Hello Uriah, are you and Bain all right?”
“Yeah we’re fine, but our mark is not being very cooperative. She doesn’t want to come with me, and I don’t have the heart to force her.”
“Ah, I take it you didn’t get to Zander in time?”
“No, I’m afraid not. I don’t think he drained her, but she’s had two near misses already. So I’m following her.”
“I can tell, the wind is echoing through your phone. Where’s Bain?”
Uriah chuckled
“Uriah?” Rowan questioned. Her voice soft, but concerned. Uriah could picture her face as she asked about Bain. He imagined her lilac eyes shimmering with curiosity. She knew all too well how he was, and as their Monarch and their Clan leaders’ wife, she dealt with the warriors on a regular basis. She knew the insolence of her little brother.
“In Bain’s defense, Isabelle—Zander’s latest victim—did call us vampires, or rather, asked if we were vampires.”
Rowan sighed, but it was a sigh of mirth not ire. “I’m sure he handled that with much grace and poise as he loves the vampires so much.”
Now Uriah chuckled. “Yes, his curses came out very smooth and gracefully.”
Rowan shook her head. She knew why Bain hated the vampires so much, they had affected their whole family, but she didn’t feel the same vehement hatred for the species. And this was an honest mistake for a human to make. She could only imagine how that poor female must have felt. Bain was intimidating and even Uriah, with his soft and compassionate gray eyes, was a large, fierce force to be reckoned with. She was sure he was gentle with Isabelle, but that didn’t change what his fangs and wings would mean to her.
“He shouldn’t be cursing at a frightened female, no matter how much he hates being compared to vampires.”
Uriah agreed, but vampires created a hot head in Bain. Given the opportunity, he would likely apologize to Isabelle.
“She also… well, for lack of a better description… she talked back to him.”
Rowan smiled. She liked this female already. She often thought Bain made woman weak, and not in the good way he liked to make them weak.
“Really?” Uriah could hear the smile in Rowan’s voice. “And what did he do?”
“He told me to fly her ba
ck and left.”
“Oh, I see. I would very much like to meet this female, but it sounds like she’s had a rough night, so follow her and stand guard. I’ll send someone to relieve you shortly.”
“Will do. Will you update Cree for me?”
“Of course. I look forward to telling him that a woman didn’t fall prey to Bain upon sight.” She laughed. “Many blessings, Uriah.”
“To you as well.”
Uriah laughed as he hung the phone up. He’d get a world of hurt from Bain once he found out Uriah had told Rowan about Isabelle’s reaction to him. But he wished he could be there to see Cree’s face as his wife told him about Isabelle and Bain.
Uriah watched Isabelle closely as she hailed a cab. He was relieved to see the cab was not headed back towards where she had left her car; she was in no shape to be driving. She wasn’t doing too badly, but Uriah knew it would get worse with time.
Luck was a funny thing. Some people lived with a constant flow of good luck. Some were dealt the bad. Others ignored it and forged ahead, regardless as to what was dealt them because they didn’t believe in it. He knew better; you didn’t have to believe in something for it to be real.
****
Isabelle made it home mostly unharmed; that damn Immortal had jinxed her, she was sure of it. She’d had an interesting ride home. She’d slammed her finger in the door, spilt the contents of her purse on the cab floor, (though she supposed she was fortunate to still have her purse), and had knocked her knee into the back of the seat when some jackass had cut them off and she’d flown forward because she had no seat belt.
Izzy slammed her front door behind her and locked it. She was ready for a long, hot shower, pajamas, and a good night’s rest, to hopefully wake up and find this was all a bizarre dream.
Izzy knew she wouldn’t be that lucky though. She still felt like she was carrying around a large, winged shadow, but refused to look to the night sky.
Chapter Four
Bain stalked through the stone halls of his home. He needed a drink. Zander had escaped, and based on the few exchanges he’d had with him, the female was in danger. That feisty, little human who had called him a vampire. Bain shook his head. He hated the vampires, always had and always would. From his experience, there was nothing remotely moral or redeemable about any of the damn bloodsuckers. Yet, he could forgive her for making the comparison.
Bain pushed open the thick, lacquered door to the hole, as he and his brothers liked to call it. It was their retreat for down time. The room was paneled with dark wood and a giant fireplace. It was reminiscent of the pubs he’d seen in Ireland from centuries ago, but with a modern twist. The room was completed with a dark bar, billiard table, and sixty-inch flat-screen TV with an impressive movie library. It was where they un-wound.
“What’s up, big guy? You look like you might need one of these.”
Kale, the youngest of the warriors, held a double shot glass filled to the brim towards Bain before pulling back and shooting the liquid down his throat.
Bain smirked.
“I could. So, are you going to pour me one?”
Kale’s dark eyes sparkled with humor. Kale was the youngest, and he tried like hell to not be seen as the little brother. A dark shadow of facial hair grubbed up his baby face in the form of a goatee. A tribal tattoo enveloped his neck, ran along one shoulder, and reached down his arm to meet his wrist. His chest, other arm, and shoulder were decorated by a blue and green dragon breathing fire over his heart and surrounding the beast with smoke.
Kale was Bain’s best friend. They’d grown up together, Bain claiming only a few years on Kale. They were partners in crime.
Kale handed Bain a shot glass and raised his own.
Bain didn’t share Kale’s vice. Tequila was not his first choice, but it was all Kale ever had. Bain took his shot and moved behind the bar to pour himself a tumbler of some well-aged whiskey.
“So what happened?” Kale asked, leaning his elbows on the bar.
“Zander got to another one, who ran from us and nearly splattered herself on a fuckin’ truck. Then the son of bitch used that luck and got away.”
Kale smirked. “So not a good night, but that’s not what’s eating you.”
“She was a feisty little thing…”
“Oh, I got it.” Kale laughed. “So why are you here drinking with me and not in her bed?”
Bain gave his own smirk then. Good question, why wasn’t he? She was feisty, but she had a softness to her features that made her beautiful and absolutely the kind of female he enjoyed having underneath him.
“Good question, my brother,” Bain muttered. “Good question indeed.”
“The night is still young,” Kale said supportively.
“Not for him, it’s not,” a gentle voice said, entering the room.
Bain smiled as he lifted his head towards Rowan, his gaze curious.
“Why is that, Ro?”
“You are headed back to the Human World to finish up this job.”
“The job is done. Uriah is bringing the female to you.”
Rowan smiled and shook her head. “Afraid not. She refused to leave with Uriah, seems someone cursed at her and scared her enough to keep her sense and refuse.”
“You’re telling me that Uriah couldn’t just bring her here?” Bain asked with sarcasm bleeding from his words.
“No, little brother. She was frightened, so he followed her to her home and is awaiting your arrival so you can relieve him.”
Bain felt the left side of his lips rise in a half-cocked smile. “I have to relieve him and do what exactly, Ro?”
“You will protect her in her world until she is willing to come back with you.”
“You almost sound as if you doubt me, Ro,” Bain said smugly.
Rowan laughed softly. “Remember, little brother, I spoke to Uriah. Seems Isabelle stood up to your charms.”
Bain finished his drink, smirked at a smiling Kale, and kissed his sister’s cheek as he walked out of the room.
He’d have Isabelle here before tomorrow’s end, and possibly in his bed by no later.
****
“You’re a real bastard sometimes, you know that?” Bain grumbled as he landed behind Uriah.
Uriah smiled as he stood in the well-maintained backyard of Isabelle’s chic suburban home. She had long ago turned in for the night. Uriah only heard a few mumbled grunts of frustration and probably pain. He heard a curse that implied the shower had done something out of character to her and a stubbed toe or two, as well as a million apologies to a cat named Garcia, after she cursed the poor feline for tripping her as she made her way up her stairs.
“And why is that?” Uriah asked still smiling as he watched the window that held Isabelle’s room behind it.
“You told Ro that the female got to me,” Bain said as he came to stand next to Uriah and shoved him none to gently to the side. Uriah returned the gesture with his own shoulder bump.
“She asked where you were. So, yes, I told her.”
“Yeah, well, Ro thought it was too amusing. She told me to come guard the human and relieve you of your sentry guard.”
“She said she would send someone. I had a feeling it might be you.”
“So what was the big issue? Why couldn’t you just throw the human over your shoulder and bring her to Ro like I asked?”
“Because, Bain, she is a female, regardless of her species, and she was frightened. I wasn’t going to make it worse by going all caveman on her.”
Bain grunted. “I wasn’t implying she was lesser then us, but she is a human. You are far stronger then her. She would have gotten over her fear. You know Ro has a calming effect on everybody, human or Fae.”
“This is true. I just felt bad after your cursing string and her misfortune. I didn’t want to force her.”
“Yeah well, now I have to be the bad guy and do it.”
Uriah raised a brow. “What exactly did Rowan tell you to do?”
Bai
n smirked, one corner of his mouth reaching higher than the other. “To convince her to come home with me.”
Uriah shook his head as he spread his wings. “Have fun with that,” he quipped.
“I’ll see you in a few hours,” Bain said smugly.
Uriah didn’t normally doubt Bain’s abilities with females, but he kind of wished he could stick around to see if it was going to be that easy with this particular female. She had a stubborn nature that Uriah picked up on instantly. You didn’t have to be an empath like Lothar or omniscient like Cree to know this one might actually give Bain a taste of his own medicine.
Chapter Five
Isabelle was thankful it was the weekend. She had slept the whole night through, the exhaustion of the evening before weighing heavily on her.
How could so many things have gone wrong?
She probed the back of her head and sure enough, she had a quarter-sized bump on it, all thanks to a falling showerhead. And to think she used to love the detachable massaging head; now, she was leery of it.
Izzy patted the bed, searching for Garcia. His heavy tail slapped the bed and a loud purr met her ears as she found him and stroked his side. She only prayed he wasn’t limping today; she had kicked him pretty hard last night.
“You hungry, Garcia?” she cooed at the twenty-three pound grey and black tabby. Silly question, of course he was hungry.
Izzy slipped from her covers, grabbed a thin robe that hung from her bathroom door, and headed down the stairs, with Garcia hot on her heels. She held tight to the banister this time, not wanting a repeat in the reverse from last night. At least falling up the stairs merely bruised her knees… falling down would do a lot more damage.
Immortal Blood Page 2
