by Lisa Olsen
“Yes, I did.”
He didn’t seem too satisfied with it from his tone of voice though. “With pain?”
“I told you there are some things I’m not proud of in my past. I’ll spare you the details of what I did to him. Let’s just say he paid for his crimes. After that I left town and I never saw my mother again.”
I decided I didn’t want to dwell too long on what kind of punishment he’d thought would fit the crime. “Is that when you stopped playing the piano?”
“No, I played for a long time after that, in some of the greatest palaces of the world or just for Carys. We traveled all over. She said it would be best to keep moving, we never stayed anywhere for very long.”
“How come you stopped playing then? That one time I heard you… it was so beautiful it made me cry.”
“I shut the door on that part of my life when I joined the Order.”
“They made you quit playing the piano? That sounds kinda harsh.”
“No, it wasn’t their requirement, it was mine. When Carys died, things changed, I changed. When I took my vows to join the Order, I took on a different life, and it helped me to compartmentalize that part of my past and set it aside. For a long time I didn’t let anything touch me, I just focused on my job, that’s what got me through.”
No wonder he was so cold sometimes. “So, when did you decide that was a crazy way to live?”
“That first night you showed up on my doorstep.”
I smiled against his chest, leaving a soft kiss there. “Then what took you so long to give it up?”
“Hey, you can’t toss away hundreds of years of training like that,” he snapped his fingers.
As much as I enjoyed our pillow talk, I had something to get off my chest and it seemed like as good a time as any to bring it up since we were being so open and honest for once. “I want to say something, but I don’t want you to freak out.”
“Okay…” he replied equably.
“I’m glad you had this epiphany and I’m glad we finally got together like this. But I need to know if this is really us together now, or if you’re going to kick me out of your apartment the next time the mood strikes, because I can’t keep going back and forth like this. I know you had good intentions before and then Jakob’s arrival threw you for a loop, and I know you don’t want to talk about him, but he is a part of my life whether I want him to be or not. Not that it means I’m letting him into this part, because this part is just for us, but…”
Bishop cut off my nervous babble with a sudden but very welcome kiss. Only when I’d lost my train of thought did he let me up, an amused smirk on his face. “Were you going to let me answer you, or did you want to keep going? ‘Cause it sounds like you’re on a roll.”
“No, I’m good, you go right ahead,” I replied, mollified by the heat in that kiss.
“Anja,” he picked up my hand and pressed a kiss to the back of it. “I hope you know…”
Whatever he’d been about to say was interrupted by an insistent pounding on the front door. Jakob’s voice thundered through the apartment. “Open this door before I break it down!”
Chapter Twenty-Four
“Oh no…” Scrambling to pull my clothes on, I took note of the grim cast to Bishop’s features as he pulled on his pants and went to the door. “Wait! Let me finish getting dressed first,” I called after him, hopping into my jeans, but he didn’t slow.
“I don’t want my door broken in,” Bishop scowled, unlocking the big metal door, stepping aside as Jakob swept in uninvited. “Come on in,” he muttered under his breath as I emerged from the bedroom, giving my hair a hasty comb through with my fingers.
“Jake, what are you doing here?” I asked, trying not to feel guilty for being somewhere I had every right to be.
“I’m done leaving you to your folly. Come, we are leaving,” he waved, ignoring Bishop completely.
“I’m not going anywhere with you,” I held my ground. Bishop watched us from the sidelines, arms crossed over his bare chest. “We talked about this.”
“We did not talk about this,” Jakob hissed, his eyes flicking to Bishop and then back to me. I guess I’d never said the reason I didn’t want to leave with him and travel the world had anything to do with wanting to be with Bishop, I just assumed Jakob knew how I felt about him. “I’ve been patient with your tender feelings and this is where it’s left us. You nearly die and I don’t even hear of it for days. You may have little regard for your own safety, but I do not. Come to me now.” Jakob stretched out his hand and I closed my eyes against the pull I felt from those blue eyes.
“No,” I insisted stubbornly, feeling childish and awfully vulnerable for facing him with my eyes closed as if that somehow protected me from his power over me. “It’s not Bishop’s fault I almost died, he wasn’t even there.”
“Precisely, he can’t keep you safe.”
“He only stayed away to keep from horning in on your territory.” My eyes popped open, too mad to think about self preservation anymore. “If anything, this is your fault. You said you’d catch her, but instead you’ve been off seeing to your other concerns as usual.”
“Enough!” Jakob boomed. “Don’t mistake my kindness for weakness. I will take you by force if necessary.”
Before I had a chance to recoil from that statement, Bishop was by my side, his arm pushing me slightly behind him. “I won’t let you take her,” he said evenly. “She’s made her choice.”
Jakob’s head canted to one side as if he hadn’t understood Bishop’s declaration. “You have no rights to her, stand aside.”
Bishop held his ground, his chin coming up a fraction. “I have no right to challenge you for her by law, but I won’t let you take her against her will. If I have to die trying to keep her free, then so be it.”
“Then, so be it.” Jakob advanced, his hand rising to strike out.
“No, no so be it,” I interrupted, coming out from behind Bishop’s protective arm. “This is stupid, we all need to take a step back and discuss this like adults.” And this bit of sage advice from the youngest person in the room by a landslide.
“There’s nothing to discuss,” Jakob insisted. “I will dispatch this pup and we’ll be on our way.”
“Try it,” Bishop growled, and I could have hit him over the head myself for egging Jakob on.
“If you kill him I will never, ever forgive you for it!” I shoved as hard as I could at Jakob’s shoulder, barely pushing him off balance.
“I doubt you’ll remember his name for long, älskling, time is a great healer.”
“Yeah, because that worked so well for you with Carys,” Bishop bit out and Jakob fastened a hand around his throat.
“She loved me in ways you’ll never understand.”
“No, you’ve got it backwards,” he retorted. “She obeyed you, that was never love. Is that what you want for you and Anja too?”
Jakob’s hand tightened around Bishop’s throat and I looked around, frantic for something to pry him off. With a breakfast bar full of weapons to choose from, I grabbed a heavy duty taser, figuring I’d be more likely to shoot Bishop than Jakob with an actual gun. “Let him go!”
I tased Jakob in the opposite shoulder, hoping Bishop wouldn’t get shocked too, but Jakob was the only one who reacted. He let go of Bishop alright, unfortunately Jakob tossed him across the room to crash into the coffee table (which I’d conveniently weakened not too long ago). I steeled myself for Jakob’s wrath, but he merely stared at the taser with curiosity, snatching it out of my hand to study it closer.
“What devilment is this?”
“I’m sorry, but you wouldn’t let go of him. Did it hurt?”
“Don’t trouble yourself, petal. I can withstand much more than this,” he tossed it aside negligently. “I give you my pledge. I won’t harm Ulrik if you come with me now without fuss.”
I couldn’t help but look back to Bishop in dismay. The last thing I wanted to do was leave with Jakob, but if it ke
pt him safe…
“Wait,” Bishop lurched to his feet, head twisting first one way and then the other as he shook off the effects of Jakob’s grasp. “Jakob, if you have any love for her, any at all, listen to what she wants.”
“I will show her what she wants.”
Jakob wasn’t listening and I stepped in between them before he could lay a hand on Bishop again. “I don’t want anyone getting hurt because of me.”
“He can’t harm me,” Jakob scoffed and Bishop approached him warily.
“We both know you can kill me without breaking a sweat, but I’m willing to fight for Anja anyway because I can’t go back to the way I lived without her.”
“That’s a very pretty sentiment,” Jakob smirked. “I’ll be sure to have it written on your grave. You expect me to give her to you as easily as that?”
“I’m not asking you for me, I’m asking you for her. Listen to what she wants, Jakob. Anja’s not a possession for you toss over your shoulder and carry out of here. She’s a beautiful, vibrant, sensitive woman, and if you force her, you’ll break something precious.”
“Please, Jakob,” I echoed Bishop’s sentiment. “Please don’t force me to do something I don’t want to.”
Something flitted across Jakob’s face, too fast for me to identify. “Do you truly hate the thought of being with me so much?”
I saw the vulnerability there behind his eyes. I had the power to wound him just as surely as he had the power to take both our lives in a heartbeat. “I’m sorry if it hurts, but I want to be with Bishop. I love him.” The first to say the L word, I sought out Bishop’s gaze, warmed to find his love shining back at me. My declaration took the wind out of Jakob’s sails for an instant, his shoulders bowing slightly before he drew himself back up to his full height to address Bishop.
“If I leave her with you, I’m trusting you to protect her,” he said carefully.
“You know I’ll keep her safe. Besides, she’s pretty resourceful herself,” Bishop winked at me. That didn’t seem to be the response Jakob wanted, and he glowered at Bishop until he lost the playful smile. “I lay claim to this woman, my blood for hers,” he said formally, and Jakob gave him a short nod.
“The next time I see you, I’ll ask you again,” Jakob’s voice was soft as he turned to me. “In the meantime, you have my number. You have only to say the word and I’ll come for you.”
“Thanks,” I replied, afraid if I said or did the wrong thing he might change his mind and toss me over his shoulder after all. With a last, long look, as if committing my features to memory, Jakob turned and left, and I realized with a pang that I’d never gotten through my entire list of questions for him.
“What just happened?” I asked in the sudden stillness of the room.
“He left,” Bishop shrugged. “I don’t know why, but he gave up his claim to you. Of course, he can step in and take you back whenever he wants, but…”
“Yes, I got that part, but those words you used about claiming me. What does that mean exactly?” Were we considered to be married? Going steady? Fang buddies? Were there rules I had to follow now?
“I’m sorry, I know you didn’t want that, but it’s the only way I knew how to prove to him I’d take care of you.”
“Why wouldn’t I want that?” I blinked. “Or did I just agree to something more than being yours?”
“Does that bother you? The thought of being mine?”
“Not as long as you get to be mine too.” I laid my head against his chest and his arms folded around me.
“I wouldn’t want to belong to anyone else.”
Enjoying the closeness and still recovering from the bullet we’d just dodged, we stood that way for long minutes; long enough for me to be distracted by his bare torso. “You’re not going to get all mushy on me now, are you?” I teased, looking up at him. “I’d hate to have you kicked out of the Order on account of me.”
“I’ll show you mushy,” he growled with mock severity, and I squealed as he swung me up into the air, tossing me over his shoulder like a caveman, giving my rump a smack.
“Hey, didn’t you ever hear of middle ground?” I protested as he carried me into the bedroom. “There has to be some setting between Neanderthal and Kenny G.”
“Woman need bedrest.” Bishop punctuated his words with another playful smack to my behind and I retaliated by going for his sides, having no idea if he was ticklish at all. To my delight, he jerked like crazy, nearly dropping me as my fingers played havoc with his sensitive middle. “Hey, none of that,” he shifted his hold on me to bring my hands out of reach, plopping me down on the bed. I immediately caught hold of his shoulders, pulling him down with me.
“I hope you don’t plan on leaving me to my bedrest all alone,” I gave him my most winsome smile.
“Doesn’t that sort of defeat the point of bedrest?
“It’s the only way you’re going to keep me in bed,” I arched against him. “You don’t have to go off to work tonight, do you?”
“No, I’m all yours for the night,” he replied with a deep kiss. After that Bishop didn’t put up much of a fight, doing his best to satisfy both our needs for bedrest.
It was deep into the night when we stopped celebrating my newfound freedom long enough for lazy conversation, and I could feel the sky begin to lighten outside. For once I didn’t feel the compulsion to drag myself out of bed and get ready for school, I was far too content. Then again, I knew there were some things I couldn’t put off. It was time to make some decisions about my future.
“I should probably think about going home tonight when I wake up,” I ventured and Bishop’s arm tightened around me almost imperceptibly.
“I thought we talked about you moving in here.”
“We did?”
“Well… you were all but living here before Jakob showed up, I just thought…”
“Do you want me to live here with you full time?” I propped my head up on his chest to look down at him. “It’s a little different than me staying over a few nights a week. I have all my clothes and things, and I know you like your privacy.”
“I like having you here more,” he smiled. “And there’s your safety to consider.”
“Right, I’ve been thinking about that. Not just my safety but for the people around me. I think… I think I’m done with school for now.”
“Are you sure about that? I know how much it means to you.”
“Well, let’s do a body count, shall we? There’s Colin, Melissa, now Evan… and we can’t forget the attack on Hanna either. I don’t think I could take it if someone else got hurt because of me. Plus, it’s killing me to stay awake during the day, even with the stims you got me. I think it’s time to face the facts. I’m a vampire.”
“Yes, you are,” Bishop leaned up to kiss my shoulder. “An adorable one at that. There are plenty of things you can still do at night, you know. And you can always keep going to school online if you want.”
An adorable vampire. I wasn’t sure if I should feel affronted or not, but I was entirely too besotted to take offense. “That’s true,” I agreed.
“Then it’s settled,” he patted my hip familiarly. “You’ll move in here and everyone will be happy.”
“Does that make me your kept woman?” I teased, a little voice in the back of my mind popping up to remind me that my parents were probably going to have a cow. Dropping out of school and moving in with a guy I’d never mentioned to them before? Definitely grounds for some kind of cattle.
“You could get a job if it bothers you.”
“Do you think that’s a good idea?” Part of me wondered if it would amount to swapping out one set of dangers for another.
“Why not? Plenty of people work nights.”
“Oh sure, and the first time a knife slips at the taco hut, I eat my coworkers.”
Bishop laughed so hard I bounced. “Then don’t get a job anyplace with knives.”
“I’m a college student working towards a degree i
n music who’s never worked a day in her life, I’m not really qualified for a whole lot of career options.”
“Sure you are. You just have to remember your other assets,” he waggled his eyebrows at me suggestively and I made a face.
“Eewh, I’m not working in a strip club…”
“And I wouldn’t let you,” his brows drew together in instant disapproval. “I meant, your powers of persuasion? Find a job you want and take it. You can even convince them to create one for you, or make someone quit to create an opening.”
“I couldn’t do that,” I replied, appalled and Bishop stared back at me blankly.
“Why not?”
“It’s dishonest.”
“Let’s look at this from another angle. What did you want to do with your life when you graduated college?”
Good question. For years I’d been so focused on my education I didn’t have a specific goal in mind for what came next. I had vague dreams though. “I wanted to join a local choral group or maybe tour with an opera company for a few years. Nothing big, something in the chorus would suit me best. Then, when I got tired of traveling, I’d settle down and teach choir or give private lessons.”
“You could still do that. Maybe not the teaching in a conventional school, but you could still give private lessons. Have you ever thought about performing at one of Jarrod and Leander’s clubs? I could put in a good word for you.”
“Oh, no, I don’t think I could do that,” I rolled off of him, pulling up the covers. “Everybody would be looking just at me. I prefer to sing in a group.”
“I don’t see why, you’re better than that. Trust me, I know.”
“It’s a thing I have,” I shrugged uncomfortably. “I might do better getting a regular job in a late night coffee shop or something. Then, maybe I can continue with some classes online and still earn my degree.”
Bishop rolled onto his side, not willing to let me off the hook just yet. “You know, you don’t need to work at all if you don’t want to.” He pressed a kiss to my shoulder. “I have plenty of money, and I’d love to take care of you if you let me.”
It sounded nice, being taken care of, but I’d been relying on people my whole life. Maybe it was time to start pulling my own weight? “We don’t have to decide anything tonight. I think one life altering decision per night is my limit.”
