Dark Promises 5: Tarnished

by Elisa Adams

  “You slept with him more than once.”

  It wasn’t a question. It was a statement and there was no need to answer. She wouldn’t lie to Kel about something like that. And even if she tried, he’d see right through her. She was a lot of things, but a good liar wasn’t one of them.

  She braced herself, waiting for his tirade, but it never came.

  “Not all vampires are bad, Becca,” he murmured instead.

  Her gaze flew up to meet his. His tone worried her. Was he involved with a vampire and was afraid to tell her? She didn’t know, but at the moment it was the only thing she could think of to explain his sudden shift in behavior. “I know that. Don’t you think you’ve told me that enough?”

  “At this moment in time, I feel it bears repeating.” He shook his head, a forlorn expression in his eyes. “You should have let me check out this one before you brought him home.”

  “What are you, my keeper?”

  He let out a heavy sigh. “No, but when you used to contract through me at least I could make sure you weren’t killing senselessly. Now you seem to have gone on a rampage.”

  “I have not. I’ve chosen very carefully.”

  “What do you know about this one?”

  “Rex hired me to take him out. He was trying to get money from Rex. Rex told me he was threatening him.”

  “And you believed him?”

  She pushed her mug away. “Rex has never lied to me before. He’d always been upfront. I was there to provide security, of sorts. What else was I supposed to think? You know my history.”

  “That’s becoming a damned poor excuse.”

  She knew it, too, but she refused to let him see he was getting to her. She squared her shoulders and tilted her chin up. “Oh well.”

  “You found out he wasn’t as bad as you thought,” Kel said softly. “Or else you would have killed him by now.”

  She nodded. “But it gets worse.”

  “Can it get any worse than you keeping a vampire locked up inside your house?”

  Unfortunately, yes. The whole incident had become a twisted mess she could no longer make sense of. It weighed on her mind, fighting for precedence with Kel’s unusual behavior until she felt like she was being pulled in too many directions at once. Another tug, maybe two, and she’d be yanked apart.

  “My sister hired him to find me and bring me back home.”

  He let out a low whistle. “That sucks. Sometimes I’m really glad I have no family to get in my way.”

  He said the words, but the sarcasm hung heavy and thick within them.

  “You should be. Trust me on this one. Especially when you have a family like mine.” Demons and vampires coupled with the fact that her sisters, mother and grandmother were traditional witches. All her life she’d fought for normalcy until three years ago when she’d finally decided to give up the fight.

  Why couldn’t she just have been born into a normal dysfunctional family rather than a supernatural one?

  “It sounds like you’re in kind of a sticky situation,” Kel said, his tone amused. Well, at least she’d managed to lighten his mood if nothing else.

  “It would appear that I am.”

  “So what are you going to do about it?”

  “I was kinda hoping you’d be able to tell me what to do.” She ran a sweaty palm down her face. “Give me a ride home. He should be sleeping right now. Maybe you can help me assess the situation.”

  Kel stood and glanced out the window, a pained look on his face. “Now?”

  “Well, yeah. While the vampire is sleeping would be the opportune time, don’t ya think?”

  “Fine. Give me a few minutes to get ready.” He disappeared into the bathroom and slammed the door behind him.

  Five minutes later he came out, wearing a pair of baggy jeans and a hooded sweatshirt. He grabbed his car keys, put on a pair of mirrored sunglasses, and headed for the door. Once he had it open, he glanced back at her over his shoulder. “Are you coming with me, or are you going to stand there staring all day?”

  She raised her eyebrow at him. Something wasn’t right. “What’s with the shades?”

  “I told you it was a long night last night. Tough job, too much to drink. The sun will kill my eyes. I already have a headache as it is, so give me a fucking break, okay?”

  “Okay. Jeez. Sorry.” She followed him out the door, sticking her tongue out at his back.

  When they got down to the parking lot where he kept his car, he tossed her the keys.

  She shook her head. “I don’t have my license with me.”

  “And this headache is screwing with my depth perception. Either you drive, or we go nowhere.”

  She relented with a sigh, climbing behind the wheel as he settled himself into the passenger seat and put the seatback all the way down.

  “Have you seen a doctor about this?” she asked, more than a little concerned.

  “Shut up and drive, okay?”

  Normally she’d take offense at being spoken to like that, but she wasn’t in the mood for a fight. If they kept arguing, that was what it would turn into, and she didn’t want to aggravate him any more than she already had.

  “Okay. Fine. I’ll shut up,” she told him as she started the car.

  For now. But once she had the problem with Wil cleared up, she was going to sit Kel down and make him tell her what had gone so wrong in his life.

  She made the drive back to her house in less than three minutes, according to the dashboard clock.

  “Just keep quiet in case he’s not asleep,” Becca told Kel as she unlocked the door and let them into the house.

  Kel nodded, pulled off his hood and stuck his sunglasses in the pocket of his sweatshirt, and followed her inside.

  They had just reached the kitchen area of the main room when a light snapped on. Wil stood behind them, blocking the front door.

  Chapter Six

  Wil fumed as he watched Becca’s expression shift between guilt and irritation. Like he was the one causing a problem around here. Who did she think she was, treating him like this? He hadn’t killed her, though he was starting to think he should have left last night rather than fuck her again. Some women, no matter how enticing, just weren’t worth the trouble. She was fast proving to be one of them.

  She gulped, took a deep breath and squared her shoulders. What might have been a smile, or possibly a smirk, passed over her delicate features. “Honey, I’m home?”

  “Nice try. Who’s your friend?”

  He stepped further into the kitchen to get a closer look at the man tagging along behind her. A smile spread over his face. This was good. Very good. In fact, it didn’t get much better than this. If he ever needed proof that she was an inept hunter, he had it now. Did Becca know whom she was keeping company with? From the looks of things, he doubted it.

  His smile widened, displaying the fangs he’d willed to elongate. The glare he shot her friend was pure male challenge. A challenge the younger, weaker man wouldn’t be able to resist. “Did you replace me already?”

  The man stormed toward Wil, his hands bunched into fists, and took a swing. Without much effort Wil grabbed his fist and forced it back down to his side. “I highly doubt that’s going to happen.”

  The man winced, yanked his fist out of Wil’s grasp and rubbed his wrist.

  Becca punched Wil in the shoulder. Hard. “Kel’s a friend, Wil. Only a friend. So cut the macho possessive bullshit. I’m really not into that.”

  A friend? Or so she thought. “That’s not all he is, sweetheart.”

  He glanced at the man and ran his tongue across his fangs. “What’s your name?”

  Becca turned around and put her hands on her friend’s shoulders. “This was a mistake. I didn’t mean for a confrontation to happen. It’s all a mess and I don’t want you in the middle of something that isn’t your problem. Maybe you should go.”

  “I’m fine, Becca. I can handle him better than you can. Trust me.” He stepped around Becca an
d stood in front of Wil. “I’m Kel Denison.”

  Hearing the name brought a smile to Wil’s face. He’d thought he recognized the boy—young man—but hadn’t been sure until he’d heard the name. “Lela’s son.”

  “You knew my mother?” Suspicion etched the kid’s features, his hands bunching into tight fists again.

  Wil didn’t blame him for being suspicious. It was obvious from looking at him that Kel had had a hard life. Reared alone by a single mother who most likely had no clue how to deal with her child, a loner father Wil knew kept no close ties to anyone. All but orphaned at probably fifteen or sixteen years old when Lela had passed away. Yes, he’d known Kel’s parents, and that alone told him this young man was in pain. Fighting the nature he probably cursed every day of his life.

  Wil nodded, his gaze searching Kel’s face. He favored his mother, definitely. Striking features, almost beautiful in their intensity. A darkness about him that didn’t come from his father’s heritage. “I knew both of your parents.”

  “Then you understand why we do what we do.”

  “I’m not so sure I do.” Wil let his gaze drift to Becca before he brought it back to Kel again. “Are you more discriminating than she is?”

  He’d hope so, given Kel’s parentage.

  Kel surprised Wil by glancing over his shoulder at Becca. “What did you tell him?”

  “Nothing.”

  “Becca,” Kel chided.

  “I might have led him to believe I…enjoy the kill. Sort of.”

  Sort of? Wil glared at Becca. Was she saying she didn’t enjoy the kill? She’d certainly led him to believe otherwise when she’d woken him up by slapping a stake in her palm. “What exactly are you trying to say, Becca?”

  Kel huffed and turned his attention back to Wil. “This isn’t what you think. Whatever she told you, she didn’t mean it.”

  “I’m not so sure about that. It seemed to me she meant every word. Wholeheartedly. And I don’t know if I can let her get away with that. Does she work for you?”

  Kel shook his head. “She used to. Not anymore. Now she does her own thing.”

  Kel shot Becca a look that told Wil he didn’t approve of her “own thing” more clearly than words ever would have.

  Wil cleared his throat. “Are you the roommate she told me about? The one who upset her by moving out on her?”

  “Would the two of you quit talking about me like I’m not even here?” Becca demanded, her tone laced with fury. When neither of them answered, she stomped to the fridge, pulled out a can of soda, and popped the top. After a long swig, she set the can down on the counter so hard soda splashed over the tile surface. “This is ridiculous.”

  Wil was inclined to agree, though for very different reasons. He should have left when he’d had the chance, rather than wait around for the three-ring circus to begin. Could this possibly get any more demented? “Why the reinforcements, Becca? Afraid of me?”

  She snorted. “You wish.”

  He didn’t want her fear. But he didn’t want her friend hanging around forever, either. He turned his attention back to Kel, determined to put him at ease so he’d walk away and leave them alone. “You must have had a hard life after your mother passed away.”

  Kel nodded, his expression still wary. “It was tough, but I managed okay.”

  “Have you ever had any contact with your father?”

  “No. And I want to keep it that way. If I find him…” His voice trailed off and he slammed a fist into the tabletop loud enough to make Becca jump.

  She blinked and shook her head. “I thought you said your father was dead?”

  Kel didn’t even look at her. “He’s not.”

  “Why would you lie to me, Kel?”

  He held up his hand, glanced in Becca’s direction. “I don’t want to talk about this now, okay? Remember when I told you I needed space and time? This is why. You won’t let up. I don’t need to be badgered right now.”

  Wil understood that to be a comment to him as well, but he had to keep prying. It was the only way he was going to get Becca to understand that he wasn’t the only one she should be wary of. “We have a lot in common.”

  Kel raised an eyebrow. “How’s that?”

  “Children of mixed parentage.”

  The tension seemed to drain out of Kel right in front of Wil’s eyes. Kel blinked, his eyes wide. His shoulders relaxed and his hands unclenched. “You are?”

  Wil nodded.

  “You taught Becca everything she knows.” He turned his attention to Becca, who was trying her best to look bored. “Did you ever wonder how he knows so much about vampires?”

  “Why should I question him? He had the information I needed. I don’t care how he got it. He’s been hunting them for eight years. A person’s got to acquire a good working knowledge of the creatures after that long, don’t they?” She glared at him before turning her attention to Kel. “And what’s this crap about mixed parentage? What the hell is he talking about? Mixed races?”

  Kel said nothing, didn’t even look at her.

  Wil decided to shake things up even more. From Kel’s actions, he obviously hadn’t accepted himself for what he was. Not only did Becca need to know what she was dealing with, but Kel needed to learn that his particular mix wasn’t a bad thing. “Mixed parentage, as in one parent being human.”

  “And the other…?” she asked, her eyes narrowed in suspicion.

  Wil opened his mouth to finish, but Kel beat him to it. “The other being vampire. My father…isn’t human, Becca.”

  “No. That’s not possible.” She shook her head, her face turning a ghostly pale. “Please tell me this is some sort of sick joke.”

  She didn’t give them a chance to respond. Like a flash of lightning she pushed away from the counter and shot out of the room. The bedroom door slammed seconds later, shaking the dishes in the cabinets.

  Kel turned a glare on Wil, his breathing ragged and his face flushed. “What the hell are you trying to do? Is this some game to you?”

  “You shouldn’t have walked away from her. That was a bad move. She was heading in the wrong direction. Wanting to take out vampires for sport rather than because they’re a danger to the world. Forgive me if I don’t think that’s a good thing.”

  “Why did you have to drag me into it?”

  “To show her that we aren’t all bad. She’s close to you. Used to work for you. I figured that had to count for something.”

  Kel stood and rubbed a hand down his face. “I hadn’t told her for that reason. We’re too close. She’s a good friend. At least she was. Before you made me blab what I’d been working my ass off to keep from her. Now you had to go and fuck it up. She’s never going to talk to me again.”

  “Honesty’s always best, don’t you think?”

  “What the hell do you know about anything?”

  Wil laughed. He knew a lot more than Kel would ever understand. More than he could ever try to explain. But Kel was young, stubborn and angry, and he’d never listen. “I know you’re fighting something you can’t control. Let go. What’s wrong with being who you’re supposed to be? Sit down for a few minutes. I’m going to go talk to her. I think I can make her understand.”

  “I’m not sticking around.” Kel stalked toward the door. He turned the knob and started out before he glanced over his shoulder. “By the way, I’m not anything like you.”

  “How is that?”

  “I’m a human, not a vampire.”

  Wil sighed. He understood Kel’s existence, understood the choices he’d made. He’d made similar ones himself a few centuries ago. It was hard for a half-vampire to understand that even a small amount of vampire blood was enough. The few that survived childhood and made it into adulthood had trouble denying their tendencies. When they finally snapped, they lost control. People died.

  “You’re vampire.”

  “No, I’m not. I don’t have to accept that part of myself. I’m not full blood. I can be human.”


  No one had ever explained it fully to him, and now wasn’t the time. Wil knew he wouldn’t listen. Not yet. But now that his secret had come out, he’d think about it. His nature would be a lot easier to accept if he didn’t have to hide it from everyone he was close to. “How old are you?”

  “Twenty-three.”

  So young. Not much older than Becca, but yet too old to be fighting what his body really wanted. “You won’t be able to fight the urges much longer.”

  “I’ll fight them for the rest of my life. I will.” He pulled a pair of sunglasses out of his pocket and put them on. The sweatshirt hood followed. “You can just go to hell for all I care. Don’t ever try to tell me how to run my life, and don’t you dare do anything else to ruin my friendship with Becca.”

  He didn’t give Wil a chance to respond. He turned and left the house, slamming the door behind him.

  Wil sighed. There wasn’t any more he could do there. Chasing him down would only make things worse. He needed to give the kid time to cool off. Someday he’d have to learn, like they all did, to accept his destiny. He just hoped no one got hurt in the process, though he had a feeling that wasn’t going to be possible.

  He turned away from the door and headed down the hall toward Becca’s bedroom. Time to find her and do some damage control before things got any worse. Now that the walls had been torn down, he didn’t want to see her build them up again. This was the perfect opportunity for him to finally get through to her.

  When he reached her room, he expected to find her sitting on her bed crying. Again she proved him wrong. She was packing.

  “God damned men. Couldn’t be truthful if someone was shoving bamboo spikes under their fingernails,” she mumbled as she stuffed clothes into a huge black duffel bag. “Would it have been so wrong for him to tell me he’s part vampire? That he knew everything he knew because he fucking lived it? And would it have been so wrong for Wil to be upfront with me and tell me Ellie hired him? Jerk.”

  He propped his hip against the doorframe. Something in his heart clenched and that strange urge to hold her washed over him again. “I was afraid if you knew my reasons, you’d run before I got the chance to explain things to you.”