Dark Promises 5: Tarnished

by Elisa Adams

  She spun around, fists in the air in front of her. She frowned when her gaze landed on him. “Get out.”

  “Not until you listen to me. I didn’t tell you about Ellie because I hadn’t had the chance.”

  “So why did you fuck me, then? Pity?”

  He closed his eyes. For hell’s sake. “No. What happened between us had nothing to do with what Ellie hired me for.”

  “Bullshit.” She took a few steps back and slumped against the wall.

  His eyes flew open at her harsh tone. “Believe it. I wanted you from the second I saw you in Rex’s bar. The second you looked into my eyes and gave me that smile that told me you wanted me, too. It didn’t matter to me who you were. And by the way, Ellie will probably skin me alive when she finds out what happened between us.” Unless his instincts were correct and she’d set him up for that very thing. He was ninety-nine percent sure that was what had happened, but until he could be completely certain Becca didn’t need to know.

  “It shouldn’t have happened,” she told him, her voice almost a whisper.

  “Yes, it should have. You wanted it to happen. So did I.”

  He still wanted it to happen, even now. Just looking at her stirred his cock all over again. And it stirred other things. Emotions and instincts that he’d thought had long ago died. He couldn’t be falling in love with her. Not this soon. Not when they had nothing in common except a scorching sexual chemistry that would probably burn out a few years down the road anyway. He shouldn’t be feeling it, but he was. With a speed that was nothing short of irrational.

  He’d been in love before, but had never felt anything so quickly for a woman. Royce had chided him in the past few years since he’d found a mate of his own. Told Wil that it was only a matter of time. That he’d never found his true mate despite his decision to marry. Royce had always stuck by one theory. If Elizabeth had been his true mate, she would have turned vampire instead of insisting to spend the rest of her life as a human. Royce had also warned that, when he found his true mate, he’d know it without a doubt.

  Wil glanced at Becca. He had doubts. An overabundance of them. But most of them stemmed from the fact that she’d try to kill him the night after they’d met.

  Could she be the one? He didn’t even want to think about it at the moment. It had been far too long since he’d had her naked in his arms. That was what he felt for her. He had to be confusing lust with love. He took a step toward her. Surprise filled him when she didn’t move away.

  “Will you sit down and listen to me for a few seconds?” he asked.

  “I really don’t know. Everything is so screwed up right now it doesn’t feel like it’ll ever be normal again.” She sighed. “Not that it ever was, mind you, but I really could use some sort of anchor right now.”

  He’d be her anchor, if she’d just let him. So would Ellie or Charlotte, or even Royce. Why did she feel such a strong need to shut out everyone who cared about her?

  “Where’s Kel?” she asked.

  “He’s gone.”

  Her eyes widened and she started toward him, a deadly expression on her face. “What did you do to him?”

  “Nothing. He got upset and left.”

  She stopped her forward motion and seemed to consider that, finally backing down and slumping her shoulders. “I knew something was going on with him. Heck, I’d even guessed what it was, but I’d been hoping and praying I was wrong. I thought he’d been seeing a vampire, or been turned by one against his will. I never expected he’d been one all along and hadn’t wanted to own up to it. We have to go find him. I have to talk to him before he hurts someone.”

  “He’s fine for now.”

  “No, he’s not. He’s got a temper. You don’t know him like I do.”

  “Becca, he’ll be fine. He needs some time alone, like you did this morning.”

  Her shoulders slumped even more and her face lit with despair. “But Wil, he’s…”

  “Fine.” Wil was ninety percent sure that he was. But knowing his own experience with the choice, even if Kel wasn’t fine he wouldn’t welcome the company. It would only make him madder, and that wasn’t a good situation to put a man into who was, for all intents and purposes, a fledgling vampire. He might go on a rampage and seriously hurt an innocent.

  Kel had been living with it long enough to know what he could handle and what he couldn’t. If he was anything like his mother he had a good head on his shoulders and wouldn’t put himself—or anyone else—in danger.

  “What if he favors his vampire side?” she asked, her tone a thready.

  “He will. That’s just the way it goes. I suspect he’s been fighting it for a long time, and it’s only getting worse.”

  “What does he have to do? Is there some ritual he has to go through to make him a vampire? Some sort of ceremony to mark the change?”

  Wil shook his head. “No. There is no change. He is who he is, who he always has been. He just has to stop denying what he really is. Once he feeds that first time, instinct will kick in.”

  “So you can survive without blood?”

  “For a time. Vampire children are usually able to. It’s when their body matures that the blood becomes a necessity. It’s complicated, and the mind is an amazing thing. A person can convince themselves they’re one thing, when they’re really not. He’s still young, hasn’t been fighting it that long, and I suspect he eats his steaks rare and drinks a lot of milk.”

  She nodded slowly.

  “Then he’s just compensating.” And most likely he’d been taking advantage of the services at bars like Rex’s when Becca wasn’t around. Bars that served alcohol as well as other sorts of cocktails. “He’ll be fine.”

  Now he just had to see what he could do about fixing Becca.

  “If you’re sure…” Her voice trailed off and she closed her eyes. When she opened them again, the cold indifference was back in her expression.

  Ellie was so going to kill him when she got a hold of him. He was supposed to convince her to go home, or to take her there himself. He was not told to break her defenses and break her heart within days of meeting her, but he was afraid that was what had happened. She’d never be the girl who had left Stone Harbor three years ago. But maybe that wasn’t such a bad thing. She was one of the strongest women he’d ever met. He admired her that strength and determination.

  It was time to put the focus back on the positive. Instead of berating himself any longer, he took Becca’s hand and led her out of the room, back into the living room. He wanted to talk to her, and have her talk back as honestly as she could, and hanging around her sensual bedroom wasn’t going to do that.

  When they got to the couch he sat her down, took a seat next to her and faced her. “Tell me what happened with Tony.”

  She shook her head.

  “Please? I want to know.”

  Her gaze trailed around the room for a long moment, her lips pursed and her hands clasped in her lap. When she finally looked at him, determination filled her gaze. He groaned. She was up to something. “Then I’ll make a deal with you. If I tell you about Tony, you have to tell me about those scars. My pain for yours. It’s only fair.”

  His shoulders slumped. She was asking a lot, and by the look on her face she knew it. For some reason she still felt the need to bait him, to get him angry enough to walk out. When would she realize he wasn’t going anywhere, at least not at the moment? Nothing she said was going to chase him away. He wanted to be with her. It was the only reason he hadn’t walked away when he’d had the chance. It wasn’t about protecting her, or bringing her back to her family. Not anymore. She fascinated him, and he had to know all he could learn about her.

  So he relented even though instinct warned him it might be a huge mistake. He didn’t let most people into his world, especially not human women with a penchant for drugging men and tying them up. But if she needed his story in order to start to trust him, he’d give it to her. “Deal.”

  “Thank you.”
For the first time since he’d known her, she offered him a genuine smile. But it was gone in the next second, when she started relating her story. “I met Tony back in Stone Harbor, before everything in my family went wrong. I was eighteen, he showered me with attention. My family hated him, and at the time when I just wanted to get away from all their craziness he seemed like the perfect solution. So I moved in with him and deserted my family. What can I say? I was a stupid kid. I fell for him, and he destroyed my sister’s life.”

  He wanted to tell her that he saw Ellie once in a while, and she didn’t look destroyed at all. In fact the middle Holmes sister, Charlotte, assured him that Ellie was perfectly content with her new existence. Even more than content. He knew for a fact that she was, but Becca hadn’t seen her and she apparently refused to accept what everyone else understood to be true.

  Ellie had a family. A mate and a pretty terrific little boy. One Becca would fall in love with the second she saw him. He smiled as an idea struck. Maybe her feelings for her sister weren’t the bridge to bring Becca back to her family. Maybe that bridge was Aidan.

  He took her hand. “Aidan’s beautiful. Do you want to see what he looks like?”

  “No. Absolutely not. I have no interest in him whatsoever.” She pulled her hand out of his grasp and turned away, but turned back again in the next second. “Do you have a picture?”

  “Ellie gave me one to show you. In case you were a little bit curious.”

  “I’m not. I have no reason to be curious.” A hint of a smile drifted across her lips. “But you might as well show it to me anyway. I know enough about you to know you won’t back off until I do what you want, so go ahead and take it out. I guess I could have a quick look. Then maybe you’ll stop pestering me.”

  He held back a laugh, knowing she wouldn’t appreciate it, and stood long enough to pull his wallet out of his pocket. He fished out the small picture of Aidan sitting on Ellie’s lap and handed it to Becca.

  Her soft sigh echoed through the silence in the room. “He’s beautiful.”

  “I told you.” He settled back onto the couch, an unfamiliar warmth swelling in his gut.

  “He doesn’t look like a Panthicenos.”

  “Did you expect him to? Do Ellie and Eric?” Panthicenos could assume human form, and most had adopted that form in their daily lives, only making the shift to their true form when necessary.

  She shrugged. “Honestly, I don’t know what I expected. Not this. He looks just like Eric.”

  “Do you want to give your sister a call?”

  She nodded, but then shook her head. “Later. She’s waited this long. I’m sure she can wait a little longer. I think you owe me a story first.”

  He folded his wallet, leaned forward and stuffed it back into his pocket. She wasn’t going to make this easy for him. And once he started confessing, he was in for the whole thing. Though there were certain details of his past that she didn’t need to know. Those truths he’d keep to himself—now, and forever.

  “Just remember—you asked for it.”

  “Please. I’m not a child, and I’m not weak. I can handle it.”

  “When I was young, I had to make the same choice Kel has to. But I waited too long, and I got a little out of control. I hurt people, did some really bad things, and I got myself into trouble. Do you know what an Aparasei is?”

  She nodded. “I’ve heard the name.”

  “They’re bad creatures. Some of the worst there are. I got tangled up with one when I should have known better. They don’t have very forgiving natures.”

  “That’s how you got the scars?”

  He nodded. “Fifteen lashes with a poisoned whip. That’s why the scars are still there. They weren’t given a chance to properly heal. It’s been centuries and I can still feel each one in my dreams. I wanted to die when it was happening, and in the weeks it took my body to recover, but I wasn’t that lucky.”

  “I’m glad you didn’t.”

  Her voice was soft, but willful, and it brought a smile to his face. She cared, too, though she’d probably refuse to admit it until someone forced it out of her. They had that much in common, the two of them. Both stubborn until the end.

  “Why did you get into a mess like that?” Becca asked.

  “I’d been stupid in my early years, thought there was a time I could deny the vampire part of me. I tried to settle into a relatively normal life, got married and Elizabeth got pregnant. She and the baby died in childbirth.”

  He turned away and Becca moved closer, putting her arm over his shoulder. She leaned in and pressed a tender kiss to his cheek. “I’m so sorry, Wil. I didn’t realize.”

  “It’s fine. It was centuries ago. Nothing I can do about it now.” It was the truth. The pain had faded to a dull ache long ago, replaced mostly by guilt. Guilt at allowing the pregnancy to happen instead of taking precautions. Guilt at marrying her in the first place. If he’d just left her alone, he might have saved her life.

  They sat in silence for a little while until Becca moved away. “Is there anything I can do?”

  He pushed away the lingering sadness, sadness that had become a part of him but hadn’t controlled his life for too long to remember. “Actually, there is.”

  “What’s that?”

  “Call your sister.”

  * * * * *

  Becca puffed out a breath. Leave it to Wil to take a terrible story and use it to his favor. She shook her head, trying to fight the aggravation building up inside her—and trying even harder to fight the affection. Affection she didn’t want, didn’t need, and could most certainly live without. But the more she tried to fight it, the more it battered at her. It was just a matter of time before it was too late to fight anymore. Maybe she’d already reached that point and just didn’t know it yet.

  She softened her gaze. It did no one any good for her to continue holding her grudge against Wil. He was only trying to help, in his own delusional way, and the least she could do was let him. It had been too long since she’d spoken to anyone in her family. As twisted and strange as they were, she missed them. And she’d missed out on seeing enough of her nephew’s life. It was time to try fixing things. Wil had known it from the start. It had just taken him this long to convince her.

  Maybe things weren’t beyond repair. It would take some labor, but for the first time in three years she could honestly say she was willing to work on it. She let out a breath heavy with frustration.

  “Okay, jerk. If that’s the way you want it, fine. I’m not going to sit here and argue with you any more. Call her. I’ll talk to her, but I’m not making any promises.”

  He smiled, pulled his cell phone out and dialed. A few seconds and a mumbled greeting later he handed the phone to her. “Play nice with the other children, sweetheart.”

  She stuck her tongue out at him and turned away. “Hi Ellie.”

  “Rebecca Louise, what do you think you’re doing worrying me like this? It’s been years. The least you could have done was call and let me know you were okay.”

  Becca leaned back against the couch, closed her eyes and sighed. This was going to be one hell of a long conversation. And she wouldn’t even be able to get a word in.

  Five minutes later, Ellie finally stopped berating her long enough to take a breath. “So, tell me what you’ve been up to for three years. And let me tell you, this had better be damned good.”

  “I don’t even know where to start.”

  “How is Wil treating you? Are you okay?”

  “He’s fine.” Her face flamed even as she said the words. He was fine, that was the truth. Just thinking about him brought to mind all sorts of fantasies she’d never before imagined. Ones she wouldn’t dare share with Ellie.

  “Oh really?” A long pause stretched between them. “Just how well are you two getting along?”

  “We aren’t. We fight all the time.”

  “In bed or out?”

  “Out. In bed we get along just fine.” Too late she rea
lized her words, but she couldn’t pull them back. Ellie was already laughing.

  “Imagine that. You’ve spent the past three years trying to avoid vampires, and now you’re falling for one.”

  “Impossible. I’ve only known the guy for two days.”

  “That’s enough. I’m telling you, sometimes it doesn’t take much more than that.”

  “Whatever.”

  She didn’t dare tell Ellie how their first time in bed had happened. She’d never live it down.

  “Wil’s a good guy,” Ellie told her. “Despite his insistence that he isn’t. I know he’ll be good to you.”

  It was then that all the pieces of the puzzle slid into place. Becca had to give her sister credit. She was good. Sometimes a little too good. “You set this up, didn’t you?”

  Ellie was silent for a moment too long. “Why would I do that?”

  Her tone reeked of lies.

  “That was a stupid idea. Did he tell you I almost killed him?”

  Ellie laughed. “Sweetie, Wil doesn’t kill easily. Ask him to tell you about the scars on his back sometime, when you’ve known him a little better. You’ll understand what I mean.”

  “He already told me.”

  “He did? Well then. Case closed. Are you coming home soon? Eric and I would really love for you to visit.”

  Or move back. The words were unspoken, but definitely there in her tone. The thing that surprised Becca was that the idea didn’t make her want to run screaming in the other direction.

  “I’ll come visit, but I’m still not sure when.” She sighed. “Ellie?”

  “Yes?”

  “I miss you.”

  “Miss you, too. Tell Wil I said thank you. And tell him I owe him one hell of a big, huge favor.”

  Yeah right. He wouldn’t get thanks from her, even if it did come from someone else. “I’ll talk to you soon, Ellie.” She disconnected the call and turned to him, ready for his gloating expression.

  But he wasn’t gloating. He was fast asleep.

  Chapter Seven

  The first thing Wil noticed when he woke up was Becca sitting next to him on the couch.