by Jenn Windrow
Caleb took a seat in the overstuffed leather chair, fluffed his wings, fixed the cuffs on his shirt, and adjusted his pants before crossing one foot over one knee. Once his primping was done he said, “Would you have left your partner to die if you thought that you were fighting Delano? Would that knowledge have changed your decision or altered your course?”
“No. But I would have been a hell of a lot more prepared.”
“Sometimes knowing everything up front causes fear to make you react differently in a stressful situation.”
“So your lack of communication was for my benefit?”
He waved off my comment. “Do you know that you are the only Assassin who has come close to taking out their mark?” He didn’t wait for my answer before continuing on. “But your success didn’t come without a casualty, did it?”
My stomach clenched, rolled, and then dropped.
I had managed to avoid death by Coleman and the VAU, but somehow I doubted that I’d be that lucky where Caleb was involved. My contract made it clear, the death of a human by my fangs, meant the death of me.
Time to pay for my slip-up.
“It was an accident, totally unintentional.” And for some reason I felt compelled to explain my situation. “Without the blood I was dead. Without the blood everyone in that warehouse would have died. I did what I did and will live with the consequences of my actions.”
Caleb studied my face before answering. “That’s why I went to the council on your behalf and asked for mercy.”
I tilted my head to the side. “You’ve been looking to get rid of me since I started this gig. Why would you ask them to give me a second chance?”
Caleb leaned forward, elbows on his knees. “All the others are struggling and innocent people are dying because of it.”
A tiny voice in my head warned me to tread carefully into this conversation because I wasn’t going to like the outcome. “Your point?”
“We would like you to help out a few of the others, lend your expertise.”
“Why would I want to do that?”
“To be helpful. Not for me, but for the queen.” Eddie perked up at the mention of his daughter.
I tried for my best who-me look, but I only had enough energy for a half-raised eyebrow.
“I’ll take more time off your contract.”
Now he had my attention. “How much?”
He tapped the tip of his nose with his index finger. He had me and he knew it. “Give me an answer and we’ll discuss the terms.”
Great, not only did I have Detective Coleman wanting to use my talents, but now Caleb wanted to loan me out as an assassin-for-hire. When did I become so in demand? On the bright side if I helped Caleb, I get out of this life of servitude faster and I’d be one step closer to getting my soul back.
“Do I get time off for good behavior?”
“I haven’t seen any yet.”
“In that case, I need a few days to think about my new job offer.”
“Then I will leave you to enjoy the rest of your evening.” Caleb stood and waved his hand at Nathan. “But before I go, I have some information on your ghost situation here.”
Nathan turned his gaze away from the television and perked up. “You know how to help me?”
Caleb walked over next to me. He picked up my hand and played with the platinum band on my finger, twirling it around and around. “It seems this simple piece of metal is what bonds the two of you together.”
I pulled my hand from his. “I don’t understand.”
“When Nathan sacrificed himself for you, the combination of his death, and your hands touching created a bond between you. When you wear this band on your finger Nathan is yours to command, he is stuck with you. Now if you were to remove this band.” He grabbed my hand once again and slid the ring off my finger. “Nathan, try to leave.”
Nathan stood in the center of the room, and started to fade away. I waited for the sonic boom that came every time we did this, but it never happened. Instead, the solid spot over his heart turned translucent and then disappeared altogether.
Nathan was gone, without a shaky reentry.
“Holy shit,” I said. “That ring is the reason Nathan hasn’t been able to move on?”
“Such a simple thing.”
Nathan popped back into the room before the conversation moved on any farther. “I just popped over to London. Bloody fantastic.”
Guilt bubbled around my heart. “Nathan, I’m sorry. I had no idea.”
“No sweat, Luv.”
“I guess you’re free now.” I tried to hide the sadness that clouded my words.
Caleb cleared his throat. “There are a few items I must tell you before you make that decision.” He stopped talking to me and turned to Nathan. “It is true that if Alexis takes off the ring you are free to go. Move on. But it won’t be in this world. You will move on completely, and not be allowed back on this realm.”
“Move on where?”
“Heaven. Hell. That is not an answer I can give you. You would find out when you leave for good.”
“I would never see Alexis again?”
“No.” Caleb looked my way. “Not that I see how that would be a problem.” He then continued. “I must tell you this is a one-time offer. If you choose to stay you will be here as long as Alexis is alive.”
I wanted to voice my opinion. I wanted to yell, “No, Nathan, don’t leave.” I wanted to keep him with me. But in the end I have already done enough to him, and it had to be his choice.
Caleb looked at the watch on his wrist. “You have five minutes to make your choice.”
Nathan floated around the room, his fingers steepled in front of his lips. Back and forth, back and forth. Through the furniture, the walls, the doors. In and out of rooms and the elevator. I was relieved he was thinking this over, taking his time to make a decision, but I was also surprised. If the option had been mine, I would have jumped at the opportunity to leave.
He stopped in front of Caleb. “If I stay will I have freedom?”
“If Alexis takes off the ring you will have one hour before you start to fade away completely. After one hour you will be removed from this realm, but you will not enter heaven or hell. Your soul will be gone for good.”
I wasn’t sure I was ready to be responsible for Nathan’s life again. I had complete control over him, and that wasn’t fair. But I also knew I wasn’t ready for him to be gone forever either.
Nathan continued his rotation of the room, before finally settling in front of me. “I love you like a daughter.”
The words showered my innards with a downpour of joy. “I love you too.” But then my heart plummeted at the thought of losing Nathan forever.
He turned to Caleb. “I’m staying.”
My heart flipped. “Are you sure?” I asked.
“Who else can give you relationship advice and keep you and Reaper from tearing each other’s throats out?” He reached out and touched my chin with his finger. “Besides, heaven won’t have me, and I’d be ruling hell in a matter of days. I’d rather stay here and see how things work out with Doctor Hottie.”
Caleb walked towards us. “This decision cannot be undone. Only once Alexis dies or completes her contract will you be free. Do you understand this?”
“I understand. I’m not ready to move on. I missed my China Doll for the two years we were apart. Now that I have her back I’m not letting her go again.”
Caleb looked between the two of us, walked to the coffee table, picked up the ring and slipped it on my finger. “As you wish.” He walked back to the center of the room. “Now I must be off. I will be back soon for your decision.”
“I’ll be counting the hours.” No one could miss the sarcasm in my words.
The angel narrowed his eyes at me. “Why did I get stuck with the biggest pain in the ass of the group?” And with that he left the room in a cloud of smoke.
“Looks like we’re going to be together for a while.” I nudged Natha
n with my shoulder.
“There’s no place I would rather be,” he said, and then added, “unless you include the strip club down the street. How do you feel about giving me some time off?”
I removed the ring and placed it on the table in front of me. “Enjoy your hour.”
Chapter Thirty-Three
For the first time in weeks I was alone. No Nathan to disrupt my peace. No monsters lurking in the shadows that occupied my mind. No worries. It felt good. I was going to enjoy every single minute of this time.
Or I thought I was until the gears on the elevator started whirring. I took a deep breath to find out who was bothering me. Julian. Multiple emotions raced through my body. Excitement. Anger. Nervousness.
We needed to have a conversation about his lies by omission, but I wasn’t sure I was in the right frame of mind to have that talk tonight. I tried to evaluate how I felt about his furrier side before he got to the second floor. Honestly, it wasn’t a big deal that he was werewolf, unless he skipped a dose of his homemade brew and Eddie sensed it. Then I’d have to kill him. That could put a huge kink in our relationship.
The elevator gears stopped and the cage slowly opened. He stood in the center of three walls, in a pair of perfectly tailored linen pants and a cream-colored dress shirt. His grim expression, and lowered eyes let me know he wasn’t sure if he was welcome in or not. I could let him stew, but I didn’t want to.
I stayed on the couch, but motioned for him to enter. “Come on in.”
He stepped into the kitchen and leaned against the kitchen table. “I’m sorry I left the way I did. Things with Julia have been complicated to say the least.”
I smiled, not sure what to say to him. “Are we alone?”
“Nathan has a one hour pass. He’s at the strip club down the street.” I patted the cushion next to me. “It’s just you and me and the pile of secrets between us.”
He took the seat next to me, careful to keep his hands to himself, although I noticed his fingers twitched to touch mine, but he pulled back before he did. “I’m not very trusting by nature, the whole solitary wolf thing. And you being who you are, I just wasn’t sure I could trust you.”
The sad thing was I understood. If I was a supernatural that could hide their ability, I might not trust a vampire whose existence existed on killing my kind.
“You made the serum for yourself?”
He pulled a tube out of his pocket; a black stopper plugged the top. It held a thick orange liquid. “Yes. And Julia.”
I took the tube from his hand, and held it up to my face. I couldn’t smell anything through the glass. “I surmised you are hiding from your pack?”
“We’re hiding from all werewolves.” He paused and let out a frustrated breath. “I take that back. I’m hiding from all werewolves. Julia isn’t.” He took the tube from my hand and placed it on the table in front of us.
“Why?”
“My choices are limited, either hide, lead, or die.”
“Since we’ve had sex, I think I deserve a better explanation than that.”
Julian grabbed a lock of my hair and let the strands slip through his fingers before he settled back into the couch. “Ready for a long story?”
“I’ve got an eternity to hear it.”
“My father was the pack leader of the Chicago pack. For twenty years he led the pack, did the right thing, was fair and honest. When the vampires came out, the pack wanted to step out into the world with them. My father refused. He spoke to the Elders and convinced them that letting society know of our existence would be our downfall. In the end the younger members of the pack felt like my father was too old fashioned to lead the new generation of wolves. Ten of them showed up at our house, ripped through the door and kidnapped my mother.” He sank farther back into the couch and picked at a loose thread on his pants. “They used my mother to control my father. When he showed up to save her, they killed them both. Gunned down with silver bullets to the heart.”
I pulled air between my teeth in a hiss, memories of the death of my own family floating to the surface as he talked about losing his. Looked like Julian and I had more in common than I thought. “They spared you and Julia?”
“We’re only alive because we were in college and our execution would have been too public.”
“What did you do?” I leaned in closer, letting my leg bump into his.
“Pack law dictated that as next in line I was to lead the pack. I was still in college, young, untrained, and not interested, but none of that mattered. It was my right to take over. If the wolves that had killed my parents had been punished, and I felt that it was safe for Julia and me, I would have stepped up. But, I agreed with all the reasons that my father refused to let us come out, and because of that I was still standing in the way of their plans.”
“They have to know by now that it was a horrendous idea for the vampires to come out.” I nudged his shoulder.
He nudged me back. “They do. The subject is now off the table.”
“So why aren’t you leading the pack?”
He slumped back into the couch cushions and let his head fall back on his shoulders. “When I forced Julia and me into hiding, we became an enemy of the pack. Now they want us, well, me, dead for deserting.”
“Who is running the pack now?”
“Officially no one. Until I am defeated in a battle for leadership, I am still leader by law. But for the past four years, the man who orchestrated my family’s death is running things.”
I took the vial of serum off the table and held it in my hand. “You created the serum so you could hide in plain site?”
“I had to find a way to hide our scents from the werewolves. I happen to be a very talented chemist, and was able to create this little gem.” He took the vial from me and swirled the liquid in the test tube. “It’s the only thing that has saved our lives.”
“What happens if they find you?”
“I’m not sure anymore. Death. A Challenge. Full on war.”
“Is he still hunting for you?”
“He’s been quiet for years. But now, thanks to Terrance and Julia, he knows about the serum.” He tossed it back on the table and watched it roll to the edge. “He also knows we still live in the area. According to Julia he is planning on issuing a challenge.”
“I wish you would have told me all of this sooner.”
Julian reached up and touched the underneath of my chin, his soft fingers lingering on my skin, causing a wave of heat to puddle between my thighs. He tilted my head so our eyes met. “I was scared to death the serum wouldn’t work the first time you walked into the morgue. Afraid I had just met my end. I never imagined I would end up falling for you.” He leaned in and kissed me.
His lips warmed mine. His tongue entered my mouth, and found mine in an erotic tango. And just like that all the anger, disappointment and thoughts of secrets vanished.
Heat poured off him through the thick fabric of his shirt, and realized I wanted to feel it on my bare skin. I grabbed the edge of his shirt and pulled it off his head, separating our mouths, but seeking his again the instant the fabric was gone.
He followed suit and removed my shirt, my bra, anything that separated us. His hand cupped my breasts, his finger teased my nipples, and then he bent his head low and took the sensitive flesh between his teeth. Small teasing pulls that sent shivers down my spine.
When I was wrapped in Julian’s arms, all my problems faded away into a sea of skin and sex.
I licked along his neck, stopping just over the pulsing vein. For a second Eddie flared with the smell of the blood rushing under the surface, but instead of biting him I sucked on the skin just over the vein, and felt my lips curl with the groan that escaped his lips.
His hands worked at the zipper on my pants, sliding them down my long legs, and pushing them to the floor. His head roamed lower, teeth grabbing the thin fabric of my thong, and pulling it off. His fingers found their mark, rubbing gently before diving deep bet
ween my folds. I moaned. It felt so good, and I wanted more. Wanted all of him. He must have read my mind because his head crept lower and his mouth replaced his fingers. I moaned again, my body arching. He placed his hand on my stomach.
His tongue darted in and out, he licked, he teased. He was very attentive. So attentive that the orgasm came on hard and fast. Relieving the stress of the past week in the most glorious way.
After the last tremor left my body, he kissed his way up my body, stopping at my neck. “You’re the most amazing woman I have ever met.” He breathed into my ear. Then he entered me, slow and smooth at first, but then found a rhythm and he rode me hard.
That’s one advantage to being a vampire, rough sex was not a problem. He could take me hard and fast, pound me into the ground, and my body could take every second of it. He did. Our bodies fused together. His eyes stared into mine, and for a brief moment they changed from his normal deep blue to the amber of his wolf.
We both had our inner monsters to fight.
My second orgasm came just moments before he growled with his own release.
He tucked me against his body, flesh on flesh, gaze on gaze. His hand pushed my dark waves away from my eyes and tucked it behind my ears. Leaning forward he nipped at my bottom lip, ran his tongue along the soft curve. “I’ve fallen for you. Hard. Think we can make this work?”
“It’s not the most conventional relationship in the world. Beside the whole mixed species thing, one wrong skipped dose of your magic wonder drug and I might end up having to kill you.”
“Let’s hope it never leads to that.”
“Let’s hope,” I mumbled, but deep inside the thought scared the shit out of me. I already off’d Nathan, but he came back to me. I might not be so lucky the second time around. Speaking of Nathan.
I looked at the clock on the wall. “Shit. I’ve got to get the ring back on. Nathan only gets an hour before he fades away to lands unknown.”
Julian stood up and pulled his clothes back on. I watched all this beautiful muscles and perfect skin get covered by cloth and knew I couldn’t wait for the next time I saw him. I followed suit and got dressed. Nathan didn’t need to see what I looked like naked.
