by Kallysten
Lisa battled with herself at his touch. If she stepped away from it, he would think she was afraid of him. If she stayed where she was, he would believe she welcomed his caress. In the end, she shifted her body but kept her ground. Immediately, she could see his gray eyes narrow and darken, a sure sign he was displeased.
"As insolent as ever,” he said. “You never learn, do you?"
She raised her chin. If he already thought her insolent, there was no reason to play at being meek. “Isn't that why you gave up on me, Sire?"
If he heard the old resentment and anger she injected into the word, he didn't show it. “Ah, but I never gave up on you. You'll never stop being mine. Don't you know that, Childe? Don't you see that, in the end, you'll come back to me, just like Leo did? Sooner or later, you too will be the vampire you were supposed to be."
Lisa blinked rapidly twice, surprise rendering her speechless. Leo had gone back to Nicholas? Leo was killing? She couldn't believe it. He would have told her if he had.
"Of course he did,” Nicholas pushed, correctly interpreting her wide-eyed shock. “And without your interference, he's been a much better Childe to me. A much better vampire. Much happier, too, now that he isn't denying what he is anymore."
Finally shaking off her surprise, Lisa snorted at the oft-heard argument and didn't bother to try to refute it. She wasn't denying she was a vampire when she refused to kill. Blood made her a vampire, not death.
"And he's so happy,” she said derisively, “that he returned to me the instant we met again."
A flash of anger crossed Nicholas’ features, twisting his grin into a snarl. “You're lying!"
"You know I'm not. Didn't you say you were looking for him? Well, you can stop because he's here to stay."
The urge to say more and gloat nagged at her, but she managed to stop herself before she could reveal too much. Nicholas was very good at using scraps of information to his advantage. He was now looking at her with an intense, dark expression that drew Lisa in. She should have known better than to look straight at him. She was finding it harder to think suddenly.
"You and Leo,” he said slowly, in voice soft but forceful, “you are mine. Running off to play childish games does not change that. You'll always come back to me in the end."
"I won't,” Lisa tried to argue, but her words sounded hollow even to her.
"Won't you? You're here now. Be still."
The murmur was barely more than a puff of air on Lisa's cheek. When had he moved so close again? Hands on her waist guided her backward until there was a wall against her back, solid and supporting her, yet doing little to help the sensation of vertigo slowly creeping up on her. She tried to fight it back, and that helped, just a little. Her dress left her back bare, and she clung to the sensation of brick or cement scraping her flesh, trying to regain her bearings. Her thoughts cleared enough that she realized that Nicholas was undoing the clasp of the necklace holding the front of her dress up, a couple seconds before he bared her breasts. She tried to bring her hands up and cover herself, but they remained pressed against the wall, however hard she tried to move. She had always hated being put under thrall—and hated it even more that she had never managed to break through it even when, like now, the thrall was light enough that she realized what was happening.
"Always my Childe, Beth. And don't you forget it."
The pain of the bite exploded through Lisa, radiating from the side of her breast until she could feel nothing else. She closed her eyes tight and didn't have to wait long before Nicholas’ mouth lifted from her skin, then bit again, just far enough from the first bite that the pain redoubled while feeling entirely new. Her mind was clear enough now to remember countless of other double bites she had witnessed or experienced from Nicholas. Still, she continued to be trapped in her own body, unable to push her Sire back. Would she have done it, though, if she had been able to? As much as she felt alienated from him, something deep inside her, as deep as the instinct to bite and feed, continued to claim she owed him respect, and, if nothing else, blood.
"So sweet,” he rumbled as his mouth trailed upward, following her throat and finally pressing against her lips for a brief kiss, wet with her blood. “As sweet as your prey."
She licked her own lips and opened her eyes. Nicholas was grinning, as though amused by a private joke.
"Go, then,” he said, mocking. “And tell Leo I want a proper goodbye. If he's really leaving me, that is."
She watched him go, hearing his steps in her mind long after he had disappeared past the corner of a street. It took her a few more moments after that to gather the top of her dress with shaky hands and fasten it around her neck again. She forced herself not to look around as she did. She was alone, and the feel of eyes upon her was no more than a figment of her imagination. Still, she hurried back to the club, faster than she had walked earlier, all thoughts about how nice the night was vanishing from her mind.
* * * *
For a couple of hours, Leo dozed off, not completely asleep as he waited for Lisa to come back. At last, the soft click of a key unlocking the front door woke him up completely. He didn't move a muscle—Brett's chest was tight against his back, his breathing regular against Leo's neck, and he would probably have awakened if Leo had moved—but he listened to her moving around the apartment. The bathroom first, and the muffled sound of water for a few minutes. Then slow, barefoot steps to the bedroom. She paused on the threshold, then came forward and slipped into bed, her back to Leo's front. He threw his arm over her waist and drew her closer. Water still clung to her skin, and she felt warm, although not nearly as warm as Brett. The water of her shower had to have been scalding.
"Where were you?” he murmured as low as he could manage, happy when Brett didn't stir or appear to wake up.
"Out."
The word was so cutting that Leo thought she wouldn't say anything more, but after a few seconds, she drew in a deep breath and added:
"You didn't tell me he was in town."
Something twisted inside of Leo, the feeling as unpleasant as the disappointment in Lisa's voice. He had known she would find out, eventually, but he had tried not to think about what would happen then.
"You didn't ask,” he replied, conscious of the weakness of his argument.
She didn't even acknowledge he had spoken. “You've been with him all this time?"
Leo resigned himself to the inevitable. She would keep asking questions until she was satisfied, and trying to deflect them would not help him.
"Not all of it,” he sighed. “A few years."
She tensed against him, her body so rigid suddenly that Leo wanted to draw back his arm because his touch was so clearly unwanted. He forced himself to remain still, however, Brett's warmth at his back reminding him that it was more than Lisa he would lose if his answers were found lacking.
After a moment, she turned so that she was facing him. The only source of light in the room was the glow of the alarm clock on the nightstand, but it was sufficient for Leo to see the gleam in her eyes. He had rarely seen her so determined.
"I won't let you ruin what I have here. I won't let you, either of you, destroy my life."
Had he been in her place, Leo would have been as protective of what she had—the club, as much prey and blood as she could want, Brett. It was easy to see why she was so upset. He only wished he could reassure her.
"Hurting you is the last thing I want,” he murmured, and tried to put as much strength into his words as he could summon. “If I have to play nice to be here, I can play nice. I want to play nice."
He could feel her gaze on him, heavy, piercing, evaluating every last bit of him and passing judgment. He tried to remain as still as he could even though the intensity of her eyes made him want to squirm. He had done too many things she disapproved of. Could she believe that he didn't intend to continue on that path, not as long as he was with her and Brett?
She must have, at least, given him the benefit of the doubt, beca
use when she spoke next, it was to ask about their Sire.
"What about him? What does he want?"
His first instinct was to say he had no idea, but that wasn't really true. Nicholas’ plans, in any town he visited, were always the same; to enjoy himself, and feed on the most succulent prey. She knew that, though, just as well as Leo did.
"Returning to Haventown was my idea. He humored me by coming along.” He breathed in deeply, hesitating for a second before he asked, more quietly: “What did he tell you?"
She snorted, and her voice took on a bitter tint. “You mean, other than I am a disgrace to the name of vampire?"
Without thinking, Leo reached out to cup her face in his hand, gently stroking his thumb across her cheek.
"I'm so sorry."
Too many times, he had heard their Sire gripe at Lisa, mock her, taunt her, hurl insults that were meant to enrage her, and have her demon step to the forefront. Nicholas had never understood that she wasn't battling her demon, when she refused to kill. She was fully at peace with herself and with what she believed was the right thing to do. It had taken a long time for Leo to understand that, and when he finally had, it had been like discovering a brand new woman.
She covered his hand with hers, touching him for the first time since she had slipped into the bed.
"It's all right.” He could hear the smile in her words, even if it didn't cross her lips. “I haven't cared about what he said for a long time. You know that."
"I do. I wish I were as strong as you are."
That was one thing that hadn't changed in the entire time Leo had known her, whether she called herself Beth or Lisa. He had always wished he could be just a little more like her.
"You are. You're here, now, and not with him."
Leo wanted to laugh suddenly. It didn't take much strength of will to want to be snug and warm between Brett and Lisa. But then she explained what she meant, and the laughter died in his throat.
"You have to tell him you're not staying with him anymore. I told him tonight, but he wants to hear it from you."
In truth, Leo wasn't surprised. Part of him had known he would need to confront his Sire and announce his decision to him. He simply hadn't wanted to think about it until now.
"I guess he would. I'll go see him tomorrow night, get it over with."
Seconds passed in silence, until she asked, her voice so expressionless that he knew she was keeping a tight control on herself: “Want me to come with you?'
It couldn't have been easy for her to offer, and Leo was even more thankful for it.
"Thanks. It'll be easier if you're there."
It was Lisa's turn to cup his face and stroke it soothingly. “Everything will be fine, you'll see."
Chapter 6
The bedroom window faced north, ensuring that no direct sunlight could fall through it. Even so, when moving in Lisa had covered it with heavy drapes that she and Brett never pulled back; the view behind them was too bland to bother. With just a faint frame of light surrounding them, the drapes seemed black rather than dark green. If she had turned around, Lisa could have known what time it was exactly, but judging by that familiar frame, she imagined it was between eight and nine in the morning. Much too early for her to wake up, but now that she had drifted out of not so pleasant dreams, she knew she wouldn't fall asleep again for a while.
Leo had left the bed and the apartment not an hour after she had returned. She figured their talk had rattled him as much as it had her. As soon as he had slipped away, Brett had closed the gap his absence had left, curling against Lisa. She doubted he had even awakened, his body searching by instinct for the contact it was missing. She could understand the feeling.
Lightly, gently, she ran her fingers along his side and back, feeling his warmth against her fingertips. He shivered, burrowing closer to her even as he mumbled.
"What time ‘s it?"
"Early. You don't need to get up quite yet."
He made a token sound of protest that Lisa ignored, her fingers playing back down his back. His own hand started running up and down her side, halfway between petting and caressing.
"Did you have fun with Leo?” she murmured against his forehead.
At the mention of Leo, she could feel his cock hardening against her leg, answering her far better than any words could have. She laughed soundlessly.
"I'm glad. I knew you two would hit it off."
He raised his head and mock-glared at her, his efforts doing nothing more than pulling another chuckle out of her. He couldn't hold the pretense and broke into a wide grin.
"Always get your way, don't you, lovely?"
He bent down to cover her mouth with his, gently pushing at her shoulder until she lay on her back. From her lips, he traveled over her jaw and down her neck, pressing light kisses and nibbling softly.
"Not always,” she mumbled, “but often enough."
She kept her fingers threaded in his hair as he continued to caress her with his mouth. The touch was so gentle, so loving, it both warmed her and made her want to feel more of him. She opened her legs for him, and he fell between them, warm and snug, his cock hard against her thigh.
His lips were skimming her breast now, and she could feel her nipples tightening in anticipation. She resisted the urge to guide his mouth where she wanted it, letting him follow his own pace, but she couldn't help protesting when he stopped abruptly.
"What..."
She raised her head up to look at him, and understood at once what had stopped him. His eyes and fingers were hovering over the fresh double bite mark that scarred her left breast. He looked at her, questioning her with his eyes. Her hand shaking a little, she reached toward his neck and brushed her fingers against the mark there.
"We match now."
She knew he was going to believe Leo had bit her since she was implying as much, and she felt bad about misleading him. It was better than lying to him, however, and she hadn't done that since realizing he was more than another game to her. Telling him the entire truth in this case was not an option; it would lead to too many questions about her Sire, and demand answers she didn't have—or couldn't admit to. Brett would never understand why she couldn't say no to Nicholas.
"Hold me?"
The words passed her lips before she could stop them. She bit the inside of her cheek almost hard enough to bleed to keep herself from showing more of the weakness meeting Nicholas after all these years had uncovered. It was too much to hope that Brett wouldn't have noticed, and she could hear his worry and puzzlement in his gentle question.
"Lisa? What's wrong?"
She pushed against his body until he rolled onto his side, following his movement so that she remained against him, then slid down the bed until she could tuck her head beneath his chin.
"Nothing. I just feel ... cold. Just hold me."
Thankfully, he accepted her answer without trying to prod any more. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her tight as he rolled onto his back, pulling her with him. She could feel his chest rising with each breath beneath her cheek, and the rhythm was both soothing and comforting. She closed her eyes tight so she wouldn't cry. She hadn't cried in decades; she refused to start now. Everything would be fine, just like she had told Leo. She would go with him and make sure that Nicholas didn't cause any trouble, and everything would be just fine. It had to be.
* * * *
Even with his arms around Lisa and her light body resting against him, Brett did not go back to sleep. There was too much agitating his mind for him to find peace. There was what he had done and said, what he had been told and had heard. Too much, all at once, to process. If he had known when inviting Leo inside his apartment that so much would happen in just a day ... he would have changed nothing; he was honest enough with himself to realize that.
Loud banging on the front door startled him out of his thoughts.
"What's going on?” Lisa mumbled, her words slurred with sleep.
Brett gently rolled h
er off him and pulled the sheet over her.
"I'll take care of it,” he murmured, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “Sleep."
He picked up his robe from the floor on his way out of the bedroom and closed the door behind him. Three steps took him to the front door. He slipped the robe on and tied the sash at his waist before opening. He wanted to groan when he discovered the two detectives from the previous day on his doorstep.
"Gentlemen,” he said warily. “I'd say it's a pleasure to see you again but I'd be lying. I have a feeling you didn't drop in for a nice chat."
As the previous day, Carson was the first to talk, Ritter remaining just a step back.
"Another body was found, a man this time. We have a Special Enforcer who saw him inside your club."
Brett muttered a curse that had Carson raise an amused eyebrow at him.
"I asked John to call you first if there was anything suspicious. Anything at all."
Ritter nodded. “We talked to him, first thing this morning. He's the one who let us in. He tried to contact you for us, but your phone was apparently out of service."
Raking his fingers through his hair, Brett turned toward the living room. He had disconnected the phone the previous evening, thinking he didn't want to be disturbed while he worked, but he had never gotten around to working, or to turning the phone back on.
"Mr. Andrews? Is your lady friend here? We need to talk to her."
Brett slowly turned back toward them. He didn't like the small smile on Carson's face. There was only one reason why they would want to talk to Lisa, and that was if they considered her a suspect. He couldn't, not for one second, imagine that she had killed anyone, but he didn't think either that the police would question her without a reason.
"Why do you want to see her?"
"Just doing our job, sir.” Ritter wasn't smiling in the least. “Would you get her?"
"Please wait here."
He went to the bedroom and drew the door closed behind him. Lisa groaned when he turned on the lights and pulled a pillow over her head. In other circumstances, it would have made Brett smile. As things were, he felt almost guilty when he sat down on the edge of the bed and rested a hand over her leg.
