Gypsy: Sons of Sangue

by Patricia A. Rasey

  Kimber.

  Tamera stomped on the brake and the truck slid to stop, throwing gravel beneath the tires. That’s it. Her perfect opportunity to make up her sins to Anton. Putting the truck into reverse, she backed out of the drive, hit asphalt, and headed for the only other house on the short strip of road. It had to be Kimber’s. The woman had walked to Anton’s the day she was being all neighborly and stopped to deliver a freshly baked pie, catching Tamera in nothing but a towel as she was about to take a shower.

  A half mile down the road, Tamera turned into the short cement drive and put the truck into park before the opened garage door. To her luck, a small blue Ford Fusion sat inside. To the left of the drive, steps led up to a wraparound, white-painted porch. Tamera took a quick look in the rearview mirror, pulled back her hair and used a band on her wrist to make quick work of a bun. Tamera opened the creaking door and exited the truck, taking the steps up to the porch. The inside door stood open. The screen door blocked out the bugs while allowing the nice evening breeze to filter through. A side table lamp illuminated the living area of what looked like a very nice, well-kept home. She couldn’t help but wonder what Kimber did for a living. Her salary must be decent to be able to afford the lovely home on her own.

  Tamera raised her hand and knocked on the wooden frame. She heard “Just a minute,” coming from somewhere within the interior. Shortly thereafter, Kimber rounded the corner of another doorway, dish towel in hand. A sudden frown told Tamera she no doubt remembered her from Anton’s.

  Kimber stopped in front of the screen, not inviting Tamera in. “May I help you? Is everything okay with Anton?”

  “He’s fine … or so I’m told,” Tamera was quick to add. Talk about uncomfortable. She had a lot to make up for. “Can I come in?”

  The large-breasted brunette looked at her wearily, as if she debated on sending Tamera away, then stood back and opened the door. “Why don’t you have a seat and I’ll get us some fresh iced tea. You do like tea?”

  Tamera almost chuckled. Nope. It wouldn’t quench her thirst. “No. Thank you. I appreciate your kindness. But feel free to get one for yourself.”

  The woman looked at her oddly, no doubt still wondering why she had come calling. Tamera walked across the highly polished wooden floors and took a seat in an over-stuffed seat by the door. The house was decorated in the old farm style, neat and orderly, and very clean. Tamera thought about Anton and how he seemed to drop clothes wherever he took them off. No doubt, someone as tidy as Kimber would be at odds with him, having to constantly pick up after the blond vamp.

  Tugging on her earlobe, uneasy as hell, Tamera waited for Kimber’s return. The sound of ice cubes hitting the glass carried to her ear from the kitchen just beyond the doorway. Kimber returned to the living room, set her glass on a stand by the sofa, then sat, her cool gaze landing back on Tamera.

  “To what do I owe the pleasure?”

  Tamera knew the poor dear was being polite and she would have rather been anywhere than sitting here having a conversation with someone she obviously found distasteful. “I fear I owe you an apology.”

  Kimber leaned back, crossing one trim leg over the other. “You live with Anton. I get it. You don’t need another woman bringing by pie. It’s I who owes you an apology. I had no idea.”

  “If you don’t mind my asking, what is it you do for a living?” Tamera couldn’t help herself. The woman was far too polite when she had no reason at all to be nice.

  “I’m the head librarian at Florence Library.”

  Well, that certainly explained her aloof demeanor. She was alone every day with a bunch of books. “You read a lot?”

  “I do.” Kimber cleared her throat. “Forgive me for saying so, but I fail to see how any of this has to do with Anton.”

  “Sorry.” Tamera grimaced. “My nosy nature kicked in.”

  “What is it you do?”

  “I don’t have a job at the moment.”

  Tamera hadn’t ever really needed one, even though she had enjoyed her past job working as a journalist. Her parents had been wealthy enough to help her through. She supposed that wouldn’t earn her any brownie points with a self-sufficient woman like Kimber. Tamera had been an only child and her parents had made sure she was well-provided for.

  One of her brows rose. “You’ve never held a job?”

  “I was a journalist for a time. I left the job some months ago. Life was complicated, so I took a break. My parents own a small mom-and-pop type store, where I worked as a teen. My mother’s father was quite wealthy. When he passed, they inherited a great deal of money and real estate.”

  Tamera’s face heated. She shouldn’t be embarrassed for her upbringing, and yet sitting in front of someone like Kimber who seemed to judge her, she was.

  “So now you allow Anton to pay your bills?”

  Ouch. How the hell had this gotten turned against her? Tamera had nothing but good intentions of helping Anton and smoothing things over with his neighbor. She supposed her rudeness a few days prior was the culprit.

  “I assure you, I don’t need Anton’s money. My grandfather also left a large trust fund in my name.” Tamera smoothed a hand down her jean-clad leg, then looked back at Kimber. “Look, what I’m trying to tell you, Kimber, is Anton and I aren’t together. We never were.”

  “It’s none of my business.” Kimber’s icy expression cracked, just enough Tamera knew she was more than interested in Anton’s relationship status.

  “Regardless. I moved in with Anton temporarily, and only because”—Tamera tugged at her ear again—“well, it’s complicated. Things had gone incredibly south with my…”

  Her what? She didn’t even know how to describe her relationship with Grayson.

  “Gypsy and I had a fight.”

  “The man who lived with Anton?”

  “One and the same. To make a long story short, Gypsy moved back to his home where I was staying. I needed a place to live. Anton opened his door to me.”

  Kimber’s lips raised in a ghost of a smile. “He would. He’s kind that way.”

  “I’m moving out, Kimber. Anton will once again have the big farmhouse to himself.”

  The slender woman shifted in her seat. “Why exactly are you telling me this?”

  Yes, indeed. Why? “Because I got the impression there was something going on between the two of you the other day.”

  Kimber fidgeted in her seat, looking anywhere but at Tamera. “We’re friends. Nothing more.”

  Wasn’t that Kimber’s exact parting words to Anton? Tamera wasn’t about to bring up the fact she had overheard Anton’s remark about fucking her once.

  “I’m here because I wanted to apologize for being such a bitch that day. I had no reason to be when you were nothing but nice.”

  Tamera could see by the way Kimber looked at her, she didn’t trust many. She no doubt wondered at Tamera’s true intentions of being here. Finally, she said, “Apology accepted.”

  She thought about the last time she had seen Anton. He had come home smelling like another woman. When she asked him about it, he had easily brushed her off. “Have you seen Anton recently?”

  A look of surprise crossed her porcelain features. “Not since the day I brought him the pie. Why?”

  “No reason.” Leaving Tamera wondering who he had been with. “I haven’t heard from him, and was worried.”

  “Is he in some kind of trouble?”

  “No. I don’t think so, but I think Anton could probably use a friend.”

  Her gaze brightened. Pretend as she might, Kimber was more than interested in the blond vampire. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

  Tamera smiled, hoping she had made up her wrongs to Anton, even if it were in a small way. “I think I’ve overstayed my welcome. I appreciate you hearing me out.”

  “No problem. Thank you for your apology.”

  Both women stood and headed for the opened door. Tamera turned just shy of opening the screen. “I haven’t heard from B
lo … um, Anton in a couple of days. If you would happen to see him, could you tell him to please get a hold of me?”

  “Why not call?”

  “I’ve tried. He won’t answer or return my calls.”

  “Is he okay?”

  “Gypsy’s spoken to him. He says he’s fine.”

  She nodded. “Then I’ll be sure to tell him should I run into him.”

  “Thank you.” Tamera turned, walked out the door, and down the three steps to the sidewalk leading back to Anton’s truck.

  If Kimber paid attention to anything at all, Tamera hoped it was the part about Anton needing a friend. She had no idea what was going on with him, or why he wasn’t returning her phone calls. Tamera would like to believe all was fine with him, just as Grayson had said, but something told her Anton wasn’t being one hundred percent truthful. If she couldn’t get to Anton, she hoped the cute little brunette could.

  Chapter 23

  Grayson sat on a stool by the bar, back at the clubhouse. Alexander and Kane sat beside him, while Kaleb stood behind. The three men shared in a joke Grayson had somehow missed as his mind focused on a certain redhead, wondering if she had encountered Anton on her mission to retrieve her things. His stomach churned at the thought of the big vampire attempting to sway her to his way of thinking. Then there was the player in him who worried if he had made the right decision after all. Eternity was a very long time.

  Lord knew his libido was onboard, but what of his heart?

  Tamera made him feel things, care about things, he hadn’t known he missed until she had come crashing into his life with the force of a locomotive. Now he could hardly imagine his life without her in it, without her in his bed. His mind drifted back over the past several hours and the way she made his blood run hot. He had fucked her in every way imaginable, and yet he couldn’t wait to slide between her athletic thighs again.

  Hell, he got semi-hard just sitting here thinking about it.

  “Isn’t that right, Gypsy?” Kaleb laughed, not realizing for a second Grayson hadn’t heard a moment of their conversation.

  To save the questions, he nodded. “Absolutely.”

  The three went back to talking, laughing and throwing back whiskeys while Grayson toyed with his glass. Suzi had taken baby Stefan and headed for Cara’s to spend some female bonding time with her sister-in-law. He supposed living with three male vampires could be trying at times. For that reason alone, she would be thrilled to hear of Tamera’s return.

  The women, not one to keep their opinions to themselves, had made it known they rooted for Anton where Tamera’s fate had been concerned, hoping she would wind up with the better of the two vamps in the end. Not that Grayson could argue. Anton was indeed the better man. Unfortunately for them, Tamera had preferred the more wild, obnoxious of the two. Why the hell she had, he had no clue. He certainly hadn’t given her reason to. If anything, he had done everything to push her in Anton’s direction. For once in his godforsaken life, though, he wasn’t about to look a gift horse in the mouth or the precious gift she had given him.

  “I love you, you fool. I think I have from the day you walked into my parents’ store and offered to be Suzi’s and my entertainment.”

  Grayson couldn’t remember a time when he had heard those three little words aimed at him. In truth, he had thought himself unlovable. Maybe the reason he preferred to fuck women in pairs. Not to keep them from falling for him, but to keep his heart from getting tangled up in the mess. When Tamera had spoken them, it was like the walls erected around his heart began crumbling away. He felt Tamera’s love, and frankly, he liked it. A lot. He couldn’t keep the smile creeping up from his face.

  “What has you grinning like a fool?” Kaleb asked, drawing his attention. “I swear you haven’t been listening to a word we’ve said. What did Tamera do? Pledge her love to Anton, setting you free?”

  “I think you all might’ve preferred that.” Grayson chuckled. He traced the condensation on his glass caused from the ice in his whiskey. “I’m sure she would’ve been better for it. Instead, for some unknown reason she still chose me.”

  “Chose you?” Alexander turned on his bar stool and looked him square in the eye, his gaze incredulous. “I thought you had the decision to make. You made it, bro. You gave her to Anton. So how the hell can she choose you?”

  He cleared his throat. Grayson hadn’t considered the fact the men might be less than thrilled with Tamera and the mess she had created. “That’s where I need your blessing. All of you.”

  “What’s on your mind, Gypsy?” Kane asked.

  “I want to petition your grandfather to return Tamera as my mate.”

  Kane scratched his head. “You don’t say. Hell, I thought you, of all people, would be too glad to be rid of her. It wasn’t all that long ago you seemed to despise her. What changed?”

  He sighed heavily. “Because I can’t seem to get her out of my head, dude. Like she crawled in there and took root.”

  Kaleb whistled, grabbed the bottle of whiskey and poured them all, aside from Alexander, a fresh glassful of the amber liquid. “What the hell has gotten into you? I thought you had to spread the love. I believe those were your exact words a couple of nights back.”

  “I was wrong.”

  “Then I was correct.” Kaleb laughed. “You do have it bad.”

  Not about to become the butt of one of Kaleb’s jokes or feed the sarcasm, Grayson asked, “Do I have all your blessings? You know I wouldn’t ask if I wasn’t serious. I didn’t come to this decision lightly. I’ve had over nine months.”

  “Exactly,” Alexander spoke up again. “And up to a few nights ago, you still wanted nothing to do with her. Hell, you tossed her ass out. Now, in a couple of nights’ time, you decide you what? Can’t live without her? She must be some grade A pussy.”

  Grayson steeled his jaw to keep his fangs in his gums as he held onto his glass tightly, not wanting to bust a good friend in the mouth for his disrespect.

  “Which brings us to,” Kane began, “why the hell you were fucking her anyway? She didn’t belong to you, Gypsy. You gave her to Anton. What do you think Anton will say given you were sticking your dick in his mate? As an MC, we have to take all our members into consideration.”

  “Mate or no, Blondy wasn’t fucking Tamera, for reasons of his own. I have no idea why, he never hid his feelings toward her from me. Blondy wanted her in his bed. Why not take the opportunity then?”

  “Tamera told you she and Blondy never fucked?” Kaleb asked.

  Grayson nodded. “Blondy confirmed it when he gave me his blessing to ask Vlad for her return as my mate.”

  “You talked to him?” Kane asked, looking concerned about Anton, apparently not knowing his whereabouts either.

  “On the phone.”

  “Did he say where he was at?”

  “No.” Grayson took a slug of his whiskey. “He hung up before I had a chance to ask. I thought maybe one of you would have seen him.”

  “Not in a couple of days,” Kaleb said. “Not like him.”

  Grayson scratched his stubble. “Maybe Tamera will find him at the farmhouse when she stops to retrieve her things.”

  “She coming here?” Kaleb was quick to ask.

  “If I have your blessing.”

  “And if you don’t?”

  “Then Tamera and I will find another place to live. I’ll still petition Vlad regardless, but I’d rather have all of you support my decision.”

  Kaleb looked at Kane, then Alexander. “Well?”

  Kane nodded. “He has mine. I’d even be willing to call Vlad.”

  Alexander looked less than pleased. Grayson wasn’t sure how he’d answer. He took in a deep breath, then leveled his gaze on Grayson. “You love her, man?”

  “I think I do, Xander.” Hell, his heart hurt at the thought of being denied her. “I haven’t told her as much, but I’d rather live with her than spend the rest of my life regretting my decision to live without her.”

>   “You cut your hair and shave for her, man?” Alexander sat back, a grin itching at the corner of his lips. “Because I haven’t seen that ugly mug in over nine months.”

  “Coming from GQ,” Grayson grumbled. “It was time. Damn beard itched like crazy.”

  Alexander laughed, not offended by Grayson’s comment in the least.

  “I agree with Kane,” Kaleb finally said. “I say if you’re willing to admit you were wrong, then you have my blessing as well. Not like we need to vote on the damn thing, anyway. Vlad says she’s mated. We just need to agree with who.”

  “I guess if Blondy can give you his blessing, I won’t be the asshole cock blocking you.” Alexander picked up his iced tea. “I say we drink to taking Gypsy off the market.”

  “Salute.” Kane and Kaleb followed suit.

  They all downed their whiskey while Alexander took a sip of his tea.

  “What is it with you, Xander, and your contempt for Jack anyway?” Grayson asked. “It’s not like you’ll be killing your liver.”

  “Shit tastes nasty.”

  “All the more for us.” Kaleb laughed, held up his just filled glass again and took a drink. “Now, I guess it’s time to call Gramps.”

  “The exact reason I’ll be doing the calling.” Kane shook his head with a laugh. “We don’t need you setting the tone with Vlad. Grayson doesn’t need help getting on his bad side.”

  Grayson scrubbed a hand down his face. “I think I did a bang up job of that all on my own.”

  His three MC brothers chuckled. Grayson might have joined in the merriment, had the acid in his stomach not soured the liquor he had just consumed. Maybe he ought to beg Kane and Kaleb for their presence when facing the ancient ruler, who was not known for his mercy. He grimaced. Nope. He needed to man up. He got himself into this mess, he’d very well get himself out of it.

  “One last thing, Viper. About Vlad…”