Taken: A Vampire Blood Courtesans Romance

by Kim Faulks

  “That went well,” Xael muttered and watched her inky nails sink back into her body. Her tail dropped, disappearing in the blink of an eye.

  “Did you have to show him like that?” Marcus snapped, wrenching his head toward the gasping human. “Couldn’t you have shifted gradually?”

  “Better that he freaks out now than down the track when we need him,” Xael snapped. “Little fucker can run, I’ll give him that. He’s just not good with momentum.”

  “What the fuck are you people?” Goulding spat. Spit dripped from his open mouth to hit the ground. He swiped his hand across his mouth and looked at us with terror.

  “Well, we’re not wolves. How’s that for a start?

  “Really, Xael? You couldn’t be a little more sympathetic?” Isaiah snapped and held out his hand to the deputy. “We’re not going to hurt you, okay? Don’t freak out.”

  Goulding stared at Isaiah’s outstretched hand and took a step away. His hand fell to the weapon at his hip, one swift motion and the thumb latch disengaged. “Answer my damn question. What the hell are you?”

  Isaiah stopped moving. He dropped his hand, taking one slow breath before answering. “We’re dragons. Shifters, still, but dragons.”

  “Dragons?” the deputy muttered, scanning each one of us. “I thought wolves were it… Dragons. How is that even possible?”

  “If it makes you feel any better we were here before you,” Xael snarled.

  I cringed at my sister’s words, unable to tear myself away from the display. Isaiah turned, piercing her with a stare.

  “Enough with the ‘we were here first’ bitch-fight, Xael, for Goddess’s sake. Can’t you see the poor human’s in shock?”

  “Fine,” my sister snapped and crossed her arms over her chest. “But if he shoots anyone, I hope he shoots you. Serves you fucking right for being so…so…fucking nice.”

  “No one’s going to shoot anyone.”

  Marcus placed his hand on Abrial’s shoulder and stepped closer to the deputy. “Put the gun down, Goulding. You don’t need that here.”

  Goulding’s hand shook, but he made no move to holster his weapon. “Okay, but before I do, I want you to answer one question.”

  Marcus nodded. “Okay.”

  “Where is he? Where’s the Sheriff?”

  No one moved. No one made a sound. The air turned thick. I swallowed as I tried to come up with a lie that didn’t sound like…a lie.

  “We don’t know. The car was here when we got here and we haven’t seen any sign of the Sheriff.”

  I cut my gaze toward Rowen as she shoved her way through. My stomach clenched, tightening like a relentless fist as she continued. “Marcus saved me from the Echo pack, but they came after us, along with a demon or two. They took one of their brothers. So we came here looking for answers, just like you.”

  Her voice never wavered as she spun the lie. Her controlled expression could’ve been a mask. Inside, I trembled, waiting for Marcus to do the right thing and tell the truth. But he never moved. He let the lie take hold and spread its poisoned roots from our present through to our future.

  “Demons?” The deputy whispered as though the mere mention of them was too absurd to consider. “Demons, and dragons?”

  Rowen took a closer step. “That’s right, demons and dragons.”

  “Do you think they took him…the Echo pack?” Goulding lifted his hand and holstered his firearm.

  The dark mage nodded. “It’s possible. We’re trying to find a way to—as you said—sniff them out.”

  Goulding fumbled with his mic, trying to pull it from his shoulder with shaking hands. “I’ll call everyone. Everyone…we’ll help. We can have a team here within the hour.”

  “It’s not that easy,” Marcus broke in. “We can’t find them and you can’t find them. They’re…” He shifted his gaze to Rowen, catching her nod. “They’re with demons passing through barriers used by the dying.”

  The sudden intake of breath filled the air. “The dying? You mean the Sheriff’s dead? Jesus… Jesus…”

  “We don’t know that.” Rowen cut her gaze to Marcus. “Do we, Marcus?”

  My eldest brother swallowed hard. “That’s right; we don’t know that for sure. That’s why we’re trying to keep this whole thing quiet. We don’t need a damn circus. If they find us here, that’s what this will be—believe me, it’s happened before.”

  I turned my head toward the driveway at the sound of an engine. The rest of my family followed as the low drone grew louder. I counted two—no, three—cars heading toward us.

  Goulding raked his fingers through his short hair before he turned and paced in front of them. Torment cut lines in his young face. “And you’re sure you can find them? My sister, I mean. You can find my sister?”

  Marcus spun toward me and held my gaze as he answered. “If she’s with the demons, then yes, we can find her.”

  The deputy stopped in front of my brother, commanding his attention. Goulding followed my brother’s stare to me. “I’m trusting you here, Kane. Don’t fucking lie to me, and don’t come back without her.”

  Marcus nodded. “We won’t, you have my word.”

  The sound of the gunning engines cut through the trees as Goulding spoke. “Let’s see what your word means, then. Go. I’ll keep you out of this for as long as I can. Find Joslyn and bring her back to me.”

  I caught the flinch from Marcus. If the deputy’s sister was with our brother, then there was no way we could find them—not until we figured out a way. But for now the deputy bought the lie and bought us time. Marcus nodded and stepped away as a glint of metal cut through the trees.

  “Thank you. I won’t forget this.”

  I turned with the others. My feet felt like lead as we raced for the trees, following the heady scent of the wolves.

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