by Dannika Dark
Once Pablo disappeared down the stairwell, Audrey approached the glass. “I don’t know why I’m so awful to him. Pablo is the most loyal companion I’ve ever had. Don’t fool yourself, Robin. Money isn’t the most valuable thing to an immortal—loyalty is. You can have all the money you like, but you can’t buy loyalty. Not truly.”
“Why else would he be loyal to someone who talks down to him?”
Her voice fell to a whisper. “Love.”
Pablo entered the room below. After retrieving my necklace, he borrowed a clean rag from one of the men and polished it.
“When you find loyalty like that, never let go. That’s the only real way to survive. If you have at least one person in this godforsaken world who will fall on a blade for you, then nothing else matters.”
I turned to face her.
“Just be sure you never break that loyalty,” she said with resolve. “Once you do that, you can never really trust them all the way.” Audrey placed her hands on my chest. “Before I leave, I need to collect my winnings. Think about the fight and bring that memory to the top. It makes it easier, dear.”
A red glow emanated from her palms, and my body warmed all over. Afraid she might start digging around, I thought about walking into the empty room. As soon as the thought entered my mind, a smile touched her lips, and the memories flipped through my mind like someone thumbing through the pages of a book. Everything rose to the surface—the physical punches and internal pain, the elation I felt when taking control of the fight, the feel of my opponent’s body trembling beneath mine as I drank her core light.
“Mmm, this one’s good,” Audrey whispered to herself.
Once she pulled it out, I had a strange feeling of detachment.
After she let go, she wiggled her fingers. “Am I your first?”
I shuddered. “That feels weird to think about it now.”
Audrey grinned, revealing perfect teeth behind her red lips. “The memories remain, but the emotions are removed. That’s the only way I can get a pure exchange. You’ll remember each and every fight, but the emotional highs and lows, the pain—all that’s gone now.”
As I recalled the fight, it felt more like something I’d watched on television.
“See you on Friday.” Audrey gracefully drifted around the bend and disappeared from sight.
I put on the long duster and used it to wipe blood off my thigh. I had so many questions about how she started up a business like this, but too many questions out of the gate would have sealed my doom.
“She’s enamored by you.”
I looked down at Pablo, who was admiring my necklace. “What makes you say that? I didn’t exactly dazzle her with my charm.”
“No, but few women impress her. Most are too skittish in her presence—fearful they’ll say or do something wrong. They’re afraid; you’re not. That’s what makes you different. It also makes you unpredictable.” He let the necklace swing from his fingertips, his eyes trained on the black stone. “This is an odd choice for a father to give a daughter. It’s cheaply made.”
I snatched it from his hand. “I lied.”
Pablo cocked his head to the side. “Do you think it’s wise to lie to your future employer?”
I put the necklace over my head. “Rich people like you think everything and everyone’s replaceable. It’s a cheap necklace on a shitty chain, but it’s the only thing I have left of my mother. I don’t really like telling people I don’t know very well about that part of my life. I shouldn’t have worn it tonight.”
He clasped his small hands behind his back and strode past me. “How does a savage woman with a sentimental heart have such an astounding number of kills? One behavior seems to contradict the other.”
I fell into step beside him as we returned to the stairwell. “If you want to know the truth, that’s the question that keeps me up at night.”
“An internal battle between good and evil. I wonder which will prevail.”
“So do I, Pablo. So do I.”
Chapter 22
With a surplus of Mage energy crackling through my body, I flashed into the subway and snuck aboard a train. Getting past security was too easy in the city of Cognito. Especially for a Mage. I’d never had a reason to hitch a free ride before, but without any cash in my pocket, I had no time to waste.
I navigated through the cars on the train—most empty—until I reached the back. A Vampire watched me with mild interest before getting off at his stop. The train headed east, emerging from the underground tunnel and onto the street. City lights whirred by, and I went over the details of the evening in my head until we reached the next station. As soon as the doors opened, I stepped out and got my bearings. Lenore’s mansion wasn’t far, and with Christian assigned to her, he couldn’t be far.
After a few blocks, I came upon an elite housing division where the aristocratic hotshots lived. It was an older community, and all the homes had been restored to their original glory. Lenore’s property looked like a park with all the trees and winding pathways. I didn’t feel like ringing the bell and asking permission to speak to my man, so I selected a large oak tree by the house to climb. Christian occasionally talked about his days as a guard, and he had told me he’d either choose a shadowy spot near the house or perch atop a high vantage point. Once my boots were off, I scaled the branches like an acrobat. The bough reached the roof, making it easy to jump over to Lenore’s oddly-shaped house. A glass dome in front allowed visitors to be awestruck by unique architecture, chandeliers, gilded furniture, and life-size statues. But all that splendor diminished on a rooftop. From above, it looked as unremarkable as any other house. Only shingles, gutters, chimney pipes, and vents.
I avoided the windows. Lenore might be in one of those rooms, so I quietly climbed the steep roof on the second floor and made my way toward the top. To my surprise, there was a flat space by two chimneys and what appeared to be ventilation pipes. Without moonlight, it was too dark to make anything out beyond a few feet.
I padded toward the wide chimney. Just as I reached it, a shadow blurred around me, and the next thing I knew, I was pinned to the ground. I stared into a pair of black eyes as the sharp prick of a blade touched my jugular.
“It’s like when we first met.”
Christian cursed under his breath. “Jaysus wept. I could have sliced your throat.” He set down the knife, his arms still caging me. “What brings you here?”
“I heard you took a new job,” I said flatly.
“Not by choice,” he replied, still on top of me. “Again, what brings you here? Lenore wouldn’t like you snooping around on her roof.”
“She has shit security.” I smiled insincerely at him.
His gaze shifted, and he placed a sensual kiss on my shoulder. When he lifted his head, I saw him licking his lips. “Why’s there blood all over you? And it’s not all yours.”
“How do you know? I cleaned up.”
“Have you ever watched those forensic shows where the killer washes the crime scene with bleach? Then the investigators shine a pretty light in the room, revealing the tiniest blood spatters in places you’d never imagine. I can see them on your eyelids, your shoulder has a long streak of it, and larger clumps are in your hair.” His gaze wandered down to my black bra, and I felt him growing erect. “I see them on your breasts, and I wonder if there might be a few drops for me to lick off your nipples.”
“You always say things that make my heart go pitter-patter.” I attempted to keep up the snark, but damn if he wasn’t turning me on with that gruff voice. His body felt good against mine, as if it longed for me.
“I got in a fight,” I said, not revealing details in case someone was eavesdropping. “I’m fine.”
Christian’s eyes skated down, and he cupped my breast in his palm. “I might need to perform an exam and see for myself. Dr. Poe, at your service.”
His sincerity sent a tingle between my legs. “Aren’t you on duty?”
“She’s reading in a p
rivate library in the basement. That’s why I’m out here, watching for nefarious men.”
“Or women?”
“Aye.” His hand moved south and unfastened my shorts.
“She might catch us.”
He smiled at me wolfishly as he sat back and pulled down my shorts. “When that woman goes to read, she reads the entire book in one sitting.” Christian flicked my shorts aside and cocked his head. “Now that’s a surprise.”
Instead of sexy panties or a thong, I had on boy shorts with a little leg. “Chafing,” I explained. “The leather shorts aren’t lined, and—”
He used his index finger to pull the panty hem. When he let go, they snapped back in place.
I gave him an impatient look. “You’re really taking the sexy out of this moment.”
He stroked his beard, a quizzical look on his face. “Is that spandex?”
I drew up my legs and then stood. “Viktor got Crush involved. Can you believe that? I ran into him earlier, and he had something for me. Was that your idea?”
“I give you my word, on my sweet sister’s grave, that I don’t know a fecking thing about your da getting involved.” Christian sat back against the chimney stack. “I thought you trusted me.”
Audrey’s words resonated, applying to my own situation. Christian had betrayed me once, and though I felt he’d never do it again, I wasn’t as trusting as I thought I was.
“If you tell me you didn’t know, I believe you,” I said, glancing at the nearby house. “It’s what you don’t tell me.”
“And what’s that supposed to mean?”
I met his gaze. “Where do you go at night?” When he gave me a blank stare, I continued. “I’ve seen you ride off on your motorcycle late at night. Not all the time, but every couple of weeks you go out. Sometimes once a week. I’ve never asked you about it because I trusted you. But now that you’re here, guarding Lenore, I’m beginning to wonder if this is where you’ve been going.”
“Is that what this is? You’re worried I’m diddling another woman.”
“No, I didn’t say that. Vampires don’t sleep, and I know firsthand how maddening that can be. So if you ride around the city or go out for a few drinks, that’s fine. If you’re breaking into zoos or scaling buildings, that would pique my curiosity. You’ve told me a lot about yourself, but I don’t know everything.”
“Nor do I, lass. Your skin is still salty with sweat, and the blood on your shoulder tasted like excitement and danger. You wouldn’t have left work because of a fight. I can also taste old blood mingling with your own. It’s vile, to be sure. Anything you want to share with me?”
“I killed a man the other day.”
When Christian spoke again, his tone was sincere. “That’s part of the job.”
“When it’s self-defense or they’re an outlaw, but that’s…” Remembering I was standing atop Lenore’s house, I clamped my mouth shut. “Let’s save show-and-tell for another night.”
He reached out for my hand and tugged me toward him. “Why don’t you show me instead of tell?”
“I came here because I need cab money for a ride home. I didn’t collect my tips when I left the club the other night, and if I go back, they’ll expect me to work.”
“Where has all your money gone?”
“Food. The rest of it I’ve been giving away.”
“Who appointed you Mother Teresa?”
I shrugged. “It’s hard to walk home and pass the same homeless people. If I can buy them a meal, a new tent, or maybe some clothes, then I’d rather do that than keep the money. We’re gonna get a nice paycheck for this assignment, so I don’t need to keep tips. Anyhow, it’s too far to walk home, and I need to get home as soon as possible. Claude’s at work, and I lost track of Blue. I’d call Viktor, but you know how he doesn’t accept calls from public phones to his private cell.”
“A resourceful woman such as yourself can’t get home? It sounds like you came here to check on me.” Still sitting against the chimney stack, Christian reached up and pulled down my stretchy underwear, removing them completely.
The wind cooled my bare ass, which quickly warmed up when his hands cupped my cheeks.
“If an assassin sneaks onto the property, Lenore will have your head on a platter.”
“Worry not, lass. I have my hearing turned all the way up for anything beyond ten feet. That’s how I heard you coming a mile away in those boots you left by the tree.”
“We’re not having sex on this roof.”
His eyes flicked up to mine. “I don’t want to penetrate you.”
“I don’t think anyone’s ever said that to me before.”
Christian’s wanton eyes were dark and all-consuming. Like it or not, he brought out my deepest desires.
His fingers traced around the curve of my hips, and I felt the magic culminating between us. A current of sexual Mage energy raced through me and buzzed between my legs like a vibrator. As if knowing what his touch did to me, Christian ran his tongue up the inside of my thigh.
My breath hitched.
I stepped closer, the wind blowing my hair forward. A moan escaped my lips when his tongue found my clitoris. It wasn’t a teasing taste. Christian devoured me, and I gripped the top edge of the chimney stack.
Biting back an anguished moan, I rested my knee on his shoulder. Christian leaned in and pleasured me. He adored me with his hands, moving them leisurely and intentionally, one thumb pressing against the spike on my bra until it drew blood.
The sight of Christian’s blood made me tense as an ancient desire awakened within me. His tongue swirled as he moved his hand up until his thumb was an inch from my mouth.
My Vampire broke loose like a caged animal, and I dipped my head and drew him into my mouth. The moment I tasted his dark mysteries, Christian released a shaky breath. That dark, delicious blood exposed him, revealing his carnal desires, his intentions, and above all, love. Damn if he wasn’t feeling an emotion so intense that it hypnotized me.
I smoldered as he stroked my sex insistently. The world melted away, and I wondered how one man could hold such power over me. He squeezed my ass when I sucked on his thumb harder. A few drops wasn’t enough, and dark thoughts filled my mind of drinking so deep there was nothing left. My hips rocked against him, and I couldn’t hold back any longer. All the sensations of sucking, licking, rubbing, and drinking merged into one glorious high.
As my release rushed in, Christian sank his fangs into my groin. The pain and pleasure was exquisite. He pulled hard, drinking in my orgasm as he finished me off with his fingers. I cried out, my release so intense that my heart could have exploded in my chest. I shook again and again, my legs weak as he worked me all the way to the finish line.
Christian licked the bite to seal it. “That’s it, Precious. You’re mine, you hear?”
My eyes squeezed shut as another pulse made my belly clench. “Stop. I’m gonna pass out if you keep on.” I took deep breaths, fighting the dizzy spell as I clutched the chimney stack like I wanted to murder it.
Christian stood up, likely gathering my clothes.
When the blunt head of his cock slid into my wet folds, I gasped with surprise. I glanced back at the house across the way and saw the silhouette of a man on the terrace. The lights in the room behind him illuminated the space. Holy crap, is he aiming a telescope at us?
This wasn’t like the fantasies we’d played out—someone actually was watching us this time.
“Christian.” I panted, trying to hold on to the brick as he rocked me against him, his hands on my hips. “There’s someone watching.”
“Aye. Let’s give him what he wants.”
I surrendered to passion. Christian groaned, and when his fingernails bit into my skin, his hands flew out and propped against the chimney. I watched the brick crumble beneath his grip. His taut muscles were like solid marble as I gripped his arms and held on. Christian tensed, and his fingers turned white as he pulverized Lenore’s chimney.
All I could see was that ring—the onyx ring I’d given him.
Christian was in no rush to climax. He slowed down to make it last, and that filled me with insatiable desire. When he gained control, he wrapped his arms around me and drove deep inside. His embrace was an iron shield, protecting me from anyone who would hurt me. With an anguished moan, Christian came.
After a moment, I turned around and folded into his embrace. He kissed the top of my head and did this thing I loved where he would tunnel his fingers into my hair and stroke the back of my neck.
“You don’t care that some pervert is watching us hug it out?”
He chuckled. “If he’s watching us now, it’s not because of the sex. He’s blinded.”
I leaned back and stared up at him. “What does that mean?”
A gentle look settled in his eyes. “You’re a beacon of light in a dim world.”
The wind blew, and we stood like two flickering candles.
“Can this beacon of light have her panties back?”
He stroked my cheek with his thumb. “Aye. Let me have a look at you first.”
I got butterflies whenever he gazed at me for any length of time. Those tender moments between us were infrequent, but when they happened, it felt as if the entire world just stopped rotating on its axis. As if the past and future had overlapped and we were two souls existing in a timeless space.
After Christian fastened his pants, he gathered up my clothes. I stepped into my underwear and shorts, and he pulled them up.
“Let’s do this in private next time,” I suggested. “Somewhere… romantic?”
“I have just the place in mind.”
“Sounds terrific. How should I dress for cemetery sex?”
“You have a tongue that could clip a hedge.”
I brushed grit from my palms and suddenly froze in horror. “Oh… fuck.”
Christian ran his fingers through his dark hair a few times and straightened his shirt. “What are you on about?”
