Dangerous Retaliation (The Harcourte Vampyre Society Book 4)

by Kelley, Morgan

  Death laughed again. “Well, you covered all your bases there. I do believe that you had coaching from my demoness.”

  “I did. Now, what will it cost me?”

  “Jolie, are we not friends, and is there no trust between us?”

  “We’re not friends. You’re my mistress, my maker, my mother. I know better than to let that cloud my judgment.”

  Death laughed, and again she ran her hands across Jolie’s flesh. It drew goose bumps. “I can taste your human mate on your skin. Your Flynn is delicious.”

  “He’s off the table. I won’t use him to bargain.”

  “That’s very wise. I tell you what. Despite that, I’ll grant you your request, Jolie, but there will be a steep price. Everything has a cost, and you need to think if you’re willing to pay it.”

  “I am. What will it cost me?”

  “I’d like your soul,” she said, moving closer to Jolie.

  “You want my soul? Are we talking about the portioned soul that lives within me from Flynn, or the new soul that I obtained from Vanth in its crossing?”

  Death smiled. “You indeed have been warned my little killer.”

  “Yes, and I won’t be handing over Flynn’s soul. It’s not mine to barter, so you can’t take what I can’t offer.”

  “Damn it! You’re too wise, harbinger.”

  It was Jolie’s turn to laugh. “I learned from my maker.”

  That pleased Death.

  Jolie took a chance. She reached out and pushed a strand of black hair from Death’s cheek. Her flesh was cold. In fact, it nearly made her shiver. Still, she left a warm kiss there.

  Death shivered. “Very nice, little one.”

  Jolie tried to stay calm. Baiting death was a stupid, stupid idea. “You may have my newly acquired soul, not Flynn’s, for the full term successful pregnancy from my mates.”

  “Deal.”

  “Deal?” repeated Jolie, her eyes never leaving Death’s. “Okay, how do we seal it?”

  “Simply a kiss.”

  “Do you swear it will only be the soul that I acquired from Vanth?”

  “Yes, do you need a blood oath?”

  “That’s a good idea. No offense, but swear to me, Death, or I receive whatever favor I ask without owing you another boon.”

  Death cursed under her breath. “Fine. I swear I’ll only take the new soul, not Flynn’s, and in exchange I will give you a successful full term pregnancy from your mates. Are you satisfied, suspicious one?”

  “Yes.”

  Jolie wondered what it would feel like as Death’s mouth moved toward hers. She’d never kissed someone with a forked tongue before. As their lips met, Jolie wouldn’t get to find out. All she experienced was pain.

  Her soul was being ripped from her body as it was pulled through her mouth. The scream escaped her lips as she fought to reach the surface and escape the searing heat.

  What had she done?

  It felt like she was about to die.

  * * * H a r c o u r t e * * *

  Jacques held her in his arms, kissing her gently as he silently prayed that she would escape and return to them.

  “Why did she go, Vanth?” questioned Flynn.

  “I can’t say. If Jolie wishes for you to know, she’ll tell you.”

  Jacques bared his fangs and growled low in his chest at the demoness. “You forget that we’re your masters too,” he hissed.

  Vanth blinked. “She’s returning right now.”

  Before Jolie’s eyes could open, a thin stream of blood rolled across her flesh from her nose and mouth.

  The men were freaked out.

  “Christ, Jolie!” blurted Flynn, running his hands through his hair.

  Jacques felt the same way. “My love, are you trying to kill us?”

  Jolie couldn’t speak yet. As both men touched her, she knew she needed to put some space between them and her.

  As she moved away, they both looked surprised.

  “Death,” she muttered.

  It was right below her skin, waiting to break free. The last thing she needed was it to feed from them.

  Jolie dropped to her knees on the floor. As blood dripped from her nose to the wood, she tried to breathe. Holy shit! Making out with Death was a bitch.

  She wasn’t doing that again.

  Vanth approached her. “Jolie, are you okay?”

  She nodded. “That hurt.”

  Jacques and Flynn stared at each other. Neither man understood what was going on.

  They were about to lose it.

  Vanth knelt beside her and touched her cheeks. Immediately, she could sense what was missing.

  “It’s done?”

  “Yes.”

  Jacques couldn’t wait any longer. Cautiously, he slid off the bed and to her side.

  ‘What have you done?’

  ‘I’ve bargained with Death. One soul for one boon.’

  ‘Jolie, you gave up a soul?’

  ‘Yes, but it was worth it. I need you to trust me, Jacques.’

  ‘But why?’

  ‘Please don’t tell Flynn. I’ll explain later.’

  He helped her to her feet.

  Immediately, her other mate was at her side, scooping her up in his arms. “Jolie, that was scary. Please don’t do it again.”

  “I won’t,” she vowed.

  “Are you done with my services, Jolie?” asked Vanth.

  “Yes. I appreciate your expertise, it was very helpful. Rest well.”

  “You too, Jolie. I hope that you get what you wanted and without any tricks,” she stated, and then was gone. Back were Chloe’s blue eyes.

  Jolie turned to her mates and smiled. “Are we going to Detective Gress’s apartment tonight?”

  Flynn nearly lost his mind.

  “If you think you’re getting out of this discussion by trying to work, you’re out of that gorgeous mind of yours.”

  With that, he carried her toward their room.

  “Flynn…”

  “No. You said that you wanted to talk to Chloe, not go visit the big ‘D’. There’s a big difference, and I think you owe us an explanation as to why you didn’t tell us the truth.”

  Jolie just stared in shock that he was speaking to her that way. When he kicked open the door to their quarters, she flinched.

  Apparently, their detective was a man on the edge.

  “Flynn, I didn’t lie to you. I wasn’t sure I was going to speak to Death. I had a legitimate question for Vanth and got my answer.”

  He wasn’t buying it, and from the look on Jacques’s face, neither was he.

  “Flynn, put me down! Right now!”

  Enough was enough.

  “I will when we get an explanation from you on what the hell went on here today.”

  “You can’t boss me around like a child,” she stated.

  “Oh, really? Well, Mistress, if you don’t tell us, we’re sending you back to New Orleans.”

  She stared at him openmouthed.

  “Jacques!” she declared, hoping he’d assist her.

  “Sorry, Jolie, but I’m with our detective on this one. We both deserve an answer. If the roles were reversed, you’d be pissed at us too.”

  It looked like she had no choice. So much for talking about this in a calm, rational way.

  “Well?” asked Flynn, angrily.

  She knew it was a dead end. “I went to Death to make a deal. That’s all.”

  “Since I know the cost, I’m afraid to ask what you wanted from her,” stated Jacques.

  The detective glance over at his friend. “You know the price? Anyone care to let me in on this?”

  Now he was beginning to get angry at the man who was supposedly his mate. “What did you give Death?”

  Both men stared at Jolie.

  “It was my soul.”

  “What?” snapped Flynn, dropping her to her feet. “Are we talking about the soul you just received from Vanth? Why would you give it away?”

  Jolie sta
red down at her hands and hoped they wouldn’t get angry. “I bargained my soul to Death for the price of a successful pregnancy.”

  Both men just sat there and stared at her.

  Flynn’s mouth hung open and Jacques’s eyes went wide. It was obviously not what they had expected to hear.

  Jolie looked back and forth between the two men. “I negotiated with Death that I would give up my newly acquired soul, not Flynn’s, for the full term successful pregnancy from my mates.”

  Jacques was the first to speak. “Jolie! Are you sure Death can even give you that? Do you trust her?”

  “Vanth said it’s possible if I bargained the right way. I think I covered my bases, and we’re safe.”

  Flynn didn't understand any of this.

  “Why would you give up your soul?”

  Jolie shrugged. What wouldn’t she give up for the men she loved? Honestly, she didn't get why he was shocked.

  “I don’t think we need to talk about it, Flynn. I had my reasons, and it’s done. If you want to be mad, so be it.”

  “That’s where you’re wrong, Jolie,” he stated. “If you did this for me, we had other options. You didn't have to give away your soul. We agreed that was a good bargaining chip if we ever needed one. You know, in case one of us died--AGAIN.”

  Jolie was hurt by his words. “OTHER OPTIONS?” she blurted, ignoring the rest.

  The furniture shook as she prowled the room. The predator was back and ready to break free.

  “You think that I can swallow the other options?”

  He was confused.

  “If you think that you sleeping with another vampyre to impregnate her is an option for me--for us--then you’re crazy.”

  The glass in the room crackled ominously.

  “What are you talking about?” questioned Flynn. “Why do I have to physically inseminate her? I wasn’t going to shack up with some vampyre baby maker to have a child. That’s crazy.”

  Jolie and Jacques both gave him the same look.

  “It is crazy, right?” he asked.

  Jacques figured he owed the man an explanation. After all, he was human. This had to be confusing.

  “There’s no such a thing as artificial insemination for our kind, Flynn. You just can’t put your sperm in a dish with a vampyre’s egg. There’s no DNA. That’s going to freak some doctors out. It has to be done the old fashioned way.”

  “Really?” Then it dawned on him. That’s why she made the deal. “Jolie.”

  She stopped him. “You’d have to have sex with another vampyre. I’d have to sit here while you’re in another room with another woman.”

  Okay, he got it now.

  “Guys,” he began.

  “It isn’t our way, my friend,” said Jacques. This was why he was concerned when Flynn broached the subject with Jolie. This was the reaction he expected. “Our females don’t always get pregnant on the first try. Sometimes, it takes a year. So basically…”

  “I’d have to stay with another woman until I get her with child,” he stated, finally seeing the issue. Honestly, it bothered him. He wasn’t sure he could do it. Making love to Jolie was easy because she was the one, but another vamp?

  Yeah, it turned him right off.

  “You meant well,” he stated. Jacques felt bad for his friend. He was only trying to do something for them.

  “See why, Flynn?” Jolie snapped.

  He scrubbed his hands over his face in frustration. “Cut me a break, okay? I’m trying and this is all new for me. How the hell was I supposed to know? It’s not like on the day I became more like you someone handed me a manual. I’m winging this. How would you feel if tomorrow you became human?”

  Jacques tried to mediate.

  Now both of his mates were angry and that didn’t bode well.

  “Call me completely irrational. Call me a total bitch, but the option of you having sex with another woman, to give me a child, was a far worse option than giving up a stranger’s soul. How would you feel if I had to go sleep with a stranger every night for months to have a baby for YOU?”

  He knew how he’d feel. It would piss him off. In fact, he wouldn’t let her do it. Flynn would kill the man first, and anyone else who tried to touch her.

  “Listen, Jolie.” He tried to calm her down.

  “No, Flynn! I’m done listening and being ganged up on by you two! You have no idea how the mere thought of one of the men I love with another woman wounds me. I get that you want children, as does Jacques, but I’m not willing to die inside over it, despite the happy outcome.”

  It was ironic. Jolie didn't miss that this was how the men felt about Mathew. There was a lesson in this.

  “Baby,” he tried again. “I didn’t know.”

  “You would get children, as would Jacques, and I’d have the constant reminder that I’m merely a killer and a failure at being a woman!”

  The room shook around them.

  “It was my soul to bargain with, and I’m no one’s property here!” Jolie stormed toward the bathroom, slamming the door behind her in anger.

  She was hurt.

  Wounded.

  Pissed off.

  It sucked that they didn't trust her enough to let her lead the way.

  Both men simply stood there when she walked away.

  “Well, shit,” said Flynn. “How was I supposed to know? I didn't mean to make this a mess.”

  “You wouldn’t know, my friend. All of this will calm down--just give her some time to relax.” Both men remained in their bedroom, waiting for Jolie to regroup. When she finally exited, she wasn’t speaking to either of them.

  “Maybe we should we go to Gress’s apartment,” Flynn suggested.

  “Fine.”

  It looked like the men were on the shit list.

  “Okay, we’ll go, check for any signs of disturbance, and then return home.” Jacques added, “We’re going to have to work this out. At some point, we need to talk about this.”

  There was no reply from Flynn or Jolie.

  That didn't bode well for any of them.

  Oh, she was pissed.

  The second they got in the Hummer, Jolie opted to ignore them. She inserted her earbuds and closed them out of her mind. Neither man could get her to let them in, and that worried them.

  It was a misunderstanding, and nothing more, but Jolie was genuinely pissed.

  Flynn desperately needed to talk to her. While he wasn’t happy that she’d bartered her soul to Death, he was warmed by her gift. It was hard not to picture a little girl with black hair calling him daddy. He could see her in his mind. She’d be beautiful, and a gift from Jolie.

  That was, if she ever let him touch her again.

  At this rate, it wasn’t looking good.

  When they arrived, Jacques glanced over at his mate. “I hope you’ve been here before, or we’re not getting in.”

  Flynn had. “I have a key, so we’re golden.”

  At the now unlocked door, Flynn invited them in. “Welcome.”

  “It doesn’t look like she’s been here,” said Jolie, moving through the apartment and into the bedroom. The room smelled of a mix of perfume and cologne. “I’d say the last person here with him was Dena Callahan. I can pick up her scent.”

  “That makes sense,” Flynn offered.

  They headed toward the living room. If they didn't find anything there, this trip was a bust.

  Flynn crossed his fingers, hoping that wasn’t going to be the case. They needed to find Tommy. Time was running out.

  He was well aware how the man felt.

  He’d been taken once too.

  And it sucked.

  * * * H a r c o u r t e * * *

  Zola stood in the shadows, watching as the hummer pulled into the apartment parking lot. Before the door even opened, she was well aware of who was inside.

  Jolie and her mates had indeed snuck into the city to save the human detective.

  Great.

  Her plan was coming to fru
ition.

  This would be easier than she’d originally anticipated. It looked like they weren’t the least bit afraid of retribution from the council.

  That amused her.

  Oh, they were three days beyond screwed.

  She’d make sure of that.

  Once the threesome entered the apartment, Zola moved toward their vehicle to set the scene. Cautiously, she left a small token of her love and adoration.

  Jolie would love it.

  She was sure.

  As she reached the shadows once more, she focused on her companion. “I want you to call Vlad. Stir the pot and make sure they know who’s in town.”

  The woman nodded.

  “It’s time for Jolie Harcourte to suffer a horrible death. By the time I’m finished with her, she’ll weep bloody tears.”

  With that, she headed back to her lair to play with her prisoner.

  His time was coming to an end, and soon.

  * * * H a r c o u r t e * * *

  Well, that was a bust.

  Tommy’s place was clean.

  As she headed out, still not speaking to the men, Jolie felt something off.

  There was energy here.

  Zola’s.

  Jolie could almost taste it as it slithered across her flesh.

  “She’s here,” she hissed, her fangs breaking into her mouth.

  The men flanked her, getting ready to do whatever it took to defend their mate.

  “Come out, Zola,” she called, focusing on the trees in front of them.

  All they heard was laughter, and then nothing.

  Well, the jig was up.

  The fun was surely going to begin.

  Flynn noticed something on the windshield of the Hummer. “She left a gift.”

  Jolie picked it up. Immediately, she knew Flynn wasn’t going to be happy. The photograph was of Tommy, and he was in really bad shape.

  Zola was damaging him.

  He stared down at it, and outrage filled him. “She’s dead.”

  There was no doubt.

  “Don’t worry, Flynn,” Jolie reassured. “We’ll find him before it’s too late.”

  He wanted to be sick as the rage rolled through him. The torture was brutal, and it twisted his gut.