Absolutely nothing.
∞ Chapter Twelve ∞
Friday
Early Morning
After waking, the threesome took some time to decompress. Until they got their lead from Camille, there was nothing they could really do. With Zola out there gunning for them, they had to stay hidden. Well, not ‘had to’, but the men had demanded it.
Because they didn't argue with her on the way home in the Hummer, Jolie threw them a bone.
Lying on their bed, she enjoyed watching Jacques toiling over paperwork at her desk. There was no doubt that he was amassing more money for their family. His black hair was tied back, and there was a pencil tucked behind his ear.
It was really hot.
In her mind, she pictured herself sitting in his lap and doing really naughty things.
Then there was Flynn.
God help her.
He was in the corner doing pushups. While he didn't need to work on his physique, he still did it.
And she enjoyed watching him.
With each pushup, his muscles rippled. It was hard not to lick her lips as she stared lecherously.
How had she gotten so damn lucky?
When she checked out his ass, her heart began fluttering in her chest. He was sexy as sin, and she wanted to break so many laws with her detective.
“What are you thinking about, my love?” questioned Jacques, as he crossed toward the bed.
“Oh, I know what she’s thinking,” Flynn answered, hopping to his feet. When her eyes dilated, he knew he was right. “It looks like someone’s hungry, and not for blood.”
Jolie loved how Flynn teased her. It was playful, loving, and very much him.
“Was she being a pervert again?” Jacques asked, turning her face toward his. “Do you need us, Jolie?” he whispered. The sound of his voice slid across her flesh like silk.
How to answer that?
Yes, she did, but it was more than just sex. Without them, she’d be lost.
Here was her whole world.
“I was actually thinking about how lucky I am to have you, and that you’re both ridiculously handsome. The men in this room should be outlawed in most states.”
Jacques let her pull him down to the bed.
“If you’re done making money, would you like to make me scream?” she offered.
Jacques smiled, his fangs already there. “My pleasure,” he promised.
Jolie glanced up at Flynn. “How about you, Detective? Maybe you can stop exercising and really work up a sweat.”
“Oh, yeah,” he murmured. “You make me want to work out hard.”
“Mmmm… well, I do try my best,” she purred, pulling him down to the mattress too. When both men curled around Jolie, tracing fire across her body with their lips and hands, she was in heaven.
Flynn offered her his throat. “Anybody want to feed?” he asked as Jolie’s mouth found his pulse.
Jacques nearly moaned when Jolie’s hands wandered down his torso. When she stroked him under his silk robe, he wanted so much more.
Just as Jolie ran her fangs across Flynn’s pulse, and he begged her to bite him, there was a knock on the door.
“Shit!” he muttered.
“Come in, Chloe,” Jolie called.
“Mistress, we have company.” The woman slowly peeked around the door, hoping she wasn’t interrupting anything. From the look of it, she was. Master Flynn was pinned beneath Jolie and Jacques was on his back too. “Sorry.”
Flynn sighed. “It’s okay,” he offered, knowing that now he was horny as hell, and likely going to have to not think about it.
It was obvious that they weren’t going to be getting lucky.
Damn it.
“Who is it, Chloe?” asked Jolie, as the woman walked into the room.
“Mistress, I am sorry to interrupt you and your mates, but there’s a badly beaten vampyre out front with a small child. She handed me this,” Chloe said, holding out the card.
She immediately recognized it. It was the one she’d given Camille a few hours ago. The second Jolie saw the blood splatters, she was off toward their foyer.
The men were right behind her.
At the door, Jolie’s heart skipped in her chest. There indeed stood Camille, and she was a mess.
“What has happened?” she asked, dropping down beside the young woman. Jolie took her hand in hers and sent energy into her body.
“Lucricia was furious when you left, and when she called for me, I wasn’t there. I was her scapegoat. She used a whip with silver spikes,” said answered, pulling up her ripped shirt so Jolie could inspect the wounds.
“Let’s get you inside to take care of you and your daughter,” Jolie answered, trying to inspect the young child. It was difficult, since she wouldn’t release her mother.
“It’s okay, sweetheart,” Camille whispered. “We’re safe. You won’t be hurt here.”
The men remained at a distance, waiting to see if the child would be afraid.
“Hello, I’m Jolie. What’s your name?”
The little girl looked over at her with the most amazing blue green eyes that she’d ever seen.
“Cari,” she answered, turning her head to hide it in her mother’s hair.
“Cari, would you come with me so we can get your momma inside to check out her boo-boos?” Jolie inquired.
“Momma said not to go with strangers,” she replied honestly.
“It’s fine, Cari. Mistress Jolie won’t hurt you,” Camille reassured, releasing Cari so she could crawl out of her lap to go to Jolie.
“How old are you, Cari?”
“Four,” answered the little girl, now holding on to Jolie as she stared at the large men behind her. “Will they hurt me or momma? They’re big.”
Jolie looked over at her mates and smiled, “No, but I bet they’d spoil you rotten given the chance,” she stated.
“Really?”
“I know so,” she replied, swinging Cari up into her arms. “Let’s go inside and get your momma looked at, okay? She isn’t feeling well.”
“Yes, minsteress,” she said, butchering the word. It brought a smile to each of their lips.
Cari was a sweet little girl.
Flynn reached for their minds. ‘Is she a full vampyre?’
‘Yes, I believe so,’ Jolie replied.
‘She’s adorable,’ Jacques admitted.
“Both of you are welcome into our home,” Jolie said, bringing them in to their sanctuary.
Cari smiled at her. “Yes, Minsteress.”
Jolie wanted to eat her up. Here was absolute sweetness contained in that one little child. There was no doubt in her mind that she was doing the right thing.
Here was innocence.
Here was peace.
Here she was once--before Goethe.
“Tell you what, Cari. Why don’t you drop the mistress, and just call me Jolie?”
“Okay,” Cari answered, putting her head on Jolie’s shoulder as she played with a strand of her hair.
“Take Camille to the spare room next to Mathew’s. I’ll check out her wounds. We’ll make our next move, and soon.”
They did as she asked, Flynn carrying the woman up the stairs, trying not to jostle her. It wasn’t easy.
She was a mess.
Jolie followed closely behind, knowing that the new setting might upset Cari. “I’m going to take you to another room, Cari. I need to take care of your mommy. Will you go with Jacques? He’ll find you something to play with while I help her. Is that okay?”
“He’s awful big. Are you sure he won’t be mean to me?”
Before she could speak, Jacques dropped to his knees in front of the tiny little child. “I’m quite harmless to beautiful vampyres,” he said holding out his hand. “You see, they cast a spell over me, and I’m helpless. I’m afraid that I’m your prisoner.”
Cari giggled. “You talk funny like Jolie.”
He grinned. “Ah, fair princess. We’re from Franc
e. Where we grew up, this is normal,” Jacques replied, opening his arms. He was pleased when she went to him. “I think we have some dolls from France in storage. Would you like to see them?”
Cari became visibly excited. “Yes, please! I love dolls.”
Jolie waited for her mate to distract the little girl before heading to the room where her mother was resting.
Inside, she saw that Flynn had helped her strip out of her ruined things.
“Tell me what happened,” she stated, checking out the woman’s injuries.
“Lucricia was mad and beat me because she had no one else to hurt. That’s just another reason why I need to get us free of that house, Mistress.”
“You’re safe now,” reassured Jolie as she ran her fingers over the crisscrossing scars on her body.
“She was talking about the human, Mistress. She’s ordered the other vampyre to kill him. You coming to her home has scared Lucricia. She doesn’t want you to destroy the entire family over one human. He’s to be killed.”
Flynn flinched. “When?”
“Tomorrow at dusk. Then they plan on leaving him on your doorstep,” Camille answered, hissing as Jolie’s fingers moved across her broken ribs. “Right now, they have him in an abandoned coal mine. It’s twenty miles from here.” She rattled off the name. “You need to move fast.”
“Flynn, my love, can you get me some clothing for Camille?”
Brogan dropped a kiss to the top of his mate’s head. “Sure thing, baby. I’ll be right back.” He left to find something appropriate for the wounded vampyre.
“You’ll stay here with my donor, and at dawn, I’ll go to the mine to save the human.”
“Yes, Mistress.”
“I need to take your blood, Camille. I can’t take the chance that you’ll betray me,” Jolie said softly.
“I understand, Mistress.” Camille immediately offered Jolie her wrist.
Jolie bit down, taking just enough blood to control the woman. She slipped effortlessly into the woman’s mind and searched deeply for any influence of Lucricia.
There was none.
What she did find horrified her.
There was terror and fear, which the woman had felt for many years, as she was forced to breed for her mistress. Sadly, Cari wasn’t her first child. The others hadn’t made it.
Now, Jolie saw why she was so willing to die.
There was so much pain in Camille.
Jolie slipped from her thoughts before patting the young vampyre on the cheek.
“If you need anything, Chloe will provide it for you. All you have to do is ask.”
“Thank you, Mistress. I really hope you save him.”
Jolie sent more energy into the young vampyre’s body, trying to help heal her wounds. “I do too.”
For Flynn’s sake, she really did.
It didn’t take her mate long to return with some soft cotton clothing. As Jolie helped her dress, he turned his back to give them privacy.
“I don’t understand,” Camille began.
“My Flynn respects women. He won’t hurt you or your daughter. I promise.”
Camille wasn’t accustomed to that.
“Will you be okay in here?” Jolie asked.
“Yes, Mistress. If it’s okay with you, may I go to death? I feel really weak.”
Jolie touched her cheek. “Don’t worry about Cari. She’ll be safe.”
As soon as Camille was gone, Jolie headed back to her room. She needed a few minutes to compose herself.
“Do you want to be alone?” Flynn asked, feeling the energy snapping around her.
Jolie was about to say yes.
Then, she changed her mind.
“Please stay with me,” she offered, holding out her hand. “I need a moment.”
He did better than that. In the quiet of their room, Flynn held her in his arms--while Jolie found peace.
* * * H a r c o u r t e * * *
Friday
Two Hours Before Dawn
Jolie found her one mate sitting on the floor drawing with Cari. At the sound of his laughter, her heart flipped in her chest. Jacques was smiling as he sprawled beside the little imp, obviously having a good time. She almost hated to interrupt the scene.
It was too touching.
“Jacques, we have to get ready to go,” she said softly, checking out the little girl. “Your momma is resting in her room, Cari. I need you to get ready to go to death.”
The girl obediently picked up her pencil and paper. “Can I eat?” she asked.
Jolie’s two mates went to volunteer, but were cut off.
“Sure,” Jolie offered. “Why don’t you come sit in my lap and tell me how you like to be fed?”
Flynn was fascinated.
He’d never seen a child this small feed. In fact, he never had the chance to interact with a pint sized vamp.
Cari crawled up into her lap. “I like the wrist,” she said, taking Jolie’s hand in hers. “Can I?”
Jolie let her bring it to her mouth.
They all watched.
When she was done, Jolie patted her on the cheek. “Better?”
She nodded. “Now off to your mommy and to death.”
She hesitated.
“What’s wrong, sweet girl?” Jolie asked.
Cari pointed at the antique doll sitting on the chair. “Jacques told me I could play with it, but can I take it to death with me?” she asked softly.
“Of course you can,” Jolie offered.
“But…”
“What’s wrong, little one?”
“I break things--a lot. What if something happens to it? Lucricia would hurt my mommy if I damaged something. I didn’t mean it, but I’m clumsy. If I break your doll, please don’t hurt her.”
That broke Jolie’s heart, and her mates’ as well.
“If you break that doll, we’ll just give you another one. I don’t care if it gets damaged. It’s only a possession. It doesn’t matter in life.”
With her vampyres, Jolie noticed that many of them came to her with less than love in their pasts. It made her ache for each and every one of them.
Mathew.
Clariel.
Trina.
Camille.
And now, Cari.
“Really?” she asked, getting excited.
“Really.”
Cari raced away, doing what Jolie asked.
“Sweet, isn’t she?” Jacques asked his mate.
Flynn nodded. “Oddly, it was so normal. Who would have thought? Cari makes me want to buy her anything she longs for. I really hope I have a little girl,” he stated.
“Speaking of spoiling her,” Jacques stated, getting their attention. “Cari told me she had a kitten, but one of the other vampyres killed it. They drowned it.”
“Bastards,” muttered Flynn. “Who does that to a kid?”
Jolie didn't have an answer for him.
“I told her it swam away to be safe,” Jacques stated. “I didn't know what to say.”
Jolie had a very strict rule about lying to anyone, but in this case, it was for the best.
“Good save. I would have stammered and bought her a new one,” Flynn admitted.
“Come on, you big softies. We should go.”
Finally, Mathew spoke up. He’d been silently watching the masters, and didn't know what to think about it. “Will they be safe here?” he asked, concerned for Camille and Cari.
“Yes, Vanth will keep Zola or Lucricia away.”
Honestly, Jolie hoped they did show up.
Then they’d die.
In the Hummer, no one spoke. With each passing minute, they could tell Flynn was more and more anxious.
“I have a bad feeling,” he finally stated.
“Me too,” Jacques admitted. “Once Lucricia realizes that Cari and Camille are gone, she’s going to expect the worst. While not as old as us, she’ll play the hand she’s dealt.”
“Yeah, tying up loose ends,” Flynn stated.
“What if this is a trap?” asked Mathew quietly.
Jolie turned to look at him, debating on whether or not to sway his mind with compulsion. She’d need her energy, so she opted to deal with whatever was coming.
“It probably is.”
Jacques spoke up, “When you’re a guardian, Mathew, you assume everything is a trap. When it’s not, you can rejoice. When it is, you’re ready to kill.”
He had to know. “Why were you kind to her if you thought she was betraying you?”
Jolie shook her head, correcting him. “I don’t, for one moment, believe she’s intentionally betraying us. If this is a trap, it won’t be because of Camille. I’ve already been in her mind, and she knows nothing.”
“Will Camille and Cari be staying with us?” he asked.
Jolie nodded. “Why do you ask, Mathew?”
“She reminds me of my sister,” he answered, looking down at his lap as he hid behind his hair.
“You have a sister, Mathew?” inquired Jacques.
“I don’t know where she is. We were separated about forty years ago when Delina took me to her society.”
Jolie felt his pain and couldn’t bear to see him sad. “Would you like for us to find her?” she asked, touching his cheek.
“I don’t know where she is,” he said softly. “I don’t think I’ll ever find her again.”
“I’ll find her for you, Mathew. I can’t promise the outcome, but I’ll promise that the three of us will try to ease your suffering by getting you an answer.”
“Thank you, Mistress,” he replied.
Jolie focused on her mate. “Flynn, I need to feed,” she whispered, feeling the nausea rolling through her body.
Flynn looked alarmed. “Are you okay?” When he took her hand in his, she was extremely cold. Almost as chilly as when she was gone to death.
“Yes, but I’m feeling a little sick. I need blood.”
Jolie avoided Jacques eyes in the mirror, knowing what he was thinking. Now she hoped neither man said it out loud.
Dangerous Retaliation (The Harcourte Vampyre Society Book 4) Page 17
