Hybrid (The Healer Series Book 2)

by B. N. Toler

  In a blur I’m standing in the VIP room, unsure of what has happened, and I feel someone pressed against me, my blood fizzing beneath my skin. “You need blood. You will die without it.” Then there is black again.

  “Aldo! Are you okay?” I hear Thomas’s voice in the distance. “What’s wrong with you?”

  I pry my eyes open and see Thomas standing over me.

  I jerk up, unaware I’ve been asleep. I’m lying on the couch in the dressing room. “What happened? How did I get in here?”

  “You walked in here.”

  “When?”

  “Like two minutes ago.” Thomas eyes me with concern. “What happened in there?”

  “Nothing.” I try not to let on I obviously blacked out at some point while I was dancing for Andre. My corset is loose and I pull it up.

  “Did you take it off for them? They would have had to untie it,” Thomas questions, his eyes wide.

  “No.” I stand up quickly and feel dizzy so I sit back down. I start coughing and can feel phlegm in my chest.

  Pressing his hand to my forehead, he says, “You have a fever.” He kneels down in front of me, concern stretched across his handsome face.

  “I’m fine. I’m just hot, it’s like a thousand degrees in here.”

  Thomas grabs my arms, his eyes darting to mine as he feels the bandages on my arm. “What is this?”

  “Stop it Thomas!” I growl through clenched teeth jerking my arms away, in part because I’m angry with him and in part because my broken hand is killing me.

  “Please let me try to heal you,” he begs.

  “I don’t want you to, Thomas.” I let out a frustrated breath.

  “Why?” he questions.

  “You know why,” I snap.

  “Because you’re afraid you’ll see me in your dreams?” He stares at me with narrowed brows. “Look at yourself,” Thomas says pointing to the mirror. I gaze at myself; I’m pale. “Just let me try.”

  I want to refuse him again, but at this point I can’t. I don’t know if his energy will make any difference, but I need to feel better for everything that’s about to happen so I need to let him try. “Fine,” I huff in exhaustion.

  He takes my hand, removes my glove gently, and turns it to look at both sides. He reaches for my other hand, but I jerk it away, wincing at the throbbing pain I still feel from when I punched Jamie. The less Thomas knows about what happened in the VIP room, the better.

  “Just this one,” I nod towards my hand with the burn.

  He shakes his head. “It’s weird you haven’t been able to heal it yourself.” He pulls his sleeves up revealing his tribal tattoo and a chill runs through me remembering how badly I wanted to follow that tattoo up his arm and find where it ended when I was seventeen.

  My heartbeat pounds in my ears and I close my eyes trying to silence it. I quickly realize it’s not my heartbeat I’m hearing—it’s Thomas’s. Suddenly my eyes are fixed on his neck where his flesh bumps from his pulse, and I imagine how warm and delicious his blood would be. I feel my fangs nudging against my gingiva, but I force them to stay in while my stomach rages with hunger. I have to feed or I’m going to end up attacking someone.

  “I don’t like you stripping,” Thomas interrupts my blood lust trip.

  “Join the club.”

  “Then why do it? Carter could’ve made you a bartender.”

  “Because I’m trying to get their attention.”

  “Well, in this costume I think it’s safe to say you accomplished exactly that.” He places his hands over my burn and I feel his energy push into me. Our eyes lock and I can’t breathe. There’s no denying I still see the things I used to love about him in his eyes. The way he made me laugh and the way he could make me bend to his every whim. Before I know it, his energy has stopped and we remain frozen, staring into each other’s eyes. Thomas’s chest heaves up and down as he leans towards me. I open my mouth to stop the kiss that is looming when Corbin interrupts us.

  “Everything okay?” Corbin questions.

  “Yeah, just trying to heal her hand.” Thomas jumps up trying to act casual.

  “How is it?”

  “I don’t know. May take a day or two,” I say standing. I’m still weak, but there is no doubt he energized me, which I needed.

  “You up for another one-on-one?” Corbin asks. “Amanda had to leave because her daughter is sick and Dallas is booked all night. Carter says you can leave after this one.”

  “She’s not feeling well,” Thomas answers him.

  I try to stretch my hand out again and wince. I tell myself I can make it through one last dance and then I can go to a hospital. “Yes, I can do it, and I don’t need you to answer for me, Thomas.” Thomas sighs heavily and exits. Corbin shoots a look at me and smiles, shaking his head.

  “What?”

  “Nothing. You’ll tell me when you’re ready,” he shrugs.

  “Nothing to tell.” I look at my mirror and adjust my wig and mask, trying to act casual.

  “Right.” He flashes his big, white smile.

  “What room?” I open my lip-gloss and proceed to apply it.

  “VIP.”

  “Tell him I’ll be a few minutes.”

  After Corbin leaves, I peel back my glove and pull the bandages back, revealing Andre’s two fang marks on my arm just above my cut. I let out a sob and cover my mouth to muffle the sound. Keep it together Aldo. I feel disgusting. I let him drink from me. Lucy would be so disappointed in me. I take a deep breath and calm myself, wiping my eyes. Falling apart isn’t an option right now. I try to remember everything that happened with Andre, but I can’t. The last thing I do remember are his words. You will be mine. I have to know what happened.

  On shaky legs, I walk back to the office and find Kaitlynn playing solitaire on the computer, completely ignoring the screens. “Hey, take a five minute break,” I smile.

  “Why?” she questions.

  “Just thought you might want to go to the restroom and stretch your legs.”

  “Okay…” She agrees reluctantly.

  “Hurry back. I have another dance.”

  “Okay.” She exits and I lock the door behind her. Carter’s office is a disaster. There are stacks of bills, papers, and folders, and empty coffee mugs everywhere. The screens for the security cameras sit by the desktop computer where Kaitlynn was so attentively playing solitaire and not watching me get fed on. The security cameras record everything and we keep everything on tape for three days, just in case we need it for some reason. I flip the screen on the miniature television to the VIP room and rewind it. I hit play just as I enter the room. I fast forward through the scene with Jamie where I punched him and stop at the part where I’m straddling Andre. I watch as he drank from my arm and then speaks to me. This is the part where I black out. Andre stands me up and I look completely relaxed. He turns me and he’s speaking to me, but the cameras don’t record sound so I have no idea what he was saying. He sets about loosening my corset extremely fast as vampires can do everything really fast, until it falls to the floor. He stands behind me, his arms reached around me, groping my breasts until he reaches his hand down between my legs, sliding it under my panties. My head lulls back against his shoulder as if I’m drunk. Turning me to face him, we begin kissing.

  I grab the trashcan from under the desk and vomit, tears pooling in my eyes. I don’t remember any of this. When I look back to the screen, I am undoing his belt when he pushes me up against the back wall, lifting me. His loose hand fumbles between us as he speaks to me. I say something to him when he stops, turning to acknowledge someone in the doorway, but I can’t see who. He looks briefly in the direction of the camera before gently placing me back on the floor. He turns and picks up my corset and sets about tying me up again with lightning fast speed. Once he finishes, he looks into my eyes and speaks as he places something in my top, before he leaves. A moment later Daniel enters and whispers in my ear and leaves. Then I watch myself exit the room.


  I cover my mouth with my burnt hand fighting the urge to vomit again. I just watched myself get sexually assaulted and almost raped. What have I gotten myself into? I have to get out of here. I have to do this one last dance and then I can go home. If I leave now, Corbin, Carter, and Thomas will know something is up. Just one more dance, and then you can go, Aldo.

  I hear a knock at the door and I jump, startled. I quickly remove the tape and replace it. I open the door and slide by Kaitlynn, hiding the tape behind me. When I return to the dressing room, I put the tape in my bag and pull the cash out of my top.

  “Five hundred dollars?” I whisper to myself after I count it. Andre stuffed five hundred dollars down my cleavage. My stomach still feels queasy. As I stuff the money in my bag I realize the vile I had placed in my cleavage is gone.

  “Shit,” I mutter. It must be on the floor in the VIP room.

  “You ready?” Corbin asks causing me to jump again. “You okay?”

  “Yes!”

  I walk past him as rage slowly consumes me. Any doubts I had about my mission to destroy this nest are gone. How many women have they done that to? They must all be destroyed. I push aside the realization I had actually been hypnotized. I’m losing my gift. Eileen said once I learned to spell I couldn’t be hypnotized, but I just was.

  Shaking off my thoughts to get me through this last dance, I slide through the curtains, plastering a smile on my face. A man leans back, arms spread across the back of the sofa and I can’t help, but see the image of Andre from earlier. I swallow hard, trying to control my nausea. Even though I’m feeling ill, I can make it through this last dance.

  “How are you tonight?” I ask, but the man gives no response. This happens from time to time. Some guys aren’t into talking.

  “Okay, don’t want to talk? You just relax, and I’ll take good care of you,” I say as I move closer to him. The lighting is dim and with the ball cap he’s wearing pulled down low I can’t make out the expression on his face. Starting to feel nervous, I wonder if maybe this is one of the blood healers from earlier. I listen for energy, but I can’t hear any. Sashaying towards him, I lean over him, and catch his scent causing alarms to sound off in my head. I step back a bit and without thinking, I flip his hat off.

  My heart feels like it has dropped to the floor. “Rhett,” I whisper, not sure whether to smile or cry.

  He grabs my hand, the one that’s broken from punching Jamie, and I bite my lower lip to keep from groaning. His green eyes are piercing; filled with something I’ve never seen on him before. Anger. It makes me want to crawl in a hole and hide. I’m not sure if it’s because he’s scary or because I know he’s angry with me. His grip on my hand isn’t tight, but it’s causing me extreme pain.

  “Why?” he growls.

  “Rhett, I’m so sorry. Please I’ll explain everything.” I try to pull my hand out of his grip gently, as to not inflict anymore pain.

  “Explain,” he says plainly.

  “I will. Not here. Can you meet me down the street? There’s a café.”

  He squeezes my hand a little tighter and laughs. “Why? So you can abandon me there, too?”

  My heart breaks at his words. I can see how badly I’ve hurt him. “No, Rhett. I won’t. I swear.” Finally, I can’t take it anymore and I fall to my knees and cry out in pain. My hand is pulsating in pain. He immediately releases me and kneels down with me.

  “What? I wasn’t trying to hurt you.” His anger has subsided and I hear genuine concern in his voice. I begin crying from the pain, but also from his presence. He’s here and with that comes a lot of happiness and fear. Fear he will stop me from accomplishing what I want.

  “It’s okay. I broke my hand and I can’t heal it,” I sob.

  “What?” he asks confused, and grabs my arm gently peeling the long glove off of it. As he eyes my hand, I watch him. He’s beautiful. I want to climb into his arms and sit in his lap like a small child, but I know that can’t happen right now. I have missed him so much and no matter what happens, now I have him here.

  “What is this?” he growls, pulling at my bloodied bandage. I panic and try to jerk my arm away, but his grip is too strong. I can’t let him see my wound because he will see Andre’s bite marks.

  “Please don’t!” I cry, but it’s no use. My bandage is off in under a second.

  “What is this, Aldo?” he asks, his eyes burning.

  “It’s a long story. Please, will you just meet me at the cafe?” I say feeling like I’m going to pass out. Sweat blankets my forehead as dizziness consumes me.

  “You’re sick.” He feels my forehead.

  “I think I have blood poisoning,” I whisper, closing my eyes trying to calm my stomach.

  He grabs my other hand and I wince again as he rubs my burn. He pulls my glove off and eyes my burn shaking his head. “Why haven’t you healed these?”

  “I can’t,” I sob, finally realizing how sick I truly am.

  “Why not?”

  “I just can’t. Rhett, please leave and meet me at the café. I swear I’ll be there in twenty minutes and I’ll explain everything.”

  “No. We’re leaving here together. It’s not safe.”

  “Rhett, I know,” I say, annoyed when he won’t listen to me.

  “You know?” he says as he sits back.

  “Yes, please meet me.” Suddenly, Corbin bursts in the room with a gun and holds it to Rhett’s head, interrupting me. Rhett puts his arms up and looks at me confused.

  “Corbin, it’s okay,” I get out just before Rhett snaps back and grabs the gun and hits Corbin in the back of the head with it. Corbin falls to the ground with a loud thud.

  “Rhett don’t!” I shout.

  “What the fuck is going on, Aldo?” he yells. Suddenly, Thomas enters with a gun and holds it at Rhett’s back.

  “Don’t, Thomas!” I shout, panicked. As soon as I say his name, Rhett turns to eye him. I sit on the floor, crying as Rhett looks back to me and hurt washes over his face, mixed with shock. If only he knew Thomas is the least of his worries.

  “I see.” He nods and drops the gun he’s been holding pointed at Corbin.

  “Thomas, go! He’s no harm to me.” I try to stand and grab Rhett as he turns to go. “Rhett, please! It’s not what you think,” I beg as he pushes past me, while I’m still on my knees, not thinking about the fact that the truth is probably way worse than whatever he is thinking. “Please meet me at the café. “I’ll be there in twenty. Please!” I cry, but his face is stone now. He shows no emotion before he exits. Corbin stands up, rubbing his head.

  “Who the hell was that?” he growls. I look up to the corner of the room and see the camera. Kaitlynn saw what she thought was Rhett hurting me and told Corbin I was in trouble. She misses me almost being raped, but was paying attention this time.

  “I’ll explain later, but he’s no harm to us. If you see him, don’t hurt him.” I scan the floor for my vile and pick it up, grateful that Andre didn’t find it when he removed my bodice.

  “He’s the guy you thought you saw the other night?” Thomas questions. I walk past them, leaving them in the VIP room to assume whatever they want. I change my clothes quickly and slip out the back, praying Rhett went to the café like I begged him to. When I get there, he’s nowhere to be seen.

  Taking a seat at a booth in the far corner, I order a cup of coffee and pull my flask out from my coat pocket to spike it. My hand is killing me and I need the whiskey for the pain. Gulping my coffee down, the bourbon helps me a bit, but I can’t tell if the fatigue and nausea washing over me is from blood poisoning or from my nerves. I’m lost in a daze when I realize someone is standing to my side. I look up and find Thomas staring down at me.

  “Who is he?” Thomas asks sternly.

  “None of your business,” I snarl.

  “He’s a vampire.”

  “No he’s not.”

  “He has no energy, he’s not human.”

  I close my eyes, knowing exactly what T
homas will do when he finds out what Rhett is. “No, he’s a blood healer.”

  “What are you doing with a blood healer?” he acts disgusted.

  “None of your business!” I turn towards him and raise my voice slightly.

  “Yes, it is.”

  “How do you figure?”

  “It just is.”

  “News flash, Thomas! Nothing I do is your business. We aren’t together.”

  “Are you screwing him?”

  “That’s certainly none of your business.”

  His head turns slightly as if he’s contemplating what he might say next. He leans down putting his head next to mine and whispers, “You can deny you have feelings for me, but I felt it when we kissed. Even during the dance you gave me.”

  Yeah, he felt it all right. He felt me pretending he was Daniel. I push him back. “You mean when you kissed me,” I correct him. “And the only thing you should’ve felt was my disgust and anger when I slapped you! I had to give you the dance or else Carter wouldn’t have let me dance for Andre tonight. It wasn’t a choice Thomas!” I suddenly realize I’m practically standing now to be on his level, but still half sitting in the booth.

  The muscles in his jaw flex. “I felt it, Aldo. You know I can sense these things. I felt what you felt. I told you a long time ago, I’m tethered to you.” A flashback of our argument outside Lila’s house on prom night runs through my mind when Thomas, in an act of jealousy, drained my date Wyatt.

  Nausea wins and forces me to plop back down in my seat. I put my hand to my head. I have a fever. Thomas’s hand rests on the table as he watches me, but he doesn’t speak. Staring at my mug of coffee, I avoid eye contact with him at all costs. I need to get out of here. I make a quick glance to the door to time an exit, and that’s when I see Rhett. My heart feels as if it’s dropping to the floor. I have no way of knowing how long he’s been standing there, but given his expression, it was long enough. His dark hair is loose, hanging down to the sharp cuts of his cheekbones. His eyes are incandescent, rich with anger and I feel like I have literally shrunken in size while they have been fixated on me. He’s pissed.