by L. C. Davis
He cracked a small smile and slinked off to the book section. I went back to the volume on sacrificial rites Locke had on my reading list--I could only hope it was for theory more than application--but found myself watching the little vampire out of the corner of my eye. I tried not to laugh at his scandalized expression when he picked up a book on demonology.
“You uh, might like the stuff in the next aisle over more,” I offered. Wicca and lightworking seemed a bit more his speed. He nodded sheepishly, going around to the other side. I turned back to my book and finished my veggie burger. Jaylen was so quiet I’d almost forgotten he was there when the bell chimed over the door and his older brother walked in. I knew as soon as I saw the look on his face that Jaylen’s parents weren’t the only overprotective members of the family.
Todd was older than Jaylen by a few years at least, and he worked down at the bank as an analyst of some kind or another. I knew because the last time I’d gone in to make a deposit, he’d immediately gone out to lunch. I still wasn’t sure if it was werewolves or witches the Andersons disliked more, but they’d picked a hell of a town to settle down in, whichever one happened to be the case.
“Hi,” I said, forcing a smile. “Can I help you?”
Todd came to a stop in front of the counter and looked me over, then glanced behind me like Locke might be hiding somewhere. I was getting just slightly tired of every supernatural treating me like I was Locke’s property, however much truth there was in the assumption. “I know my brother came in here. We don’t want any trouble, I’ll just take him and leave.”
I was torn between not starting a war with the local vampires and betraying Jaylen, but his head peeked out over the shelf and he walked out to join his brother. “I’m right here,” he mumbled.
The relief on Todd’s face was endearing, even if his personality wasn’t. To be fair, I probably wouldn’t have felt the need to be all that friendly with a demon’s pet if I was him. “Go on home, I’ll deal with you later.”
Jaylen frowned. “Did you rat me out?”
“Not yet,” Todd said, his tone turning sharp. “Now.”
Jaylen cast me an apologetic glance as he moved to the door. “Sorry, Holden.”
“You didn’t do anything wrong,” I assured him, waving. The moment the door fell shut behind him, my smile faded.
“Sorry he bothered you. It won’t happen again,” Todd said, backing toward the door like he was prepared for an ambush on the way out.
“He wasn’t bothering me at all,” I said, arching an eyebrow. “Nice to meet you, by the way.”
Guilt flickered in his eyes for a moment and he sighed. “Sorry for being abrupt, but you know how it is.”
“Actually, I don’t,” I said, leaning on the counter. “I know your family hates me, but given the fact that the only one of you I’ve ever properly met is your brother, I can’t say I get what I’ve done to deserve it.”
He frowned and seemed to be searching for any sign that I was joking. “We know who you belong to.”
I sighed. “Leaving aside the problematic nature of that comment for a second, who exactly are you talking about, Nick or Locke?”
“Both of them,” he said pointedly. “My family came here to get away from all the vampire drama in the city, not to borrow trouble from demons and wolves. No offense, but you’re trouble with a capital T.”
“What is it with you small town weirdos and your “Music Man” references?”
“Huh?”
“Never mind,” I muttered. “What’s wrong with the city? Isn’t that kind of a good place for people who need to feed on human blood anonymously?”
“It was,” he said, frowning. “Where have you been for the last ten years, hiding under a rock or something?”
“Or something. What, are the vampires fighting?”
He gave a dry laugh. “Fighting. That’s...cute. Why don’t you ask your demon? I should really be getting home.”
“Tell your brother he’s welcome here anytime.”
Todd’s eyes narrowed. “Like I said, I’m sorry he came on your territory. It won’t happen again.”
With that, he left the shop and I breathed a heavy sigh. “Making friends all over the place, Holden,” I muttered to myself, picking up my book again. I still hoped it was all just part of Locke’s attempt to make me a more well-rounded practitioner, but I could think of one vampire I wouldn’t have too much moral opposition to sacrificing.
Fifteen
DANIEL
Friday night came around and despite rescheduling all my appointments, I hadn’t come to a decision about what I was going to do. Part of me wanted to cancel, but I’d lost track of time staring up at the ceiling. A night in Locke’s bed had drained me of aggression and everything else, it seemed. Usually when I was with him I felt more human, but now I just felt like shit.
Maybe they were one and the same. No matter how much I drank or fucked or stared at the wall, I couldn’t get those images out of my head. Dennis’ screams. Asher’s cold, empty eyes.
My phone buzzed and I jerked upright. It was just the bed and breakfast’s mobile app texting with confirmation of my reservation. High-tech for someplace that advertised butter churning as an optional item to add to your getaway itinerary.
It was later than I’d thought it was. Asher was supposed to come over, but I wondered if I had time to catch him at his office. The idea of having him being in my apartment was less than appealing, especially knowing the way the night was bound to go. I still wasn’t sure how I was going to bring it up. So far, I hadn’t been able to find a socially acceptable way to segue into, “I know you ate my college fuck buddy.”
There was a knock at the door and I knew I was out of time for planning. I took a moment to steel myself and when that failed, I just opened the door. There he was, looking as perfectly put together as ever in his crisp summer suit with his hair effortlessly tousled. He smiled and my heart skipped a beat but for all the wrong reasons. “You’re early.”
“I finished up. I couldn’t wait another minute to see you,” he said, closing the distance between us and stepping into the apartment. He kissed me and I wanted to vomit, but pushing him away would mean I had to give an explanation I still didn’t have. He seemed to take my apathy for submission and pushed me up against the door, pressing his lips to my neck. I shuddered, images of him tearing into Dennis’ throat filling my mind, but he misread that, too, his hands groping my shirt. “You’re not dressed,” he said, fondling the worn out T-shirt I hadn’t bothered to change out of since I’d arrived home. His gaze flared with lust and mischief. “We could always stay in.”
I stared at him, trying to rectify the macabre film that had been looping in my head ever since the night before with the vibrant, charming creature in front of me. Was it all an act? Was it just part of his game, to make me love him just to prove he could?
I should have told him to fuck off, I shouldn’t have kept it going, but curiosity was a hell of a thing. Sometimes you just had to stop and stare at the car wreck, and sometimes you regretted it. This was one of those times.
“I need to ask you something.”
He frowned and searched my face, his eyes full of worry. “Alright. Is everything okay?”
“No,” I admitted. “No, it’s not.”
“Daniel…” He reached for my hand and I took a step back. “What is it? What’s wrong?”
“What happened to him?”
His face fell and I could tell he knew exactly who I was talking about, but he had the gall to ask, “Who?”
“You fucking know who!” I snapped.
The way he flinched would have made me feel like a prick under any other circumstances, but I was losing track of the reasons he deserved to live. I knew I couldn’t kill him even now, but there was part of me that wanted to more than anything. “Where is this coming from?”
“One chance, Asherath,” I said, struggling to keep my tone level. Hurt filled his eyes and he took a step
back from me, like he was afraid. Like he had reason to fear anything. “One chance to tell me the truth. What happened to Dennis?”
He shook his head slowly. “Please don’t do this.”
“Is he alive?” I demanded.
Asher stared at me for a moment in horror. Guilt. Grief. “No,” he said quietly.
“And how did he die?” I asked through gritted teeth. If he thought I was being cruel, hearing the truth come from his lips was far greater torture for me, but I had to. I had to hear it.
“Please don’t make me say it, Daniel. Please…”
“Why? Because you don’t like being reminded that you’re a monster?” I snarled. “Maybe you actually started to like living in this simple little world. Was I part of that? Did it help you feel more like the real thing to make me fall for you the way I fell for him?”
His eyes widened as I echoed his words from more than a decade earlier. “You saw...how? There was no one else there.”
“There was no one else there when you bled him dry and ate him alive?” I seethed.
“You don’t understand what happened!”
“I saw what happened!” I put my fist through the wall because if I didn’t, I was going to hit him and I knew I wouldn’t be able to stop. He wasn’t afraid and he didn’t so much as flinch the way he had when I’d said his name, he just stared at me in sorrow.
“Don’t pretend like you had no idea,” he said, his tone as hollow as his eyes had been then. “On some level, you knew. You knew he was gone and you didn’t want to know for sure, but you knew.”
“Not like that! I thought you’d possessed him, killed him, maybe, but that? Now I know why you hate being called a freak,” I said, shaking with rage. “The truth always hurts the most.”
“Daniel!” he cried, lunging forward, balling my shirt in his fists. “Dennis was a monster. He killed Jessica, he never loved you, and he never deserved your loyalty. Can’t you see that?”
“And you’re any different?” I scoffed. “Congratulations. You accomplished what you set out to do. You made me love you, you proved him wrong.”
“I didn’t know you when I said those things! I didn’t know anything,” he said, taking my face in his hands. My skin crawled under his touch. “I had no idea what it would be like, to be human, to be surrounded by your kind and how it would change me. To feel so strongly for someone, first the hate, and then…” he trailed off and seemed conflicted about what he wanted to say. “I’m not like you, Daniel. I was born a predator, a monster, but I’ve always wanted to be more. When I’m with you, for the first time in my life, I feel like I could be.”
I shook my head, stepping back from him. “You’re not. I don’t care how long you’ve been here, you’re not human and you’ll never be close. You had it right the first time. Something capable of doing what I saw you do shouldn’t exist.”
The words burned on their way out of my throat, but I couldn’t choke back the poison anymore. Even when the pain registered on his face, I couldn’t bring myself to take them back. I was too hurt, too overwhelmed, too disgusted and I couldn’t even believe a word he said.
“Daniel, I love you.” Tears streaked his face, but for all I knew, they were just another part of his act. His mask.
“If you love me, then give me the truth, for once. Why are you here? And don’t give me some bullshit about your exile. You’re here for a reason, and I know you didn’t just happen to pick a random guy to replace, so what is it? What do you want, and who helped you get here?”
He said nothing for a long while before whispering, “I can’t.”
“Get out,” I growled, opening the door.
“Please don’t do this. Please…”
“I can’t kill you, but if you ever come near me again, or if you so much as look twice at Holden or anyone else I care about, I’ll tell Lucas Whitaker what you are and what you did. Something tells me even a monster sanctuary won’t have any tolerance for a thing like you.”
He lingered and seemed about to either plead or argue further, but after contemplating it for what felt like forever, he nodded. “If that’s what you want.” He walked past me but stopped in the doorway, his back turned. He reached into his pocket and my body tensed. I reminded myself that if he wanted to kill me, he didn’t need a weapon to do it. He pulled something out of his pocket and stared down at it in his palm. “I don’t suppose this means anything to you, but I chose you. That’s what makes us different.”
I frowned. “The fuck is that supposed to mean?”
He smiled sadly, shaking his head. “Never mind.”
He left and it was all I could do to stay where I was, not to go after him. After everything he’d done, everything I’d seen, I still wanted to fucking go after him and tell him I hadn’t meant any of it. They really weren’t that different, after all, and neither was I. Dennis, Asher, it didn’t matter. I wanted them both so badly that I was willing to overlook anything. Almost anything. Even now, I knew that if it had been anyone else on that tape, any other victim, I would have found away to forgive him.
Sixteen
HOLDEN
“Look at my little baby, studying hard and helping out with the family business,” Locke said with a wistful sigh, leaning in the doorway, running the strands of the beaded curtain through his long fingers. “Mama’s proud.”
I arched an eyebrow. “You know, my childhood sucked so bad, that would probably have been an improvement.”
“I know,” he pouted. “But your adult life’s about to get fun enough to make up for it.”
Somehow I doubted that. Locke’s idea of fun and mine had never aligned. “What are you planning?”
“Just making a little trip to pick someone up.”
“Someone?”
“The final ingredient for the ritual.”
“Already? Where are the others?” The last I’d checked, he only had two out of the Seven.
“They’re here.”
“What? Who?”
“I’d tell you, but you fret and I don’t want you freaking out about it the whole time I’m gone.”
“Yeah, cuz now I’m just gonna sit back and relax,” I said dryly. “I have to sleep with them, don’t you think I at least deserve to know who they are?”
“Hmm. Nope! Be good while I’m gone,” he said, tapping the tip of my nose. “Try to enjoy your last few days as a virgin.”
“Days?” I couldn’t see things with Nick getting worked out in months, let alone days.
“The Sturgeon Moon.”
“Oh. Right,” I murmured. “I forgot.”
He watched me for a moment, smiling. “Cheer up, Holden. It’s not the end of the world. Not if we’re successful.”
I managed a weak smiled and waited until he was gone. It looked like it was a door day rather than a disappearing in front of my eyes day. I occupied myself with finishing up a couple of tinctures I’d been working on just in case he was still watching and once the coast was clear, I pulled on my jacket, closed up shop and booked it for the farmhouse. I’d already tried to give my key back to Mrs. Marrin, but she had told me to hold onto it in case she ever locked herself out. Nick was still at work, so I had at least an hour before he came looking for me. This time, I had a flashlight and my phone was fully charged.
Between Locke’s impending ritual and whatever was going on between the werewolves and the vampires, I was more intent on finding that journal than I ever had been. I knocked on Mrs. Marrin’s door and when there was no answer, I let myself in. This time, I wedged a chair underneath the basement door to keep it open and propped my flashlight up on a box where it would be easily accessible before I set to work. Two hours in, my phone buzzed and I looked down to find a text from Nick.
Can we talk?
There it was. We’d been avoiding each other all week and I knew we had to talk at some point. I just wanted my own answers first because I knew I didn’t stand a chance of getting any out of him. Sure, I typed. But maybe tomorrow
? I’m knee-deep in spellwork at the moment.
Dots popped up on the screen to indicate that he was typing and they went on forever before they stopped. A second later, a surprisingly short message appeared on the screen. Yeah. Pick you up after work?
Sounds good. Have a good night.
More typing. Then, just, You too.
I sighed. My relationship with Nick had never been easy. Hell, it had started out as a disaster, but things had never been this bad between us.
No, bad wasn’t the right word. Bad could be fixed. Fine was an inescapable quagmire. I slipped the phone back in my pocket and started in on the next box. At least there were actually books in this one.
I heard footsteps in the upstairs hallway, but I figured it was just Mrs. Marrin back from poker. She swore up and down that Mercy cheated and she was always a sore loser. “It’s just me,” I called up the stairs, not wanting to give her a heart attack.
The footsteps stopped, then started on the stairs, heavier than Mrs. Marrin’s. “I thought you’d learned your lesson about hanging out in basements.”
Daniel came down the rest of the way and I smiled. “You know, I really tried, but there’s just something about the rats and the must that keeps drawing me back in.”
“Still looking for that book?”
“How did you --?”
“Let’s just say Locke has strange ideas about pillow talk.”
“So that’s a thing again? You and Locke?”
“Never really stopped being one,” he muttered, shoving a small stack of boxes aside with his foot on his way to join me. “Not for any significant length of time.”
“I’m guessing things between you and Asher didn’t work out.”
“Nope,” he said, and I knew better than to ask for any clarification.
“I’m sorry, Daniel.”
“It’s for the best.”
The way he said it made me doubt that. “What are the chances I could convince you not to tell Nick about this? Or Locke?”
