Ava glanced nervously at Gunter before forcing a smile to her face. “This is a talk for another time.”
“This is a talk for now.”
“Donatus, please.” Ava rubbed the back of her neck, doing her best to try to keep her face from flushing. “I need to get back to my room. We’ll talk later.”
“No. We will talk now.” Donatus tried to pull her into him but Ava refused to budge.
“Professor Manlian, I don’t think that will be necessary. I have nothing further to say regarding this matter.” Ava jerked her arm away from him as she let her gaze run cold. Her heart wanted her to pull him close and tell him that she loved him. Her head told her to walk away. For once, her head won out.
* * * * *
Ava stared at the tables full of people at the bar as she held one hand over her ear and her cell phone in the other. Walking out on Donatus at his office had seemed like a wise choice. That was hours ago. It no longer held the same vigor. “Chloe, you need to speak up. I can’t hear over the music.”
“Where in the world are you? I can rule out a party. You’re way too uptight for those anymore.”
Rolling her eyes, Ava tapped the red wall next her with her fingernails. “You’d stop picking on me if you knew what the hell I’ve been doing—or, rather, whom.”
“You found a man you like. This is bad how?” Chloe laughed softly. She’d taken the news of Ava being with Donatus well. A little too well. “Listen, I’ve already told you that Commiliton is the place for you to be.”
“This is bad because the guy is trying to be sweet and play along with the entire mate scenario that Lucifer drew out for me. He has no idea it’s not a joke to me—that people I love have died because of this. That he’ll die if a Host member happens upon us while he’s pretending to be someone he’s not, Chloe.” Ava groaned and pressed her forehead to the cool wall a second before she thought about how many people had touched it. Jerking back fast, she groaned again. “I can’t do this. I miss all of you too much and starting over isn’t as fun as they’d like you to believe. I’m needed there. I need to oversee things, help guide the—”
“Ava, you can’t come back here now. It’s not safe for you and you know it. We’re doing our best to keep a lid on what’s going on but it’s hard. If you show up and the media sees you, we might as well paint a target on your chest. Besides, I like this Donatus guy and think you should give him a chance, Ava. What would you do if he is who he claims to be? That would mean he’s your husband and that you’re carrying his child. Is that really so bad?”
Nodding, Ava gave in and leaned against the wall again. She sighed when she realized Chloe couldn’t see her head shake. “Please don’t do this too.”
“Why?” Chloe asked. “Answer me. What would you do if he’s for real, Ava?”
“I don’t know. I’d probably break down into tears and be scared to be with him and terrified to be without him.”
“You don’t really think he’d hurt you, do you?” Chloe cleared her throat.
Ava dropped her head against the wall in hopes that some sort of sense would sink in. None did. “Maybe. Gods, Chloe, I don’t want to think about Donatus being capable of unspeakable acts of evil. In my dream, the demon… While it didn’t hurt me, it did radiate the will to do whatever was necessary to have what it wanted. Chloe, if that was real and the demon was Donatus then yes, I’d be terrified of him. But I know in my heart he would never hurt me. And could a demon promise that? It makes no sense. You wanted an honest answer. There you have it.”
“I can assure you, Ava, that your mate would never in a million years hurt you. He’d die to protect you and your child.”
Groaning, Ava rolled her eyes. “I’m done doing the hypothetical thing, Chloe. Something big is coming. I can feel it.”
“Big as in a hung-like-a-horse stud who is staring at you as we speak with nothing but concern in his eyes? Or big as in we need to be prepared to come to you on a moment’s notice?”
Tipping her head to the side, Ava scanned the tables and found no signs of anyone staring at her. Kal and Gunter were busy talking with some women who’d recently arrived and the rest of the faculty members in the bar seemed to be in a deep discussion. She’d artfully managed to avoid Donatus since the outburst in his office and had made it through the day without incident. Gunter had been the one to insist she get out and enjoy herself. With the feel of evil pressing in on her, she was beginning to think it wasn’t such a good idea. Not to mention her stomach had been in knots from having limited contact with Donatus.
“I’d go with option two if I were you. The Host and the Keres would like nothing more than to see my head on a platter—or a stake. I’m sure they don’t really care so long as it’s no longer attached to me. I bet Lucifer has a spot picked out on his wall to have it mounted.”
Chloe sighed. “Are you in any physical danger?”
“No. At least I don’t think so. Not yet anyways.”
“Could you be a bit more vague? I’m not sure you lost me enough.” Chloe was clearly annoyed, biting out each word. “I can tell you this much, you are not to fight anyone or anything. Get to Donatus and send for me. I’ll get in touch with Effie and Yvonne. They’ll come join you soon. I repeat, Ava, do not try to fight anything.”
Ava ran her fingers over the wall again, this time letting her guard down enough that she felt the presence of powerful magik. For the first time in her life, Ava couldn’t tell if it was good or evil. “Tell me why you suggested Commiliton University to me when so many other places would have taken me on. And tell me why you’re pushing me to go to a human male if the friggin’ devil shows up.”
“Because I’m willing to see the truth and accept it. And because I love you too much to let anything happen to you, Ava.” The concern in Chloe’s voice warmed Ava.
Ava went to answer and stopped when she sensed something was wrong. Looking around the bar, she could find no signs of trouble. The feeling didn’t go away and she’d learned long ago to trust her gut. “Chloe, I have to go.”
“Ava? What’s wrong?”
“I don’t know.”
A choked sob came from Chloe. “Oh gods, they can’t have found you. Not yet. I swear my dream showed me you’d be safe, Ava. Get to Donatus now! Don’t fight back, Ava. You and the—”
The feeling eased a bit, taking Ava by surprise. “I’ll be fine and I’ll call you later.” Shutting her cell phone, Ava turned to head to the ladies’ room, happy that the loud music had given away to something slower and softer. The second she found a pair of emerald green eyes staring down at her, she froze—not out of fear, but fascination.
She stared at Donatus. Could he really be her mate?
Donatus moved his head and his shaggy hair flipped out of his eyes. She wanted to touch his face, get close enough that she could stare into the jade-colored jewels he looked upon her with, but that would require the ability to move. Currently, she was rooted in place as she took in the sight of him.
“You left before my last class got out. I wanted to talk to you,” he said, not sounding mad but not sounding extremely pleased either. “I wanted to fix things between us, Ava. I know this is a lot for you to take in.”
“I’m not in the mood to play this game tonight, Donatus. I agreed to come out because Gunter and Kal didn’t leave me an option to say no. Kal threatened to pick me up and carry me here. I don’t think he was joking.”
Donatus smiled. “He wasn’t. He wants us to work past this as much as I do.”
“Why?”
“Because he’s excited about being an uncle and wants his best friend’s wife to be happy.” Donatus’ hand went to her cheek. He stroked it gently as she couldn’t help but tip her head into his palm. She knew she should push him away, act shocked by his words, do something to show him the move was awkward. She didn’t. Closing her eyes, Ava let the calm that seemed to spread out from his hand wash over her. The feel of his thumb tracing over her lower lip made her nippl
es hard and her entire body ache for more. It wanted attention too—all of it.
Ava realized that she not only had her eyes closed, her face tipped into Donatus’ hand, but was also sighing. Her eyes snapped open and she went to take a step back, mortified. “I…can’t do this. I’m sorry.”
Donatus quickly closed the gap between them and bent down. “You’re so tiny. I still have no idea how it is you’re going to carry our child.”
“Maybe you’re just freakishly tall and I can carry our child just fine. Thank you very much.”
Why did I say that? I’m not pregnant.
His green gaze raked over her slowly. Each spot it rested on heated quickly. When it landed on the apex of her thighs, Ava shifted awkwardly as cream filled her panties. A smile that seemed to ooze sex appeared on his face. “Would it make it feel more real to you if we married the traditional human way? Would you believe that you are my wife and you do have our little one trying desperately to survive in you?”
“Please stop mocking me. I told you I was only joking with my girlfriends. There is no devil, no mate thing, nothing. Just plain old me. I teach Norse mythology and am the most boring woman ever put on this planet. Now if you’ll excuse me.” She pushed past him quickly and headed to the table full of men to grab her sweater and handbag, shocked that a man who had barely spoken to her all day could suddenly be such a jerk.
Gunter stood as she approached and pulled her chair out for her. “Are you enjoying yourself tonight, Ava?”
She grabbed her thin white sweater and matching handbag. Shoving her cell phone inside it, she smiled at Gunter and nodded as her gaze wandered over the table full of men. “I did. Thanks for the warm welcome.”
“You’re leaving?” Kal asked, motioning to her handbag.
“Yeah, I have a class at seven-thirty in the morning and I’m not settled in at home yet. Not to mention that I’m exhausted. I don’t know how you boys do it but I can’t go out every night like this. I’m getting too old to keep up with all of you.”
Gunter touched her back lightly and chuckled. “No one put a time limit on getting settled in our New England hamlet, did they? I say leave it be and enjoy yourself, Ava.”
A tall, skinny brunette stumbled a bit and spilled some of her drink onto Kal. “You should stay. These guys are the best.” She pointed around the table and blinked several times before giving Ava an odd look. “I know I’m drunk.”
The brunette’s friend, a tall redhead, laughed. “Just a little.”
They clung to each other as they continued laughing. There was something a little strange about them. “They’re the big catches. If you’re lucky enough to grab their eye, then you go with it. The whole town knows that. Hell, the whole world knows that.”
The redhead thrust her arm in the air, beer sloshing out of the top of the bottle she held. “Women die for a chance to get a ride on one of them. You must not have gotten a taste. It’s like nothing you’ve ever done before.”
Ava stood still, showing no signs of being shocked or outraged. Every part of her wanted to tell the woman just how many rides she’d taken on one of them but she held back. Instead, she tried to sense something, anything about them that would tell her why her instincts tossed up red flags the minute they began to speak. Other than the obvious fact that they were annoying, Ava found nothing.
“And here you are running away from the whole lot of them.” The brunette shook her head and gave Ava a dirty look. “You must be the stupidest woman on earth. Are you the stupidest woman, Ava? Or do you think you’re clever enough to play the game?”
Clever enough to play the game? How does she know my name?
Ava watched them closely, and the knowledge that they were more than human crept over her. It was clear they were potential threats. She readied herself for trouble and carefully kept her face devoid of emotion.
Kal’s eyes widened as he scooted his chair away from the two women. “Ladies, I think you’ve had enough.”
“Hardly.” The brunette staggered a bit more and pointed directly at Ava. “I come in here tonight, after I had to spend years and years trying to work my way into your inner circle only to find this new bitch sitting at the head of the table.”
“Yeah,” the redhead offered.
Kal stood quickly. “Come on, I’m calling a cab for you. I think it’s time to go home. The last thing we need is for the two of you to start trouble in here.”
Ava watched the women for any further clues as to who or what they might be. She found none.
Gunter took her sweater from her hands and smiled. “I’ve been meaning to ask if Donatus managed to work things out with you? I didn’t mean to walk in and cause trouble.”
“Yes.” She glanced around the bar and found no sign of him. “I think I liked him better when he was silent and tripping over nothing. At least he wasn’t being a stubborn ass and having temper tantrums.”
Gunter looked as though she’d slapped him. “Are you sure we’re referring to the same Donatus? The guy I know doesn’t piss women off anymore—umm—I mean, he’s not one to get comments like that.”
“Sorry, that came out harsher than I intended.” No it didn’t.
Ava smiled sweetly as Gunter held up her sweater for her. Sliding her arms in, she suddenly found him pressed close to her back. When his lips pressed against her ear, Ava froze.
“Donatus is a good man, Ava. A really good man. I don’t know what he said or did but I’m guessing he’s sorry for it. Give him a break, the man is clearly in love. And you are his wife, sweetie. That’s how it works for us.” Gunter stood and she turned to look up at him. He grinned innocently. “How about I walk you to your car?”
Someone was staring hard at her—she could feel it. The weight of it hung heavily to the air as she glanced around the bar nervously. Whoever it was wasn’t pleased. Unable to locate the source of the animosity she sensed, Ava let out a shaky laugh and shook her head. “No, I’m fine. I don’t think I have anything to worry about here. Well, maybe crazy best friends of a man who thinks he’s my hubby but that’s all.” That’s all if you disregard the stench of evil and the fact that I’m positive something bad is about to happen.
* * * * *
Donatus watched from the shadows of the bar as Gunter held Ava’s sweater out for her. The minute Gunter leaned down into her Donatus saw red. The demon within him fought to come out. It wanted to rip Gunterius’ head from his body. His hands itched and his body burned, wanting desperately to let the demon out, let it have its revenge for someone daring to touch his wife.
My best friend and my woman? No.
Not wanting to scare the entire bar, Donatus held a tight grip on the demon and waited for Ava to leave before storming toward Gunter. Narrowing his eyes, he came up behind him. Gunter turned around slowly.
“Hey, I was just talking about—”
Donatus seized hold of Gunter’s neck. He lifted him high in the air and went to throw the man.
“Hey!” Kallimoch said, appearing next to him suddenly. He yanked on Donatus’ arms hard enough to bring them down slightly but not hard enough to free Gunter. “Put him down, Donatus.”
The demon within him beat madly at his hold on it, wanting to be free. His nostrils flared and his body shook, fighting with all its might to keep the demon down. Donatus glared at Gunter. “If you even think about touching Ava again I will kill you.”
The rest of group had stopped talking amongst themselves and were now staring at him. He didn’t care. The only thing that mattered was Ava and he wasn’t about to let Gunter or anyone else touch her.
“Donatus, he didn’t do anything. If you want to be pissed off, get pissed over the way Niki and Terri treated Ava.”
Tipping his head to the side, Donatus stared at Kallimoch. “What did they do now?”
“I don’t even know where to start. All I know is that Sig needs to put a leash on them soon before I do it.” Kal rolled his eyes and reached behind Gunter’s suspended bod
y for his beer. “Who the hell even let them start hanging around us?”
“You did,” Donatus and Gunter said simultaneously.
Looking hard at Gunter, Donatus shook his head. “I trusted you like a brother.”
“And you always will, jackass. I told Ava you were a great guy and that you were sorry for whatever it is you did. I also told her that she really is your wife. But I’ve got to say that if you acted anything like this with her, it’ll be me kicking your ass. Not the other way around.”
“How can you even insinuate that I’d hurt my wife?”
Gun gave him a hard look. “Because I carry the same evil in me that you do and I can recognize a potentially explosive situation when I see one, Don.”
Donatus shook his head. What the hell was he doing? Attacking one of his closest friends was something he’d have done long ago, when the demon controlled him. “Something’s wrong with me.”
Kal gave him a “no shit” look. Gunter cleared his throat, reminding Donatus that he still had the man lifted off the ground. Setting him down, Donatus rubbed the bridge of his nose hard. “I need one of you to beat some sense into me. I’m completely in love with a woman who spent her life knowing I existed but can’t come to terms with me being with her now.”
“What you need to do is run your ass out to that parking lot and see if you can find Ava. Eat crow, apologize until your face is as blue as your balls and pray to whatever in hell we’re still allowed to pray to that she forgives your stupidity.”
“Kal, I fucking hate it when you’re right.”
Chapter Seven
Ava hit the unlock button on her keychain and watched the lights on her car blink. Sighing, she rolled her head a bit, doing her best to loosen some of the tension in her neck. Suddenly, the hair on the back of her neck stood on end. Her gut said Run to the car. Her brain told her to stand her ground and protect the innocent as she was born to do.
Sizzling Hot Alpha Male Paranormal Romance Box Set Page 19
