“Are you headin’ into the city on your own? Or would you like an escort?”
Bane bared his fangs at Kahn, both sharp and pointy.
“I can protect myself and my charge just fine. But thanks, anyway.”
Emely’s hand came down over Sonnet’s shoulder, and warm lips spoke so close to her ear that they almost touched, “Be careful, Vale. Phantom City is full of surprises. And not all of them are the good kind.”
Her instincts peaked, a warning, at Emely’s words. That was why she hated surprises—no matter the variety.
***
The moon was full on the horizon as Sonnet and Bane walked the main road that led into the city. From what she could see of it, the town was small, with a main drag that was lined with several buildings on either side. Shops mainly, all open for business. If there were any personal residences, she couldn’t see them.
Neon signs blared wild. One of the biggest eye-catchers shimmered light blue and black in the distance, blinking the name, Nightshade. Across the street from Nightshade was what appeared to be a tattoo shop, with a neon pink, black, and white sign that blazed Immortal Ink, with a skull and bones attached to it.
The scene reminded her of Las Vegas, but with a more Gothic undertone, minus the tang of desperation in the air. In her opinion, Phantom City was the perfect place to house the paranormal species that were much too different, with their special dietary needs and magical abilities, from normal society.
“So what do you think?” Bane asked Sonnet.
As they passed the tallest building on the strip, a hotel whose sign read Eternal Slumber, Sonnet decided right then and there that she never wanted to frequent that particular establishment. She looked around and smiled.
“The place is not so bad.”
And she really did mean that. It was a city unlike anything she’d ever seen, and oddly enough, she felt comfortable in it.
They walked for two blocks, and during the entire journey, Sonnet soaked up the city. Several normal-looking folk passed by without a second glance, but some of them hesitated, nose sniffing the air around her, with a subsequent scowl. She imagined those people to be werewolves, able to decipher by scent that she was a hunter. And she was quickly learning that no one in Phantom City liked hunters.
“Are we there yet?”
She felt like a child asking, but they’d been walking for over an hour. First, across a mile of barren terrain, to get to the outskirts of Phantom City, and then a couple more blocks once they’d entered the town.
“We are close.”
“And what is this place? You never told me where we’re goin’.”
Grinning, Bane said, “I’m taking you to Remy’s house. He’s essentially the mayor here, as well as my boss. He’ll know where to find your vampire.”
He stopped and turned towards one of the larger buildings in the city. It was a three-story brick structure—the one with the sign she’d noticed earlier as sticking out above the rest, like a glistening beacon, flashing Nightshade.
Sonnet looked up at Bane, questions flickering across her features.
“What are we doin’ at a club? Stoppin’ for a drink first, or somethin’?”
Bane let his gaze linger on her for several moments, and then he shook his head.
“Questions come out of you like rapid fire, little fox. How about you relax and let me get you to where you need to be. I promise that all of this will be over soon.”
He walked toward the double glass doors and wrapped his knuckles around one of the flashy gold handles. He twisted his lips into a sexy grin.
“Even speechless, you’re exquisite.”
“That’s just like a man. Tell you to shut up one second and then compliment you the next.” She huffed as she stomped past him, entering the building through the door he held open for her. “That crap don’t work on me.”
She could feel his stare burning a hole in her back, and it made her smile.
“Oh, I thought modern women preferred assholes. What will work, then? How can I sway you over to the dark side? Flowers, candy?”
Sonnet could tell by his tone that Bane was being playful with her. Or more to the point, he was flirting. She shook her head and continued to walk forward, even though she hadn’t a clue where she was going. She spotted the bar about ten feet away and to her right. That was a good enough place to sit as any. She slipped onto a red leather barstool and crossed one leg over the other.
The bartender was in front of her in a flash. Sonnet’s mouth gaped, and her brain stuttered to a stop.
“What can I do ya for, hun?”
A tiny lady hovered before Sonnet. She had long black hair, light blue skin, and tiny horns. The mini she-devil couldn’t have been over three feet tall.
“Wait a second,” she said.
After an assessing tilt of the head at Sonnet, the blue devil zipped up to the very top of the liquor shelves.
“Midori Sour, right? With a splash of grenadine?”
She dropped back down with a liquor bottle half-filled with bright green liquid in both of her hands. Her dark brows jumped up, and she scrunched her perky nose.
“Well, is that your flavor, little lady? I’m rarely ever wrong, so it must be,” she chattered on. “I don’t have all day. You want somethin’, or not?”
Speechless, Sonnet nodded and then turned to look at Bane. He had taken the seat next to her. He peered over her shoulder at the bartender and smiled wide.
“Thank you, Anya. I’ll take my usual, and put the lady’s drink on my account, please.”
Sonnet turned back and watched the bartender as she hovered around the bar. Anya was back in front of her in a heartbeat, with her favorite drink, a Midori Sour with a splash of grenadine, as well as a can of Sanguine-Blast, which she placed in front of Bane. Anya’s black eyes flashed to Sonnet’s hand.
“That’s an interestin’ ring.”
She dragged that measured look over to Bane. She stared at him hard.
“I’ve told you before, Anya. None of your mindreading tricks on me.”
So that’s how she knew my favorite drink.
Anya looked away as she said, “It’s nice to know that you’re finally puttin’ your heart out there, blood-sucker. Your ass is way too fine to stay celibate.”
Sonnet stared at the ring, which apparently had Anya thinking she was a vampire’s concubine.
“Mind your manners, demon,” he said.
Great. Not only do vampires and werewolves exist, but so do mindreadin’ demons.
She swallowed a lump in her throat; she sure as hell was going to need more than just one drink to get through that revelation. Sonnet clenched her teeth and squinted as she tried to physically push a thought at Anya.
Tequila, tequila, tequila.
Twisting around, Anya grabbed the bottle of Patron Silver and poured Sonnet a double shot.
“Here ya go, lass. No chaser, right?”
Smiling, Sonnet nodded once before throwing back half the shot.
“Thanks.”
The she-demon looked at the two of them.
“So what’s goin’ on? Here to see the boss man?”
Bane said, “Yes. Is he in?”
“You bet your sweet ass, he is. I’ll let him know to expect you.”
“I’d appreciate it.”
With a grunt, Anya turned, zipping away from them.
Sonnet watched as Anya’s long blue spade-tipped tail disappeared around the corner.
“Demon, huh?” she murmured between gulps of the relaxing liquor. “How many more surprises you got for me?”
Bane set down his drink and stood from his barstool. He gazed down at Sonnet, his lips peeling back from his pointed teeth.
“Many, many more surprises are in store for you, little fox.”
Before standing, she sucked down the last bit of her drink, hoping it would calm her nerves and ease the pain that was spreading inside her chest.
“If all the surprises bring me booze, I can deal
,” she said, slamming down the empty glass. “Let’s get this over with then, okay?”
Chapter Twelve
Up on the top floor of Nightshade, Sonnet and Bane exited the elevator. As soon as the doors shut behind them, her warning bells flared to life again, but not as excruciatingly as before. The pain was tolerable, which meant the vampire blood was leaving her system, but was not gone entirely.
There was one direction to go, straight ahead, down a short hall that led to the only door on the third level. All around them was silence, until Bane rapped his knuckles against the wooden structure.
“Come on in!” a male voice boomed from the other side.
The sound was dark and rich—with more than a hint of a rumble.
Ordinarily, Sonnet would follow that instruction, but she had to admit, the bottomless voice frightened her. Her fingers wrapped around Bane’s wrist as he grabbed the knob, stopping him from turning it.
“Are you sure we’re safe? My gut is screamin’ at me to run.”
Bane gazed at her with solemn eyes and a soft expression.
“You have every right to be concerned, and your instincts are right on the money in regards to Remy. But you’re with me. And your finger bears my mark to exhibit. Nothing will happen to you.”
Sonnet released him, saying, “All right. I’m gonna trust you.”
A smile brightened his handsome face.
“Thank you. And I’ll do my damnedest to keep that trust.”
“I don’t seem to be resistin’ you all that much anymore. I guess that’s a good thing... as long as you keep your mitts to yourself.”
She could feel in that instant a change. Not in herself, but in the air around them. It felt more comfortable, less cautious and tense. Yes, showing a bit of trust in someone could be good thing, especially when working towards a common goal. But Sonnet was hesitant to let her guard down completely. She knew once she did, she’d be leaving herself wide open to a fast hard uppercut to the jaw.
Bane looked at her full on in the face, with his eyes so sincere.
“I refuse to damage what trust we’ve built so far, even a little. So to be honest, I plan on having my mitts all over you one day, with your mind, body, and soul at my mercy... in every imaginable devious and erotic way. As for right now, I’ll be good.” He licked his lips, the tip of his tongue moving a bit slower as it reached the top plump, luscious bow. “And I won’t have to force my attentions upon you, because you’ll come to me more than willing.”
A trace blush of arousal colored Sonnet’s cheeks.
“You’re unbelievable, vampire,” she said in a breathy voice.
“So I’m told.”
Bane watched her briefly before opening the door, relishing every sensation he caused her to feel. He wanted, no, needed her to experience the pull—the heat—and to witness the evidence of her building desire for him. Her influence had been running over him like a bulldozer from the moment he’d laid eyes upon her. It was only fair that she suffer, too.
***
The warmly lit room glowed auburn and yellow under the soft flickering flames. Candles were everywhere—jumbled on a desk on the far right side of the room, in a staggered row of five on a free-standing candelabra, and even more were placed in golden holders set on top of the wide sills of three huge windows.
“What the hell took you so long to get here? It’s been what, a week since I sent you out on your mission?”
Remy looked up from the book he was studying. His eyes were piercing, two obsidian pools of glass.
“Demon.”
The word slipped from between Sonnet’s lips before she could stop it.
Remy stood, his body unfolding from his chair, at least seven feet tall. He was a shadowy mountain. He had tanned skin, and he looked strong. Arms, chest, and legs were all rolled with muscles. He clenched his back teeth, making his square jaw stand out more. He was decked out in all black. The only relief from the darkness was a silver belt buckle and a gold watch, strapped tight around his thick wrist. Even his hair was black, tied back from his face in a loose ponytail.
He raked her with a stare fully loaded with distain.
“Hunter.” The two syllables oozed from the demon’s tongue like a promise of death. “Welcome to my home.”
Funny, she didn’t feel all that welcome.
“Uh, thanks for havin’ me.”
Her reply sounded more like a question than a statement.
Bane’s arm slid across Sonnet’s shoulders.
“Just so we’re clear and upfront about things... yes, Sonnet is a hunter. But more importantly, I have claimed her.”
For self-preservation’s sake, Sonnet kept her trap shut and didn’t break Bane’s arm in two. She completely ignored the fact that Bane, cradling her against his body like that, made her temperature rise by a few thousand degrees.
“You, a hunter, are claimed by a vampire?”
She looked up at Bane; he was staring at Remy, steady and neutral. Sonnet’s arm slid around his lower back, and she entwined her fingers through one of the belt loops at his waist.
“I am.”
It was a short and sweet reply, with no room for misinterpretation.
Remy’s eyes slid over Sonnet’s ring.
“You’re very beautiful, Sonnet. And you bear an uncanny resemblance to a woman I once knew.” Without taking his eyes from Sonnet, he threw out a question for Bane. “Do you mind if I taste of your hunter? I would like to decipher her demon line.”
The hair rose on Sonnet’s arms.
“Hold up, weirdo! Are you tryin’ to insinuate that I’m some kinda demon spawn?” She stepped out of Bane’s hold. “And you wanna bite me for it?” Feeling braver than she should, Sonnet shook her head as she said, “Not gonna fuckin’ happen.”
It was his turn to frown at her.
“I only require a small drop of your blood. That’s not an outlandish request.”
Bane’s voice came from behind her, saying, “I will consider your request if you allow me one boon in return.”
“Scuse me?” she cried.
She could have sworn she saw him flinch. But that was all the emotion he showed.
Remy cleared his throat. She turned and looked up, way up, at him.
“What?”
He gazed down at her with a devious grin, but his next words were for Bane.
“I have a meeting in ten minutes. Join me at the bar in twenty, and we will work out the details of our bargain. Maybe by then, you’ll have your hunter in line.”
Oh, no, he didn’t just go there!
Sonnet’s eyebrows scrunched together, and she stabbed both her fists into her hips.
“No man puts me in check! So you better readjust your thinkin’ about me real quick, demon.”
The expression in Remy’s eyes turned from one of amusement, to a thing of lethal menace in quick succession.
“You test me, woman,” he growled.
Bane touched her back. A warning, she supposed, but she didn’t care at that moment. She’d rather die a thousand deaths than to let some male-chauvinist demon treat her as if she was a piece of property—claimed by a vampire, or not.
Pools of darkness shot to Bane.
“Get her out of here now, before I do something that I probably won’t regret.”
The demon’s body began to levitate. The muscles of his arms seemed to get larger and throb and pulse, the more he rose off the floor.
Oh, shit! she thought, while taking a few steps back.
“That sounds like a great idea, vampire,” Sonnet said.
Before she could turn around to bolt, her feet left the floor. Less than five seconds later, Bane put her down. He’d gotten her out of the room quickly; his strength was impressive.
“You are one crazy lady, little fox.”
Sonnet’s hand shook as she pushed her hair back out of her face.
“You knew he’d want my blood.”
“I counted on it.”
; She sighed and shook her head, too scared to be mad at him.
“Shit! You suck, you know that?” She dragged both hands down her face. “Why the hell was I actin’ like that in there? I don’t think I’ve ever been that stupid before. And I’ve done some pretty stupid things.”
“It was your inner demon, reacting to what she perceived as a threat. You’re a hunter, with instincts that make you want to dominate anyone who dares to get in your way. As soon as Remy pushed your buttons, there really was no stopping you.”
“Yeah, well, do me a favor and at least try next time.”
Bane threw his head back and laughed.
“Nothin’ doin’. I’d rather the other guy lose his head, if it’s all the same.”
Sonnet sighed and said, “It seems like everybody in Phantom City brings the worst out of me.”
Bane grabbed her gently by the shoulders and stared into her shiny green eyes. The shimmering blue of his own almost made her forget about her recent suicide mission—almost.
“I have to disagree. I believe this place is testing you, bringing to light who you are and what you are truly capable of underneath it all. Nothing good can come from hiding it.”
Exasperated, she said, “Unless I find out it’s in my nature to kill things or get myself killed. That’s somethin’ worth keepin’ hidden, in my book.”
He leaned closer, his mouth halting an inch from hers. A hint of his heated breath coated her lips as he said, “Life is about finding where you fit—a place to belong—be it with saints or with demons. It’s in finding your own kind of monster, where your true self and happiness lies.”
She wondered how she was supposed to think when Bane was so close. The fact was that she couldn’t. The vampire’s lips were a pressing matter, needing to be addressed. Sonnet would traverse the maze that was her true self later. As of that moment, she only wanted one thing.
Sonnet rolled onto the tips of her toes, closing the narrow gap between them. In response, Bane growled, offering his mouth to her without the slightest bit of hesitation. His flesh felt like satin against hers, and his tongue filled her mouth with the delicious taste of sin. Panting hard, Bane pulled away just enough to speak.
“Are you sure this is what you want?”
Romancing the Paranormal Page 88
