Resisting Darkness

by Kate Wendley

  Anthony put his hand up, still stifling a smile. “I know what you meant. My father is my Maker. He left to travel over seventy five years ago and is now returning. I can feel him getting closer.”

  They both stared at him in wide eyed wonder.

  “To be perfectly honest, and this will not leave this room, I’m not sure how things will go when he returns. He’s…” He opened his hands as if the gesture would bring the correct words to his mind. “He’s rather particular about things and I feel this is a bad time for his return, while we’re dealing with this embezzlement problem, I mean.” Among other things.

  Sebastian gave him a flat look. “You want me to step in and help Torin with the problems in the wolf office so you can be freed up to do other things.”

  Torin’s mixed emotions tore through the air, and Anthony knew Sebastian’s carefully controlled expressions well enough to tell he’d also felt it. “I’d like Torin to take the lead in dealing with the issue, but yes, I feel I may have my hands full with my father. It’d be good if you could be an additional resource.”

  Torin’s irritation mostly died down, but Anthony should’ve known Sebastian would read through the lines and zero in on his more pressing concern.

  “You’re worried about your father. What’s the low down? Is he going to turn this place upside down? Can he take control away from you since he’s your Maker?”

  Anthony hadn’t been prepared for this conversation and wasn’t sure he wanted to have it in front of Torin, but then again, he might just need him and his influence over most of the shifters here.

  In Torin’s years long hatred of Sebastian, he’d more or less assumed popular control over all the wolves in the community, which was the majority of shifters in Atlanta. What Torin wanted, the wolves did. Mostly. Now that he and Sebastian were friends again, Anthony felt much more at peace with the wolves. He supposed he should include Torin in some sensitive discussions, then, that he previously would’ve only had with Sebastian or Zach.

  Anthony’s silence while he considered how to answer made Sebastian’s muscles tighten and his scowl deepen. “Shit. Really?”

  “He may not want to. I don’t know. I haven’t heard from him for years. Since he left, actually, so I have no idea what his frame of mind is. All I know is that he’s returning, but it doesn’t feel like he’s coming quickly. In fact, it feels like he’s taking his time.” He wondered at what he felt through his blood connection to him, actually. It almost felt like he was resisting something, but that could be a mistake on his part.

  “I’d like to feel comfort in the fact that this embezzlement issue is in good hands, and that if I were… detained for any reason, that it’ll continue to be handled without need of my assistance.”

  They both stared levelly at him for a time. Torin finally said, “Well, hell. All right, let’s do this, but those files you sent me don’t make sense. The figures were too big. There’s no way you just give the wolf office a hundred thousand dollars every month.”

  Anthony calmly said, “You’re right. Sometimes it’s more than that.”

  Torin’s eyes went wide. “Where do you get that kind of money? And why the hell would you just give it away?”

  Anthony was glad Torin finally showed interest in how the family was run. It was nice to have another powerful family member he could rely on.

  “I’m not giving it away, I’m paying for a safe life for myself and my vampires. I take care of the financial needs of the shifters in this family. In turn, shifters guard vampires during our daily sleep, then freely allow us to nourish ourselves with your life blood at night. It’s the family agreement that has always been in place between our races.”

  Torin was silent as he stared at Anthony. He hoped the wolf was finally realizing just how reliant both their races were on each other and how important it was to keep everything in balance.

  When Torin finally tore his wide eyed gaze away, Sebastian said, “I’ll teach Jade and Oskar how to run the restaurant, then work with Torin on the office stuff. Send me your files, too. We’ll work on what to do next so you can focus on your dad being here.”

  Anthony breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you. Both of you.”

  Chapter 10

  Harmony groggily went upstairs for the night, her hunger stronger than usual ever since she started feeding from shifters here in Atlanta. That seemed odd to her since their blood was stronger than human blood. The only thing that made sense was that maybe she burned through shifter energy faster.

  She found her new alternate feeding partner waiting for her in the club, and she was still nervous to feed from him. She looked away, then saw Ethan watching her. A smile came to her face when he immediately made his way over.

  He looked concerned as he wrapped an arm around her shoulder and gave her a little hug hello. “You haven’t fed yet. Is this your volunteer?”

  She nervously eyed the man.

  Ethan did too. “What’s wrong?”

  The shifter took a step back. “Don’t look at me. I’m just here to let her feed.”

  She wilted at the confused frown on Ethan’s face. “Shifters still make me nervous. Atlanta’s a strange place.”

  Ethan’s frown relaxed and he gave her a knowing smile. With a little squeeze, he said in a tone that was either sarcastic or intimate, she wasn’t exactly sure which, “It’s all right, kitten. I’ll tear him limb from limb if he dares hurt you.”

  She chuckled and smacked him lightly in the chest. “Oh, stop.”

  His arm around her felt good and safe and warm as he smiled into her eyes and gestured towards a privacy room along the back wall. “Come on. Your eyes are beautiful when they glow, but you’re hungry.”

  She let him lead the way as the shifter warily watched Ethan, and she realized his little joke about tearing the man apart might not be a joke to him. Crap. She really needed to remember that Ethan probably was the fierce Master Vampire she’d read about online and gotten tiny bits of gossip about here in Atlanta.

  Once in the room, just the three of them with the door closed, she froze up again. They all stood in the small space and she made no move to feed from this man that could turn into a raging animal and attack her. Were they all crazed out of their minds once their animal took over, or was it just the dead ones she’d seen over the years?

  Ethan reached a hand out and tucked some stray hairs behind her ear, then delicately trailed a finger down her jaw and under her chin. She let out a shaky, uncertain breath at his intimate touch.

  “Feed, kitten. Feed from him here and now, and look into my eyes as you do it.” He shocked her when his gaze turned intense and he more firmly and slowly said, “I want to watch.”

  She wasn’t sure what to say to that, and luckily she didn’t have to say anything. He took her by the shoulders and nudged her to face him. Without looking away from her, he put a hand out for the shifter, who seemed to know what to do. He stepped in between them and cocked his head, exposing the warm skin of his neck for her. Ethan stepped into the man’s back and quietly said, “You have my word I won’t harm you, wolf, so long as you never bite or otherwise threaten her safety. Agreed?”

  Harmony stared into the shifter’s eyes as he looked squarely back at her and said, “Agreed.” He put his hand up for Ethan to give him a high five, which he did. If she wasn’t so wound up right now she’d laugh at the absurdity of it.

  Ethan’s eyes glowed bright blue as he reached for her, beckoning her closer. With him here she was less worried about what could go wrong and stepped close enough to feed. His steady gaze flicked to her mouth, and she swore she heard him suck in a quick breath as she bit down and punctured the wolf’s flesh. Confusion over what was going on between them got brushed aside by the jolt of electricity in the man’s blood. It made her body feel wildly alive, and judging by the shifter’s growing erection, he’d noticed.

  Still, she was anxious and tense as she took her fill and wondered what Ethan was thinking as he watched. A
s much as she wanted to feed and feed and feed, she also wanted to throw the shifter aside and take Ethan into her arms and passionately kiss him.

  His blazing blue eyes bore into her, making her imagine he could see and feel everything she wanted right now. What she wanted was his body pressed up against hers, his hands touching her everywhere…

  The shifter started to slump and she tensed, then slowly stopped feeding from him. When she finally released him, Ethan helped the man to the hide a bed sofa, then shocked her by pulling her into his arms and kissing her. She fell into it, a gasp escaping her from his suddenness.

  His kiss started out firm, yet careful, but the longer they tasted each other, gasping and whimpering at the heady rush of finally giving in to the intensity between them, the more frantic they became.

  Every nerve ending in her body was alive as she panted, “This can’t be one of your flings, Ethan. I won’t be a fling.”

  She had no idea why she’d said that since she was the one who never got serious with guys, but when he immediately pulled back, her heart cried out in despair.

  He held her in his arms as he huskily said, “I’ve never had a fling with a vampire and I don’t intend to start now, my beautiful butterfly.”

  He flinched and she wasn’t sure what to make of it. All she knew was that it felt good to give in to the temptation of the last few nights together and finally feel him let go of his ironclad self control.

  He studied her face, then traced a line with his fingertip down her cheek and gently over her bottom lip. His gaze lingered on her mouth as he held her firmly by the small of the back. “Show me your teeth. I want to see them.”

  She twitched in anticipation at his firm tone. It was right on the edge of being a command, yet he kept his voice gentle enough that she felt like if she wanted to she could tell him no.

  But she didn’t want to, so she slowly opened her mouth.

  He took a shaky breath as he watched her, his anxiousness slowly driving her crazy. Seemingly transfixed by her mouth, he cupped her cheek and used his thumb to nudge her upper lip to expose her sharp fang more fully. He trembled as his breathing deepened, and she had to force herself to be still. She didn’t understand his mood right now, and she refused to be a one night stand plaything, so she held her ground… but it took real effort to restrain herself.

  Ethan’s hand dropped away and he closed his eyes for a time, his breathing slowly calming, though his arm around her never faltered. When he finally opened his eyes, he said, “Can I still take you out tonight?”

  She woodenly nodded, confused as hell right now as her crazy desire for him cooled off. Had he decided he’d rather just be friends with some kind of touching benefits? It felt like there was more between them than that, but she wasn’t sure if she wanted there to be. If she could just get her hormones under control, she was sure she could make a rational decision…

  She nodded, so he moved her hand to the crook of his arm and firmly held it there as he led them back through the club. She was still anxious and wound up, and wished she could read his mind to figure him out. He was so carefree and relaxed sometimes, and other times he was downright intense.

  Once they were both seated safely in his car, he said, “Anywhere in particular you’d like to go this evening, or can I pick?”

  “You pick.” Hopefully it would give her some kind of clue about his mood.

  “All right. Then we’re going on a tour of the most beautiful spots in the city.”

  He smiled and seemed more relaxed, but she was having a hard time not thinking about what just happened between them. Her mood thankfully calmed as they drove and talked about random things, though. Looking for something neutral to talk about, she told him she was thinking of taking Anthony up on his job offer to do some teaching and tutoring.

  Ethan was quiet for a time before saying, “That’s a good idea. That’s a noble profession and Anthony will pay you well.”

  She didn’t like the way he’d said that, like he was glad she might be busy sometimes. “Well, I probably wouldn’t start until the spring semester, after New Year’s.”

  He nodded and seemed like something was on his mind again.

  His distraction got on her nerves, so she stupidly said, “So you’ve never had a fling with a vampire? Are you serious?”

  He firmly said with just a hint of irritation, “My wife was vampire.”

  Her stomach dropped, and she had the feeling she’d disrespected him. “Oh. Sorry.”

  He just as tightly said, “You have nothing to be sorry for.”

  Her mood plummeted and she stubbornly looked away. Obviously his long dead wife was a touchy subject, making her feel silly for thinking their last few nights of getting to know each other was anything other than them just having fun. By why not? Wasn’t that what she usually expected of people? To keep things casual with no strings attached?

  He surprised her by taking her hand in his. “I didn’t mean to sound so harsh. Her death has been on my mind lately and it’s making me grouchy.”

  She softened at his admission. “How did she die, if you don’t mind my asking?”

  His jaw tensed. “A vampire hunter killed her as we slept. I woke up before he had a chance to kill me, too.”

  Her eyes went wide. That was a horrible way to die, and even more horrible for him to see it so close up.

  He sighed. “I’ve turned our evening somber. If you’ve changed your mind about wanting to spend time with me, I’ll drop you off anywhere you want to go.”

  “We’re friends, right?”

  He looked questioningly at her, but nodded once and slowly said, “I hope so.”

  Her heart pitter pattered at his tone and look of vulnerability. “Then I want to go somewhere we can talk and not be driving. I want to hear the whole story. This is obviously bothering you so I want to know more. I want to hear about your late wife.”

  Ethan looked intently at her and was silent for so long, she worried she’d pushed him too far. She also wondered what the hell she was getting herself into.

  Without a word, he took the next exit and got back on the highway going the opposite direction. Keeping his eyes on the road as if he was too afraid to look at her, he nodded and quietly said, “Ok.”

  **

  Ethan felt shaky again, though this time he knew why. He’d never talked about Sonya with anyone before. The vampires that knew her didn’t need an explanation of who she was or what she’d meant to him. The people that didn’t know her didn’t know Ethan had ever even had a wife, and it felt too personal to share that fact with them.

  But not with Harmony. He felt like he could share anything with her and he wasn’t sure why that was. She made him feel like he could be himself rather than trying to keep up a façade of always being in control. He’d only ever felt that before with Sonya.

  He took Harmony to the scenic overlook he favored. He’d never brought anyone else here, but it felt right to share this with her. He parked, and after helping her out of her side of the car, he grabbed a blanket from the trunk for them to sit on. He closed the trunk, then immediately opened it again to get another blanket that he could wrap around her shoulders to keep her warm. It surprised him that he’d even thought of it since he wasn’t the type to ever worry about what other people needed to be comfortable.

  His eyes drifted over her and he wondered why he felt this way around her. He opened his senses wide, but didn’t feel anything strange in her essence. She looked a question at him and he pulled his power back close to himself, then led them to the spot he liked to sit and look at the city lights from.

  He spread one blanket out and they sat together before he draped the other one around them both. She gave him an intimate look and he so badly wanted to kiss her again, but he decided against it while Sonya was on his mind. It felt too disrespectful.

  Thinking about Sonya made him feel like he shouldn’t be here with Harmony. Strangely, sating his body’s needs with shifter women didn’t
feel wrong, but thinking about how much he’d like to really get to know Harmony felt like he was cheating on his long dead lover.

  Harmony relaxed against his chest and he knew it was too late for him because he didn’t even remember wrapping himself around her.

  “It’s beautiful up here, Ethan.”

  He quietly said, “It’s my thinking spot.”

  As she looked out over the city, he closed his eyes and breathed in the night. He’d lost himself so many times in the warm, willing bodies of shifter women, their natural vibrations feeling nearly manic to him, that he’d almost forgotten what it was like to have a vampire in his arms. Harmony’s innate energy was calm and soothing with a languidly seductive undertone that promised delicious heights he could only reach by being with his own kind. It was a tortuous tease, making him remember what his life had been like long ago. He’d once had everything he’d ever wanted…

  When he realized he was lightly rubbing his cheek against her soft, silky hair, he stopped himself and said, “I want to get to know you better.”

  She turned her smoky eyes on him and he reached out to caress her, but let his hand drop before he did. He looked away from her searching eyes and stared at the bright lights of Atlanta instead.

  “Sonya’s been gone for three hundred years and it still feels like I’m cheating on her, being here with you.” He suddenly hated the lights of the city. Sonya had never seen something so bright and beautiful as this, and never would. He looked away. “It doesn’t feel like I’m cheating on her with the shifters because I don’t care about them or who they really are inside.” He abruptly looked at Harmony and this time he didn’t stop himself from touching her. “You’re something else entirely. You make me want more from life.”

  She still didn’t speak, but her eyes said so many things. Mostly that she cared for him.

  His heart felt torn open as he asked, “Have you ever lost someone you loved?”

  Her voice was quiet. “Not like that. Not a partner. Not a lover.”

  He cocked his head. “Why not? Surely you’ve had suitors.”