“I didn’t mean to cry all over you,” she said, sniffing. “Your shirt’s all wet.”
“It will dry soon enough.” He paused to collect his thoughts. “Cassie, are you sorry we met?”
“What? Of course not! Is that what you think?”
“I don’t know what to think. If you could wipe away the last few months, would you?”
She stared at him, her brow furrowed. “What are you saying?”
He raked his fingers through his hair. “I can make you forget we ever met. Make you forget everything, if that’s what you want.”
“You can do that?”
“Yes. If you want me to.”
Cassie’s gaze slid away from his. Was that what she wanted? To forget she’d ever met him? She thought of how he had come to her defense in the park, walked her home nights to be sure she was safe. He had killed Lynx and his friends to protect her, offered her the hospitality of his home, given her a chance to fulfill her childhood dream. Made her feel loved, cherished, important. Did she want to throw all that away because some dumb vampire carried a grudge?
She looked into his eyes, beautiful hazel eyes filled with soul-deep sadness as he waited for her answer, and knew she could never leave him. He needed her.
And she needed him.
“No, Johnny,” she said quietly. “I don’t want to forget anything.”
“Cassie!” His arms tightened around her as he buried his face against her shoulder.
She stroked his hair, her heart aching when she felt his tears against her skin. “I love you,” she murmured. “Nothing Alric or anyone else can do will ever change that.”
Clearing his throat, he said, “You’re a brave woman, Cassie Douglas.”
“I don’t know about that.”
“I do.”
“When can we go home?”
He blew out a sigh. With all that had happened, he’d never gotten around to telling her that the house was gone.
“Johnny?”
“Alric burned it down.”
“What? When?”
“The night you were abducted.”
Cassie stared at him. The house was gone—and with it, everything she owned. She thought of all the lovely nightgowns she had received, the few new clothes she’d bought since moving in with Johnny. Her beautiful wedding gown. It wasn’t much, to be sure, and none of it had probably cost as much as the black velvet pantsuit Mara had lent her to wear today. Still, it was everything she owned in the world.
“No wonder everybody hates him,” she muttered. “Well, he can add my name to the top of the list!”
Chapter 41
“The girl has spunk,” Mara said. “I like her.”
“You do seem to have a soft spot for her.”
Lying face down on their bed, she purred as Logan’s hands moved over her back in long, lazy strokes. “That feels so good.”
Bending forward, he ran his tongue along her spine. “I can think of something that will make you feel even better.”
“I’ll bet you can, but for now, I’d rather have those clever hands right where they are.”
Logan grunted softly. “Why do you really think Alric hasn’t come here? It’s been a while since Sheree told him where we live.”
“I told you—he’s a coward. He doesn’t have the guts to come here and face me on my own turf.”
“Then why did he want to know where to find you?”
Frowning, she rolled onto her side. “I think that once he knew where I was, what little courage he had deserted him. It’s one thing to strut around thinking you’re the top dog when there’s no one to challenge you. He knows I can beat him. Or maybe he intends to burn me out, the way he did Giovanni.”
Logan sat on the edge of the bed, his fingers sifting through the wealth of her hair. “I guess the ball’s in his court. He knows where you live. He’s taken Cassie’s blood, so he can track her whereabouts anytime he feels like it. I don’t know what kind of game he’s playing, but I’m ready to end it.”
“Maybe we need to set a trap.”
He snorted. “With Cassie as the bait? What makes you think the good Father will let you put the love of his life in harm’s way?”
“I’m not sure that I’ll tell him.”
“What nasty little plan are you hatching inside that pretty head of yours?” he asked, tugging on a lock of her hair.
“Rane and Savannah have gone to Italy on vacation. They’ll be away a month or so. What if we sent Cassie and Giovanni to stay at their place? The ranch house is surrounded by miles of open country where you and the rest of the family can hide. It’ll be easy enough to make it look like Cassie’s alone at night while Giovanni is supposedly out hunting. Once Alric goes into the house, you and the others will mask your presence and surround the place. We have enough power among us to keep him inside.”
“What’s to stop Alric from simply transporting out of there and taking Cassie with him?”
“She won’t be alone. Giovanni will be there.”
“It’ll never work. Alric might be a coward but he isn’t stupid.”
“I know. It’s a risk. But I still think it’s a good plan.”
* * *
After spending three days and nights at Mara’s place, Cassie was ready to go home, even though they had nowhere to go. Mara and Logan were great company, the house was beautiful, but it wasn’t home. And she didn’t feel comfortable sleeping with Johnny under Mara’s roof. It was disconcerting knowing Logan and the Queen of the Vampires could easily overhear everything they said. Or did. Plus, the days were long and boring. She had been forbidden to leave the safety of the house and honestly, how many books or movies could anyone read or watch in a day?
Standing on the balcony, gazing out over the city, she wondered where she and Johnny would live once Alric was no longer a threat. They couldn’t stay here forever. And if Alric was after Mara, wouldn’t they be safer somewhere else? Then again, maybe not, since he apparently had a grudge against Johnny, too.
The thought brought her up short. Alric had taken her blood. That meant he could track her. And since she was here with Johnny and Mara . . . she was putting them in danger, too.
For a moment, she considered running away, but that would be utterly foolhardy. Alric had used her as bait once before. He wouldn’t hesitate to do it again.
So, what if Johnny used her as bait to trap Alric?
It was a scary thought, but what if it was the only way?
* * *
“Forget it,” Johnny said when she suggested it that night. “It’s too dangerous.”
“We have to do something,” Cassie said, pacing the bedroom floor. “How else are you going to find him? I might as well be in prison, for all the freedom I have here. You go out in search of prey but I’m trapped inside all day and all night. I’m going stir-crazy!”
He snagged her arm as she passed by the bed and drew her down on his lap. “I know you’re bored and frustrated, love, but I don’t know what I’d do if I lost you.”
Sighing, she rested her head on his shoulder. “Maybe we could go shopping tonight. I don’t have anything to wear except what Mara lends me. You need some clothes, too.”
“Yeah.” It was Friday night. They should be safe enough inside a busy mall. He could transport them there and back. Even Alric wasn’t foolish enough to make a scene in public.
* * *
“We’ll go with you,” Mara said when Giovanni informed her that he and Cassie were going out for the evening.
He glared at her. “Thanks, but I don’t need a babysitter.”
“I never said you did. But there’s safety in numbers. You won’t even know we’re there.”
“Would it do me any good to tell you to stay home?”
She smiled at him. “What do you think?”
* * *
Mara was as good as her word. If she’d followed them into the department store in the mall, Giovanni couldn’t sense her presence, or Logan’s either.
He stayed close to Cassie as she selected several pairs of jeans and T-shirts. He tried to look nonchalant as he followed her through the lingerie department, where she added a nightgown and robe, as well as a couple of lacy bras and bikini panties to her inventory. He stood behind her chair as she tried on shoes and boots.
Cassie looked up at him, eyes wide, at the cash register. “What was I thinking? I can’t pay for all this. I lost my purse when Alric kidnapped me.” She shook her head. She had been so caught up in everything else, she hadn’t even missed her phone.
“It’s okay, cara, it’s on me.” He pulled a credit card from his wallet and handed it to the clerk.
“I’m going to have to get a new driver’s license,” Cassie muttered. “And I should have reported that my credit cards were lost days ago.”
He grunted softly, thinking he needed to contact the company that insured his house. “You can take care of all that when we get back to Mara’s.”
“Damn Alric. Going to the DMV is a pain in the butt.”
Their next stop was the men’s department. It took Johnny far less time to pick out jeans, shirts, and underwear.
Their last stop was the jewelry department, where he told her to pick out a new crucifix, one with an extra heavy silver chain. She put it on while he paid for it.
When he heard Cassie’s stomach growl, he insisted on getting her something to eat. Loaded down with several bags, they made their way to the food court on the second floor.
“What are you in the mood for?” he asked.
“A double cheeseburger with everything on it, fries, and a strawberry shake.”
They had just found a vacant table when Giovanni sensed they were being watched. He turned his head slowly from side to side. Expecting it to be Mara, he swore under his breath when he spied Alric standing half-hidden behind a large potted plant.
The minute he made eye contact with the vampire, Alric vanished.
“What’s the matter?” Cassie asked, noting the sudden tension in his jaw.
Giovanni shook his head. “It’s a little unnerving, all these beating hearts in one place,” he lied.
“We can go if you like. I can take this with me and eat it at Mara’s.”
“It’s all right. Take your time.”
* * *
When they returned to Mara’s, Cassie headed to the guest room to take a shower and get ready for bed.
Giovanni strolled onto the balcony, where he stood looking out over the city, his hands wrapped around the rail, his knuckles white.
“We saw him, too,” Mara said, coming to stand beside him.
“When we get him, just remember he’s mine.”
He had expected an argument, but she merely nodded. “I don’t have a problem with that.”
“I just wish I knew what he’s thinking,” Giovanni muttered. “Alric knows how to find Cassie. Why hasn’t he done anything? What’s he waiting for?”
“Trying to find his nerve, no doubt,” Mara said. “Or maybe he knows that the waiting is making us all a little crazy.”
Giovanni grunted. “If that’s his game, it’s working. I heard you talking to Logan about taking Cassie to Rane’s place.” He grinned when she arched one brow. “You’re not the only one who eavesdrops now and then. I think it might work.”
“The only problem is, you might have to stay there for an indefinite amount of time,” Mara said, her brow furrowed thoughtfully. “There’s no way of knowing if he’ll even go looking for her. Or when.”
Giovanni scrubbed a hand over his jaw. “Do you trust Angelica?”
“Most of the time. Why?”
“I think she once had feelings for Alric.”
“What makes you say that?”
“Just a hunch. Something in the way she said his name.”
“Alric asked her where to find me a while back but she refused to tell him,” Mara said, her brow furrowed thoughtfully. “Probably because she’s more afraid of me than of him.”
“What if you meet her for drinks and let it slip that Savannah and Rane are out of town and I’m taking Cassie to the ranch for a few days. Do you think she’d tell him?”
“She might, but what’s the point? He’s taken Cassie’s blood. He can easily track her.”
“I know, but he wants me, too. Maybe knowing Cassie and I are alone out in the middle of nowhere will bring him to us.”
“It might work,” Mara said, green eyes glittering.
“And if it doesn’t, Cassie and I will have a nice vacation.”
Mara grinned at him. “And if it doesn’t, we’ll think of something else.”
“And we’ll keep thinking,” Giovanni said, his voice little more than a growl, “until I take his head and his heart and burn what’s left.”
* * *
The next night, Mara sent a group text to Derek, Nick, Rafe, Roshan, Vince, Pearl and Edna Mae. She filled them in on what was happening with Alric and asked them to meet her at the Cordova ranch the following Saturday night. They should plan to stay there as long as necessary and pack accordingly.
“Do you really think we’ll need the whole family to take him down?” Giovanni asked.
“Yes, because I don’t think he’ll come alone. No matter what Angelica tells him, he’ll likely suspect a trap of some sort and bring his minions to spring it. He may not be smart or brave, but he’s as cunning as the devil himself. I’ll get in touch with Angelica in the morning,” Mara said, thinking out loud. “The family will meet you at the ranch next Saturday. If you leave tomorrow night, you’ll have a week to settle in and get the lay of the land,” she said briskly. “The rest is up to you.”
Giovanni grunted. All he had to do was convince Cassie that going to stay at Rane’s place in Northern California was the smart thing to do. It shouldn’t be too hard, he thought. After all, she had offered to be bait not long ago.
He just hoped she hadn’t changed her mind.
* * *
Cassie felt her heart skip a beat when she saw Johnny sitting on the bed beside the nightgown she had laid out. She clutched the towel wrapped around her. Although they had made love before, she felt awkward—and a little shy—standing there practically naked while he was fully dressed.
“You smell good,” he said, getting to his feet.
“Like blood?” she asked warily.
Laughing softly, he took her in his arms. “No. Like fresh air and sunshine.”
She rested her head on his chest. Being in his embrace made her feel safe, as though nothing could ever harm her again.
His lips moved in her hair, and then he said, “I’ve missed holding you close, making love to you.”
“Me, too.” She looked up at him. “Do you think we’ll ever be alone again?”
The perfect opening, he thought. “What would you think of going to the Cordova ranch up in Northern California?”
“Is it safe?”
“As safe as anywhere else,” he said.
“But Alric drank from me. Doesn’t that mean he can track me?”
“Yeah, depending on how strong the link is between you. I’ve taken your blood, too, so there’s a chance it’s weakened your connection to him. There’s no way to know.”
“So, this is a trap?”
“Hopefully one that will work. The ranch is a long way from here. The house sits on ten acres of land surrounded by timbered hills. There are no neighbors nearby. I can ward the house against intruders. I doubt if he’ll try anything during the day. And if he gets close, I should be able to sense his presence.” He hoped.
Cassie bit down on her lower lip. Now that Johnny had taken her up on her offer to bait a trap, she wasn’t sure she had the courage to go through with it.
She thought it over for several moments, then nodded. She liked Mara. She liked Logan.
But it was unsettling, being in the midst of so much power day and night. “How soon do you want to leave?”
“Tomorrow night as soon as the sun goes down.�
�
Chapter 42
Pearl stared at Edna, then shook her head. “But I don’t want to go to Northern California,” she said adamantly. “I don’t want to get anywhere near Alric again! I don’t care what Mara says.”
“Shh!” Edna glanced around as if expecting to see the Queen of the Vampires eavesdropping from the shadows. “I don’t want to go near Alric, either. But I’d rather face him than have Mara mad at us.”
“I know, dear, but . . .”
“There is no but,” Edna Mae said, her voice sharp. “You do what you want, but I intend to stay on her good side.”
“Oh, I guess you’re right,” Pearl muttered irritably. “I just hope we don’t live to regret it.”
* * *
“It’s not the best reason to go to the ranch,” Abbey Marie said, “but I do love it there. Plus, it’s been a long time since I went riding.”
“We’re not going there on vacation,” Nick said. “I’m pretty sure there will be death and destruction involved.”
“Well, that’s right up your alley, isn’t it? I don’t care why we’re going. It’s been too long since the last time I was home.” The ranch held some of her happiest memories. “I wonder if Freckles will remember me.” It had been a couple of years since she’d ridden the Appaloosa mare.
“I’m sure she will.” Pulling Abbey into his arms, Nick kissed her until her toes curled. “How could anyone forget you?”
* * *
Derek frowned at his mother’s text. It had been a long time since the clan had been together. Whoever their target was, he must be a dangerous character indeed if she needed help to defeat him. He flexed his shoulders. Lots of open space on the ranch, he thought, smiling in anticipation. A good place for the werewolf to run when the moon was full.
* * *
Vince Cordova tossed his phone on the bed, then strolled into the bathroom, where Cara was taking a shower. Knocking on the stall door, he said, “Mara wants us all at Rane’s place next Saturday night.”
“Doesn’t she know they’re out of town?”
“Of course, she knows,” he retorted. “The woman knows everything.” He laughed softly as his lovely wife muttered a very unladylike reply.
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