by Unknown
“We’re sorry, Flynn. It was this or watch you die.”
He didn't want her to feel this miserable. He understood the choice that they had to make, and he was glad that they did it. If it meant living or dying, he was all for the first option.
“Jacques, Jolie, it’s fine. I’ll adjust to this. It’s just a lot to absorb in one sitting.”
When she looked up at him, he wiped away a tear with the pad of his thumb before dropping a kiss to her forehead. “Really, I’ll acclimate.”
“Flynn, it’s a lot to adjust to in a lifetime,” said Jacques.
“Yeah, I think you might be right on that one. Okay, let’s talk about feeding.”
Jolie sniffled and Brogan took her hand in his.
“You’ll need to get energy from one of us. I assume you will prefer it from Jolie,” said Jacques.
“If you feed me, you don’t kiss me, do you?” he teased easily. Already, he was trying to find the humor in all of this. Just a week ago, he was… normal.
“Not unless you want me to,” Jacques joked back.
“Uh, pass. You’re not my type, but she definitely is.”
Jolie let a weak laugh escape as she delicately ran her fingers over the palm of his hand. When he smiled at her, she couldn’t help but feel better.
“Okay, feed me and let’s get this over with,” he said, waiting for her to make the first move. Then, it hit him. “Wait!”
They both jumped.
“Do I still get to eat food? I can’t live without food! Food is my friend, and don’t forget beer. We’re really close buddies, too.”
Now, Jolie did laugh. “There are some things you’ll need to stay away from, but we’ll go over that with you later. For now, sit still so I can feed you,” she stated, as she crawled toward him to sit in his lap.
His eyes immediately went to Jacques in panic.
“I’m fine with this, mon ami. Without you, I would no longer have her in my life. Come to think of it, I wouldn’t be here either. Jolie being in your lap doesn’t offend me. It’s a small way to repay you for your sacrifice for us.” Jacques watched the man relax. Little did he know, their journey was only beginning. He hoped the detective was ready for his life to be tossed upside down.
“Are you ready, Flynn?”
“Yeah, I think so,” he replied, closing his eyes. When he felt Jolie’s hands slide around his neck, his pulse jumped in his throat. As her lips touched his, offering up a kiss, he couldn’t fight it anymore.
Even as the energy warmly pulsed into his body, the fear was still there, warning him that he was kissing another man’s woman while naked in bed.
Suddenly, the voice whispered through his mind.
“It is normal, Flynn, to feel what you’re experiencing. We’re highly sexual creatures. Jacques won’t kill you.”
Her laughter rolled down his body, touching him intimately. He tried to keep from groaning but the pleasure was just that overwhelming. He finally breathed in when Jolie pulled her lips away from his. She stayed in his lap longer, her body pressed against his as her fingers played in his hair.
“Are you ok?” she asked, resting her head on his shoulder. When he instinctively moved his arms to encircle her body, she cuddled closer.
Holy shit!
How was he going to do this all the time? Before this all happened, he was sexually attracted to Jolie, and now she was resting against him in bed.
“What are you thinking, Flynn?” inquired Jacques. Yes, he could have looked, but they liked to give each other some privacy. Even vampyres had rules of mental etiquette.
“Uh, every day, huh?” he asked, when he could finally breath.
Jacques surprised him by laughing. “Oui, every day, my friend.”
“Great. I need a cold shower,” he said, releasing Jolie. Brogan was glad that neither seemed to notice the proof of that statement. It was embarrassing enough that he was buck naked in bed with them, but the raging hard on was like a flashing neon sign.
Yeah, he wanted her in the worst way.
As he slipped into his boxers, he glanced back over his shoulder. “I’ll be back in a little while. I’m going to my room, and then I’ll need to have my things brought over from my place.”
“We already had your clothing brought over and some of your possessions too. They’re in your quarters, and we also have a present for you when you’re finished with your shower.”
“Okay.”
“Meet us in the kitchen when you’re done. You’ll need to eat before we have to meet with Medea tonight. We need to interrogate her to see what she knows,” said Jacques.
“Fine, give me twenty minutes. I need to shave. You would think that I wouldn’t have to do that anymore, at least.”
Jacques ran his hand over his own smooth face, and began laughing. “Sorry, mon ami. It’s your cross to bear,” he stated.
Brogan couldn’t help but laugh. Despite it all, and what he had just lived through, he felt oddly at peace in the large home with them.
“Are you going to be fine with him living with us, Jacques?” asked Jolie, caressing her mate’s cheek when they were alone.
“He saved your life and mine, Jolie. I’ll share our home with him. I personally owe him more than I can ever repay him. He saved my mate, and I have no quandaries with him remaining with us. Besides, the detective entertains me,” Jacques answered, and then paused. “You still love me, right?” he asked suddenly, his tone of voice going softer as he played with the ring on her finger.
“Of course I do, Jacques!” she said, sliding into his lap to be engulfed in his embrace.
“Then, I have absolutely nothing to worry about,” he replied, leaving kisses across her delicate features.
“Forever, Jacques,” she answered, moving so she could kiss him tenderly.
When she finally pulled away, Jolie moved from his lap and headed for the bath. As he watched her walk away, his heart skipped in his chest. When she turned and smiled wickedly at him, it began to pound.
“Care to wash my back, Jacques?” she inquired, playing with a long strand of her hair.
“Absolutely, mon amour. Absolutely.”
∞ Chapter Seventeen ∞
Thirty minutes later, Jacques and Jolie wandered into the kitchen to find Brogan sitting at the table talking with Balzac. He looked relaxed and comfortable in the room with the other vampyre.
“Is that milk?” asked Jolie, pointing at his food.
The spoon paused halfway to his mouth. “Is this okay?” he asked, looking down at the cereal sitting in the bowl. “Balzac gave me almond milk, and at first I thought he was crazy, but it’s pretty damn good.”
Balzac grinned. “I told you that you’d like it.”
“Yes,” answered Jacques. “You can’t consume regular dairy.”
Brogan shrugged. “I’ll live. I can handle giving up the cow juice products.”
Jolie placed a hand on his shoulder. “When you’re finished, we’ll take you to your surprise.”
“Do I get a hint?” he asked, running his fingers over hers.
“No. You’ll have to be patient,” said Jolie. She turned her focus to the other vampyre in the room. “Is Devin back from our sanctuary, yet?”
“Yes, Mistress, and he’s sorry that he wasn’t here to help protect you. You truly need a new guardian, and we should begin looking,” Balzac added.
Jolie could feel Jacques and Brogan tense. As they exchanged looks, she didn't doubt that they were discussing this in their minds. “No Balzac, I don’t need another guardian. I have Jacques.”
“No offense, Mistress, but I would like to point out that Jacques didn’t exactly stop you from getting hurt the last time, now did he?” Balzac didn’t look at vampyre’s face. He could feel the angry stare.
The room reverberated with anger and the icy snap of fury.
“What does a guardian do exactly?” asked Brogan, drawing the attention to himself in order to give Jacques time to calm down.
“A guardian’s job is to protect the master or mistress at all costs,” answered Balzac. “She needs a new one to watch over her. Jacques is her mate, and now just as vital to us as she is, but he’s too stubborn. A guardian could sleep at night and protect her during the day, where her mate now can’t.”
“Well,” said Brogan, leaning back against the bench that he was sitting on. “I think she already has a new one. You see Balzac, that’s my new position. When I can, I’ll be watching over both of them. I may not be as strong as a vampyre, but I’m trained to be alert, and I think I can handle the job. Is it okay with the two of you?” he asked Jacques and Jolie, looking away from Balzac’s surprised face.
Yeah, he could see that the man enjoyed tormenting Jacques a little too much, and that made him want to level the playing field.
Jolie smiled and Jacques tried to look neutral, despite the relief he was feeling. “It’s fine with us, Detective. You’ve proven yourself worthy.”
“Fine. Then, it’s solved. No more need to beat this dead horse.” Brogan went back to eating his cereal, ignoring Balzac’s grim expression. When he was finished, he got up from the table to wash his dish before turning toward Jolie and Jacques. “I’m ready. Let’s get moving.”
“Close your eyes.” answered Jolie, walking to him.
“Uh no, that’s ok. I’m in a house of predators, and closing my eyes is the last thing I feel compelled to do.”
That made Jacques laugh.
“Please?” she begged. “Trust me. It’ll be well worth it.”
“Damn it, okay,” he conceded, as he closed his eyes. When her hand found his, Brogan’s heart skipped in his chest as little shocks of electricity speared through him. “Where are we going?”
“To the surprise we’ve arranged for you, Detective,” answered Jacques.
“It smells like gasoline and motor oil. Are we in the garage?”
“That will teach us to try and surprise you,” laughed Jolie. “Are you ready, Flynn?”
“Yeah, I guess. Keep in mind that I’ve had plenty of surprises today. Be gentle.”
“Open your eyes, Flynn.”
When Brogan did, the look on his face was truly priceless as they watched him stand in front of a metallic blue H2. It was the twin to Jacques’s.
“What’s this? I don’t understand,” he said, completely confused.
Jacques put his hand on his shoulder. “You saved us both, and in return we changed your life and stole some of your mortality. You’re bound to us forever, and we wanted to give you something that would both please and protect you. Thank you, Flynn, for saving Jolie and sacrificing yourself. I’ll never forget what you’ve given me. I’m in debt to you.”
“So, are you telling me that this H2 is mine?” he looked from Jolie to the Hummer, and then back to Jacques.
“Yes. Jacques ordered it for you the day we were attacked. It was delivered this morning. If you’re going to be my guardian, you’ll need this. Besides, we know how much you enjoyed driving Jacques’s.”
“This is crazy,” he said, still staring at the H2. “I don’t know what to say.”
“Do you like it?” asked Jolie. She was still a little nervous at the way he was looking at them, and then the Hummer.
“Are you crazy, woman? How could I not like it? It’s an H2 and fully loaded. They don’t make them anymore. How did you find this?” he asked, as he walked around the vehicle, running his fingers over the chrome.
“We have our ways, Detective,” stated Jacques, grinning at the man’s look of wonder. It was like Christmas morning for him, and he had earned it.
“Really, it’s mine?” he asked again.
“Oui, mon ami. It’s yours. We had a top of the line navigational system put in, and it knows your name.”
Well, holy shit.
“I get an awesome ride. I live in a palace, and I get immortality too. Man, this is turning out to be an unbelievable day,” he said, as he rushed Jolie and swung her in a big circle. Then, he couldn’t help himself, so he planted a kiss right on her mouth. For that brief moment, he let the euphoria control his lips. Yeah, it wasn’t only because of the gift. He wanted to spend the rest of his eternity doing this.
When he finally put her down, she began laughing.
Brogan turned toward the man and grinned.
“Don’t even try that, mon ami,” grinned Jacques. “I’ll be forced to hurt you.”
Brogan laughed before turning back to the vehicle. “Want to take the new H2 today?” he asked wickedly, rubbing his hands together in anticipation.
“Let’s go then,” answered Jolie. “I’ll sit in the back. You men can bond again over all the gadgets that I have no use for, whatsoever,” she teased, even as she enjoyed the easy camaraderie that was building between the two males. It gave her hope that everything was going to be okay between her little circle. She had found a mate to love, earned a new guardian to keep her safe, and lost someone she loved all in the same week.
Fate liked to throw in twists.
Brogan practically bounced in the seat of his shiny new toy. Jolie was glad that Flynn was happy. He had saved them both, earning this and so much more. Refocusing, she tuned back into the conversation.
“So, are you telling me this baby is armor plated just like yours?”
“Yes it is, Detective. You may have Jolie with you and need the safety. She is my utmost concern at all times and is now also yours.”
Speaking of ugly things that may pop up. “Gentlemen, when we get there, we need to keep aware at all times. I would have preferred going during the daylight hours, so all the vampires in Genevieve’s society were equally weak. Then at least, we would have Flynn as our ace in the hole.”
“Are you thinking that we’re going to be in trouble?” asked Brogan.
“I have an uneasy feeling about the entire situation. I think that we need be on guard for just about anything,” she said, touching both men on their shoulders.
As if in sync, both men raised their hands to cover hers, connecting all three of them.
When they glanced over at each other, Jolie couldn’t help but laugh. “You’re both beginning to act alike already,” she said, sitting back in the seat to check her appearance.
They were about to get down to some serious business, and she needed to be at her best. As the men continued talking, Jolie knew that Genevieve wasn’t going to be welcoming. When she could see her home on the horizon, her whole body tensed with nervous energy.
“Mon amour, are you ready?” asked Jacques, looking back at her over his shoulder.
“Yes, Jacques. I hate confrontation, especially with a friend. Her feelings were genuinely hurt by my actions,” Jolie stated, glancing over at Brogan. “Flynn, they aren’t going to be happy that you’re here with us. The whole society will see you as a human first and foremost. Please remain calm and show no emotion, no matter what happens or is said to you. I can read the room better if I’m not worried and focused on you.”
“How come you think I’ll be the one who goes postal on their asses? Jacques could cause far more destruction.”
Jacques shrugged nonchalantly and laughed. “But Flynn, she will not worry about my safety. I can’t be killed easily. Besides, my allegiance lies with Jolie. I can’t do anything that will harm her.”
“Could I?” he asked, looking at her.
“You’re only bonded, Flynn. You could kill me at any time. Although, it’ll gain you absolutely nothing, especially if you wait two hundred years,” she replied, as she patted his arm.
Brogan already knew he wouldn’t ever do that. There was something there that was growing and blossoming between them. It would take something monumental to make him run or hurt them.
The H2 came to a stop and Jolie took a deep breath, unsure of what to expect for the night.
“Come, my two beautiful men. We have business to attend to and a traitor to ferret out,” she said, slipping from her seat, out the door, and into Jacques�
��s arms.
When her mate pushed into her mind, she didn't stop him.
“He can be the beautiful one. I think my eyes set us apart.”
“Sure, my love, that was exactly what I was thinking about.”
“Je t’aime, Jolie. You have a dirty mind, and I have to say that’s one of my favorite things about you.”
Brogan interrupted them. “Uh, hello. I know that you’re talking. Care to share?”
“No, Flynn. You’re better off not knowing. Jolie is nothing more than a pervert,” he said, and then sucked in a sharp breath when Jolie elbowed him.
“Ignore him, Flynn,” she grinned, leading them to the front door. Ringing the bell, she sent out the silent message for them to watch their backs. When the door slowly opened, she smiled warmly, despite what was brewing in her body.
Her old friend had sent a guardian to open the door, and that spoke volumes. It meant that Genevieve was also expecting something.
But what?
“Mistress, it’s our pleasure to have you in our home. You’re expected,” he stated, before holding up his hand. “Wait, we were unaware that you were bringing a human,” he said, his voice full of distaste.
“Please inform my old friend that I’ve brought Detective Brogan with me. We’ll wait out here, so as not to compromise your home’s safety.”
When the door closed, Brogan looked over at them. “So you have to be invited into a vampyre’s home? Isn’t that backward?”
“It is the same both ways. It’s to protect all parties involved. It’s one of the few vampyre superstitions that’s completely true.”
“So garlic is useless, and the one in my pocket is just making me smelly?” he asked, getting Jacques to join him.
Jolie fought to not laugh at the men. Instead, she scanned and could feel her friend approaching.
“Behave, both of you,” said Jolie, taking both of their arms and linking them together. “Think united front.”
When the door opened, her friend stood there, watching her with very unhappy eyes. “I was unaware your request to attend here included a human, let alone a police detective.” It was said with hostility, and it was missed by no one.
