by D. D. Miers
“You’re loving this, aren’t you?” She said, “Holding shit over my head.”
“All of this could’ve been avoided if you’d just admitted what you stole from me and why, but instead—”
“Blood.”
“What?” I asked, my smart-ass reply dissolved at her admission.
“I took a vial of your blood.”
“Why?” How the hell did she manage that? No one could get to my blood, so how did she pull it off?
“Because Bastian told me to.”
A pang of jealousy stabbed me in the stomach, burning through me. “And you always do what he tells you to, reasons be damned? Consequences be damned?”
She shook her head and looked off toward the distant mountains. “You don’t get it. Maybe your life works like that, but mine doesn’t.”
“You’re right. I think for myself. Act for myself.”
Angry eyes snapped back to mine. “I want to see my sister’s. Now.”
“We’re not done talking.”
“We can keep talking after I see them.”
I mulled over her request. Certainly, the less “Fuck you, Ivy” part of me, wanted to see her smile, see her happy. But the angry demon stirring in my chest wanted to torture her a little longer, a little further.
The less “Fuck you” part won.
“You get one minute. Follow me.”
Kylo stood straighter as we walked up. “This her? The succubus?”
“My name’s Ivy.”
When she moved to pass by, Kylo stepped into her path.
“Look meathead, I’ve been dicked around by too many men to count in the last week, so unless you’re in the mood to get an ass whooping by a girl half your size, get the hell out of my way.”
A smirk formed on Kylo’s lips, and he looked to me. I nodded. As he moved aside, Ivy shoved at his chest and stormed inside. He turned and stood beside me, laughing. “Man, I can see how she got you by the balls. She’s a hellcat, isn’t she?”
“You have no idea.”
Brax and Blaze sat on opposite sides of the girls, rising to their feet as Ivy charged forward. She froze a couple of steps away, shocked to see them free of gags and seemingly comfortable. They sat side by side on a blanket, eating the snacks Brax had bought for everyone.
“Ivy!” they both called out as she came into view.
She dropped to her knees in front of Jade. "Are you okay?" she asked, holding her sister’s chin.
“Yes.” Jade glanced to Violet beside her. “We’re fine.”
“Good. Have they done anything to you? Hurt you?”
Violet tossed a potato chip into her mouth. “Besides acting like bossy assholes? No. What about you? Are you all right?”
Ivy smiled, but underneath a sadness lingered. “You don’t need to worry about me.”
“Ivy.” I tapped a finger to my watch.
She nodded and stood again. “All right. I’ll be back later. I need to handle a few things first.”
“You’re not staying?” Jade asked
“Not today.” Ivy looked to me. “There’s something I need to do first.” She hugged her sisters and followed me back outside into the evening desert heat, close enough to Brax and the crew, but far enough away as to give us some privacy.
“You said Bastian didn’t have to know. What did you mean?”
I ran a hand down my jaw. “Brax created an illusion. It will hold up for a short amount of time, during which we—or you—need to obtain the vial. Bastian won’t know you’re working with me.”
“What happens after I get you your blood?”
“Our business is done.”
She glanced toward the ground and nodded only once. A sharp tinge of disappointment shot straight into my chest. I still wanted her. Even after everything, the pull I’d experienced toward Ivy since the very first night we met, remained.
“Bastian is strong. Stronger than you realize. If he finds out—
“He won’t.”
“How can he not? And how are we going to explain a bunch of dead ghouls and my sisters missing from where he left them? Or what about your suddenly missing blood?” She laughed. “I am so screwed.”
“No, you’re not.”
A doubtful smile widened her luscious lips. “Oh yeah? How do you figure that?”
“I’ll keep up the illusion. You go to Bastian’s, grab my blood, and leave. Then we put your sisters back. The guys will raise hell and make a big scene drawing Bastian to the ghoul’s place. By the time Bastian arrives, they’ll be long gone.”
“And what about the missing blood? We don’t even know if it’s still there. He may have already done something with it.”
“No.” I shook my head. “I would’ve known. Blood holds powerful magick, Ivy. Much greater than you can imagine.”
In the short time I’d known her, I hadn’t seen her this off her game. The pathetic pussy in me wanted to ease her worries. “We’ve got it covered. You’re just going to have to trust me. None of this will come back to you.”
She eyed me cautiously. “You’re certain this illusion will hold?”
“As long as he doesn’t pay them another in-person visit, we’re fine.”
“What do you need from me?”
Besides naked in my bed? I stuffed my hands into the pockets of my now uncomfortably tight pants. “Where is Bastian now?”
“Out of town. I don’t know where, but he’s not coming back until Saturday.”
“Good. Then you’ve got between now and then to end this.”
She swept the hair from her eyes and watched a shooting star skim across the sky overhead. “If this goes badly . . . if I get caught . . . I want your word that you’ll release my sisters.”
I closed some of the distance between us and she dropped her gaze to my advancing form. She moved back an inch, trying to reopen it.
“I won’t let it go badly,” I said.
Her nose scrunched up. “It’s kind of hard to believe the man who’s kidnapped my sisters and threatened their lives.”
“It’s in my best interest to keep you safe—at least until I get my vial.” I lowered my head, until we were eye to eye. “So until then, I won’t let you get hurt.”
“I don’t need a hero, Dante. I’ve been doing this on my own for years.”
Crazy and thoroughly stupid, I couldn’t stop myself from this uncontrollable desire for her. I closed the final gap. She didn’t pull back, didn’t flinch.
I saw it then. The hungry lust in her eyes masked behind fury. She still wanted me. It had never left. It was just lying in wait until she could force herself to forget it.
She raised her chin defiantly. "What?”
For a moment, I forgot about everything between us. All the rage. All the anger and confusion. I looked in her dark eyes and saw myself fall completely this time, only to land hard on my ass.
My lips hovered inches from hers.
Just when I thought she’d given in, she looked up into my eyes, and took a step back, her gaze steely and hardened.
I crossed my arms in front me, fighting the urge to grab her and pull her in for a kiss. Until she was sure of her sisters’ safety, she would lean on the side of hating me.
"You’re a sick bastard if you think I’d let you touch me again."
Always the queen of torment.
“I’ve been called worse, sweetheart.”
“Stop calling me that.”
“Whatever you say.”
She spun around and stormed back down to the dirt road. I watched her form fade into the night, guilt flooding my senses. I wanted to call out to her. Make her stay.
"So she agreed, I take it?" Brax asked, appearing at my side seconds after Ivy left.
I nodded.
"Good. Do we know what was stolen?"
"Yes."
"Well?" he pressed.
"A vial of my blood."
He stood statuesque, thoughts flittered behind his eyes rapidly. “Why?"
"I don't know. But it’s troubling. Something isn’t right.” A memory of something ominous stirred in my gut. “I’m worried what this will all turn out to be if I don't get it back."
"I’ll hit the books. See what I can find."
"Thanks."
I watched the last spot where Ivy stood before fully disappearing from sight. I wanted to go after her. To end this before she or anyone else I cared about was in danger, but I fought my desire.
I knew I was drawn to her in the beginning, infatuated even. She was beautiful, smart, sassy, and strong. How could I not be? But to have feelings for her?
Shit. I tried to focus on disconnecting them, but instead, I kept thinking about her plump lips and how they tasted.
I looked at the campsite and then started walking. I needed to clear my head. Solitude would be the only way I could ever manage it successfully. I took off first walking then finally, worked myself into a run, letting my demon speed take over. I moved faster than humanly possible, convinced that I could outrun the mess that had clouded my mind—and hopefully come back with answers.
Chapter 14
Ivy
I wasn't looking forward to the eerie quiet back at the house. In all our years together, I’d never spent more than a few days without my sisters. It had never seemed too big until now, when it was suddenly the emptiest, loneliest home imaginable.
As I pulled into the lot, I saw Marla, fist raised, in front of my door.
Could this night get any worse?
In spite of my exhaustion, I jumped out of the car and jogged up to her. Whatever she had to say, I was sure it wasn't something I wanted to hear. But it was better to rip the bandage off now.
"Oh!" She turned and smiled at me, but it soon faded. "Ivy. I was about to say I'm glad I caught you, but . . . are you okay? You look pale."
"I'm fine," I insisted. "Just a little under the weather. Work was a bitch."
Marla nodded in understanding. "Well—I wish I had better news, but Bastian’s returning in the morning. He wants you brought over tonight."
Shit.
“Didn’t he just leave?”
She shrugged. “Yes, but plans changed and the trip got cut short.”
Double shit. Did he know? It took everything in me to remain calm and keep my hands from shaking. “Is everything okay?”
“Oh, yes.” She smiled, and her tone lightened. “It’s fine, he just—you know—wants to see you. For . . . you know . . .”
“Oh.”
In the midst of dealing with Dante, my mother, and my kidnapped sisters, I had actually forgotten about our stupid deal. The last thing I wanted to deal with right now was Bastian and his boner.
"Okay," said Marla, after I'd been standing there in silence too long. "Come on. Let's get you inside, and I'll put some water on. You need a cup of tea.”
I wanted to protest, but I did hate the idea of being alone right now.
I sat down heavily on the sofa, trying not to think about how Jade would always sprawl here. I never usually sat here. There was never room.
“Did you get a read off of the imp?” she asked from across the kitchen, her hands busy filling my teapot.
“No, he never showed.” Well—technically he could’ve showed when I was back in the office dry humping Dante, but Marla didn’t need to know that.
“Hmmm, interesting.”
Shit. I hoped that wouldn’t come back to bite me in the ass. “Is Bastian going to be pissed?”
“About the imp?” She grabbed a mug from the cabinet, her back to me. “He shouldn’t be. It was a tipoff, but he could’ve gotten wind we were looking for him and decided to hightail back out of town.” She raised the box of Chamomile tea in one hand and Lemon Balm in the other, reading the backs of each. “I’d normally say chamomile, but lemon balm’s supposed to be great for the nervous system.” She chuckled. “Well—in humans at least.”
"Marla?”
She looked up, her catlike eyes fixed on me.
“I can't go to his place tonight," I heard myself say numbly. "I'm sorry, I don't want to get anyone in trouble, least of all you . . . but I just can't."
Marla stood there for a second, looking at me searchingly. Then she nodded. "I get it, hon. Believe me. I understand. I'll postpone, okay? Don't worry, just leave it to me."
She pulled out her phone and tucked it between her ear and shoulder while she dug out a kettle and put some water on to boil.
I hadn't let anyone take care of me in a long time. It’s . . . strange. Discomfiting. But nice—in a really weird way.
". . . yes, found her . . . but listen . . . she's not feeling well, I'm afraid. . . What? . . . Oh no, nothing serious. A touch of you know, women's troubles. I knew you'd understand."
Before I knew it, she'd appeared in front of me with a teacup that I didn't even know we owned.
"Thank you," I said, maybe a little too fervently. I realized my voice shook. And my hands. And my everything.
"Are you sure you're all right?" Marla asked, perching on the old coffee table across from me.
"I don't know," I confessed. "I don't know much of anything right now."
I had forgotten how simple life seemed before Bastian sent me to Reno. Before I met Dante. Before my sisters were kidnapped.
Tears pricked at my eyes, threatening to fall. I knew I could trust Marla, but I still didn't want her to see me cry. I didn’t like anyone to see me cry.
"Drink your tea," she said gently. "Everything seems a lot clearer after a nice hot cup. Trust me."
"I'm more of a beer girl," I confessed. "But this is nice."
And it was. Sort of mild and sweet and calming. I hadn't thought to ask her which type of tea it was. Obviously, something herbal, that’s all we ever bought. As the warm liquid swirled in my belly, I started to feel the creeping edges of exhaustion that I'd been putting off for so long.
"Here," Marla said, appearing with the old afghan off the broken recliner. "Lie down. You look like you could use a good rest."
She was right, and, anyway, I didn't have the energy to protest. Sure, Bastian’s unplanned early return would complicate things, but I couldn’t deal with it right now. I’d face the shitstorm tomorrow.
The last thing I saw before my heavy lids fell was Marla picking up my teacup from the table and holding it while she watched me drift off. A few moments later, I heard her carry it out to the kitchen.
So this is what it was like to have a mom.
Chapter 15
Dante
"I hope you're not planning on using that."
Brax's squinted eyes slid over to the crossbow I was restringing. His hand raised to cover the sunlight as he tried to hide his uncertainty. He hadn’t succeeded.
"I haven’t decided yet.” I grunted and tossed him a fresh clip of silver bullets.
Jade and Violet’s anxious energy permeated through the air like a poisonous gas. They’d kept up the appearance of casual indifference, at least Violet did, but Jade was more like a baby rabbit left in the burrow, wondering if Momma was ever coming home. For all her efforts, Violet’s back stood a little too straight, her eyes a little too glassy. She forced a smile every time Jade shot her one of those scared, unsure looks.
When she caught me watching, she slammed her thermos down and gave me her back. The temper on these women. Violet didn't have quite the same attitude as Ivy, but she was getting damn close. Too close for comfort. The last thing I needed was two of her chewing on my ear.
Tires squealed in the distance, then a door slammed, and heavy footfalls crunched over gravel from the bottom of the hill.
Ivy. Just like she read my mind. Maybe she did.
The sound caught Violet's attention, and she left Brax, who’d taken up the role of her personal supervisor, running over to meet her sister.
In all the years I’d known Brax, he’d never stopped to watch a beautiful woman, for more than a minute—max. With Violet, he studied everything. Noticed everything. Though she lik
ely hadn’t realized it, I did. Brax ‘s interest in Violet went beyond temporary caretaker.
"I don’t know what’s worse. With the gags or without," he muttered, scratching the back of his neck as both girls ran to meet Ivy.
"You're the one who wanted to stop treating them like fugitives," I pointed out. "This is what happens. Start talking to them like human beings, and they start acting like it. Wanting answers."
Ivy, having gently shaken off her sisters, advanced toward us before I knew it. Shit, what kind of super-speed powers did these girls have?
"What would you know about treating anyone like a human being, Dante?" she asked, and Brax quickly retreated. Apparently, dealing with Violet was the lesser of two evils.
"That's funny," I muttered, picking up my crossbow again, "coming from you."
"What’s this?" She gestured vaguely at the arsenal I had laid out.
“These . . .” I waved a hand over them, “. . . are called wea . . . pons.” I said the last word slowly.
“No shit, Sherlock.” She ran a finger down the long blade and I tensed, hand ready on the bow in case she came for me. “No need for the smartass response.”
“If you don’t want a smartass answer, don’t ask dumbass questions.”
She bit down on the inside of her full bottom lip and crossed her arms. Like I said, tempers. “Look, I came here to tell you, the plans have changed.”
"You’re really gonna try to go back on this? Trust me when I say that I’m an enemy you don’t want to cross.”
My pride took the biggest hit when she acted as though Bastian could best me. She acted like he was the ultimate badass, and I couldn’t match him.
She was wrong.
Ivy sighed. "Did I say anything about backing out?"
"You sucked my soul out. Why can’t you do the same to Bastian? Too afraid?" I asked, louder than I really had to.
Both of Ivy's sisters jerked their heads up. I ignored them.
"Hey." Ivy grabbed my arm, and I let her drag me a few feet away. "Keep it down, okay? I don't need my sisters knowing all the gory details about . . . my situation."
