“I don’t think I want you around anyone, ever. Why don’t I just lock you up,” she suggests.
“The only locking up you better be doing with me is with handcuffs. No, wait, after being unmade, locked in chains, and arrested, I think that fantasy is done for me,” I admit.
“Hmm, we can use that as punishment then. Maybe I’ll have your ‘best friend’ Zara compel you into thinking you’re in prison.”
“Oh, haha, screw you, Selene Marquez.”
“Only if you deserve it and definitely not right after you were talking about how amazing your kiss was with another woman.”
“Not what I said,” I say.
“It didn’t have to be said. I was mad, but I’m really not anymore. I’m not mad so much about the kiss as I am about how bonded you two are. That is going to bother me for a while, but not so much that I’m going to hate her. I owe her a lot too and don’t forget that I’ve been alone with Zara a few times now. She’s not the bad guy,” Selene tells me.
I think about Zara’s own words to me. That she’s a vampire first. That I shouldn’t assume that she’s the good guy. Maybe for Zara that’s easier to cope with when you’ve had lifetimes to do bad things. I’m sure someone like her has been keeping a tally and it’s probably far easier to have no remorse than to mourn all the things that you have to do that others are too weak to do themselves. That’s where my understanding of who she really is comes into play. Someone has to have blood on their hands. Peace doesn’t always happen by peaceful means. Sometimes you have to do one horrible thing to set an example just so you don’t end up doing one hundred more horrible things. Exactly why the police chief has got to go.
My phone rings and I pick it up to check the id. Speaking of the devil. I’ll call her back. The last thing I want to do is jump on the phone with her when I just had this conversation with Selene. I set it back down knowing that if it’s important, she’ll just contact me through our mind-link. Well, if distance isn’t an issue. There’s always voicemail or texting.
“I’ll call her later,” I tell Selene. “Like I said, she can help you with better technique. I want to get you started.”
I pull Selene in for a quick kiss that leaves her breathless before grabbing her waist and putting her into a stance that will help her. She smiles at me and I can’t help but smile back. I’m never leaving this woman again.
◊◊◊
I took a long hot shower to relax my muscles after our training. Selene caught on quickly and was able to memorize a few combinations that will come in handy. I’m satisfied with our progress. She’s going to train with Zara as soon as she gets back and Jaxson is going to start making sure that the wolves change at least three times a day no matter how painful it may be. He wants the ones that can’t undergo the second shift to begin training for it. Phillip has been making a list of the skills that each wolf excels at. Some are showing promise, but none have what Jaxson’s looking for in an enforcer.
I sit down on the bed and check my phone to find a text from Zara.
‘8390 S. Bower Rd. Midnight.’
I text back, ‘Ok.’
That’s in a few hours. I don’t recognize the address, so this must be another one of her safe houses. I find it interesting that she wants to meet us there instead of just coming over here. No matter, Selene and I are going on a date anyway. Pierce called before my shower and thought that it’d be great publicity for me. He got us a reservation at a steakhouse called Spaulding’s. It caters to the rich. Perfect for me apparently.
I finish flat ironing my hair, running a finger through it, wishing that it was long once more. My mom loved my long hair. She would’ve been so shocked when I cut it.
I push some diamond studs through the holes in my ears. There is no way that I’d be wearing hoops in a potentially dangerous situation, no matter how much I love them. No one is going to rip them out of my ears in a fight.
After my hair and makeup is complete, I drop my towel and stand naked in front of my closet, just as Selene comes into the room wrapped in a robe. She looks at her reflection in the mirror and sighs.
“What?” I ask, still looking at my wardrobe choices.
“We are both two years older. I’m twenty five, you’re twenty one and we just haven’t had a chance to celebrate anything normal like birthdays or anniversaries. It just kinda sucks. The upside is that I still look twenty three.”
“Yeah, I never got to have a big twenty first birthday bash where I got super wasted and passed out in the middle of my front yard where you left me until the sprinklers cut on.”
“Have you been watching any movies lately?” Selene asks, laughing at my very specific description.
“Isn’t that the American dream?” I smile.
“If it is, then it’s a good thing that I wasn’t born in America.”
“Let’s get drunk soon.”
“Excuse me?”
“You heard me. Let’s get drunk soon,” I say.
“Will this be in between trying to fight for our lives and saving the world?”
“Of course. I can hire a security team. We can go to a big non supernatural club where I can shake my ass and take shots off of your sexy body. Namen will let us be for one night. Just as he wanted the cameras to slow me down, it’s going to slow him down too. He can’t just attack outright. We’ll sleep in a hotel where there are lots of people. Let’s do it,” I urge.
“I’ll think about it. Only because I definitely haven’t seen you shake your ass in a long while and I really need to find some new music to vibe to,” Selene tells me, dropping her own robe and stepping all the way into our walk in closet.
I watch her as she looks over her shoulder and smiles at me. She’s beautiful, her body is beautiful and I drink her all in. She turns back around and pulls out her baby blue loose fitting v-neck chiffon dress. The sleeves are long and have slits in them. I nod my approval. She’d look great in it with her hair down, some jewelry, and nude heels. I tell her as much.
Seconds later, Selene pulls out a short, black dress with the back cut out in three places. It looks like a diamond pattern, with the largest cut being at the top of the back. “I want to see you wear this,” she orders, handing me the item on a hanger.
“Yes ma’am,” I respond, entering the closet so that I can pick out shoes to match. Dressing up is one of my favorite past times as well as eating unhealthy food, so I’m kind of looking forward to our dinner date.
After a short while, we finish getting ready and head to the restaurant. We pull into the lot and up to the front where a valet is waiting. I hand him the keys to my Jag and walk hand in hand with Selene to the front door. Another couple is standing around waiting to be seated. They turn toward us and smile, the guy’s eyes lingering slightly longer than his date would like. He doesn’t see the look she gives him though until she clears her throat.
Soon, the host takes them to be seated and it’s our turn. Selene tells the host the name on our reservation and we are taken to a quiet corner table. As we weave through the other patrons, I can hear their whispers about the news and who I am. I ignore it as Selene squeezes my hand.
“They’ll move on to a celebrity wedding or the latest government manufactured outbreak soon enough and they’ll forget all about you,” Selene whispers.
“Not soon enough,” I respond quietly.
“Let’s just enjoy tonight. It’s been a long time.” Selene smiles and thanks the host as we take our seats.
I sit down and look at the menu. It is in fancy cursive writing and has no prices listed. Glancing at the appetizers, I allow the atmosphere to relax me. Soft music plays overhead and the lighting is just enough so that you can read the menu and still feel a sense of privacy. I touch my chair letting my hands feel the soft cushion of my seat. Candles are lit along the ledges of the window sills and the décor is tastefully modern. All in all, it’s a nice place. The food had better live up to the hype that Pierce made about it.
Our wai
ter, Marco, is polite and professional throughout the evening. He’s earned a generous tip. When it’s time for dessert, Marco comes to us with a dessert wine from Alto Adige. “This is compliments of another table. They wish to remain anonymous. They also wanted to tell you that they think that you two are a beautiful couple and that they wish you many years of happiness.”
“Thank you Marco. Tell them that we accept their generous gift and that they are very kind,” I respond.
He nods and pours us each a glass leaving the bottle on the table. “Speaking freely, I hope that my boyfriend and I look half as good as you guys when we go on dates.”
“I’m sure you guys clean up well,” I say.
“Maybe we can double date one day,” Selene says, shocking me. I raise an eyebrow at her.
“That would be… amazing,” Marco breathes.
“What’s your number?” Selene asks, pulling out her phone. He rattles it off quietly and Selene types it in smoothly. Then, with a friendly smile she says, “No promises. We’re both extremely busy and it might be a while before we can hang, but don’t forget about us okay.”
“I won’t. I’m sorry Ms. Whitmore if I’ve overstepped my bounds. It’s not very professional of me to talk about my relationship, but you guys seem so confident and loving and I know what it’s like to be in a same sex relationship. It can be scary sometimes, but you guys seem to have it all figured out.”
“She’s my soul mate. I just don’t give a damn what anyone else thinks,” I admit.
He laughs. “Maybe one day I’ll be as confident as you. Now, is there anything else you want for dessert?”
“Just roll out the dessert cart and I’ll pick something from it.”
After dessert, we actually sit and have a normal conversation. Selene and I talk about all the things that we want to catch up on, the places we want to visit together first, where we’d like to live when all this is over, and other dreams for the future. I feel much better about our state of our relationship when we finish.
Feeling full and happy, I pay the extravagant bill and drop a hundred dollar tip for Marco. Maybe he can take his boyfriend out for a nice date. We walk outside and I tip the valet as well after he pulls up with our vehicle. A couple cameras flash in the distance as we slide in the car. Selene punches in the address in the GPS for Zara’s safe house as I pull into traffic.
I take the interstate and get off after about six exits, checking the entire time to see if we’re being followed. After that bullshit with Zara, I don’t want to take any more chances when it comes to traffic. Car chases and playing chicken is not fun. I grip my seatbelt tighter at the memory.
We pull on a long street with speed bumps every thirty feet. I hate speed bumps. I also hate houses that have vines growing all up the sides of the house. It gives me the creeps. That’s exactly what the house next door to Zara’s has. Ew. Just ew.
Selene uses magic to try to sense if anyone dangerous is around before we get out of the car. The coast seems clear, so we get out quickly. The house is plain in every way. The paint is white and chipped, the front yard is small, the windows are old with black trim. As I walk up the steps, my heels clack against the pavement, echoing into the night.
Just as I get ready to ring the doorbell, Zara’s inside my mind, startling me. “It’s open, come inside,” she says, spinning inside my consciousness. Pain hits me, but it’s not my own. Alarmed, I push through the door and run down the hall toward the source of the pain. Selene is close behind me after closing the door.
“Zara!” I call out, worried. I stumble into a dark bedroom as the heel of my shoes nearly gives out. I haven’t run in heels in forever. Catching my balance against the doorframe, my eyes begin to adjust to the darkness.
“Stop worrying. I’m not dead yet,” Zara rasps, holding her middle with a useless arm.
“What the fuck?” I ask, looking at her ragged appearance as Selene switches on a light.
Chapter Twenty Nine
Zara’s eyes are completely crimson and her fangs are out as well. The pain is driving her vampire instinct to protect herself from threats. Her hair is no longer braided but in a large, poofy ponytail that makes her look even younger. Her white t-shirt is dirty and torn and her pants are in the same condition. She looks like she’s barely remaining conscious and I can’t help but go to her as her power calls to my own. I know she needs blood but before I can give her some of mine, Selene steps forward, surprising us both by slicing open her wrist with a spell and forcing it into Zara’s mouth. Selene hisses at the contact.
Zara looks up at me with those lava-filled eyes and I can’t help but shiver as she consumes the life force of my girlfriend. Seeming satisfied, she grips her good arm around Selene’s and sucks more deeply from her vein. Selene’s breath catches and she looks back at me and then down to Zara whose eyes are now closed in satisfaction. I stand my ground, afraid that if I come any closer, I’ll still want her to bleed me too. I think Selene knows that. Finally, Selene taps Zara for her to close the wound with her vampire saliva and then pulls away.
Zara still doesn’t open her eyes and I begin to wonder if she’s fighting for control. “I’m fine. I’m in control,” she responds to my thought.
“What happened?” I ask. “Why didn’t you call me and tell me that you needed me?” I hope my words don’t come off wrong to Selene, as if there is some unspoken meaning behind them.
“I wasn’t dying, Rayne. I didn’t want you to worry. I took care of it. My arm is broken but it will heal in a couple days.”
“What about your ribs?” Selene asks.
“They’ll be fine in a week,” she whispers and I hear her labored breathing. Someone or something really did a number on my pureblood vamp.
“Not if you keep damaging them over and over. Is this something that we should be concerned about? Does this have anything to do with Namen?” Selene asks again.
“Yes and no. Mainly, this is vampire business. We had some house cleaning to do. Then when I brought it up, some of the vampire factions didn’t want to be involved in this coming war. They want the nine to remain neutral. Others didn’t want their children that have betrayed our clans to be punished. They forget that I am the Blade of the Night. They forget that I am the Princess. I had to remind more than a few why I have that title.”
“They must not have approved of your methods.”
She chuckles looking as if she’s feeling slightly better. “Of course not, but this wouldn’t be the first time nor the last.”
“The head of one of the nine challenged my authority and stated that he feels that my role as enforcer should be cut short. You see, we normally serve for about sixty years and then get some time off to go do what we want for a decade or two, but I have never really taken more than a few years for myself after I lost Sage. Some think that it’s changed me.” Zara gazes off into the distance; her memories begin to slip into my mind, but she quickly closes me off.
“Some of the vampires that his son Caleb had sired have joined with Namen, Logan being one of them. I wanted Caleb to call them home and have them answer for their betrayal. The problem is we try not to force the sire authority on our children unless we truly feel it necessary. Even then, we only call upon them and hear their side. They can still make their own choices, but it is still our responsibility to keep our own in line. I argued that Caleb has not done that. He keeps in touch with his own and they know what the rules are.”
“It sounds like vampire politics are very complicated,” I observe.
“You don’t even know the half of it. There are things that only the firsts know even though we are still pureblood. They have rules on top of our laws.”
“So what happened that made you injured?”
“My cousin called on all of the nine to convene. I saw my parents for the first time in fifty years. They’ve been traveling the world. Apparently my mother is pregnant again.”
“Wow. That’s crazy. How many more years is she fertile?�
� I ask knowing it’s off subject, but curious just the same.
“Probably for about thirty more years. It’s very hard for us to become pregnant. She’s lucky to have three of us now.” Zara looks at Selene and then gets back to the story after getting a “move it along” look. “Antonius, Caleb’s father, and Camilla, another one of the nine, attacked me. They don’t want to get involved and wanted to stop me from doing any more damage, or so they said.”
“Well, you’re alive, injured, but alive, so that must mean…”
“No, Apollo forbade me to kill them. I don’t know if he would have extended the same courtesy if I had lost. I gave up my grab for the head of our family and the nine to allow him to rise. He wants to make sure I don’t change my mind. I love my cousin, but he is dangerous on a good day.”
Zara winces as she tries to lean against the headboard. I step over to help her get comfortable.
“You guys look sexy as hell tonight,” she compliments as she gets a good look at us both, scanning up and down, grinning with fang and then winking playfully at Selene.
“Continue your story vampire,” I demand, smiling. Selene is smiling and shaking her head at the flirty comment. Only Zara would take on two purebloods and make time to flirt. Selene’s blood is obviously doing its job.
“The members of the nine have astonishing talents and these two are no exception. Antonius can poison you with his bite and Camilla can actually travel in the shadows. There are a lot of shadows cast when there are many people around. I had a challenging fight. Antonius poisoned his blade with his venom and weakened me enough that Camilla was able to catch me off guard.” I see flashes of the fight in my mind. Even through her memories, the fight is almost too fast for me to follow. None of them are amateurs.
The two opposing vamps double team Zara, striking simultaneously, trying to throw her off balance, but she’s often too clever as she waits until the very last second before a strike connects and throws them off balance in turn. She definitely takes her share of punches, especially from the tall Roman looking vampire dressed in a very nice suit.
Killer Rayne Page 18
