by Mara Leigh
“I wasn’t thinking.” She reaches toward me with her other hand, but drops it to her knee before it gets to me. “I’ve wanted you, Rock—for years. I know it’s no excuse but you must have noticed.”
She lifts her gaze toward me tentatively, and I nod.
“In all the years I’ve known you,” she says, “I’ve never seen you date, never seen you so much as flirt with a woman, or a man, so I guess I started to create a story about that in my mind. That maybe you liked me, but were just shy. Or maybe you didn’t want to date me while I was working for you. And that the reason you weren’t dating anyone else was because you were holding out for me.”
Shaking her head, she closes her eyes. “So stupid. I can’t believe I’m hearing myself say the kind of shit I hate hearing other women say. I am so not the type to hang onto hope over a guy who’s clearly not into me, but here we are. Here I am. I’ve become the kind of woman I detest.”
There are tears in her eyes now and my heart breaks open. “Did I lead you on, Chelle? Make you think…I’m so sorry, if I did anything—”
“It’s not your fault, Rock. Really. You were just being you. Clearly you were staying away from women for your own reasons, whatever those are, and I totally projected some fairy tale fantasy shit onto you.” A smile quirks at the corners of her lips for an instant, then she closes her eyes and tears stream down her cheeks.
She wipes them off angrily with her index fingers, as if they’re some kind of noxious liquid from an unknown source.
Chelle is more vulnerable at this moment than I’ve ever seen her. More vulnerable than I thought I’d ever see her, and I hate that I’m the cause of her pain, but at the same time, I need to know what went on between her and Colton. Especially after what happened last night.
“The cop,” I say softly. “What did you talk about?”
Chelle’s complexion turns to ash. “He suspects—”
“About Selina?” My hearts nearly beat out of my chest. I want to go after the cop even though I know he’s long gone.
“Not Selina,” she says. “At least I don’t think so. But he suspects Gray.” She looks down. “I didn’t tell him—honest. He was asking all these leading questions, but I didn’t take the bait.”
“What? Exactly what did he say?”
“He said, ‘I know Grayson is a vampire. Is everyone who comes into this bar a bloodsucker?’ Or something very close to that.”
My stomach somersaults. “What did you tell him?”
“I laughed, like I thought he was joking. I said there was no way that Gray was a vampire, but he claims he has proof. Could be total bullshit but it didn’t feel that way to me.”
“What else?”
“Well, he wanted to know why I called the hotline. He’d figured that out too, so I kept it close to the truth.” She shakes her head. “I figured it would be easier to keep my story straight.”
“What. Did. You. Tell. Him?” Each of my words comes out like a sharp stab and she winces with each strike.
She leans back, and I realize that I leaned forward, the huge bulk of my body invading her personal space. “I told him I called in the tip because I was jealous.”
“You okay, honey?” The gay couple pause as they pass on their way to the door.
I lean back. I must look so aggressive.
“Yes.” Chelle smiles at the customers. “Just a little discussion with the boss man.”
They look at her with alarm and concern in their eyes. “We can stay if you like.”
The shorter one leans in closer toward Chelle. “Or call the cops? Someone else?”
“No, I’m good, really.” She chuckles. “Rock’s big, but he’s harmless. A real teddy bear.” She pats my arm.
“Okay, hun. If you say so.” Arms around each other, the two men leave the building, shooting a warning look at me as they go.
I keep still and silent, waiting for Chelle to respond or elaborate on her reasons for calling the VTF tip line, and those reasons better be good, because she’s completely lost my trust now, and I don’t see how I can keep her working here. Although she knows so much that I’m not sure I can risk firing her, either.
“I told him I made the call because I was pissed at you,” she says. “I told him that you broke up with me when you met Selina. That I didn’t really think there had ever been a vampire in here, and that I only made the call to cause trouble for you, for the bar.”
“Mission accomplished.” I frown.
“I’m sorry, Rock. So, so sorry. If I could take it all back and not make that call I would. But he doesn’t suspect Selina. I’m sure of that. He’s scared for her because of his suspicions about Gray. And he’s seen you and I and Kev in the daylight.”
“You two seemed pretty chummy…” The discussion she just described doesn’t fully match the body language I saw, and I replay it in my mind trying to sync up the visuals with her description of the dialogue. I’ve never known Chelle to be dishonest—not with me anyway—but the stakes are so high that I can’t take any chances.
“I flirted a little,” she says. “Colton acts like a teenager when he’s around women and gets flustered when I flirt. I know my regular customers, Rock. I know how to handle each one.”
I drain the last of my whiskey. Seems to me Chelle uses that same hospitality technique on everyone of our good looking male customers and some of the female ones too, but I suppose that’s one thing that keeps our regulars coming back here. I can’t fault her for something that works.
I know I should fire Chelle for drawing police attention to the bar, but it’s not the first time the cops have come in to check out the place—we’re known for being open late, even on weeknights.
“Rock, I won’t tell Colton anything important. I promise. Selina is safe. And I’m so, so, so sorry.” She hangs her head. “I’ll quit if you want me to.”
“Look at me.”
Her gaze rises to meet mine. “I’m not going to fire you. Not right now. But if you say anything else to the cops, if any harm comes to Selina or Gray or Malcolm or Astrid—or any vampire who seeks shelter in this bar… I’m not a violent man, but—” I stop short of threatening her life, but the expression on her face tells me she knows what I mean.
I’d never resort to violence unless forced, but if she does anything that harms Selina—Chelle is dead.
Chapter 8
Gray
“Why not make this easy?” Astrid asks me the same question she’s asked at least ten times since placing me in this holding room at FJS. I’ve been in here for what feels like fifteen hours, at least, depending on how long I slept, which was only in fits and starts.
It’s probably dark again already. Maybe Selina will come to see me.
“Come on Gray,” she says. “Let me call the Order.”
“Surely that’s not necessary.” I try to project an aura of calm. “The Order isn’t interested in trivial matters like this.”
“Listen.” Astrid sits in the chair opposite me and leans onto the metal table between us. “This isn’t trivial. The CEO is taking a hard line. Maybe it’s because she knows you and I are friends, maybe it’s because of how hard the cops have been coming down on our community, but she’s not going to let me look the other way. Not this time.”
I yawn, like I don’t care.
“The CEO respects the Order,” Astrid says sternly. “With the king missing, she’ll defer to them. If they request your release, she’ll comply.”
I shrug as if I’m not sure Astrid’s right—but I know that she is. I know the Order could get me out of this murder charge, but I’m stuck between a stake and a hard place.
Astrid shakes her head and her long red hair, rarely down when she’s working, flies up like a cloud of autumn leaves around her. The image reminds me of all the fun times I’ve spent with Malcolm and Astrid—dancing, laughing, running through the city these past eighteen years—but her expression, her posture, are all business. Business combined with frustration
.
She leans over the table. “Tell me again. Why did she turn her back on you?”
“Zora?”
“Who else would I mean?” She rolls her eyes. “Seriously?”
I shrug. “She must have heard something. The cops turned up soon after. Maybe she heard them coming?”
“So, besides you and Selina, no one else was there?” Astrid’s eyes narrow.
“Nope.”
She slaps the table. “Gray. Lying will not help you! Why are you covering up for Pike?” she asks. “Is he the one who wielded the stake?”
I hide my reaction. How does she know Pike was there? Did Selina tell her? Did the police see Pike before he fled? Did Pike finally come in to talk to FJS?
I turn my head to the side, trying to strategize my next move in this virtual chess game. I haven’t been fully honest with Astrid and my good friend knows it. But being honest with myself, if this were a chess game Astrid would be winning. She has my queen pinned into a corner, with multiple strike positions.
“Oh, that’s right,” I say as if remembering. “Pike. Yeah. Sorry. It all happened so fast, I forgot. He must have followed me. Or tracked Selina. He was there. But just for a few seconds. It must have been him who distracted Zora, and I took the opportunity to go in for the kill.”
“So you two planned it.”
“No. I told you. I reacted in the moment.” And that much is true. I repeat the same lines I’ve said countless times since she brought me in. “Zora was threatening Selina. To save Selina’s life, I put a stake through Zora’s heart.”
“Threatening her how. You keep using that word, but Zora wasn’t armed.” Astrid leans back. “Shit, Gray. Help yourself, or your going to spend a few hundred years in prison.”
My throat is dry, and I swallow, hard.
There’s a knock on the door and we both turn. “Visitor for the prisoner,” a voice comes over the intercom.
Astrid goes to the door and opens it about a foot. I can’t see who’s outside, but I know. It’s her. It’s Selina. My heart accelerates. Whatever happens, at least I’ll get to see her one last time.
But Astrid slips out the door and closes it behind her.
My hope deflates and I rest my head in my hands on the table.
What the fuck am I supposed to do? I don’t want to spend eternity in prison, but if I reach out to the Order like Astrid suggests, Selina will be the one who pays.
I am glad Zora’s dead. Glad I was the one to do it, but I feel like a thousand splinters of hard wood have entered my heart. I’ll never again hold Selina’s sleeping body in my arms. Will never again be inside her, and regret floods through me for all the times I’ve taken her dispassionately, pretending I didn’t care.
If I’d ever admitted my feelings to her, it wouldn’t change my circumstances now—it might even make this hurt more—but at least I’d have had that experience.
No. I shake my head. I’m being selfish, again. If we’d declared our love to each other, if we’d fed from each other like true mates, my incarceration would be even more painful—for both of us.
Am I also kidding myself to believe I’m protecting her by not calling the Order, or is that for me too? Am I keeping her a secret for my own selfish reasons? Of course I am.
And again that stake and a hard place are here. If I call them, they’ll take her. If I don’t call them, we’ll be separated by prison walls.
The door opens and Selina rushes inside. In an instant she’s in my arms, and I’m overcome with joy. Need pumps inside me for her blood, for her safety, for her love. Her heart’s beating wildly and she clutches my back so tightly I might have bruises when she lets go.
Astrid clears her throat loudly. “Sorry, to break this up…”
Still holding Selina, I look up at Astrid, a warning, or more like a plea in my eyes. Selina can’t know who I am or why I’m in this country. I don’t think even Astrid has figured out that last part, and I hope no one ever does.
“Are you okay?” Selina asks, her head still against my chest. “Have they hurt you? Have you slept? Do you need to feed?”
“I’m fine, pr—” I bite down on my nickname for her, not wanting to use it in here.
“Do you need a lawyer?” Selina asks. “Do vampires have lawyers?”
I loosen my hold on her and draw out a chair for her to sit at the table on the same side as me.
Astrid retakes her chair, facing us. “Vampire penal systems aren’t as brutal as those of humans,” she says. “He has a bed over there, see? Access to blood when he needs it. And he has been given every opportunity to choose an advocate—the most powerful advocate—but has rejected that offer.” Astrid folds her arms over her chest and shakes her head at me as she says this.
“Why?” Selina takes my hand. “Why not get an advocate?”
“Don’t need one.” I raise one of her hands to my lips and kiss it, taking a tiny lick as my lips close softly around her knuckle.
A ripple of desire races through her blood, like seductive music to my ears.
“Malcolm told me that you had powerful friends.” She turns toward Astrid. “Have you let him call his powerful friends?”
Astrid gestures toward me. “It’s up to Gray. He’s refused.”
Selina intertwines our fingers and looks into my eyes. “Don’t be proud, Gray. If you have powerful friends, this is the time to ask them for help.”
“If I needed help, I’d ask for it.”
Selina draws a long breath. I can tell that she doesn’t accept my answer.
“What happened with your cop?” I ask.
“He doesn’t remember.” Selina smiles briefly. “Nothing after the police left. He’s confused, but thinks it’s because of his head wound.”
“How does he think he got that?”
“I told him we were attacked by a group of young men who took his backpack.” She turns toward Astrid.
“We’re monitoring the situation.” Astrid places her hands on the table. “And Gray, Selina has confirmed that Pike was at the scene. She corroborated your account of the events.”
I look to Selina and she nods, looking so worried. I wish I could tell her that everything will be okay, but I’d be lying. I’ve lied enough.
“I’ve sent a team out to bring Pike in,” Astrid says.
Selina shoots to her feet, dropping my hand. “Pike? Why? He didn’t do anything.”
“Sit down,” Astrid tells her and Selina drops back to her chair as if her legs gave out.
“I’m sure it’s just for questioning.” I take Selina’s hand, but she doesn’t even turn my way.
She shakes her head as her teeth worry her lower lip. Shit. She cares about Pike. Actually cares about him. It’s written all over her right now. I should be glad since I can’t be there to protect her anymore, but I can’t help but be jealous that I’m not the only vampire in her life.
Selina’s fed from us both. But if they make love while feeding, or if he feeds from her… I close my eyes, as the implications of that possibility shudder through me. As much as I’ve been avoiding that very thing, the idea of another vampire being her first…
I can’t think about that. Not now.
“Why do you want to talk to Pike?” Selina repeats when Astrid doesn’t reply to my comment.
“We want to question him for a variety of reasons.”
“What reasons?” Selina asks more forcefully than I expect.
Astrid’s lips tighten before she speaks. “We’re investigating a long list of possible allegations against him.”
“Allegations? Like what?” Selina’s heart is thumping so loudly, so fast, and I’m so tuned into her right now that the sound dominates my senses, the pulsing thump only heightening the tension.
“Let’s see.” Astrid counts off on her fingers. “Kidnapping, torture, homicide, vampircide…”
“Kidnap and torture?” Selina leaps to her feet. “Who?”
Astrid looks at her quizzically. “You, for
one.”
“But…he was…” Selina drops heavily back to her chair. “Xavier made him do those things.” Her voice trails off like she ran out of air.
Astrid leans back. “He might still be working for Xavier.”
Selina shakes her head, vigorously.
“Then why won’t he come in for questioning?” Astrid asks.
“He’s afraid,” Selina says. “He doesn’t trust authority.”
Astrid’s expression softens just a tiny bit. “Selina. Even if Pike isn’t working for Xavier, he isn’t doing anything to help us catch him, either.”
“I know that Pike wants Xavier brought to justice,” she says. “He wants him dead. I’m certain.”
Astrid tips her head to the side. “Did you ever consider that Pike doesn’t want us to find Xavier, because the self-proclaimed king has evidence that would incriminate Pike too?”
Selina draws a long breath, but stays silent.
“Pike will get a fair investigation and hearing.” Astrid’s chair scrapes the hard floor as she stands. “Just like anyone else would. And if he gives us credible information that leads to Xavier’s arrest, that will certainly help.”
Selina nods but looks shaken, and I want so badly to take her into my arms.
“I’ll give you two a few moments alone,” Astrid says. “But just a few, then Selina’s got to go.”
The door closes behind Astrid, and Selina takes my face in her hands. “This is all my fault.”
“No, it’s not.”
“It is,” she says, her voice breaking. “The second I suspected Zora was the killer, I should have told Astrid everything. If anything happens to you—or Pike—I’ll never forgive myself.”
“So…” I shift on the chair “…things are going well with Pike back at the house?”
“I guess so.” Her hands drop to her lap. “You were right. There’s more to his story than I thought. He can be…Pike can actually be sweet.” A soft smile brushes her lips, but it barely penetrates all the worry that’s weighing down her expression, her posture.
“Who are your powerful friends?” she asks. “And why haven’t you called them? If you need me to—”