Kelly just swore her loyalty to me, and I will take full advantage of this during the next month. I believe that over time, Kelly will become mine. Now I need to move to convince her.
I close my eyes and summon Nick through our connection.
I need to speak with you. Can you meet me downstairs in the security office?
I don’t want her to wake up alone.
Nick is right. I don’t want her to wake up alone either. It’s a possibility she will wake up confused over what happened tonight.
I will send Sofia to relieve you.
Okay. I will come find you as soon as she gets here.
I reach out to Sofia through our bond and send her to Kelly’s room to take over for Nick. A few minutes later, Nick knocked on my open office door and enters the room.
“What’s up?”
I motion for him to follow me. Walking the casino floor, I tune out the bells ringing and shouts coming from the crowd. I am not much of a gambler myself, but it generates amazing revenue that helps me support my coven. I am the master vampire of this coven, and responsible for every vampire tied to my blood. I have turned 28 vampires since I was turned 353 years ago. My progeny has turned 402 humans so far. Vampires believe there are safety in numbers so each of my progeny have fifteen to twenty vampires in their nests. Nick and I walk together in companionable silence.
I swipe my keycard in front of the security panel and watch the light turn green. I push through the door, Nick following close behind.
The main room is wall to wall monitors covering every inch of the casino floor. Each table has a camera that sits over the players and dealer. Every card dealt, and every chip collected is on record.
The two of us watch the games on the monitors closest to us. Nothing out of the ordinary. Constantine De Lucca is the Director of Security for the property. He is responsible for the casino and the rest of the hotel, including the outdoor facilities. Constantine is one of my turned twenty-eight.
“How are things going this evening, Constantine?”
“Good evening, sir. It’s quiet tonight, but it’s still early.” He points up at monitor fifty-three, which covers the casino bar. “We’ve got some college kids in the bar tonight so we’re keeping a close eye on them.”
“Let me know if they get out of hand.” I squeeze my security director’s shoulder. “Thank you, Constantine.”
I motion to the private work room hidden behind the monitors. Nick follows and closes the door behind him. “What’s wrong?”
I plant myself at the end of the table, leaning my head back against the chair cushion. I blow out a breath and straighten my posture. “I believe I need some advice.”
Still standing, Nick’s eyebrows shoot up. “About?”
“Kelly.” I look up at Nick. “I have thirty days to convince her to stay and become my mate.”
“Or what? You’ll let her go?” Nick joked.
“Yes.”
Nick blinks. “I was kidding boss.”
“I’m not kidding.” I rub the back of my neck.
“What happens after thirty days?”
“If I have not convinced her to stay and be my mate in thirty days Alex will release her.”
Nick gawks at me while processing what I just told him. He looks away and throws his hands up in the air. “You mean to tell me I have taken care of this girl, protected her, watched over her, and made damn sure that she has everything she needs. And you’re letting her GO?”
Nick paces the room while I wait. “She’s your soulmate! You have waited for this moment for over three hundred years and you’re just going to LET HER GO? I don’t get it. I got nothin’!”
I allow my progeny a moment to gather his wits before I speak again. “Please, sit down Nicholas.” I tap the open chair next to me.
Nick restrains himself and does as I asked. He pulls the chair out and stares at me.
“Thank you.” I give him a small smile. “I have no intentions of ever letting her go. I have thirty days to convince her to stay. Kelly has promised me thirty days; and strangely enough, so has Alex.”
“And what is your plan if she decides not to become your mate?”
“Well, we both know that isn’t an option. She is mine. I did not negotiate the circumstances of her departure with Alex, just that I would let her leave.”
Nick sighs. “I’m sorry I raised my voice, but she’s important to me too, boss. I love her like she’s my sister. Now that she’s here, I can’t imagine not having her around.”
I nod, understanding where Nick was coming from. I have assigned Nick as her bodyguard the moment I realized Kelly was my soulmate. Discovering the one who is meant to be with you for an eternity gives new meaning to living. Alex is over 900 years old and has yet to find his mate. I’ve taken great care to ensure her safety and was ready to wait for her, but my timeline changed.
“What does mo chroi want more than anything, Nick?”
Nick leans forward. “Freedom.”
“Yes. She wants her freedom.” I nod and tap the end of my chin. “We need to create a daily routine that includes allotted time for her to do as she pleases, shopping, movies, anything she wants.”
“I need to show her what her new life looks like and convince her she can be happy. Convince her to stay here… with me.”
“Okay, so where do we start?”
I sit and contemplate my first move. “I will speak to Fredo and have the private dining room setup for the two of us. I want something special for tonight.”
“Considering she wakes up soon.”
“Fredo will wait dinner for as long as I need him to. Go back up to her room and wait for her to wake. I will be there soon.”
Nick stands and follows me to the door. “Okay boss.”
“Thank you, Nick. I don’t say it often, but I appreciate all that you do for me.” Nick smiles. With that, we both left the security office to tend to the tasks at hand.
Chapter 17
Kelly
I pull my hands to my face and groan. My body is coming back to life, but I find I have a killer migraine. I feel someone hovering over me. “Nick?”
“Yeah, Kitten. I’m right here.” He reaches out and swipes the hair from my face. “How ya feelin’? You’ve been out for a while.”
“I have?” I close my eyes again. “What happened?” I try to prop myself up on my right elbow to shift myself into a sitting position but abandon the idea with a groan.
“Kitten, what is it? Are you okay?” Nick helps me lay back down. “Let me get you something to drink, don’t move.”
He heads toward the bathroom to get a glass of water. After filling the glass, the energy in the room changes. Nick moves back into the room and finds Grant sitting on the edge of my bed.
“Mo chroi.” With genuine concern, he takes my hand in his.
I want to pull away, but my head is throbbing and decide it wasn’t worth the fight.
“Kitten, here. Drink this.” Nick stands next to Grant and is reaching to hand the water to me when Grant takes it out of his hand.
“I’ve got this. Thank you for watching her Nick.”
Realizing he has just been dismissed, he looks down at me. “I’ll be back soon to check on you, Kitten. Call me or Sofia if you need anything, yeah?” He gives a nod to Grant, and then he is gone.
“You’re not well.” He takes the half empty glass from me and places it on the nightstand. Grant places his hands on my head and closes his eyes.
I feel him press his power into me. My body relaxes as he pulls the pain from me.
I feel relief from the headache. “What… what did you do?”
“Can you sit up, mo chroi?”
I hear his Irish lilt thicken. It makes me smile because I am growing fond of it. “I think so.”
This time I can sit myself up without hesitation, because the pain is gone. Grant hands me the glass of water.
“Here now, drink.”
I took the glass and
sipped. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
“What did you do? My headache vanished.”
Rather than avoid my question again, Grant spoke. “I couldn’t let you suffer any more, could I? So, I took the pain away.”
I raise my hand to him and touch his arm. “Can all vampires do this? That’s amazing!”
I feel a faint charge of static electricity pass between us. “Oh!” I pull back from him. “I’m sorry. I don’t know why this happens to me. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
“You didn’t hurt me mo chroi.”
The sun is going down and the late afternoon light filters through the blinds. I absently stare through the open slit. I am relieved he isn’t hurt just now. Although, I do recall shocking him last night.
As images from last night’s event trickle into my mind, I draw my hand to my neck.
“You were out of control.” My body stiffens. “You attacked me.”
“I’m over 300 years old mo chroi, and in that time nothing has drawn me toward someone so strongly as I am to you.” He pulls his fingers through his thick blonde hair. Grant’s lips have a slight grimace.
I shake my head in doubt. “Listen. I admit there is something strange happening between us. But there’s only one thing I want from you, Grant.”
He pulls my hands to his chest, eyes darkening. “I’ll give you anything, mo chroi. Ya need only to ask.” His brogue was thick with emotion.
“Anything?” I lean forward.
“Anything, mo chroi.”
“I want my life back. Let me go, Grant. Please.”
“Are you not happy here?” Flying his arm across the room. “I’ve given you everything you can ever need, Kelly. You mean to tell me you would rather live the life you had with Joe?”
I blink in surprise. Grant rarely calls me by my given name. I push myself against the headboard of the bed.
“Um, no. I don’t want that life back and I cannot ever forgive him for what he did to me.” My shoulders slump.
“Everything you have given me,” I scan the beautiful bedroom, “is exceptional. But you won’t allow me out of this room without a security detail. You are holding me hostage. Don’t you understand? Joe has made every decision about my life, including selling it. I want the freedom to choose what happens to me. None of this was my choice.”
I throw the covers back and stand on wobbly legs. Slow to gain my balance, I walk the length of the room. “When was the last time someone dictated what you can and cannot do?”
“I think it would surprise you, mo chroi. I may be a Master vampire, but Alex is my sire and king. Whatever he says is law. So, my choices are limited by what Alex wants for me.”
My shoulders sag. “So, what you are telling me is we are both prisoners?”
“In a matter of speaking, I suppose you are right.” He stands and approaches me. “I have a proposition for you.”
My eyes narrow. “I’m listening.”
“You have sworn your loyalty to me with a blood bond. Whether or not you like it, you are bound to me now. If you run, I will always find you.” He raises an eyebrow.
“Great.” I reply flatly.
“Give me the thirty days you promised me to show you what life with me would be like. That means, you obey me in all things.”
I can’t stop myself from rolling my eyes. I try to pull away when he takes my arm and hauls me closer to him.
“In return, for the next thirty days I will give you freedom to come and go as you please. You must take Nick or Tony with you for your protection. But you will promise to return to me.”
Hope fills me. “And after thirty days?”
Grant pinches the bridge of his nose and drops his hands to his side. “After thirty days mo chroi, I will release you.”
I see a glimpse of pain in his eyes, but it disappears behind his stoic expression. I look across his face for any sign of deception.
“You’re serious. You will give me my freedom?”
“I will let you go, mo chroi.”
“Can I go outside right now then?” I want to walk outside, be a part of a crowd, be normal.
Grant clears his throat. “First things first. Nick and I will train you in self-defense.”
I lean my head back and stare at the ceiling. “I knew it was too good to be true.”
“Hear me out, mo chroi. You prove to us that you can protect yourself, and then you will be free to come and go as you please. Deal?”
I never had the chance to learn self-defense techniques, but I was scrappy. Proving to Grant I can take care of myself shouldn’t be too hard.
“Fine. When do we start?” I bounce off the bed.
“How about tomorrow morning? Nick, you and me in the training room at 8:00 a.m. Will that work for you?”
“You are the current keeper of my schedule. You tell me.” I try to disguise my sarcasm with my sweetest smile.
I watch him pull his phone out and tap through his calendar app.
“Good news. It looks like you are available.” His smugness is irritating.
We stare at each other for a few moments. Grant thinks he is doing the right thing by me.
“Have dinner with me.”
That caught me off guard. He’s never had dinner with me. “Should Sofia bring an extra plate for you? I can call her.” I start for the phone when he stops me.
“No, mo chroi. I mean the two of us having dinner together, in a restaurant.” His lips curled into a smile. “Unless you would rather stay in.” He takes a step closer to me.
“No. No. I would like to eat out tonight.”
“With me?”
He watches me as I puzzle through his clarifying question. Do I want to have dinner with him? If I did, would I be doing it to be with him or to be out of this room for dinner? He continues to wait for an answer. I need to be honest with myself; I want to spend time with Grant regardless of where we were.
He smiles, and I realize he is in my head again. “Damn it, Grant! Get out of my head.” I turn away from him, but he catches me before I can get away from him.
Grant holds me close. My back leans into his chest. “Mo chroi. You make me happy. I apologize. It’s a bad habit and will work harder to give you some privacy.”
“Nick said he can teach me to shield my thoughts. I want him to teach me how to do it. Maybe tomorrow?”
“I will talk to Nick about this.”
I turn around to face him. “You will not stop him from showing me how to shield my thoughts. That’s not fair.” I want to stomp my foot like a petulant child, but I resist.
“Calm down. I said I would talk to him.” He releases me from the embrace. “Go find something to wear. I will be back at seven to pick you up. Will that be enough time for you?”
“I think I can manage. Is it casual? Jeans okay?”
He steps toward the door before he responds. “This will be more formal. No jeans. In fact, you have dresses at your disposal.” Waving his hand toward the ensuite. “Now, go find something for tonight. I will see you at seven.”
The door clicks shut. I pull my bottom lip between my teeth and made my way to the phone to dial seven-two-three. “Sofia? I need some help. Can you come up?”
Grant arrives on time. He knocks but does not wait for me to answer the door. Nudging the door open, he finds me standing at the floor to ceiling window overlooking the strip. Grant’s lips part as he takes me in. “Mo chroi. You’re beautiful.”
With Sofia’s help, I chose a blue silk evening dress. The fabric hugs my curves in the right places and drapes to the floor. “Oh, this old thing? It’s all I had on such short notice.” I couldn’t help but grin.
“Oh, mo chroi, that is a beautiful color on you.” Grant steps across the room, but I meet him in the middle. He wraps a possessive hand around my waist. “Thank you.”
“Thank you? For what?” My smile falters, and a crease furrows between my brows.
“For coming out to dinner and no
t fighting me over it.” His hand slides down my waist.
I take a step back, out of his reach. “Slow down, cowboy. No touchy feely, just dinner.”
Something flickers in his eyes. “Then let us go have dinner. Fredo has concocted something special for you and me this evening.” As I move to the door, Grant follows and places his hand at the small of my back.
I stop and look over my shoulder, waiting for Grant to acknowledge his hand on my back. “This is not… touchy feely as you say. This is a man guiding his date to dinner.”
I can’t help but roll my eyes, but I continue walking, allowing Grant to guide me to dinner. “You're the boss.”
Nick meets us in the hallway to escort us downstairs to the dining room. He whistles. “You clean up good, Kitten!” Nick winks at me as I blush at the compliment.
“Thanks, Nick. Sofia had a lot to do with it.”
“She told me you two had a girly girl afternoon. You enjoy it?”
Grant steps in front of Nick to walk now at my side. Nick follows from behind.
“We had a good time.” I gave Grant a sidelong smile.
Grant reaches for my hand and wraps it around the inside crease of his arm. “You enjoyed yourself, yes?”
We stop in front of the elevator. Nick presses the call button.
I look up at Nick, my eyes twinkle. “I did. Thank you.”
The doors open, and we step into the elevator car. He leans forward and brushes his lips against mine. When he pulls back, I think he finds what he is looking from me. Acceptance.
Nick clears his throat and shoves his hands in his pockets. I smile up at my friend. “Lead the way.”
Nick hurries in front of us and two security guards fall in behind Grant and me. I glance over my shoulder. “I promise I wasn’t going anywhere.” My joy is fading.
“I know mo chroi. I trust you. Aside from your loyalty oath, you gave me your word. I believe you.” He glances down to his side, wanting to make sure I understand him.
“You know there are two security guards behind us, right?”
Grant stiffens, then nods. “I am.”
“Then why the mini army of vampires?”
Paid in Full: Kelly Kennedy Series (Book One) Page 14