Elsie was surprised that her cheek wasn’t broken, given the sharp stabbing pain.
Jace sat on the edge of her bed and made eye contact. Elsie tried to focus but the drugs were affecting her concentration again. Dizziness assailed, and she decided it best to close out the world. Warm palms settled on her face and she sighed as the pain lessened even more. She wondered what drugs she’d been given this time because they seemed stronger than the previous ones.
Jace’s soothing voice had her eyes fluttering back open. “You’ll need to take antibiotics. Saliva carries countless germs and the last thing you need on top of everything else is an infection.” His pause made her heart race. “I understand you are a waitress. Given the severity and type of injury, you will not be able to work while you’re in a cast. It will extend from below your elbow and will cover most of your hand. Until you come back for the hard cast, you will be in a sling to keep it immobile.”
“Are you kidding me?” she quipped as clarity rushed forward.
He had to be joking. This could not be happening. Shit kept piling up in her life. Overwhelmed by the thought, Elsie began sobbing.
“I have to work. You don’t understand. I have bills, lots of them, and I’m all alone now. And, my car broke down tonight so I don’t even have transportation. Without my job, I can’t pay anything. Oh, God, I’ll end up homeless,” she stated as she grabbed the bed sheet and covered her face. She wasn’t a crier, but the tears streamed down her face.
Elsie recalled the exorbitant tips Zander left her, and was eternally grateful for them. They were going to provide a nice cushion for emergency situations. Didn’t get more urgent than this.
The mattress dipped, and the sheet was tugged out of her grasp. She glanced through bleary eyes to see Zander sitting beside her. He reached over and cupped her face.
“A ghra, you are no’ alone. You know I willna allow you to become homeless. I’m going to take care of you,” he declared.
And there went the orders.
Elsie heaved a sigh. He didn’t get it that life didn’t work that way. And, no way was she going to allow this man to pay her bills and take care of her.
“That’s not going to happen. I take care of myself,” she informed Zander tiredly.
Irritation crossed Zander’s features but she didn’t care. He wasn’t her sugar daddy.
Orlando sat on her other side. “Stop being difficult, cupcake. None of us will allow anything to happen to you,” he said, pointing to Bhric and Kyran. “You haven’t met everyone at Zeum but none of them would stand for it. Remember what I said?”
His image blurred with her tears. “You’ve said a lot. You talk more than any woman I know,” she replied on a hitched breath.
“Ha-ha, very funny. You’re part of our twisted little family now. You’ve worked your way into our hearts and we are all here for you, whatever you need,” Orlando promised.
She pondered the idea of having more than her sister and Mack in her life. Having them claim her as family was touching and Elsie couldn’t deny wanting to belong with them.
“The family part might not be so bad. Twisted fits me. Although, you can be annoyingly dictatorial,” she stated with a smirk as she looked at Zander. “Dalton and my sister were all I had after my parents died. Aside from Mack, I’ve been alone in Seattle. You may regret your words. I’ve been told I’m stubborn and difficult.”
“You doona say,” Zander teased with a wink, and caressed her cheek. “Put it oot of your mind. Everybody has issues. Stubbornness we can deal with. You are going to accept our help and after I get you home, you will start eating and sleeping.”
She rolled her eyes, but grinned. “Doona think you can give me orders just because I’m in pain and on drugs, Mr. Bossy Pants.”
He clutched his chest as if stricken. “I’m back to that infernal name. What happened to Dr. McYummy?”
Her cheeks heated and she placed her head in her hands. “Oh, God,” she groaned. “Tell me I didn’t say that out loud.”
“But, that would be a lie, cupcake. Besides, I’m enjoying your embarrassment too much,” Orlando playfully ruffled her hair as Zander’s hand tightened over hers.
Jace cleared his throat, drawing her attention. “I hate to be the bearer of more bad news but I’m one step away from keeping you in this hospital because of your weight loss. You need to listen to Zander and eat. You can’t afford to lose anymore.”
Elsie shrank into the bed. She knew she’d lost too much weight but hearing it from a doctor brought it home. She lifted her chin, refusing to be deemed weak and nodded in acknowledgment.
“I know it’s not an excuse, but my life hasn’t exactly been a cakewalk lately. I will do better,” she promised.
Jace inclined his head in response, a silent understanding of how hard life had been for her. “Okay, Elsie. Now the hard part. Let’s set these bones, and then I’ll need to take some blood.”
*****
Dizziness assailed and Elsie clung tighter to Zander as he carried her to the front door of her apartment. She shivered against the cold night air. Blood loss and morphine was not a good combo. At least the pain was gone, for the most part.
She looked over at Orlando, Kyran, and Bhric as they followed her and Zander. She felt weird with an entourage. It seemed this tight-knit group spent most of their time together. It was odd, yet seemed right.
Elsie twisted in Zander’s arms and a sharp pain followed. Her arm was in excruciating pain and she wanted to get inside her apartment so she could rest.
She recalled the agony when Jace set her broken wrist. A shout escaped the moment he grasped the limb, eliciting a snarl from Zander. His growl spoke of violence and retribution. Elsie gritted her teeth against any further reaction and clutched Zander’s hand. She feared that if she didn’t, he may attack Jace for causing her pain.
She was grateful for her newfound friends. She hated to think of how this night might’ve ended without them. Mack wouldn’t have made it to her in time. Thinking of Mack reminded Elsie she needed to call and check in with her. She was likely worried to death.
She looked to her front door and confusion buffeted her. It was dark but she could see Santiago and another guy, with gorgeous hair, waiting outside her apartment. Seriously, the new guy had the kind of hair women paid big bucks to look like, with multi-colored highlights. Were they standing beside a sofa?
“Um, what’s going on?” she asked as they approached her apartment.
“Hey there, Chiquita. How are you doing?” Santiago asked and gave her an awkward hug, since Zander refused to put her down. “Elsie, this is Rhys. Orlando here said he can’t sleep on your old futon, so I brought him a couch-bed to cushion his hemorrhoid-ridden ass,” Santiago said with a laugh which garnered a punch from Orlando.
It wasn’t so much Rhys’ hair that caught her attention now, but his odd-colored eyes. The only term that came to mind to describe the color was kaleidoscopic. They were mesmerizing, and thankfully, full of mirth and mischief.
Elsie’s brain was sluggish but memories of her attack had her heart racing.
“We aren’t leaving you alone after what happened so don’t even think of arguing.” Orlando informed her.
Relief had her sagging against Zander. “I’m so glad I don’t have to tie one of you to my sofa to keep you from leaving. I can’t be alone tonight. I know what he wanted to do to me…” She trembled as she thought about how close she came to being raped and murdered.
Elsie met Bhric and Kyran’s gaze. “I would be dead right now if not for you guys. I owe you my life. I don’t have much but when I’m feeling better, I’d like to cook dinner. For all of you,” she stated and hoped they felt her sincere gratitude.
They bowed at their waists like knights. These were the oddest men. They looked as if they could tear anyone to shreds and not lose a wink of sleep, yet had this regal bearing that spoke of honor and loyalty.
Bhric spoke quietly. “We were only doing our duty.” He s
traightened and his lazy smile had her lips tilting. “But, we willna turn down a home-cooked meal.”
“You guys are so weird,” she said with a laugh.
She leaned in and kissed Zander’s cheek then wiggled in his arms. “Put me down, please.”
He let her slide down his torso and her eyes flew wide when she his arousal brush against her hip. She flushed as she fumbled through her purse for the key to the front door.
Her equilibrium was non-existent and she staggered. Before she hit the pavement, strong arms wound around her and Zander held her against his chest as he took the key from her hand, and opened the door.
“Thanks,” she told him and shuffled into the apartment.
Elsie watched while the others quickly removed her old futon and brought in the new furniture. She was exhausted, and wanted nothing more than to go to bed, but she had promised Zander she would eat something. Maybe she could manage a sandwich then take more pain pills and sleep for a year.
Zander reached around her and pulled items out of the bags Rhys had set on her table. He opened a Styrofoam container full of gyro meat and proceeded to rummage through her kitchen cabinets. Pulling a knife from the drawer, he cut the meat into small bites.
“Here, you need to eat and drink this juice before you can rest. You lost too much blood,” Zander said sternly, and she noticed the tension around his mouth and jaw. She didn’t want to argue with him but she wasn’t hungry.
“I can’t thank you enough for all you’ve done. And, now you’re sitting here feeding me as if I’m an infant. I do have one good arm.” She tried to take the fork from Zander but he held it out of her reach.
“Doona fash over me. ‘Tis good to see you eat,” he murmured against her cheek before kissing it.
Elsie shared a bond with Zander that was intimate and different than what she had with the other men. It was unlike anything she’d ever experienced but refused to consider what it meant. Instead, she focused on eating.
Several minutes later, Elsie was shocked that she’d eaten most of the food, despite her lack of appetite and its bland flavor. Her gyro meat was way better than this dry crap. She assumed the reason for her empty plate was the gorgeous man feeding her. She could look at him all day. His perfect face belonged on the cover of a magazine.
She turned her head and listened to the men’s banter. She barely recognized her apartment, or her life. Dalton wouldn’t recognize them, either. Both had completely transformed.
A flat-screen television adorned the wall between her colorful Mexican blankets. A small cabinet beneath it held her new Blu-Ray player and movies. Now, the futon she picked out years ago with Dalton was being hauled away and replaced by a toffee-colored, leather sleeper-sofa and matching chair.
Suddenly, her black hole pulsed painfully. Elsie jumped up and raced to her bedroom, needing to be alone. Overcome with grief, she wondered if this nightmare would ever end.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Zander’s emotional upheaval continued. Seeing Elsie in the hospital bed, broken and bruised, sent him spiraling out of control. If she had been taken from him by those fucking creatures…he shook off the thought. He refused to think about what he would’ve done.
And when his mate thanked his brothers, admitting she would’ve been dead if not for them, a razor shredded his insides. He was extremely appreciative of his brother’s intervention but it was his job to protect her. He failed his mate.
Zander stared at the closed door to Elsie’s bedroom. Her muffled sobs wrecked him. He couldn’t bear her grief. An irrational pang of jealousy and hurt coursed through him over her feelings for Dalton. It didn’t help that he was driven beyond comprehension by the mating compulsion. Hell, he still felt electricity burning under his skin from holding her in his arms.
He had to leave and get away from her tantalizingly sweet scent before he barged into her room. Her closeness only intensified his need. Zander stalked out of the small apartment. He wanted to be alone but his brothers followed him out. He knew they were concerned about his agitation and didn’t trust him to remain in control. They were probably right not to leave him be.
“I need to go by Confetti and feed before we head home,” Bhric indicated as they made their way to Zander’s car.
Kyran bypassed Zander’s Jag, walking straight for his Denali. The SUV’s interior lit up when he pressed his remote, unlocking its doors. “You got this, Bhric? I’m heading to Bite. I’ll catch you back at Zeum,” Kyran said before he opened the driver’s door and climbed in.
Kyran had been going to the seedy brothel for too long and Zander hated it. Something cold and remote descended over his brother after each visit, and it was becoming increasingly difficult to connect with him. Zander watched a piece of Kyran’s heart and soul die with each interlude, and he feared one day his brother would be unreachable. But Kyran wasn’t his primary concern right now. He had more than enough on his plate dealing with Elsie and demon’s minions.
“I wish he’d stop going there. There are plenty of females at Kill’s club who would love to hook up with the scoundrel,” Bhric said as he headed to the passenger door.
“Here,” Zander tossed his car keys to Bhric, “you drive. I’m going to drink the blood Jace took from Elsie, and I’m no’ sure how I will react. I doona want to be behind the wheel if I canna handle the effects.”
His heart leapt in excitement as he considered what he was about to do. Taste his mate’s blood. He preferred to take it from her vein but this would suffice for now.
“Should be interesting,” Bhric chuckled and unlocked the doors.
The moment he was in the passenger seat of his car, Zander ripped open the small cooler that contained the key to his survival.
“Fucking Rhys,” Zander cursed, shaking his head at the plastic cup embellished with tiny, black bats.
At this point, he didn’t care if he drank it from a baby bottle. He desperately needed her blood.
His hand trembled as he brought the straw to his lips. His body went taut as he took his first sip of his Fated Mate’s blood. It tasted like the finest wine. Full-bodied, complex, and intellectually satisfying. Just like Elsie.
He jolted when a rush of energy blasted through his system. An electric current zipped from his head to his toes. His cock stiffened and his orgasm hit before he blinked.
Holy. Fucking. Goddess.
He took a second sip and his vision and hearing sharpened. He heard a mouse scurrying several blocks away. Supreme satisfaction settled in his heart. Bhric barked out a laugh as he backed out of their parking spot.
It was good to be king and drinking his mate’s blood. One dose and he was addicted not only to the taste but the power boost it provided. He’d always felt strings tethering him to the Goddess but it paled in comparison to the lifeline Elsie bestowed.
Their connection became an unyielding bond. He couldn’t live without the female, and savored every sip of her succulent blood.
He contemplated licking the cup but was sidetracked when a new awareness blossomed as her blood flooded every cell. His mate’s blood was a GPS beacon. Suddenly, he discerned that Elsie was west of his location, approximately nine miles, and was stationary. Incredible!
He looked down and smiled. “Thank the Goddess I carry extra clothes in my car. I need to change before we go into the club,” he confessed, and reached around to grab the extra leathers on the back seat.
Bhric chuckled, “Apparently, the myth about mate blood is true. ‘Tis good the realm didna see their king just now. The look on your face when you busted a nut was priceless. I’m verra jealous. No’ that I want a mate, just the explosive orgasm.”
Zander would love to see the effects a mate would have on someone like his brother. The male enjoyed females too much and too frequently. Zander had never found gratification from random couplings, which was why he had only been with three females during the past two centuries. None of them came close to the fulfillment he experienced with his Fated Mate.
The fact that Elsie was human mattered less and less, except where her safety was concerned. He wanted to complete the mating and make her immortal. At least then he would worry less about the demons taking her from him.
Bhric pulled into the parking lot and Zander quickly changed his pants. With a spring in his step, he followed his brother into the club. The fact that Elsie was at home grieving over her dead husband tainted his joy. She was attracted to Zander but was fighting the mating compulsion with everything she had.
He had to believe she would see they belonged together. He would claim his mate or die trying. As he imagined all the different ways he wanted to claim her, Zander’s arousal spiked again.
He stood at one of the bar tables thinking of Elsie and chastised himself when Lena approached, wrapping her arms around his waist. He was distracted by fantasies of his mate and his body recoiled when Lena trailed her hands down his stomach to cup his erection. In fact, his body abhorred the contact.
“Looking for me, I see, mon amour. Mmm, hard as always. I can’t get enough of you, either. Come with me. I have a treat for you,” she whispered in his ear then swiped her tongue along his flesh.
His erection deflated and her lovely smile quickly turned into a pout.
The only female he wanted touching him was Elsie. For once his body and mind were in accord. Both denied anyone but his mate. And now, Lena’s honeysuckle perfume made him nauseous. The slightly astringent notes made his stomach roil.
“Nay, Lena. ’Tis for my Fated Mate and I willna be going anywhere with you. I have found my heart and soul, the one made for me,” he announced.
Zander didn’t wish to be cruel to Lena. They’d been having sex for two-hundred years but he truly had no feelings for her. After he experienced a real connection with Elsie, he couldn’t imagine going back to the unsatisfying sexual encounters with this female.
Lena’s eyes flew wide and her mouth gaped. Suddenly, she spat, “If you’ve found your mate, why hasn’t there been a proper announcement about the curse being lifted? And, why are you here prowling the club?” Her dark-brown eyes lowered to his groin and she reached out to stroke him.
Bad Boy Billionaire Boxset: A Billionaire Romance Collection Page 12