I’m nervous about seeing him, but he gives me a slight smile.
“What’s up, man? Too good to answer my calls now?” David asks as he slaps and locks hands with Jaren.
Jaren laughs. “Nah, been getting settled back in. How’ve things been with training?”
I guess Jaren stayed tucked away at Garwin’s while I was in my sleep.
“Not bad. You know me—not one to slack off, even if you do abandon me.” He smiles at Jaren and looks to me. “Sorry about your loss. How ya doing?”
I fidget, sliding my fingers in and out of my belt loop. I’m dealing with way more than the loss of a loved one. “It’s hard, but I’m ready to get back to things.”
“Well, I’m glad to hear that,” he says and wraps me in a one-armed hug, which turns into a group hug as Kaitlynn has his other arm. We laugh in David’s shoulders before he releases me.
The lunch hour feels good. Like old times. Talking, laughing, hanging out. No stress. And it’s less awkward being around Jaren than I expected, which I take as a good sign that he might stay at Garwin’s. A good thing too, because Kaitlynn’s my best friend and Jaren is David’s, and our BFFs are lovebirds now.
Mirko steps out of the shadows and approaches us.
David drops his voice. “And what’s up with all these new people?”
Jaren watches Mirko as he makes a beeline for me. “The blonds are Brooke’s cousins. They used to live with her grandma.”
David’s eyes narrow in sympathy.
Mirko reaches us and puts his arm around my shoulder, not in a protective, possessive way, but a natural, I-belong-here way.
“And this one,” Jaren says, thumbing at Mirko, “is a vagabond we picked up on our way back.”
Everyone laughs, including Mirko. Mine is of the awkward variety.
“He’s mad because Brooke wants me,” Mirko says, as if my feelings for him are a given and I hadn’t crushed Jaren’s dreams of our happily-ever-after this morning.
I elbow Mirko but he doesn’t flinch.
David and Jaren’s faces are sober. David eyes Jaren with his signature “what the hell, man?” look.
The first bell rings. “Come on. I’ll explain it to you in class.” Jaren and David walk off with Kaitlynn still folded under David’s arm.
I glare at Jaren’s back. He’d better be careful what he says.
Kaitlynn stares back at me with a promise we’ll catch up later. I nod and she offers a thumbs up.
Geez, I love that girl.
When they are far enough down the hall, I step out from under Mirko’s arm. “Could you be any ruder?”
He raises his lip in the crooked smile that weakens my knees. Some of my anger dissolves.
“He started it. I was only offering up the facts. I didn’t act differently around you before you made your choice, and I’m not going start now that you’ve made it. It’s not like I’m going to change how I feel for you because you two aren’t sure how everyone else is going to feel about our situation.”
He has a good point. And that’s one of the reasons I love him. He loves me and keeps me honest no matter the circumstances. And even though we’re in school and no one knows about the situation and would probably think worse of me for doing it, I stand on tiptoes and reach my lips to his. I brush his softly, opening my mouth slightly so he can catch the scent of my tongue.
He growls and latches onto it.
In this moment I forget where we stand. My inner beast leaps forward to the part in Mirko that comes out when he fights.
I prepare to jump up and swing my legs around his hips when someone clearing his throat breaks through my haze. What started out as an innocent sign of affection quickly morphed into an inappropriate public display of Mirko’s fierce passion.
And all right, mine too, but he started it.
“Excuse me, Ms. Keller, but I believe you should be making your way to class,” Mr. Kingston admonishes. His words are nice but the tone is clear: I left as the sweet little girl and returned as the town hussy.
Whatever. Let him try to resist Mirko’s wiles and see how well he does against them.
***
When we arrive back at Garwin’s—Jaren is with us, thank goodness—Garwin and my mom are gathered with more strange faces in the den.
My mom meets me with a kiss on my cheek. “Hey, honey, how was your first day back?”
“Ugh. I don’t know why I thought I was missing anything important.”
She frowns.
I change the subject. “What’s going on now?”
She leads me to the sofa across from the fireplace. “This is Richard Syphis, head of the Društvos in our area. He’s here to go over your provider arrangements and preparations.”
My jaw drops. “The Richard Syphis? Governor of Virginia, Richard Syphis?” Wow. These secret society people run high and deep.
“Yes,” he says as he stands and shakes my hand, then Mirko’s. “Pleasure,” he says when he finally gets to Jaren.
“Richard has found a family for you to provide—”
“Wait,” I cut Garwin off, “I thought you said I would only need to feed one person?”
“You will, but these Pijawikas are a married couple. Both of them need a provider, and your mother has agreed to feed the husband.”
I peer at her with a mixture of curiosity and gratitude. I’ll be feeding the wife, which relieves me. After feeding off Mirko and knowing how intimate it is, I would’ve been beyond uncomfortable feeding a man. I have to give it to my mom for her foresight on this one.
“Thank you,” I tell her. Those simple words can’t convey to her how much her sacrifice means to me.
She smiles.
“The Tomics will be expecting you Friday night.” Richard looks at Garwin. “Will that give you adequate time to prep her?”
“Yes, I think we can manage that.”
“Good. They’re aware of your situation with Zladislov, but they have been without providers for quite some time now and are willing to accept you, anyway.”
I’m sure that is also why we had to throw my mom into the deal as well.
The governor studies me. “I know you agreed to this purely because of your predicament, but the Društvos pride ourselves in who we are and what we stand for. Are we weaker physically? Yes, but we will always be stronger when it comes to character and sacrifice. We keep our bloodlines pure to carry forward the pact that saves all humanity from a free-for-all slaughter.”
Interesting. I guess the Društvos don’t like the idea of my being a melez, either. At least they aren’t lining up to kill me over it.
Richard continues, “We are willing to accept you if you play by our rules. You must serve the Društvo name with honor. You must keep your body clean for your providees, and you will follow the Društvo customs always, the Pijawika customs whenever in their presence.”
He surveys me, probably waiting for my acquiescence, but I have no idea what I’ll be agreeing to. I don’t know much about the Pijawikan customs, save that they want me dead and think the world of themselves. And all I know about the Društvos is that they serve the Pijawikas . . . with pride. But then, I guess they’d have to be okay with it to talk their future generations into following in their footsteps.
I regard Garwin, silently asking him to give me some indication on what I should do or say because I’m at a loss for words.
Keep my body pure? What does that mean? Am I supposed to not drink or do drugs? No problem there. It’s like I’m being inducted into a cult without any knowledge about what is truly expected from me, other than to serve as someone’s food source.
“She’ll do fine,” Garwin chimes in. “We’ll prepare her and get her up to speed on our practices.”
“Very well.” Richard nods and stands.
Garwin mirrors him and shakes his hand.
“We still need to figure out Brooke’s salary. Her predicament and the Tomics’ add a few kinks to what would normally be a straightforwar
d arrangement. If everything goes well on Friday, I’ll get the paperwork started.”
“I understand,” Garwin says. “Thank you for your consideration and assistance.” Their voices fade as Garwin walks him out.
“Does that mean I get paid?” I whisper to my mom.
“Yes, honey. Although the terms still need to be settled.”
“Hmmm.” Well, if I have to do this, at least I’m getting something in return.
I turn my attention to Mirko but can’t get a read on him. He appears indifferent, and that bothers me. I know by now that there’s usually a storm underneath his calm exterior, but that knowledge doesn’t put me at ease. “What do you think about all this?”
“I think we have a lot to go over with you,” he replies as Garwin strolls back in. He takes his seat in his armchair. The leather crunches with his weight.
“Yes,” Garwin adds. “We only have today and tomorrow to prep you, so let’s get started. Now, you’ll be arriving at the Tomics for dinner to meet with them and get a feel if this arrangement will work between you. They’ll be evaluating you as much or more as you might be assessing them. It is crucial you pay attention to everything we tell you and act accordingly upon arrival.”
“Okay,” I drawl. Geez. It’s like I’m being prepped to go on a covert mission for the FBI.
“You’ll do just fine,” my mom assures me.
Garwin continues without missing a beat. “Make sure you bow when you meet them. More so for Mr. Tomic, and really only bowing to your shoulders for Mrs. Tomic. Drop your eyes in both cases, though. You’ll need to greet him first, and if you ask her a question, make sure to look at him at the end of it.”
“I have to bow? Whatever happened to a simple handshake?” This is ridiculous. Like I’ll ever be able to remember to bow, let alone how deep I should be bowing for him versus her, and all that other crap.
“The customs between Društvos and Pijawikas have remained stagnate for quite some time. Yes, it’s a bit different than what you’re used to, but important nonetheless.”
“More like archaic,” I mumble.
“There are a lot of nuances,” my mom says, “but soon it will all be a part of the role you’ll play. Think of it as a courtesy, as being a guest in their home. Oh, and you should compliment Mrs. Tomic on their home too, but tell Mr. Tomic how well it’s run.”
Garwin moves forward, as if reading from a list of dos and don’ts. “The men will get soups and the women will get salads. Don’t ask, just eat it.” I prefer soup to lettuce. Actually anything over lettuce. “All things being passed around the table will be passed clockwise toward the head, where Mr. Tomic will be seated.”
I shake my head, trying to absorb it all, but I’m overwhelmed already.
“They know you’re part Pijawikan, so if they ask you if you’re feeding, you tell them no.”
They already told me I won’t need to really feed going forward if I don’t use any of my Pijawikan side, but it still makes me sad when he reminds me of it. Once this blood-buzz wears off, I’ll probably want another one. If I can learn how to drink from someone without hurting them, that is.
They carry on with more “make sure to do this” and “don’t do that,” but I only pick up bits and pieces. It’s like a defense mechanism kicks in and I can’t listen anymore about how I should be a submissive, docile creature in their presence, or how everything revolves around the man of the house and his wife is only an afterthought. It bugs me. We live in the twenty-first century, not some bad ’50s TV show.
“When you leave,” I tune back in when it sounds like they’re getting to the end, “bow to him, bow to her, and then offer him the final parting bow. Don’t shake hands—bow. Make sure to let them know how honored and anxious you are to serve them as a representative of the Društvos.”
“But I’m—”
“Doesn’t matter,” Garwin cuts me off. “You say it anyway. Everything is riding on this meeting.”
I huff and sit back into the couch. I should just ask them to kill me now.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Mirko
I step out of the shower and pull on a pair of pants. A knock sounds on my door.
“Mirko?”
I grin.
It’s Brooke. “Come in.”
When she opens the door, my gaze falls on her blue eyes, accentuated by the most beautiful dress I’ve ever seen. I vacationed once in Bora Bora, Tahiti, and the blues in this dress remind me of the perfect blues reflected in the ocean.
Her shoulders are rigid, but as she steps closer, her eyes follow the water running down my bare stomach and her tension diminishes.
The dress shimmers from an almost pearl color to a deep purple as she walks. No one has ever looked as amazing as she does right now.
I consider shutting the door and never opening it again.
And by the way her eyes are hooded when she looks at me, I’m confident she has the same idea.
It pleases me to see in her the echo of desire I’ve carried for her since day one, which has only intensified since then, grown and snowballed until there are times I’m sure it will snap and break, like a rubber band stretched too far.
I grin. “See something you like, Slatki?”
Her eyes shoot up and meet mine. She clears her throat and works her jaw. “You’re going to dinner dressed like that? You don’t even have your shirt on.”
Yes, she’s noticed.
I love to see her rattled. “I thought it would make a profound fashion statement.” I lift my arms so she can see the muscles in my chest and along my waist flex and ripple. “Don’t you?”
She swallows. “Umm . . .” She shakes her head slightly as if to clear it. “I think you should put your shirt on. My mom says we leave in fifteen.”
I stare at her and catch my bottom lip between my teeth. I revel in the desire she has for me, but she isn’t the only one struggling.
Her dress hugs her in all the right places—her waist, chest, shoulders. I bet it falls over her perky ass nicely too. Stunning isn’t an accurate word to describe her. I want nothing more than for my lips, my mouth, to connect somewhere with her skin.
I stroll over to her and hold her at arm’s length, my hands clasping her shoulders. I savor the way her hair gleams under the artificial light, the way her face flushes with need and embarrassment, and finally her eyes. Her eyes reach into my body and stroke secrets from my soul.
I can’t hold back any longer, so I pull her close against my chest, one palm on her back, the other curled around the base of her head, guiding her to meet my lips.
I lose myself in the dance of her lips, the tango of our tongues. She consumes me in a way I never dreamed possible, a way the beginning stages of an unhealthy addiction reveals itself.
Control. That’s what rules my decisions, my actions, my life. But with Brooke, all that is forgotten as soon as she steps foot into my room. I’ll gladly give it up to lose myself in her.
I stroke her tongue a few more times before I regain enough composure to pull away. When I do, her eyes reflect everything I’m struggling with: desire and pain at the loss of our connection, love, affinity.
“Don’t look at me like that when we’re at the Tomics’ house,” I say.
That one line snaps her back to the task at hand. She narrows her eyes at me.
“They can’t know how you feel for me. It will make you look bad.”
Confusion molds into anger as her forehead creases. “I don’t know if I can do this. I don’t want to be a part of this oppressive world.”
I clasp her hands. “I know, Slatki, but we can’t turn back now. This is our best option. Our only option.”
“But she’s going to bite me.” Her face conveys everything she associates with the word bite: intimacy, fear of sharing that with a stranger, feeling unsettled about being on the receiving end.
“It won’t be like it was when you bit me. It’ll only serve the purpose of nutrition for her.”
&n
bsp; Brooke doesn’t seem appeased. “Yeah, but what if it hurts?”
I raise an eyebrow at her. “You want me to bite you?” This is insane, but I can’t stop myself from asking.
Surprise, and then something deeper and warmer flashes across her face, replacing all signs of fear. “Yes,” she whispers.
I’m being selfish. This is more for me than it is to show her the bite doesn’t have to hurt. I want it, though.
I study her body, trying to find the ideal place to not only bite her but that will be concealed by her dress and whatever she might wear tomorrow. “There are rules against what we’re about to do. Are you sure you want to do it?”
“I know it’s forbidden to let you bite me, but I want my first time . . . to be with you.” Her neck muscles flex as if she’s anxious.
“What you’re about to feel . . . you won’t feel that when Mrs. Tomic bites you. The only thing similar will be the pinch and burn as my teeth sink in, but once that fades, nothing will be the same.” I lock eyes with her. “Do you understand?”
I’m offering her a way out, but also an experience the two of us might never share again. I hope she gives it to me.
It’s unheard of for an active Društvo to allow a Zao Duh to bite them. And it’s against everything the Pijawikas believe in to ever allow themselves to be bitten by a Zao Duh.
“Bite me,” she says.
“You said we leave in fifteen minutes?”
“Yeah.”
“That leaves us eleven. Turn around.”
She does but tilts her head back to look at me.
I grab the zipper on the back of her dress and slowly unzip it, surveying the delicate skin underneath. The cut of the dress is somewhat low, so I go beyond her bra line.
Dear God, she isn’t wearing one. My heart leaps and my mouth waters.
This is actually perfect.
I release her zipper and place my hand under the material. I glide it across her silky skin to the side of her rib and stop at the base of her shoulder blade. “Right here,” I say as I lightly pinch the skin.
“Okay,” she says on a heavy breath.
I ease the dress slightly down her shoulder to offer enough give for me to reach the spot.
Enemy Within (Vampire Born Trilogy, #2) Page 6