Vengeance (Night Roamers) Book Three

by Middleton, Kristen

  “Did you try calling her cell phone?”

  She waved her hand. “Yes, obviously it was the first thing I tried.”

  He scooted to the edge of the bed. “Where’s my phone? I’m calling Duncan, see if he knows anything. This whole thing is messed up. Nikki would never do something this stupid.”

  “I saw the note, honey, she put some little hearts around Ethan’s name and said not to worry, that she was in love and wanted to be with him. It was definitely her writing.”

  “Nikki drew little hearts? Okay, where’s this letter? I have to see this.”

  She stared past him, looking slightly baffled. “Well, um, I don’t know.”

  He stood up and his legs felt like jelly. “What do you mean, you don’t know?”

  She folded her arms across her chest. “I’ve been trying to find it, but I think it may have been misplaced in the last couple of days.”

  Before he could respond, there was a light tapping on the door and then Caleb stepped inside. “Hey, how’s he doing?” he asked softly. “Oh, you’re awake. Good.”

  “Yeah, feeling pretty shitty but awake,” replied Nathan.

  “Considering that bump on your noggin, you’re lucky to be alive,” he replied.

  “He always did have a hard head,” smiled Anne.

  Nathan touched the top of his head. “Bump? If there was one, it’s gone now. My head is still pretty fuzzy though.”

  “That’s to be expected,” said Caleb, crossing his arms over his chest.

  “Have you found Nikki yet?” Anne asked.

  “Uh, not yet but it shouldn’t take long now. I’ve got my contacts here in Vegas checking the chapels. They’ll find something soon. I’m pretty confident.”

  “Good. Hey, mom, do you have any other clothes for me?” asked Nathan, looking down. He had on a pair of black sweatpants and a T-shirt. “I want to take a shower and get something to eat.”

  His mother walked over to the closet and opened it. “Here,” she said, grabbing his old backpack. “I packed some things for you. Shampoo, toothpaste, soap, clothes.”

  “Great, thanks,” he replied, taking it from her.

  “We’ll order something for you from room service while you’re in the shower. What would you like?”

  “A couple of cheeseburgers, some French fries, and something to drink. I’m parched.”

  Caleb frowned. “Uh, you might want to go easy on food. It’s been a few days since you’ve eaten.”

  “No, you don’t understand, I’m freaken starving. If I don’t eat something soon, I’m going to pass out, again. I’ll deal with the consequences after, but I seriously need food, now.”

  “He’s always been borderline diabetic,” explained Anne.

  Caleb nodded his head. “Well, okay, but don’t say I didn’t try to warn you.”

  “Relax,” said Nathan. “I know my own body. It’s all good.”

  An hour later, Nathan was back in bed after throwing up the burgers and half-pound of French fries he’d tried eating.

  His mother leaned over him. “You poor kid. Why don’t you try resting again?”

  He put his hand on his forehead, brushing away the beads of sweat. “Just until I feel better and then I’ll do what I can to help you guys search for Nikki.”

  She touched his hair lovingly. “Good idea, honey. Close your eyes and let us worry about your sister for now. We’ll find her, don’t you worry.”

  He nodded and closed his eyes.

  Chapter Five

  Nikki

  “So, it’s you and him now, huh?” asked Duncan, as we waited on a bench outside of the Marlimore Hotel for Ethan. It had been his decision to go in alone to try and find some answers while we kept our eyes peeled outside.

  I smiled weakly. “Duncan, he saved my life. He saved yours, as well. I know you don’t care for him, but he isn’t a bad guy.”

  His eyes darkened. “Oh, come on, Nikki, if it wasn’t for him, our lives wouldn’t have needed saving.”

  I turned my head and stared at the hotel entrance, wishing Ethan would come back so I could avoid this particular conversation. I knew it was overdue, but I still felt ashamed, especially for hurting Duncan. “I know, but the truth is, I think I’m really in love with him.”

  “You think? As in, you’re not sure but you think it might be possible?”

  “Yes. I’m sorry.” I touched his knee “Look, you have to know that it was never my intent to hurt you.”

  He looked at me incredulously. “Did it ever occur to you that the only reason you believe you love this guy, is because he charmed you and is still doing it?”

  “It’s crossed my mind. But he claims that he isn’t manipulating me in any way, and I have to believe him.”

  “Why? Why do you have to believe him?”

  Because if I’m wrong and he has charmed me, I’ll never forgive myself for hurting you, I thought. “I just have to believe him. He saved you, Duncan, and he didn’t have to. He’s also helping us try to find Nathan and mom. If he had any other agenda, we wouldn’t be here right now.”

  “I don’t know about that, in fact, I think that whatever benefits Ethan, is part of his agenda. That would include helping you, to keep you under his thumb. I’m sorry, Nikki, but I trust that asshole about as much as I did Faye.”

  “Your judgment is a little clouded too, don’t you think?” I asked tightly.

  “What do you mean?” he asked, following me off the bench.

  I turned to him. “Ah… Celeste?”

  His eyes flashed angrily. “Celeste? Listen to me,” he said, grabbing both of my arms. “She charmed me, the same way that Ethan charmed you. They’re both toxic. Poisonous. And it doesn’t even matter that they saved our lives. You know as well as I do that they are responsible for the danger we both needed saving from.”

  “Maybe, but Ethan is just as much of a victim as we are. He was human once, too,” I protested.

  He closed his eyes and opened them, his expression softer. “Nikki, I don’t care if Ethan and Celeste helped us. They can’t be trusted, neither of them. As far as I’m concerned, you’re the only person I completely trust, besides your brother, and I’m willing to do anything to help you. Anything. I doubt Ethan would offer you the same, if it really came down to it.”

  I felt in my heart that Ethan would, but the longing and raw emotion in Duncan’s eyes made my own fill with tears. I blinked them back. “Thank you, Duncan.”

  He touched my cheek. “I want you to know that there isn’t a moment that goes by that I don’t think about you.”

  “Duncan –”

  “Shh...” he whispered, putting a finger to my lips. “I know you’re confused and that you believe your feelings for Ethan are real. I get it. But what I want you to understand is that I’m here for you. Always. And I will never let any of them hurt you. Ethan, Celeste, Caleb. I’d rather die myself before that happened.”

  I smiled weakly. “Thank you, Duncan. I’m here for you, too. I promise.”

  He pulled me into his arms. “I love you, Nikki,” he whispered into my hair. “And I will never let you down.”

  “I’ll give you five seconds to release her, or I’ll take the life I gave back to you in Shore Lake,” growled Ethan.

  Duncan stiffened up and released me.

  I turned to Ethan who looked ready to throttle Duncan. “He was just trying to offer me support.”

  “Good, as long as that’s all he’s offering,” said Ethan, putting his arm around my shoulders possessively. “I recommend you do it from a safer distance next time, though. One that’s not going to get you killed.”

  Duncan smirked. “You don’t frighten me.”

  “It’s too bad your change didn’t make you brighter. Nikki’s mine. We’ve bonded, and there’s no way you can come between that.”

  “Bonded, huh? That’s funny, Celeste and I had also bonded and I couldn’t give a shit if we’re together or not. Obviously, bonding doesn’t mean mates for li
fe.”

  “Maybe not, but what Nikki and I have isn’t anything you could ever understand. Besides, Celeste is a coldhearted bitch, who is only out for number one. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to understand that.”

  Duncan snorted. “And that doesn’t sound familiar?”

  “Do us all a favor and quit trying to analyze me. So you didn’t get the girl, quit dwelling on it.”

  “Are you sure that you really have the girl? I wouldn’t count ‘mind control’ as getting her. At least not fairly.”

  “Enough,” snapped Ethan, releasing me abruptly. In a flash, he was nose to nose with Duncan. “I’ve had it with your snide remarks. You’re lucky I saved your ass when I could have just left you to die. Maybe death is where you really belong.”

  “Would you two just stop!” I hollered, stepping between them. “We don’t have time for this when my mom’s and brother’s lives are in danger.”

  Neither of them answered me and still looked ready to pounce.

  “Hello? Ethan, did you find out anything?”

  Still glaring at Duncan, he took a step back. “I did, actually. I’ve set up a meeting with the hotel owner.”

  “Seriously? Does he know where they are?”

  “He wouldn’t say. He wants to speak with you, however.”

  My eyes widened. “Me?”

  Ethan’s lips thinned. “Yes, you and that’s why I think he knows something. He’s dangerous, however, so I have mixed feelings about taking you to him.”

  “What, is he in the mafia or something?” asked Duncan.

  “Much worse. He’s a Lycan,” replied Ethan.

  Chapter Six

  Nikki

  “Are you sure we should be meeting with this guy?” asked Duncan as we stepped into the hotel lobby. “Isn’t there any easier way to get information? And seriously, what exactly is a Lycan? You brought this up before and I’m still a little confused.”

  “I think it’s another word for werewolf,” I said.

  “Not quite. Don’t confuse them or you’ll be in trouble.” Ethan removed his sunglasses and I watched as a woman walked by, eyeing him appreciatively. Dressed in black slacks and a dark blue silk shirt, which emphasized his tanzanite eyes, I couldn’t blame her. “To tell you the truth, he wouldn’t say why he wanted to see her.”

  “Great,” mumbled Duncan. “So, we don’t really know what we’re walking into. What if it’s some kind of trap that Caleb’s set up?”

  Ethan flashed a dazzling smile at two younger girls staring at him dreamily, while their parents checked in at the counter. They immediately giggled and began whispering. He turned to Duncan. “I don’t think it is. When I mentioned Faye, there was definitely some animosity on his end. Caleb was Faye’s main boy, so I think this guy might be on our side.”

  I sniffed. “I thought you were Faye’s main boy?”

  “No. I wanted her to think I was, to keep you safe. But I was never with her. Not in that concept. Now, don’t look at me like that,” he said, smiling in amusement. “We went over this, Nikki.”

  “I know,” I replied, still irritated about seeing them together at Ruth’s Diner, holding hands. “I just couldn’t stand that woman. She was an evil, ruthless bitch.”

  “She’d take that as a compliment if she were still alive,” he replied.

  “So, back to this guy we’re meeting. Faye and this dude owned the hotel, but didn’t like each other?” asked Duncan.

  Ethan brushed a piece of white lint from his sleeve and nodded. “Yeah, it sounds that way.”

  “I thought you mentioned earlier that Lycans and vampires were mortal enemies,” I said, apprehensive about this so-called meeting.

  “Most are. In fact, they don’t particularly like anyone. They feel they are the superior race and everyone else is beneath them.”

  “Aren’t Roamers like that?” asked Duncan with a sneer.

  “Some are, definitely. Obviously, if those were my own personal thoughts,” he smirked. “We wouldn’t be having this conversation.”

  “Don’t forget,” I said, teasing him. “You’re a Roamer now, too, Duncan.”

  “Bullshit. I’m nothing but a victim of the Roamers. I am certainly not going to put myself in their category.”

  Ethan smiled humorlessly. “We are all victims. I didn’t ask for this, either.”

  Duncan didn’t say anything.

  “Well, it’s a stupid reference, anyway,” I stated. “A vampire is a vampire. The other name sounds almost… romantic.”

  “Nothing romantic about ripping a guy’s throat out for survival,” said Duncan.

  “It’s a hard way to live,” replied Ethan. “But you learn to adapt.”

  “Right,” I muttered.

  “I still think this is a bad idea,” said Duncan as we stopped at the elevator. “I mean, what’s the benefit for this guy helping us?”

  Ethan pushed the button. “I don’t know. I guess we’ll find out soon enough.”

  A shiver went down my spine. “Ethan, what if he’s planning on attacking us and it really is nothing more than a setup? Are they stronger?”

  “Tell you the truth, I’m not sure. What I do know is that I won’t let him hurt you,” said Ethan, grabbing my hand. He kissed my knuckles. “Besides, we’ve got speed on our side. No way are Lycans faster than us.”

  “But why even risk it?” asked Duncan. “Maybe you and I should go talk to this guy, alone. Leave Nikki somewhere safe.”

  “He specifically asked to meet her and I don’t want to piss him off. I mean, it’s all we have right now,” replied Ethan. “Unless you have any better ideas?”

  Duncan shrugged. “We could keep searching the city. Check with other hotels?”

  I sighed. “No, that would take too long. Time is running out.”

  “It may have already run out for them,” said Ethan with a grim expression. “You’d better be prepared for that, Nikki.”

  I watched as the elevator doors closed and tried to ignore the feeling of doom in the pit of my stomach. “I know.”

  He pushed the button, and we rode to the top floor in silence. When the elevator opened back up, we stepped into a long hallway which led to a large gold-plated door.

  Ethan grabbed my arm and stopped me from moving forward. “A word of warning, one thing I’ve heard about male Lycans is that it’s unwise to stare directly into their eyes. Especially if you’re female. Chances are, with this kind of money and power, he’s an Alpha”

  “What is that?” I asked.

  To me it sounded like the guy was in a sorority or something.

  “He’s considered dominant and demands respect,” he replied. “In other words, they’re very dangerous and aggressive.”

  “Wonderful,” I replied dryly. “A dog who really does think women are bitches and prefers them obedient. Why doesn’t this surprise me?”

  Ethan chuckled.

  “Let’s get this over with,” said Duncan, glancing towards the doorway. “I’m starving and won’t be much use if I’m too weak to help you guys.”

  I linked my arm through his. “Don’t worry, Duncan, we’ll find you something soon.”

  “Vegas is a smorgasbord of blood candidates,” said Ethan, glowering at our closeness. “We’ll stop at this club I’ve heard about, after we meet with this guy. If my contact is correct, they’ve got blood type ‘O’ on tap.”

  I raised my eyebrows. “Excuse me? Why didn’t you just take me there last night?”

  “Because you need to practice hunting. Blood isn’t usually handed to you in a beer stein.”

  “Right,” I said, still very much annoyed that he’d made me do something I hated.

  “You’re a vampire now. You have get over your anxieties and take what you need, when you need it.”

  “Yes, I understand, Ethan,” I replied a little too snidely.

  His eyes narrowed but he didn’t say anything.

  “What?” I asked.

  He shook his head and beg
an walking down the hall.

  “You okay?” asked Duncan.

  “Yeah… peachy. Never been better.”

  He smirked. “Same here.”

  I thought about his dad and immediately felt like a jerk. At least there was a chance my family was safe. Sonny was gone. Forever.

  “Seriously, I’m fine,” I said, forcing a smile. “Don’t worry about me.”

  “Easier said than done,” he replied.

  “Chill out, guys. Nothing’s going to happen,” replied Ethan, over his shoulder.

  Duncan snorted. “Is that what your bat senses are telling you?”

  Before Ethan could respond, the hotel room door swung open and a woman stormed out dressed in jeans, cowboy boots, and a white cable-knit sweater. Ethan flashed her one of his sparkling white smiles, but she ignored him, moving towards us with a determined look on her face.

  “Wait! Megan!” called a man in a dark gray suit, now standing in the doorway. “At least consider it.”

  The woman muttered something under her breath but didn’t answer.

  “Excuse me,” I said, moving aside so she could walk around me.

  Instead, she stopped abruptly and stared at me, her expression grim.

  I smiled at her, not knowing what else to do. She was pretty with auburn hair and deep green eyes. Although she was obviously upset about something, I didn’t feel any real animosity towards us.

  She suddenly touched my cheek and sighed. “You must be Nikki. Poor child… what a nightmare for you. I hope they find your family.”

  “Do you know where they’ve taken her family?” asked Duncan.

  Megan turned to him and shook her head. “No and unfortunately, I have my own problems to worry about, so I can’t help locate her. You can trust Maximus, though. He’s a good man and I know he’ll do what he can to help.”

  “Thank you,” I answered.

  She dropped her hand and began walking away with her head down. It was then that I noticed that she’d smelled different. Not human or vampire. It wasn’t an unpleasant smell, either. Like Ethan had mentioned earlier, earthy.