by Laura Lee
Now it was my turn to sigh. “No, Leo, I don’t. My birthday is coming up which means it should be sooner rather than later.”
“Sooner cannot get here fast enough. I have to go now, Karli.”
“Okay, you----” Click.
Well, that was kinda rude! Leo’s gentlemanly persona had really been pushing the limits lately. If I had to guess, I’d say the banked blood had something to do with that. He hadn’t had fresh blood since the day I was first attacked, which was over three months ago now. I told him I would understand if he took blood from another woman but he insisted on going to a bank instead. He once told me it would be the equivalent of me drinking spoiled milk, but now he swore that it was bearable. I’m ashamed to admit this, but I willfully believed his lie. You see, sex and drinking blood go hand in hand with vampires and the thought of Leo with another woman brought me to tears. I wasn’t ready to take that next step with him, but I sure as hell didn’t want anyone else taking my place either.
*****
I love Mondays because that means that I have the next three days off. I really do enjoy my job but these days, having time to myself has been much more necessary...for you know, stuff. I tried calling Erica four times to make arrangements to meet Leo but she wasn’t answering. I assumed the sex magic was responsible. Much later in the day, I got a call from the bar. That must be her. Finally!
“Hello?” I answered.
“Karli?” the woman on the other end of the line questioned.
“Yeah,” I confirmed. “Who is this?”
“It’s Kendra,” she replied acidly. Kendra was the other head bartender at Pixie Dust who worked when I didn’t. She’d also dated Leo briefly before he stopped trying to deny his feelings for me and dumped her. We hadn’t been on the best of terms since.
“Oh. Whatsup, Kendra?”
“Well, Erica hasn’t shown up for work yet and I was wondering if you knew where she was,” she said. “I tried her cell phone but she’s not answering.”
“Huh, that’s weird,” I said. Erica may have been the consummate party girl but she was certainly reliable when it came to work. “Have you asked around? Are you sure she didn’t call in sick and leave a message with someone?”
“Of course I asked around,” she snapped. “Do you think I’m new at this job or something?”
Ouch. Okay, deep breath, Karli. Do not react. “Kendra, I haven’t heard from her but I’ll make some calls and see what I can find out,” I offered.
“Yeah, you do that and let me know.” Click.
Okay, that was a little uncalled for! Not knowing where else to turn, I decided to call Vance.
“Hello, beautiful,” he answered on the first ring.
“Hey,” I replied. “I need some more information on sex magic.”
“I’ll be right over.”
Oh fuck. “No, Vance. I meant---” Click.
Dammit! Why did people keep hanging up on me? I dialed him back but it went straight to voicemail. I tried again and got the same. Oh, that bastard was intentionally ignoring my calls!
A short while later there was a knock on my door. Sometimes I missed my old apartment. This complex was pretty modern and had direct parking lot access from every unit. It was mostly more convenient, unless I wanted the extra barrier of having to buzz someone in. I kept the chain in place and opened the door a crack. Vance was standing there with a way too big smile on his face.
I glared at him. “I didn’t say you could come over. If you would have answered your phone, you would have saved yourself the trip.”
His smile got even bigger. “If you want answers, then I want in.”
“No way.”
He turned around and started walking away. “Those are my terms. Take ‘em or leave ‘em.”
I thought of Erica. “Wait!” I slammed the door shut to remove the chain then opened it again. “Fine. You win. Get in here before I change my mind.”
He turned towards me and ran up to my door. “See, I knew you’d come around.” I stepped back to let him through but he leaned against me at the threshold and pressed his body into mine. He pressed his lips to my ear as he added, “What kind of sex magic did you want to try?”
I shivered. “None of it.” Any of it. All of it.
He laughed. “Are you sure about that, baby?” Damn, I hated that he could read my emotions. I really needed to learn how to block him out one of these days! He passed through my small living room and took a left towards my bedroom. Oh fuck, Bob was in there…and I was pretty sure I’d left him out in plain view!
I ran past him to halt his progress. “And where do you think you’re going?” I asked. I casually looked over my shoulder and saw blue, beaded silicone sticking out like a sore thumb against my white sheets. Double fuck!
He attempted to look innocent as he shrugged. “Nowhere in particular. I was just checking out the new place. I haven’t been here since you moved the furniture in, remember?” He looked over my shoulder. “How’s the new bed look over here?” Vance had helped me conjure a beautiful four poster bed in my old place while teaching me how to change objects. It was one of the only pieces of furniture I had taken with me since the rest had been ruined by the crazy bitch that trashed my apartment.
I quickly closed my bedroom door. “Fine. It’s a bed, in a bedroom. Nothing special.”
He pushed past me and put his hand on the knob. “I disagree. I think it’s quite a special piece of furniture. It’s the first large object that you transformed.” He started turning the knob. “I’d like to appreciate your handiwork.”
Okay, I panicked. I’m not a girl who would be opposed to breaking out toys in the bedroom, but I certainly didn’t want to expose my very private relationship with Bob. I did the only thing I could think of. I kissed him. Hard.
Three
Vance instantly responded and pushed me up against the wall, his hands greedily roaming my body. We clumsily fell through the bathroom door directly across the hall. He lifted me up onto the counter and I instinctively wrapped my legs around his waist. Oh man, this guy could kiss! I was on fire!!! I began having trouble remembering why I’d asked him over in the first place. Oh yeah, Erica!
I barely managed to pull away. “Vance, stop,” I panted. He started kissing my neck, making me lose focus again.
He lifted his head and gave me an unbelievably sexy smile, showcasing his dimples. “You must forget I can read your emotions, Karli. You definitely do not want me to stop.” His lips resumed their torture, moving over to the swell of my breasts.
“Oh God!” I exclaimed as his hand moved in between my thighs. “No…wait! Vance...wait! I have something important to say!” I pushed him back, whimpering a little as his hands lost contact with my skin.
He grinned. “I can’t imagine anything more important than this right now. It’s been three months since I’ve been alone with you. Three very long, very lonely months.”
He lunged for me without warning. “No, seriously!” I said as I jumped off the counter. “It’s about Erica. She’s missing!”
He straightened. “What do you mean, missing? She was just at my house yesterday.”
I took a deep breath and moved away from him further. “Well, I don’t know if she’s technically missing,” I explained. “But I can’t get a hold of her which is odd. And she didn’t show up for work tonight. She didn’t even call. That’s not like her.”
He took a step forward and put his hands on my shoulders. “Karli, calm down. I’m sure she’s fine. She’s probably with her new boyfriend.”
“Okay, I thought so too,” I admitted. “But something doesn’t feel right. I don’t know if she’s ever just not showed up for work before. In fact, I think she’s only called in sick, like, once or twice ever.”
He led me back to the living room so we could sit on the couch. “What did you mean you can’t get a hold of her?” he asked.
“I’ve been trying to call her all day. She’s not answering or calling me back.�
�
He looked at me like I was a naïve child. “Now, Karli, don’t you think it’s possible that she could be rather busy at the moment? You know, maybe it’s possible she’s not concerned about the time or a ringing cell phone?”
I blushed. “Of course I thought of that! That’s why I called you. What exactly is sex magic? Is it possible she could be under some sort of trance or something?”
He shrugged. “It’s possible. There are spells that would remove someone’s free will. The person being influenced would only exist to please the person wielding the magic. I doubt that’s the case here though.”
“Why?” I asked.
“Because Erica and Jake have been dating for months. And knowing Erica, she was more than willing. Those types of spells are usually only used by sexual predators. Besides, they require a rare tree bark that is difficult to find.”
“Okay, then what is it used for?”
He smiled. “It’s primarily used to enhance or prolong an experience.” He put his hand on my leg. “They both have magical tool belts. They could easily keep it going for days.”
I gulped. “Days?”
“Yes, Karli. Days. Just imagine what a little Fae-infused sex magic could do. Like I said yesterday, I’d be more than happy to give you a demonstration.”
Double gulp. “Um…” My mouth was suddenly bone dry. I couldn’t speak.
He laughed. “I’m sure she’s fine, Karli. If she doesn’t pop back on the radar by Wednesday, I can send someone over to check it out. I don’t think they’d be very happy if we interrupted them right now.”
“I suppose you’re right.”
He gave my leg a little squeeze. “What should we do until then?” he asked.
I shot up from the cream microfiber cushions and ran over to the door. “You need to leave,” I said.
He rolled his eyes. “Really, Karli? Are we back to this again?”
I opened the door for him. “Yes. Please leave.”
He stood up. “You’re being ridiculous.”
“No, I’m being smart,” I insisted. “I’m thinking with my brain instead of my…well, you know.”
He closed the distance between us in two long strides and pressed himself against me, showing me that he was still hard from our earlier encounter. It took every ounce of will power I had not to open his fly and slam him home inside of me. Vance was one hundred percent male perfection and I had no doubt he knew how to fully satisfy a woman. With or without his magic. He nibbled my ear. “Women with brains are sexy as hell, Karli. You’re not really discouraging me here. You just call me when your brain and your other… sexy parts agree with one another.” He walked out the door without looking back.
Needless to say, Bob ran a marathon that night.
*****
After spending most of the day worrying, Erica showed up at my apartment late Tuesday night.
“Where the hell have you been?” I shouted as soon as I opened the door.
She grabbed my hand and pulled me over to the couch. “K, calm down. I already called Leo to explain. He hasn’t said anything to you, has he?”
I wrinkled my brows in confusion. “No, I haven’t talked to Leo.”
She sighed, seemingly relieved. “Oh…good. I asked him to let me break the news to you.”
“News?” I asked. “What news?”
“Well, first of all, I guess I should say that I can’t be your third wheel anymore.”
Okay, now I was really confused. “Erica, what the hell are you talking about? How can that possibly explain where you’ve been?”
She smiled. “Well, I can’t be your third wheel anymore because of my news. It’s pretty big.”
“How big?” I asked.
“Ginormous,” she replied.
“Well, spill then!” I said impatiently.
She held up her left hand, revealing a giant, sparkly ring on her fourth finger. “Because I’m a married woman now! Also known as Mrs. Crawford!”
My mouth hung open. “Huh?”
She grabbed my hand and held it gently. “Look, K, I know that this is sudden, but Jake is the one. I can’t imagine being with anyone else. And for me, that’s saying a lot! You know that. He’s the most fantastic guy I’ve ever met. I’ve never known anyone who makes me feel so incredible. And I’m not just talking about the sex. Which for the record is, like, the best ever!” She paused for a moment. “Look, honey, I’m going to be gone for a few days. We’re heading to San Diego to tell my family. Jake has convinced me to perform the binding spell of thirteen with my sisters so our babies will be more powerful.”
“Babies?” I shrieked.
“I know, right?” she said. “I’m the last person you’d think would get married, let alone have babies. But I know it’s right. I’ve never felt more certain about anything in my life. You need to figure your shit out, Karli, because this love thing is incredible. I want you to feel the same happiness that I do. I’ve never felt more whole than I do right now.”
I sank down into the couch even further. “Babies?” I repeated.
She put her arm around me and pulled me into her. “I know it’s a hard pill to swallow, K, but Jake makes me feel things that I’ve never felt before. We’re both from big families and he wants to carry on the tradition. Honestly, I’ve never thought about being a mom before, but I want his babies. I want to have children because they would be our children. I figured there’s no time like the present, right? We’ve already stopped using protection. Weeks ago, actually. That’s why it’s imperative that I do the spell with my sisters as soon as possible. We’re leaving right away.” She looked towards my front door. “He’s out in the car waiting. I really should be going.”
I raked my hands through my hair. “Oh, my God.” I tried to keep them back, but tears started forming in my eyes.
She tilted my chin up. “Honey, why are you crying? Are you upset with me?”
I wiped my tears away. “No. God no, Eri. I’m so happy for you,” I assured her. “You just caught me off guard, that’s all. It makes me realize even more that I need to figure this thing out with Vance and Leo fast. I can’t keep stringing them along. I know it’s not fair to either one of them, I just have no idea how to choose.”
She hugged me. “I know it’s hard, sweetie, but you’ll figure it out when the time is right.” She stood and started walking towards the door. “I really have to go. I’ll call you as soon as I get back, okay?”
I nodded. “Sure.”
And out the door she went, off to start her married life.
Four
I stayed home all day on Wednesday contemplating my dilemma. If Erica of all people could make a commitment as big as marriage, I should at least be able to choose whom to date. Okay, let’s face it. Dating was a very mild word for it. I could never “date” either one of them. But it’s not like they were asking me for a lifelong commitment. Well, technically they’d both told me that they’d happily spend eternity with me, but they’d never actually asked me to commit to it. Not yet anyway. So, what was I so afraid of?
I’ll tell you what I was afraid of. I was afraid of losing them. Either one of them. And I knew that if I chose one, then the other would be too hurt to stick around. And I wouldn’t be able to blame them for leaving. Being just friends would be next to impossible. I would have probably said sayonara much earlier if I’d been in their shoes.
So, how was I to choose? They both offered a life full of completely different possibilities. Leo was a sexy, sophisticated, wealthy entrepreneur. He was mostly mild-mannered, and he treated me like a queen. He’s a vampire though, which means that we could never have children together. It’s not like my biological clock was ticking or anything, but it was nice to know that I’d have the option. I supposed we could adopt if we really wanted to, but whenever I’d envisioned myself having kids, it had always been a little mini version of me or my husband…like a product of our love for one another. I could never have that with Leo. Plus, he had a
dark past that I wasn’t entirely comfortable with. Leo was a different man for many years before I met him. A violent, opportunistic man at times. He had killed people in his past. Like, actually caused their deaths. On purpose. Okay, so one could technically say the same about me, but I’d killed Roxy in self-defense. I still didn’t have all the details about Leo’s past, but what I knew was not good and certainly not something I could easily forget. I knew he had changed, and truly regretted his actions, but the facts were still the same.
Vance on the other hand, was equally gorgeous and could offer me a family if I wanted one someday. My problem with him was that he was short-tempered, a bit brash at times, and could piss me off like no other man I’d ever met before. I knew life would probably be much easier if I chose Leo, but this little voice inside of me kept telling me that Vance might possibly be my soul mate, if such a thing exists. I don’t even know if I believe in the Fates, but I do know that I lived my entire life feeling like a piece of me was missing until I met him. I couldn’t decide if that was because he’s the only other Fae that I’d met besides my parents or if it was something bigger than that. Not to mention the fact that I could share sunshine with Vance. That may seem silly, but I loved the sun. The feel of it on my skin, the way things look when it’s shining brightly in the sky. I could spend days at a time just lounging by a pool basking in it.