by Ainsley Cole
****
Marley sank back against Rhayden, letting the hot water of the huge bath; warm the chill in her skin. She had tried to talk to Absinthe again after she had read the file, but he had refused to speak to her.
She knew it was not about the Mated killings.
It was about their conversation beforehand and it was something she would push for until he gave her the answers she needed. Johann wouldn’t get away with what he had done to her sister.
“Are you sure you want to do this?”
Tipping her head back, she looked up at Rhayden, bright blue eyes staring at her. She sighed, nodding, “I have to get out of here Rhayden. You coddle me, Abe ignores me. I’m used to it being the other way around and I can’t handle it.”
Rhayden’s pale arms came around her, holding her bare back against his chest and he kissed the back of her head, “I don’t like the idea of you being out there again Mars. Not so soon after Norman.”
Norman— twin brother of the vampire Vince, the first killer of the Mated. He had tried to kill her, no more than a fortnight earlier.
She still had nightmares about the slide of the knife into her chest. The pain she had gone through with the serum Rhayden and Absinthe had administered, trying to keep her alive.
“I couldn’t bear to see something like that again.” His voice was quiet. Emotion seeded his voice, something she hadn’t thought the pale man was capable of—until she had seen the softer side of him—and she knew this was the hardest decision so far.
“I know Rhayden, but I have to do this. Get it over and done with. Then I can concentrate on finding and killing Johann.”
“About that—,” he started, “I heard you accuse Abe of killing Linda.”
Marley sighed, scooting forward and she turned.
Looking at the vampire in the other end of the bath, his pale hair was swept back, cascading wetly over his shoulders, gaze on her, “It’s something Johann said to me. He told me if I had taken the contract with Abe in the first place, Linda wouldn’t have died.”
Rhayden’s eyebrows scrunched together and he sat forward, looking at her, “Abe didn’t order anyone to kill Linda, let alone Johann. He’s insane and was messing with your head Mars, turning you against us. Wanting you to believe Abe had something to do with it, when he didn’t.”
“Why would he do that?” She asked as his hands came out. He pulled her to him and she sagged against his chest, feeling his skin. It was hot, making her frown and she blew cool breath across it, trying to chill it.
“I don’t know—,” he said, pushing her back a bit, looking down at her with a smirk. “What are you doing?”
“I don’t like your skin hot. It doesn’t feel right.” She said, her hand reaching out, grazing over his nipple.
Rhayden caught her hand, bringing it to his mouth, sucking on the tips of her fingers and she moaned, “You’d rather me cold, like a corpse?”
“You technically are Rhayden. I love making love to you when you’re so cold. It’s—I don’t know, something about it, is exciting.”
“Rather make love to a corpse?” He chuckled, pulling her closer. “You know there’s a word for that Mars.”
“I don’t care.” He smashed his mouth against hers, her heart leaping into her throat.
With quick movements, he pulled the plug of the bath with his foot, draining the hot water. Gripping her hips, he dragged her to him, lifting her legs and she straddled him. His cock was already hard for her and she sank down on it, tipping her head back, gripping his shoulders.
“Mars—” Rhayden breathed heavily, his hands on her, gripping hard, making her hips roll back and forth. His shaft stroked her, and she moaned as her orgasm built quickly. They both exploded at the same time, Rhayden leaning in, capturing her nipple in his mouth, suckling as they both came.
“Rhayden!”
The vampire buried his head against her chest, his moans coming softly as her hips slowly stilled, “Shit.”
The door of the bathroom burst open and Marley turned.
Absinthe stood in the doorway, his arms crossing over his chest as he took in the scene, impaled on his brother.
“Abe!”
“We need to talk. Now.”
He stormed from the room and she turned to Rhayden, as his eyebrow rose.
“Uh oh.”
****
Absinthe was pacing when they both entered the library, hair still wet. The man stopped pacing, green gaze shifting from her to Rhayden to her, his jaw setting in anger.
“Rhayden, leave.”
“But—”
“Now.” Abe growled and Rhayden huffed, slamming the door behind him as he left.
Marley stared at Absinthe, seeing his gaze slowly move back to her and she knew she had to stall his anger somehow, “Abe, I’m sorry. Rhayden and I—”
“I don’t care,” Came his blunt reply, and she slammed her mouth closed. “You and I are having some difficulties with our relationship.”
Crossing her arms over her chest, she rose an eyebrow, “You think?”
“Shut up and let me finish,” He growled, making her hesitant. She’d been on the wrong side of Absinthe before. When they first started to work together—sleeping together. She didn’t think she could handle it again. “I do not know why Johann would say, what he said. I did not send him to kill your sister. I wish you would believe me.”
“Then why won’t you tell me where he lives, so I can go and find him and kill him. I want to know why he killed my sixteen-year-old kid sister! It’s been two years Abe,” Her voice was loud in the library and Absinthe stopped his pacing, turning to her. “Two whole fucking years since I have had even a sighting of him. He hasn’t been seen or heard from, and in the last month; I’ve had to talk to him again and just watch him walk away, without having justice served upon him! I just want this shit over and done with! And I am sick of you not helping!”
“Watch your tone Marlene. You know better than anyone, I don’t take kindly to being spoken to like that,” His eyes were paling to copper, showing his anger. “And as for you and my brother, you have turned him against me.”
“What?” No, she hadn’t. She had taken comfort in his presence. Was this jealousy shining through when Absinthe told her he would never be jealous of their relationship?
“He takes your side. He used to be loyal to me, do anything I asked. Now when it comes to you, he is a whipped dog.” He snarled, and she blinked, before her own anger kicked in.
“Boo-fucking-hoo Lord Absinthe Raynes. For once you don’t have control over you kid brother. What a poor turn of events in your long life,” She started, seeing his eyes widen at her words and tone, the copper tone of his gaze becoming bolder. “If you didn’t want him a whipped dog; as you put it; then you shouldn’t have let us fuck. It’s your fault that we are like this—you have no control over us and it’s your fault.”
Absinthe launched himself at her, gripping her arms hard and slammed her down against the tabletop. His hair fell around her face as he growled at her, lip curling, fangs descending, “You are pushing your luck human.”
Abe never called her human.
Not once in the time they had been working together had he seemed fit to call her by species and not name, and she stared up at him. Not seeing the anger at her and her words, but the fright—once this was all over, he would lose her.
There would be nothing tying her to either of them and she would be free to walk away, never having to deal with them again. Was that why he kept things from her? Why he blamed her for Rhayden taking her side? He was too concerned with her leaving.
His eyes slowly faded back to green, gaze dipping to her mouth, before slipping lower. His eyes widened, letting her go, “Marley. I’m sorry.”
She sat up, wincing and looked down at her chest, seeing the bright blood staining her top. The stitches had been pulled from her skin and she raised her head, looking at Abe. Her hand went to the wound, ignoring the pain in her up
per arms and she knew she would have bruises.
When the Raynes brothers were rough with her—she always had bruises.
“I will find this killer Absinthe. Hunt him down and then kill him,” She pushed away from the table, glaring at him. “Then you and I—are done.”
Storming from the room, she ignored the other vampires in the Coven; their curious stares and whispers as she walked past.
They could smell the fresh blood on her chest. They had their orders not to touch Marley—but with fresh blood assaulting their nostrils, she didn’t know if they would comply.
Moving quicker, she headed to her room. She had supplies to gather, before getting out of here. Otherwise Absinthe Raynes would be the next vampire killed.
Two
“Mars? Where are you?”
She sighed, pressing the end button on the steering wheel of Rhayden’s Alpha. Speeding through the darkness, tears streamed down her face.
She had packed everything she could manage to fit in her bag and had slipped from the mansion before both vampires had noticed.
In the time since, Abe had called her cell phone almost constantly and Rhayden had called the car on more than a dozen occasions. She didn’t like the idea of keeping them at bay, or out of the loop, but she had to do this on her own.
She had to do this, without either of them interfering or distracting her. The phone rang again, and she sighed, as the screen popped up, Maddison’s face coming into view. She pressed the button, grimacing, “Hi Maddi.”
“Girl, you better have a damned good reason to be out there on your own. And if I wasn’t so close to popping this baby, I would come after you and slap you silly.”
“I have to do this on my own Maddison.”
“Why? What are you trying to prove? What happens if you are killed?” Marley frowned, taking the exit on the highway. “Do you have any idea what these two ancient assholes are doing to the mansion?”
“What?” her stomach lurched.
“Absinthe hasn’t left the library since you left; he hasn’t hunted for the night. He has done nothing but glare and growl at every single person who comes within reach. He even attacked Rhayden.”
“He what?” She couldn’t imagine Rhayden and Absinthe in a fight and her heart hammered, were they injured? Had Absinthe hurt Rhayden too terribly? She would never speak to him again if he killed him.
“Rayden went in there, trying to get Abe to hunt, or do something instead of just sitting around and moping. Absinthe chucked a tantrum and well— the table is broken; the chandelier has been ripped from the ceiling. Rhayden came out with gashes on his face, chest, back and his nose was broken.”
“Oh my God.”
“Yes, so are you sure you should be out there and not back here keeping them from killing each other?”
“I can’t Maddi. I must do this. I must get this killer sorted and then I can find Johann and kill him. I can’t keep doing bounties for Absinthe, hoping one day I might just chance stumbling over him again. I owe Linda so much more than that.”
The silence on the other end of the line had Marley knowing Maddison understood. Finding Johann was the most important thing she had to do. But with another killer of the Mated running around, she had to deal with that, before she could find her sister’s murderer.
“Okay. I understand. But please Marley. Be careful. They know you’re out there.”
“Who?”
“The other Coven leaders. You thought Korin was bad. If someone like Othello got you— Absinthe would not be able to do a damned thing about it.”
Marley frowned, “Who’s Othello?”
“Othello is the Lord of the Vampires.”
“Absinthe is a Lord too.” Marley said, confused.
“No Marley. Othello is the Lord of the Vampires. It doesn’t go any higher than him.”
“Oh—”
“Yes, and he knows Absinthe uses you to find Rogues. Until now he has tolerated it, because you are good at your job. But with what you’ve done to one of the Senior Covens, with what has happened to Absinthe and Rhayden— I don’t know how much more he could tolerate. And there would be no one in the world who could stop him from killing you.”
****
“Did you do it?”
Rhayden’s voice dug into Absinthe’s mind and he opened his eyes, seeing his brother standing at the end of the library. His arms were crossed over his chest, eyes staring accusingly, and he tipped his head to the side, “Do what?”
“Did you send Johann to kill Linda?”
Abe rolled his eyes closing them again and he crossed his arms over his chest, “Don’t be stupid. Why would I do that?”
“Because Marley rejected you when you first asked her to work for you. The first person; a human woman to reject you in close to two centuries.”
Abe opened his eyes and looked at his brother, seeing the slashes on his face had healed, the broken nose set, his face back to the beauty he had been gifted with.
He’d always been jealous of how much more beauty his little brother had gained from their mother. Whereas he was harsher—more like their father in appearance.
“Just because she rejected the contract, does not mean I killed her sister to bring her back. I may have once been a cold-blooded killer—but I do have morals Rhayden.”
“So why not tell her? Why keep her in the dark? I thought you loved her.”
Absinthe growled, sitting forward and Rhayden’s body stiffened, ready for another fight, “I do love her. And it’s because I love her, I haven’t told her what happened.”
“It’s not going to end well Absinthe and you know it.” Rhayden turned, walking back out the library and Abe sighed, tipping back into his seat, closing his eyes.
He knew his brother was right.
Keeping the past, what had happened with Johann and Linda secret was something he shouldn’t have done. But he knew— knew Marley wasn’t ready for the most explosive part of it all and he almost hoped she didn’t come back.
****
She had managed to sleep for most of the day; having collapsed onto the bed of the motel, succumbing to sleep almost instantly. Now sitting and enjoying her coffee in the small diner down the road, she thought about what had happened between her and the vampire Lord.
It had been so long since she had seen the anger, she knew Absinthe was capable of. Reaffirming how much of a dangerous creature he really was. It wouldn’t have taken much for Abe to have ripped out her throat—he had almost killed her before—she knew he could finish the job easily and it had frightened her. She had thought their past troubles were behind them—now she was reconsidering her future.
Could she do this forever? Be Absinthe’s Bounty Hunter.
Be his lover.
She frowned, draining the cup and stood, dropping coins onto the table and left the diner, walking back to the motel.
She had contemplated leaving; on many, many occasions even before she had started sleeping with both Abe and Rhayden. But now, it was more complicated.
If Absinthe could just be straight with her, she would be happy, she could move on. They could keep their relationship and their arrangements intact.
A can dropped in an alley up the side of the motel, dragging Marley out of her musings and she stopped. Maybe it was just an alley cat—
A muffled cry sent her instincts into overdrive; her hand dropping to her jacket pocket, feeling the silver pocket knife in its confines. She stepped toward the alley, walking gingerly down its filthy length, eyes scanning every single inch of it, making sure nothing was going to jump out.
She shouldn’t be doing this; her main priority was the Mated killer, not some random noise in an alley and she thought about turning, walking away. She poked out from the side of the building and her anger seethed through her in waves.
The girl would have been no older than her sister would have been now, if she hadn’t been killed. Pale hair cascading out over the ground, her eyes wide as the bloodsucker
rogue held her immobile, drawing from her neck.
Marley composed herself, gripping the dagger tightly in her hand and stepped out of the alley. She brought her hand up, ready to bring it down on the back of the creature’s neck, disable it long enough to take off its head—
But the vampire had smelled her, sensed her, and it dropped the girl. Spinning around, blood spilling from its mouth, dripping onto the ground. Marley stepped back as its claws slashed at her and she slashed in return. The blade hit the vampire’s arm and it hissed, jumping to the side. It came at her again, gripping her arm and swung, sending her flying across the alley, her soft body hitting the huge bin.
The dagger fell from her hand and she slumped to the ground, wheezing, trying to catch her breath. The vampire was on her again, gripping the back of her jacket, lifting her and tossing her across the alley. This time she connected with the hard bricks of the motel wall and dropped to the ground; head pounding, whole-body aching.
She could hear the vampire chuckling, its throaty laugh making her wince. It thought it had won and stalked over to her, crouching beside her, hand coming out, smoothing back her hair, “Absinthe Raynes’ pet—”
Marely’s eyes rolled in her head, centering on the vampire, finally noticing the short-cropped hair, the square face, so similar—she groaned, trying to move her hand to her other pocket, “Please tell me you’re not another brother of Vince and Norman—”
He chuckled, leaning on his knees and smiled, the blood of the young woman still coating his teeth as he shook his head “Not a brother. But a—”
Marley twisted, shoving the other flick knife up into the bottom jaw of the vampire, and through to the base of his brain. He shuddered, eyes wide, blood; his own—sliding from his mouth and nose.
Marley shoved, tipping him backwards, satisfied at the thud he made as he landed on his back.
As the dead vampire twitched on the ground, Marley slowly climbed to her hands and knees, crawling across to the girl who had been attacked, checking her pulse, “Shit.”