by Lexi C. Foss
Violet wrenches him away from me and shoves him. “Go, dog, go.”
He scampers away, cursing under his breath. Pussy.
“You must be Violet,” I say as I shove my stake back into my vest. “I’ve been looking for you.”
“Have you, now?” Her purple eyes seem to glow brighter.
“My boss, Jude, head of E.V.I.E. has requested I bring you in.”
“You’re not going to detain me and drag me in?” she challenges, her body seeming to thrum with the idea.
“I’m more of a killer than hired muscle,” I say, motioning at my body. “It’ll be much easier if you just come along and hear what Jude has to say.”
“Hmph,” she says, studying me in a way that feels all too invasive. “I was expecting a fight.”
“I mean, we could knock each other around a bit if you want, but I’d much rather finish my night without a busted lip. It’s been a long day.”
She laughs. “Straight shooter. I like that. Let’s go then. Take me to your leader.”
“He’s a good guy and an excellent strategist. Be nice to him, demon.”
A snort escapes her. “Nice? All I can promise is to let you escort me there. Once I meet with him, it’ll be up to him whether I’m nice or not.”
“Fair enough. I must warn you, though. He has a dog and if he feels like his master is threatened in any way, he’ll make a demon doggie snack out of you.”
“Dogs love me,” she assures me. “Men…that’s a little more complicated.” She motions ahead of us. “Lead the way, slayer.”
The Uber drops me off on the corner between my building and the one next door. It’s dark tonight, the moon and stars hidden by the heavy cloud cover. The one sole light that illuminates the alleyway is out again, which means kids probably threw rocks at it to knock it out. I’m irritated that it’s one more thing I have on my to-do list. Tell the building manager to change the bulb. I’m bristling with annoyance when I feel it.
Another presence.
I pause, angling my head to listen for any unusual sounds. Slowly, I withdraw my ruby stakes, one in each hand, and continue my way down the alley with caution.
The closer I get to the door that leads into my building, the hairs on my arms stand on end. My heart rate speeds up and a slick, oily feeling washes over me.
“Castilla.”
The voice—deep and growly—has me frozen in equal parts fear and confusion. I’ve heard it every night in my dreams, so I can’t be sure if I’m imagining it or not. The only person who calls me by my full name is—
My thoughts are knocked out of my head as something strong and powerful leaps out of the shadows, pouncing on me. I cry out in surprise and then anger as I’m pinned to the brick wall, my arms in the grip of…him.
Laurent.
Not the one from the park or the one from the past.
The one from my dreams.
Same crimson eyes. Same hairstyle. Same intensity.
I can’t control the whimper that claws up my throat. I’m struggling against his hold, but he’s too strong.
“Let me go,” I command, my voice a harsh whisper.
Red lightning cracks from my stakes in my hands, bathing Laurent and the alleyway with red light. From behind him, a man approaches, and for one quick second, I am almost relieved when I think it’s Griffin. I hate him, but could sure use his assistance right about now.
“Hello, darling,” the voice says.
“Beck.”
“Fancy meeting you again,” Beck says, still not revealing himself fully from the shadows. “Are you ready to put the stakes away so we can have an adult conversation?”
8
Castilla
“Fuck you,” I snarl. “Fuck both of you.”
Laurent growls at my words, his face dropping until his lips brush against my neck. A shiver of fear rattles through my bones. Having his teeth so close to my neck terrifies me. I close my eyes, waiting for him to take a bite.
“Castilla,” Laurent murmurs, his lips caressing my neck in a way that sends a whirlwind of confusing emotions spinning inside me. “Oh, how I’ve missed you.”
He presses a gentle kiss to my pulsing vein before he pulls away. Beck approaches and I get a good look at him. He can’t be any more than sixteen or seventeen if he were human. I’ve learned not to go off human appearance when it comes to vampires. Some of the young ones are incredibly old and extremely powerful. Beck already confessed to being an ancient vampire. If he wanted to destroy me, he could do it in seconds. For some reason, he hasn’t.
“I’ll hold onto these until we finish our talk,” Beck says, plucking each of my ruby stakes from my grip. His hands are protected by leather gloves. Otherwise, I’m pretty sure it wouldn’t feel too good on his undead hands. He stows the stakes inside his long, black coat. We’re once again bathed in darkness, which unnerves me.
“I have nothing to say to you,” I grind out, no longer fighting against Laurent’s hold considering I need to save my strength and it’s pointless since he’s so much stronger.
“Then you can just listen.”
“Let me go,” I order. “I won’t talk until I’m free.”
Beck waits what feels like an eternity before he answers. “Very well. Laurent, release her.”
Laurent inhales me but then lets go, stepping back into the darkness away from me. My heart is pounding hard inside my chest. I try my damnedest to slow it down so that I’m not tempting the two vampires in my presence.
Breathe, Casti. Breathe.
“We have a mutual agenda,” Beck says from somewhere to my left. “Perhaps we continue this conversation in privacy.”
“No,” I grit out. “And I can guarantee you our agendas vary vastly.”
Beck chuckles. “Feisty female. I like you.”
“Sorry, buddy, I can’t say the same.” I edge toward the door, keeping my movements slow. “What did you do to him? He seems better now.” Better, but still going to die by my hand and soon.
Mercy be thy way.
“I’ll tell you when we have privacy,” Beck says. “Take us to your apartment.”
“Absolutely not,” I growl.
“We’re not here to hurt you or Mercy.”
“Keep my daughter’s name out of your mouth,” I snap. “Speak now or don’t. I don’t care.”
Beck sighs, his footsteps drawing nearer. “Either take us there or I’ll be forced to carry you up there myself.”
Upstairs, I have other things I could kill them with.
“Fine,” I acquiesce. “Though—”
“She be but little, she is fierce,” Beck finishes. “A Shakespeare fan myself.”
“I was going to say, though if you make one wrong move, I’ll end both of you without thinking twice.”
Beck and Laurent both chuckle, putting me even more on edge. I’m used to hissing, pissed off killing machine vampires. Not this. Not talkative, agenda seeking ones. I admit, my curiosity is piqued.
I slowly make my way from the wall to the door into the building. It’s probably extremely stupid on my part, and Jude would kill me if he knew, but I need to see what Beck wants first. If he can help me with the pale-haired twins, I will take it. They’ve been terrorizing NYC for far too long.
As soon as I step inside, I peek over my shoulder at the vampires following me. Beck is much shorter than Laurent. Both are wearing black slacks, white button-down crisp dress shirts, and long coats. Each of them has on a pair of expensive looking leather shoes. It’s almost amusing how properly dressed they are. As though they’re ready to go to a gala rather than to my tiny apartment I share with a child and a bat.
I step into the stairwell and Laurent strides forward, prowling ahead as though hunting. I’m confused because it almost seems as though he’s trying to protect me, which is silly because he’s a freaking vampire.
When we reach my floor, he pushes through the door and holds it open for me. I’m forced to brush past him as I enter the hall
way. Laurent’s palm finds my back as to guide me. A shiver trembles through me.
“Shall we fetch Mercy first?” Beck asks.
“I said—” I snap but then fall silent when I realize there’s a note on my door from Edna.
I know you said he wasn’t allowed to get her, but he told me he’d call the police if I didn’t allow him to take her home and watch over her until you got there. I tried to text you. I’m too old for prison. My sincerest apologies.
Terror consumes me and Laurent growls. No longer concerned about two hungry vampires at my back, I shove my way into my apartment, anger fueling me. Once again, Griffin sits in the window, waiting for me.
“About time—who the fuck are they?” Griffin demands, stalking my way.
Laurent steps in front of me, his body tensed for a fight.
“They’re my friends,” I snap. “I told you you’re not allowed to take Mercy.”
“She’s my goddamn daughter,” Griffin growls. “I can do whatever I want where it concerns her.”
Beck rushes forward with inhuman speed, clutching the front of Griffin’s shirt. His voice is low and seductive as he speaks to Griffin, his face inches from his. “You were just leaving. You never saw us. You’ll find someone else to bother tonight.”
Griffin nods, clearly consumed by Beck’s glamour ability. Without another word, Griffin walks out and closes the door behind him.
“Thanks,” I grumble and mean it. “Have a seat. I need to check on Mercy.”
I leave the vampires to sneak into Mercy’s room. She’s asleep, but her bat rustles around in his box. His wing is damaged beyond repair, so he’ll never fly again. The poor little thing—Dracula—relies on my daughter for food and water. Thank goodness she’s a whiz on her tablet and found all sorts of information online to help her care for her bat.
I’m just pressing a kiss to her forehead when I feel an imposing presence. It’s unnerving to see Laurent in my daughter’s room. His brows are furled as he takes in her sleeping body.
“Swear on your life you’ll never hurt her,” I whisper. “Right now.”
Laurent’s crimson eyes lock onto mine. “I swear it. I won’t hurt you either.”
His words, though probably a lie, wrap around my heart like a noose. I don’t like the way it warms me inside. Reminds me of a simpler, happier time when I was a girl. Before my world went to hell.
I walk right up to him, tilting my head up so I can see his eyes up close. His palm rises to my cheek and he delicately caresses my warm flesh with his cool hand.
“It’s hard seeing you again,” I admit, my voice barely audible.
“Likewise, little one.”
A tremor of—something—rumbles through me. I grip his wrist and pull him from my daughter’s room before closing the door behind us. Beck is sitting prim and proper in an armchair, an expectant look on his pale, boyish face.
“Speak,” I grumble, making my way over to the window seat. “I’m tired and want to go to bed. Let’s get this over with.”
Laurent doesn’t sit, but edges closer to me, his crimson eyes burning into me.
“My name is Beck Zargonian,” Beck says, running his fingers through his blond hair. “I am from The Pale Province.”
“The pale-haired twins are your family?”
“Weston and Wynona are my blood, yes,” Beck agrees. “I’ve been searching for them for nearly sixty years.”
“You had them,” I snap, a surge of anger bursting up inside of me. “Instead, you interrupted me and took him.” I thrust my thumb toward Laurent, who has prowled closer.
“You were going to kill them.” Beck shrugs. “I couldn’t let you do that.”
“But they killed my mother and baby brother,” I hiss, my body trembling with fury. “They turned the man I adored into this.” Tears threaten as I meet Laurent’s gaze. “How is that the same agenda? I want them gone from this planet.”
“Which aligns with my agenda, I assure you,” Beck says. “I’ve been asked by their father, Marlon, to retrieve them. He thinks he can heal his children from the blood plague. Because of my obligation to my familial lineage, I must oblige.”
“They won’t go willingly through the realms,” I grumble. “They’re feral.”
“Feral indeed. Mad with disease. They’re unaware of what runs through them. With a concoction Marlon has created, I believe the injection could immobilize them long enough for Laurent and me to carry them back.” Beck leans back in his seat, crossing his arms over his chest. “They will be out of your hair and back where they belong.”
“They belong in Hell,” I snarl.
“We both know Hell can barely keep the gate closed. Our demon population on Earth is proof of that. No, the mad twins belong back with their family so that if they can’t treat them, they can end them according to The Pale Province’s royal authority.”
“So you want me to agree to help you capture and inject those bastards who tore my family from me?” I demand. “To give them a free pass?”
“I will be in your debt, darling,” Beck says. “I always pay my debts.”
It’s on the tip of my tongue to make him agree to kill Laurent once it’s done as debt repayment, but one look at his intense features boring into me, and I know I can’t ask that. Not right now when I’m tired and stressed. One day, I’ll kill Laurent, but I’m not about to negotiate that into my deal with Beck.
“You healed Laurent,” I say, frowning. “Why don’t you just heal them too?”
“Laurent is still but a young vampire and he was born a human. His blood was much easier to cleanse. The twins are of fae descent, which requires more than I can give them.”
They deserve to die. In this realm—the one they stole so much from.
“Mommy?” a sweet voice says from the doorway.
I nearly choke on my tongue. “Baby, go back to sleep.”
She shakily steps forward and sways. Laurent, in a flash, scoops her in his arms. It all happens so quickly. Before I can stop him, he’s brought my daughter to Beck, lowering her into his arms.
“What are you doing?” I screech, storming over to them. “Let her go.”
“She won’t remember this,” Beck assures me. “Hello, sweet cherub.”
“Hello,” Mercy says, her voice soft and faraway. “Are you an angel?”
“No, Miss Mercy, I am not.” Beck grins at her, his fangs bared. “But you are.”
Mercy giggles and touches his pointy fang. I launch myself at him, but Laurent is suddenly behind me, locking me in his strong arms.
“Please don’t,” I beg. “You promised.”
“Ouch,” Mercy murmurs, a rivulet of blood running down her finger.
Beck licks the wound closed and then he smiles at her. “All better, darling.”
She curls into him, falling back asleep. My heart is hammering in my chest and I realize hot tears have been running down my cheeks.
“You bastard,” I choke out.
“She is very ill. I can taste it in her blood.” His brows furrow as he studies my sleeping child. “Her blood is tainted.”
“Tell me something I don’t know,” I snap at him. “Laurent, let me go.”
Laurent’s palm finds my jaw and he angles my head to one side, running his nose along the column of my throat.
“Careful,” Beck warns. “You’re still young, Laurent.”
Despite having been a vampire for years, it’s clear that Beck only recently taught Laurent how to feed properly and control his urges.
“I’m not going to bite her,” Laurent growls, his lips against my flesh. “You’re safe with me, Castilla. I made a vow to you.”
His words warm me and I hate that. I hate what he’s become. I hate the terror I felt when he desperately tried to get into the trunk he forced me into not long after he turned.
I realize I’ve long stopped fighting him and am jelly in his grip. He’s holding me upright, his strong arm under my breasts keeping me pressed against his firm
body.
“Do you hear the music?” he murmurs against my ear, making me shiver. “The strong cadence of your heart beating? Such a lovely sound.”
I’m unable to speak, but I give him a nod. I feel as though I’m under some sort of spell. I was glamoured in training but never in a real life case. It makes me wonder if that’s what is happening. Am I being made to be compliant?
An insistent tongue lashes against my skin, teasing over my carotid artery. I whimper because despite the fear coursing through me, it feels good. I like his tongue on me, which is all kinds of messed up. He suckles the flesh, making me gasp.
“Laurent,” Beck rumbles, his tone a warning. “You’re asking for trouble.”
“She tastes divine,” Laurent replies, his teeth nipping at the flesh but not drawing blood. “I want to drink from her and put my cock inside her.”
A moan tumbles from me. His erection is pressed against my backside and I can’t help but rub against it. I’m dizzied by his touch and his mouth.
“I’m going to fuck this beautiful creature,” Laurent murmurs, his hands roaming down my front to cup my aching pussy. “Claim her as mine.”
Beck sighs. “You’ve mastered glamouring. Time to release her, lad.”
“No,” Laurent growls, rubbing at my clit over my leather pants. “She’s mine.”
“If I have to get up off this sofa to come physically restrain you, I will. I’m stronger and older. Don’t test my patience.” Beck pauses. “Now, Laurent.”
He releases me with a snarl and I collapse to the floor. My mind feels foggy and confused. Everything still pulsates and throbs with need.
Beck slides Mercy over onto the couch and she doesn’t wake. He stands and then assists me to my feet. “I can help your child.”