Then, without a backward glance, I left him.
Chapter Fourteen
When I walked into Corbin’s office the next day, just as dusk was beginning to fall, I saw a strange girl with creamy cafe au lait skin and striking green eyes walking out of it. Her pierced lip and all black clothes screamed Goth chick but the aura of power I felt tingling around her like static electricity made me think she was something more. She was human…but not completely. Who was she and what did she have to do with Corbin? I felt an instant zing of jealousy that made me mad at myself.
The girl gave me a furious glare from her jade green eyes as we passed but I refused to drop my gaze. I can stare down vampires—I’m not afraid of Goths. Even ones that are more than human.
When I finally got past her and into the office, I saw Corbin tucking something into the breast pocket of his tailored suit jacket.
“Hello, Addison. I’m glad you’ve come on time tonight,” he said blandly, looking up.
“I told you I wouldn’t miss it,” I snapped, giving him a glare. “Who was that?” I jerked my head in the direction the Goth girl had gone.
“A business acquaintance. No one you need to be concerned about,” he said coolly. He frowned but then the expression on his face changed to one of concern. “Are you all right? You look…tired tonight.”
“Thanks a lot, Corbin. Like I don’t know that “tired” is a nice way to say you look like shit.”
“You are lovely as always,” he said quietly. “I was simply worried about your health.”
“My health is fine. I’m just a little sleep deprived, that’s all.” I had no intention of telling him exactly why I’d gotten so little sleep the night before… it would give him too much satisfaction.
After leaving his daytime resting place, I had managed to wait until I got back to my car to cry but once I started, it took a long, long time for me to stop. I had cursed myself for a fool and told myself that nothing between us was ever going to be possible. That I didn’t want it to be possible. Corbin was a self-absorbed, arrogant jerk and he was a vampire. Why should I give a damn about him or what he thought or said or did?
But no matter how many ways I tried to make myself feel better, I just couldn't help remembering the look in his eyes when he’d told me to get out. Couldn’t help feeling like I’d killed something fragile and beautiful that was in the process of being born between us.
When I had finally made it home and gotten to sleep, I dreamed over and over of a big black boot grinding a crimson rose bud into the dust. That was bad enough but then the dream changed to a girl with red hair crying for her lost baby. Poor Janet! I thought. I went to her, wanting to comfort her, to put my arms around her and tell her everything would be all right. But when she looked up…she was me.
I had woken up in a cold sweat and couldn’t go back to sleep, though it was hours until my alarm was set to go off. Add that to the fact that I’d had to pull a rare day shift in order to be off for the stupid Roderick thing that night and I was absolutely exhausted.
“Well, as I said, I’m glad you are here on time,” Corbin said, apparently deciding to drop the subject of my “health”.
“And why is that? Are we having a freaking cocktail party before we commence the ass kissing for Roderick tonight?” I demanded.
“I wouldn’t call it a party,” he said. “But yes, we are having a kind of gathering and since it intimately involves your friend Taylor, I thought you might like to witness it.”
Instantly I was on high alert.
“What about Taylor? What are you doing to her?”
“I’m not doing anything to her—I am ensuring that she has someone to protect and take care of her, at least until the time—if that time ever comes—that she can take care of herself.”
I bristled on my friend’s behalf. I knew that Taylor was a crappy vampire but there was no way I would admit that to Corbin.
“She manages just fine. Just let her move back in with me and I’ll take care of her.”
“No.” He frowned at me sternly. “Absolutely not. Didn’t I say she would get no more of your blood?”
“What do you care if she takes my blood after Roderick leaves?” I demanded.
“I told you it will not happen again. Taylor will not drink from you again. Nor will any other vampire.”
I put a hand on my hip. “You’re getting awfully possessive for somebody who’s basically just a business partner.”
“I am your master—at least for now.” His eyes blazed silver. “And I have put out the word in Tampa that no other vampire is to touch or taste you in any way. To do so means death and I will not hesitate to enforce that penalty.”
“So you put out the word to every vamp on the street that you own me? Thanks a lot, you big asshole,” I stormed. “What do you think that’s going to do to my professional reputation?”
“I don’t care what it does to your reputation as long as it keeps you safe,” he replied.
“Why you…” I couldn’t come up with a bad enough word to call him. While I was sputtering angrily, someone knocked on his office door.
“Master?” came a voice I recognized as belonging to Corbin’s cute-as-a-button vampire office assistant—the one who was so confused about the idea of a “booty call”.
“Yes, come in,” Corbin said in a bored tone. Obviously he was done discussing the “do not touch” order he had practically stamped on my forehead for the rest of the vampire community.
The little curly-headed assistant popped his head in the door and smiled at me.
“Oh, hello, Mistress.”
“Mistress?” I stared at him and then looked at Corbin. “Since when am I known as ‘Mistress'?”
He shrugged. “You are my consort. It’s a title of respect.”
“Whatever.” I sighed and looked at the little vamp who was glancing back and forth between us like we were playing a particularly confusing tennis match. “Well, what do you want?” I asked him.
“Oh, er…I actually had a message for my Master.” He gave Corbin a little head-bobbing bow. “I wanted to tell you that the were is here."
Corbin frowned. “Victor is here already? Did you show him in to the small studio?”
“I did.” The little vamp nodded. “I offered him refreshments but he just, er, growled at me. Forgive me, Master, but I don’t think he’s very happy to be here.”
“I wouldn’t expect him to be,” Corbin said blandly. “Still, he is in my debt and he is obligated to pay.”
“The deal was to pay back the money in installments—not to call the whole fucking debt in at once,” a low, growling voice announced.
I looked up in surprise. And up…and up. The doorway was suddenly filled with a huge, angry man with black hair that curled around the edges and dark brown eyes. He was somewhere between being scruffy and having an outright beard and he was six foot six if he was an inch. Even if the little vampire hadn’t said so, I would have known he was a werewolf just by looking at him—he had that animalistic energy that only the really strong weres seem to carry around them like a cloud.
By the way he was dressed— in a black wife-beater that showed off his muscular arms, worn jeans and scuffed work boots—it was clear he didn’t give a damn about making a good impression in a vampire establishment. That was par for the course for a were—they hate vamps. But he still looked really out of place in Under the Fang.
The glam club was mostly an upscale place, despite Corbin’s tendency to walk around in jeans and t-shirts half the time. Tonight, as he had been the night before, the blond vampire was wearing a beautifully tailored suit. I had stepped up my own outfit as well and was wearing a little black dress I usually saved for cocktail parties and Christmas with my family, when I couldn’t get out of it. It wasn’t that I wanted to look nice for Corbin, I told myself—more like I didn’t want to be forced into changing again.
“Victor, what a pleasant surprise. I was under the impression that you were
waiting in the other room.” Corbin shot his assistant a look of extreme displeasure and the little vamp turned white with fright. Well, whiter than usual, anyway.
“Yeah, he put me in there but I’m in no mood to wait. We need to talk now,” the other man growled. “What the hell do you think you’re doing, calling in my debt all at once? That wasn’t the fucking agreement and you know it.”
“What if I told you that you could pay back the entire debt without giving me another penny?” Corbin asked.
The big were frowned.
“I’m not killing anybody—I’m not a damn assassin for hire.”
Corbin showed his fangs with an irritated hiss.
“Don’t be foolish, Victor—I do my own killing. No, what I need from you is entirely different.” He looked the other man up and down, frowning. “Although I must say, you are rather underdressed for it.”
“Underdressed for what?” Victor demanded impatiently.
“Why, for your wedding, my friend.” Corbin gave him a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “For your wedding.”
“My what?” Victor shook his head, obviously not understanding. “Sorry, I think I heard you wrong. It sounded like you said something about me getting married.”
“That is precisely what I said.” Corbin rose smoothly from behind his desk and was suddenly standing beside the big were. “I have a female that needs protection outside the vampire sphere. And you, Victor, are as far outside it as it is possible to get.”
“Wait a minute. Wait a minute.” I took a step forward, looking up at both of them. “Corbin, you’re not actually thinking what I think you’re thinking—are you?”
“I don’t know, darling,” he said, raising an eyebrow. “What exactly do you imagine I am thinking? Please do elaborate because so far you have done so well at guessing what is in my mind.”
I decided to ignore the sarcasm and get straight to the point.
“Tell me you’re not trying to marry Taylor off to this…this Neanderthal.” I gestured at the big were who frowned at me in obvious irritation.
“Taylor? Who’s that?”
“My best friend who also happens to be a vampire,” I said tartly.
“What? A vampire?” He turned to Corbin. “You want me to marry a fanger?”
“That is exactly what I want, minus the slurs.” Corbin gave him a level stare. “And unless you have the fifty thousand dollars you owe me in your pocket at this moment, you will do it without question.”
“Look, I know I owe you a lot of money but there’s no fucking way I’m marrying a vampire,” Victor growled.
“And there’s no way Taylor is marrying anyone like him,” I put in. “You know what she’s been through recently, Corbin—why would you even suggest it?”
“To make her unavailable to Roderick, of course.” He sounded exasperated. “Now that you have made an issue of him wanting her, he will not be deterred from claiming her unless she is completely out of his reach.”
“And you think this is the best answer?” I demanded.
“It is the only answer,” Corbin snapped. “And you should be grateful I am willing to bring it about. It is costing me a considerable amount of money to ensure the safety of your incompetent little friend.”
“I said, I don’t care how much I owe you,” Victor growled at Corbin, his eyes flashing gold. “I’m not marrying a fucking fanger.”
“Hello? Can I come in?” We all looked up and saw Taylor standing there, framed in the doorway.
She was wearing a sleek, cream-colored gown that clung to her curves in all the right places and a crown of white rosebuds in her long dark hair. Her big blue eyes were wide with uncertainty as she took in the scene in Corbin’s office. I thought she looked beautiful.
“Taylor,” I said quickly, going to take her hand. “Don’t worry, hon, it’s not going to happen.”
Victor had been staring silently at her, his eyes still glowing gold and his mouth open. He tore his gaze away and looked at Corbin.
“You’re damn straight it’s not happening.”
“What’s not happening?” Taylor asked, a look of confusion on her face.
I gave Corbin an exasperated look. “Did you tell anybody that they were getting married and who they were marrying tonight?"
“I thought it best to let them get a good look at each other first.” Corbin seemed to be trying to smother a smile. “You must admit, they appear to be well suited.”
“Well suited? She’s a vamp and he’s a were—they’re mortal enemies!” I exclaimed. “His pack will rip her apart!”
Taylor went pale. “Addison? What are you talking about? I’m not actually supposed to marry a man I don’t even know, am I?”
“As your new Master, I say you will,” Corbin said sternly, before I could reply. “And do not worry about Victor’s packmates—he has none—that is one reason I chose him. He is what the weres call a ‘lone wolf’.”
“But he’s still a wolf,” I pointed out. “And she’s still a vamp.”
“Ah well.” Corbin shrugged philosophically. “The course of true love never did run smooth.”
“Ha-ha. Very funny,” I snapped. “Corbin, this is ridiculous and you know it.”
“Very well.” He took a step back and spread his hands. “If you can think of a better way to put your friend out of Roderick’s reach then by all means, let me hear it. Please bear in mind, though, that he will be here within the hour.”
“Roderick?” Taylor turned even whiter until she was really as pale as a ghost. She looked at Corbin appealingly. “Oh please, you said he would never…that I never had to go with him again.”
“And you don’t,” he said firmly. “As long as you do as I say.”
“I don’t know what you guys are talking about but I’m out of here.” Victor started to shoulder his way out the door.
“You’re not going anywhere unless you have the cash to pay me back at once.” Corbin was suddenly standing in front of the other man, blocking his escape. “Fifty thousand dollars plus interest please,” he said pleasantly.
Victor scowled. “You know I don’t have it—I just got my company off the ground. You have to give me time.”
“Time is what I do not have.” Corbin stared at him implacably. “Make your choice—pay the money or bind yourself to my underling. Those are your only two choices.”
The big were ran a hand through his curly black hair and took a step back.
“This is crazy! I don’t understand you fucking vamps—I don’t even know her.” He cast a glance at Taylor who had her arms wrapped around herself and was staring at the floor.
“And Taylor’s been through a lot,” I put in. “Why can’t she just hide out at my place until Roderick leaves?”
“Your house would be the first place he would look, darling. And he wouldn’t stop looking until he found her,” Corbin said, but he was still staring at Victor. “Well?” he asked.
“Ah, hell…” Victor rubbed the back of his neck. “Damnit, Corbin, if I had known you were gonna pull this kind of shit on me, I never would have asked you for a loan. This is the weirdest fucking thing I’ve ever heard of.”
“It seems strange to me, too.” Taylor lifted her head at last and looked at Corbin. “I understand that you want to put me out of harm’s way, Master, but I want to be sure of something before I do this.”
“You may speak,” Corbin nodded at her. “What is your concern, Taylor?”
“I…” She took a deep breath. “I want to be sure I’m not going from one awful situation to a worse one. What Roderick did was…it was bad.” Her voice was trembling and I squeezed her hand. She squeezed back and somehow seemed to find the will to go on. “But how do I know that he…” She nodded at Victor. “Won’t do the same or worse to me? At least…at least I know what to expect with Roderick.”
“I believe Victor to be a decent man or I would not have chosen him for you,” Corbin said quietly. “But I can make him swear an oa
th not to harm you if it would make you feel better.”
“Hey, I’m no fucking abuser,” Victor growled. “I don’t hit women, ever.” He frowned. “And anyway, it’s not like I agreed to this.”
“But you will,” Corbin told him. “Besides, my friend, this is only a temporary arrangement. Three months are all that is needed to satisfy the laws of ownership. After that you and Taylor can go your separate ways.”
“Wait a minute,” I said. “Ownership? As in, he will legally own her? What kind of medieval laws are these?”
“In fact, they are from medieval times when a woman was considered little more than property,” Corbin said. “But they have since been modified—in effect, Taylor and Victor will own each other and no one may come between them. At least until they separate after three months, which should hopefully be enough time for Roderick to forget her and move on.”
“Three months, huh?” Victor frowned and rubbed his chin. “Well, I guess that’s not as bad as ‘til death do us part.” He shot a glance at Taylor. “Which it never would because—” He stopped abruptly but Taylor finished for him.
“Because I’m already dead. Isn’t that what you were going to say?” she demanded, lifting her chin.
“Well…yeah.” Victor rumbled. “Sorry, I just don’t like fangers very much.”
Corbin raised an eyebrow at him. “You like them well enough to borrow their money.”
“Point taken.” The big were sighed. “All right, let’s get this over with.” He looked at Corbin. “But I don’t have any place to put her right now. My house isn't finished yet."
“Just binding her to you will keep her safe enough,” Corbin assured him. “Though I do expect you to take her off my hands as soon as you can.”
“Corbin—” I started to protest but Taylor touched my arm lightly, stopping me.
“It’s all right,” she said, her voice shaking only a little. “I’ll do it if it will keep Roderick away from me.” She looked at Corbin. “But I want him to swear—to take an oath like you said, Master. Especially if he’s going to be my ‘owner’.”
“You will be his owner too,” Corbin reminded her.
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