by A. C. Mason
“Of course, Rowley hasn’t told you about me.” He nodded. “My name is Gunari.”
Not the one and the same, Vaihan’s maker? What on God’s green earth could Rowley want with this Ancient?
“The name rings a bell?” He cocked his brow. “Interesting, Vaihan still mentions me.”
She swallowed. Would responding further betray Vaihan?
“You and I have had the chance to get close enough to a certain undead to betray him.” In a flash, he was right next to her and lifted her arm to his nose. “One of us is still feeling the effect and reaping the delight of him.”
Shit. “I have no idea what you are talking about.”
“His scent saturates your pores. Your recent episode was via his fluid. How did you manage to get his ejaculate?” He trailed his nose upward, along her flesh.
“Vaihan won’t have anything to do with me, so I have no idea what you are talking about.” She tugged her arm free.
“You don’t, do you?” He wrapped his forearm around her waist, and yanked her to him. “Let’s just have a peek.”
A foggy mist entered her mind. “I’ll scream, if you don’t let me go.”
“And I’ll inform Rowley, whose poison runs through your veins, if you don’t answer my questions.”
One more asshole threatening her. “What do you want to know?”
“Do you love Vaihan, Leera?” He lowered the tone of his voice.
She laughed nervously. Why would he want this information? “To the best of my knowledge, I do.”
“What sweet agony...” He stepped back. “A human woman truly in love with a monster. Of course, poor tortured Vaihan is the recipient of such affection, which he cannot allow himself to have because you betrayed him. Brilliant.” He clapped. “He continues to be the tragic Greek hero of his own play.”
“I’m glad you are amused.” She placed her hand on her hip.
“The irony of it all is maddening, but somewhat predictable, given who Vaihan is. When I saw him fight, I had to have him. When I saw him make love with the gypsy, I had to turn him.”
“You watched?”
“Yes. I couldn’t turn away from his masterful abandon to passion and his inner self. I’ve yet to find a comparable living or undead, and I’ve spent a great many years searching.” He opened the door. “You’re missed. I would hurry, as Rowley will come looking for you soon.”
Chapter 43
Rowley gripped his BlackBerry. “You are sure about this?” As he squeezed, the casing crackled beneath his fingers.
“Yes.”
“Bastard.” He pushed the End Call button. What possible motive could the man have to do such a thing?
Devin stopped pacing and stepped closer. “Well, what did Gunari say?”
“Leera went to the hospital, signed in to see Dr. M. Steinfeld.” Another fucker he’d need to rid the world of.
“What? Is the doctor giving her the drug? What for?” Devin grabbed his bangs, a sure sign of the stress he was under.
“Fuck, if I know. Shit, maybe he’s doing it for the creature, to force her back to it.” No matter what his motive, Rowley would be sure to provide him with a painful death.
“But he’s a doctor. Why would he take such a risk? It just doesn’t make any sense.” Guilt must be eating at Devin for Lee-lee’s disappearance.
“Gunari said she staggered to the cab stand ten minutes ago, so she should be home any moment.” Rowley would do his best to remain calm. At this point he wasn’t sure how.
To put her into a rehab program, he’d need Peter’s help. Devin probably had a better chance of explaining things to the man in order to get his cooperation.
Car lights pulled up and shone into the living room.
“Deal with the cabby. I’ll get her.” He ran out the door.
Devin nodded, as he pulled his wallet from his back pocket.
Rowley opened the rear door. Lee-lee smiled at him, her dark eyes drowned in obscurity, the sexy intensity replaced with mindless numbness.
“Honey, I’m home.” She flopped her arms around his neck “Are you both going to fulfill all my needs like you did last time?”
“No.” He clenched his jaw shut to stop the word at the tip of his tongue from flying out.
“Why not? I thought you liked it.” She pressed her lips to his ear. “Another man getting me off just to fulfill your sexual whims. Another man using me.”
Another man using her? Was that how she saw what the three of them shared?
“You think I’m using you?” Whether she intended it or not, her words hurt. Devin could fulfill emotional needs outside the bedroom that he never could. Didn’t she get that he was doing this for her? Did she think he’d made the decision lightly? Beneath his feet, the snow crunched.
She kissed his cheek. “What does it matter, what I think? You don’t really want me to.”
“Enough.” One more hurtful word out of her, and he wouldn’t hold it together.
The door slammed. Devin leaned against the wall in the living room.
Rowley set her down on the La-Z-Boy across from the sofa. His hands shook. Maybe she was trying to provoke him. Why, though? So she could go back to it?
“Where did you get the drug, Leera?”
“Oh, you’re mad. I can always tell, because you use my grown up name.” She giggled.
The pain her behavior caused him amused her. “Let me rephrase. Where have you been?”
“Out.” Grinning widely, she nodded.
“Do I seem amused to you?”
She shook her head.
“Then answer my fucking questions.”
Another shake of the head was her response.
“You’re refusing to tell me your whereabouts? And don’t lie, or I can’t say what I’ll do.”
“I was out.”
“Where?”
“At a Z-Luv club.”
Rage heated his insides. She would lie to him? “You’d fucking sit here and lie to my face.”
“No.” She nodded.
Gunari entered and closed the door behind him.
“I want you to tell me if it’s Vaihan’s drug inside her and how it got into her system.”
“What?” Leera’s eyes widened with fear.
“Now!” Rowley yelled.
The creature moved closer to her, tugged off her jacket and sniffed her skin. “Definitely, Vaihan’s scent.”
“How did his fluid get into her?” Rowley squeezed his hands into fists.
She pushed Gunari away from her. “Get it away from me.”
“Devin, hold her arms.” From behind her, Devin grabbed hold of her wrists, while Gunari smelled her.
Gunari stopped between her thighs. “To be sure, I need a sample from inside her.”
“I’ll do it.” Rowley kneeled down, slid his hand into her pantyhose and panties.
“Rowley, enough. You’ve made your point.” Devin let her arms go.
Rowley pushed on, as she scratched at him. He inserted two fingers inside her. Her folds were slick with a thick coating, lubricant or a male’s ejaculate. He retracted and held his fingers out for it.
“Definitely the point of entry.” Gunari stepped away.
How could she? He rose, grabbed her by her shirt, lifting her to her feet. “You fucked it?”
“No, he wouldn’t have me that way, even if I begged.” She held onto his forearm.
“Liar.” Anger erupted at the way she could stand there and try to feed him more bullshit. He cocked his arm back and swung forward.
Devin blocked Rowley’s blow. “I won’t let you strike her.”
“You dare interfere?” In the ten years he’d known Devin, not once had he stepped between Rowley and his intent. His behavior didn’t make sense. Unless there was more to this–more to them. He gripped Leera’s shirt and reached for his gun with his other hand.
Devin covered his hand at the holster with his own. “Are you going to shoot me because I won’t let you hit her
?”
“No. But for fucking her behind my back, I might. You think she loves you, Devin?” Rowley laughed, pushing into him. “Leera and I are the same kind of damaged–completely disconnected from our emotions. She can’t care about you, but she can play on your emotions to get you to do what she wants.”
“You think we slept together when you weren’t around because I won’t let you strike her.” Devin cocked his head.
“Pretty much, but I’ll prove it from the tapes from the cameras I set up in each room.” He cocked his brow. “I can only imagine how she played you. Let me take a guess at it. Did she make you feel like the only person who matters in the world? Oh, and play up being torn with the push-pull of wanting you? It’s her song and dance. The game she plays to test men.”
“I don’t care if it’s a game for her. Much the way, I don’t care that you mostly do as you see fit. I care for both of you and I won’t let you hurt each other. I will take her punishment for her. If you need to take the anger out on someone, let it be me.”
“I’d love to stick around while the three of you figure out your love triad, but I’ve got plans.” Gunari headed out.
Rowley let go of Leera, and she dropped to the seat, unable to support herself.
“Leera, remove the money in my wallet and take a cab to Peter’s place,” Devin ordered.
She got up, swaying side to side, removed the leather billfold, withdrew the cash and tossed the case on the seat.
“You know as well as I do, that isn’t where she is going to go.” Rowley jerked to maneuver himself loose.
With a stumble, followed by another, she put on her coat, grabbed her handbag and escaped into the night.
“If you weren’t you, Devin, I’d kill you with my bare hands.” Rowley pushed into him.
“You may still do that.”
There was no point. “I know she’ll be back.” No other man could tolerate her depravity the way Rowley could.
Devin released his hand. Rowley squeezed his fingers into a fist and drove it into his jaw. A little tai chi was in order to release his delicate side.
Chapter 44
Sunlight beamed on Vaihan’s skin from the large panoramic window. The reflective glare from the snow forced him to keep his sunglasses on.
His BlackBerry vibrated. He sighed, not really in the mood to answer. The display showed Errol’s club number. It could be Dominique. What if something was wrong with one of the women?
He lifted the device to his ear. “Hello.”
“You’ll never guess who just walked in here.” Errol’s voice carried a heavy note.
His heart sank deep into his gut. “Leera.”
“You’re good.” Laughter rumbled on the other side.
The lace of panic in the undead’s voice gave away his fear.
“Dominique is giving her the run-through. We can stall her with paperwork and piddling, an hour at most.”
“I’m on my way.” Vaihan hung up, grabbed his overcoat, keys and flew out the door, but not at the speed with which he used to move. The changes weren’t all they were cracked up to be.
* * * *
Vaihan slid his Audi into a staff parking spot around back, near the trash bins. A group of youth congregated by the side of the building, smoking marijuana. He lifted the hood of his wool coat over his head in the hope that Errol would not notice the changes in him. The garment might mask his changing scent.
What on earth could have possessed her to go there? He knocked on the rear door.
Errol opened it. “That was quick.”
Even with his stop at the Check Point Defense blockade. What kind of shady dive would she go to, if she left there?
“Dominique set her up in the meat chamber, at her request. There was no more stalling her.” He huffed. “I could smell another undead on her. Very ancient. Not one I know. And she’s high.”
He frowned. What the hell could she be thinking? Of all the rooms she could have picked, she’d chosen the most demeaning. Down the back staircase, Errol led him to the rear entrance of the room and handed over the key.
“None of my clients would touch her, given what went down with you.” His lips spread into a thin line. “If you can’t get her to leave with you, maybe her brother?”
“I’ll handle her.” Errol’s meaning was not lost on him. Having her there was bad for business if any of the patrons caught wind, literally. “Thanks.”
With a forced smile and tap to the shoulder, Errol headed back.
Vaihan turned the key, palms slick with sweat, a side effect of his more human state. The latch clicked, but not with the usual thunderous tone his zombie hearing would have picked up. He entered and closed the door behind him.
Leera hung, blindfolded, from the ceiling, hands and arms extended overhead, her feet barely touching the floor. Ringlets framed her face. Muscles and bones showed through the caramel hue of her skin. Her full breasts peaked with hard buds. The dark, coarse curls between her thighs accentuated her femininity. A goddess of seduction.
Only she could fill the hollow place in his heart.
“Hello.” Her speech was heavy and drawn out. She’d recently had more toxin.
“Shh.” He stepped closer, fingers tingling to touch her. Know her. Feel her. The way a man would. The way he now could, if only she wanted him.
With her toes, she moved her body toward him. “You like the quiet types?”
Not quite. He smiled. “That depends.”
Goose bumps covered her skin. “Vaihan.” She breathed out.
Heat rushed inside him at the way she pronounced his name. “Yes, Leera?”
She angled her head, so her ear could listen. “Am I hallucinating this?” she whispered.
He feared the very same thing. “And what this would you be referring to?”
“Do you come here to feed from human flesh?” She swayed in the restraints.
The mental image sparked from her words did not appeal to him. “No.”
She twisted her lips. “Do you come for the anonymous sex?”
The idea did not arouse him. “No.” If that were his thrill, why pick the one woman he had a connection–history with? “I’m here for you, Leera.”
“I must be imagining this.” She smiled.
“I’m afraid you aren’t.” He stepped back to stop himself from touching her. “I’m going to get you down and take you home with me.”
“Shit. I’m dead.” She sighed. “Peter will blame himself.”
Vaihan reached up over her head. “You are definitely not dead.” her peaked nipples brushed the material of his coat, reminding him of just how alive he was. He unhooked her.
She slumped into his arms with a moan. “You kinda smell like Vaihan.” She lifted the fabric from her eyes and gasped. “Vaihan?”
“Yes, Leera.” As he cloaked her and gathered her up to him, desire moved through his body. No matter how unpleasant the conversation, he’d call Peter to let him know where his sister was.
Chapter 45
Sunlight streamed onto Leera’s face from between the blinds. Sweat covered her skin, and the need for the toxin left her anxious. Where the hell was she? She sat up, holding a cream-colored sheet to her chest. A cushioned area was tucked along the bay window opposite the bed. Outside was a winter wonderland, with trees covered in snow and a frozen lake.
In the high-ceilinged white room, the nightstand had a clock with flashing digital numbers and a lamp. She wrapped the blanket around her and ventured toward the door.
Vaihan’s voice came from the other side.
She pressed her ear to the crack.
“She’s sleeping,” he said.
Pause.
“I don’t know.”
Pause.
“You can’t just say something like that to a person. Besides, no matter how she feels about me, I love her and would do anything for her.”
Her heart pounded. She closed her eyes. How was that possible? That couldn’t be true. He’
d broken things off with her.
“My other form would have killed her. You and I both know, if I ever could have a chance with her, which I don’t, the only way would be for me to give up my immortality.”
What? Was that even possible? He would do that for her?
“Of course, I’m wounded by her carelessness. She continues to self-destruct, and I have gained no knowledge in my ten centuries of living of how to pull her from the darkness.” Footsteps drew near. “I’ve failed her.”
She tippy-toed to edge of the bed and slid onto it.
“I’ve got to go.” The door to the room opened, and she sat up. “You’re awake?” Bare-chested, wearing loose cotton pants tied with a string at his waist, he crossed his arms with the cordless phone in one hand, causing his muscles to flex.
She wanted and needed him, but how could she have him, when she’d screwed things up so badly? Not everyone deserved to be forgiven.
“Yeah, the sun.” She pointed to the window.
“Why were you at Safe Haven?” He leaned on the inside of the door frame, the muscles in his jaw tensed.
How to answer that question... “The long or the short version?”
“The nonconvoluted version.” He huffed.
She swallowed, not wanting to upset him. “Rowley freaked when I got back from my second injection. Aggressive. Demanding to know if I’d been with you sexually. He got rough with me.”
“Did he hit you?” Eyes narrowed on her, he leaned forward.
“No.” Not from lack of will, though.
“Force himself on you?” He stepped close.
She turned from him. “Not with his penis.” There was no reason for her to tell him about Gunari and Devin unless he asked. She didn’t want him to know the extent of the mess she’d gotten herself into.
“And the younger one, he wasn’t there?” He raised his voice.
So much for that. “Yes, he was.”
“And he just stood by while Rowley assaulted you?” He gritted his teeth.
Devin had stood up for her. “No. But that’s when it got hairy. Rowley pulled a gun and Devin physically stopped him to ensure my escape.” She wrapped her arms around her torso. “For all I know, his body will show up in the river.” She hated that she’d taken the trust between them and driven in a wedge. “Anyhow, I got in a cab and started talking to the driver about Z-Luv clubs, and Safe Haven seemed like the place to go. How did you know I was there?”