by P. A. Warren
“Did you really think that act fooled me? Do you remember me at all?”
It’s time to tell him the truth. Playing with the threads on the pillowcase and looking down at the intricate pattern, I finally start talking.
“You are so familiar to me, like home, but I have no idea where I’ve met you before. When we first met in the cafeteria, I knew there was something about you that drew me to you, but nothing ever clicked. Then when I saw your image with mine in the mirror playing before me like a movie—”
“Wait…what happened in what mirror?” he interrupts.
Flipping to my back and putting my hands under my head, I glance over at him with my eyes all puffy and red from crying. “I looked in the mirror and you and I were in it, but I was the only one in the bathroom. You and I were in a white room with a huge window that stared out into the ocean. We were happy, and you walked up to me, and hugged and kissed me.”
“And this was like a vision in the mirror?”
“Exactly like a movie playing. It really freaked me out.”
“Wow…yeah we really need to have a very long talk, but we can’t right here where others can hear us. It’s important for you to know who you truly are.”
“Who are you, Mikail? You’re so mysterious that I have absolutely no idea if you are the good guy or the bad guy.”
“Then I’m doing my job well,” he says, laughing, sitting next to me on the bed. “I would never hurt one hair on your head, Claire, that I can promise you.” Biting my lip, I give him a short nod and look in the opposite direction.
“What’s going on in that head of yours?” he quietly asks me.
“I had a flash back to the time I was in the dark cell when the water was thrown on me and it’s so not a happy place for me.” Staring into the distance, I tell him how scared I was and the feelings of despair I felt.
He grasps my hands between his and puts them to his lips. “Do you know that for twenty-one years of my life I lived without love? My dad only wanted me because he thought he had something to gain by me? By the time I was fifteen, I’d lost count of how many people I’d been ordered to kill. It was either agree with him or be beaten, and the beatings don’t stop the killing, it just made it more painful for me, so I gave in, until you. Your grandmother, the Queen, took me under her wing and out of my dad’s home, and the day we walked into your house I knew that you were someone that would change my life forever. Do you know how many people I have ever loved before?” He turns to the side of the bed taking off his shoes.
“No,” I tell him honestly.
“One person and she’s the most beautiful person I’ve ever met, even if it does make me horribly jealous when I see you with Riley.”
“It makes you jealous?” My interest is piqued.
Nodding, he looks at me with a look that for some reason has my insides burning. What is going on with me? One minute I’m hot for Riley, and the next I want to jump Mikail faster than a cat on a hot tin roof.
“I want you undressed and under me,” he says, looking longingly at me. “I’m used to feeling jealous, but when you were talking with them all I wanted to do was punch Riley in the face. Which was exactly why I had to hold myself back, or I would have killed Jason for throwing water on you.”
Sitting up, I wrap my arms around Mikail with my chest pressed against his back, inhaling into his neck and enjoying the feel of his muscular back under my hands. He smells faintly of cinnamon, and I have no idea why. It’s so comforting that I inhale again. Shivering, I suddenly grasp the covers up to my neck.
“Why do you smell like cinnamon?”
“What?”
“Your smell, it smells like cinnamon.”
“I have no idea, but why do you smell like vanilla?”
“Touché.”
I pull my shirt off and throw it over the side of the bed so he can watch the shirt fall to the ground. Before I can get to the buttons of my pants, he has somehow twisted himself and moved over me, pressing me into the mattress.
“You. Are. Mine. Do you understand?” he asks as he presses his hips firmly against mine with each word. Feeling how hard he is against his jeans while pressed against me gets me giddy with pleasure. Wiggling, I try to get even closer to him.
“I am yours, Mikail, all yours.”
He growls seductively when he hears those words coming from of my mouth. He rips my clothes off and shows me just how much he wants me.
Waking with a loud gasp of air, I sit up, looking around the dark room and notice I’m still on top of the bed where I landed, fully dressed. There is someone else in the bed. I reach over and touch them and watch as they roll over. My heart is in my throat, and then I see its Riley. Pushing my hair out of my eyes, I take several deep breaths, trying to calm my racing heart, and my even more excited body. I stay that way for a while, staring into the darkness with covers clutched to my chin.
***
Getting up at four-thirty in the morning is extremely hard when you’re exhausted. I haven’t had a good night’s sleep since I was kidnapped. Between Mikail’s appearance in my dreams and the nightmares that come in the dark, I’m severely lacking in the sleep area.
Another lie I’ve found out is the whole sleeping: vampires still need it. They don’t go dead either, just a normal sleep. Being a vampire seems pretty boring. You would think they would do something out of the ordinary. Other than drinking blood, I haven’t really seen much of a difference from being a human. It’s been somewhat of a letdown.
Shuddering, I pick up the same clothes I’ve been wearing for the past few weeks. I cringe at the idea of putting the dirty clothes back on and throw them down. I walk over to Riley’s bag and sort through it, finding a pair of gym shorts that are huge, but I throw them on sans underwear since mine are still drying from the washing I gave them in the sink last night. Throwing on my stained shirt goes against everything I want, but at this point I have no other choice. I lace up my shoes and look over my shoulder at Riley’s sleeping form and am surprisingly jealous that I can’t still be asleep.
I stand up and bend over and brush my hair upside down. I pull my thick hair into a high, tight ponytail before checking the mirror. Sticking my tongue out at my horrible reflection, stained shirt, baggy shorts and crazy hair, I’ve got it all: I’m a hot mess…work it, girl.
I make my way into the kitchen and open the fridge, with my mind on one thing and one thing only: blood. Sorting through the clear packages, I grab one, assuming they are all the same. I tear open the bag and bring it to my lips, and just as I’m about to tear the cap off, I’m attacked from behind. The person’s weight is pressing into me, pushing me into the counter and making me feel helpless. Panic starts to overwhelm me, but before I let it consume me, I kick my leg out. I come into contact with what I assume is a leg, hearing a groan from my attacker and I know I’ve successfully hurt them. I manage to untangle myself and look around at what I could use for a weapon and zone in on the toaster. Yanking it from the plug, I turn around to face my attacker and see nothing. I pivot around and still see no one. I walk slowly towards the dining room with the toaster over my head, so I can slam it in their face when I find them. From out of nowhere, I’m pulled into a tight hold around my shoulders, making it so my arms are locked into place, and the toaster falls to my feet. I feel warm breath touch my neck as I shiver and unsuccessfully try pulling away, but am unable to. Shaking with fear and with my hearts pounding in my ears, I pull my leg back hard and fast, kicking at the attacker again and hearing a satisfying groan. I continue trying to get away when he drops us both to the ground, tackling me so I can’t kick him anymore.
I’m still struggling to get away when my attacker whispers softly with triumph in my ear, “This is why you need training. You’re a vampire and yet you don’t act like one.”
Taking in the familiar voice, I get angry. “Mikail, get the hell off me now,” I say through gritted teeth as I hear him laugh and move away from me. He holds his hand out to he
lp me up, and despite my anger, I allow it. I get right up in his face and shove him.
“Don’t you ever do that again, you asshole! Who the hell does crap like that?”
“I do.” He watches me with his arms clasped together as I go off on him. “You don’t understand, Claire, you have such potential and yet no one’s given you the training, so it’s like you’re not even a vampire.”
Walking up to him, I squint up at him, sticking my finger in his chest. “I’m going to eat breakfast,” I say, poking him in the chest again. “Then you and I are going outside like we scheduled,” I say, stressing the word ‘scheduled’. “And I’m going to learn how to kick your ass. I don’t care how long it takes; you will teach me everything you know.” I continue poking his chest for more emphasis.
Rolling his eyes at me, he turns away, walking towards the door and heading outside. That pisses me off; looking at the bag of blood in my hands I tilt my head as Mikail walks through the door. I let my anger get the better of me because I launch that sucker right at his back and take immense pleasure as it breaks open all over his back drenching him in blood. He stops in mid step and turns around looking at me.
“I know you’re pissed at me for what I did, but I’m the best of the best so you’re lucky to have me training you. I was going to go easy on you, but now it’s on.”
Pulling off his shirt does nothing but bring back memories of my dream last night with him in all his tattooed glory. He continues on oblivious to the fact that he’s got me hot and bothered from a dream he starred in. “You better bring your A game or you’re going to wish you had never met me. Oh, and when you throw, make sure you aim first, you’ll get better results. I’ll see you outside in five,” he says, grabbing a towel and washing the blood off him.
“Oh, Mikail?” He stops walking, turning around, and looks at me questioningly. “Why did I see you in a mirror when you weren’t there and why were you in my dreams last night? Will you clue me in? I know there is something you aren’t telling me, and my mind is saying it’s something pretty big.”
He looks at my strangely, his face going white, and drops the towel.
Chapter 31
Mikail
Staring at the towel, I watch as it slips to the floor, landing at my feet. I listen to her words echo through my head over and over again: ‘Why did I see you in a mirror when you weren’t there, and why were you in my dreams last night?' So it’s true...Claire’s spirit is calling for mine. I read that this was a possibility for true mates, but the fact that we haven’t bonded and that she is bonded to someone else...well, this is a startling revelation.
It means that even though she’s bonded, her soul needs mine to be complete. Only my hands are tied, and I can’t tell her the truth until the right moment, until the Queen allows it. Disappointment fills my bones, knowing how close I am to her, yet unable to do anything about it. I wonder what she would do if she knew the truth? I still don’t understand how she could bond with Riley when that should never have happened. My mind is going a mile a minute with theories. I look up at her and catch her staring hard at my naked chest and my body clenches in want of hers. Quickly turning around so that my back faces hers, I stop in the doorway, gripping the door frame tightly.
“I’ll meet you outside, Claire.”
She watches me strangely. “Oh…um…sure.”
The irony of this situation would be amusing if it wasn’t happening to me. Shoving open the door, I wait for Claire to follow so we can begin our training. I can hopefully open her mind to magic. My phone rings. It’s the last person I want to talk to, Griffin.
“Mikail, it’s been awhile, son,” Griffin croons into the phone.
“Don’t call me that, I’m not your son,” I snap.
“Oh, I wouldn’t be too sure of that,” he laughs. “That’s a talk for another day. I called you for a different reason though. I have use for your tracking skills, and I need for you to find Riley. He’s traveling with Claire, who you’re supposed to be tracking, and I think he thinks they’re in love, but it’s a bunch of nonsense.”
“So you want just Riley or the girl too?” I ask softly into the phone.
“Both. Make it happen and make it soon. Riley is useless to me, kill him,” he says, laughing, “The girl, I want alive. She needs to learn her lesson before I kill her,” he growls into the phone before hanging up.
Staring incensed at the phone, I consider smashing it but instead pocket it. I’ll still need to be in contact with the bastard. He won’t be getting Claire anytime soon…Riley maybe, but not Claire. Never Claire.
Chapter 32
Claire
Stepping outside, I’m prepared to work hard. Peering around the yard for Mikail, I finally spot him, on his cell phone pacing near the tree line. When I walk up to him, he holds his hand up and raises his finger to his lips.
“So you want just Riley or the girl too?” he asks into the phone.
Finishing the call, he smiles but it doesn’t reach his eyes and looks at me with a fire burning in his eyes. “So Griffin was on the phone, apparently he’s looking for you too and wants me to find you both. You’re both lucky I’m going to do the opposite of that, only we have less time than I originally thought.”
I Nod. This doesn’t even phase me anymore. “Let’s do it then.”
Mikail puts me through the ringer once he starts teaching me things. Falling for the third time when he kicks his foot out at mine, I hit the dirt face first and look at him standing above me, leaning down, offering me a hand up. Getting up, he sweeps his foot out and knocks me on the ground again. Landing on my back, I lie there looking at the sky.
He teaches me hand-to-hand combat using stakes and knives. We work on how to take someone down with a single kick; I really enjoyed learning that. When I was finally able to figure it out I slammed Mikail down several times. Letting go with a victory dance the last time I took him down is what really did me in. Wincing as I land on the dirt, I sit up, glaring at Mikail as he stares down at me with an eyebrow cocked.
“Don’t ever get cocky Claire, that’ll get you killed,” he says rubbing his forehead.
Taking a break for some blood. I sit down on a stump when someone grabs me from behind. My blood goes flying and all the training Mikail gave me immediately kicks in. I grab the attacker like Mikail showed me and have him down in three seconds flat. Mikail rushes up behind me and looks down at the ground shaking his head. I hear him murmuring the words, “Jason” and “idiot” in the same sentence before he walks back towards our practice area. I look down Jason still on his back in the dirt with a look of pain in his eyes. Offering Jason a hand, I help him up grinning. I can’t help but feel proud of the way I did it. Still busy basking in the beauty off my ass kicking skills, I walk over to grab another bag of blood, drinking it quickly.
Mikail walks up to me putting his arm over my shoulder. “You did well today,” he says jovially. “Do you remember the Maji your grandmother gave you?”
Looking over at him startled, I asked, “How do you know about the Maji? Did Jason tell you?”
“Not quite,” he says, looking over at me with a smile on his face. “He did, but I’ve known about the Maji for a very long time. When you were kidnapped, your bag dropped and it slipped out. Jason was so worried about you he didn’t bother to pick it up, so he never saw me grab it. I’ve had the Maji ever since.”
Wow, I think sitting down shocked, with everything that’s gone on I simply forgot about the Maji. Shaking my head to clear my thoughts, I asked, “Did you open it?”
“Yes, the Maji is spell protected and only lets people who have magic open it. We need to sit down and talk about your magic. It’s said that the Maji will protect its owner, but I’ve never seen it in action. It’s one of those myths you hear about. Don’t tell anyone about the Maji. The less people that know it’s here, the better.”
“May I have it back?” I ask, holding my hand out.
“I’ll give it to you tonigh
t. You really need to read what’s in there and learn some of the spells. They could come in handy when we have to fight Griffin.”
Wiping his hands on his pants as he helps me up, he looks down at me seriously. “I’d really like to be the one to open you up to the magic that you have. I’d like to be the one to pop your magic cherry,” he says with a grin.
Groaning at his last comment, I stand up and brush the dirt off my shorts. “Do you think Griffin’s going to find us here?”
“I don’t know Claire, but I can promise you that I will keep you safe, no matter what,” he says seriously, grabbing my hand as he says it.
“Griffin’s a bad man,” I tell him, shuddering.
“Tell me about it,” Riley says, walking up behind me, kissing my head. “Try being his son.”
Pulling my hand away from Mikail’s, I guiltily look over at Riley before glancing over at Mikail, who looks darkly at Riley. “Let’s meet later and talk about the other thing we were talking about, okay?” He nods at me and motions for Riley to follow him.
Chapter 33
Riley
I stayed inside while Mikail was teaching Claire to fight. It was better this way. The main reason was if I saw him kicking her ass I would have killed him. My feelings for her grow stronger by the day; it’s unsettling since I’ve never been with one woman this long, or any woman for that matter. I’m a screw ‘em and leave ‘em kinda guy, and this came on so suddenly, like hitting a brick wall.
Leaning on the window sill, I watch as Mikail flips Claire onto her side and slams her into the ground. I clench my fists on the wooden frame as I attempt to control myself, even though I want to fly through the window to kick Mikail’s ass for hurting Claire. After glaring through the window at them for hours in the same uncomfortable spot, I leave the house. I walk up behind them and glare down at Claire’s hand in Mikail’s. She turns, hearing me walk up behind her, and pulls it away quickly. A hint of guilt passes over her face. I walk over, putting my arms around Claire, and listen to them talk about the how bad my dad is.