by Cat Miller
J.R. walked into the office trying to look like he wasn’t worried. Griffin regretted frightening his son. J.R. was Griffin’s clone, minus the white birthmarks. He was going to be an impressive male.
The boy began to help pick up items from the floor and to put them back. Griffin noticed that his son knew exactly where everything belonged in his office. He loved that. It meant his boy was paying attention. Griffin went to his son and hugged him tightly, kissing his forehead. It wouldn’t be long before J.R. was too tall for a kiss on the forehead. He was glad affection didn’t bother J.R. yet. In a few years, he might not like his dad hugging and kissing him. For now, J.R. hugged his father back just as tightly.
“I’m sorry about that, buddy. Every once in a while I have a bad day. It has nothing to do with you though. I promise to try not to do that again.” Griffin ruffled J.R’s hair.
“It’s no big deal, Dad. It just surprised me at first. I’m going to go start cleaning my room up.” J.R. released Griffin and crossed the room, seemingly reassured that his father was in no danger. Griffin imagined the boy using his new telekinetic talent to clean up the mess Griffin had made. It was a useful ability to have.
“Ask one of the maids to come give you a hand. I’m really sorry. Let me know if anything is broken so I can have it replaced,” Griffin said, and J.R. agreed, but Griffin knew he wouldn’t need any help.
“Okay,” J.R. shouted back from the hall. The kid moved fast.
Chase had joined Danielle by the fireplace. They were having another private conversation.
“Unless what, Chase? What are you thinking?” Griffin asked.
Danielle had a hand on her chest. She looked a little pale. Chase had clearly already shared his thoughts with her.
“Unless Tessa isn’t mated to Doc,” Chase replied with a thoughtful expression.
“That’s not possible. Doc saved Tessa’s life. He gave her so much blood he risked his own life,” Griffin argued.
“That doesn’t mean he took her blood,” Danielle whispered.
Griffin’s mind spun. The possibility had never occurred to him. Could it be possible? Was Doc really that selfless? Doc wanted Tessa, Griffin knew that for a fact. Could he actually have turned Tessa without mating her? If so, Doc was her maker, not a mate. He would have a vague sense of her feeling if he concentrated on her as long as she wasn’t too far away, but he wouldn’t be able to track her. The possibility made Griffin’s heart pound hard. If Tessa wasn’t mated, then he still had a chance to win her heart back. Griffin would do anything to make Tessa his again. He had to know one way or the other. He picked up the phone to call Doc Stevens. It would be an uncomfortable conversation, but Doc Stevens would answer Griffin’s questions if only to ensure Tessa’s safety.
“I’ll find your mother. Don’t worry, Danielle. I won’t let her slip away from me again.”
Twelve
Kayden was dreaming in a never-ending loop. He wasn’t sure if it was a dream, memory, or a blending of the two, but it ran through his mind nonstop. He was dreaming of Lindsay, but it wasn’t the Lindsay he’d left at the infirmary in South Carolina that haunted his dreams. Kayden’s nightmare began with the Lindsay he’d met a few years ago when she was in college, and he was avoiding his responsibilities to his clan. Kayden was in the club with Chase, and they were watching Dani and her friends dance and enjoy the evening for the first time. Chase had brought Kayden’s attention to Dani that night, but Kayden had already been watching Lindsay. She was a spot of light in the middle of the dance floor with that megawatt smile and blonde hair that caught the strobing lights. She was gorgeous, but she was human, so Kayden dismissed her from his mind. The beautiful female was a distraction he had enjoyed, but Kayden didn’t like being dishonest any more than was absolutely necessary. Did he want to taste Lindsay again? Hell yes, he did, but Kayden would need to enthrall her or lie about who and what he was if he approached Lindsay again. It was bad enough that he’d had sex with her after feeding once. He never did that. No, he had to put the attractive blonde out of his mind. Kayden focused on Dani, just as he had in the past. There was something about Dani’s scent that was intoxicating. So Kayden took a deep breath and let the fragrance fill his lungs.
That’s when the memory changed to a dream. Kayden and Chase were both walking toward Dani—who had become separated from her friends—when Lindsay stepped into his path. Tears streamed down Lindsay’s face as she looked up at Kayden accusingly.
Lindsay poked him in the chest with her long, pink fingernail and said, “You just fucked up. You could have saved us both so much pain. Now I have to run.”
Kayden watched her rush away, forcing her way through the crowd in a hurry to escape, but from whom? Everyone was dancing and having fun, but Lindsay was panicked when she turned her head as if looking for some unseen danger. Something was wrong, and Kayden needed to help her. He didn’t know her well, but Lindsay didn’t seem like a melodramatic female. Kayden’s heart began to race. The feeling of impending doom loomed over him like a premonition. He started to follow her, but he was stuck in the crowd. There were so many people on the floor. Since when did Chase ignore the fire code? Chase’s father, Mason Deidrick, owned the club, but Chase had been managing it since he turned twenty-one. Surely they were beyond the capacity for the building. It was beyond overcrowded.
Lindsay didn’t get far before a male stepped out of the shadows to claim her attention. Grabbing her arm, the guy pulled her into an embrace. He swayed to the music and spoke into Lindsay’s ear. Her spine was straight as an arrow, her posture was stiff. She was pushing at his chest, but the guy wasn’t letting her go. When the male lifted his head, he gave Kayden an arrogant smirk over Lindsay’s shoulder, and Kayden recognized him instantly. It was Abel, but this wasn’t the Abel Kayden knew now. This version of his friend was dark and calculating. Abel was on the hunt, and Lindsay had stumbled right into his trap. In the past, it had been Abel’s job to lure human females to the rogue’s nest to be used for food or sex or both. Abel wrapped his arm around Lindsay and began to lead her to the exit. Lindsay’s shoulders slumped in defeat—as if she had no choice but to go with Abel.
Kayden shoved the people in front of him violently but the more people he moved, the longer the distance between him and Lindsay became. Just as Abel tugged Lindsay out the exit and into the night, she looked over her shoulder and met Kayden’s eyes. In spite of the blaring music and thumping base, Kayden heard Lindsay’s voice as clear as a bell when she said, “Your love could have saved me. You could have been mine. I would have been yours until my last day.”
Stunned, Kayden blinked at the black door as it slammed shut. He continued fighting his way through the crowd. When he was finally able to push his way off of the dance floor, Kayden burst through the exit and into the night. He had to catch up with Abel and Lindsay, but they were gone, and so was the alley outside of Thirst. Gone was the red brick building, the clubbers, the mist from the fog machines, and loud music. Kayden was in a dark corridor lined with steel doors. The stone floor was damp, and the air felt stagnant and smelled like a mix of human and vampire, old and fresh blood. He was underground, Kayden was sure of it. He looked around, and after a moment of confusion recognized his surroundings. He’d only been there once, after the battle for the Enclave. This was the rogue’s underground pit of horrors. This was where the rogue kept his human cattle. When they raided the old mansion, the Wrath had found hundreds of abused humans as well as some bodies of those who hadn’t survived waiting to be incinerated. Kayden peered into the darkness beyond the closest torch but saw nothing. Why was he there? It was so confusing. Where had the club gone?
The sound of dripping water was drowned out by quiet weeping. Was that Lindsay crying? Kayden looked through the small barred window of the nearest door. It wasn’t Lindsay in the cell, but Abel, and he wasn’t alone. Abel was on his knees with his head bowed. He was nude and chained to the floor facing away from the door. There was a male vampire in a
suit standing behind Abel and to the right. Like many dreams Kayden had had, he couldn’t focus on the unknown male’s face. The male was holding a bullwhip. What the hell? Was he going to whip Abel? Kayden pulled the handle, but the door was locked. He frantically searched around for a key, but there was none. He ran down the dark corridor searching for a guard he could fight for the keys, but he found no one.
Whack ... Whack ... Whack ...Whack …
The sound of leather tearing into Abel’s skin wasn’t something Kayden was going to ever forget. He ran back to the cell door, shouting Abel’s name, but when he reached the door and peered through the bars, the entire scene had changed. Abel was still there, and he was still naked, but now blood poured from long gashes on his back. Abel was cuffed on the floor and staring up at Kayden. Tears filled his eyes as he spoke to Kayden.
“I’m so sorry. I never meant to hurt her. She was my friend. It’s my fault. It’s all my fault,” Abel rasped from his slumped position on the floor. Kayden knew he was talking about Lindsay.
The room beyond the door was no longer a dank cell. In the way that dreams tended to change without warning, the cell had transformed into an elegant suite with thick carpet that was getting soaked with Abel’s blood. There was a plush sofa behind Abel that faced the balcony at the opposite side of the room. There were embellished double doors to one side, and an ornate fireplace and a single door to the other. The man with no face opened the double doors and stepped into the room. Abel lay still on the floor while fat tears ran down the side of his face. Kayden shook the cell door. He had to get Abel out of there before the faceless vampire did any more damage.
“Stay away from him! When I get through this door, I will terminate you!” Kayden threatened. He threw his body repeatedly against the door in a futile attempt to get to Abel. Kayden was angry with Abel for leaving the club with Lindsay, but there had to be an explanation. Abel was a good guy. They were friends, and Kayden trusted Abel to have his back in dangerous situations. Lindsay still struggled to get past her hurt feelings, but Kayden knew Abel hadn’t intended to hurt her. Lindsay knew it, too. One day she would let go of that anger. Abel just needed to give her time to heal. That reminded Kayden that Lindsay was missing. He’d found Abel, so where was she? Kayden had to get through that door.
The faceless vampire paid no attention to Abel or Kayden. He walked to the sofa and held out his hand. Until then, Kayden hadn’t noticed the female sitting on the couch. Rising to her feet, Lindsay took the male’s hand. Kayden shouted her name, but she didn’t respond. It was like being a fly on the wall. Kayden could see everything happening, but they didn’t notice him. Lindsay turned when the fucker in the expensive suit led her toward the double doors, and Kayden saw her face. Lindsay’s eyes were vacant and completely unfocused. She was being enthralled. There were very few vampires who could enthrall other vampires. It was thought to be impossible until very recently, just like vampire-human offspring were thought to be impossible. Kayden inhaled deeply, and the scent of human female tickled his nose. Lindsay wasn’t human any longer. What the fuck was going on? He was so confused. Kayden knew Lindsay was a vampire now, but she’d been human in the club. How could that be?
Before they reached the double doors, the door on the other side of the room crashed open, smacking the wall with a loud thud, and the Vampire Nation’s most wanted criminal stormed in. It was Sheena, and she was on the warpath. She looked like an evil queen in her solid black, floor-length gown, sparkling jewels, and long, flowing black hair. Sheena flipped over a table, and a sculpture of an angel went flying and shattered against the fireplace surround.
“I will not stand for this, David,” Sheena hissed. “Get rid of that girl now!”
The faceless man suddenly came into focus and it was David, the male they had believed was the rogue. “She is mine. Go away,” David said as if he were bored. Lindsay didn’t react to the threat to her life. She was completely helpless in her current state of hypnosis.
“I said I will not share you again! That’s it. I gave you the opportunity to take care of this mess yourself. Abel is going to pay for bringing her to you.”
“Abel didn’t bring her to me. He’s just a worthless boy. I took her. This is none of your business, Sheena.” David wasn’t at all moved by Sheena’s outrage.
“Do you think I will allow you to replace me again? I will kill her myself!” Sheena snarled and leapt at Lindsay. She got a good grip on Lindsay’s hair and pulled her to the floor. David shoved Sheena, but her hold on Lindsay kept her from going very far. Lindsay’s neck jerked with Sheena’s motion. Kayden gasped. In Lindsay’s human state, Sheena could have easily broken Lindsay’s neck.
“Get off of my mate! I’ll end you once and for all, you crazy bitch!” David snarled and attacked Sheena. Sheena released Lindsay to protect herself from the blows David rained down on her head.
His mate? Kayden thought Sheena was David’s mate after Sheena murdered David’s first mate, Leann. Lindsay could not be David’s mate. If Lindsay were David’s mate, David would be searching tirelessly. Their connection would help David find her. They wouldn’t be able to live without each other. Unless David was suffering from the same torture Darren, who was the Wrath warrior that became obsessed with Dani and attempted a forced mating, had experienced. Darren had failed because Dani was still human when they exchanged blood and he never got the opportunity to feed her his blood after Dani was changed from demi-vamp to full vampire. Darren’s blood connection to Dani allowed him a glimpse into her life. So he knew when the female he considered to be his mate was having sex with another male. Darren had gone insane and turned to the rogue for help with getting Dani back. In the end, Darren had died protecting Dani from Sheena.
Kayden watched helplessly as David and Sheena literally battled it out over Lindsay’s body. Lindsay lay docile on the carpet with her vacant eyes staring up at the ceiling, and a tangle of golden hair spread out around her head. Kayden wanted to scream her name and beg her to run while she had a chance, but he knew it was useless. Lindsay couldn’t hear his shouts.
Sheena backed off when David landed a particularly punishing blow to her temple. She staggered across the room. David bent and lifted Lindsay into his arms. He was leaving the room when Sheena snuck up behind David and struck him over the skull with a small shovel from the fireplace. He dropped Lindsay and fell to his knees, clutching his bleeding head. Sheena reached Lindsay with rage boiling in her eyes. Sheena dragged Lindsay to the balcony by one arm and forced her to stand. Then she shoved Lindsay through the closed doors with a crash of shattering glass and splintering wood. Kayden shouted his rage and uselessly battered the door separating him from Lindsay. Sheena followed Lindsay onto the balcony and was hauling her bloodied body up to the railing.
“You can’t have him! I’ve worked too hard for too long to lose my puppet now!” Sheena snarled into Lindsay’s face. Confused and now awake, Lindsay blinked at Sheena.
“Wh-where am I-I?” Lindsay stammered.
David’s head injury had caused him to lose his grip on Lindsay’s mind. Lindsay was now aware of her surroundings and struggling in Sheena’s hold, but Sheena already had her nearly over the railing. She had Lindsay’s shirt in her grip, and she was pushing with all of her might. Lindsay’s bottom was over the top rail. Lindsay had a gripped on the rail with the backs of her knees, and she clutched at Sheena’s bare arm, trying to hold on.
David finally roused himself and hurried to the balcony. Just as Sheena released Lindsay, David arrived and grabbed the front of Lindsay’s shirt. Lindsay was teetering on the edge of a precipice. She held onto David’s arm now. Sheena attacked David again, and the fight continued as David defended himself and Lindsay one-handed. David pulled Lindsay up onto the railing. Her eyes met Kayden’s across the distance between them. Her whiskey-brown eyes were wide with fear, but there was resignation as well. Lindsay knew she was going to die. He could see it. She knew she was going to die and she accepted the fact
.
“Hold on! I’m coming for you!” Kayden yelled to be heard over David and Sheena’s argument.
“It’s too late,” Lindsay told him a millisecond before Sheena threw herself at David and all three of them disappeared over the rail.
“No!” Kayden screamed and turned to look for stairs. There had to be stairs. His heart crashed against his ribs and fear gripped his throat tightly. He had to get outside, but he was underground. He shook his head in confusion. How had they fallen over the edge of a balcony if they were underground? None of this made sense.
“Kayden,” he heard his name but kept searching for the stairs.
Nothing mattered to Kayden except for getting to Lindsay. He loved her. Why had he had to see her die before he realized that he was in love with his Hellion? Kayden remembered the tight feeling in his chest when he worshipped Lindsay’s body under the night sky. She was so beautiful, and she told him that he was hers. She was right, he was hers and Kayden felt the rightness of it in his bones. She was his. They belonged together. Now he had to find her and make Lindsay his mate.
“Kayden,” the voice calling for him was musical and seemed to echo off of the stone walls.
Kayden kept running down the endless dark corridor. His throat burned and his eyes stung with unshed tears. He couldn’t lose Lindsay. He’d only just found her. He didn’t have time to wait for whoever was calling his name. He finally came to a door and burst through it, hoping to find stairs on the other side, but that wasn’t what greeted him. Kayden was back in the club. Chase was there looking at Dani, but Kayden was searching for Lindsay. He found her in the crowd, but she was already being led to the door by Abel. Kayden forced his way through the gyrating crowd and burst out into the alley. But it wasn’t the alley. It was a long, dark, underground stone corridor. And so it went over and over again. Abel was beaten by his father, David, who was trying to leave with Lindsay. Kayden pounded on the door that wouldn’t budge as Sheena, Abel’s mother and the real rogue, attempted to murder Lindsay. All three of them went over the ledge as Kayden watched in horror. Kayden ran to find the stairs. Someone was calling his name again, but he refused to stop. He burst through a door, and he was back in the club. Kayden’s mind spun like a demented merry-go-round that he couldn’t get off of.