Song of Midnight Embers

by Dana Marie Bell

  “Not at all.” Mollie was fond of Amara. She hadn’t always been, but the young dryad had proven herself a true champion of the town. Amara had been distrusted by the other dryads due to a set of circumstances that never should have existed. Between her unique powers and her adoptive mother, Glenda, she’d grown up an outsider. Mina, Greer and Ash had made it more than clear that Amara was theirs, a true guardian of the forest. Hamadryads were rare, and among some were considered a blessing.

  That Amara had been born to the town when they needed a Hamadryad most made Mollie think that perhaps a higher power truly was at work. Amara had found the perfect mate in Parker Hollis, the world’s only vegetarian vampire. The curse that forced him to drink only green leafy blood was still in place, but now it was by Parker’s choice. Amara was his sotiei, his blood wife. She was just as good for him as he was for her.

  “Where’s Parker?” Mollie glanced around, wondering if the British vampire had made his way to Mina’s home. Parker lived to irk Dragos, but his antics tended toward the innocent rather than malicious.

  “He’s talking to Greer, Ash and Dragos. Why?” Amara picked up a wine glass and took a sip. She immediately began coughing. “What the hell?”

  Mina smiled. “What, is it too much for you?”

  Mollie sat up. “Gimme that.” She took a sip, almost dying as the fiery liquid made its way down her throat. “Holy fuck.”

  Mina took her own sip, swallowing down the rotgut gracefully. “Ah, that hits the spot.”

  “What is it?” Amara was staring at her glass in fascinated horror. “It tastes like cinnamon.”

  “And burns like I do.” Mollie took another sip, this time prepared for the horse kick it gave her.

  “It’s one hundred proof cinnamon schnapps.” Mina took another swig. “Like it?”

  Mollie was feeling so warm. “Love it.” She held out her glass. “Hit me.”

  “That’s my girl.” Mina topped off Mollie’s glass, filling it like it really was wine and not heavy-duty alcohol. “Tonight, my friends, we forget about the world and get sloshed.”

  “Amen.” Amara held up her glass. “To a girls’ night.”

  “Girls’ night!” Mollie tried to tap Amara’s glass and missed. “Oops.”

  It didn’t take long for them to go through the entire bottle of booze, most of the cheese and crackers, and a lot of town gossip. Mollie told them Carter was actively looking for his mate. “I keep telling him he has to consider someone outside the pack, but he’s not listening to me.” She sniffed, downing a mouthful of cinnamon goodness. She was going to have to make sure Greer’s home bar was stocked with a ton of this stuff. It was awesome. “I fink he should look at a owl or a dragon.”

  “Wha about a witch?” Amara blinked, looking remarkably like an owl herself.

  “Nah.” Mollie waved her hand, almost spilling her drink. She drained the glass just in case. “He’s been around enough witches to know none of dem are his mate.”

  “Oh.” Amara looked crushed, but then she suddenly brightened. “Wah about a dryad?”

  Huh? “What about dem?”

  Mina gave Mollie the last of the fire water. “He knows most of the dryads as well. If one of them was his mate, he’d feel the pull.”

  “‘Kay.”

  “What are you three up to?” Greer’s voice was amused, but where was he? Mollie couldn’t see him. He must be coming out of the ground.

  Mollie turned her head toward Mina’s throne, the world spinning ’round and ‘round. “Whoa. Dizzy.”

  “What did you do to my mate?” Greer squatted in front of her, staring into her eyes. “She’s trashed.”

  Mm. His pretty brown eyes were glowing with affection. “‘M gonna kiss your face off.” She leaned forward, intending to do just that.

  “That’s my chin, sweetheart.” But Greer did nothing to move her as Mollie kissed him.

  “If she’s going to kiss your face off, she has to start somewhere, old boy.” That had to be Parker. Mollie could tell because of the British accent, but she didn’t bother to turn to see. She was too busy savoring the taste of Greer’s skin. Mm. Maple syrup and cinnamon. Yum.

  “You are so going to regret this tomorrow.” Greer took her head in his hands and stared into her eyes. “What were you drinking?”

  “Fire water.” She grinned as his eyes went wide. “Me likey.”

  “I can see that.” He shook his head. “But I think you’ve had enough.”

  When he moved to take her glass away, Mollie pulled back. “Nuh-uh.” She tried to drink the last of it down, but the bastard was too quick. He took the glass and handed it to someone behind her. “Hey! I wasn’t done wif that.”

  “Yes, you were.” Greer kissed the tip of her nose, obviously unaware of her disappointment.

  “I don’t like you anymore.” She put her head down on his shoulder with a sigh. “You’re a meanie-butt.”

  “Yup, that’s me.” Someone began to stroke her hair, massaging her scalp. Probably Greer, trying to suck up to her for taking away her liquid fire. “Mean right down to my butt.”

  “Is a berry nice butt.” She reached down to pat it, but the ground got in her way. When had he sat? Since she couldn’t reach his butt, she patted his lower spine instead. “Can I have something to drink?”

  His chuckle rocked her. “Not even for a blow job. How much has she had, my queen?”

  “Enough to let go.” Mina’s tone was challenging. “She needed this release.”

  “She got a release not long ago, trust me.” Greer sounded wicked, and Mollie shivered. She had, indeed, found release, not once, but twice.

  Ooh, maybe she could. She squirmed against him, licking his neck. “Can we go fuck?”

  Greer choked as Parker began to laugh. “Oh, please, don’t mind us.”

  Greer stiffened. “Over my dead body, Bunnicula.”

  For some reason Mollie found that hysterical. She began to laugh, snorting and gasping as tears ran down her face. She could just picture Parker, his fangs sunk deep in a carrot, sucking out the juice with a look of pleasure on his face. “I didn’t know you swung that way, Parker.”

  Amara started giggling too. “Suck on a carrot, fang-boy.”

  “Sloshed out of their gourds,” Parker said mournfully. “I don’t suppose I could whisk my mate away before the hangover kicks in?”

  “You’re welcome to stay here if you like,” Mina said cheerfully.

  “I’d rather we were home, near her tree if she needs it, but thank you.”

  There was the sound of a kiss. “You take such good care of me.” Amara sighed happily.

  “As you do me, love. Now let’s go home.”

  Mollie lifted her head again long enough to wave good-bye as Parker flew out of the Throne, Amara clasped tightly in his arms. Damn, Mollie wished she could fly like Parker and the other vampires. It had to be such fun to feel the wind in your hair.

  “I think Parker has the right idea.” Greer stood, taking Mollie with him. “Bedtime, sweetheart.”

  “Okay.” Mollie was suddenly weary beyond belief. “Mina? Can we do this again soon?”

  “You bet, sister.” Mina kissed her on the cheek. “Have a good night.”

  “Say hi to Dragos for me!” Mollie waved good-bye and stumbled next to Greer. She tugged on his arm as Mina headed into the forest, possibly on patrol. Each of the ruling dryads took a turn, and as Mina’s mate was also a vampire, she was on the night shift more often than not. “Can we have sex now?”

  Greer shook his head. “Not while you’re drunk.”

  She blew a raspberry at him. “I wants it, my precious.”

  He grinned. “One fuck to rule them all—”

  “And with the cock-ring bind them.” God, she loved the fact that his gee
kiness matched hers. It was nice to date someone who didn’t look at her funny when she quoted Eomer from The Lord of the Rings, or talked about how she secretly liked watching Markiplier on YouTube playing scary video games and screaming like a little girl. Greer got it, and it was such a turn-on she was ready to throw him down on the steps and have her wicked way with him.

  “I do love the way you think, but it’s still not happening.” Greer led the way down the steps, keeping a tight hold on her. She was grateful for that as she almost went down on her ass halfway to the apartment. “Talk to me when you’re sober.”

  “But why?” she whined. Damn it, she was all but offering herself on a silver platter, so why wouldn’t he take her?

  He lifted her by her waist and began carrying her toward his apartment. “Because I care too much about you to take you when you aren’t fully here with me.” Greer settled her down on the bed, quickly lying down next to her and restraining her hands when she reached for his pants. “Please, Mollie. Get some rest. I promise, if you want me in the morning, I’ll be more than happy to oblige. For now, just sleep.”

  “Don’t wanna.” She yawned, wiggling against him. “Want you.”

  He groaned as she ground up against him, thrusting her breasts against his chest. “Want you too, so much. But not tonight.” He held her down and kissed her, wet and wild and perfect. He tasted far better than fire water, better than anything she’d ever had before. She couldn’t believe he was finally hers. “Not tonight, sweetheart. Give me this, okay?”

  She relaxed, sighing when he let go of her hands. “Fine. But you owe me one.”

  “Duly noted.” He wrapped her around him, her legs tangled with his, her arms around his chest. Her head rested on his shoulder as her eyes drifted shut. “Love having you here,” he whispered sweetly, kissing her forehead. “Never leave me.”

  “Mm-hmm.” The darkness was closing in, dragging her under, but his words burned inside her heart like midnight embers, the flare of a bonfire just waiting to sprout once more.

  “Mollie?”

  But she was too far gone to answer. Her last thought that night was that he had nothing to worry about. Now that she knew he wanted her, Hell itself couldn’t keep Mollie away from Greer Berkley. The man was hers, body and soul. And once she fully had his heart, she’d protect it with everything in her.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Greer walked into Dragos’s mansion, still laughing quietly over Mollie’s antics. She’d had way too much fun with Mina and Amara, and now she was sleeping it off in his bed, utterly trashed. She’d even started snoring.

  Of course, she hadn’t answered him when he’d practically begged her not to leave him, but he wasn’t going to think about that. As drunk as she’d been, she might not even remember his embarrassing moment of uncertainty. Instead, he was going to focus on the information they should have gotten the day before from Dr. Kogon. Lore was supposed to be meeting him and Dragos at the mansion, and Greer didn’t want to be late.

  He arrived right on the heels of Lore, who was striding up the front steps of the mansion, a manila folder under his arm. “Greer.”

  “Lore.” He was still irritated that one of Lore’s cops had practically accused Mollie of killing Dr. Kogon. “You need to tell your men to lay off my mate.”

  Lore grunted and rang the doorbell. “They were doing their job, so back off.”

  “Lore—”

  Eddy interrupted them, his expression grim as he opened the door. “Dragos is waiting in his office.”

  Greer nodded as Lore pushed past Eddy and stalked down the hallway. “You okay?”

  Eddy sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Dragos is upset. Hell, we all are. None of us expected the demon to attack again so quickly.”

  Eddy was barely in his twenties, but he had the dark circles and frown lines of an older man, circles and lines that hadn’t been there before. His ability to sense emotions must have kicked in and then kicked him in the head. With the people coming in and out of Dragos’s office to talk to him about the deaths, Eddy would have gotten more than a stomach full of pain. Greer was surprised he was still on his feet. The last time this had happened, Dragos had sent his Renfield to the farthest point in the mansion to dull the sensations.

  “Where’s Trajan?” If anyone could make the young Renfield feel better, it would be his mate.

  “He’s patrolling. Said he felt he had to help, and I don’t blame him.” Eddy gestured for Greer to come in. “I swear, I’ll be okay. This isn’t the first time, and I’m pretty sure it won’t be the last.” He squared his shoulders. “Besides, you guys need me. I’ll get the job done, don’t worry about it.”

  Job? What job? Dragos must have something up his sleeve, something only Eddy could do. Eddy was a mix of clairsentience, getting psychic images or feelings through touch, and empath, someone who read emotions. His empathy was the stronger of the two, causing him to often react before he even touched an object or person.

  If Eddy avoided shaking someone’s hand, Dragos would treat the person with extreme caution. If Eddy refused to be in the same building...

  Well. There was a reason people like Greer existed.

  Still, there was no point in Eddy suffering any more than he had to. Greer put his hand on Eddy’s shoulder and hummed. Damn it, the man had a raging headache going. Greer sang softly, hoping to pull some of the pain away and allow the psychic to rest. Eddy’s features relaxed almost immediately, but the dark circles remained. “You need to get some sleep.” If he didn’t, Greer was going to hunt down Trajan and kick his ass. The man should be taking better care of his mate. Eddy’s gift was so strong, it often overwhelmed him. It was one of the many reasons Dragos was so protective of his Renfield.

  Speaking of Dragos, he was striding down the corridor, watching them both with concern. “I knew he was pushing himself too hard.”

  Greer smiled as Eddy immediately began to protest. “I told you, I’m fine, just a little tired.”

  “Uh-huh.” Dragos took hold of Eddy’s shoulders and gently pushed him toward the mansion’s kitchen. “Get some cookies and meet us in my office.”

  “Yes, master.” Eddy immediately went into his Igor impression, cackling wildly and mumbling to himself as he went. “Master wants cookies, yes he does.”

  Dragos stared after his Renfield fondly. “Silly boy.” He shook his head, turning his attention once more to Greer. “You’ll let me know if he pushes himself too hard tonight.”

  Ah, perhaps that was the real reason Trajan was away. If Dragos needed Eddy to use his gift, and Trajan protested, it might have led to an argument between the mates. “I gather Trajan doesn’t approve?”

  Dragos blinked. “Figured it out, did you?” Dragos led the way to his office. “Yes, I plan on having Eddy touch Lore’s folder full of information to see what he can sense. And no, Trajan did not approve.”

  “And Eddy will do it anyway, because that’s the kind of person he is.” Lore was standing by Dragos’s fireplace, his expression bleak. “Just like we all do what we have to.”

  Greer didn’t like the sound of that. “What did you do that you didn’t want to?”

  Lore flinched. “Called in a favor.”

  “Oh?”

  “He means me.” John Carpenter Woodward walked into the room, a scowl on his face. His dark hair had gone gray at the temples, and his brown eyes were cold and angry. Rumor had it kittens ran at the sight of him and puppies hid from him. He could make grown men cry with a single word. “Can we get this over with? I need to get home in time for Nicole Curtis.”

  “Who?” Greer had no idea JC was seeing anyone. What woman was brave enough to take him on?

  JC turned that cold gaze on him, and Greer almost shivered. “Rehab Addict? DIY network? What rock were you born under?” He tilted his head. “Oh, r
ight. You live in the forest, communing with squirrels.”

  He made that somehow sound dirty. “What can I say? Squirrels have the best nuts.”

  JC didn’t even crack a smile. “Good to know, if I’m ever in the market for some.” He turned his attention back to Lore. “Now, please.”

  Lore handed over the packet. “Here. Everything’s—”

  “Shut it.” JC stared at the packet in his hands. “Shit. Kogon burned. So did Lily.” He handed it back. “Thanks for that, asshole.”

  “What did you see?” Lore stared at JC, seemingly unphased by the insults JC kept hurling at him.

  If one of Greer’s people had tried that with him, he would have quickly learned his mistake when Greer shoved them face first into the dirt. So why was Lore allowing JC to get away with it?

  “What you expected. They were both ambushed. A quick, unseen shadow, a takeover, and a shit-ton of heat. Can I go now?”

  A plate crashed in the hallway, followed by a quick, “Fuck my life.” A tousled head peeked around the open doorway. “Ah. Hi, JC?”

  JC just stared at Eddy without returning the greeting.

  Eddy paled. “Yeah. I’ll just...” He took off, the squeak of his sneakers on the marble tile echoing back into the room.

  “Frighten my Renfield again, and you won’t live to see the dawn.” Dragos’s eyes had turned red, the hunting eyes of his vampiric beast.

  “Now, Dragos, JC is one of mine.” Lore held up his hands. “You can’t just—”

  “This falls under vampiric law, Lore, as you are well aware. I’m within my rights to defend my Renfield.”

  “He didn’t touch Eddy. Vampire law doesn’t apply in this case.” Lore stood his ground, crossing his arms over his chest.

  JC yawned.

  Greer tilted his head, aware it was about to come to a showdown between the mayor and the sheriff unless someone, namely himself, acted quickly. His money was on Dragos, but they needed Lore as well. “I’ll walk JC out.”