Eva squeezed her eyes shut and whispered, “I can never be with him. We can never be together. I am just a simple human woman. I need a nice, good man, not...Gabriel.” Gabriel with his sinful, scorching touch and kisses. “Gabriel King is...not good.” But he is. He is oh so good.
Vonetta continued smiling at her. “Do you know where you are, Eva?” She flicked a finger at the candle and the flame sputtered to life. The room filled at once with slithering, looming shadows.
“This—is Widow's Parlor.”
Eva gaped. She'd heard of Widow's Parlor. It was supposed to be a small, exclusive, very private massage parlor. Not much was known about the owner, a very wealthy, reclusive heiress. She was just known as Madam Von, and it was reported that no one had ever seen her face.
Eva reeled. Vonetta Imotez was Madam Von. And those who had seen her face, never made it out of her parlor alive.
“Yes, you are in the very heart of Widow's Parlor. Very few clients make it this far.”
“Widow's Parlor,” Eva muttered, her throat dry and tight.
“My clients love the special services that are offered at Widow's Parlor. Full body massage, sweet, fresh blood served to them in a golden cup, and of course, mind-blowing, heart-stopping sex.” She threw back her head and laughed. “Oh, I service them well. Only my most favorite clients have the privilege of being drained on this table.” She jerked her chin at the long black and gold table behind Eva. “Most of them are happy for me to go to them, and they take their last, shuddering breath in their own beds.”
Eva recoiled from her in horror.
“I have tasted everything,” Vonetta went on blithely. “When I drain them, I take everything. Their blood, their memories, all their fears and desires, the very essence of their lives. Just one drop of blood, and I can tell what you want—” She leaned in to whisper in Eva's ear. “—and what you are afraid to want.”
Eva turned away, and Vonetta chuckled.
“Hmmm, you said you don't want to be Gabriel's mate. But a vampire will never let his mate go. You can run, but you can't hide,” she cooed. “But there is a way. The blood bond can be broken...”
Eva blinked at her, and Vonetta smiled slowly, letting her answer float out on a long, soft breath. “One of you has to die.”
Eva froze.
“Since you've been a good girl, I'll do you a favor.” Vonetta smiled benignly at her. “I will kill Gabriel King for you. You'd no longer be bound to him. You'd be free.”
She stopped in front of Eva and trailed a nail down her chest. She pressed a cold hand over Eva's thumping heart and whispered in her ear, “Isn't that what you want?”
Before Eva could swat her hand away, Vonetta laughed and stepped back. “Illusions and delusions, that's my favorite. The taste is always so...bittersweet.” She let her gaze drop to Eva's scarred wrist and smacked her lips, as if relishing and remembering the taste of her blood.
Eva balled her fist, but Vonetta had sashayed away to pick up a goblet. She turned it over casually in the flickering candlelight, and sang, “You think he loves me. He thinks he loves me. But I know what you know. And you know what he knows.”
She flicked her eyes to Eva, her gaze challenging, as if daring her to speak the truth out loud.
A drop of blood clung to the lip of the goblet, and Vonetta raised the goblet to Eva in a toast. Swirling her tongue round the cup, she closed her eyes in bliss as she swallowed the drop of blood.
Eva gasped as the flame on the candle flicked out suddenly. She blinked quickly and stared round the room. Vonetta was gone.
She started to shake violently, and she slid down the wall. Pulling her knees to her chin, she hugged herself tightly and tried to calm herself down.
She knew exactly why Vonetta had taken her.
As bait.
Eva pressed her hand to the throbbing scar on her wrist. Vonetta had slit her wrist and dripped her blood into the golden goblet. Vonetta was just toying with her.
All it took was one drop of her blood, and Vonetta had taken more than a drop. Vonetta knew her hopes and fears, her desires and delusions. She had to keep her mind blank.
I will find you, Eva!
Eva opened her eyes and stared round wildly at the sound of Gabriel's voice. She heard him loud and clear. In her head, in her heart.
She clutched the sides of her head, and tried to cut the connection, and block him. She couldn't let him find her.
“No, Gabriel,” she whispered, curling tighter into a ball. “Don't. Please don't. Don't find me.”
If you do, you'll die.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Gabriel materialized right in front of Vonetta. Her blood had led him to her. And her voice. He heard her in his head, calling and singing to him like a siren.
The room was illuminated by a lone red candle in the middle of the long black marble table. Vonetta was sitting at the head of the table, taking small, dainty sips from the golden goblet in her hand.
She smiled up at him. “What took you so long, Gabriel?”
“Where is she?” he demanded.
“Who?” Vonetta looked at him with round, innocent eyes over the rim of her cup.
“Eva.”
“She's here, somewhere,” Vonetta answered with a shrug. “But you know that already.”
“Let her go, Vonetta. She's innocent.”
“Innocent?” Vonetta threw back her head and laughed. “Oh, she is innocent all right.”
Vonetta drummed her nails impatiently against the side of the golden goblet and studied him in silence. When he didn't say anything more, she drained her cup and pushed back from the table.
Gabriel watched her grab the flickering red candle from the table and saunter to the other end of the room. She pressed her hand against the wall, and a door shimmered into view. Gabriel misted to her side and laid a hand on her elbow. “Vonetta.”
She stared straight ahead, not turning to look at him. Finally, she smiled thinly and said, “Come, Gabriel. Have a drink with me. For old times' sake.”
She pushed the door open and stepped into a dark, musty room. Gabriel followed her in silence, and he felt the wall seal shut behind him once he had ducked through the doorway. He blinked and inhaled sharply.
It was as if he had stepped back in time, into another world, a world he would rather forget.
He was in that dungeon again.
Gabriel gave himself a good, hard shake. No, he wasn't.
This wasn't his Master's dungeon. This was Vonetta's little holding chamber, where she kept her victims until they were ready to be brought out and laid on the dining table.
He saw her immediately. Eva was chained by her ankles to the stone wall. She was lying on the floor, moaning softly, her eyes closed and her breathing shallow.
Vonetta teleported to her and used her nail to cut Eva's wrist. She held the goblet under Eva's bleeding wrist to collect the fresh red blood. Vonetta turned her head and fixed Gabriel with a challenging stare.
Stop me, and she dies.
From the look in her eyes, Gabriel knew that Vonetta would kill Eva on the spot if he so much as took a step forward. He stood still and watched her quietly, almost regretfully.
He had wanted to help Vonetta. But she had hurt his mate.
She had sealed her fate.
Vonetta squeezed Eva's wrist to wring a few more drops of blood into her goblet. When she was satisfied with the amount she had collected, she raised the candle and thrust Eva's cut wrist into the blood red flame. There was a hiss, and the wound closed instantly, leaving an ugly, jagged line.
Vonetta drained the goblet in one long gulp, and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. Still looking straight at Gabriel, she spat, “She tastes of you.”
“Let her go.”
“Why.”
“She is of no use to you.” But she means everything to me.
“But you, Gabriel, you...are very useful to me,” Vonetta drawled.
Gabriel walked over and put hi
mself between Vonetta and Eva. His broad body shielded Eva from Vonetta's eyes.
“I know,” he whispered, encircling Vonetta's waist with one arm. She gasped as he crushed her against him. “And you can have me. All of me. My blood, my body, my life.”
His other hand slid under his jacket and pulled out a gun. He held it out behind him, and he felt Eva's quivering fingers wrap around the gun and take it silently and swiftly from his hand.
Strong, clever Eva.
Gabriel wrapped both his hands around Vonetta's waist, and stared down at her. His fangs descended as he leaned down to whisper in her ear, “Vonetta, why did you have to hurt her?”
Vonetta smiled sweetly as she wrapped her arms around his neck. “To hurt you!” she hissed in his ear.
Gabriel tightened his grip on her body. He could snap her spine in half, just like that. He snarled. There was the distinct sound of bones popping and cracking.
“No!”
Eva's voice shot through the chamber.
Gabriel spun round, and saw Eva kneeling on the ground. Her hands were steady on her gun.
“Don't kill her,” Eva said, her voice oddly and eerily calm.
“Eva...” Gabriel stared into her eyes, willing her to hear his thoughts. Aim for the heart.
Her jaw tightened. “Step away from each other.”
Vonetta narrowed her eyes at Gabriel. “You bastard. You brought her a gun. To kill me.”
“No, Vonetta.” He turned to face her. “I will kill you. The gun is for her to kill me.”
Vonetta let out a blood-curdling scream, her fangs stabbing out and her eyes glowing with raw, demonic fury. She flew towards him, aiming for his neck. As he moved to block her, she twisted and jerked to the side at the last instant and lurched towards Eva.
“You!” she screeched at Eva.
Eva held still, her gun ready and unflinching.
There was a flash of silver, and Vonetta jerked back. Blood spread out over her stomach, and she screamed in agony. Her eyes locked onto Eva, and she charged again, her deadly nails and fangs fully extended.
Eva fired again, and this time, the bullet found her heart.
Vonetta fell back, and with a final scream, her body burned completely to ashes.
Gabriel closed his eyes. Vonetta was gone. Released at last from her demonic, cursed existence.
He raised his head and turned to Eva.
She had been so calm, and so strong. But now, she began to shake violently, and she collapsed on the floor.
“The gun...” she stuttered. “You...you loaded the gun with silver bullets...”
“Yes. I misted back to my place and grabbed a weapon,” he answered quietly. “I know you can handle a gun very well.”
She took a moment to compose herself. “When you told me to aim for the heart, did you mean...your heart?” she asked at last.
His crooked smile was more of a wince. “Well...”
Eva's head snapped up and she looked furious. “Get me out of here.”
Gabriel knelt and examined the shackles around her ankles. “Iron, not silver,” he said. “I can mist you away right now.”
“You are not misting me to your place.” It was an order.
“No,” he smiled.
He held her gently, and breathed against her. He felt her lean towards him, and he wrapped himself protectively around her and misted them out of this chamber of death and destruction.
They materialized in the PAC Headquarters, right in the middle of Jett's office.
Eva gasped at his side as she whirled round to see a dozen Enforcers with their guns trained on them. “What...?”
“Eva Stone?” Jett asked, his tone gentle.
“Y-yes, I'm Eva,” she replied.
Jett nodded and turned to two of his Enforcers. “Get her to the hospital. And inform the NMPD.”
Two female Enforcers detached themselves from the circle, and came to her. “Ma'am,” they addressed her respectfully and led her towards the door.
Gabriel gave her an assuring smile, then turned to face Jett. “I gave you my word. So here I am.”
At the door, Eva twisted round.
Jett met Gabriel's gaze levelly, then nodded. “Collar him,” he commanded his Enforcers.
“C-collar?” Eva sputtered.
“Yes. He is a rogue vamp. But since he turned himself in, he will be collared, not shot.”
“So...he won't be able to...”
Jett smiled grimly. “He won't be able to mist, or exercise any of his powers. He can't Call any vampire he has turned, and he can't control anyone. And the PAC can monitor him twenty-four seven. He'll have to be a good boy. If not, we'll shoot him.”
“Oh, I'll be a very good boy.” Gabriel turned and winked at Eva as the Enforcers snapped a silver collar around his neck. Gabriel closed his eyes briefly as the silver burned into his skin, but he didn't grimace.
“Sit.” Jett indicated a chair in front of his huge desk. “Let's have a chat. We need to talk about rogues and rules.”
Gabriel pulled out the chair and sat down. He could still feel the guns on his back.
As Jett picked up the phone and contacted some Council members, Gabriel turned and met Eva's brimming eyes.
He started, but she was smiling at him. She nodded and allowed the two Enforcers to escort her out.
CHAPTER TWENTY
Eve changed out of her police uniform and left the station. She waved to her partner, Rupert Lee. “See you, Rupert. Goodnight!”
Rupert jiggled his car keys. “Want a lift?”
“Widow's Parlor is just around the corner. I think I'll walk,” she smiled.
“Ah.” Rupert nodded. “Getting your weekly pedicure. Getting all prettied up for your hot date. But, aren't you two mated already? Mated..and still dating?” Rupert sounded incredulous. “Wow.”
Eva shrugged. “What can I say? Gabriel's a die hard romantic.”
Rupert snorted.
Eva chuckled and strolled down the street. Rupert was her new partner. Her old partner, Kirk Onaga, had retired. But even though Rupert was young, ambitious, six foot tall with a lanky, athletic build, she was still faster and stronger than him.
It was one of the side effects of having a Master vampire's blood in your body. She could run like the wind for miles and still not feel breathless. And just two nights ago, she had wrestled two beefy, armed robbers to the ground without breaking into a sweat.
It seemed having an infusion of vampire blood wasn't so bad after all.
Oh, and it slowed down her aging. She never had to buy another jar of anti-aging cream ever.
Eva walked into Widow's Parlor, and smiled at the receptionist. “Hello Amelia, busy night?”
Amelia Jones looked up from behind the counter. “Hi Eva, Gabriel's not here.”
“I'm here for my pedicure,” Eva protested a little too loudly. “I'm not here to see him!”
Amelia grinned. “Right. Come on then, step this way.”
Eva followed Amelia down the corridor. The place was packed. Widow's Parlor offered tiptop massage and grooming services at affordable rates. She had to admit that Gabriel ran the place really well. All the staff he hired were collared paranormals. These were reformed rogues, or at least rogues trying to be reformed. They had been rogues, and had been caught and collared by the PAC Enforcers. It was difficult for them to secure stable, permanent employment. Most employers took one look at their collars and showed them the door in a hurry.
Gabriel had managed to get in touch with Amelia Jones through the PAC. Amelia was in between jobs at the time, and rather wary of Gabriel's offer. After all, he was her Master, the vampire who turned her. But eventually, they had shaken hands, and now, Eva could see that Amelia was happy to be working for Gabriel. In fact, with both of them wearing PAC collars, Gabriel was no longer her Master, and Eva was glad to see a tentative friendship forming between them.
It hadn't been easy, but Gabriel was serious about staying on the straight and
narrow.
Oh, I'll be a very good boy.
And she knew he was doing it all for her.
Master vampires were proud, egoistical creatures. It was humbling, even humiliating, to Gabriel to turn himself in and allow the Enforcers to collar him.
He was proud, but he wasn't too proud for her.
And he was making a new life for himself, and for the rogue paranormals he employed. She was pretty proud of him, but she still kept a careful distance. Every week though, she dropped by for her pedicure, and Gabriel always came out to talk to her, and ask her out. It was something she made him do.
“Ask me out,” she'd told him. “Take me out on dates, and let me get to know you. I know we're...mated, but I want to take my time with you, since...you know, a mate is forever. And just so you know, I'm not moving in with you. Not just yet.”
Gabriel had looked confused, and had put out his hands in bafflement and surrender. What gives? Is this some kind of bizarre, New Age human ritual? To prolong your mate's agony?
But he had agreed to do as she'd asked. “Sounds...fun,” he said cautiously. “And strange.”
Their dates had indeed been fun. Gabriel was smart, witty and funny, once he let his guard down. He could laugh at himself, and make irreverent, outrageous jokes about all the PAC members. She felt relaxed, happy and safe with him. The more she got to know him, the more she realized that he was everything she wanted in a mate, a partner.
Gabriel had started up the business and kept the name “Widow's Parlor” in memory of Vonetta. It was a small, sweet gesture, and Eva knew that he wanted to remember Vonetta as she was, as an innocent, young human woman and not as the ruthless, bloodthirsty demon she'd become.
In fact, the “Widow” name had flourished and grown under Gabriel's management. Within a short time, he had opened two blood bars, “Widow's Bar” and “Widow's Haunt”, and business, according to Amelia, had been brisk.
“We get staff discount at the bars,” Amelia had told her happily. “The price of blood has gone up, so...I used to get the watered down stuff from the other blood bars, but now, I can go to Widow's Bar and get a good, stiff drink without burning a hole in my pocket.”
Dark Mate (MATE series) Page 10