by Jessica Lee
“No,” Kenric said. “That’s not what I’m implying. I ask because I thought you might want to consider finding out a little more about the Enclave while you’re here. You might find it’s something you’re interested in pursuing.”
A loud cough burst from Markus’s throat. Hell, he nearly choked at the vampire’s insinuation that Christian should consider joining them. All heads drifted his way.
Guerin leaned back in his chair. “You have something you’d like to interject, Markus? Maybe a few inspiring words for our new vampire here?”
“Nah, man.” Markus shook his head. “I think there’s plenty of that spilling out of your mouth for the both of us.” The bottom of his cup met the granite beside him with a clank, and he made a beeline for the Enclave’s master. It was time he evened the playing field.
Moving in behind Kenric and Emily, Markus leaned within earshot of the master vampire. “We need to talk.”
Emily glanced over her shoulder at him, then slid from her mate’s hold. “I’m going to grab myself a cup of coffee before Arran finishes off the pot.”
“I heard that,” his former partner interjected from the other side of the island, carafe in hand.
“I wasn’t whispering.”
“This can’t wait until after we’re done here?” Kenric crossed his arms.
“No,” Markus said. “It can’t.”
“I think we’re ready to head out, anyway.” Guerin stood from the table, looked toward his mate, then at the few empty pieces of tableware.
“Yeah.” Eve nodded. “I’m good to go.” She rose and Alexandria did the same.
“I’m set,” she said.
“All right, then,” Kenric said, surveying his team. “Stay safe.”
“We intend to,” Guerin said with a possessive hand resting low on Eve’s back as they rounded the table.
Christian pushed back in his chair at the same moment and stood, striding into the path of the approaching couple. “You know, something’s been bugging me for the last several days, and I finally put my finger on what it is.”
The sudden interjection of dialogue from the brooding new vamp drew everyone’s attention. Guerin and Eve came to a stop and faced Christian.
Shoving his fingers into his hair, Christian pushed the thick red strands back out of his eyes. “You remind me of someone,” he said, wagging a finger at Eve.
“Really?” Eve’s smile was hesitant as she looked between her mate and the younger vampire.
“Yeah.” He nodded. “Except for the eyes, you look a lot like my former Mistress, Marguerite.”
A loud crash resonated off the walls of the kitchen, drawing everyone’s attention. Elle stood, her eyes wide with what was left of a coffee cup at her feet. “I’m—I’m sorry about that,” she muttered. “I can be so damn clumsy sometimes.” She lowered onto her haunches and began gathering the broken shards into her palms.
“Are you okay?” Arran made his way from around the island and toward his mate.
“I’m fine.” She shook her head. “It just slipped.”
“No worries,” Michael said, appearing out of nowhere. Markus had been so absorbed in his own thoughts, he hadn’t noticed the human’s arrival in the room. “I’ll grab a broom and dustpan.” The Enclave’s thirtysomething cook and driver disappeared back into the large pantry, then emerged seconds later with the said tools in hand.
“Don’t you agree, Markus?” Christian asked.
“Excuse me?” Markus squared his shoulders.
“About Marguerite,” the redhead reiterated. “Doesn’t Eve bear a striking resemblance?”
“Maybe.” Markus shrugged. “If you say so. I don’t see it.”
“How can you say that?” Christian gave Eve another once-over. “They could have been sisters.”
“Listen,” Guerin began and moved to intercept the newcomer, tossing his arm over the other male’s shoulder. “Since you’re new around here,” he continued, his voice a low rumble of warning, “I’m going to give you a onetime pass.” Then with his face in the other male’s, he added, “Marguerite is a subject we prefer not to discuss.”
Christian glanced over his shoulder and gave Eve a sheepish look. “I didn’t mean any offense,” he said.
“None taken.” She shook her head and grasped her mate’s hand. “We better get moving.”
“You’re right.” Guerin joined her, resting a hand on her hip. Passing Elle, Alexandria palmed her sister’s shoulder, her gaze brushing his in the process, before striding over to meet up with her team. The trio headed toward the exit, leaving apprehension a clawing, living force in Markus’s chest. He had to do something, and that meant going to Kenric.
“We need to talk.” He brushed past the Enclave’s master. “Now.” Markus marched into the library adjacent to the kitchen. The thud of Kenric’s boots echoed behind him. There wasn’t any sense in again bringing up his suspicions to Kenric about Christian and Enrique. They’d already been down that road and had hit a dead end. Kenric was convinced of Alexandria’s safety inside his walls. And Markus didn’t have a shred of evidence to prove him wrong other than his gut instinct. Frustrating as hell.
But one thing Markus did know was that he couldn’t stand around any longer doing nothing more than sucking up the oxygen inside the mansion’s walls. He needed to take matters into his own hands. He needed action.
A few paces into the room, Kenric’s deep voice filled the space. “You forget yourself, Markus,” he said, and the door banged shut, drawing him back around. “You’re not the commander in this house.”
Before he could respond, the master vampire slammed into his chest. If it weren’t for the tight grip the male had on his shirt, Markus’s feet would have left the ground, and his back would have been having a nice meet-and-greet with the bookshelves. “I’ll only allow you to push me so far,” Kenric added, fangs flashing from beneath his upper lip. “before I give you one of two choices: your cell, or your head?”
“What happened to the diplomatic master we all know and love?” Markus sneered, showing off his own set of sharp teeth.
“Oh, he’s still here.” Kenric lifted a brow. “Believe me. Or you would have been dead a long time ago.” With a slight shove, he released Markus from his hold. Markus stumbled back a couple of steps before regaining his balance.
“Touchy tonight.” Markus chuckled and repositioned his shirt with a roll of his shoulders.
“I tolerate a great deal around here, Markus. I’m patient like that.” Kenric settled into one of the dark brown overstuffed leather chairs and crossed his legs. “You, more than anyone, should be well versed.” His mouth twitched. “I also realize the warriors on my team are all alpha males. You’re bound to argue, fight, and test boundaries. It’s in your nature.” The Enclave master laced his fingers over his chest, his elbows resting on the soft sides of the chair. “But when you trample over the lines by giving me orders in my home, you need a reminder of who is in command of this operation, and those aren’t always gentle.”
“Point taken.” Markus flexed his fist. The urge to tear into something or someone rode him hard, and if he didn’t find release soon he would go fucking mad. Breathing hard through his nostrils, he dialed back his tone. Prior to Marguerite, he’d spent more than two decades with Kenric and his team, but all those years had been piss in a toilet the moment that sadistic bitch had gotten inside his head. Because after that, his status as an Enclave warrior had spiraled down the drain. If he was ever going to be officially allowed back on the inside and placed on patrol, he had better learn to leash his temper. God knew he needed out of the damn mansion for more than a feed. He shook his head, the tips of his fangs aching from the tight hold of his jaw.
“I’m glad we understand each other.” Kenric dipped his head in acknowledgment. “So what was so important that you needed my immediate attention?”
Moving in behind the large chair facing the other vampire, Markus curled his fingers over the sculpted top.
“I’m ready to get back to work,” he said, impressed with the amount of calm civility he was able to muster in his voice.
Kenric lowered his hands to the arms of his seat. “I take it this urgent need has something to do with Alex?”
“I admit,” Markus began, pushing away from the dark leather, “I don’t like her being out there alone. We’ve already discussed my concerns about her safety with Enrique coming around and Christian’s coincidental appearance.”
Tossing his head back, Kenric released a short laugh, then rolled his chin forward. “For your sake and continued health,” he said, any remaining humor now dissipated from his words, “I won’t share your opinion of Guerin with him about his ability to serve as an adequate partner to Eve and Alex.”
Like Markus cared.
“What I’m saying is, I’ve paid my dues.” Markus rounded the chair and perched on the edge of the seat, his forearms propped on his thighs. “My head’s on straight, Kenric,” he said, meeting the other male’s icy blue glare with a hard one of his own. “You need me out there on the streets. Not in here sitting on my ass!” His nails scraped over the metal tacks adorning the leather.
“Getting antsy, are we?” Kenric gave him a wry grin.
“What was your first damn clue?” Being stuck in this mansion shackled his wrists from fully protecting Alexandria.
Kenric leaned forward, erasing some of the space between them, his mouth a grim line. “I think we have to ask ourselves another question first. Is there a warrior in the Enclave who is ready for you?”
Despite his best efforts, the flame on his temper blazed hot. Markus’s spine went rigid. “What the hell are you getting at?”
“No one in the Enclave works alone.” Kenric shook his head. “Not any more. And I have no intention of making any exceptions. You may be ready, but what you need to work on is healing the distance between you and your partner.”
Son of a bitch.
Markus shoved from his seat and trudged toward the cold fireplace. Bracing his palms wide on the mantel, he stared down at the hearth.
“So what you’re saying is Arran holds the key to me ever reclaiming my status.” The serrated edge of resentment sawed at the bone covering Markus’s heart.
“You need a partner, and since, as you know, Elle manages all our IT and communication needs, and she doesn’t have any desire to work in the field, he still has a vacancy,” Kenric said. “So I suggest you try to make nice.”
Smart-ass. Markus swallowed back the retort, and the echo of a sour taste welled on his tongue, screwing his mouth into a grimace.
He and Arran, making nice.
Like that was ever going happen.
Chapter Twelve
Two in the morning, and still Alex hadn’t run into anything more interesting than two half-lit humans groping each other in an alley.
“Damn,” Alex muttered under her breath, watching as the young girl grabbed her lover’s hand while tugging her skirt back into place with the other. Laughing, the couple scurried away and out of the darkened corridor. “I thought we really had something this time.”
“Itching for battle with a few bad guys?” Eve tossed her arm over Alex’s shoulder and grinned down at her.
Her pulse quickened at the thought of getting her claws into a DEAD vampire, followed by a nearly undeniable urge to scream, run, or climb the damn wall in front of her. Her skin prickled. Sucking in a deep breath, she reached up and massaged her upper arms with her palms, doing what little she could to rub away the sensation.
“Just a lot of nervous energy, I guess,” she said. “I’ve been waiting, preparing for this night for so long, you know. And then…” She groaned low in her throat, and dropped her arms to her sides. “Nothing but a couple of horny college kids.”
“Don’t worry,” Guerin said, passing Alex on her left. “You’ll get your chance to go to work. Unfortunately, there’s never enough blood to satisfy Elizabeth Bay’s DEAD population. They’ll be here. And sadly,” he crossed his arms over his chest, his biceps straining the short sleeves of his black T-shirt, “there’s never an issue of a warrior growing complacent, even after we’ve culled their population. Soon enough, another young vampire or two will lose control, kill, and take the plunge into addiction.” Guerin pulled a dagger from the sheath at his thigh, flipped it blade over hilt, and snatched it from the air with his palm. “Guess that’s what they call job security.” He smiled, flashing the tips of his fangs, and winked at his mate.
Eve stepped away and covered Guerin’s dark scruff of a beard along his jaw with her hand. “You’re a morbid kind of guy, you know that?” She patted his cheek.
“And it turns you on, doesn’t it?” His smile broadened. “Come on…admit it.”
“Are you giving me an order, Guerino?” Eve’s voice lowered to a challenging, husky purr.
Alex cleared her throat, suddenly feeling, once more, like the awkward third wheel on a voyeuristic journey. After what had gone down between her and Markus, then walking in on the action in the alley, the last thing she needed was another reminder of… What had happened. With him.
As if she’d been able to get him out of her head for even one second.
“Uhm… Guys,” Alex called out. Eve glanced over her shoulder, her long dark ponytail swaying. Alex gave her a quick wave and quirked a smile. “Still here.”
“Sorry.” Eve’s brows rose and she grinned at Guerin. She smoothed her palms down the male’s chest. “Later.” She sauntered away, calling a halt to their heated exchange. Except based on the fire glowing in Guerin’s eyes, Alex wasn’t sure if her friend’s assurance to pick up where they’d left off had been a warning or a promise.
Guerin seized Eve’s arm, reeling her back in. The breath left Eve’s lungs in an audible gasp a second before his lips claimed hers for a brief, yet hungry, kiss.
Oh, yeah.
Definitely a promise.
Alex’s fists clenched over the complete adoration the two held for each other. She couldn’t imagine ever forging a connection with a man on such a level. Not like what Eve and Guerin had. The love between them burned so deep and hot that even the others in their path felt singed by their passion.
Not to mention the trust. Without question, they had each other’s backs.
She’d discovered that sexual chemistry wasn’t a problem between her and Markus. What she’d felt and experienced earlier with him had been amazing. Hours later, she still hadn’t come down from the endorphin rush. Yet for there to be something more—something that went beyond chemistry and orgasms—there had to be trust.
But the word “trust” and Markus didn’t meld as perfectly as peanut butter and chocolate. Not. A. Chance. It was more in line with a dish of hot sauce and ice cream. Strange as hell and singed the tongue.
A muffled cry sounded, yanking her back into the present and lifting every hair on her body. Reflex had her drawing her dagger from its sheath at her thigh. Out of the corner of her eye, Alex noted Eve and Guerin both going for their weapons.
Closing in on her partners, Alex whispered, “So I wasn’t the only one who heard that?”
Eve shook her head. “Unfortunately for someone, that wasn’t your imagination.” The trio hurried toward the sound of distress, their boots silently gliding over the residual puddles of rain. The ability to levitate was another gift from her vampire arsenal that she’d learned to use during her training—cool as hell.
Steam rose off the cooling pavement around them, and with the fog rolling in off the bay, it formed a white veil at the end of the alley. As they closed in on the narrow street running horizontal to the corridor, the unmistakable grunting and growling sounds of DEADs in the throes of a feeding frenzy greeted them. But even with their preternatural sight and hearing, the pea soup in front of them made it difficult to discern exactly what lay ahead.
Alex tightened her grip on the hilt of her blade. Her pulse leaped, fueled by the adrenaline leaking into her bloodstream. This was it.
<
br /> The real deal.
Her initiation into the Enclave…by blood. She swallowed hard in search of the moisture abandoning her mouth.
Moments before they breached the end of the corridor, Guerin came to a stop and pointed upward toward the building’s roof. Eve nodded. Her mate was going for higher ground, leaving the two of them to make a frontal approach. Hopefully, the view through the haze from five floors up was better than what they had from ground level.
Alex watched as the Enclave’s second-in-command leaped two stories and grasped a small section of a brick window ledge. Finding small handholds where he could, he treated them to his best Spider-Man impersonation and scaled the wall for the remainder of his journey up.
Not long after his ascent, Eve glanced back at Alex and held up three fingers. Through Eve’s mental connection with her mate, Guerin had communicated his findings from his aerial advantage. Three DEAD vampires.
One for each of them.
With a flick of her wrist, Eve motioned for Alex to follow. Dressed in curve-hugging black leather from top to bottom, Eve cut through the fog like a panther on the hunt for her prey. In mere seconds, they were on top of the macabre scene. Alex ground to a halt, her legs frozen by what—who—were beneath the Euphoria addicts.
Oh, no…
Beside a battered green Dumpster, three DEADs were in the process of draining the drunken couple from the alley. The two had apparently decided to finish what they’d started in the shadows—when they’d been interrupted.
Alex blinked and covered her chest with her arm, as if the act could shield her heart from the gruesome truth. If only she, Eve, and Guerin hadn’t entered the alley? If only they hadn’t chosen that particular path, maybe the couple would still be alive? Nausea reared its insidious head inside her gut.
Maybe I’m not as cut out for this as I thought?
Alex squeezed her damp palm around the curved hilt of her dagger. The yellow glow from a nearby streetlight sliced through the fog, illuminating the growing crimson pool beneath the victims and the DEADS at their side. Unbidden, her mind flashed back a year ago to the basement of Wicked Ways. That night, she’d been a naive human on her back, her life essence spilling onto the floor and into the vampire at her throat. Cold sweat beaded along her hairline and trickled down her neck.