by Dannika Dark
“I’ll bet you know what was inside of it.”
“You’re wasting your time.” I wiped my clammy hands on my jeans.
He sampled the air, swirling his fingers as if catching a scent in the dramatic. “You lie.”
A man in a long black trench coat moved like a shadow across the room. He sat down at a table with a cup of dessert and lifted his black eyes to meet mine. Christian’s expression was stone as he listened to every word.
“What is Nero offering you that could be worth turning your back on your own kind?” I dared to look Tarek in the eye and blinked as if he’d scorched my retinas. The gaze of a Chitah was wholly terrifying. “I guess it shouldn’t be that hard, considering you turned your back on your brothers.”
Tarek yanked my hair back so hard that a splinter of pain radiated across my scalp. I winced as he kept his hold, exposing my neck right along with two of his fangs. I raised two fingers to the table, signaling Christian to stand down.
Tarek retracted his canines before someone stole a glimpse. “Give the Mage what he wants—last chance.” The last two words dripped from his tongue like molasses—slow and thick.
“We’re going to catch him eventually, Tarek. I’m not giving that man an ounce of anything.”
He kissed my cheek. “You just introduced yourself to the biggest mistake of your worthless life.”
Chapter 29
“There will be no more gallivanting across town if that Chitah is following you,” Justus said.
He knew the word “gallivanting” irritated me, because it insinuated that I was being promiscuous. Women were his recreation, and I could always tell whenever he hooked up with one because he became grumpy for the next few days. Funny, as usually that had the opposite effect on most people.
I stared at the screens on the wall, absently flipping through images until it stopped on a snowy backdrop. “I don’t gallivant.”
“You know what I mean,” he rumbled from his leather chair.
“Novis has a guard on me.”
Justus leaned forward. There was a musky smell of sweat in the air as he’d just finished his workout. His neck and cheeks were red, and as he lifted his shirt to wipe the sweat from his face, the payoff of his hard work was evident. He was a fit man with solid abs.
I’d told him about Tarek while he was lifting weights, hoping that he’d finish his workout and burn off some of that “pissed off” that he carried in his pocket like spare change.
No such luck. He followed me right upstairs.
”Do you ever regret taking me in?”
Justus lifted his head and light sparked in his cobalt eyes like fireflies. A crease formed in the center of his brow, but he didn’t answer.
“You helped me from the beginning for reasons I’ll never understand because, let’s face it, you’re not the most nurturing person,” I said with a short laugh. He shook his head, staring at his shoes. “Maybe it’s that nobility that compels you to do the right thing. I wasn’t afraid of you when we met because any man who takes such care in removing a stain from a woman’s blouse can’t be malicious. You have something else besides charm, and that’s integrity. It’s like an aura that shines around you.”
The red color on his neck deepened.
“But you’re not beholden to me, and I know what you’ve said about me to others.”
“You’re young,” he said, rubbing his scalp. “It’s my job to make you a better Mage.”
“Someday I’m going to change how you feel about me, Mr. De Gradi. You just don’t know it yet.”
I couldn’t read his expression because he was looking down, but I could have sworn I saw him smile. “You have much to prove, Learner.”
“Maybe it’s true that trouble follows me; look what happened to your peaceful life… and your cars.”
I fidgeted with the mood ring on my finger. I caught him looking at it from time to time even though it was just a cheap novelty trinket.
“Enough with the cars. I am not a Ghuardian who toils over the destruction of property when your safety is my priority.”
Justus sat up and smoothed a hand over his head. I could see the dark blond hinting he was overdue for a shave. There was so much that I wanted to know about him. Where did he get his tattoos, and why did he acquire them? Did he remember much about his childhood? How many women had he slept with? No, on second thought, maybe I didn’t need to know it all.
My thoughts drifted to Adam. “How can a salve make scarring permanent? Why haven’t they found anything to counter liquid fire?”
“Liquid fire has unique properties no one understands.” He lifted a short crystal glass from the end table and swirled the last few drops. “Err on the side of caution when mentioning someone’s tattoo, as the liquid fire is what seals it. In these modern times, humans ink themselves up with trivial images that hold little meaning. Marking your body should symbolize something of great importance. Unfortunately for some, it’s not one received by choice. Simon’s mark is a brand—one given to serve as a reminder who he belongs to.
“But not yours. That looks pretty modern.”
He twisted his right arm around and gripped his elbow. “This is three hundred years old. It’s not something I got on a whim.”
“But it looks so fresh, not faded. You’re how old?”
My mother never shared her past, so I’d grown accustomed to not asking questions. Justus would steer the conversation in another direction, so I’d given up on personal questions months ago.
“I was made when I was roughly twenty-seven, which is a guess as several hundred years have passed since I was human. I don’t think about that life anymore.”
“You’re only twenty-seven? Are you serious? Don’t take this the wrong way, but I would have guessed you were thirty-five.”
“I lived a hard life.”
“How did you meet Marco?”
“During one of the Italian wars. My father was French and I fought to honor him. We advanced in the Alps; we were taken out by the enemy and Marco led their group. His attempts to make me talk were in vain.” Justus laughed privately.
That explained his accent. Justus had a smooth voice and always spoke as if he were giving a presentation. It wasn’t perfect grammar, but he had good enunciation. There was also a very slight, almost undetectable shift in his speech that gave a hint of an accent, but I never could place it because it wasn’t pronounced and I wasn’t cultured enough to identify it.
“Fast friends ever since?”
“War changes men. Once you see it from the inside, you question your own beliefs. Marco showed me a new life and we traveled. I experienced how other people lived and learned what values were important to me—what was worth fighting for.”
“Where did you get the tattoos from?”
Justus leaned forward and stood on his feet, pensively rubbing his arm. “I have more pressing concerns at the moment than to discuss such things.”
***
Justus scheduled a meeting the next evening but didn’t invite me. He slipped on his black hoodie that I’d worn to the Gathering and headed out the door. Justus was hardly a man who needed to wear a jacket since he was a Thermal, so I watched him suspiciously. An hour later, I called Sunny out of boredom.
“Hey, girl! Are you coming?” she said loudly.
“Where are you?” By the noise in the background, it sounded like a bar.
“I’m at the Red Door.”
“You’re where?” I asked in disbelief.
She coughed and must have cupped the phone. “We’re on the list now; Novis made all the arrangements so we can come here when we want.” Her voice fell to a whisper. “There are some weirdos in here.”
“Vampires can hear really well, so don’t whisper something inappropriate. What are you doing there?”
“Knox is meeting up with some of the guys, but right now we’re sitting around waiting for everyone, and he’s not telling me boo,” she said with enough emphasis that I knew tha
t she was speaking directly to him. “I’m getting a little bored. Are you coming?”
My foot tapped angrily on the floor. There was no reason I had to stay home. “I’m on my way,” I said.
I programmed the alarms on the way out and stood in the garage. If I was going to get in trouble for this, then it wasn’t going to be while driving one of his spanking-new cars.
I knew the basics of riding a motorcycle. The Ducati seemed harmless enough. After all, I used to rock it on the five-speed with my streamers and banana seat—how different could it be?
I felt pretty badass for a few minutes. That is, until I forgot how to brake and threw myself off. I’d ridden with Adam and watched him drive, but actually doing it was more difficult than I’d assumed. It was a slow ride into the city and steering around all the traffic rattled my nerves. The bike wobbled a few times and when I arrived at the Red Door, I almost threw it on the ground.
The night air was damp and cool. I rubbed my wet nose on the cuff of my sleeve as I waved at the doorman and made my way inside. The familiar sensation of Breed energy rolled through me like turbulence; it was strange to think that I was ever scared of it.
A few eyes watched me with curiosity. I lacked distinguishable physical traits and men often assumed—or hoped—that I was a Sensor. Oh, they loved Sensors. Especially the new ones that offered low rates or freebie samples of their wares to gain new clientele. Sensors were all about monetary gain and immortals were dripping with wealth.
I usually kept my light concealed in a Breed club because it wasn’t necessary to flare and I didn’t want to attract unwanted attention. A rare few were hypersensitive to energy and could detect something different about my light. I found that out one night when I was running to the restroom and a Mage caught a hold of my waist and backed me into a wall, trying to pry my hand open.
Justus was on him in a heartbeat.
My pace quickened when I caught sight of Sunny mouthing off to someone. She stood up from the table, pointing her finger at a Vampire. Oh, shit.
“Sunny!”
The Vampire with short blond hair slanted his eyes at me. Harming a human may be against Breed law, but it wouldn’t stop the bastard from using his gifts on her.
“My boyfriend will be back any minute,” she went on. He smiled as if it didn’t matter.
“You’re not welcome at our table, Vamp. The club is filled with pretty girls—better snatch one up before they’re all gone,” I said while unzipping my jacket. He frowned and looked back at Sunny.
“Problem?” The bartender eased up and patted the Vampire on the shoulder. “Come on. These two aren’t looking for that kind of fun. Off you go.”
Sunny lowered her voice. “I feel like everyone is staring at me, but not in a good way.”
“They are. The ones that know you’re human. Otherwise, it’s just a bunch of four-hundred-year-old horny men. The usual.”
“You should have heard what he said to me.”
I didn’t need to. Most immortals had no problems telling a woman exactly what they wanted. They were too old to beat around the bush.
“Where is everyone?” I out pulled the chair with the plush red seat and sat down, smoothing my arms over the wooden table. It was one of the most beautifully decorated Breed bars in town without the loud, obnoxious music.
“Knox is in the back with Novis.” She pointed. “Justus went outside a few minutes before you got here. Someone was running late.”
I frowned. “Sounds very covert.”
“Mmm,” she agreed.
“Who else is with them?”
She shrugged and waved a hand. A pretty silver bracelet slid up her arm.
“I wonder why Knox is involved,” I muttered to myself. “Is this your first time in a Breed bar?”
Sunny played with a loose curl of her hair and narrowed her violet-lined eyes. “I’m not uber impressed. A couple of the patrons look… catatonic.”
I turned in the direction of her gaze and saw a Sensor making a transaction with a customer. Her hands slipped inside of his shirt, and a red glow illuminated from beneath.
“It’s not so bad. Most of the men here are nice; you’re going to find exceptions no matter where you go. The women, on the other, hand aren’t very conversational with me, or they’re busy passing out orgasms,” I added, turning away from the scene.
“I bet they are with your Ghuardian.” She chuckled and admired her manicured nails.
“I don’t think they’d meet his standards,” I mumbled.
“I’ll be right back. I have to pee.” Sunny glided across the room and every slink of her hips was God given. Heads turned.
I found a pen and wrote BRB on a napkin. Something didn’t feel right about Justus not coming back right away because he was usually attached to Novis at the hip. I fished a hair tie from my back pocket and pulled my hair up as I headed outside. I didn’t realize how warm it was in the club until the evening air stung against my cheeks. A breeze of heavy perfume drifted from the long line of humans standing by the entrance.
Justus always parked his car out front, but I didn’t remember seeing it in the usual spot. I jogged over to the second lot on the right side of the building.
Halfway there, a sharp whistle cut through the air behind me. I spun on my heel and saw Christian calling me over with a crooked finger.
“Is something wrong?”
His hands slipped into the deep pockets of his coat. “You should go back inside with your friend.”
“I’m looking for Justus. Sunny said he came outside but I’m worried because his car isn’t parked over there,” I said, pointing my finger.
“Best you go back inside,” he repeated.
The gravel crunched when I turned back around.
“Tried to warn you,” he muttered.
Halfway through the lot I stopped dead in my tracks. The wind changed direction and I recognized the song floating in the air. It was Mozart’s Symphony No. 25 in G minor. A song I’d never heard before I met Justus, but it blared from his car in the garage on the nights he came home late.
Five steps forward and I recognized Justus sitting in the driver’s seat of the Aston with his head reclined back. Is he okay?
Justus was gripping the back of the headrest and looked to be in pain. As he lifted his chin, the muscles in his arm bulged and his grip tightened.
I slowed my pace and got more than an eyeful. Cheap, red nails slid up his chest. He pushed her hand away and flattened his own against the ceiling of the car—grimacing. Blond hair appeared and then lowered out of sight.
That asshole was getting a blowjob.
My fingertips crackled. The fact that he left me at home so that he could get his rocks off in a vacant parking lot with some tramp really burned me the wrong way. I lifted a round pebble from the gravel below and hurled it at the car. It made a loud crack when it hit the glass and his eyes flew open. I flared with everything in me and he looked panic-stricken. Justus shoved the woman off and began to fumble with his pants.
“Unbelievable!” I shouted, turning away.
His door clicked open. “What are you doing out here when I specifically—”
“Don’t you even dare!” I spun around and he quickly zipped up his jacket, sweat glistening from his brow. “Is this your important meeting? Novis and Knox are inside waiting for someone, and this is how you pass the time? I was always under the belief that deep down, you hated being a Charmer. Yeah, you’re a flirt, but this is just seedy. Do you even know her name?”
“You should put your girlfriend on a leash.” The woman slammed the car door and fastened the small buttons on her white blouse.
“You need to shut the fuck up,” I said with a pointed finger.
“Silver,” Justus scolded. “Behave like a lady.”
Was he serious? “That’s grand coming from you, Ghuardian. Why don’t you behave like a gentleman? A gentleman isn’t defined by extravagant Italian suits, one-of-a-kind cologne, obscenely
expensive cars, or even the fact that you opened the door for a lady before she went down on you. And that,” I said, waving my finger, “is not a lady.”
Justus looked behind me as a car pulled up and stopped near the club door.
“Come with me,” he said.
“Go to your meeting. I’ll be inside keeping Sunny company. I’m so glad I didn’t bring her out here with me; I would have been mortified. I know you’re a man who makes his own decisions, but this is a parking lot and that is a whore. You’re a Charmer. I get it. But where’s the seduction? Do you think that this is the best you deserve?” My heart was pounding.
Justus stalked off with an angry swing in his step. This was something I expected from Simon, and I wouldn’t have cared, but Justus was my Ghuardian. I’d seen him flirt countless times, but always imagined there was a selection process with his women. He bought nothing but the finest cars, clothes, furniture, watches, and yet the women he chose were so low class that I didn’t even know how to process it.
The whore lit up a cigarette.
“You know he’s a Charmer, right?” I asked.
A cloud of smoke blew out of her mouth and she wiped a smudge of lipstick from her chin with the back of her hand. “Honey, that’s the whole appeal. Being near that Mage is like foreplay without the foreplay, see?”
“What’s your Breed?” I snapped.
“Sensor,” she replied with a lift of her chin. No wonder.
“Ah. So just a business trade.”
Her eyes rolled up. “I’ve wanted that man since I first saw him, and I always get what I want. Justus has a reputation as a walking one-night stand; he’s never with the same woman twice. Some of the dumb ones think that they actually want more than sex from him.”
“And what’s wrong with that?” I folded my arms.
She took another slow inhale of her cigarette. “I’ve heard women say he’s quite good at pleasuring them, but when it comes to himself, he’s a powder keg. Some Mage are like that; they have such a tight control over their energy that they never fully experience the act. I had to see for myself if I could break the man, and I like a good challenge.”