“We have found your antiques,” announced Mikhail, signaling Josh who brought one block of ice forward. “Minus the codpiece.”
“I can live without that, but why is it dripping?” she asked in a disgusted voice.
“A winter fae had it. The effects of his last ward are slow to wear off.”
“Very well. Have them wrapped and placed in my car. I will be out of your hair before the night is over.”
“Always glad to hear it,” smirked Mikhail.
“Nikolai, I hope you will return my visit soon,” purred Emma before sauntering out through the elegant double doors. A few helpful individuals hauled her dripping loot.
“Now, Nik,” began Mikhail. “I want you to figure out the mystery surrounding Ashley.”
“No one's tried to take me in the last twenty-four hours,” I grumbled. “Maybe they're not interested in me anymore.”
Nik shook his head. “They're just waiting for the right moment.”
“Keep her safe, Nikolai. Until I say otherwise, she is the only thing that matters in your life.”
I felt Nik's eyes on me, and could only imagine the frustrated thoughts working through his head. Then again, I was making his life complicated. I had spent the last couple days giving him grief while he got beaten up; he had endured a broken ankle, dislocated shoulder, and who knows how many gashes for me. Why couldn’t I just be grateful?
I glanced at him. I couldn't help it. A new level of guilt weighed down on me. He was still staring at me, with a look that made me uncomfortable. If I had a pulse, it probably would have sped up. I thought he was ready to snap my neck then and there, despite Mikhail's orders.
“C’mon,” Nik said as he got up. “Let's go by your place and have you pack a bag. No sense in continuing these trips back and forth. Josh, stay here and rest. We won’t be long.”
“Except for that whole feeding my cat thing,” I said sarcastically.
“I can get someone to do that for you,” offered Josh.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
When we reached the curb, I was surprised to see Nik wave the bouncer off. He turned down the sidewalk, forcing me to jog for a second to catch up. His face showed signs of serious thought. Maybe that's why he dismissed the car. I glanced around us as we walked toward my street. Though the two blood bags had helped, I was still thirsty. Thankfully, the streets were surprisingly deserted for a Saturday night, or maybe everyone had already reached their intended destination. Granted, I'm sure the rain helped.
He led me down to Columbia Street, which was technically a block further than I would have gone. I assumed he had a reason for it. Maybe he wanted to approach my apartment from the back to make sure no one could ambush us. How was I supposed to know what went on in the mind of a homicidal, ego-maniacal vampire? Part of me knew that wasn't an entirely fair assessment of Nik, but at the moment I didn't care.
Nik opened his mouth to speak and clamped it shut again. Before he could try again, five wolves and one human burst from the small patch of woods lining the left side of the street. It seemed obvious they were werewolves, with one left in their human form to serve as spokesperson. Next to the edge of the sidewalk was a three foot incline covered in vines and other green stuff. At the top began the trees. Two wolves took up positions on the incline while the other four blocked our path on the sidewalk.
I was standing nearest the incline, away from the street, and the speeding cars. Nik insisted on walking between me and the cars, much as my father had done when I was a child. I knew it was more due to the era he came from than a worry that I might be hit, but the result was that I was closer to the wolves.
If my memory served me, this was the same number of wolves that had attacked us at Nik's mansion. And now we didn't have ten humans to help us fight. My wish for Josh's company increased exponentially. Nik grabbed my arm and pulled me behind him.
“Give her to us and we won't kill you,” the werewolf in human form said.
“You know I can't do that.”
“We could beat you up a bit, so your Primus thinks you tried to save her,” offered the man helpfully.
“Even if I thought it was possible to lie to my Primus, I would never give her up. She's mine,” added Nik in a possessive tone. If I hadn't been frozen in fear, I would have smacked him. I didn't belong to anyone, especially him.
“Nik… maybe you… ”
“Shut up,” Nik snapped before I could finish the thought.
The other man sighed as if he were genuinely saddened by Nik's response before flicking a finger in our direction. The other wolves burst into action. One of those positioned on the incline came at me while a few of the others charged Nik. I had no idea how to fight a wolf, much less a sentient one that spent most of its time as a human. Nik hadn't covered that in our quick lesson on self-defense. Then again he hadn't covered anything really.
I dodged out of its first attack. The movement made me lose sight of our other attackers. Before I could reposition myself, I felt teeth sink into my wrist and yank. The pain was nauseating. It felt as though I had a spiked vice grip anchored to my wrist, and my shoulder joint began to throb. I stumbled to my right, but I used the momentum to land on the wolf. Okay, by “use my momentum” I mean, I happened to fall on it. I heard the faint sound of cracking ribs as I landed on its chest. Evidently I'd gained a few pounds since becoming a vampire, despite the liquid diet—least of my worries really.
The wolf still had a partial hold on my wrist, so I used my free hand to grab the scruff of its neck, like one might do to a puppy or kitten. I awkwardly struggled to my feet while keeping a grip on the wolf's neck.
I remember crying once after I'd burned my wrist with a curling iron. I would have laughed at that pain now. Werewolf teeth, now those hurt. Ignoring the pain, I wrenched the wolf free, and despite the beast's bulk, flung it away with ease. The dog-shaped projectile hit Nik in the back, knocking two of his three attackers off. The short break gave him a chance to kill the third wolf.
While I took stock of my companion's condition, the first wolf to lunge at me skittered around to my back and sunk his teeth into my thigh. It hurt exponentially more than the first bite. I staggered when the wolf's teeth tore a chunk of my flesh away from my leg. I might have screamed, too, but I hadn't been a vampire for almost a week for nothing!
I slammed my fist down into the wolf's neck, and the piece of my flesh dropped from its mouth. The animal lost its footing long enough to give me an opening. I grabbed it by the head and twisted with all my might. Though the head didn't come off, thank goodness, I did feel the neck bones snap. I didn't take time to celebrate my kill. I rushed to Nik's side, trying to ignore the burning in my thigh.
Nik wasn't faring well, but neither was he as hurt as I expected. He was trying to block the attacks of two wolves while he bled all over them. I grabbed the nearest wolf by the tail and flipped it over my head, sorta like they do in the cartoons. The animal landed on the pavement in a hard thud. The beast whimpered and struggled to its feet. I lost my grip on the wolf's tail and stumbled. While I tried to regain my footing, it lunged forward on three legs. Before I could dodge or deflect, the animal had me pinned to the ground, his teeth sunk into the flesh leading from my shoulder up into my neck. I did scream this time, as fire flared up in my shoulder and spread down into my fingers—making that hand useless.
I hit the wolf with my other hand. It shook the animal, but did not dislodge it from my shoulder. I tried kicking this time, and managed to drive my knee into the animal's privates. Evidently that was just as sensitive on a wolf as it was on a man. Good to know.
The wolf whimpered, released my shoulder and skipped away, its tail tucked protectively between its legs. I climbed to my feet as quickly as I could and kicked the wolf again. Before I could do anything more, it bolted for the nearby trees, still only using three legs.
By this time, Nik had killed the last wolf and charged the werewolf still in human form. Though the man ran as fast as he
could, Nik quickly caught him, tearing his head from his shoulders before he could turn to defend himself. Unlike the vampires, the werewolf didn't turn to dust. Instead, the body bled and twitched. The blood did not smell human. A faint hint of fur and forest dulled my growing desire. I still wanted to drink it, don't get me wrong, but it was Wal-Mart ice cream next to a pint from Ben and Jerry’s. Nik slowly turned to look at me. I took stock of his wounds. He had a long gash down his cheek while an arm and a leg looked to be missing small bits. “Let's get out of here,” he panted, taking my arm and pulling me toward the nearest intersection.
I hobbled after him, my shoulder, wrist, and thigh burning and throbbing with each jostling step. I tried to remind myself that the deep wounds would heal quickly. That was one very handy feature of being a vampire.
By the time we reached my apartment, the worst of Nik's bite marks were healed. Though blood still stained his white skin and clothing, nothing was flowing down his body. My wounds weren't healing nearly as quickly. When I asked why, he said I was young and stubborn.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
“How does being stubborn effect healing?” I whispered as we headed up the steps, him at a trot and me at a limp.
“Fresh, warm blood helps us heal faster, makes us more powerful. Had you drunk from a human, rather than a bag, your healing abilities would have been heightened. This is why the blood of another vampire isn't as appealing—the heart’s not beating. As it is, what you drank was barely enough to heal your last wounds. We need to get you… ”
Before he could finish and before I could get the door of my apartment closed, Jordan appeared at the base of my steps. He stormed up them, not stopping until he reached the top, can of Campbell's soup in hand.
“What the hell happened to you?” he asked from the other side of the doorway as he noticed our blood-covered bodies.
“Nothing. I'm fine Jordan, this isn't a good time,” I added when I felt the first tickle of thirst rising up my dry throat.
“I don't care!” Jordan brushed passed me into the room, his eyes throwing poisonous darts in Nik's direction. As he slipped by, his arm caught on the busted portion of my wall, from where Josh had forced my door open. The fragmented wood dug into his arm, cutting him.
Before I saw the cut, I smelled the fresh, human blood. My fangs descended in my mouth until I felt them press against my lower lips. I gasped and lunged at him. Nik was faster. He caught me by the shoulders and flung me onto the bed. I scrambled back, barely taking stock of Jordan's stunned expression. Nik caught me again, keeping me from tearing out my best friend's throat.
“Stop!” ordered Nik, in a calm but commanding voice. He grabbed me by the head and forced me to look him in the eye. “Ash! Stop!”
I growled at him while trying to tear my face out of his grip with quick, ferocious jerks. I even tried to kick him where a werewolf had recently taken a bite. It was a low blow, but in my defense I was hardly in my right mind. I missed, hitting him in the thigh instead.
He grunted with the blow but didn't loosen his grasp. “Ashley, I will not let you have him,” he growled through the pain I'd caused. “Stop!”
“I want him,” I snarled.
“I don't care what you think you want. You cannot kill him.”
“He's mine!”
“NO!” snapped Nik, all calmness gone. “He is not yours. Control it.”
“I can't,” I screamed, making another attempt at freeing myself. Nik's grip tightened around my face until it hurt.
“What the fuck is wrong with her?!” Jordan asked.
The sound of his voice helped me a little, especially since even I didn't use that word often. For Jordan to use it meant he was really freaked out.
“How, Nik?” I wailed, aware for the first time that not all of me want to kill him.
“Breathe. Will yourself into control.”
“What's wrong with her?” repeated Jordan.
“Shut up,” snapped Nik over his shoulder, not realizing Jordan's voice was helping. “Tell me, who's Jordan?”
“My friend,” I said, the words barely making it passed my clamped teeth.
“How did you meet him?”
“High school. He befriended me… when no one else would,” I added. Those words seemed to click in a part of my brain and I felt the craving start to ease. I took a stuttered breath through my teeth. “He's my best friend.”
“Do you love him?”
“Yes.”
“Focus on that.”
I did, repeating his name over and over in my mind and breathing through my mouth until I lost the smell of his blood.
“Jordan,” Nik said in a relieved tone. “Go open the window and stay by it.”
“Who the hell are you to tell me what to do? And what are you doing to-”
“Just do it!” Nik snapped. I nodded encouragement. I knew it would help.
Jordan obeyed with a quick hop over to the window, opening it as wide as it could go and staying in the damp draft. It helped. I took a few more deep breaths through my mouth and nodded to Nik. He let go of my face but kept himself between me and Jordan.
“Ashley,” began Nik in a calm voice. “I'm going to help you. We're going to do this nice and easy, but you need to drink some.”
It took me a moment to register what he was saying. Wasn't he just holding me back a moment ago, and now he was telling me to drink?
“I'm not drinking Jordan, I'll heal eventually,”
“Not to heal… but to control him.”
“What?” I asked.
“What is going on?” Jordan asked again. “She needs an ambulance.” Jordan dug into his pants pocket and pulled out a slightly outdated cell phone. I'm sure he wondered how on earth I was still on my feet considered the amount of blood and flesh I was missing.
Before he could unlock the phone, Nik had slapped it from his hand. It clattered to the floor and slid under my computer desk.
“No ambulance. She'll be fine.” Jordan tried to argue, but Nik ignored him, turning back to me. “If you drink from him, but don't kill him, he will be loyal to you, like my people were. Besides, you need to start building a supply line.”
“Jordan won't tell anyone,” I said, taking another deep breath through my mouth.
“That's not enough. When Mikhail finds out that someone knows about us and is not under our control, he will have Jordan killed. You need to drink from him.”
“I'd kill him… if I tried.”
“Then you need to let me.”
“What? No! ”
Nik reached up and stroked my cheek with his thumb while staring into my eyes.
“You can trust me. I have very good control. He'll be completely safe; but if I don't do this, Mikhail will have him killed.”
“Who's Mikhail? What have you gotten yourself into Ashley? You weren't sick were you…?”
Jordan rambled on, but I wasn't listening. I felt hot tears prick my eyes and roll down my cheeks as I stared into Nik's eyes. I knew I needed to trust him. I had spent the last few days disliking him because he had wanted to protect the seethe from the dangers I'd brought with me. He hadn't been wrong. Why couldn't I trust him to do what was best for me? Nik wiped the tears away, a look of pain and frustration marring his features. I didn't have enough time or brainpower to translate his look. I felt my lower lip began to quiver and quickly bit down on it. After a long, silent moment, I nodded.
Nik went to Jordan, keeping himself between me and my best friend. I closed my eyes, allowing the tears to roll freely while Jordan barraged us with a list of questions. When I opened my eyes, Jordan's questions had become those of a panicked victim. Nik was taking his time as he neared Jordan; no doubt making sure his control was in place.
I watched as Jordan's eyes grew until I could see the white all around his pupils. Nik took the last step in a blur, grabbed Jordan by the hair and gently, but firmly, forced his head to the side. Nik bent over him and sunk his teeth into his shoulder. Jordan jerke
d, trying futilely to escape Nik's grasp, but I knew it was no use. Nik kept him from tearing flesh around the bite location. He drank more than I had expected and I was just about to intercede when he finally did stop.
Nik slurped a little before licking his lips. In any other situation I would have laughed. Nik pulled Jordan's hand up to his neck and used it to stem the trickle of blood seeping from the wound. Nik had been masterful in his biting—only two, tiny holes, like in the movies.
“Ashley, do you have any Band-Aids?” he asked.
Jordan was apparently too shocked to comment or run, or maybe it was his new attachment to Nik. This whole blood-suckie devout-human thing was still kinda new to me. All I knew was, in theory, Jordan would now not do anything to harm Nik. I pulled my small first aid kit out from under my bed, where I kept my dust bunnies and other random stuff that had no other home. In it, Nik found a large fabric Band-Aid that he carefully applied to Jordan's neck before bandaging his wrist with something more elaborate. While Nik dealt with the triage, I went into my kitchen to get away from the smell and continued to breathe through my mouth.
I was still extremely thirsty after being wounded, and Jordan's puncture marks and cut wrist continued to call to me. I turned to a cabinet and pulled out a can of mixed nuts, which I immediately began popping into my mouth. I hoped eating human food would at least help, or if nothing else, keep me distracted.
“Listen to me, Jordan,” Nik was saying. “I want you to go home, eat some sort of protein, and get some sleep. Don't tell anyone about tonight. I'll call you later and explain everything.”
“'Kay,” he said without argument before leaving. He didn't look at me. I suddenly felt as though a boulder had been dropped into my stomach. I knew that my relationship with Jordan was going to be drastically different. Either he would fear me, or worse, ignore me.
Chapter Thirty
The Series that Just Plain Sucks: The Complete Trilogy Page 17