by Lisa Olsen
Tempt Me
When the Sun Goes Down
By
Lisa Olsen
Copyright © 2015 Lisa Olsen, all rights reserved.
Cover Image licensed by Depositphotos.com/Rosipro
This book is sold subject to the conditions that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, re-sold, hired out, copied, or otherwise circulated without the publisher’s prior consent in any other format or changed in any way, including the author’s name and title, and without a similar condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination, or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. The use of any real person, company or product names are for literary effect only and used without permission. The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for third-party websites or their content.
Visit the author’s website at http://www.lisaolsen.net
Acknowledgements
A bajillion thanks to my team – Beckie Pimentel of Lady Bex Editing Services, Marilyn Weaver, James Olsen, Randi Pandi and Laveda Kasch – for doing such a shiny job of catching all of my blunders and helping me get this book out to all of you. Thanks to my Streetbots and all the bloggers and Facebook peeps for helping me get the word out. And a big thanks to all the readers who’ve stuck with Anja and her world through nine books!
Chapter One
Do you ever get those dreams where you wake up with a smile on your face and then immediately chase after it to keep that feeling going?
I could still feel the sun on my skin and the wet sand squishing between my toes. I could still smell the tang of salt in the air and hear the cry of gulls fighting over leftover popcorn. I could still feel his arm wrapping around my waist to swing me up and away from the crash of waves and hold me close.
He spun me around with dizzying speed, our laughter mingling as my head rolled back at the motion – until I opened my eyes and sighed. No sparkling water, no sandy beach, no one to hold me close.
Nope, just turbulence.
The dream faded all too quickly, and I realized, I had no idea who my phantom lover even was. Had I been dreaming about Bishop? Rob? Despite the memory of sun on my shoulders, I couldn’t bring myself to believe it could possibly be Jakob. I was still way too p.o.’d about his curse to have anything but growly feelings for him.
I shifted in my seat, the historical romance draped across my lap tumbling into the vacant aisle. We’d be landing soon and I had absolutely no idea what I was going to do or say once I saw Rob. None whatsoever.
In the two months that’d passed since I’d walked in on him and Bridget… No, best not to even venture a toe in that direction or I might turn into a hulking rage monster minus the green skin – and that was never a good thing at thirty-five thousand feet. Still, it was the only thing on my mind for the duration of the flight. That, and wondering how Bishop was getting along.
Would he find Carys secreted away on Lodinn’s estate? Did I want him to? It was complicated enough to give me a headache that no amount of hot cocoa could soothe. I tried to distract myself by watching Objects in Space, but my heart wasn’t in it. The closer I got to California, the more my stomach felt like it was full of hedgehogs wrestling over a tasty worm.
I called Maggie as soon as my jet touched down in San Francisco. “Do you know where he is?” I asked as soon as we’d exchanged pleasantries.
“Do you mean Rob? I’m sorry, I don’t. I haven’t seen or heard from him since we got back that night.”
Of course not, that would be too easy. I had a hunch who might know where he was though. “It’s okay, I have a good idea where to check.”
“Are you back then?”
“I’m here in town, I don’t know if I’m really back,” I hedged.
She must’ve heard my hesitation, as a note of worry crept into her voice. “You’ll stop by the house at least for a visit though, won’t you?”
“Yes, I will, I promise.” I didn’t know how long I’d be staying on, but I for sure wanted to see them all at least once before I figured out what my next step was.
“Good, it’ll be wonderful to see you. We’ve missed you.”
I felt a stab of guilt for abandoning her and the others, but what could I say? I had to leave the way I did, I couldn’t breathe in that house anymore. “I missed you guys too. I don’t know if it’ll be tonight, but let’s plan on a family game night for sure.”
“Lovely. I’ll be sure to tell the boys when they come back in. Good luck, I hope you find him.”
“Thanks, Maggie.” I’d take all the luck I could get.
Stowing my luggage in the trunk of my rental car, I went straight to The Bleeding Hart, hoping to find Laveda on duty. If anyone knew Rob’s whereabouts, I was willing to bet my money on his cousin.
I spotted her shock of red-gold hair at the bar the moment I stepped across the threshold of the vampire watering hole, but before I could make my way down there, I ran into a few acquaintances, each wishing me well and exclaiming over how fine I looked. Considering I still wore the same simple black dress I’d worn to the theater, I took them to be polite more than anything else.
Prepared to duck my way around to the bar, I was stopped short by a familiar broad chest, accompanied by a broader smile, as I looked up at Mason’s silly grin. Dressed in his usual tactical gear, he stood at attention, snapping me a salute.
“Permission to pick up the Elder and give her a hug,” he said, eyes staring straight ahead.
“Permission given,” I laughed when he did as promised, swinging me up off my feet like a rag doll. “Though I’m not sure you should still be calling me the Elder,” I added when he set me back down again.
“Why not?”
The question caught me off guard. Did people not know I’d stepped down? I was about to say as much, when I noticed there were a lot of people listening in and I didn’t want to field the inevitable questions as to why I’d left. “You always called me Anja before,” I replied lamely, and Mason accepted it easily enough before his lips twisted to one side with unease.
“You’re not sore at me that I spilled the beans to Bishop about you and R-o-b, are you?”
Was that where he’d heard it from? I owed Maggie a mental apology. “No, it’s fine.” I waved away his concern. “It’s actually for the best, since Bishop came to see me and we had a lot to sort out between us.” Not that we’d come to any kind of a resolution as to where we stood with each other.
The tension leaked out of Mason’s shoulders and his ready smile returned. “So, are you and Bishop, ah…”
I cut him off with a shake of the head. “No, it’s more complicated than that.”
“Does it have to be?”
“I wish it wasn’t, but it is.” Not just because of my mess with Rob, but with the whole Carys situation as well. Neither one of us was completely free to start something up again. That didn’t mean it couldn’t happen in the future, but I couldn’t think that far ahead yet. Not until I at least talked to Rob first.
All at once his expression darkened. “You’re not here to see that scumbag, are you?”
I didn’t have to ask who he meant, but I shot him a pointed look to watch what he said. The last thing I wanted was for rumors to start about why I’d broken things off with Rob. “Have you seen him around?” I lowered my voice, hoping he’d do the same, and he did.
“No, or I would
’ve introduced my boot to his ass and sent him packing,” he muttered with a dark scowl. “Nobody messes with my baby sis.”
“I did miss you, Mason,” I grinned, leaning up on my tiptoes to drop a quick peck on his cheek.
“Aw, I missed you too, sweetpea. So did Hanna,” he added, smiling broadly.
So much had changed in the two months I’d been away. Mason looked much better, the scars little more than faint lines by his hairline now. The main transformation was in his spirits, which were greatly lifted by the fact that he had plans to see my sister on the weekend, and he chattered on about that as we threaded our way to the bar. I was genuinely happy that they were on the right track again and glad to see that he didn’t want to rush Hanna into giving more than she was ready to.
“She’ll want to see you, you know,” he pointed out, and I hesitated, despite the fact that an evening hanging out with Hanna and Mason sounded way better than running into Rob again.
“Oh… well, I’m not sure how long I’m going to be in town,” I hedged, bringing a furrow to his brow.
“Yeah, but... she’s your sister. You have time to see her, don’t you?”
“It’s not that simple.”
The furrow between his brows deepened into a trench as he keyed into the fact that my return was about more than reconnecting with my peeps. “What’s up?”
I darted a look around, clocking at least six sets of eyes watching us at the moment. “Nothing I can get into here, but I came back for a reason. A specific reason that might keep me tied up for a while until I can figure out a solution.”
“Do you need any help?” Mason asked without reservation, and I was glad to find him so firmly in my corner.
“No, I’ve got this.” At least, I hoped I did. I was about to suggest they come up for game night at the house when Leander joined us, dipping into a respectful bow.
“Hullo, Your Grace. It’s lovely to see you here again. Did you have a nice trip abroad?”
I wasn’t sure what he thought he knew about where I’d been. I wouldn’t call Chicago abroad, but I let it go. “Yes, I did, thanks.”
“I’ve some revised budget numbers to get to you since we’re running the census this year,” he started to say, but I waved him off.
“You should probably be talking to Felix for that kind of stuff from now on.”
“Oh, I sent him a message, but he’s been slow as molasses lately. It’ll be grand now you’re back again,” he grinned.
Hadn’t Felix told anyone I’d quit? Ugh, something else I’d have to deal with when I got the time. “Right, thanks. If you’ll excuse me, I need to have a few words with your bartender.”
“Oh, of course, take all the time you need,” he agreed graciously, stepping behind the bar to relieve her. She’d been giving me furtive looks since I’d arrived, and as she approached, Laveda looked like she wasn’t sure if I was going to hug or hit her.
Knowing the back room didn’t offer much in the way of privacy, I took her by the elbow. “Let’s take a walk.”
Laveda grabbed a thin cardigan on the way out, wrapping it tightly around her thin body as we stepped out into the night air. Her curls spilled over her shoulders, bouncing slightly as we walked, but there was nothing light or carefree about her expression. Whatever she had to say, I didn’t think it would be good news.
We got all the way down the block before either one of us spoke, and even then, I wasn’t quite sure how to begin. “I’m guessing you know what happened between Rob and me?”
Laveda nodded. “I’ve had the bare bones of it from him, though I didn’t ask the particulars,” she said, her accent sending a pang of longing through me as it reminded me of Rob.
“I’m not surprised,” I replied. Rob wasn’t the sort to air his dirty laundry in front of others, even family. “Do you know where I can find him?”
“Only in a general sense. He’s gone back home.”
“You mean to England?” My brows shot north in surprise. Somehow I hadn’t thought he’d leave, leave. Though really, what did he have to stick around for anymore? “Have you heard from him much?”
“No, not really. I had an odd call from Leila last week, something about Rob fading away.” She shook her head. “I don’t know, it was hard to follow.”
That didn’t sound so good. “How did he seem to you before he left? Was he okay?”
“Okay ain’t the word for it. Whatever went pear shaped between the two of you, it fucked him up for sure. I don’t mean just his mood neither, which has been prickly as balls in summer. He was acting off his nut.”
“What do you mean?”
Laveda clung to her elbows, more out of anxiety than the chill in the air from the worry deeply etched over her features. “I know I ain’t supposed to be telling you his business, but I don’t know what else to do. I tried to help him the best I could, but his temper was something fierce, and I saw him a time or two with the shakes. Never seen a fanger with them before. Scared me the last time I gave him a taste, I thought he might not stop. I know he’s family, but I had to cut him off. He left town not too long after that.”
From the sound of it, Rob was back on the stims again, but it was hard to tell if he was still suffering from the effects of the curse or just a very black mood over how things had ended between us. “You did the right thing,” I assured her, giving her a one armed hug. “It’s not safe to let him feed from you right now, not even a taste. When’s the last time you saw him?”
Her shoulders sagged in relief, but I could see she still held onto a fair amount of self doubt over the situation. “I reckon it’s been a fortnight since he cleared out of here. Are you ready to take him back then?”
I tried to come up with a simple answer for the not so simple question. “I’m ready to talk to him to start with. I honestly don’t know where we’re going from there, but I’m going to try to help him, if I can.”
“I know seeing you will do him a world of good, yeah?”
“I sure hope so.”
“You’ll tell me how he fares?” she asked, her face hopeful. “I know we ain’t closely blood related, but he’s family.”
“I promise, I’ll take care of him.” One way or another.
Chapter Two
“Now there’s a sight for sore eyes!” Lee’s voice boomed the moment I stepped onto the front walk, his Southern drawl wrapping around me like a welcoming hug. “Get on in here, mija, and let us get a look at ya.” The cherry glow being crushed out by his boot told me he’d been out on the porch having a smoke, and his long legs unfolded as he sprang to his feet with an easy grace that belied his years.
I stepped into the foyer, feeling awkwardly on display in my own home as they all stared at me. Neither Maggie nor Gunnar made a move to speak, their faces frozen with polite smiles I knew was mirrored on my own face. Until Lee caught me up in a big bear hug and the spell was broken. Then it was hugs all around, our awkward laughter mixing and giving way to genuine pleasure to see each other again.
Maggie chattered on about how they’d gone back and forth over having a fancy tea party set up for me and a champagne celebration over my return. Champagne had won out, Gunnar proclaimed proudly, producing two perfectly chilled bottles of the same pink stuff we’d toasted Maggie’s inheritance with.
They were eager to hear about my work with Carter in Chicago, which I breezed over, not wanting to mention that my compulsion was at the root of its success. Nobody mentioned Rob, which I appreciated. Only once did Bridget’s name come up, and I made it crystal clear I didn’t want to talk about her.
Sure, part of me wondered if she was still with Felix, or if he’d kicked her to the curb, but since I had no idea who did and who didn’t know about what’d happened that night on the yacht, I preferred to remain in the dark on her current circumstances. If she was happy, I didn’t want to know about it, and if she was miserable – I didn’t want to acknowledge being glad about that either.
We played Monopoly and Appl
es to Apples before Gunnar turned on The Sound of Music for old time’s sake. By the time we got to singing along with a few of our favorite things, it felt like I’d never left home.
Over all, it was a nice way to decompress and connect with my friends again, but I begged off the night early, still on Chicago time. Lee escorted me down, and I could tell he’d been wanting to talk about something deeper than raindrops on roses for a while.
“You fixin’ to settle in for a spell or is this a drive by visit?” he asked when we got to the bottom of the stairs.
I’d been hoping to put off that conversation a while longer. I hadn’t told any of them about the curse or why I was searching for Rob. Not that I planned to keep them in the dark indefinitely, but I hadn’t wanted to put a downer on the evening. Still, I wasn’t about to lie to him.
“As much as I’d like to stay and catch up with everybody, I need to get back on the road again tomorrow night. I wish it was different.” I wished a lot of things were different.
Lee’s mustache covered most of what I assumed to be a frown, but I could hear the disappointment in his voice. “Sorry to hear that. We was all hopin’ you’d come back for good. Especially Maggie, she’s been powerful lonesome without you here these past weeks.”
“I’m sorry.” I searched for a good excuse, but came up empty. It’d been selfish, but at the time it’d felt like the right thing to do. “I thought she had Gunnar and you here with her?”
“I know, darlin’, but it ain’t the same as female company, I expect. I don’t mean to bring you low about it, it’s just she’s taken it hard. Not that she’d ever let on to hear her tell it.”
“I just couldn’t…” Even now, I couldn’t talk about it without getting either choked up or so mad, I saw red.
“It’s all water under the bridge,” he nodded, patting my shoulder. “Where you off to in such a hurry?”