by M. L. Briers
CHAPTER SIX
~
“I get it,” Maggie bit out. Finding her backbone again in the midst of her fear. She was a fighter- she had strength of character, and I appreciated that in anyone.
“Good. It can keep you alive,” I offered, still against her ear and was rewarded when a hard shiver ran through her body. Just that slight movement of her backside against my hard length made me groan inwardly. I wanted her, and she’d never know how much until she agreed to be mine.
“You can let me go now.”
There was a quiver in her voice. A slight uncertainty of what was going to come next.
I could have ignored her. I could have refused. I could have teased her by brushing my face against the soft skin of her neck, or making some smartass comment about how good her blood smelled to me…
Instead I let her go.
“You only had to ask,” I offered as I spun her back around towards me- putting a few inches of distance between us, enough to torture my mind and my body with the need to have her back in my arms again.
“Glad I did then,” Maggie frowned up at me, and with those big green eyes locked and loaded- watching to see what I’d do next. “So, I can go?”
“That’s not a good idea-”
“I knew you were lying.” There was a cold hard accusation to her tone. She shook her head and took a step backwards.
“I wasn’t lying, things… changed.” I felt like the biggest douche in the world. I would love to have patted her on the head and sent her on her way- with me following in close proximity, of course- not that she’d notice me. I’d have centuries to perfect the art of stealthily blending in.
“Lying,” she had a sing-song quality in her voice as she wagged a finger at me. I liked that- it showed that she was getting a little more comfortable with my presence.
“Not lying,” I gave her the same tone back. Happy to play this game between us.
“You so were,” she nodded to back up her words.
“Was not,” I shook my own head.
“Then let me go,” there was a mocking hope in her eyes and I was saddened to be the one to kill it off.
“Not going to happen,” I offered back just as lightly, and watched her eyes narrow on me.
“You know I eat a lot of garlic, right?”
That made me chuckle. Humans and their old wives tales. I leaned my upper body in towards her and sniffed.
“Yep.” I offered back and saw a flash of amusement in her eyes. For a moment I thought that she might lift her hand to breathe a breath into it and try to catch the scent herself, but she resisted that urge.
“Then I don’t taste good,” she smiled in victory.
“Actually, one of my favourite foods is garlic chicken,” I offered back with a shrug, and her head retracted on her neck a little as she frowned at me.
“You can’t eat garlic,” she turned her nose up at that thought.
“Whoops. I’ll send a memo to myself to stop,” I kept it light- I even chuckled at the look of confusion on her face.
“Garlic doesn’t keep vampires away?” she looked more than confused, she looked a little miffed.
“As a collective?” I asked with a small smile, “no.”
“So I’ve been overdosing for all of these years for nothing,” she grumbled. Looking like a petulant child that wanted to kick a cat was more than adorable, and I had to take pity on her.
“Silver works,” I offered back and her brow twitched as she tried to recall what she knew. “Crosses are useless. Holy water is just getting wet, and as we’re not cats…” she folded her arms across her chest and her ripe breasts rested against them. I had to look, but it was just a flick of my eyes.
“I thought silver was for werewolves?”
“Them too-”
“So werewolves are real?” she frowned.
“Very.” She huffed at the thought. Then she looked uncomfortable for a moment.
“Don’t suppose you know who killed JFK?” she asked on a half-whisper. I had to grin at that.
“I don’t know you well enough to tell,” I lied. I had no idea, although, I doubted there were many people alive, vampire or not, who were left to tell that particular secret.
“I just want to leave,” she looked uncomfortable again. Her eyes flicked around the great outdoors, so close to freedom, to being away from the evil vampire monster, and yet still hemmed in.
“And you will. Once we deal with Bruce,” I offered and got a sigh in reply. She was thinking again.
“In the meantime?” She finally settled on a question.
“My house is your house,” I motioned to it, just in case there was any doubt. “All I ask is that you try to refrain from killing any more valuable vases unless very necessary.” I pinged a smile onto my lips.
“How expensive was it?” She looked suitably guilty.
“A semi-detached house in a good area, expensive.” I offered back and saw her eyes flare and her cheeks redden.
“I’m not sorry,” she lied. She was, but not for my sake, for the vase.
“Didn’t think you would be,” I gave her that one.
Maggie went to move and swayed forwards a little, but then she stopped looking like she was chewing a wasp.
“What am I supposed to do here?” she tossed up a hand towards the house.
“Think of it as a holiday home,” I offered back.
“More like a prison,” she muttered.
“A very pleasant prison, with all the comforts of home,” I offered back. It was a lie. I hadn’t gotten around to buying a television yet, although my kitchen was up to date. Just because I didn’t reside here, didn’t mean I didn’t take care of the place via a third party that came up every few months or after a ferocious storm to tend the place.
“Cable?”
“No-”
“TV?”
“Not yet,” I gave her an apologetic look.
“A r-a-d-i-o?” she looked down her nose at me.
“Perhaps, somewhere…”
“All the comforts of home?” She scoffed.
“My home, not yours.”
“I’ll just go sit on a straight back chair and count the dust mites,” she muttered as she put one foot in front of the other and started for the house. I couldn’t help but chuckle.
“Or we could talk some more,” I offered.
“I’ll be fine with the dust mites,” she tossed back over her shoulder and I heard Shamus’s deep, mocking laughter coming from somewhere on the grounds.
“Get the lass a damn TV and DVD player,” his voice was audible only to me.
“Still doing that old woman eavesdropping thing, I see.”
“Of course. I wouldn’t want to miss a really juicy bit.”
His laughter taunted me. I’d made progress with my mate. At least, she was talking to me and not running away screaming. It was a start with which to build on, as long as I didn’t screw up.
CHAPTER SEVEN
~
MAGGIE
I clutched that stake in my hand like it could actually save my life or something. I think he’d already proved that it was useless in the wrong hands, and mine were definitely too slow for him.
I guess I hadn’t really put my heart and soul into trying to kill him. I hated to admit that to myself, but there was definitely something about him that both excited me and repelled me at the same time.
He was a vampire. That seemed the pretty obvious repellent right there, but he was also the most handsome man I’d ever seen in real life, and he wasn’t going to get any uglier with age…
And charm? Well, he had that in abundance.
There was a part of him that felt like he’d stepped out of the pages of a history book, like I’d stepped back in time to witness the highlands of old, and met a real life highlander from the past, and I guess, in a way I had. That had to turn a lass’s head…
But, still a vampire and all that entailed.
That sent my mi
nd back to being repelled by his vampiric nature again. He fed on people, humans, the weaker species, and it wasn’t as if we were cattle- only to his kind.
So why had he given me something that was useless in my hands to begin with?
To put me at ease a little more?
To see if I would actually try to use it on him?
Then why had he proven to me that it wouldn’t work?
It was as if the man wanted me to feel a little more comfortable around him, and yet had then set out to disprove that as a myth. Did he want to keep me off guard to stop me from trying to leave?
Was it all one big mind game with him? Playing with his food…
Was there really another vampire, aside from Shamus, out there who might do me harm?
What possible reason could he have for lying? Again, to keep me off guard- maybe to make me feel dependent of him for my protection?
Surely, I would be safer out there, just one of many human fodder, than here with him where he could be a target? My brain hurt. It was all too much to think about.
He’d gotten me here through the power of suggestion, so ergo, would he really need the lies and deceit?
Was he planning on killing me?
Was he planning on drinking every last drop of my blood?
Was I supposed to become his more than willing victim in gratitude or servitude?
What am I doing trying to think myself in circles? Maybe he’s not lying- maybe I am his soul mate… I shivered at the thought and yet I could feel that rush of excitement again.
I shot a look over my shoulder to see where he was and found that he was still right where I had left him. His eyes locked on mine, he gave me a little wave, and I almost tripped over my own feet trying to drag my eyes away, but drag them away I did- with a curse and an inward groan at my own stupidity.
One chance meeting in a supermarket and here I was. A prisoner to a vampire, and yet, he claimed that not to be the case. The man was daft if he thought I was just going to accept him and his word for it.
I was the daft one if I stayed here. I needed to find a way out and soon, before I found myself on the menu.
So, vampires were very real, and Moira wasn’t just pulling the leg of future generations from the grave. I’d often wondered since reading her warning, but what of it? Why hadn’t she seen fit to corroborate his story?
Because it wasn’t true? Because he was a lying demon playing mind games with a helpless human, and let’s face it- I’m pretty damn helpless.
I had so many questions in my mind that needed answers to I thought it might drive me insane before I got them. At least then I wouldn’t care what he did to me…
Hmm, what he did to me? That sounded ominous and yet intriguing by its vagueness. It left my mind to conjure up many different aspects of what vampires wanted from humans… blood, a given… and then there were all of those stories of them taking lovers, and I had to admit that thought didn’t exactly repulse me anymore…
I guess it had always been there in the back of my mind. Like the romance novels where the Highlander sweeps the helpless woman off her feet and makes her part of his clan, his queen- falling madly in love with her…
But this wasn’t a romance novel, it was real life, my life, and that life could be very short if he had other deeds in mind.
There were two of them. Dealing with one was bad enough, but even if I managed to knock him out or kill him then there was always vampire number two to get away from. And what of vampire number three? What if he was real?
Damn, life sucked, and not just in the house full of blood sucking vampires kind of way either.
If I was Mac’s mate then was I marked somehow? Did my blood smell of it? Did I have an invisible tattoo somewhere? A birth mark?
How would vampire three, Bruce, know I was Mac’s mate?
I really could go mad thinking about this. I probably already am losing my mind.
Maybe Mac used the power of suggestion to make me feel like this?
Maybe everything is a dream, an illusion… How would I know?
“He’s a good guy,” Shamus’s voice almost gave me a damn heart attack as I strolled into the house and thought I was alone. Boy, did I grip that stake.
“You mean aside from the whole vampire thing?” I shot back on a scowl as I turned to find him standing there; his backside leaning against a windowsill, big arms folded across his chest like he was trying to show me he wasn’t a threat… Pah!
“Once we reach a certain age, we’re more able to control the thirst within us,” Shamus’s eyes locked with mine, and I felt like the prey again.
“Control, there’s a word that has little meaning for me at the moment,” I thought I might as well speak my mind, what did I have to lose? They were either going to kill me or not- I was kind of hoping for the not.
“Sure, it might feel like that now,” his Irish lilt was soothing, but not enough to warrant me releasing my grip on that stake. “But, you have all the power in your relationship.”
I almost choked on his words, and mine, as I tried to push them out.
“Relationship? I think not.”
“Now don’t rush to judgement on something you don’t understand, lass,” his eyes were laughing, but there was also a sadness in their depths that I couldn’t understand.
I wondered if he kept his distance not to worry me, or if it was because of what had happened before with the whole vampire territory thing. Either way, I was grateful for it.
“I’d ask you to explain, but I don’t think I want to know.” Somewhere inside of me I did. I wanted someone to tell me about this whole mate thing and prove to me that I wasn’t in danger so that I could take a whole breath again without feeling as if an elephant was sitting on my damn chest.
“Are ye sure? Because you look curious,” he was grinning at me now, and yes, I had to look to see if he had fangs.
“Not even remotely,” I lied and he knew it. I could see it written there on his face. He grunted out a chuckle and I felt my resolve ebbing away as my pride took a little bit of a hit.
“He’ll die to keep you safe, you know?”
“No, I don’t know,” and that was the truth of it. I didn’t know because I didn’t have a damn clue about vampires, the Loch Ness monster seemed more real to me, or bloody aliens.
But how I wished that I did.
“Well,” Shamus’s grin spread wide across his face, “now you do.”
I had to roll my eyes at that one. So damn helpful, not.
“I just want to leave,” I informed him.
“That won’t last long,” he straightened, something catching his attention- like he was listening to something that I couldn’t hear.
“What’s going on?”
“A car,” he said simply, and my heart hit my ribs.
Perhaps it was my way out?
Perhaps some kind human soul could give me a lift back to the village… perhaps they would kill us both if I tried…
I have to admit that Shamus didn’t look quite so benign now. Not that he really did before, but he had been trying, so I’ll give him brownie points for that one.
In a heartbeat he was gone. Three more and he was back again, right there in front of me with a look that screamed out apology, and yet I had no idea what for…
Then my brain just sort of switched off and it was as if I was in a dream, but not quite…
“You’ll stay by my side and not make a sound, no matter what you see or hear.” He said, those dark eyes mesmerising in their intensity as he stared down at me.
I was lost…
CHAPTER EIGHT
~
MAC
By the time I got to her Shamus had already used the power of persuasion to take away her fear. I wanted to rip his damn throat out for the liberty that he had taken with my mate, and yet, at the same time he had done it to keep her safe, so I gave him the benefit of the doubt.
“If you take this too far I will kill you,” I warne
d him and he nodded before taking the stake from her hand and tucking it into the waistband of his jeans at his back.
“She’s controlled, just keep your own damn feelings in check,” he warned me. Not that I needed that warning, I knew what I had to do to keep her safe- I’d messed up once with Moira, I couldn’t do it again with my own mate.
I heard the car stop, the engine die, a door opening, and then those heavy footsteps inside of my own damn house…
“No really, come on in,” I said, moving to meet my unwelcome guest, just to get away from Maggie so that one touch, one look from Shamus in her direction didn’t send my bloodlust soaring.
And there he was- the man who thought himself to be King of all of Scotland, a modern age pretender to the throne with no legality of blood or right, unlike the bonny Prince, strolling into the living room as if he had a right to be there. I felt that grate on my very soul.
“You didn’t waste time finding lunch,” his eyes locked onto Maggie as she stood in a daze, and I had a need to rip those eyes from his head.
“A man has to eat,” Shamus chuckled. Lucky for Bruce that he did, because I was getting ready to kill the bastard.
“Fell like sharing?” Bruce asked, eying the pair of us to see the reaction that he got. I snorted- and Shamus saved the day once more.
“Ah, well we would, but you know what they say about two being company?” His Irish lilt was stronger now. He liked to play it up, like a mask that he wore, before he tore someone’s head from their shoulders.
Bruce grunted. He didn’t look like he cared one way or the other, but I did. Just the thought of his body, his fangs being anywhere near Maggie filled my blood with lava.
“Aye, well, don’t leave a mess behind you,” he said, eyeing the both of us for a reaction, and how I didn’t go for him, rip his damn arm off and beat him with it, was anyone’s guess. Then he smiled, but it didn’t reach his cruel eyes. “But you two are old enough to know that.”