“Terribly.” She gave him a stern look. “I do wish you would have called. I could have had Frauke make us lunch.”
Frauke was Elenora’s cook, and while the woman’s food was excellent, it also tended to be rich. He would have needed a nap afterward. “We will do that soon, I promise. But I only had a minute today. I’m on my way to see Sebastian to go over some financials on the wedding chapel.” Not true, but a good excuse.
She nodded. “How is that venture going?”
“Very well.” It actually wasn’t a bad idea to see Sebastian. Maybe he ought to so his words wouldn’t be a lie. Elenora was the type to check up on such a thing.
“Still flying off to Vegas every chance you get?”
“If I was, would I be here?”
She pursed her mouth as if they both knew that wasn’t an answer, but she wasn’t going to push it. “What can I do for you today, then? I’m sure you’re not just here to say hello.”
“Am I that transparent?”
She went back to her roses. “My darling, you are practically made of glass.”
He sighed. “I could use a favor.”
She smiled as she snipped something. “Out with it.”
Which was exactly how he planned to proceed. Elenora could only take so much buttering up. Birdie she was not. “I am in desperate need of another amulet.”
Her snippers stopped mid-snip. “You can’t be serious. Have you lost yours? No, of course not or you wouldn’t be here.”
Damn it. That would have been an excellent excuse. Why hadn’t he thought of that? But he couldn’t pretend that was true when he was standing outside in the middle of the day. “No, I just need another, and I’d like not to have to explain myself.”
She laughed and went back to work. “Yes, I’m sure that’s exactly what you’d like. The answer is no, but then I suspect you already knew that.”
“Grandmamma, I don’t ask for much. Please. An amulet would be a tremendous help to me right now.” If he could get one for Desi, it would make their lives so much easier. But the best part was she’d be safer. If her stalker knew she was a vampire, the quickest way to do her harm would be to get her outside while the sun was up. With an amulet of her own, she’d be protected.
Elenora slanted her eyes at him. “You know better, Julian. The amulets are a family secret. Lending one out to a friend is unacceptable.”
“This is a special case.”
She frowned. “Who is she?”
He frowned right back. He’d known it would come to this. “Someone I care very much about. And she’s in trouble. I’m trying to help her because, frankly, she has no one else. And it’s my responsibility.”
Elenora looked at him directly. “Have you gotten someone pregnant? Because that’s a very different—”
“No.” Desi had yet to even let him in her bed. Save for the wild night when they’d gotten married, and all they’d done then was sleep off all the champagne they’d drunk.
“Too bad,” Elenora sniffed. “I’d love another grandbaby.”
“Giving me this amulet could lead to that.” Or not. But it couldn’t hurt to let Didi think it was a possibility.
She looked down her nose at him in that disapproving way of hers. “Get married, show me you’re serious, and then come talk to me about an amulet. I’m not going to waste Alice’s powers on—”
He groaned. “I am already married.” He hadn’t wanted to share that, but he knew how stubborn Elenora could be.
Her jaw dropped. Then she snapped it shut and went back to her flowers. “You’re just saying that so I’ll have Alice make up an amulet for you.”
He sighed. “Part of me wishes I was. But the truth is, I am married. I have been for nearly eight months.”
“Eight months?” She was clearly aghast. “Do your brothers know about this? Why have you been keeping this from me?”
“Grandmamma, no one knows. You’re the first person I’ve told and I’d appreciate it if you could keep it that way.” The thought of what his brothers would say, especially when they found out his wife couldn’t wait to divorce him, wasn’t something he wanted to deal with. Not even a little bit.
She reached out and cupped his cheek, concern in her eyes. “You’re upset about this marriage. Why? Marriage should make you happy. You look miserable.”
He shook his head and tried to look away, but her hand held him fast. “She doesn’t love me the way I love her.”
Elenora sighed. She took her hand from his face and started gathering up her things. “Come. We’re going into the house to talk.”
He was torn. Discussing the details of his marriage would be painful, but also, maybe, a way to unburden himself a bit. He’d had no one to talk to about it. His grandmother was the last person he’d choose, but at least she was family.
They settled into her drawing room, the double doors firmly shut, although Julian had no doubt that Alice would find her way to the other side of those doors very soon. If she wasn’t out there already.
Didn’t matter. Elenora kept no secrets from the old witch, so Alice would know everything eventually.
His grandmother stared at him from her settee. “Start at the beginning.”
He did, telling her everything, how he’d fallen in love with Desi, how their wild night had turned to marriage, and how their marriage had become a one-year waiting game the morning after.
Then he explained about Desi being threatened and how he hoped to help her with that, finishing with his trip to the sheriff’s office that morning. Then he shrugged. “That’s it. Now you know the whole thing.”
Her gaze never wavered. “You love her?”
His heart clenched and his throat constricted. “Sadly, I do.”
“How much?”
“So much it hurts. So much that when this divorce is final, I may go away for a while because I won’t be able to stand seeing Hugh and Sebastian so happy with their partners.”
She folded her hands in her lap. “And you think this amulet would help you…win her over?”
“A gift of that magnitude? It couldn’t hurt.” He shifted in his seat. “But more importantly, it will allow her some more freedom and keep her safe. If the person behind all this madness knows she’s a vampire, the amulet will protect her by taking away Desi’s one weakness—her vulnerability to the sun.”
Elenora nodded. “I agree with all that. But what if she decides to stay with you strictly because of the amulet? Do you really want a woman who would use you just so she can warm her face in the sun once again?”
He swallowed. “I want to say no. But the thought of having her around even if…” He shook his head. “No, you’re right. That would be no relationship at all. I don’t think she’d do that, though. Desi isn’t that kind of woman. She says and does exactly what she wants.”
Elenora thought about that. “I can respect that.”
He leaned forward and put his head in his hands. “But I want her, Grandmamma. I love her and I feel foolish for it, but I can’t stop myself from feeling this way either.” He groaned. It wasn’t his style to share so much, but it was nice to confide in someone after keeping these secrets to himself for so long.
She came to sit beside him, putting her arm around him. “My poor boy. I hate to see you hurting.” She patted his back. “I will give you the amulet.”
Shock straightened his spine. “You will?”
She nodded. “On one condition.”
That was very Elenora, but he wouldn’t complain. The fact that she was willing to give him an amulet was huge. “Anything, just name it.”
“You will bring this woman here. I want to meet her. Have dinner with her. Get to know her. I need to see for myself what kind of woman has stolen my sweet Julie’s heart.”
He took a deep, unnecessary breath. This would either be a good idea or a terrible one. He had a feeling it was going to be terrible, but there’d be no living with Didi now that she knew he was involved. Letting her meet Desi wa
s his only hope for relief. “All right. When?”
“Tomorrow night.” She stood. “Now, I must go talk to Frauke and plan the menu.”
He got to his feet. “Thank you.”
She looked down her nose at him. “Don’t thank me yet.”
He laughed, feeling lighter already. “Too late.”
Desdemona blinked up at the ceiling. For a moment, she couldn’t recall where she was. Then it all came back to her. This was Julian’s place.
She sat up, pushing the covers away. The television was off, but she knew she’d fallen asleep with it on. She glanced at the door. Still shut.
Didn’t mean Jules hadn’t come in. She checked the nightstand. Her cup of tea was gone. She shook her head. He must have checked in on her. It was sweet, but then, the man was exceptionally good at making her feel taken care of. And unlike most people, he wasn’t doing it because he wanted anything from her. Other than for her to love him back, which she’d told him on the plane she couldn’t allow herself to do.
She got out of bed and padded into the bathroom for a long hot shower. It wasn’t quite twilight yet. The sun’s presence was a tangible thing. Like a wasp crawling on her skin. Only much more deadly.
She lingered in the shower, letting the steaming water wash away the remnants of daysleep. Julian never seemed to suffer from that. Or from the pull of it, either. Whatever his secret, the advantage it gave him was huge.
Forty-five minutes later, she was showered, had done her makeup and fixed her hair. She did her hair right away actually, running some conditioning oil through it, then finger-combing the curls into place to dry while she did her makeup.
Evening had settled fully, and the itch of the sun was gone, but she had no idea what the night would bring. That made choosing an outfit a touch tricky. She stood in front of her closet in her little silk robe, finally opting for skinny jeans, a slinky, off the shoulder black top and purple ankle boots. She could always change if need be.
Dressed and ready, she was about to head out when she heard a voice that wasn’t Julian’s coming from the living room. She paused at the bedroom door.
Someone else was in the penthouse. Julian was too, she could sense him. Then he joined in the conversation, his voice carrying through the hall. This new person was obviously a friend. One of his brothers maybe? But that thought didn’t make her feel any less apprehensive.
She walked out to see who was in the penthouse, stopping at the end of the hall.
Julian stood as soon as he saw her. “Hello, love. Did you sleep well?”
The other man stood, too, his back to her.
She smiled at Julian. “I did.” She glanced at the man, who’d turned to face her. He was handsome enough. A little too roguish for her taste. He bore no resemblance to Julian, so most likely not family. She joined them in the living room. “Who’s your friend?”
“This is Remy, he’s a deputy with the sheriff’s department, and he’s basically on loan to us for extra security.”
Remy smiled and extended his hand. He had a healthy set of fangs on display. “Pleasure to meet you, ma’am.”
The accent was familiar. It took her back to some unpleasant memories, but she was an expert in compartmentalizing that sort of thing. She smiled right back. “Nice to meet you too. You must be from Louisiana by the sound of that accent. It’s very nice of you to offer your time this way.”
He nodded, his grin growing. “Yes, ma’am, I am a Louisiana boy and happy to help another vampire in need.” He tipped his head toward Jules. “I got the lowdown on your situation from Julian. Sorry to hear about your troubles.”
“Thank you.” She moved closer to Julian. Remy might be friendly, but he was still an unknown. “Are you a daywalker too?”
Remy laughed in an awe shucks kind of way. “No, ma’am. I’m strictly a nightshift vamp myself.”
“I’m not one, either, so we have that in common.” It would be nice to have another layer of protection. And it would take some of the weight off Julian’s shoulders. It would even allow them a little distance, which she thought at first might be a good thing, but the more she let that process, the less it seemed that way.
“Remy will be on call,” Julian said. “We’ll get his number programmed into your phone, and if for any reason you want to go out and I can’t go with you, he’ll accompany you.”
She nodded. “Sounds good.” Sounded just okay, actually. She didn’t want to go out with anyone but Julian. Even in a platonic way. “Have you done any kind of security work like this before, Remy?”
“Not exactly, ma’am, but I think I can handle it.”
“I’m sure you can but, please, you have to call me Desi.” She smiled. “Ma’am makes me feel a thousand years old and I’m not quite there yet.”
He grinned. “You got it.”
She looked at Julian. “What’s the plan for tonight?”
“What do you feel like? Still want to go out and see the town?”
“I’d love to. I think we can skip Insomnia, though. Just a little tour of the town. Maybe grab something to eat? If you’re not working. If you are, I’m sure Remy can go with me.” Her smile felt a bit forced as those last words came out. She tried to brighten her expression. She didn’t want Jules to think she was ungrateful for all the effort he was going to for her. She wasn’t. She just wanted to spend some time with him.
“I’m free tonight, but I think Remy should go with us anyway. Harlan called earlier. The shop won’t give him the info on who sent them, which means we’re no closer to finding out who’s doing this.” Julian glanced at the other vampire. “Because of that, I’d like you to trail us and make sure no one else is doing the same. Just until we know the coast is clear.”
Remy rubbed his hands together. “No problem.”
Desi frowned. “You really think I could be in danger here?”
“I’m just being cautious.”
“Okay.” That made her want to keep Julian close even more.
“Still want to go out?” he asked.
“Yes.” She wasn’t canceling an evening with him on account of speculation.
“Great,” Julian said. “I’ll go grab my keys and we’ll head into town.”
He left. Desi smiled at Remy. After all, it wasn’t his fault he wasn’t Julian. “Where in Louisiana are you from?”
“New Orleans. But things are a little hot for me there right now. You know how it is when all your friends start to notice you’re not aging. Anyway, I had to get away for a while.” His gaze took on a melancholy bent. “At least until those who know me are…not around anymore.”
She nodded. That hadn’t exactly happened to her yet, because she’d moved around a lot and rarely let anyone get close to her, but she knew it was a possibility. It was a distinct downside to being a vampire. Especially if you hoped to settle somewhere. “Did you have family there?”
“I did. The Lafittes have a long history in that town.”
She went still. “What did you say your last name was?”
“Lafitte.” He grinned. “My granddaddy was Jean Lafitte, the famous—”
She gasped as the name slid razor-edged into her belly like a hot dagger. Her nerves went haywire, pinging small alarms throughout her body and making her tremble. “I-I know who he is.”
Julian walked back out jingling his keys. “All right, let’s head down to the—”
“No.” She swallowed down the rank taste on her tongue and backed away. She flattened her hands against her stomach. “I don’t feel like going out anymore.”
Julian frowned. “What’s wrong?”
She stared at Remy and shook her head. Memories took over and words became harder. She took another step back. “You need to leave.”
Remy looked shocked. “I am deeply sorry that I said something to offend you. It wasn’t my intent, I swear.”
Julian glared at him. “What the hell happened? I was barely out of the room.”
Remy shrugged. “I got no i
dea.”
“Desi, what’s going on?” Julian gave her his full attention. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
She retreated farther, wringing her hands together. The memories were overwhelming her. In a moment, she would crack. She could feel it coming. A low whine began to drown out all other sounds. Her temperature rose until she wanted to tear her clothes off. Then the stink of the ocean filled her nose. That wretched, low-tide, dead-fish smell that no amount of rain could wash away.
“Remy, go,” Julian said. “I’ll talk to you later.”
A wall stopped her from going any farther. She stood there for a moment with her back against it, then she went down, crumpling into a heap. She wrapped her arms around her knees and started sucking in air in deep gulps. She didn’t need it, but she couldn’t stop herself either, just like she couldn’t keep herself from rocking back and forth. The past owned her again, stripping her control away. It was a feeling she’d been fighting for centuries.
A door opened and closed, and then strong arms surrounded her.
“Desi, sweetheart, what’s wrong? I think you’re having a panic attack.”
Julian. She knew it was him, but Alonso filled her head. Alonso and his lies. His betrayal. She let out a broken, raspy whisper. “Never again.”
Julian pulled her onto his lap and held her against his chest. “No, never again. Whatever it was, I’ll protect you.”
He petted her hair and whispered soft reassurances.
She wept a few quiet tears. They stung like sea water on an open wound. She put her head on his shoulder and let out one last sob as she struggled to push the past down.
She had no idea how long they sat like that, but Julian never once moved. He just let her be.
Her whole body ached, but finally the worst had subsided. She lifted her head but couldn’t make herself look at Julian. “I’m sorry.”
“I don’t know what you’re apologizing for.”
She wiped at her eyes. “For making a scene. You know what I’m talking about.”
“You had a panic attack. You don’t need to apologize for that.”
The Vampire's Accidental Wife (Nocturne Falls Book 8) Page 9