by Aliya DalRae
“I’m sorry,” I said to Mac before dragging myself out of the warmth of his arms and drunk-marching to the back of the club.
There he was, alright, lounging at the entrance to the small hall that led to the ladies room, watching the women come and go. He didn’t even see me until I was right in front of him, and it was all I could do to keep from slapping that smirk off his face.
“What are you doing here?” I asked, in a huff. “I told you I needed time away from you, and you knew I’d be here, so what? Why?” When he didn’t say anything, I slapped him in the chest with both hands. “Go, then,” I yelled. “Just, leave me alone!”
Raven looked at me like I’d gone totally insane, and without even speaking to me, he turned and headed down the little hall to exit out the back.
Whatthefuck? Had he seen me (ahem) dancing with Mac? A couple of hours ago when he called, he was all about the conversation, but now he didn’t have anything to say? I went to go after him, but a hand on my shoulder had me spinning and punching without thinking. I’d been training hard at the dojo lately, and as tense as I was, touching me was the worst thing anyone could have done.
The jab was caught midair by a strong hand, and I was surprised to see that Mac had followed me.
“That the boyfriend?” he said, ignoring the fact that I had attempted to flatten his solar plexus mere seconds ago.
“Ex,” I replied, and shouldered my way past him and back to the table. I needed another drink.
When I reached the booth, Piper was there alone, and the look on her face let me know she was sending Mac packing. When I slid into the booth, he was gone. I grabbed my drink and fumed in a cesspool of emotions.
“Jessica? Can I—erm—make an observation here?”
“Knock yourself out,” I said, draining the melted dregs of my margarita and reaching for hers.
“You seem to be, well, a bit off tonight.”
“Picked up on that, did you?” I took a long drink, brain freeze be damned.
“Oh, Jessica, please don’t be mad at me. I just thought…you and Raven are so perfect together, and when you said you were having problems I never dreamed they were so bad that you’d, well, be with someone else so soon.”
“You just wanted Mac for yourself,” I spat, and immediately regretted the words. Piper’s face fell a mile and I felt like such a shit. We never fought over guys. Ever. Usually, because they were after her and mostly brain dead, but this was just—wrong.
“I’m sorry,” I said immediately. “That was uncalled for. I’m just not in a good place right now, and Mac…well, you saw him.”
“He is totally hot,” she conceded, and we both indulged in an alcohol-induced giggle. I couldn’t explain the connection I’d felt with him, though. I was still mystified by the whole thing.
“Seriously, though,” Piper said as our laughter died, “you and Raven seemed so happy…wait. Did he cheat on you?”
“I wish it were that simple,” I said, and meant it. What I wouldn’t give for a good old fashioned case of infidelity. No, I had to have the boyfriend with the treacherous past who may or may not be reviving old habits. If I believed my own talents, my visions, it was a done deal. But if I believed the man? Well, that’s when things became murky. How in the world did I explain this to Piper?
“Raven’s—complex…”
“Don’t I know it.”
“…and there are things about him that aren’t common knowledge.” Piper urged me on with a nod as she retrieved her drink from my grasp to take a sip. “Let’s just say, some of his past is leaking into the present, and I’m not sure if I can deal with it. I’m not sure I want to deal with it.”
“And this past of his…is it illegal, or immoral?” Piper asked, cocktail straw between her teeth like a farmer deep in thought.
“Uh…both,” I said, and waited for Piper’s jaw to drop in shock. It didn’t, though. Instead, she looked at me and nodded, dipping her straw back into her glass, and tapping it on the rim.
“He always seemed to me like a reformed biker or something. You know, how he always dresses in black and leather, and has such a bad boy vibe about him? Did he do time?” It was surprising how perceptive Piper could be.
“No, he was never actually…” what? Caught? Convicted?
“So he did bad things, and got away with them. But he saw the error of his ways, and decided he wanted to be a better man, especially after he met you,” she theorized, pointing the little straw at me. “But now, the call of the wild is pulling him back in, and you don’t know if you can tolerate his wicked ways.”
“You make it sound so cloak and dagger,” I laughed, and was glad I’d opened up to her, reminded yet again why we were friends. “And so simple,” I added, as my laughter faded.
“Well, it is simple, isn’t it? You either love him enough to put up with his shit, or you don’t.”
“Of course, there’s more to it,” I said, waving at Krissy to signal another round. Alex and Lisha were still on the dance floor, which was a good thing. It was easier to talk to Piper about Raven, especially if there was anything that put him in a bad light. He and Alex had become reluctant friends, and only for my sake. I knew for a fact that, given a reason, Alex would be all anti-Raven again.
Piper’s eyes widened and she said, “You mean?” and waved her hand in what had become the secret symbol for “vision.”
“Yep,” I said, as Krissy set my drink in front of me, and distributed the rest around the table before retreating back to the bar.
“Raven says he’s innocent of all charges, but I saw him, Piper. I saw him—do something really bad—and it’s very hard for me to take his word for it. I want to believe him, I swear I do, but how can I? He knows what I can do, and still, he denies it.”
Piper was chewing on the straw again, her brow drawn, and I could tell she was trying hard not to say something. “What is it?” I asked, and she looked guilty. “Go on, ask it.” Everyone else has. “Could I be wrong?”
“Well?” she hesitated, not wanting to hurt my feelings. “Could you be? I mean, I know you never have been before, trust me, I know. But maybe your,” she mouthed the word vision, “was, I don’t know, distorted or something. Maybe it was showing you one thing, but really meant something else?”
Or showing me one man, but really meant someone else?
“But I saw him, Piper. I’ll admit, I didn’t get a clear view of his face, but I saw, like, his eyes and his—”
Fangs.
“—teeth, and his hair, and his hands. Not all at once, but I know these bits of him, intimately. There was a nuance about him in the vision that was strictly Raven, how he walked and touched—things. It was so familiar, and so real, and…and…” I was trembling now, and Piper had her hands on mine, trying to calm me down. In talking about it, the vision had begun replaying in my mind, and—shit!
When I didn’t stop shaking, Piper changed places to sit next to me, and in true Piper style, she put her arms around me and offered the only comfort she could. It wasn’t until Alex and Lisha approached the booth and I saw the look on Alex’s face that I felt the tears slipping down my cheeks.
“What’s going on?” Alex asked, his longish dark hair damp with vigorous-dance induced sweat. Lisha clung to his hand, her pretty face a picture of confusion as she took in my unsettled state.
“Nothing,” I said, turning away and grabbing a napkin to dab at my make-up smeared cheeks. Piper gave me an apologetic smile before turning on Alex. I couldn’t see her face, but knew she was capable of some pretty fierce looks, and Lisha’s expression said it all. They were apparently getting the “you’re interrupting serious girl talk” look, which Alex was all too familiar with. Lisha just stood there, blinking at us.
“Just…ah…came to get our drinks,” Alex said, reaching for their freshened beverages and handing one to Lisha. “We’ll be at the bar,” he added, the “if you need me,” implied.
“As usual, the man’s timing is horrible,�
�� Piper quipped, turning back to me, her concern scarcely hidden behind bright green eyes. Green eyes. Mac. What had I done? I slid down the bench until my head rested on the hard, wooden back. I’d lost track of how many cocktails I’d had, but they were starting to catch up with me. So much for waiting until I got home to push this bender to the max.
“I think I need to go,” I murmured. “Any chance you’re still sober enough to take me? I think I passed ‘okay to drive’ about two margaritas ago.”
“No problem. I’ll go tell Alex and Lisha we’re leaving so they can keep the booth if they want it.” And to tell Alex what was going on, I was sure. As Piper clacked across the room in her new Jimmy Choos, I banged my head against the backrest. And again. And once more, for good measure.
Raven had looked at me like I was pond scum, and left without a single word. He was right, of course. I was kissing another man, and we hadn’t officially broken up, in spite of what I’d told Mac.
Well, maybe not then.
I so sucked.
Chapter Twenty-Six
M alcolm had followed Jessica from the dance floor to the restrooms. He didn’t quite hear what Piper whispered to her, but the look on Jessica’s face spoke volumes. Raven was here, and she was livid. Not about being caught but by Raven’s mere presence. Her anger was like a balm to Malcolm, soothing the near physical hurt he’d felt when she’d torn her lips from his.
He’d watched from a distance as Jessica ranted at Raven, and he couldn’t help a triumphant smile when Raven caught his eye. His smile had faltered, however, when the Vampire simply smirked at him. No scowl, no hatred, no smartass remarks, none of his standard reactions to Malcolm. In fact, Raven had no real reaction to his presence at all. Odd.
When Jessica went to follow the bloodsucker out into the alley, Malcolm stopped her. She was too upset, and based on her reaction to his touch, too likely to bite off more than she could chew. It was also obvious that the male was not in his right mind either. If Malcolm relied on one thing to entertain him, it was pissing off that particular Vampire. The lack of reaction was utterly disappointing. And disconcerting.
After shuffling Jessica back to the table, Malcolm didn’t need the look Piper gave him to be gone. He raced back to the alley, as quickly as he could through the sea of people determined to bar his way, to see if Raven was still out there. He had serious doubts that the male would have hung around that long, and was surprised to see him lounging against a dumpster, sucking on a joint.
Patting his shirt pocket, Malcolm said, “Forgot my cigs. Got a spare?”
Raven glared at him a moment. “What do you want, Shifter?” Almost standard repartee, but not quite right. Raven knew Malcolm didn’t smoke.
“Just making sure you leave Jessica alone. She obviously doesn’t want to see you right now.” Raven’s blank stare was brief, and was quickly replaced with one of comprehension, but Malcolm hadn’t missed it. He’d been confused for a moment.
“No problem, Shifter. I’m doing rounds. Your girl is safe, for now.” My girl? Raven would never have made that kind of concession, even sarcastically.
“Raven?” Malcolm asked with unfamiliar concern for his rival.
Without warning, Malcolm’s head exploded in pain, and he bit back a scream, doubling over with his hands clutching his temples. Raven remained slouched against the dumpster, drawing slowly on the dope stick in his mouth.
“Mind your own, Shifter,” Raven said, amethyst light from his glowing eyes bathing the alley. The pain in Malcolm’s brain redoubled, and the scream he’d been fighting freed itself from his throat, shattering the lone light bulb at the bar’s back exit. The alley was now an eerie shade of purple that Malcolm could sense more than see through his clenched eyelids.
As quickly as it started, the pain was gone, and Malcolm found himself on his hands and knees, breathless and alone in a dark alley.
And he didn’t have a clue as to how he had come to be there.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
T he car ride back to my house was short and blessedly dialogue-free. Piper was being unnaturally quiet, but I was grateful for the conversational hiatus. I needed to clear my head a bit before we continued our talk, so I rolled down my window and stuck my head out like a dog. My friend just cranked up the heater and let me have at it.
I wasn’t done talking to Piper—we were finally getting somewhere—but I wanted to be on my home turf to try and figure the rest of this out. And for whatever reason, I was missing my cat.
“You’ve got company,” Piper mused as we pulled into my drive about fifteen minutes later. I’d forgotten about the Porsche. Guess Mason hadn’t gotten around to sending someone for it yet.
“Borrowed it,” I said. Piper knew that Raven had friends in high places, but whenever she asked, my responses were, well, vague. I think she thought that Raven was part of some secret government agency that dealt with I don’t know what. I left her to fill in the blanks with whatever she came up with. Nothing she imagined was as implausible as the truth.
“Nice,” she muttered, and I could tell she wanted to go feel the car up. She didn’t though, which was a testament to our friendship. Not many things would have kept her from that vehicle.
We got inside the house, with only a little help from Piper working the key, and I offered her a drink and a bed for the night. She accepted both, and while Piper called her parents to let them know, I handled the drinks. I filled two tall water glasses with ice and added a quick splash (or more) of Quervo, topping both off with margarita mix. Drinks in hand, we settled ourselves on the sofa and got down to some serious chatter.
“Talk to me,” Piper said, taking a long sip of her drink.
“I really don’t know where to start.” I tasted my drink, wondering if I should have added more tequila.
“How about with the vision?” Piper asked. “Exactly what horrible crime did Raven commit to have you willing to throw away the best thing that ever happened to you?” I didn’t answer right away, so Piper tried again.
“I saw you go after him,” she said, unable to look me in the eye. “Jessica, you were furious with him, and that was before you even talked to him. I don’t know what was said, but if Mac hadn’t stopped you, you would have followed Raven into the alley. In the mood you were in, it wouldn’t have been good for either one of you.”
“I think he saw us,” I whispered, glancing around the room for Malcolm. He was probably out hunting mice. Malcolm liked to hunt mice.
“Who?”
“Raven saw me and Mac. Piper, he didn’t even acknowledge me. He looked at me like I was a total stranger. No anger, no disgust—it was like I was nothing to him. I know I deserved it,” I said before she could. “But I had no idea it would hurt so bad.”
“Why did you do it?” Piper asked, and she wasn’t being judgmental.
“Why?” I laughed, though the sound lacked humor. “That’s the question of the hour.” When Piper didn’t respond I said, “Have you ever met someone and felt like you’ve known them your whole life?”
“Like you did with Raven?”
“No, not like Raven. I mean, with him I sort of did know him forever, right? Because of the vision. I meant Mac. From the moment he spoke to me, it was like there was a connection between us, like with him everything was safe and comfortable and—normal.” Piper looked at me, her eyebrows knitted together, and I sighed.
“I don’t know what I’m saying. But when we were dancing, it was like I was in a different place, and for a minute the whole nasty world was an afterthought. With Raven, it seems like all the evil of the world hones in on us and surrounds us, but in those few minutes with Mac? All of that was on the outside of a safety bubble, and only good was allowed inside.”
“How do you do it?” Piper asked, seemingly in awe.
“Do what?”
“How do you find the only two guys in Fallen Cross that not only can put two cohesive sentences together, but are hotter than hell, and capable of turn
ing your world inside out? How?”
“You’re looking at this as a good thing?” I laughed, and she gave me innocent eyes. “You’ve forgotten the vision.”
“So are you going to tell me what it was about?” Piper asked, folding her legs under her and fiddling with her glass.
“I—can’t exactly,” I said, wishing like hell I’d never met the Vampires. “All I can say is that it was really bad.”
“Murder?” Piper asked, swallowing hard.
“Worse,” I whispered.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
W hen Mac returned to the bar, Jessica was gone, and only Alex and Lisha were sitting at the booth. A fresh brew was on the table where he’d been sitting, so he didn’t hesitate to approach the two lovebirds. There was an echo of pain in the back of his head, and he still had no idea why he’d been in the alley. He was in desperate need of that beer—and to find out where Jessica and Piper had gone.
“Hey,” he said, sliding into the booth opposite the couple, and raising the cool bottle to his forehead.
Lisha was chewing on her bottom lip while Alex gave him a brooding stare. Mac thought he was about to get a lecture, so he nipped it in the bud.
“Where’d the girls go?” he asked.
“Home,” Alex said. Lisha was making a meal out of that lip.
“So, you guys friends with Jessica’s ex?” he asked, knowing it was an iffy situation.
“Didn’t know there was an ex,” Alex stated, taking a long pull off a bottle of Bud.
“Raven, then. Are you friends with him?”
“She told you about him?”
Malcolm shrugged and took a drink of his Dos Equis.
“Was he still out there?” Alex asked, jerking his thumb toward the back of the bar.
“Who?” Malcolm asked, confused.