Redemption: A Custos Novel

by Emjay Soren

  “I remember seeing her.” He said, then looked at Cash. “Look, have Cain chain me and take me to the mansion, leave them here.” Fuck, even in throes of jealousy and bloodlust he was still cool as fuck. I hated knowing that we were hurting him.

  He looked at me as Cash went to the door and instructed Cain and Able on the plan and told Stupor to take the girls to another room. Before he came back in the room he opened the door again. “Tavern, you need to go get in the shower and stay there until Princess comes and tells you it’s safe. We can explain later.”

  He didn’t wait for a response as he shut the door. “You get to Jezzi and keep me informed. I’ll leave Stupor here if you run into trouble. Until we find Leushus, I’m with Bas indefinitely.”

  I nodded and looked at him with a sad smile. “Your Princess…” I don’t say it because he knows my question.

  The Cash I knew for so many years shows his face again, and I cringe at the coldness in his voice. “She wanted space? Well, she got it.”

  He opened the door for me and slammed it shut before I could say anything more. It wasn’t me he was mad at. He slammed the door because London was standing there listening to him the whole time. He was busted and completely fucked.

  *

  Tavern

  I sat beside Preacher and waited for Jezzi to move. Preacher had been coughing for the last few hours but he said it could be a while before she woke. He was a first time Sire to my very best friend, the sister of my heart. He was nervous and thirsty and worried for both Bas and Jez.

  I jumped when his phone rang. He answered quickly and relaxed. It must be Cash.

  A series of yeah’s and uh huh’s went on and on until he looked at me and drew his brows in. “She’s here with me why?”

  They were talking about me? It must be Cash. Preacher gave a ‘yeah, hold on’ and handed me the phone. “It’s Cash.”

  I take the phone and step out in the hall. “Hey, Cash.”

  “Hey, darlin’. Can you do me a favor?” He sounds stressed and sad. When he’d left he looked so down and tired. I knew he was hurting. I knew London was too. These two needed to communicate something fierce.

  “Sure, what’s up?”

  He was silent for a few seconds and then he spoke so low I barely heard him. “Bastian thinks he’s bound to you. His wolf understands the mark of Leushus. His vampire doesn’t. You need to avoid using your telepathic bond and wait for Leushus to get back. Until then, try and keep him and Preacher apart, and you should stay away as well.”

  Oh fuck! You’ve got to be kidding me! It was like the fates wanted to fuck me! I should have known my happily ever after still came with a broken heart. It just wasn’t mine that was broken.

  “Seriously? I mean, you’re positive?”

  “Yeah, darlin’. He’s almost psychotic thinking of you being near Preacher.”

  I could hear a rustle in the background before a painful sounding cry. “What was that?”

  “Able drugged him so we could all rest for a minute. Cain is with him in the room and will stay until the bloodlust fades and his emotions come back inline. For now we’re drugging him with horse tranqs and hoping like hell Leushus hurries the fuck up.”

  “Can I call to Leushus?” I asked, even though I fear Leushus won’t answer.

  “Yeah, keep trying.”

  “Ok. If there’s anything else I can do let me know.” I hated this so much. I needed my good old Bas back. I hated knowing I was hurting him without meaning to. I wanted my friend. My words from last night echoed through my mind as Cash talked about what to expect with Bas. I wasn’t listening though, my heart was breaking for my friend.

  I kept replaying our talk in my mind. He was strong and proud even though I was denying him, knowing I always would.

  “I hate that I’m hurting you.”

  “You’re not.”

  “You’re lying.”

  “You’re deferring. You need to be happy for you, Tavern Madley. And your happiness, as much as I hate it, is with the anxious vampire waiting for you.”

  “You will find someone Bastian, I know you will.”

  “Can we not break up? Because I’ve had a shitty day as it is.”

  “I’ll talk to you soon Cash.” I said, but before I can hang up he stops me.

  “Tavern?” His voice was the saddest sound.

  “Yeah, Cash?”

  “Don’t let her leave me.”

  “I’ll work on her.”

  I made my way in the room to see Preacher pacing and coughing. “Don’t bother, stupid vampire.” He stops and looks at me, rage and fear mask his beautiful face. “I heard everything, and I’m warning you Bird, I can’t take it if he touches you or tries to take you from me. I’ll lose my mind.”

  I looked at my man and let our story replay in my mind, but I knew there was no doubt for me. “Let him be, Baby. I love you and I chose you. I will always choose you, Preacher.”

  He pulls me close and angles his head to kiss me when a violent coughing attack hits him and he falls to his knees. I drop to the floor with him and feel like shit because I don’t know how to help him.

  “Check…her eyes… Bird.” He says between coughs. A quick glance confirms it even before I hear her voice.

  “Tav?” Jezzi asks and I can’t believe it worked.

  Jezzi was back.

  Bastian was a hybrid bad ass.

  Preacher was jealous and scared… and mine.

  I was madly in love.

  I was going to be a vampire.

  And London…..London was leaving her true love behind.

  Epilogue

  Princess AKA London AKA Cookie

  Cash had left for Texas with Leushus for two weeks. For the first time since he left, I was alone and missing him. I had moved back into Tiffany Blue twelve hours ago. Cash hadn’t called or texted. He let me go, just like I thought he would.

  I had lived in a world where my awesomeness was a gift; people loved me and being around me. I knew I came off at first like a Valley Girl who cares only about number one.

  But, I cared about many.

  I loved one and would always ever love just one. He had raven black hair in spikes down the center of his head, his scalp covered in tattoos that had more depth that any tattoos I’d seen before. His eyes were cobalt blue and they softened when he looked at me.

  I had left my vampire.

  Maybe I had given into him too easily. He had told me that humans had it rough because they couldn’t hold a vampires attention for long.

  He also said I was different.

  I gave into him and his needs. I gave him all of me because I thought it was what he wanted. I saw Tavern’s fight, watched her leave Preacher even as she cried for weeks about missing and loving him. She was true to herself, didn’t settle, and Preacher came crawling back on his hands and knees.

  They were now the couple that I wanted to be like. I thought Cash and I were perfect…hell, I thought I was perfect. Perfection leaves no room for error and I had fucked up somewhere. He never bonded himself to me. I knew everything about vampires and their jealous possessive ways. Cash never said anything about marking me as his, about claiming me. I thought marrying me was his claim.

  I never knew there was more. That he could Sire me and connect us forever.

  He never ignored me or pushed me away until recently. I knew he was stressed, hell, now even more so with Bastian as his bloodline. Until Leushus made his way back to us, I had no hope of Cash coming for me.

  I didn’t know how this happened, how I fell in the rabbit hole so deep I couldn’t find my way out.

  But I would wait for him to come for me. I believed he would. There was no way it wasn’t real for him. The way he looked at me and touched me. I believed him when he swore he loved me and would love me forever.

  I would wait for him forever, hoping that I was right.

  …God please let him come for me…

  The End… for now

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