by Mandi Casey
Blake’s cell phone rang. Flipping it open, he said, “Yeah?” He didn’t sound happy with the caller. “No.” He paused to listen. “No problem, I’ll be there shortly.” He closed his phone with a sigh.
“You have to go save the world. I understand.” I did understand. As the Selected I had to participate in Other business that at times I’d rather not even know about.
He nodded. “Yes, something along those lines. Michael is throwing a fit because my father won’t let him leave Kenosha while Matt’s roaming around the city. The young wolf’s protective instincts are going into overdrive because he can’t be near your sister.”
We shared a knowing smile. Michael had it bad for Brianna. I was glad she had him to protect her since we now lived in different cities. My baby sister was safer being far away from the goings on in Kenosha. I hoped she never decided to make the move when she finished medical school.
“He certainly does. She’s just as bad. When he doesn’t invite her to your family events it really gets to her. Her feelings get hurt because he can’t tell her the truth. Hopefully, when he does tell her about his being a werewolf, she’ll take it all in stride. I’m just not sure how she’s going to react. I know I didn’t take to the news well at first.” Michael wasn’t the only one protective of Brianna. Upon realizing what he was, I’d threatened to injure him, a lot, if he hurt my sister. I meant it.
Squeezing my hands, Blake urged me close. Leaning back over the counter, he kissed me gently on the lips. “I’ll call you later.”
“You do that.” I smiled. I appreciated the view Blake gave me as he walked to the door. Watching his muscles work underneath his clothes was a pleasant form of torture on my newly potent hunger for sexual gratification.
I spent the rest of the afternoon taking care of customers, helping them find what they needed and cleaning the store. The wares in the store required dusting at least every other day. I couldn’t imagine trying to sell a relic covered with dust to a true Wiccan. I’d die of shame.
While eating my dinner at the counter, I watched the last bit of sun through the windows disappear beyond the horizon. The vampires would be waking soon.
Munching on a chunk of carrot dipped in ranch dressing, I turned toward the front door when the chimes jangled. I coughed when a tiny piece of food caught in my throat when I saw the new arrival.
Bending over, I waited until my airway cleared. Waiting to turn to the newcomer until my eyes stopped watering, I hoped nothing was going to drip from my nose. Vampires might be right about one thing. The human body had some weird ways of reacting to situations.
A hand slapped me on the back.
“Sydney, are you okay? I think I know the Heimlich maneuver. Here, turn around.”
I swatted his hand away with a nervous laugh. “No, I’m fine, I was just coughing.” I cleared my throat, focusing on not letting my cheeks heat up.
My efforts failed. I felt my cheeks burn along with the tips of my ears, but it wasn’t from choking on the carrot. Still frames from my dream flashed in full, vivid color in my mind. I didn’t want to remember the sensual feelings of Daire and me getting intimately close. The only way we could have gotten any closer would have been for us to have had intercourse.
He smiled. A whiff of the cologne he wore wafted toward me. Maybe my Selected senses were telling me I just needed to stay away from all men in general for a while. I’d have to consider that.
Taking his dark glasses off, Daire set them on the counter. The red glow of his eyes did nothing to dampen my desire.
“What brings you by my store?” I didn’t trust the half-vampire, half-demon, but besides the possibility of him imposing upon my dream, and my bed, he hadn’t done anything to deserve to be ill treated.
“My boss recommended for me to stop by and check on you, since I’m now the designated guardian of your person.” Daire’s eyes roamed over my body, instilling another wave of lust.
With a hand on my hip, I asked, “You know, since you’ve come to town I’ve been having issues with men. All men. Men I normally wouldn’t give a second glance to. Now I’m looking at anyone who has a penis for the possibility of a good time. What did you do to me?”
As I spoke, I watched to try and figure out what Daire was doing. He heard every word I said but continued to remove items from a black bag he had carried into the store with him. He removed a bottle of red wine, then two sparkling, long-stemmed wineglasses.
Daire cocked his head to the side and his brow furrowed before he said, “I have no idea what you are going on about, Selected. Please, elaborate on these sexual thoughts you are having about me.”
Sometimes I get the urge to slap sneers off people’s faces, but I’ve only done it on one or two occasions. That moment was one of those times. “I almost had sex with you in a dream because you invaded my head while I slept. You manipulated my thoughts.”
He uncorked the wine bottle with impressive ease then proceeded to pour us each a full glass. The fruity aroma of the wine called to me. I gladly picked up a glass. Taking a swig, I swirled the liquid around in my mouth, letting it well over my tongue before swallowing.
Daire laughed. “Ah, my dear Sydney, you’d make me blush if I was capable of such a charming, human expression.” He gently rubbed his thumbs along my cheek, proving that he saw the embarrassment stain my skin while mentioning the thought of us having sex.
“Don’t distract me. I want to know the truth.” I took another healthy gulp of wine, waiting for his answer. Peeking over the brim of the wineglass, I let my eyes wander over the Other’s body. He was well-built, but not as thickly muscled as Blake. The difference of their bodies didn’t change my reaction to either of them.
Daire carried his wineglass over to the couch. He gestured with a wave for me to follow. Had I not been drinking wine I may not have obliged him. I should have demanded he leave my store, too. However, I was nearing the bottom of my once very full glass, so I grabbed the bottle to join him on the couch. His nearness didn’t exude such a coolness other vampires did. It must be due to his being part demon.
Uncorking the bottle, I filled both our glasses to the brim, which got me a raised brow from Daire. Shrugging, I said, “What? I can have a glass of wine once in a while, geez.”
When he smiled, the tips of his pearly white fangs grazed the bottom lip of his mouth. My heart did a little dance in cheerful delight.
“I didn’t say anything. Now, let’s get down to what you implied only but a moment ago. I did not intrude on your dreams. You called to me through your slumber. I merely responded.” Daire didn’t appear repentant one bit.
Taking a sip of wine, I sat back against the couch as the warm wine-induced sensations swam around in my head. “You know what sucks about being the Selected? Well, I’ll tell you. I’m the Selected. People are supposed to confide in me, tell me all the secrets of their dark, scary lives. Well, they don’t. The vampires and werewolves have these expectations of me. They say if I don’t do what they want me to that they’ll go to war with each other. There’ll be, like, a lot of bloodshed. But you know what, Daire? I can’t trust anybody. There are people all around me keeping secrets. I’m getting quite tired of it all.”
I realized a bit late that I had drunk too much wine because I shouldn’t have confided in the half-vampire, half-demon. Kieran told me to take caution around my new bodyguard because he wasn’t sure if Daire had an agenda other than serving the coven. To my regret, I hadn’t held back.
Daire closed his glowing eyes as he took a healthy gulp from his wineglass. When he opened them, he said, “Sydney, you are one of a kind in these parts. It’s natural for both the vampires and wolves to tread with care where you’re concerned. Yes, everyone has their secrets, even you.”
I swatted his shoulder. “Please, I don’t have anything to hide. You don’t know me. You don’t know wh
at you’re talking about.” Shaking my head, I flicked my gaze over his body to stare into the flames of the fire while they danced with one another.
I didn’t want to throw myself a pity party, but that’s how the night was going. I might even stop for another bottle of wine on my way home.
“Oh, I think we’re both aware of your current struggles, Sydney.” The slow way he spoke my name in his deep masculine voice sent a shiver down my spine with excitement. “You have been warring within yourself when men are around. Yet you don’t know why.” He smiled like the predator he was.
“How do you know that? You’re the one making me feel this way, aren’t you? Oh my sweet heavens, I knew it.” It didn’t make sense until that moment. The time of his arrival, his assignment to being my bodyguard, not being able to control my frenzied sexual reaction to men—it could all be connected, to him.
“Sydney, calm down.” Grabbing a fistful of my hair, Daire brought my face inches from his.
The instant his flesh connected to mine, I did what he told me. Calm filled me. The heightening anxiety receded into nothing. I knew what he was doing was not natural, but I relaxed against him as we sat back on the couch.
Taking a deep breath, I let the last bit of tension leave my body.
“You are the Selected with powers the vampires and werewolves want for themselves. It’s natural you are on the defensive, to distrust their motives, to suspect them of hiding secrets from you. You should. You would be a fool not to.” He released his hold on my neck but clasped his cool hand over mine.
The warmth from the wine buzz stayed with me as I contemplated his words. “So, you’re saying I can’t trust anyone, including my own bodyguard.” It wasn’t a question.
“I’m saying you have to know the boundaries of every relationship you have with the Others, because everyone has their own goals, including me.” He placed that devilishly sexy grin back on his face.
My toes curled inside the black, knee-high suede boots I tended to wear too often.
“Are you going to let me know what your goals are, or just keep me in the dark like everyone else?” I asked with a bit of malice.
“My goal is to keep you safe, for now. That’s all you need to know.” He stood from the couch then bent over to collect our glasses and the empty wine bottle.
When Daire had the glasses neatly packed back into his black bag, he swung the bag over his shoulder. “Sydney, you live in a hostile world. You’ve been chosen to be right in the middle of it all. Use your powers for good. Watch your step with both the vampires and the wolves. If you remember those two things, you’ll do fine.”
He grabbed my hands to bring me up against his firm body.
My breath quickened with his nearness. My head swam from the intoxicating scent of him combined with the two full glasses of wine I’d consumed.
“What is wrong with me?” I asked, not expecting an answer.
Daire placed his palm on the side of my face. “I don’t know, but it seems you’ve been doused with an erotic disposition.”
“Who could do such a thing? I know how I’m feeling isn’t normal. Someone did something to me, but I’m not sure that you’re not the guilty culprit.”
Laughing, he shook his head. “I haven’t had a hand in your situation, but I have to say I quite enjoyed the dream we shared. You have quite the imagination. We could make it come to reality if you’d like.” I pushed against him but he held me firmly in place. “Don’t. I can’t help the attraction between us any more than you can. I can assure you it has nothing to do with the curse or spell causing your body to react to men so strongly. Keep that in mind the next time you want to kick me out of your store.”
I lowered my head to give him a stern look over the bridge of my nose. “You said it yourself. I can’t trust you, or anyone else for that matter.”
When I pushed against him again he didn’t let go. Instead, he pressed the length of his erection against the lower part of my abdomen. My body clenched with need.
“Selected, I want you just as bad as you want me. I haven’t been affected by some outside source as you have.” His lips pressed against me as he ground our midsections together. His breath was warm, almost hot, as he invaded my mouth. Our tongues danced together erotically. He sucked on my tongue. Visions of him sucking on lower parts of my body sprang into mind causing me to groan with excruciating sexual frustration.
Daire finally let go so I could put space between us.
He strode to the front door, the bag still slung over his shoulder. “I’ll see you soon, Selected, whether it be here, your house, your bed, or in your dreams. I’ll never be far.” He lowered his eyelids to half-cover his red eyes, making his face appear even more seductive.
“Come back if you figure out what was done to me so we can fix this, otherwise don’t bother. I can’t live like a wanton much longer.” Then I mumbled more to myself but knowing he could still hear me with his vampire hearing, I added, “I’m likely to do something I’ll regret forever.”
He nodded. I was grateful he was not taking advantage of my situation. From how I felt at that moment, I was likely to let any man have their way with me. To my relief, he chose to stop before we went too far. For that I was thankful.
“Sydney, I’m here to help keep you safe, even if that means from yourself. We’ll figure it out. I’ll be in touch if I find anything.”
After Daire left, I blew out a sigh. My long bangs hanging over my forehead billowed out in front of my face before resettling over my eyes. I pushed them behind my ears as I headed back to sit behind the register. I still needed to tally up the day’s sales. It was almost closing time. I just wanted to curl up in bed, maybe do some reading from Grandma Maria’s journal then fall into an uninterrupted sleep.
While punching the numbers into the calculator, images of the day replayed in my mind. I was marked by a wolf who wasn’t Blake. Blake still insisted we were life-mates. Then there was Daire. The half-vampire, half-werewolf was right. A deep sexual tension coiled between us that I wasn’t sure was due to the ‘erotic disposition’ someone placed upon me. Besides the attraction, I had to admit I felt oddly at ease around him. He calmed me with his touch. I knew that came from his demon abilities. Blake calmed me, but his touch soothed me out of love and friendship. Daire’s was unnatural, but just as effective.
What was I going to do?
I thought I could be falling in love with Blake.
At least I thought I was.
Then in walks Daire, complicating my life, making my head swim with confusion. Not to mention Matt marking me with his wolf essence. Could Blake live with me having such a connection with another wolf from a different pack?
Now I didn’t know what I wanted.
Chapter 10
My cell phone rang and I glanced at the neon blue screen. Brianna.
“Hello, little sister, what’s up?” I tapped the pen I had being chewing on while tallying the last of the sales from the day before. I know, disgusting habit.
Brianna’s squeaky voice came over the line. “I just wanted to remind you I’m coming up this weekend. For some reason, Michael’s uncle is making him stay in Kenosha. So, since we were both going to come up anyway, I figured I might as well come by myself now and see what everyone’s up to.”
I heard the loneliness in her voice and felt sad for her. “Yeah, okay, um, I have to go to a meeting for the store again after work, but we could hang out after if you don’t mind it being late?”
A heavy sigh filled the line. “Okay, I guess I’ll take what I can get.”
My sister sounded near tears. I couldn’t wait until she knew the truth about Michael, and me. Once everything was out in the open we’d be able to speak freely of what was happening. We wouldn’t have to slink around anymore behind her back, because that’s what
I felt we were doing.
“Brie, don’t be too upset. You know Michael wouldn’t leave you had he been given a choice.” The door chimes sounded, signaling the arrival of a customer.
“I know, Syd. It’s just that Michael’s family seems so private all the time, like they don’t want to let me in or want to get to know me. How can a girl beat that if they don’t even want to try?”
She had a valid point, but things would change once the pack accepted her as trustworthy.
“I’ll see you tonight. I’ve got a live one here.” I laughed into the phone. She didn’t know how true my statement was as I watched a human customer, who wanted to make real purchases with real money. I realized my exaggerated reaction to a bit of normalcy was not a sign of being emotionally healthy, but, like my sister, I’d take what I could get.
Standing in front of the mirror, I assessed my reflection. The black, knee-length cocktail dress was a good fit. My black suede, high-heeled boots were a fabulous match. After making sure my makeup was streak-free, I headed out the door to drive over to Kieran’s for the mandatory vampire gathering I’d been summoned to.
Upon parking my car, I opened the door. A man’s hand whipped in front of my face before I could get out. I looked up to see who owned the hand. Daire stood inside of the small area between me and the car door in a black suit and tie, looking as dashing and tasty as ever. I let him take my hand as he guided me out of the car. He tucked my hand under his elbow. With his other hand he covered my fingers while we approached the grand entrance of Kieran’s mansion overlooking Lake Michigan.
The wide drive was full of vampires vying for Kieran’s favor. I was relieved I wasn’t among the masses on a mission to prove worthy to gain the coven leader’s approval.
The click of my heels on the paved drive echoed through the night.
Daire patted my hand in an odd show of reassurance. “My dear, you’re looking fresh and lovely tonight.” He smiled, nodding to the mansion in front of us. “Are you ready to be surrounded by those who you can’t trust, those you have to watch their every move?” He winked.