“Greg,” he said in a barely audible voice.
“Otto? He’s the one who sent you here?”
“Yes.” Greg, who didn’t look to be more than twenty years old, nodded furiously.
“Is Otto working for the royal family? Are they the ones who sent you here, Greg?”
“I don’t know. I swear. All I know is that he told us we had to wait for you here and get the necklace.” His muscles tensed when he saw the bodies of his dead pack members. “You killed Mario and David…why?” His brow furrowed and his voice remained small. “You have the necklace. You could have taken their wolf, like you did with me. You didn’t have to kill them.”
“What are you saying?” Maya asked warily. She loosened her hold on his arms and stared at him through frightened eyes. “What do you mean, I could have taken their wolf?”
“You’re Vanator,” he whispered. Greg’s eyes flicked to her necklace and then locked on to her face once again. His thin lips quivered with fear, and he barely got the words out. “You really did what they said you could do. You took my wolf.”
“Took your wolf?” Maya repeated the words again, hoping they would make more sense, but they didn’t. “I don’t understand what you’re talking about.”
“You made me have to live as a human,” he whispered.
“Well, there it is,” Lottie murmured. Pursing her lips together, she looked Maya up and down. “I’ll be a son of a bitch. No wonder the wolves want that necklace so damn bad.”
Maya’s body went numb and she sat back, releasing Greg from her grasp. She lifted her quivering hands and stared at them before looking back at Greg, who was inching farther away from her. He looked at her like she was a monster. Maya’s gaze skittered over the two dead men on the lawn, and she started to feel like one.
With lightning-fast reflexes Maya grabbed Greg by the arms and stood up, dragging him to his feet. Shaking with absolute terror, he whimpered, “Please don’t kill me.”
Maya pushed into his mind, dropped her voice to a low tone, and glamoured him. “You’re going to run,” she whispered in a shaky voice. Maya turned to Shane, who looked almost as surprised as Lottie. “You’ll have no memory of me or of what happened here tonight. You and your friends got drunk on tequila, and you woke up naked and alone.”
“Naked and alone.” Greg’s eyes had a faraway look while he nodded his understanding. “Too much tequila.”
“Forget me and this place.” Maya leaned close and whispered, “Now run.”
When she let go of his arms, Greg ran past her into the wild of the bayou with the stumbling gait of a drunk. As his naked ass disappeared into the darkness, Maya turned around to find Shane standing behind her.
She let out a cry of relief and wrapped her arms around him, burying her face in the crook of his neck. Instead of returning her affection, he linked his arms around her wrist and pulled her off him.
“What’s wrong?” Maya looked at him with confusion and immediately felt stupid for jumping all over a man who’d just been horribly wounded. “Oh my God! I’m so sorry, Shane. Did I hurt you? I probably shouldn’t have jumped your bones like that, but I’m so relieved you’re okay. I wasn’t sure if Greg’s blood would work but it did. Here, let me see how you’re doing.”
Her hands flew to his shirt and she attempted to look at his wounds. Shane pushed her hands away and shook his head. Recognizing the serious, flat look in his eyes, she felt a heavy sense of dread creep up her back and something inside her ached. Maya knew that look. It was the same cold, calculated, emotionless expression he used to have.
“No. I’m fine.” Shane winced and took a step back. “It will heal completely once I’ve had an opportunity to sleep.” His expression darkened. “Did I hear that correctly? Did you turn the boy into a human with the power from that necklace?”
“Yes.” Maya nodded excitedly and grinned, but based on the look on Shane’s face, he didn’t share her excitement. “Why do you look so unhappy? I mean, I know it’s kind of weird and everything but…”
“It’s a death sentence for you, Maya.” Shane stared at her through furious eyes. “Don’t you understand? Are you such a child that you don’t fathom what this will mean?”
“I am not a child.” As she glared at Shane, anger flickered up her back. “I’ll just go back to New York and give the stupid wolves the stupid fucking necklace, and then everyone will be happy.”
“Somehow I doubt that,” Shane murmured quietly.
“Oh please,” Lottie scoffed. “Can you two zip it for five minutes? I’ve got two dead werewolves in my yard, and I’d like to get ’em cleaned up so I can go back to bed. I don’t know what kind of crazy shit y’all do up there in New York City, but this ain’t exactly my usual Saturday night.”
Before Maya could ask Lottie just what she planned on doing, the old woman raised her palms to the sky and started chanting again. It was a language Maya had never heard before, and as her chanting grew louder, the ring on Lottie’s hand glowed brightly. Shouting one final chant, Lottie leaned forward and swept her hands, palms down, above the bodies of the two dead werewolves.
The energy from Lottie’s ring flickered and shot out in a circular burst of light and heat, which made Maya squint. When she finally opened her eyes and looked, the bodies were gone. A perfect circle of scorched grass covered almost the entire lawn, and all that was left of the two dead werewolves were the leather-handled daggers. Maya, Shane, and Lottie stood at the center of the burnt circle, and Maya let out a low whistle before picking up the daggers. Lottie wavered on her feet, clearly drained by using her magic. Shane caught her by the arm before she fell over.
“I thought your family magic was only about reading the future,” Maya said with a raised eyebrow. “Looks like I’m not the only one who’s full of surprises.”
“Don’t ya know by now?” Lottie said with a laugh and a wink to Maya. “Us gypsies are a secretive bunch, and we only share our magic on a need-to-know basis. Speaking of which, you should take that advice to heart. I don’t think anyone needs to know about your little gift.”
“Well, I have to tell Olivia and Doug, and they’re going to have to tell the Emperor, which means all the vamps will probably find out about it.” Maya stilled, her gaze meeting Shane’s while they walked toward the house. Shane seemed to be doing his best to avoid looking at her. “I’m sure they’re going to want me to turn the necklace over to the wolves, and honestly, I’m fine with that. If they don’t get it, then they’ll never stop coming after me.”
“Perhaps,” Lottie murmured. “But like I said, I think the magic is more about the gypsy than the jewels.”
Shane remained quiet, and nodding his agreement, he helped Lottie into the house. Once she was settled in her bed, the two of them made their way up to the third floor, and though there was still an hour until sunrise, Maya was more than ready to sleep. Shane moved slowly up the steps in front of her, and Maya sensed he was far weaker than he wanted her to know. She desired nothing more than to curl up beside him in bed and soothe his pain.
When they reached the landing of the attic, instead of going into the bedroom they’d shared when they arrived, Shane turned to the right and opened the other door. Maya stared at him in shock. He had no intention of staying in bed with her.
“You fought well tonight, Maya,” Shane said tightly. He stood tall, his body tense and stiff, but the cold, detached look in his eye sent a chill down her spine. “If it weren’t for your sharp instincts and your incredibly brave actions, I would be dead. You will make an excellent sentry, and I will be sure to inform the czars of my findings when we return to New York.”
“Shane?” Maya took a step toward him but stopped when he moved away from her. “I don’t want to be a sentry or some kind of werewolf hunter. I just want to be with you.”
“Sometimes, youngling, what we want and what is best are cont
rary to one another,” he said in a barely audible voice. The muscle of his jaw flickered and his mouth set in a tight line while he stared at her intently.
“But…you said you loved me.”
“My feelings are irrelevant.” Shane cocked his head and folded his hands in front of himself casually.
“What the fuck do you mean, your feelings are irrelevant?” The hallway started to spin and Maya thought for a moment she was going to pass out. “What are you saying?”
“I almost got you killed tonight, Maya.” Shane looked at her with something that resembled shame. “I was so distracted by you, so totally and completely enamored with you, that I didn’t detect the wolves. You could have been killed, and it would have been entirely my fault.” His features hardened and his eyes narrowed, silence stretching out between them. “I’m sorry. I can’t do this.”
“Can’t do what?” She folded her arms over her breasts and stared at him with utter disbelief, unwilling to accept what he was saying. “Tell me.”
“Love you,” he shouted. Maya stepped back because his words hit her almost as hard as a physical blow. “I can’t let myself love you, Maya. I am a sentry, a soldier, and I did what I was sent here to do.” His voice, edged with frustration, dropped to a whisper. “You are now more than capable of taking care of yourself and the members of your coven. You have your memories and are no longer wondering about your past or tormented by nightmares. You gained everything we hoped you would. Our mission has been accomplished, and my feelings are irrelevant.”
“Mission?” Maya could not believe what she was hearing. The sweet, tender, loving man he’d been was gone, replaced by a cold, unfeeling soldier with nothing but duty on his mind. “You fucking coward. I don’t need you to protect me, Shane. Wasn’t that the reason you taught me to stand up to that bastard in my dream? Why you’ve been showing me how to fight? Did it ever occur to you that instead of fighting for me, you could fight with me? I don’t need a protector, Shane. I need a partner.”
“I will call the czars tomorrow and inform them of what we’ve uncovered,” he continued, as though he hadn’t heard a word she said. “If all has gone as planned, then we should be able to return to the city shortly, and with any luck, we can give that necklace to the wolves without any more bloodshed. However, for now, I must sleep and so should you.”
He started to close the door, but Maya pushed her hand on the wooden surface, preventing him from shutting her out.
“I have one more question for you.” Maya inched closer and lowered her voice seductively. “What about the fact that you and I are bloodmates?”
“I was mistaken to have allowed the mystique and allure of the bloodmate legend to distract me from my sentry duties.” Shane stilled but kept his unwavering stare on hers. “Once we settle this business with the werewolves back in New York and give them the necklace, I will request that the czars transfer me to the Presidium’s European facility. I think it would be safer for everyone if you and I go our separate ways. Good night, Maya.”
The door closed, leaving Maya alone in the dark hallway with an aching void of loneliness filling her chest. Her hands flew to her mouth to muffle the sob that threatened to escape her lips. Stumbling into her bedroom, she shut the door tightly behind her. With her back pressed against the door, Maya hung her head and wept silently as the magnitude of losing Shane overwhelmed her.
She didn’t know why Shane was acting this way, but she was sick and tired of her life being in the hands of fate. Sadness was soon replaced by fury. She may not be able to control Shane or her past, but she could damn well take control of her future.
One hand fluttered to the heavy necklace, and her fingers curled around the stone. Maya glanced at the rumpled, unmade bed. Had it been just yesterday that she’d lain in those soft covers with his strong, gorgeous body curled perfectly around hers? With the cool stone whispering between her fingers, she scanned the room and her gaze stopped at the open bag of weapons that sat on the dresser. The sentry uniform, the one she’d been training in all week, was draped over the chair, looking like a ghost of her past.
“Time to face the past and the future.” Maya looked at the two daggers in her left hand. “No more running and no more hiding.”
The sterling-silver throwing weapons glinted at her like a beacon calling her home, and Maya knew what she had to do. She had to prove to Shane, and to herself, that she could indeed take care of herself.
She stripped her sundress off and tossed it aside before making quick work of pulling on the sentry uniform. Zipping it up over her necklace, Maya did exactly what Shane had shown her. She tugged on the gloves and lined the leather coat with a slew of weaponry before putting on the belt, heavy with two semiautomatic guns and the liquid silver ammunition from Xavier. The final touch was slipping the daggers into the compartments on the back of her sentry suit.
Maya pulled her hair back into a tight ponytail and donned the weapon-laden coat. Glancing out the window, she saw that she had very little time until the sun would rise. It was just enough to get her where she needed to go.
Chapter 15
Maya landed silently in the alley next to Bayou Escape while an orange glow began to burn along the horizon. She rubbed absently at her chest. The dull ache throbbed, warning her of the impending sunrise. Peering around the corner of the building, she noted that the ache was weaker than it had been in the past.
A smile played at her lips. Perhaps that meant she and Shane would become daywalkers after all. Stepping out onto the sidewalk, she glanced at the brightening horizon, knowing that being able to walk in the sun would be meaningless without Shane by her side.
He was pushing her away because he was scared of losing her. For a moment, Maya allowed herself to entertain one other possibility.
Perhaps Shane really wasn’t in love with her.
“That’s bullshit,” Maya growled with frustration.
She knew he loved her and that he was pushing her away because of some stupid macho notion. Maya decided that if she could fix this mess with the werewolves on her own, then she could show Shane, Olivia, and everyone else that she wasn’t just some silly, flirty airhead. Maybe if she could make it right, then Shane would see her as an equal and perhaps the idea of being her bloodmate wouldn’t seem so wrong.
Sebastian and Diego had been living in New Orleans for years, and she knew they would be able to direct her to the underground tunnels that led out of the city. She had to get a head start back to New York so she could deal with Horace herself. The last thing Maya wanted was for anyone else she loved to get hurt. Olivia and Doug would want to be involved, but they were parents now and that baby girl needed them.
The early morning streets of the Quarter were quiet, but she could still hear the subtle fluttering heartbeats of humans in the buildings nearby. Maya moved swiftly along the sidewalk, keeping her senses alert for any sign of wolves or other vampires, but so far she seemed to be alone. She trotted up the steps and grasped the doorknob to the club, letting out a sigh of relief when it turned easily in her hand.
Pushing the door open without a sound, Maya slipped inside and reached out with her senses. Eyes closed, she picked up the distinct vibration of movement toward the back of the club. Steeling her courage and with her hands clenched in tight fists at her sides, Maya strode down the long hallway toward the source. Before she could reach the end, Sebastian and Diego appeared in the hall so quickly that they seemed to have materialized out of thin air.
Fangs bared and eyes wild, they looked poised and ready to attack, but once they recognized Maya, they retracted their fangs and grinned. Sebastian stepped ahead of his brother and greeted Maya with a kiss on the cheek before leaning back and looking her up and down.
“That’s quite a different ensemble from the delightful sundress you were wearing earlier, Ms. Maya,” Sebastian cooed. “Speaking of sun, aren’t you up past a good lit
tle vampire’s bedtime? We were just about to retire ourselves.”
“You are more than welcome to bunk in with us,” Diego added before kissing Maya’s hand gallantly.
“Thank you but I have some important business to attend to,” Maya said, looking from one brother to the other. “I’m sorry to bother you at this hour but it really couldn’t wait.”
“Where’s Quesada?” Sebastian asked, looking past Maya.
“Shane is recuperating and needs to sleep.” Maya straightened her back. “I’ll be heading up north ahead of him and handling this mission on my own.”
“Recuperating?” Sebastian asked with concern. “What on earth from? He seemed fine when the two of you left earlier.”
“Shane and I were attacked by a pack of werewolves tonight.”
Maya kept her attention on the two vampires, curious to see what their reaction would be. To her relief, both seemed genuinely surprised and appalled. She worried that they might be involved, though given their friendship with Shane, it was unlikely.
“What?” Diego’s fangs erupted and his voice was tight with anger. “When?”
“Right after we got back to Lottie’s house.” Maya fought to keep her voice even. “There were three of them and Shane was bitten, but we were able to use their blood to help him heal.”
“Why on earth would you and Quesada be attacked by a pack of werewolves?” Sebastian folded his arms over his chest and looked Maya up and down. “And two sentries for the Presidium, no less. What would make them break the truce and risk all-out war?”
“Well,” Diego scoffed, “I hope you had the decency to kill them.”
“They’re no longer a threat,” Maya said with a tight smile. While she wanted to be truthful with her new friends, she’d be keeping information about the anti-werewolf whammy to herself. Besides, once she returned the necklace to the wolves, it would be a moot point and she’d be a regular vampire again. “They’ve been neutralized.”
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