Gut Deep: Torn Worlds Book One

by Augustine, Donna

  So we lay there in silence together because there was nothing to say that would make us right.

  The music from Jaws, when the shark is about to attack, played across the room.

  “Is that your phone?” I asked.

  He chuckled, and I loved the sound, especially how it felt when he was lying beside me. “It’s the ringtone I set for my mother.”

  I laughed. It was fitting.

  It rang again, and he pulled away from me, digging his phone out of the pocket of his discarded pants, standing in front of me naked. I’d never seen a man sculpted so beautifully.

  “Yes?” he answered. “No. I can’t make it.” His eyes lingered over me as he spoke. “I sat at your house for nearly a week with the bloodsuckers. I’m not coming back until next year. You know the deal.” He ended the call, putting his phone on the table.

  I thought maybe he’d leave, but he climbed back in bed, tugging me to him.

  “Everything okay?” I asked, laying my head on his chest as if this was the way it was supposed to be.

  “A vampire named Larcas is staying at my mother’s. She wants to put on a show because he has a lot of connections.”

  My mind latched on to the memory from a few years ago, a discussion with my old professor.

  He handed me a vial of red liquid, too thin and a little too light to be the real thing.

  “This might help Sassy for a while. They were using it to see if it would work as an inoculation of sorts for vampires against humans with incompatible blood. Then they gave it to the humans to see if it would change their blood. It didn’t, but it had some success on people who had the Sucking Sickness.”

  “Will it cure her?”

  “I don’t know if it’ll fix her for good, but it’s helping the people they’ve experimented on.”

  “Where can I get more if I need it?” I asked.

  “You can’t. Mallard always carries it with him. The only other person that I’ve ever seen him trust it with is a vampire named Larcas.” He hugged me. “I’ve got to go. I wish I could bring you with me, but they seized most of my assets. I could only afford the one crossing.”

  “Be careful and thank you for everything.”

  It was the last time I’d seen my professor, my mentor, before he left. I never did find out if he’d made it to Canada, but I hoped he had. He was the only reason Sassy was still alive.

  I’d nearly given up. I’d come to terms with not being able to save my sister. Almost accepted the fate. But here, maybe, was one last chance.

  “Does this Larcas have any connection to Mallard? Maybe we should go?” I said, running my hand over Donovan’s chest.

  “You willingly want to go to my mother’s?” he asked.

  If I told him the truth, would he help me? Or was I giving this relationship too much credit and hanging Sassy out to dry in the process? Could I take that chance with her life?

  Years of protecting my sister kicked in like a boxer’s reflex to punch.

  “I don’t want to go. Honestly, the idea fills me with absolute dread. But I’d like to get this situation with Mallard finished if possible.” The words slipped smoothly from my lips because, in essence, it was the truth. I was already dreading what I’d have to do, but I’d do it anyway because I had to for Sassy.

  “The timing isn’t ideal, but I guess I could arrange it.”

  “Everything okay?” I asked.

  He paused, and I waited for him to say it wasn’t important.

  “We’ve been having some trouble with the vampires, which I’m sure you’ve figured out by now. There’s a meeting tonight to feel out where some of the other races’ loyalties might fall if things devolve. Kia can handle the meeting. We’ll go to the dinner.”

  Maybe, just maybe, if I could trust him even a little more.

  “You know, what about the rebellion? Ever think maybe you could bring some of the humans to your side?”

  “I don’t see it happening. Most of them are more trouble than they’re worth. Unpredictable. They’d be nothing but a liability. A lot of them are murderers who deserve whatever they get.”

  Mostly what they got was hanged. He rubbed my shoulder while he had no idea he was, in part, condemning my sister to death.

  Thirty-Two

  Donovan

  Pen was clenching her hands in her lap again. She’d been tense ever since this dinner had come up. Why did she want to come at all?

  I was beginning to think that stirring Mallard to action wasn’t happening anyway. Something else was at work here. Someone higher up in their ranks had to be telling him to stand down and forcing him to listen.

  “I told my mother to behave at dinner,” I said, watching Pen fidget in her seat.

  She groaned. I understood. People needing a warning to get through a dinner was not a good sign of how an evening would go.

  “She’ll adjust. After all, we can’t be sure how long this will go on. What if you’re around a while? She’s going to have to.”

  She looked at me, smiling as she nodded, not looking much better.

  We arrived, and I kept an arm around Pen’s waist as we walked in, as clear of a declaration to my mother as possible. When I’d told her not to give Pen a hard time, I’d been dead serious. My mother greeted us with a kiss on the cheek and a nod in Pen’s direction. She managed enough of a smile for me to hold my tongue.

  Her guest of honor, Larcas, was there, as well as Huddy, by my invite. There were another couple of vampires that Larcas introduced as his assistants. There were a few other regulars as well, who tended to show up and fill the ranks when my mother wanted a larger guest count.

  The drinks portion of the night went as expected. Everyone was cordial to Pen. They’d greet me and then make a few sentences of small talk before escaping. I didn’t mind. The silence was better. If this kept the chatter to a minimum, I’d bring Pen more often. Although she was still as twitchy as ever.

  Pen turned to me after the first drink. “I want to go say hi to Ricky.” She leaned in. “And I could use a little break.”

  I nodded, not liking the panicky look in her eyes even as she tried to hide it. “Don’t stray far. I don’t trust the majority of vampires here.”

  “I won’t,” she said.

  She walked toward the kitchen as Huddy made his way to me.

  “You know the story is all over town about you dragging your human girlfriend out of the party. You’re completely sunk, aren’t you?” Huddy was near laughing as he said it. It was a scene custom-fit for his amusement.

  I was glad he was in a good mood. It would soften the blow of what was coming next. “If I have to leave for a while, would you step in as alpha of the pack?”

  All traces of humor disappeared. “You’d leave with her?”

  “I’m considering it. I can’t expect her to stay here the way things are, but I could pass as human somewhere else.” It might be the only way our relationship could work. But I wouldn’t even mention it to Pen unless I was sure I could leave in a way that wouldn’t cause too much chaos.

  “You know I’ll step up if you needed, at least until something else is arranged.” He downed his drink, shaking his head. “If it does happen, I’m pretending I knew nothing if your mother asks. She’ll kill me. Your mother is scary as hell.” He glanced at the woman holding court across the room.

  “An alpha should never admit they’re scared of someone’s mother,” I said, laughing.

  “Half the pack is afraid of your mother.”

  My phone buzzed and I dug it out of my pocket.

  Kia: The meeting was aborted. We got ambushed. Get to the club as soon as you can.

  “There was a problem. I’ve got to get to the club.” I showed him the message.

  “Want me to go?” Huddy asked.

  “Yes” nearly crossed my lips before I held it back. He might have to step into my shoes soon enough. I should go handle this one myself before I dumped all the headaches of the pack onto his shoulders. As m
uch as I hated leaving Pen here alone, she’d be fine with Huddy. And the alternative was bringing her into an unknown mess.

  “No, but do me a favor. Pen went to say hello to Ricky. Get her home as soon as she’s done? I don’t want to bring her to the club with me.”

  “You got it.”

  Penelope

  I headed down the servants’ hall to the kitchen and then made a left before I got there, down a hall that would lead to the bedrooms. Dressed in finery as I was, no one stopped me. Even human, I looked as if I belonged in these halls now, and I was on the invite list. They probably thought I was making my way to Donovan’s suite when they saw me passing.

  I took a chance and went to the room Mallard had been in. It wasn’t the best room, but the vampires seemed to favor it for some reason.

  I opened the door and saw the bag in the corner. This was it. I went in, shutting the door as quietly as possible. The bag proved to be empty, so I moved to the drawers next. Nothing.

  I looked about the room. It was sort of a cliché, but maybe under the mattress?

  “So the rumors were right,” Larissa said. “You’re in cahoots with the vampires.”

  I hadn’t even heard the door open.

  There’d been one person I’d never wanted to see alone in the room again, and it had been Mallard. But Larissa Tessa ran a close second. I was standing there, red-handed, but not for the crime she thought. I didn’t know what to say. There was no excuse in the universe that could explain why I was in here, caught with my arm half under this mattress.

  “What rumors?” I asked, buying time as I stood.

  “That you’re a vampire spy. Was he supposed to leave you something in here?”

  “I’m no such thing, and you know it.”

  She stepped closer. “Then why are you here?”

  “Mallard took something from me the last time I was here. A necklace. I thought maybe it would be in this room.”

  “That might be the lamest lie I’ve ever heard.”

  Yeah, that was my opinion of it too. I didn’t say anything else as she walked in farther, circling and looking for something in my hands, then checking under the bed where I’d just been.

  “This is the way it’s going to go. I’m not going to kill you. Donovan needs to do that. That’s the only reason you’re alive. But that’s the only thing I won’t do. You’re going to go back to his house tonight, get your bags, and pack your few measly things—if you actually own anything that he didn’t buy you, that is. I’ll be calling him in the morning. If you’re still there, I’ll tell him I caught you.”

  “Tell him what? That you saw me in a room?”

  She stepped out of the doorway. “Pretend all you want. You were up to no good, and we both know this looks bad. I suggest you go. You have some packing to do.”

  “We’ll see,” I said, smiling as I passed her. On the inside, I was trembling.

  I might be royally screwed. The only saving grace was she’d let me get out of here tonight in peace, so as not to make a scene in front of her guests. I’d get Donovan alone and try to explain as best I could. Maybe I’d have to tell him everything. Could I trust him that much? I might have to. I’d take it one step at a time.

  I walked back into the dining area with Tessa right behind me smiling her crocodile smile. I couldn’t find Donovan, but Huddy was walking toward me.

  “Why is she following you like that? Everything okay?” he asked.

  “I’m fine. Just some words. I’m not her favorite person. Where’s Donovan?” I asked, scanning the room. I needed to find him and get him out of here so we could talk. He’d listen. He might not love me, but he cared for me. He’d let me explain. He would. He might be a shifter, but he was a good man.

  “There was an emergency. He asked me to get you home.”

  He wasn’t here. If he was handling an emergency, he probably wouldn’t take a call from his mother if she didn’t hold true to her word. I’d crossed the first hurdle.

  “Could we leave now?” I said, turning all my attention to Huddy, as the rest of the guests were sitting for dinner.

  “Sure. We can just make our goodbyes—”

  I grabbed his arm, moving toward the door. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. I think we should just leave.”

  He glanced back toward the dining room and nodded. “Yeah, all right.”

  We were in his car five minutes later. He kept stealing glances at me. Our getaway had been suspicious and my silence was adding to it.

  “Pen, I’m not sure I’d call us friends, but I don’t think we’re enemies either,” he finally said. “If there’s a problem, I might be able to help you.”

  “I really appreciate the offer, but you can’t help with this.”

  “Okay.” He didn’t ask again, but he didn’t stop watching me.

  He dropped me off in front of the house, waiting until I got inside. I was lucky he didn’t try to come in and have a chat with Bigs, who was waiting for me.

  Donovan had probably asked Bigs to stay late so I wouldn’t be in the house alone. I used to think Donovan was sending someone to spy on me. Now I viewed it as a gesture of kindness; he didn’t want to leave me here vulnerable to a vampire or even a human attack. That was why he’d listen. He definitely cared about me.

  “I guess the night didn’t go well?” Bigs asked. “Couldn’t have been that bad, could it?”

  “It wasn’t horrible. Just not a great ending,” I said, making my way upstairs, feeling bad that I was giving Bigs a bit of a brush-off.

  “Well, try to get some sleep. I’m sure Donovan will be back soon.”

  “Night, Bigs.”

  “Good night, Pen.”

  I went and changed out of the dress I’d been wearing into jeans and a sweater, just in case I somehow ended up out on my ass. Then I packed a bag with only the few things I’d brought with me. I put the bag by my door, went to Donovan’s room, settled on the bed, and waited.

  Thirty-Three

  Donovan

  Another attack—this time they’d been set upon right before they walked into a secret meeting. How had the vampires known they’d be there? Kia had gotten out alive, but the other two were barely hanging on.

  I’d promised my people retaliation, and I was craving it myself. We were going to find out who they were and then take them out. I had descriptions and soon I’d have names. Then I’d have retribution. The pact was going to fail. There was no way around it. The only thing I wanted to do now was see Pen and go to sleep, putting this day behind me.

  Pen was sitting cross-legged in the middle of my bed when I got home. I’d been waiting for this, for her to come to me. There were things that needed to be said. I was done with her secrets, and the space between us. If we were going to move forward somehow, especially with the rough times coming, I needed a woman I could trust.

  She was wearing jeans and one of those bulky sweaters I used to hate but now found endearing. Her hair was tumbling over her shoulders and down her back. She would’ve been utter perfection if she didn’t look like she was going to someone’s funeral.

  I slid off my jacket and threw it over the arm of the chair, then unbuttoned the cuffs at my wrists and rolled my shirt sleeves up as I got closer.

  I put a knee on the bed, leaning toward her. “What’s wrong?”

  She bit her lower lip and then sucked on it between small white teeth.

  I dipped my head lower, pulling her bottom lip into mine instead. “And why aren’t you naked?” I asked, trying to lighten some of the sadness.

  “We need to talk.” She put a hand to my chest to hold me at bay. She smiled at the same time, or tried. It was a pathetic little one that trembled.

  “Did my mother do something?” That woman would be the end of me. I’d thought leaving Huddy there with Pen would be safe enough, but something had clearly gone wrong.

  “No. It wasn’t her.” She put her hand out again, as if she needed space or time, or something I wasn’t givin
g her.

  “Okay.” I got up from the bed and made my way across the room, and then leaned on the dresser. She watched me with big eyes that were brimming with tears.

  “Donovan, I’ve got to tell you something.” This horrible, guilt-stricken look came across her face.

  My stomach turned as all the warning signs I’d gotten came to the forefront of my mind. Don’t let her have betrayed me. Not her. I’d known she was holding back things, but this looked much worse than that. Had she betrayed me?

  Please, let me be wrong.

  “Whatever it is, just say it. Get it out and be done with it.” My tone was harsh and cold. This wasn’t who we were anymore, but if she’d betrayed me, it was all we could be from here on out.

  She ran her hand over the comforter, fidgeting with it. “I need to ask you a question first.”

  “What?” I didn’t have the stomach for games. I wanted her to tell me whatever it was and get on with it.

  “What do you think of the push to kill sick humans?” she asked.

  “You look like that, say you have to tell me something, but want to talk politics? What does that matter?”

  “Please just answer me.”

  “What does it matter? You’re not sick.” I would’ve smelled sickness on her.

  “I know. But what do you think of the policy?”

  “I don’t give it much thought one way or the other.” And certainly not now. My patience for this game was wearing very thin.

  “What about the rebellion? How do you feel about them?”

  “I told you what I thought of them. Is this your secret? Do you have a connection to them?”

  “No,” she said, shaking her head and putting up her hand again.

  “Pen, tell me whatever you need to say already.”

  “Your mother found me in Larcas’ room tonight.” The guilt in her eyes was damning.

  My brain skipped a beat. Why would she be in his room? That made no sense. “Did he drag you there?”

  “No. I was there alone. She thought I was there to talk to the vampires, or leave a message maybe, but I wasn’t.”