Shiela Stewart - [Darkness 05]

by Tempting the Darkness (epub)

  “I don’t have everything I need to perform the spell and you need to take a break.”

  “Why do I need a break? I feel great, better than I have in a long time. I’m totally relaxed.” She couldn’t remember a time when she’d felt so relaxed.

  “Too relaxed. If we were to start now, you would be too vulnerable to the dark magics and anything that could go wrong.”

  “But I thought the whole deal was for me to relax.” She was confused.

  Starla shook her head. “The whole point is to have you in a state of inner peace so you can move your mind to the Realm of Mystics and be strong enough to grab Rajana out of it to bring her down here. If we were to try that now, she could control you and keep you locked in her realm. Tomorrow is a better time. I’ll get my stuff and be here at five.”

  “I lost track of time months ago. When you get here you get here. I’ll be ready.” Trinity stood and gave her own back a stretch. Her guard instantly came up when the front door opened. She relaxed when she saw Raven and Gypsy enter. “What’s up?”

  “We have come for a girls’ night—or day—whichever it is right now,” Gypsy chirped in her usual spunky attitude.

  “A what?” Maybe her brain was so relaxed that she was hallucinating.

  “Girls’ time. Raven, Starla, and I thought it was time we met the new girl and welcomed her to the fold. And you so could use some R and R. We brought booze.” Gypsy held up a bag, which Trinity could only assume held the booze.

  “We don’t have time for this now.”

  “It’s the perfect time,” Basil intercepted, kissing her on the cheek. “You deserve some fun. We all do. Go for it.”

  Pursing her lips, Trinity gave in. “Fine, but we are not doing each other’s hair and makeup.”

  “Party pooper.”

  Chapter Nineteen

  The surprise at finding four women at her door—three of whom she didn’t even know—was slowly wearing off. Gabriella’s confusion, however, had not. She wasn’t sure what to make of it. They’d come to her room, spouting about having some girl fun and waving a bottle of wine in her face and, honestly, if Trinity hadn’t been in the bunch, Gabriella might very well have shut the door in their faces, thinking they were lunatics.

  And here they were now, making themselves at home in her room, some stretched out on her bed, others in the chairs by the little table near the window. She sat on the sofa, feeling utterly uncomfortable. She looked from woman to woman, each one as different as the next. Gypsy was an odd one. She had short, spiked, green hair and loved plying the eye shadow on apparently. She had several piercings in her ears and bottom lip and when she spoke, Gabriella had noticed one in her tongue. Then there was Raven. She seemed the quieter one of the bunch. Her hair was a jet black cut in a bob that flipped up at her chin. She had a pale complexion and beautiful blue eyes. Starla was one of those classic beauties with dark red, curly hair and alabaster skin and gave the air of a woman who knew what she wanted and just how to get it. Trinity, well, Gabriella liked her the most and probably because she’d welcomed her and had been so kind. Her blood red hair came down to her waist, which was curvy and she wore skintight jeans.

  Each woman had their own style and, right now, they were all staring at her as if she were some sort of alien.

  “So, Gabby—do you mind if I call you Gabby?” Gabriella opened her mouth to protest but Gypsy kept blabbing. “Tell us about yourself.”

  Her hands twisted nervously on her lap. “All right. I’m forty-two…wait…make that sixty-two—oh Lord, am I really in my sixties?” She just couldn’t grasp that. Though she’d been asleep for twenty years she hadn’t aged more than a year in her looks, which was a miracle. She wasn’t sure how Cooper had done it, but here she was, sixty-two and looking no older than forty-three.

  “Vampires don’t age like humans, so that would explain the youthfulness.”

  “But I wasn’t a vampire while I was asleep. I was only turned a week ago.” Had it already been a week?

  Gypsy pursed her lips. “Right. You got me then. So what else can you tell us?”

  She seemed to be the nosiest one of the bunch. “My parents are gone, passed away when I was only sixteen. They were quite old when they had me. I went to live with friends until I was eighteen, then struck out on my own.”

  “When did you meet Cooper?”

  Gabriella looked up at Gypsy and could see that was all she was really interested in. “When I was thirty-seven.”

  “How did you meet?”

  “Give the girl a break, Gypsy.” Trinity shot her a narrow look.

  “It’s all right. She’s curious and one should never dispel a curious mind.”

  “Right. What she said.” Gypsy waved her on.

  Smiling, Gabriella continued. “I once worked at a floral garden shop here in Jacob’s Cove. Cooper came in one day and asked my help in regards to planting shade plants. I helped him pick them out, then helped him plant them.”

  “Which ones?” Trinity asked curiously.

  “The trumpet lilies, at the back of the house. We also planted rose bushes, calla lilies, and azaleas, which I’ve noticed have all died.” That saddened her a great deal.

  “The darkness pretty much took care of all the plant life,” Raven informed her, refilling everyone’s glasses. “How long were the two of you married?”

  “Nearly four years. Thank you.” Though she really didn’t want more wine, she took it politely. “Now it’s your turn. Tell me about yourselves. Why don’t we start with you, Gypsy.” Since she was the one who was questioning her, Gabriella figured it was only fair she was the next one to be grilled.

  “Well, I used to be human but I was turned by my sweetie’s twin brother the day of the darkness. I managed to escape and ran into Dante, who took me in and kept me safe. We’re not married but hope to tie the knot someday, if this crappy darkness ever ends. A few weeks ago he was attacked by some vampires while he and Basil were trying to capture Chaos and my sweetie was stabbed brutally, which nearly killed him. He would have died if Danny, his twin, hadn’t thought fast and made him a vampire. So now he’s one of us.” She beamed, then gulped down her glass of wine. “Oh, and we love having sex.”

  More info than Gabriella needed to know. “I see. Interesting. Next.” She turned to Raven.

  “I’m not a vampire but my guy, Jonah, is. I lost my son a while back and had given up on life. I was captured by some of Chaos’ men and used as Chaos’ blood slave and housekeeper until they captured Jonah and turned him into a vampire. I rescued him, helped him heal. He was involved in an accident that killed his wife and their unborn child and rendered him paralyzed from waist down. I helped him get his legs back, so to speak, and we’ve been together ever since. Oh, and I’m a nurse. Or I was, before the darkness came. Your turn, Starla.”

  “I’m a witch, not a vampire. I came to Jacob’s Cove to find out where Chaos was and to find out everything I could about the ritual that was used to cast the city in darkness. I met Danny by crashing into him, literally. We found Chaos through a locators spell and locked him up. But some of his men found out where he was and let him loose. I’m with Danny, her sweetie’s twin brother.” Starla thumbed at Gypsy.

  “The two dark-haired men who brought Cooper home last night are twins?”

  “Yep.” Gypsy beamed, holding her glass out to Raven for a refill.

  “How can that be?”

  “Danny was turned when he was thirteen. Like Gypsy stated, vampires don’t age like humans. We age one year for every human five, so in reality, Danny is only seventeen where Dante is in his thirties,” Trinity explained, swirling her glass of wine.

  “I knew how vampires aged. Cooper filled me in when he revealed who he was. I was just baffled how they could be twins, but now it makes sense.”

  “So you kne
w Cooper was a vamp?”

  Gabriella nodded to Gypsy. “I suspected something was different about him from the beginning.”

  “Were you shocked when he told you?”

  She shook her head at Starla’s question. “Not at all. As I said, I suspected something was different about him.”

  “So you knew about vampires?” Raven asked.

  Gabriella swallowed her sip of wine before responding. “I’d seen a few rambling about at night, and there were times some would venture into the shop in the evening.”

  “Did you freak out when you first saw one?”

  Gabriella was amused by the excitement in Gypsy’s tone. “I was startled, but one would have to be pretty close-minded not to realize these creatures exist, which I suppose I am one now.” She was still getting used to it. Drinking blood was the hardest part, but having it placed in various drinks helped. Her mind wandered to taking Cooper’s vein the first night after she’d run away from him. She could still taste him on her pallet, felt him inside of her.

  “I was shocked when I saw my first one,” Raven admitted freely.

  Gabriella shook out of her thoughts and turned back to the ladies. They discussed their first encounters with vampires like a person would discuss their first encounter with any other life form. Casually. Gypsy and Starla spoke quite a bit about their men, Raven would pipe in with a few quips about her guy, and occasionally Trinity would say something about Basil. Gabriella felt a little odd, hearing them discuss their relationships so nonchalantly.

  “Are you going to forgive Cooper?” Gypsy asked bluntly.

  Gabriella was startled, but before she could respond, Trinity broke in.

  “That is no one’s business but hers and Cooper’s.”

  “I was just curious. He’s such a sweetie. I hate to see him so down.”

  “You feel sorry for him?” Starla snorted at Gypsy.

  “Well, yeah.”

  “He turned her into a vampire without her consent,” Starla added gruffly.

  “To save her life,” Gypsy pointed out.

  Apparently they knew the whole story.

  Trinity blew out a high, ear-piercing whistle through her fingers, catching everyone’s attention. “Drop the subject.”

  “No, it’s all right,” Gabriella found herself saying. “I’m interested in everyone’s viewpoint.” She turned to Gypsy. “You said you were abducted and turned into a vampire. Didn’t that anger you in the slightest?”

  “No…not really.”

  “Why not? Something precious was taken from you, raped from you without your consent.”

  “Yeah, but being a vampire isn’t that bad. I never get sick. I can keep this kick ass body for lifetimes, which is a major upside. And the sex is ten times better now that I’m a vampire.”

  “It always comes back to the sex.” Raven snickered into her glass.

  “Well, it’s good. You can’t tell me Jonah hasn’t had some rocking hot orgasms since being turned.”

  “I didn’t know him before he was a vampire—well, not long at least—but he has mentioned how much stronger they are. Still…”

  “Okay, so you don’t mind being a vampire or that you were turned without your consent—”

  “Which most people are,” Gypsy interrupted Gabriella. “You think a vamp asks his victims before he chomps on them? Not a chance.” She wiggled her head back and forth, snapping her fingers.

  “I can so totally understand why you’re upset with Cooper,” Starla pointed out, sliding onto the sofa beside Gabriella. “I would be so pissed at Danny if he turned me without my consent. You trust someone with all your heart and they turn around and bite you and make you a vampire. Well, that’s just not right.”

  “Exactly!” Finally, someone saw her point.

  “Sure, you were dying, and there was no hope of finding a cure, but still… He could have asked you first.”

  “Would you have said yes?”

  Gabriella turned to Raven. She took a deep breath before replying. “I don’t know.”

  “You would have rather died?” Gypsy gasped.

  “Well—”

  “If I was given the option of life or death, a damn good life at that, I would jump at it.”

  “But that’s the thing,” Gabriella acknowledged Gypsy’s remark, “I wasn’t given the choice.”

  “That’s what hurts,” Starla added.

  “Yes.”

  “Do you hate being a vampire?”

  Gabriella looked at Raven as she responded. “No, I can’t say I hate it. There really isn’t much of a difference. Well, except the strength, the heightened senses—”

  “And the sex. Have you had sex since becoming a vampire?”

  “Jesus, Gypsy.” Trinity scowled at her.

  “What?” Gypsy lifted her hands, palms up.

  “That’s none of your business.”

  “I was just asking.”

  “We haven’t.” Gabriella stepped in, deciding there was no point ignoring the question. “But I’ve wanted to.” She was sure she was blushing. Her face certainly felt hot.

  “So what’s stopping you?”

  Gypsy was definitely the bold one of the bunch. “He betrayed me.”

  “Give her a break now, Gypsy,” Trinity insisted, shooting Gypsy a warning glare.

  Not wanting to be the cause of a fight, Gabriella decided to move on. “May I ask a question?”

  “By all means.” Raven nodded.

  Gabriella drew in a deep breath, twisting her hands nervously on her lap. She never spoke about her sex life; it was a little odd that she wanted to now. “Actually, I think this is something the lady vampires could answer better.” She shifted her attention to Trinity simply because she felt more comfortable with her. “When Basil touches your teeth, your fangs—is that the right term for them?”

  “Yep.”

  Gabriella continued. “Do you…feel odd?” It was proving more difficult to talk about her sex life than she’d thought.

  “Define odd.”

  “She means horny. Isn’t that what you mean, Gabby?” Gypsy piped in boldly.

  “Actually, I prefer Gabriella, but you are right.” Even if it had been stated crudely. She turned back to Trinity, waiting for an answer.

  “Yes. Our fangs are an erogenous zone, especially if you’re with the person who sired you.”

  “That explains quite a bit then.” Her reaction when Cooper had touched her fangs for one.

  “Then the two of you have gotten it on?” Gypsy bounced on the bed with excitement.

  “Gypsy. Enough,” Trinity warned her.

  Lying back against the headboard, Gypsy sulked.

  “Cooper has made it blatantly clear that he wants me back, but we haven’t engaged in intercourse since he woke me from my coma. Before he turned me.”

  “He turned you after having sex with you? Cool!”

  “Okay Gypsy, I think it’s time we left Gabriella alone.” Getting up from her chair, Raven took hold of Gypsy’s arm and pulled her off the bed.

  “But we didn’t finish the wine.” She sulked.

  “We can finish it the next time we get together,” Starla informed her as she stopped by Gabriella. “It was nice to get to know you. If you ever need someone to talk to, just give me a call.” She handed Gabriella her number on a piece of paper.

  “Thank you, Starla. I will do that.”

  “It was a pleasure.” Raven nodded as she pulled Gypsy from the room.

  “Bye,” Gypsy managed before being rushed out.

  Trinity lingered after the others had left and Gabriella was rather pleased she did. “How are you holding up?”

  Trinity looked at her with a shocked expression. “Pardon?”
/>
  “It’s a tough time for you right now. I can’t imagine how you must be feeling after the loss of your daughter, but I wanted to return your kindness and tell you that if you ever need a shoulder,” she patted hers, “mine are always free.”

  Trinity smiled genuinely. “Thanks. Same goes for you.”

  “I appreciate it.”

  “Can I ask you something?”

  “By all means.” Gabriella leaned back in her seat and waited.

  “Has Cooper ever done anything to harm you? Ever?”

  “No, never. As a matter of fact, he has always doted on me.”

  “Did he keep his promise to you to find a cure?”

  “Yes, but—”

  “I know you feel betrayed because he didn’t ask you if you would want him to turn you into a vampire. Would you have been this upset if he had cured you by other means while you were still in the coma?”

  “No, but this is different.”

  “Is it?” Trinity stood. “Think about it. He kept his end of the bargain, he cured you. At least he woke you before turning you. Get some rest. You look tired.”

  Gabriella sat where she was long after Trinity left the room, thinking.

  Chapter Twenty

  His bruises were healing up nicely, thanks to his regenerative abilities. His ribs were still a little tender but Cooper knew in a matter of a day that mild discomfort would be gone.

  He wished he could say the same for his heart.

  If there was a cure for a broken heart, he would love to know of it. Gabriella didn’t want him. The man he thought of as a son refused to see him. What else did he have? Nothing. So here he sat alone in his cabin home with nothing to do but ache from loneliness.

  He was at a loss for what to do next. He longed to have his wife back. He’d waited long enough already to have her back and now that she was alive and well, he was still without her. It wasn’t fair.

  Life was not fair.

  He’d had an ordinary life, a good life, until Avadur had captured him and turned him. He had been thriving in his practice, gaining recognition for his tireless efforts to get to the truth behind death. He had even been planning on starting a compilation of bizarre deaths, including the ones he had so often been in charge of determining. Victims with their body drained of blood was not an ordinary death for humans, and Cooper had been determined to find out the cause.