CHAPTER 8
Riley Deane sat at a long wooden dining table, him, the only human in attendance or eating real food. However, this did not keep his present company from sitting together and enjoying a late family dinner…
The injuries he’d subjected himself to in his drunken stupor a few nights before, healed, little by little. After that ass-beating, he woke up the unexpected guest of the vampire, William Wakefield, and no longer staying in Jean and Annie’s free room above the pub. Riley had assumed he’d be returning there, but William had adamantly insisted he remain a guest in his home.
Riley wondered what the vampire’s version of guest was, but so far, he’d been nothing but hospitable. Distant and not around much, but not unfriendly. Which only kept Riley on his guard even more as he figured the vampire was just waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
How the hell had this even happened?
A guest in the home of William Wakefield, and not on The Demon Isle. But in New Orleans. Inside Sorcier, a magically hidden town of supernatural beings who somehow managed to live peacefully and in secret. A place the vampire had created before his time on the Isle serving the Howard family.
Guest?
Prisoner?
In Riley’s mind they were one and the same in William’s home. Although he trusted Jean and Annie. They’d given him no reason not to, other than not coming clean about it being William who created Sorcier. Regardless, he hadn’t pushed his luck by trying to escape. Had not dared would be more accurate. And after his severe beating the other night, he’d been in no mood to go far anyway. He needed a few days to recover from that stupidity.
And now here they were, acting out the part of a happy foursome eating dinner. Well, he was the only one eating. The other three were drinking their meals. Annie was in the seat next to him, with Jean and William on the opposite side; the three of them speaking freely and easily, like old friends. Which they were. Like hundreds of years old friends.
So many secrets William had. Riley suspected not even the Howards were aware of this place or the vampire’s part in creating it. And how bizarre, to be the one human seated at dinner with three vampires. A young man alive a mere blip of the lives they’d lived. Riley chugged down some beer, plate emptied. First drink since his bad trip a few nights ago; funny, how fast a body forgot what feeling like complete shit felt like. The drink went down easy. With plenty of room for another.
He’d been so out of it when he’d awakened a few nights ago to a strange room. He’d even thought he might be dead for a brief moment, until he saw aspirin on the side table. It was only a few minutes after realizing he was alive, but in a home he didn’t recognize that he came back around to, I may not be dead, but I’m about to be. The murderous stare on the vamp’s face had claimed such.
But a second later Annie sauntered into the room like she owned the place and put her hands on her hips and glared at her “father” who abruptly evened his stare and shrugged as if to say, had to scare him, just a little. Turns out, this is where Annie and Jean lived. He hadn’t been to their home, only seen them in the pub, or hanging out with Annie around town.
He had been beyond shocked to discover it was William who saved his ass from a beating that would have put him in the ground if it had continued much longer. And the vamp had brought him here, to this house.
His house. In Sorcier, in the middle of the French Quarter in New Orleans.
God damn, wrapping his brain around all this was driving him nuts.
Riley was finding it difficult getting over the fact that not only did William save him, but had this whole other life no one on the Demon Isle seemed to be aware of. The vampire had hinted as much, but Riley had only been half listening, his nerves on high alert, sure the vamp had saved him only so he could personally inflict pain and suffering, himself.
But so far, nothing but hospitable. A little distant on his part, and often, lost in his own thoughts, but no hint of danger flinging out at Riley whenever he was around the vampire. He’d wanted to ask him a hundred times why he wasn’t on the Isle, and how everyone was after the Feyk battle, but each time had lost his nerve. So afraid of the answer.
And there was that letter, apparently from Jack, the Howard’s father. Riley’s memory of it was hazy as his head had just been recently bashed in, but he’d guess it had more to do with that letter than anything else.
And like the vampire needed a reminder of the torture Riley had subjected him to, by bringing up the Feyk and Eva Jordan. He’d finally remember why he had saved Riley… so he could be the one who broke his neck, or…
Riley shifted uncomfortably in his seat.
Probably just biding his time.
Tricking me into thinking I’m safe.
Attack me first chance he gets.
Perhaps now was a good time to move on.
He’d miss Jean and Annie though, they’d been nothing but kind and welcoming.
Hard to believe it was William who created Sorcier. He was Annie’s sire, her father, for all intents and purposes. Riley huffed under his breath. It was so William to come the rescue. Except Sorcier was a much larger group of people and not one of them was named Melinda Howard.
From what he was beginning to understand, William was practically royalty here.
And of course, this is where he’d end up, smack dab in the middle of a world created by the vampire he wanted nothing to do with. One who deserved to take some sort of revenge out on him after the torture William suffered at his hands.
And Annie was right in her summation of him. Though he looked upon his daughter with utter adoration and genuine love, it was encased in deep regret. He still held tremendous guilt over what he had done to her.
As he should, thought Riley. It didn’t matter Annie was okay with it. She hadn’t had the choice, it was done to her. No one should ever not have a choice.
He’d not had a choice in getting cursed. It was not something he wanted to experience again.
God, part of him empathized with the damn vampire he loathed so much. They’d both done unforgiveable things they could not undo.
And dang it, we’re back to I’m hanging out with fricking vampires!
What the hell had become of his life?
Oh, right… ran away after said curse ended because he didn’t have the balls to face everyone he’d hurt. Most especially Melinda. Who had feelings for his vampire host. No, not feelings for, was in love with.
Riley had remembered enough from his time under the Feyk’s curse. Melinda loved him too. She loved them both, just in different ways. But which was real? Which kind of love, won? If it was him, was it enough to know she loved him more? Or differently. Or the way that mattered most?
If the vampire wasn’t a vampire, who would Melinda choose?
Riley believed the answer to that question mattered more than any other.
And if her response was not him, but she still chose him because she refused the vampire for a human, well, how did he reconcile that?
It was just another type of prison really, to be in love with someone and never be certain they wholeheartedly loved you back, not like you loved them. Albeit it would be a much nicer prison than being under a curse. And hell, he was acting like this was still some kind of option. Like he had any chance after what he’d done. Curse or no curse, he’d ruined any chance of a future with Melinda.
Annie nudged his arm, looking at him pointedly.
He cleared his throat. “Sorry. Lost in my own mind tonight.”
“I can see that. I can hear it too. Your heartbeat is all over the place.”
Great… stupid vampire hearing.
“Anything you want to share?”
“No.” His answer was short and emphatic. Annie caught him casting a wary glance at William and guessed it had something to do with him, and therefore, Riley would not speak openly. She didn’t push, but she’d try later.
“Jean and I are off to open the pub for the night.”
; “Right, time to get to work.”
“Not you.” It was William.
“Why not?” Riley blurted, pissed by the clear angst he did not hide.
William’s pose relaxed, he thumped back in his chair. Almost like he didn’t want to say why. But then, “It’s time we had a talk.”
Riley was not excited about that idea at all.
Annie grasped his hand and squeezed. Jean cast William a distant, yet somehow fixed, stare. She wasn’t privy to this topic either, is what Riley guessed. But she didn’t give off vibes of being concerned for his personal safety.
Jean and Annie departed.
The house got eerily quiet.
Quite instantly, Riley was sick of hearing his own breaths. He gave a start when William listed forward, but all he did was lean forward putting his hands up to his face. Such a seemingly human act, and so not the vampire he was getting used to.
“You are not here because of the reason you think.” William lifted his head, gaze on Riley.
“Um…”
“Your gift did not bring you to Sorcier is what I mean.”
Riley’s brow lifted, not understanding. “My gift is the exact reason I got here.”
“Fake. I hired some friends to create a spell to mimic your gift and get you here.”
Blunt and honest. That was the vampire he remembered.
Riley plunked back in his chair, although he was seriously wondering if now was the time to try to run. If he was brought here on purpose, William must really have some plans to torture him. Or kill him. Or make his life miserable in some way.
“I didn’t bring you here to harm you, Riley.” His tone didn’t sound so certain. But the nature of Riley’s entire being must have shown that’s what he’d been thinking.
“Why did you bring me here?”
William stalled for a moment. His even façade cascading into a rush of emotions that charged across his face with such speed Riley wasn’t able to pin them.
“Melinda,” the vampire finally got out. “I did it for her.”
Riley froze. His blood, his skin, his breath. The hot, sticky New Orleans air didn’t melt a thing.
William continued.
“She may not realize it yet, but she still loves you. And I cannot allow you to come to harm. It would kill her.”
Could Riley’s mind and body freeze up any more solid? This is not what he expected to hear. Not by any stretch of the imagination.
“You are an idiot for running away,” William spoke bluntly. “However, you are young. And human. And male.” There was a hint of amusement in his tone now. “If I recall correctly, this pretty much equals all things idiot. And I dare say, being a vampire aged over four-hundred-years means no less.”
Riley let out a rush of air, his body thawing out, and the corner of his mouth turning upward in an awkward attempt at a smile. Was the vampire attempting to be funny? Logic warned this was no laughing matter but his gut told him to relax. He lifted a brow at William, the smirk refusing to simmer down to anything too serious. If the vampire was attempting to diffuse the tension, he’d succeeded. Which surprised Riley.
William returned the gesture, albeit a thin smile, which held an honest compassion behind it. It was more humanity than Riley thought possible for the vampire.
“I um…” he shook his head, trying to get his brain to start working right.
“You were an idiot for running. I did not say I didn’t understand why you did.”
“How can you do this?” Riley grimaced, that hadn’t come out right.
William needed no explanation.
“You were under a curse, Riley. I can hold no permanent hatred. I seek no revenge. I, more so than most, understand curses.”
“But you love her… and she’s in love with you.” Riley bent into himself. He really should not have said that. Was he asking for trouble? And they both knew the her he was speaking of.
William said nothing, those mix of emotions surfacing and sinking again.
Riley changed the subject. “So the psychic chic, Aunt May, that reading was fake too, I suppose? Why does everyone want me to go back to The Demon Isle? That’s what you really want, right?”
“The reading was meant to help you clarify things. Give you some perspective. It turned into more but it was in no way fake. Aunt May doesn’t do pretend. As for returning to the Isle, it is your choice, Riley. But on my part… you should.”
There was a string of words on Riley’s tongue but he held them in. He’d already just said it anyway, and it had nearly come out of his mouth again. The love word. Like he needed to keep reminding the vampire how much he should hate him.
“You are correct, Riley. I do love Melinda.”
Riley already knew this but it still hurt to hear from the vampire’s mouth.
“And there is a part of her that returns that love. There’s no point in lying. But the truth is, she will never be mine. And the reality is, you are good for her in a way I have never been, and can never be. She needs you. You Riley. Not me. Not ever me.”
William left out the part where he’d seen so much while delving into her mind. Not just the love Melinda had for himself, but for Riley too. And he’d seen the manner in which Riley cared for her, and to his equal dismay, and approval, it was nothing but honorable. And right. For Melinda.
Riley’s thoughts and fears come true.
Melinda hadn’t made the choice, but it was being made. Him, the winner, by default.
William stood up, ready to leave the table.
“You are asking me to go back to the Isle and love a woman who will never fully love me?”
“Yes.”
“Even though she’ll never stop loving you too? Don’t bother denying it, or saying she’ll get over you, because she won’t.”
“That might be true, but it changes nothing.”
“I don’t know if I can do that. Love someone with every part of me with the knowledge she won’t ever feel that. Not to its fullest.”
“You can. Because even a little of her love is worth it.”
William was right about that. He really was. And yet it was still a bit like putting himself in some kind of prison. One that would forever hurt as much as it enraptured.
“I can’t face Melinda after all the suffering I caused her. How could she ever forgive me?”
“If you must ask that Riley, then I have misjudged you and you do not deserve her.”
Riley curled up into himself, hating that the vampire was right.
God damn it, why was he always fucking right?
What an awkward conversation. Talking about the woman they both loved, and the vampire basically saying, you win because I take myself out of the race.
“I’m not the only reason you’re here though, right?” If they were being ridiculous levels of honest, why not get it all out in the open.
William rumbled out a sigh. “I assume you’re speaking of that letter you stole from my jacket pocket?”
“Sorry. I woke up in a strange place. No clue where I was. Hell, I wasn’t even positive I was still alive at first. I was hoping to find something to tell me where I’d ended up.”
William held the back of his chair like he needed the support. Again, looking meekly human. Weakened in some way.
“I am here in Sorcier because of you, and because it was time to see my other family. But yes, the letter is the reason I’m not currently on The Demon Isle.”
Riley was confused about what he’d read, and parts of it were fuzzy in his memory as he’d been hung over and suffered a severe pounding only hours before reading it.
“How are they?” he dared ask. “Is everyone on the Isle okay?” Is Melinda okay? The deep freeze crept over his heart again, hardening in wait for the answer. There was an anguished sigh and Riley hovered his gaze on the now outwardly distressed William.
“I cannot answer that with any certainty. I left the Isle before…” a clear look of agony passed across the vampire.
&
nbsp; “What do you mean? Aren’t you in like, constant contact with them?”
“Not at this time. I’m fulfilling a final request from Jack Howard. And frankly, doing something I should have done years ago. It is not… easy for me.” In reality he was struggling with his choice to leave. Worried twenty-four-seven about what was going on back on the Isle, and if everyone was indeed, okay. He imagined they were not given all that had occurred before his departure.
“How could you leave them to fend for themselves?” Riley bolted out of his seat, rubbing his hand over his face. “Don’t they need you? What if they’re under attack again?”
William lifted a brow.
Riley backed down. “Yeah, okay, so I do care about them. Leaving, doesn’t mean I don’t. But it also doesn’t mean I want to go back. But you… aren’t you the great Howard protector? Always the vampire to the rescue, or some shit?”
“Or some shit…”
Riley grasped the back of his chair for balance, mimicking the act he’d just seen William do. The vampire had regained his composure though.
“If you wish to discover their conditions, there is an easy solution.” Riley eyed the vampire, his gaze questioning. “Pick up the phone and ask them.”
Riley scowled.
What was he expecting the vampire to say?
“I can be certain, regardless of what is going on back on the Isle, they are devastated over your departure. And it would ease their suffering to hear from you.”
“I find that very hard to believe.”
“If I did not believe it, Riley, we would not be standing here having this conversation.” William abruptly departed the room, effectively ending their talk, leaving the young man to ponder all that had been said.
CHAPTER 9
Charlie paused, standing in the driveway before heading into his home. Apprehensive about what exactly awaited him inside other than loads of trouble. He was about to see Lizzy again. He’d let his ears hone in on the voices inside, grateful for the wolf hearing today. She was speaking inside the mansion, the kitchen he guessed. No, wait, it was getting closer.
Hexed and Dangerous (The Wicked Witch of Future Past) (A Wicked Good Witches Paranormal Romance Book 9) Page 10