Dangerous Sacrifice (The Harcourte Vampyre Society Book 6)

by Morgan Kelley

  When he turned off the engine, she was watching him. “You’re worried. I can feel it.”

  “I am.”

  She took his hand in hers. “I know I’ve just put you in a very bad situation, making you choose between us.”

  He leaned his head back against the headrest. “You did, Jolie, but that’s not what I’m worried about.”

  “What is it?”

  “That this will never end.”

  She stared at him. “What? Us?”

  He laughed. “No, not us. I’m more worried that we’ll never have that peaceful life. There is already no retiring and getting old on the front porch. I just look at the last few months and wonder.”

  “You aren’t happy?” she asked, her voice hitching.

  “I’m very happy with you. I’m thrilled I’ve found you. I would just like peace for a little bit. Know what I mean?”

  She did.

  “I’m sorry.”

  He touched her cheek. “Don’t apologize. You wanted to know what I was feeling, and there it is. Maybe it’s the human I once was or the killing. I don’t know. I just want to hold my daughter, and not have anyone trying to kill her or you.”

  She understood.

  Jolie wanted it too.

  “When you’re head of the Tueur…”

  He laughed. “It’ll be the same thing, but reversed. I’ll be doing the killing.”

  “Flynn.”

  “It’s okay, Jolie. I’m just having a rough day. I’m trying to hold everything together, and I know it’s going to blow up in my face. When we deal with vampyres, it always does. I’ll be fine. I just need to work it out in my head.”

  She stopped him from getting out of the vehicle. “I love you. I will always love you, and I know how much you gave up to be with me. I’ll never forget that, Flynn. I’ll never forget that you sacrificed more than your share to make this work. Every day, I look at you, and I wonder why. You’re carrying a burden that no one should have to carry.”

  He wiped a tear from her cheek. “I don’t see it as a burden, Jolie. It’s part of being with you. There are days I need some sunshine too. I don’t want to be swallowed by the darkness.”

  She knew what he meant.

  Or rather who…

  “You’re my light, Flynn. Let me be yours.”

  He smiled at her. “Baby, you always have been the brightest shining star.”

  Jolie crawled across the console to sit in his lap. “I won’t fit here much longer.”

  He simply held her. “Yeah, but then you’ll have our babies, and then you’ll fit again.”

  “That’s true. Your Hummer back home is going to kick ass with two car seats in it.”

  He stared at her.

  “What?”

  “You heard me.”

  He looked horrified.

  “And two pink diaper bags.”

  “Jolie.”

  “It’s a good thing the seats are stain proof. Babies puke up milk and blood. It’s going to be messy.”

  “Jesus.”

  She kissed him. “Sunshine-y enough for you, my love? Would you like me to go on?”

  It made him laugh. “No, I think you got your point across. I think I’m feeling much better about walking into a strange vampyre’s home without backup.”

  “You’re Rinnon. They’re afraid of you.”

  He felt the demon laugh deep within his mind. “Yeah, I guess there’s that.”

  “And I am the Harbinger. We’re like yin and yang, blood and stain, or Grim and Reaper.”

  “You suck at this.”

  She snorted, achieving what she wanted. Flynn was smiling, and that was all she needed. “Yeah, well, sunshine-y isn’t my strong point. Maybe you should get yourself a human.”

  He kissed her.

  ‘I don’t want a human. I want my mate.’

  Jolie’s laughter flittered through his mind. ‘Good, because I would have killed her if she even looked at you. Then I would have made your very long life a living hell.’

  He was well aware.

  Breaking the kiss, she knew it was time.

  “We should get this over with before Jacques arrives and goes nuts,” she offered.

  He knew she was right.

  Flynn helped her out of the SUV. As they crossed the lawn, he warned her. “If I bring you home dinged up, Dad is going to kick my ass. So, you know the routine.”

  She laughed. “Maybe you should let me sit in your lap so you can keep your eyes on me.”

  He could do that.

  When he made her park that truly spectacular derrière in his lap, she wouldn’t be smiling or feel so sarcastic. Now he was going to do it just to prove a point.

  Jolie knocked at the door, and immediately, Flynn pulled her back under his arm.

  She gave him a look, but before she could comment, they heard someone coming.

  You could tell how desperate the vampyre was, since he answered his own door.

  Then again, this could be how they rolled in Ireland. They really weren’t accustomed to the everyday intricacies.

  “Thank you for coming,” he said.

  Jolie nodded and stepped into his home without him welcoming them.

  He gasped.

  “Yeah, Rinnon can make house calls without an invite, so you might want to keep that in mind if this is a trap. I’ll kill everyone in this damn town,” Flynn threatened.

  The vampyre swallowed before leading them toward his family. Inside, there was tea brewing, and the table was set for them.

  “How cozy,” Jolie said, glad this was going to be informal. When Flynn sat down in the big armchair, she gave him a look. Then she realized why he didn’t give her the chair.

  He was going to be the chair.

  She was tugged into his lap.

  ‘Later, I’ll kick your ass.’

  He sent her laughter and erotic images.

  “Mistress Jolie, thank you for taking the time to make this visit,” he said, still very nervous that they were in his home.

  “You wanted me here, so here I am.”

  Two guardians entered the room.

  “Really, Liam?” Flynn asked. “OUT!” he whispered, but it sounded like lightening in the room.

  It looked like Rinnon was going to lay down the law.

  The vampyre dismissed his guardians. The last thing he needed was the man angry.

  “Tea?” he asked.

  “Yes, please.” Jolie took the delicate cup and leaned back against her mate. “It is lovely, thank you,” she said cuddling against Flynn’s big chest.

  He was watching the vampyre and the doorway behind him as he rubbed her belly.

  “I hope your societies are okay from the other evening,” she said, feeling Jacques reach for her mind.

  She ignored him.

  This was important.

  They needed to work.

  “We are, but I must be honest, Mistress. We are scared shitless of you,” he said, sitting his cup on his knee. “You outmaneuvered Death and lived to tell about it. Then toss in that you have a legend that we’ve always respected in your arsenal.”

  Flynn grinned, and his fangs slid into his mouth as his eyes went vortex black. “Yes, she does,” he stated. “We all know how hard we’ll fight for our mates.”

  There was his warning.

  The vampyre sipped his tea with a shaky hand.

  Jolie was glad he was fearful. It might mean that they man would mind his manners.

  “This is simply who we are, Liam. We came here because we needed a stopover before Paris. That was true.”

  She knew it was only partially, but this man didn’t need information.

  Liam hoped he wasn’t making a huge mistake.

  Flynn was trying desperately to concentrate, but their other mate was relentless.

  ‘Where are you?’ he asked.

  ‘With Jolie at Liam’s.’

  There was silence.

  ‘Without me?’ Jacques asked. ‘You left m
e behind?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘How dare you? I’m her mate too. I’m her guardian. This was exactly what I was talking about!’

  Flynn didn’t have time for this.

  ‘I tried to reach you. You told me you wanted to be alone. Was I supposed to let her go alone? You were too damn busy having a pity party and being angry! I had to make a choice’

  ‘You were supposed to make her stay here!’

  Flynn had to cut him off. Jacques was ranting and raving, and Jolie was the priority.

  She came first.

  “Liam, as much as I appreciate the tea, I really would like to be home with my mates. Let’s get on with this show. Drop the BS, and just talk facts with me.”

  He could tell she meant business.

  “We’re scared.”

  “Tell me why your people are so afraid.”

  Liam closed his eyes. “Someone is leaving symbols on the society’s properties—circles with sand and pentagrams. If it were just that, we wouldn’t care. We’ve been around many years, and we’ve seen religions come and go. In five hundred years, I have seen much, I’m sure you have too.”

  “If you are asking my age, in a roundabout way, Liam, I’m over eight hundred,” she said.

  Liam laughed, “I think I was better off not knowing,” he admitted, putting his cup down.

  “Continue,” Flynn said.

  “Again, if it was just the symbols, we wouldn’t care, but our humans are disappearing.”

  “The humans?” asked Jolie a little surprised. “As in the donors in your family?”

  He shook his head, “No, as in the male mates.”

  That couldn’t be good.

  Human mates meant children. That meant growing their species. Without human males, they were…

  Going to go extinct.

  “Someone is taking all of your human mates?” Jolie didn’t know what to do with that information. “And you think it’s witches practicing dark magick?”

  “We think they are being sacrificed, and we don’t know what do about it.” He looked concerned. “There are no bodies turning up, and the police can’t investigate. They are all just missing. Each society has had someone disappear. They call the police, are told wait twenty-four hours, and then file a report. A report is filed and then nothing comes of it. We’re a small community here, and people are going to notice that people are missing.”

  Ahhh, here was the issue.

  “You’re afraid of the hunters coming to find humans are being killed. You don’t want them to show up on your doorstep.”

  “Yes.”

  Well, at least he told the truth.

  ‘Jolie, if there are no bodies, how can we help?’ asked Flynn.

  ‘We have to help. While we’re staying here, if the hunters come…we’re screwed. That’s the last thing we need,’ she admitted.

  He agreed.

  Despite what their mate was going to say, they had to have a unified front.

  Besides, Jolie needed to do this, and Flynn wanted to help her. If she was thinking about this, she wasn’t thinking about her brother.

  ‘I say we do it.’

  Flynn was rewarded with a beautiful smile from Jolie.

  ‘We may not solve it, but we can look into it. If it’s not solved by the time we leave, it’s on them,’ she answered.

  Flynn was good with that. At least she was willing to compromise. ‘Sure, baby, we can consider it.’

  Jolie put the cup on the table, “We’ll help you, Liam, but we can’t promise that it’ll be fixed.”

  “I understand. I just worry for our species. So many of our humans have given us little ones, and we’re flourishing.”

  Jolie understood his predicament.

  She’d be lost without her mates. For the first few months with Flynn, she’d worried he’d be killed. Now she didn’t have that problem.

  She was mated with a demon who couldn’t die.

  ‘Yes, but I have to worry about you two now, so I’m in your boat on this one.’

  ‘True.’

  In a way, she missed the days when he was bonded to them. Granted, he swore he’d never leave, but still.

  She worried.

  ‘What will it take to reassure you?’ he asked.

  Jolie knew, but she kept it to herself.

  Marriage was a pipe dream.

  Even though she craved it, since the day he put the ring on her finger, she couldn’t believe it was ever going to be a possibility.

  It was too far-fetched.

  She had two mates, and Jolie couldn’t leave one out. It would hurt too much.

  Flynn sat up, distracted by the approaching vampyres. There were more heading their way.

  Jolie sensed it.

  “Liam, don’t do anything stupid. You saw what happened at council.”

  He tried to calm them down.

  “Mistress Jolie, I apologize. After what happened at the council, word traveled back. The members of the family are curious about Rinnon.”

  Flynn could feel children approaching. Immediately, he relaxed.

  “It’s okay. I’m getting accustomed to it,” Flynn offered.

  “They mean no disrespect, Master, I promise.”

  “Flynn,” he corrected. “I have a name.”

  “I’m sorry, Master Flynn.”

  He sighed and Jolie giggled. It earned her a pinch on the ass.

  ‘I like you frisky, Rinnon. Maybe you can spank me later,’ she teased.

  ‘Well, since I’m Flynn, and he’s me, chances are I’ll enjoy that,’ the demon replied in Flynn’s voice.

  Jolie flushed.

  She had to refocus.

  “Have them come out, Liam. We’re not upset.”

  Jolie watched as five or six kids move slowly into the room. Immediately, Jolie stood, making sure Flynn could too.

  If this were a trap, they’d be ready.

  A little boy approached her. When he smiled and held out his hand, she took it. When he shook it, she was enamored by him. He had red hair, freckles, and dimples in his cheeks.

  “I’m Ryan,” he said showing his new fangs. “They just came in. Can I see yours?” he asked.

  Jolie got down to his level.

  “My, Ryan, what sharp teeth you have,” she said smiling. Hers slid out, and he grinned. “I’m Jolie and this is my mate.”

  “Is he really Rinnon?” he asked. “We learned the legend in school. My ma teaches us. She’s our teacher.”

  Flynn waited for the boy to approach.

  “Are you, Master?”

  “Yes, I am.”

  “You don’t talk like us. Why?”

  Flynn blinked and his eyes were the icy blue Jolie fell in love with months ago.

  “I’m Flynn, and he lives in me. I’m kinda like his house. He’s hanging out.”

  The boy shook his hand. “Can I see your fangs too?” he asked.

  Flynn got down to eye level and pushed them out. They slid wickedly past his lip and to sharp, deadly points.

  He gasped. “They’re really big.”

  “I know, right? I’m a lucky vampyre.”

  Or demon.

  Or vemon.

  Whatever he was called.

  Flynn glanced over as a little girl approached. “I’m Milly,” she said and curtsied.

  Jolie noticed the little girl had ignored her and headed right toward Flynn.

  Could she blame her?

  Jolie would have followed him around, too, even as a child. It was that big lumbering frame and sexy fangs.

  ‘Which will be in you later, Little Red Riding Hood.’

  Jolie flushed.

  He certainly could be her big bad wolf any day.

  “Yes?” he asked, trying not to smile at the little girl. He was staring down at her, and she was tugging on his pants.

  “Do you have kids?” she asked looking up at him with big blue eyes.

  Jolie couldn’t help but smile as a little girl melted a big scary d
emon in a few seconds.

  He grinned. “As a matter of fact, I do have children. Jolie has them in her belly.”

  She giggled.

  “You’re cute.”

  Flynn couldn’t help it. Milly was an adorable little moppet.

  “Want a kiss?” he asked.

  She nodded and went into his arms. Flynn picked her up so he could stand and keep Jolie safe. The little girl put the moves on him, dropping a wet kiss on his lips.

  Jolie’s heart sighed in love.

  How could it not?

  The older vampyres looked worried, but they didn’t have any reason to be. If Flynn went on a killing spree, the children were the only ones who would be safe.

  “Do you see why I need your help?” Liam asked. “These are just two of our kids.”

  “How many are there?” she asked.

  “Twenty children, and of them, we’re looking at twelve human male mates. If the blight haunting the families in Cork comes to my home, they might lose their parents.”

  “Please save my daddy,” Milly said. “I love him even if he’s not a vampyre like me.”

  Flynn melted. “Okay.”

  How the hell was he supposed to say no to her? She reminded him of Cari. Flynn loved kids.

  Jolie grinned.

  ‘Softie. The other demons will make fun of you.’

  He was sure they would, if he wasn’t the big demon the rest feared.

  Oh, and if he knew any demons other than Vanth.

  ‘I like little girls. I happen to plan to spoil ours, even if they’re going to be the Destroyers. Azriel and Angelique are getting anything they want.’

  She wasn’t shocked.

  “We’ll see what we can do,” Flynn stated.

  He placed the little vampyre child down. She stayed by his leg, holding onto his pants as she sucked on her thumb.

  “We appreciate it. If you need anything, Jolie, feel free to return. If we can answer any questions, we will. I can even give you some of my guardians, if you need them.”

  “I appreciate it, but I have one of my own, and then I have Flynn. He’s got this under control.”

  Yeah, he did.

  Even if Jacques refused to help, he would do whatever it took. What was one more thing to handle?

  The Tueur.

  Rogue witches.

  Hunters.

  It was a normal day in his life.

  Jolie took her mate’s hand. As they walked out, they could hear the whispers from the rest of Liam’s family.