The Taming of the Vamp (The Murdoch Vampires Book 2)

by Jaye Wells

  Callum must have known what I was thinking because he shook his head slightly, telling me to keep my mouth shut. Finally, my common sense beat my pride into submission.

  Breakfast continued as we all chatted about our plans for the day. Kira had just asked me what I was going to do when the doorbell rang.

  Hannah left the room to answer the door. I was telling Kira about my plans to relax, but didn’t get very far before Hannah came back with Miranda in tow.

  “Raven, you have a visitor,” Hannah said unnecessarily.

  I jumped out of my seat to give my friend a hug.

  “Miranda! What a great surprise,” I said.

  “Sorry to drop in like this, but I was in the neighborhood,” she said, hugging me back.

  “No problem at all,” I replied.

  Remembering the other people in the room, I turned to introduce Miranda.

  “I’m sorry. Miranda, this is Kira Murdoch,” I said, leading her to Kira.

  The women shook hands. “Miranda, so nice to see you again. How is your mother?” Kira asked.

  “She’s doing well, thank you for asking. I’ll tell her you asked about her.”

  I was surprised by the fact they’d already met, but I wasn’t sure why. Miranda was well-known in Brethren circles. I was the one who was the outcast.

  Callum stood and came around the table. “Miranda, it’s been a couple of years. Good to see you.”

  As they shook hands and exchanged pleasantries, I had a brief spurt of insecurity. Miranda and Callum would have made a great couple. Standing next to each other, they looked like the Ken and Barbie of the vampire world.

  Recalling Miranda’s comments about Callum being hot didn’t help matters.

  “So, I’m sure you guys will excuse us,” I said, totally interrupting Miranda as she shared a story about a mutual friend with him. “We’ve got lots to catch up on.”

  I pretty much jerked her away from Callum in my haste to separate them. Miranda only had to time to wave at Kira and Callum as I pulled her out of the room.

  “That was rude,” she said, tugging at my hand.

  I didn’t say anything as I lead her to my room, wanting to get as much space between her and Callum as possible.

  “What’s your problem?” she demanded as I closed the door behind us.

  “Nothing. Just needed to get out of there.”

  “Something’s up. I can tell,” she said. “Spill it.”

  I strolled over to the chair in the corner of the room and plopped down.

  “What? Nothing’s wrong,” I said, attempting to look casual.

  Her eyes narrowed. “You’ve had sex!”

  “What?” I yelped as I sprang from the chair. “What gave you that idea?”

  “Raven, I’ve known you for two hundred years. Don’t even try to play dumb with me. Plus, you’ve got that glowy thing going for you.”

  “Glowy thing?” I asked.

  “You know, it’s like this aura of satisfaction people give off after they’ve just had really good sex.”

  I went into the bathroom to check myself in the mirror. Nope, still the same, I decided. Miranda came up behind me.

  “You’re crazy,” I said. “I don’t look glowy.”

  “Ah, but the fact you checked to begin with verifies my hunch,” she said, sounding all superior like she’d caught me, which, of course, she had.

  “Crap, okay. If I tell you, it’s in the vault of secrecy, okay? I swear to the goddess if you leak what I’m about to tell you, you’re going down.”

  “Ooh, threats. It must be really good. Okay, I promise,” she said, sounding excited.

  I turned from the mirror to lean against the counter. Taking a deep breath, I debated how much to tell her.

  “Yes, I had sex.”

  She waited. When I said nothing else, she groaned.

  “That’s it? That’s all you’re going to tell me?”

  “Yep,” I said and went back into the bedroom.

  She followed me like a bloodhound following a scent.

  “You’re a tease, you know that? Well, actually I guess you’re not, seeing as how you did the deed with someone recently,” she said.

  I could see the wheels spinning in her head. It wouldn’t take her long to drag all the details out of me, but I didn’t want to just spill it all like some gossipy teenager. I was still getting used to the idea that Callum and I had gotten freaky.

  “Wait! It was Callum wasn’t it?”

  So much for drawing the mystery out.

  “Yes,” I admitted since there really wasn’t any point in denying it.

  She squealed and clapped her hands.

  “I knew it! He kept looking at you when I was talking to him. Then you were acting all weird. I mean weird for you, that is.”

  “Thanks.”

  I sat on the bed, figuring it might take her a few minutes to get the squeals out of her system. Her comment about Callum looking at me gave me a nice little thrill though.

  “Why don’t you sound more giddy?” she asked, frowning. “Don’t tell me it was bad. Oh God, that’s the worst.”

  Sighing, I fell back on the bed. “No, it was amazing.”

  “Well then, what’s the problem?” she asked, sitting next to me.

  “He’s so not my type.”

  “And that’s a problem because? Seriously, Raven, Callum’s the first decent vamp you’ve been with since I’ve known you. Besides, who cares? It’s not like you’re interested in a relationship with him.”

  Her laughter grated on my nerves. Not sure why since she was right. First of all, my father would have a field day if he found out I was dating his idea of the perfect Brethren citizen. Second, I could hardly stand Callum most days. Except in bed. And when he made me laugh. But other than that there was nothing. Oh, and he was kind of smart and a total babe. But that was all.

  “You’re right,” I said, sitting up. “I should just go with the flow and enjoy the ride while it lasts, right?”

  “Right,” she said, looking a little concerned. “Are you sure you’re not interested in more than sex from him?”

  My laughter sounded harsh to my own ears.

  “Don’t be silly. He’s just a convenient source of pleasure for the time being.”

  “Okay, if you say so,” she said, looking unconvinced. “But you know, he is considered kind of a catch.”

  “Well this chick isn’t trying to reel him in, okay? Just drop it.”

  “Fine,” she said.

  “Fine.”

  We sat in silence for a few moments, mine brooding and hers more thoughtful.

  “If you don’t want to talk about Callum, then I guess I should tell you why I came over.”

  I perked up, happy for the change in subject.

  She reached into her purse and pulled out a piece of paper.

  “This note was delivered to my shop last night.”

  Curious, I took the note from her and read it.

  Mistress R,

  All is ready. Call to put plan “Raven’s Wing” into action.

  Freddie

  My heart dropped. I’d forgotten all about my email to the minions. I should feel ecstatic that I could get out of here now. Instead, I felt conflicted. “Raven?”

  I looked up distractedly. “Yeah.”

  “What are you going to do?”

  “I don’t know,” I said, meaning it.

  “If you want my opinion, and even if you don’t, I think calling that number would be a huge mistake.”

  “Why’s that?” I asked, more curious about her reasoning than anything.

  “Two things. First of all, from what I can see, things here aren’t so bad. You seem to be getting along with the Murdochs. And if you don’t mind me saying, you seem more centered now than I’ve seen you in decades.”

  Pondering what she said, I decided she was right in some respects. The only thing I disagreed with was the part about me being centered, whatever that meant. If it meant
I was calmer, she was wrong. After my night with Callum, I felt totally unsettled. I couldn’t put my finger on what it was exactly. I didn’t regret sleeping with Callum, but I felt like maybe the experience was more than I bargained for in some way.

  “What’s the second thing?” I asked, not wanting to analyze my feelings about last night anymore.

  “Your father expects you to screw up.”

  The last thing I needed right then was to think about my father. I was so sick of thinking about his reaction to every move I made.

  “I told you I don’t know what I am going to do. I need to think about it some more.”

  Her eyebrows knitted into a frown. “But you’ll think about what I said?”

  I sighed. “Yeah, I’ll think about it.”

  “Good. Because I meant what I said. This three-month crash course may turn out to be a good thing for you.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “It’s just I’ve seen you struggle for so many years against your father. It’s almost like you’ve forgotten to live your own life. It’s time you forget about him and do what makes you happy. Use the rest of your time here to figure out what you want to do.”

  “You’ve been watching daytime TV again haven’t you?”

  She laughed. “Nah, I just want you to be happy for a change.”

  I smiled. It felt so good to have Miranda in my corner.

  “You’re a good friend, you know that?” I said.

  She reached over and hugged me.

  “So are you, when you’re not trying to act all tough. Now, we have to stop this, or I’m going to get all sentimental.”

  I chuckled, feeling kind of misty myself.

  “You know what? I think I’ll stick it out here for a while longer,” I said. “I can always keep the number handy in case things head south.”

  Miranda just smiled as I got up to hide the note in a black beaded purse in the back of my closet.

  “Hey, I’ve been thinking. We should plan a shower for Sydney,” Miranda said as I came back to the bed.

  “A shower?”

  “Yeah, you know, silly games, finger foods, presents. As the bridesmaid, it’s one of your duties. But since we both know you have no idea what you’re doing, I thought I could help out,” she said.

  I groaned. “Do I have to?”

  “Raven, Sydney doesn’t have many friends in the vampire community yet, and from what I can tell, she didn’t have many in her old life except Jorge and Geraldine. I think it would be nice.”

  “Who would we invite?”

  She tapped her finger on her lip for a moment as she thought.

  “Well, let’s see. Besides you and me, we could invite Jorge and Geraldine, Kira and Hannah. Oh, and she hit it off with some of the ladies at the midnight shopping event she came to at my store. We could invite them too.”

  “That doesn’t sound too bad,” I said. I figured for Sydney’s sake I could put up with a couple of hours of girlie chitchat.

  “Where would we have it?” I asked.

  “Do you think Kira would let us do it here?”

  “I guess I could ask. I know she loves Syd. She’d probably like to help out.”

  “Okay, you ask her, and then we’ll figure out the details. She’ll probably want to invite some of her friends, too,” she said. “I think we could throw it together in couple of weeks, don’t you?”

  “I have no idea, but if you think that’s enough time then that’s what I’ll tell Kira. Wait, do I need to plan a bachelorette thingie too?” I asked.

  “Good point. Why don’t we plan on doing that the same night? We can have the shower and then go out on the town.”

  “That might work. Do you think we need to invite everyone to that too? I’m not sure Syd would be comfortable getting crazy with her future mother-in-law there.”

  “Hmmm,” Miranda said, mulling it over. “I think it would be fun to keep the group small. So we’ll wait for everyone else to go, and then Syd, Jorge, Geraldine, you, and me can go do the bachelorette portion of the evening.”

  “You know what might be fun?” I said, warming up to the idea. “We should keep the second half of the night a secret from Syd. We can just kidnap her after the shower.”

  “Great idea!” she said. “We can rent a limo and have it come pick the five of us up.”

  “Cool. Now . . . ”

  We spent the next hour planning. By the time she left, I was excited. Having something fun to focus on besides my own problems was nice. Plus, I liked Syd and wanted to do something cool for her. I knew what it was like to feel alone. So I figured putting up with polite small talk and oohing and aahing over China patterns was a small price to pay to help the bride enjoy herself.

  Later I was sitting at the desk writing down a list of things to do for the shower. The task was taking all my concentration, so I didn’t hear the door open. Suddenly, a pair of hands landed over my eyes. I shrieked and lashed out, ready to defend myself against my attacker.

  Whipping around, I saw Callum laughing at me.

  “Jumpy today, aren’t we?”

  “Callum! You scared the shit out of me. What do you mean sneaking up on me like that?”

  “I knocked on the door, opened it, and walked over to you. You’re a vampire, Gabby. You should have heard me before I even got to the door.”

  My cheeks heated. I felt like an idiot because he was right.

  “Sorry, I guess I was distracted.”

  “What were you doing?” he asked, trying to look around me.

  “Nothing.”

  Snatching the paper from the desk, I hid it behind my back. For some reason I was embarrassed to tell him what I was doing.

  “What are you hiding?” he asked, his expression playful but curious.

  “Callum, it’s nothing.”

  His eyes narrowed as he frowned. “Gabby, show me the paper.”

  “No.”

  “Don’t make me take it from you,” he said. The warning echoed with his sharp tone.

  “Mind your own business,” I said, backing away from him.

  His expression turned serious, but he tried and failed to sound like he was teasing. “You’re planning something bad aren’t you? Or, wait, is it from another man?”

  That stopped me in my tracks. Was that jealousy I saw on his face?

  “It’s not from another man, idiot.”

  He looked unconvinced. “Then it’s something bad. What are you planning, Gabby?”

  “Callum, drop it. I promise I’m not doing anything wrong.”

  I felt a brief twinge of guilt when I remembered the note Miranda had delivered earlier.

  Before I could react, he lunged at me and grabbed the paper.

  “Hey!” I said, trying to snatch it back.

  He turned his back to me, warding me off with one muscled arm.

  “Flowers, invitations, cake, limo, naughty veil? What the hell is this?” he asked, still keeping me at arm’s length.

  “I’m planning a wedding shower for Sydney, okay?” I said, my voice high and my cheeks in flames.

  He turned around, a stunned look on his face.

  “Why didn’t you just tell me that to begin with?”

  “Because I’m embarrassed, okay?”

  “Why would you be embarrassed? I think it’s great you’re throwing Syd a shower.” He was smiling at me now, and it made me nervous.

  “Actually, it’s more than great,” he said. “You’re a good friend, Gabby. This is going to mean a lot to Syd.”

  “Look, don’t think this means I’ve gone soft or anything,” I said, crossing my arms. “It was Miranda’s idea.”

  “Don’t forget who you’re talking to here. I saw through your tough exterior from day one, remember?”

  “Don’t go telling everyone, okay? I have a rep to protect.”

  He moved toward me with a sexy look in his eyes. I held up a hand as I backed away.

  “I’m pissed at you. Don’t even think about tr
ying any moves.”

  He kept coming.

  “You didn’t mind my moves last night,” he said, taking my hand.

  I shook him off. “Hey, I thought we were keeping this under wraps.”

  He took my hand again and kissed it before I could pull away.

  “Mother and Hannah left right after Miranda. Won’t be back for hours,” he said. Pulling me toward him, he began nuzzling my neck.

  I was weakening. My body wanted to melt into his. But my pride was still stinging.

  “You think you can just walk in here and seduce me?”

  “Yep,” he said, cupping my breast and grazing my neck with his fangs.

  Pride be damned. What kind of idiot would I be to turn down amazing sex over a stupid to-do list?

  Chapter Seventeen

  The day of the shower arrived in no time. Much to my relief, Kira had been thrilled to help out. Between the shower and the bachelorette plans, my time at the blood bank, and my nights with Callum, life was busy. It was also fun.

  Callum had proved to be an imaginative and fun lover. The only problem was keeping myself in check when we were in public. It didn’t help that he was always sending me clandestine looks and finding excuses to touch me. But it was a small price to pay for our nights together.

  Kira seemed clueless about the shenanigans going on under her roof, which was lucky since we spent a lot of time together running errands and preparing for the shower. She wasn’t so bad to hang out with as long as she wasn’t extolling the virtues of the Brethren Sect.

  The event began at seven in the evening and would go until nine. Because we’d decided on a romance theme for the shower, the house was filled with red roses and scented candles. An exclusive vampire catering service stood ready to pass out hors d’oeuvres and drinks, including Lifeblood.

  When Syd arrived and saw everything, her eyes went all misty.

  “Raven, I can’t tell you how much this means to me. It’s perfect,” she said, giving me a hug.

  She went on to say hello to Kira and Miranda, who were setting up the favors. As I watched them hug and laugh, a warm feeling spread through my insides. It amazed me that something I did was making someone so happy. It was a novel feeling. I found myself actually looking forward to the shower—silly games, small talk, and all.