Seducing Death

by Cassandra Lawson

  “They’ll get used to you,” Mitchell said. “You saved my dad, so we all owe you.”

  “I’m not sure that’s going to help with everyone,” Ian said angrily.

  “Probably not,” Kyleigh agreed, not sure what else to say. “It would be best if I stay inside while we’re here.”

  “You can’t be locked in the house all the time, just because people are afraid of you,” Mitchell argued. “Plenty of people are still afraid of me because I’m a turned vampire. They think I’m going to snatch their babies and eat them when I finally snap.”

  Kyleigh knew he was trying to comfort her, but she heard the fear in his voice. Mitchell really was afraid that one day he’d snap. Studying Mitchell closely, she saw his soul. In order for Mitchell to become a monster, his soul would need to leave his body. Mitchell’s soul was fully connected, with no frayed or weakened areas. “That won’t happen,” she said confidently. “Well, it might if you were close to death.” If his soul were released from his body, his body might continue to function in an undead state like other turned vampires. His soul was too strong to give up control of his body while it still resided there.

  “How can you know that?” Mitchell asked.

  She hesitated, unsure how much she should be telling him, but she liked Mitchell and didn’t want him to worry about something that was unlikely to happen. Besides, she’d already told him quite a bit. “The turned vampires who go on rampages and kill mindlessly no longer have souls. Those souls were released at the time of death. Your soul fought hard to remain with your body. It’s strong and won’t just release its hold easily.”

  “I’ve seen some of the vampires created by the new virus who seem reasonable. If they were mindless, they wouldn’t make good weapons,” Ian argued.

  Mitchell was the one who responded. “Actually, that seems like it would make them even better at following orders. They have no remorse, no thoughts of their own. All they do is follow orders. Having spent time around them, I can tell you that, while they seem reasonable, most of them respond the exact same way to situations, unless it’s hunger driving them. They all seem to be able to act on their own when it comes to hunger, and they share the desire to hunt and sometimes play with their prey.”

  “That makes sense,” Ian said after some thought. “I’ve talked to them during fights, so I always assumed they were more coherent, but I never paid much attention to what they said. They appear more in control than the turned vampires I’m used to seeing.”

  “I’m not sure why that is,” Kyleigh admitted. “Maybe it’s because their brains don’t have three days of decay like the traditional turned vampires. I’ve seen humans who had their soul released and then the Fae interfered with their death. The process is kind of similar to what happens with the undead vampires.”

  “Why would the Fae want to stop them from dying?” Mitchell asked.

  “Because they’re assholes,” Ian explained.

  Kyleigh laughed. “That about sums it up. The Fae enjoy messing with people. Even to the nicest of the Fae, mortals are nothing more than toys. Maybe immortality makes them less sympathetic.”

  “So they can live forever?” Mitchell asked with wide eyes. “Nothing can kill them?”

  Kyleigh opened her mouth and then closed it before turning away. “It’s best you don’t know too much about the Fae. My being here has probably drawn their attention to this settlement already.”

  “Doesn’t that mean people here should know more about them?” Ian asked. “Isn’t it better to be prepared for what might come our way?”

  “No!” Kyleigh said quickly. “Things don’t work that way with them. There’s no way to explain how twisted they are, but I can tell you that the more people know about them and talk about them, the more likely they are to show up. Fae thrive on the attention.”

  “I won’t ask again,” Mitchell assured her.

  Kyleigh’s stomach rumbled loudly. “Sorry, I suppose I must be hungry. It feels strange. I haven’t been hungry in a very long time.”

  “You don’t eat?” Mitchell asked.

  “There’s no need for it where she stays,” Ian said and realized his fangs were aching. “I have no food or blood.”

  There was a determined knock at the front door. Ian was surprised to see Connor and Raven on the other side of the door.

  Raven held up a bag. “We thought you’d need supplies.”

  Ian’s eyes widened. Things hadn’t been left on good terms between him and Raven, so she was the last person he expected to bring him blood.

  Raven noticed his shock and laughed. “You were right,” she said as she moved around Ian and headed toward the kitchen. “I shouldn’t judge others for being different. In my defense, anything related to . . .” she paused, obviously nervous about even saying the word. “Anything about those creatures who may or may not exist is scary beyond compare.”

  After Raven and Connor set the bags down on the kitchen counter, Connor kissed Raven affectionately. “They already know those creatures you prefer not discussing exist, so it doesn’t make any sense for you to keep acting like they don’t.”

  Raven sighed. “That’s a habit I’d prefer not to break.”

  “I don’t blame you for thinking poorly of me,” Kyleigh said.

  “I do,” Ian grumbled.

  “Stop acting so grumpy,” Kyleigh said and swatted Ian’s belly lightly. “You just need some blood to improve your mood.”

  Connor laughed. “You must not know Ian as well as I thought you did. He’s always grumpy.”

  Kyleigh looked genuinely surprised.

  “You already know he’s right,” Ian said. “Of course, right now, my mood has to do with the fact that my fangs hurt.”

  “When was the last time you had blood?” Connor asked.

  Ian shrugged. “I’m not sure, some time before I was stabbed in the heart,” he said, choosing not to mention the times he’d taken blood from Kyleigh because those times had nothing to do with sustenance.

  “Very funny,” Connor said. “If you don’t want to answer my question, just say so. Don’t give me some bullshit answer.”

  “It’s probably the truth,” Raven said and handed Ian a bag of blood before she pulled out a container filled with fruit and cheese. “I didn’t have much food ready, but I figured you’d been here long enough to start getting hungry.”

  “Thank you,” Kyleigh said shyly.

  It almost made Ian laugh to see Kyleigh acting so nervous around his friends. While she’d been terrified around the Fae, he didn’t blame her. There was something really scary about them. Still, she struck him as a woman who wasn’t afraid of much. Then again, Kyleigh hadn’t been around many people in a very long time, and the people she was around were usually about to die or lose a loved one.

  After rinsing out a glass and emptying a bag of blood into it, Ian slipped an arm around Kyleigh’s waist and pulled her close. “Go sit in the living room. We’ll bring the food in to you.”

  She nodded and walked out of the kitchen. The others were all staring at him like he’d grown another head. “What?” he asked as he grabbed the fruit and cheese tray in one hand.

  “They’re surprised to see you acting nice to Kyleigh,” Mitchell said.

  “I’m nice to people,” Ian said indignantly.

  Connor snorted. “No, you aren’t. At best, you tolerate people, with the exception of Mitchell. You must really care about Kyleigh.”

  Ian shook his head. “It’s not what you think.”

  “Then why are you so defensive of her?” Connor asked.

  “Mind your own fucking business,” Ian said in a low voice.

  Connor put his hands up. “Hey! I’m not trying to start a fight or anything. Hell, I think it’s great that you have feelings for Kyleigh. She seems nice, and it’s time you started moving on with your life. Don’t try to deny that there’s something between the two of you.”

  Ian didn’t want to hear this. How could Connor stand
here and talk about replacing Kate while they stood in Kate’s kitchen? What kind of fucked up thing was that to say? Even worse was Ian’s betrayal. The only woman he’d thought about since walking in the front door was Kyleigh. Not once had he thought about Kate or Sarah. Not once had he stopped to stare at their pictures on the wall.

  “Things are complicated between us, but no one will ever take Kate’s place in my heart,” Ian said angrily.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Kyleigh flinched when she heard Ian tell his friends she’d never take Kate’s place in his heart, and she instantly wished she’d gone upstairs, or outside. Anywhere would be better than sitting in this room, hearing what an idiot she was for caring so deeply for Ian. Of course, how could she be angry with Ian over what he’d said when it wasn’t a secret? Ian had been honest from the beginning. While he wanted her and liked her, Ian was incapable of offering her more. Kyleigh was the one foolish enough to allow her heart to become involved.

  Ian and his friends were still talking in the other room, but she was no longer paying attention. Instead, she was lost in her own thoughts. Maybe staying with Ian was a form of punishment. She’d fall in love with him, but he’d never return her feelings. Okay, now she felt ridiculous for thinking time with Ian could be a punishment.

  There was no way to stop herself from growing more attached to Ian. It’s not like she could avoid the man she was bonded to, but it might be smart to distance herself from him some. The problem was, she didn’t want to distance herself from Ian. Would it be enough that she’d have Ian in her life anyway? Did she really need him to love her? Those were questions she needed to consider, not that she was sure the answers would make any difference.

  Whatever happened, Ian couldn’t survive without her; not in some romantic way, but he would die if she returned to her realm without him. She wasn’t sure how she knew that, but some instinct told her they had to have frequent contact. She was what bound his soul to his body.

  “Eat!” Ian said gruffly as he set a plate on the coffee table in front of her.

  Kyleigh hadn’t even heard the others come into the room. Luckily, she wasn’t the skittish sort, or she might have jumped out of her skin. There was a part of her that wanted to argue with him about eating because he sounded bossy and rude. That part got out-voted by the part of her that hadn’t eaten in longer than she could remember. Slipping a small piece of cheese between her lips almost made her moan with delight. Her eyes closed, and she savored the texture and flavor. Until that moment, she hadn’t realized how much she’d missed food.

  “How long has it been since you’ve eaten?” Raven asked.

  Kyleigh thought for a moment and shrugged. “I’m not really sure. At first, I ventured out to eat, not because I was hungry, but it’s a hard habit to break.”

  Connor nodded. “Vampires who started out human have that problem too. We don’t need solids, but some vampires believe they’re starving if they don’t have solid food for too long.”

  “My friend, Simon just recently started eating solid food,” Ian added. “He was telling me that it’s much more filling than blood, so he doesn’t want to give it up, even knowing he doesn’t need it.”

  Kyleigh nodded her understanding. “I’m sure it was easier for me to give up than the vampires, probably because I don’t crave any sustenance most of the time.”

  There was another knock at the front door. “Come on in, Simon,” Ian called out.

  The blond who’d been with Ian the day he’d been mortally wounded entered with a blonde shifter.

  Wow! Simon was very likely the most beautiful man she’d ever seen. She shouldn’t stare, but she really couldn’t help herself. To say his hair was blond didn’t do it justice. It flowed around his face like spun gold, and what a face it was! Sure, she’d seen him before, but she’d been kind of distracted with trying to figure out how to save Ian. Simon could probably compete with Oriel in beauty, with his sculpted cheekbones, hypnotic blue eyes, and full lips.

  “Yes, he’s pretty,” Ian grumbled. “Stop staring at him and eat.”

  Kyleigh blushed and looked at the female shifter. “Sorry, I couldn’t help myself.”

  Raven laughed. “That happens all the time with Simon. His looks take some getting used to, and even then it’s hard not to stare.”

  “Yeah, I definitely don’t blame you for staring,” the female shifter said with an uneasy smile. After taking a deep breath, she stared at Kyleigh curiously.

  “Are you afraid of me like the other shifter?” Kyleigh asked.

  The female shifter snorted. “Hardly, but Zane is the reason we’re late. I had to calm him down before I could start gathering food, blood, and clothes. Sorry if Zane was rude to you earlier, but he doesn’t possess any impulse control.”

  Kyleigh shrugged. “His reaction wasn’t surprising. Actually, I’m more surprised you aren’t reacting poorly to me being here. Shifters are usually terrified of me, probably because they can tell what I am by my scent.”

  “Layla just found out she’s a shifter,” Raven explained. “Before that, she thought she was human, and they don’t know anything about your kind until they die. While she can tell you smell different, she doesn’t know what that means.”

  “You’ve stopped eating,” Ian pointed out.

  “Knock it off, Ian,” Layla snapped. “She looks a little overwhelmed, and she doesn’t need you pushing food down her throat.”

  Kyleigh almost laughed. Layla was definitely a shifter. Their women tended to be strong and a little aggressive.

  “What you need are cookies,” Layla announced, pulling out a bag for Kyleigh.

  After taking the bag, Kyleigh looked inside to find three different types of cookies. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d had any sweets.

  “You gave her my cookies?” Simon asked, sounding a lot like Layla had offered up their first born.

  “There are more than enough cookies for you at the house,” Layla reminded him.

  “There is no such thing as enough cookies,” Simon said, giving Kyleigh a playful wink.

  “Thank you for the cookies,” Kyleigh said. She took one out of the bag and started to nibble on it. The cookie was fantastic, and she was beginning to think Layla was right about her needing cookies to feel better.

  “I also borrowed some clothes from Shelby that I thought would fit you,” Layla said. “You’re both pretty tall. Since you’re curvier than she is, I only took her baggy clothes. Hopefully they’ll work.”

  Kyleigh nodded, wondering if she was going to be in Ian’s home long enough to need clothes. She needed to see Oriel, but she couldn’t leave Ian here, and she couldn’t flash him to Oriel with her.

  Ian was watching her with a worried frown creasing his brow. “I think it might be best if you all left,” he said. “Kyleigh’s not used to being around a lot of people, and you’re all overwhelming her.”

  Connor snorted. “You’d be trying to get rid of us even if she weren’t here.”

  Ian laughed. “Yeah, but now I have a really good excuse for getting rid of you.”

  Kyleigh barely heard the goodbyes as everyone left the house. When she looked up from the cookie she’d been eating, she noticed Ian watching her. She looked around, surprised to see Mitchell was no longer there.

  “Where’s your son?” she asked.

  “We decided it would be best if he continues living with Simon and Layla. Right now, we don’t even know how long I can stay here, so I don’t want to disrupt Mitchell’s life again.” Ian’s voice took on a weary note.

  “Maybe I can figure something out,” she said, hoping she wasn’t giving him false hope.

  “For now, this has been a rough day,” he said. “Finish eating while I get the upstairs set up, and then you should get some sleep.”

  Sleep did sound good. At that moment, she wanted nothing more than to slide into bed wrapped in Ian’s arms. After she finished eating, she took the rest of the food into the kitchen and s
tarted putting things away as best she could.

  “Let me help you,” Ian said from behind her. “The cold stuff goes in here,” he explained after opening a door and putting the cheese, fruit, and a covered dish with some green stuff in it in there. When he was done, he reached out a hand to her. “Come on. We both need sleep.” Ian paused to look out the window. “This is strange.”

  “What’s strange?” she asked. “There’s so much for me to choose from at the moment.”

  “You’ve got a good point,” he admitted. “I just meant that the sun hasn’t even completely set, but I know I’ve been up for a very long time. It’s hard coming from your realm where time flows differently.”

  She nodded and looked down at Ian’s hand, which was wrapped around her own. “I always feel disoriented when I’m here for more than a short time. Maybe it’s meant to be that way, kind of a reminder that I don’t have a place in this world anymore.”

  Ian opened his mouth to speak but closed it, probably realizing it meant he didn’t have a place here either. Without another word, Ian led her upstairs.

  As they walked up to Ian’s room, Kyleigh was overcome with nervousness. Being with Ian here was different. The walls were covered with pictures of his wife and daughter. Her heart seized because this was an even bigger reminder that she didn’t belong here.

  Ian’s tension was a living breathing thing. This wasn’t the calming dimension she existed in. There, Ian’s negative thoughts had been dulled, and he’d been calm and fun loving. Those negative thoughts and feelings were already returning, and they were tearing her apart in some ways. Maybe it was also the foolish rejection she felt from overhearing his conversation with his friends. That was something she needed to move past.

  “I made the bed in this room for you and carried up the clothes Layla brought,” Ian said as he opened the door to one of the rooms without looking at her. “There’s a bathroom down the hall with clean towels if you want to shower.”

  Kyleigh swallowed hard, forcing a smile. “Thank you,” she said as she made her way into the room. Ian shut the door after she was inside, and she stood there as Ian’s painful rejection settled in, slicing through her heart.