Tall, Dark and Paranormal: 10 Thrilling Tales of Sexy Alpha Bad Boys

by Opal Carew

  He groaned. “Magena. You were gone by the time it started, but it’s still been years. It’s been unbearable.”

  “You’re in love with Magena? Did he know?”

  He appraised me for a moment. “He caught me looking at her a couple times. He must’ve suspected…I don’t know. But that night, he grabbed Magena, he wrapped a long silver chain around her neck and declared I had to choose sides. If I chose his side, he would spare Magena. If I didn’t do everything in my power to help bring you to him, he said Magena would die. The pain on her face…he took her completely off guard. He was so far gone. I’d never seen him treat her like that. Of course, he groveled apologies to her later, saying he was so overcome with grief…”

  I released him and stood back.

  He pulled himself out of the wall and brushed the small crumbles of plaster from his shoulders. “I’m sorry, Lucien. I know it’s not enough.”

  We faced one another for a long minute, both of us breathing hard from the confrontation. The pieces of a puzzle started falling together: Magena’s sidelong glance at Langston that night at Belle Isle…her willingness to help us tonight…Ollie judging Magena to be good…Langston standing guard now…

  “Does Magena know you—”

  “Yeah.” He folded his arms across his chest, a fierce protectiveness flashing out from him.

  “And?”

  “And what?”

  “Does she love you?”

  “Yes.”

  That was the missing piece. “Did you two…was tonight planned?”

  “Not exactly. We didn’t know how the whole thing would go down. But we hoped to get you and your humans out of this in one piece. And it was our chance.”

  “For?”

  “Being together. And for Magena to finally be free of him.”

  “Shit.”

  “Yeah.”

  Until Samantha and Ollie were completely out of harm’s way, I just couldn’t find the full measure of forgiveness Langston probably deserved. But I could admit the situation was a lot different than I’d thought.

  I ran a hand roughly through my hair. “Where is Magena now? I need to talk to her.”

  He seemed to appreciate the change in topic. “She, Michael, and Daniel are dealing with the others. Laumet’s fall is going to have ripples. Magena has a following, though, because they know she’s gonna be different. She’s elevating all the guards who were here tonight, so garnering their loyalty should be doable. She said she’d be back.”

  “People are coming for me, to help…” I nodded toward the room. “I need you to let her know so they can get safe passage in here. It’s a man and a woman—Griffin and Henrietta.”

  He nodded, then he looked over his shoulder into the room. “So how are they?”

  “Okay. I don’t know. I think okay.” I watched Samantha for a moment. She sat on the edge of the couch rubbing Ollie’s back.

  “Good. Okay, so, I’ll go tell her.”

  I walked back in the room, but left the door open to keep an eye on the hallway. “How is she?” I whispered to Samantha. Ollie’s eyes had drifted shut again.

  “Honestly, I don’t know. She feels like she has a fever. If the rest of this night hadn’t happened, I’d say she has a virus or something.” She looked at me questioningly.

  “I’m sorry, Sam.” For everything. “Henrietta will be here in a few minutes and can better explain exactly what’s going on with her. I suspect between my blood and Laumet’s bite, her body is dealing with all the foreign matter.”

  “I thought you said it would cure her.” Her voice was steady, but her emotions laced with panic.

  I took her hand. “It is. It will. But—” Cazzo! Running footsteps pounded down the hall. I growled, wondering again about the near-insanity I felt to protect them. I shot out of the room.

  Catherine slammed into me in a tight embrace. “I’m so glad you’re okay.” I hugged her back. Griffin and Henrietta walked up behind her, also clearly relieved. The looks on their faces told me there had been no keeping Catherine from coming.

  I brushed a kiss against her hair. “Thank you. I owe you.” I’d never been easy for her, but she’d been there for me so many times during my life. I appreciated her so much.

  She stepped back. “How are Samantha and Ollie?”

  “Come.” I led them all into the room then hesitated, watching to see whether Samantha would be comfortable having so many of us near.

  Momentary uncertainty pulsed from her before she spoke to Henrietta. “Can you please help her?” In a flash, Henrietta knelt next to the couch. Samantha described Ollie’s symptoms while Henrietta nodded.

  “Is it okay with you if I touch her, Sam?” Samantha tilted her head, and her eyes misted.

  She and Henrietta had become close during our Christmas visit and had stayed in touch ever since. After a moment, Samantha nodded. “You don’t have to ask.”

  Henrietta laid her hands on Ollie’s head and then smoothed them over her little body, pushing the blanket down as she did so.

  Ollie stirred and smiled up at Henrietta. “Henny,” she said weakly.

  “Hi, Ollie. How are you doing?”

  “I don’t feel so good.” She glanced around Henrietta’s side and noticed Griffin and Catherine standing there. “Hi,” she whispered to them. They both smiled and returned her greeting.

  “What doesn’t feel good? Can you tell me?”

  “My head and my tummy.”

  “Can you lie on your back for me?”

  Ollie nodded and grimaced through a turn. Henrietta helped her.

  “I’m just going to take a look at you, okay?” Henrietta embraced Ollie’s face in her hands.

  “Your hands feel good, Henny.”

  Henrietta smiled and turned Ollie’s head a little to the side. She threaded one of her hands through Ollie’s now tangled hair to cup the back of her head where she’d been injured. She held her hand there for a few moments and looked over her shoulder at me. I stepped closer.

  “What is it?” Samantha glanced between us.

  “Hold on,” Henrietta whispered.

  “Henny, that’s feeling better. Keep doing that.” Henrietta smiled down at her.

  “What’s going on? I don’t understand.” Samantha could tell Henrietta was trying to focus, so she directed the question at me.

  I knelt down next to her. “Henrietta’s a healer, Sam. Her power isn’t absolute. She can’t fix everything—”

  “It’s okay,” Henrietta said reassuringly as she withdrew her hand from Ollie’s hair. “Your blood healed the brain injury, but there was still a moderate subdural hematoma. It’s gone.” She looked at me. “Did she lose consciousness when she hit her head, Lucien?”

  “I don’t know. Laumet had charmed her before... “

  Henrietta nodded and continued to work her hands down Ollie’s body.

  “Charmed her?”

  I looked up at Samantha from where I knelt next to her and took one of her hands. She let me. “We have a number of heightened powers and special abilities, Sam. One of those is an ability to control other beings, like when Laumet made Ollie fall asleep before.”

  She glanced down for a moment and then looked back at me. “You charmed me.”

  “Yes, I’m sorry. I needed a way for you to let me help Ollie, and I could see you wouldn’t let me near her otherwise. I’m sorry.”

  “Have you done it…before tonight?” Her eyes flickered to the others. I tasted her embarrassment.

  “I’ve tried to avoid doing it to you. I didn’t want to control you. I wanted you to act with free will.” I sighed. “When I first met you at the hospital, I willed you to stay a moment longer when you were about to leave.” I could feel the others’ discomfort at being present for the execution of my confessions to Samantha, but I wasn’t going to beg off her questions. I owed her that much.

  “I felt dizzy when I stood up,” she recalled. I nodded, ashamed. “Any other times?”

  �
�When you drank the water at my house yesterday.”

  She nodded, thoughtful. “Is that why you told me not to meet anyone’s eyes?’

  Smart woman. “Yes. Our eyes are mesmeric, especially in combination with our voices.”

  “Laumet charmed me…”

  “He tried to. You were able to break from it. Your will was more powerful than his.”

  “Hmm.” Henrietta had her hands on Ollie’s bare stomach.

  “What is it?” Samantha couldn’t hide her worry. The sharpness of Henrietta’s rage sliced at me. I frowned at her. She shook her head and took a deep breath. “She will likely be nauseated and crampy for a few hours, maybe a day. From Laumet’s bite.”

  That could only mean one thing: he didn’t just bite her, he secreted his changing enzyme into her. That’s what Ollie’s body was struggling with. I shuddered in rage and disbelief, but also felt relief I’d shoved her clear of her blood. God, if his blood had gotten into her wound…

  Henrietta was furious too and struggled to calm herself as she met Samantha’s eyes. “But it will pass. She’ll be okay.”

  Ollie pressed her little hands over Henrietta’s on her stomach, holding them in place. “It helps,” she whispered.

  “Whatever you need, Olivia.” Henrietta’s love for her was complete.

  Just then, Magena walked into the room. The others braced defensively before I quickly talked them down and made introductions, which were polite but stiff and formal.

  “Are we free to go, Magena? I would like to get Ollie somewhere more comfortable.”

  “Yes, but there is one thing I need to do first, Lucien. Will you all follow me back downstairs?” Her words were cryptic, but her emotions didn’t radiate anything that concerned me.

  I nodded. Henrietta carried Ollie so her touch could continue to offer some comfort. I took Samantha’s hand and led her and the others out of the room behind Magena and Langston.

  My separation from Ollie, small though it was, rankled, and I realized in a moment of stunned clarity this protectiveness was the way the Blood Connection was manifesting between me and the child.

  I tensed as we walked back into the concourse and saw other vampires gathered there. Magena led us over to the group. Catherine and Henrietta hung back with Ollie. I kept an eye on them as I assessed the others. “Magena?”

  When she turned, the group stepped up around her. “Lucien, you are one of my favorite people in the world. But I am in a very difficult position right now, to a large extent because of things you have done. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t blame you. And I certainly feel no love for Laumet after everything…but there must be consequences. This city will devolve into wholesale vampire war if I don’t decisively take charge.”

  “Okay, so, what—”

  “You are hereby banished from this city. Leave and never return.” I was stunned. “If you ever return, I will not protect you. There are too many forces, loyal though they may become to me, that will want to avenge the Laumets. I cannot have you be the source of further conflict or unrest.” Regret and grief washed off her, even as she maintained her resolve and voiced her decision. “You can have a day to leave the city. You must be gone by dawn tomorrow.”

  I gaped and tried to process this turn of events.

  “Do you understand me, Lucien?”

  “Yes.” I thought for a moment. “What about Samantha?” I squeezed her hand, which trembled within my grasp.

  Magena looked at Samantha sympathetically. “She may remain. She has not wronged me. She will not be disturbed. Simply charm her to forget.” Then Magena walked over and took both of my hands in hers. She kissed me on the cheek and whispered into my ear for only me to hear, “I’m sorry. There’s no other way.”

  Given the enormity of the power politics I knew must be playing out, I actually did understand and said so.

  “Take good care, Lucien.” She stared at me. And just like that I was dismissed, from the room, from my whole life in Detroit. After a long moment, I nodded at Magena and turned away.

  Her pronouncement was final. Nonnegotiable.

  I shoved the shock of it away and concentrated on getting my girls to safe ground. Ignoring the confusion in Samantha’s eyes, I whispered to her, “Will you allow me to carry you, Sam? I want to get us out of here as quickly as possible.” She couldn’t have agreed more, so I scooped her into my arms. “Close your eyes, please.” She did, and turned her head into my chest.

  Seconds later, we were all out in front of the station standing by our cars.

  “Okay, dolc—uh, Sam,” I said as I placed her on her feet.

  She blinked incredulously at where we were and then stared sadly up at me. A biting wind whipped at her hair as we stood in the circular drive of the train station.

  Everyone hurried into the waiting vehicles. Henrietta rode with Ollie in her lap in the backseat of my truck while Samantha sat next to them. Griffin and Catherine followed us back to Samantha’s house in their car.

  As we parked in Samantha’s lot, Rebecca, Jed, William, and Anna jumped out of a car parked outside of her house. Another round of relief-filled greetings ensued.

  As we approached the door to her house, everyone stopped. Samantha looked at us, confused.

  “You have to invite them in. We can’t enter a dwelling inhabited by humans without an express invitation.”

  “Oh.” She scanned the group, shivering. “Well, come in then.”

  Samantha and Henrietta entered and took Ollie upstairs. The others filed in and waited in the living room. I ran up to Ollie’s room and found Samantha pulling the covers back so Henrietta could slip Ollie under. Henrietta’s long dark hair spilled around her shoulders as she leaned down to kiss Ollie on the forehead. She smiled sadly at me, then turned to leave.

  Shyly, Samantha caught her with a hand on her arm. “Thank you, Henrietta.”

  Henrietta patted Samantha’s hand and squeezed. “Of course.” Then she left us alone.

  We watched Ollie sleeping peacefully as small children should. Safe in her bed. It was a miracle.

  I watched Samantha. It seemed like she saw me looking at her, but she kept her eyes on Ollie. Several minutes passed that way. The room suddenly felt awkward, tense.

  Finally, she looked at me. A tear spilled from one eye and streamed silently down her cheek. I took two long strides over to her and wrapped my arms around her. She leaned her head against my chest. Her pulsing warmth felt like life.

  “You should get some sleep, my love.”

  She glanced at Ollie and pushed out of my embrace, then stepped out of the room and motioned for me to follow. I pulled the door closed behind me, and we stood out in the hallway.

  She shifted on her feet and fumbled with her fingers. She heaved a great, shuddering breath that sounded of pure exhaustion. Then she met my eyes. “We need to talk.”

  Chapter Twenty

  The hope I’d been feeling at Samantha’s accepting behavior plummeted as those words left her mouth. But she was right, especially given Magena’s pronouncement.

  “We do need to talk,” I agreed quietly, “but I think right now you should let your body shut down and recuperate from this day. Besides, you don’t know how long Ollie will sleep. You should sleep now while she’s out.”

  “Fine.”

  I followed her to her bedroom but stopped in the doorway and leaned against the jamb. Samantha moved aimlessly around her room. Finally, she pulled open a drawer and grabbed a set of pajamas. “What are you doing?” she asked as she noticed me.

  “Standing here?”

  She sighed and rolled her eyes. “Yes, but why are you standing there like that?”

  “I…I just…didn’t want to push you.” I was screaming in my mind for her to please, please tell me I was being ridiculous, to just come in.

  Instead, she thought for a moment, then nodded and walked into the bathroom. She clicked the door closed behind her. An eternity passed before the door opened again, and she stepped ou
t.

  “Will you be here when I wake up?” Her voice was flat. Her emotions an unreadable fog.

  Is that numbness? I parsed her question in my mind trying to understand the meaning behind it. “If that’s all right with you.”

  She climbed into bed and nodded once, then shut off the light. I stayed where I was for a moment, then reached in and grabbed the door knob.

  “Can you please sit with me until I fall asleep?” A hesitant relief coursed through my body.

  “I would love to, Sam.” I longed to lie with her, to pull her in with my arm against my body, but I sat on the edge of the bed as she’d asked. The heat radiating off her abdomen warmed my hip and back. She watched me for a few moments before her eyelids drooped. I reached out a hand and stroked her hair back from her face. Within minutes, her decelerated heart rate confirmed she’d fallen asleep.

  Even in the gray light of the dark morning, her beauty shone. I studied her—the splash of faint freckles, the fullness of her bottom lip, her thick eyelashes fanned out against her soft skin— committing every detail of her face to memory. Just in case…

  Regretfully, I rose from the bed. Walking over to the dresser, I yanked my ruined shirt over my head with one arm. In one of the drawers she’d given me, I grabbed the first thing my hand touched—a long- sleeved black Henley—and pulled it on. Several minutes later, I rejoined my family downstairs and interrupted a low murmur of voices when I hit the bottom of the steps.

  Everyone looked up at me expectantly. I glanced at the wall clock in the kitchen, surprised to see it was 8:12 in the morning. It was still dark out, a result of the heavy cloud cover moving in to dump yet more snow on the world.

  8:12 a.m. That left me twenty-three hours and forty-one minutes to forever leave the city of my residence for the past sixty years.

  Catherine broke the silence. “Lucien, don’t tell me you’re thinking of trying to stay here.”

  I blinked at her. “No. Staying here is tantamount to suicide. I don’t want to die, not when I have so much to live for.” Catherine nodded. Everyone’s relief warmed me.

  “What can we do to help you then?” Answering Griffin’s question necessitated I prioritize which aspects of my life here I was willing to abandon and for which I wanted to make arrangements before departing.