by Chloe Adler
“Worried about the Trackers,” I looked away, “and your father.”
“You don’t think I can handle my own father?”
“Of course I do, he’s just really intense. And scary. And mean.”
He set his jaw, shaking his head. “You really think that little of me?”
“God, no. I think that little of him. I know you can handle yourself, but what if he’d gotten violent?”
“You don’t think I’ve lived with his violence my entire life?” He rotated his hands to point at himself. “All in one piece, after all the beatings. He can’t break me.”
“Oh, Alec.” I ran to him but he pushed me away.
“No. You don’t get to do this right now.” He walked out of my room with me at his heels.
“I’ll give you space, whatever you need. Just please don’t leave the house.”
He turned and glared at me.
I held my hands up. “I’ll leave. You stay here.”
As much as I wanted to stew about the fight, fucking up and whatever Alec’s mom had been hiding from him, the girls needed me at Aurelia’s. That particular chore terrified me more than encountering even ten Dr. Wongs in a dark alley.
By the time we pulled up to the house, it was twilight. The lights flickering in her eaves looked ominous, though perhaps they were supposed to be inviting.
“What are those lights for?” I asked Iphi, who sat sullen in the back seat with her sisters.
“Lughnasadh,” she said without any conviction.
“It’s a Wiccan holiday that Mom likes to celebrate,” offered Chrys.
We piled out of the car and Burgundy rang the dramatic gong—a doorbell not being stately enough for Aurelia. I shifted from one foot to the other, waiting.
When the door opened, we were all surprised at Aurelia’s appearance. Her cheeks were rosy and her hair was loose around her face. Why the new look?
“Girls,” she said coldly. “Jared. Burgundy.” She nodded curtly to each of us. “To what do I owe the honor?”
“Who is it, sweetheart?” came a man’s voice from inside the house. We all exchanged looks.
“My children,” Aurelia drawled. “Excuse me a moment.” She stepped outside and closed the door behind her. “What are you doing here?” she hissed, eyes narrowing at the sight of Chrys.
“We need you,” said Sadie. “To cast a spell so the Trackers can’t enter our town again. I know you want that as much as we do.”
She raised her chin, looking down at us. “And what makes you think your spell will work when the last one I helped cast failed?”
“This one is different.” Sadie opened up her own book of shadows to the marked page and offered it to her mother. She snatched the book out of her hands, and we collectively held our breath. Aurelia could easily steal it and lock us out but Sadie had spelled her own book weeks ago in case it ever fell into the wrong hands. All the spells would disappear and reappear in a new book if this one was stolen.
Aurelia’s eyes narrowed while reading. When she was done she looked at Sadie, holding her gaze. “You have authentic cinnabar?” Sadie nodded. “This may work.” She opened the front door and gestured grandly for us to enter.
I exchanged glances with Burgundy. It was no secret that this woman hated vampires and disliked shifters, yet she proffered no evil eye to either one of us.
“Gather in the living room. I’ll get supplies.”
“We have them,” called Sadie after her mother, who was disappearing into the kitchen.
Upon entering the living room, we gasped. There, in Aurelia’s leather armchair where no one else was ever allowed to sit, sat Alistair. And he was smoking a pipe? Inside Aurelia’s house?
“Oh,” he exclaimed and stood up, tipping his head at us. “Sorry, I didn’t realize you were all coming over. Splendid to see you.” He returned to his seat and puffed.
“Alistair,” I said and shook his hand. “Wonderful to see you as well.”
The sisters set everything up on the coffee table and Aurelia returned with a tray, five mugs and a teapot. Burgundy and I looked at each other sideways. Was Rod Serling going to jump out of a closet at any moment? You are traveling through another dimension . . .
Burgundy, Alistair and I watched them cast the circle, then the spell.
Alistair clapped his hands together. “Well, isn’t this exciting?” I expected Aurelia to shush him for his outburst, but she winked at him instead. Twilight zone indeed.
After each of the Holt women recited the incantation in Latin, burning all of the herbs and the cinnabar, the candles flickered before collectively extinguishing with a pop.
Well, that was anticlimactic. I had expected an earth-shattering kaboom.
“It’s done,” proclaimed Aurelia. “Let me see you out.”
“Aren’t they staying for supper?” asked Alistair innocently.
“They have other plans.” Aurelia gathered up the supplies, placed them in Sadie’s bag and then grabbed the book off the table. Everyone froze for a second. She closed it with a loud thud and then handed it back to her daughter, brushing her hands down her green velvet dress.
She walked us to the front door, opened it and shooed us out. “Goodbye.” The door was shut and locked in our faces before we could even say “see ya.”
Back in the car, I turned to the girls in the backseat. “What just happened?”
They shrugged in unison.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Back at the house, I knocked on my own bedroom door.
“Come in,” said Alec and I pushed the door open tentatively.
He was sitting cross-legged on my bed, reading a book.
“Hey,” I said. “Good news.”
He looked up. “It worked?”
“Seems so. We haven’t seen any flying Trackers hurdling toward the town limits, but Chrys did warn me not to get my hopes up.”
Not even a chuckle.
I bit my lip. “I’m really sorry, Alec. I know I screwed up.”
He patted the bed next to him and I sat down, my head hanging low.
“You did screw up.” He closed the book and placed it on his other side. “We need to trust each other in order for this to work.”
“I know. I do. I—” I stopped and looked down at my hands.
“Hey,” he said softly, and I brought my eyes up to his. “Neither of us is perfect, but we have to be willing to work on our issues. Are you willing?”
“I am. I want to be here for you. I want to be the strong mate that you deserve.”
“I believe that. But when I say that I want to do something by myself, you have to back off and respect it.”
“Of course. I should have done that in the first place.”
“But you didn’t. You screwed up and yet, I forgive you. Just like we’ve talked about.”
“Thank you. I understand the importance of forgiveness, thanks to you. And I don’t take it lightly. But Alec, there’s something else.” I sucked in my lower lip, gnawing on it.
“What is it?”
“I’m not sure how to ask this, but your mother . . .” I stopped, gauging his reaction.
He was nodding at me. “Of course, you heard. And now you think less of me.”
“I didn’t hear anything.”
He folded his arms over his chest.
“Only that she had a secret, but I don’t know what it is. And truth be told, when I spied on your father, I heard then too.”
Alec’s eyes flashed with anger. “What the hell, Jared?”
“I know, I know. I won’t keep things from you again.”
“Not things that pertain to my family!”
“Look. All that matters to me is us. I don’t care what your mom’s secret is. If you’re fine with it, that’s what matters.”
“Am I the one who replaced your frequent black moods?” he asked.
“My black moods?” I laughed and then sobered. “Yeah, you showed me that there’s another way.”
/> “Good. Then, here’s my final bomb. My mom’s a human.”
“That was the big secret?”
Alec looked away but not quickly enough to hide the tears forming in his eyes.
“I don’t care,” I immediately responded. He shifted abruptly. “I mean, that doesn’t change the way I feel about you. I care that it hurts you, of course.”
He scooted back toward the wall, bringing his knees to his chest. “You don’t hate humans like so many other Signum do?”
“I would have thought you knew me better than that by now.”
“I do.” He looked up. “It’s not even that. It’s that she lied to me my whole life. In a way, that makes her worse than my dad.”
“Maybe she lied to you because your dad led her to believe you’d hate her for it.”
He sighed. “Maybe. I wouldn’t put it past him.”
“Hey, you’re the one who taught me about forgiveness. If you love someone enough and are willing to give them another chance… Like I did with Sam, because of you.”
“Sam showed true remorse and she’d changed so yeah, she earned your forgiveness,” Alec said.
“If you give your mom a chance maybe she’ll surprise you. They’re still your parents and they’re staying here in the Edge. Just give it some time. When your dad sees you performing in the circus here, he’ll probably come around.”
“Maybe. You’re right about taking some time. I’m too hurt and confused to think clearly now.”
I crawled over to him. “Can I hold you?”
“Please.” He leaned in.
“You have me.” I nuzzled him, pulling him down flat on the bed. “You have our friends.”
“I don’t even have a place to live.” His tone was anguished.
“Of course you do. I want you to live here with me.”
“What about Burgundy and Chrys? What will they say?”
“They would love it.”
“How do you know?”
“Let’s ask them.”
“Now?” He scrambled to sit up but I was already at the door.
“Burgundy, Chrys? Can you both come in here for a minute?”
Both girls and Rex bounded into my room, looking around expectantly.
“On the bed,” I motioned and they climbed aboard. I remained standing, at the foot. Once they were settled, one girl on either side of my man, I waited until all eyes were on me. I sucked in a large breath of air, then blurted, “I want to live with Alec.”
Chrys clapped her hands together but Burgundy stared wide-eyed. “You’re moving out?” Her eyes moistened.
I didn’t respond, letting the more important part of the news settle over everyone.
Burgundy turned to Alec. “Jared’s happiness is paramount to me and I support him in whatever decisions he makes, but if you would consider moving in here, with us,” she gestured around the room, “we would be honored.”
Chrys nodded next to her. “That would be great. Can you? Will you?”
Alec remained silent, looking gobsmacked.
“We already consider you part of the family,” Burgundy whispered to him.
That did it.
“Well shit. I’d love to.” He was talking to me.
The End
Afterword
If you enjoyed what you read, please consider leaving a review for this book on Amazon and joining Chloe’s Newsletter - to receive news, blog posts, updates, sales and information about new releases - both mine and those of other authors in similar genres. If you haven’t read the other books in this series yet, you’re in for a treat! Each can be read as a standalone.
Excerpt from A Vampire’s Wicked Hunger (Burgundy’s Book) available in July 2017:
Chapter One
A warm breeze rustled through the acacia tree outside, carrying the scents of fall through my partially cracked window. Rex and I were dozing on my bed, languidly enjoying the morning. It was one of the advantages of having a night job. There was a familiar knock on my door and the handle turned. Jared didn't need to be invited in. He had free reign.
"Good morning, Miss Burgundy Rosales," he greeted, carrying a bamboo tray laden with two cups of coffee.
I sat up in bed, the velvet comforter slipping down to my waist. I didn't bother covering my bare breasts. It was warm enough, and neither Rex nor Jared would care. I patted the space next to me. He handed me the tray, piled up a few pillows, and propped himself against my lavish headboard, careful to avoid disturbing a sleeping Rex.
Jared sighed, taking his cup off the tray. "I love our morning ritual. And your room."
"Your room is just as nice, in a different way," I countered. Jared Weks had fastidious taste and had become my best friend the instant we'd met four years ago. He’d shown up one day outside the V Club with nothing more than a backpack and a look on his face like someone had just slaughtered his family. They had.
Nor was Jared the last stray I’d adopted. When I’d brought a spunky, red-haired witch home a couple of months later, Sadie Holt had claimed both our hearts. We were all still extremely close. I couldn’t imagine that ever changing. Even after Sadie had met Ryder and Jared had met Alec, they were still my closest friends and occasional lovers—Sadie more than Jared because, well, Jared was gay. My tastes, however, were a little more . . . fluid.
Besides, I had Rex now. As if he’d heard my unspoken thoughts, Rex perked up out of his nap. He raised his head from my lap and gave my nose a delicate lick.
Rex really was the perfect man. Minus the four legs, the doggy slobber, and the need for someone to pick up his poop. I scratched his head as his tail thumped happily against my leg. Oof, that tail packed quite a wallop, attached as it was to his 110-pound Rottweiler body.
"What happened last night?" Jared asked, then blew on his coffee.
Oh yes, last night. Since he worked part-time at the same club I did, there was nothing I could hide from him. Not that I wanted to hide anything. "I could ask you the same question."
"You're the one who disappeared into one of the back rooms. Spill. I want to hear all the juicy details."
Though the V stood for vampire, all Signum were welcome at the V Club—vampires, shifters, and witches. Plus humans. The V was a combination bar, dance, strip and sex club, but a lot of people just went to drink and dance. It was one of the few places in Distant Edge open twenty-four hours. We stopped serving alcohol at two a.m. because, well, that was the law in California, but the place stayed open around the clock.
I playfully punched him in the shoulder. "One of my tasty donors was in town. She stopped by so I could feed."
Vampires only needed to feed once a week. We could even go longer if we were willing to sacrifice some of our extraordinary strength. But most vampires rotated morsels so we wouldn’t feed from the same human more than once a month. For those vampires who were gorgeous or even just entertaining, the supply of donors was endless. Vampires often had waiting lists. I certainly did. But for the stragglers or the assholes, blood could be more difficult to acquire, and it usually required cash. Luckily, there was at least one paying vampire/human bar—so-called vectums—per town. One forward-thinking entrepreneur had even started a mobile vectum. Like a food truck, except no one but vampires would order their virgin Bloody Marys.
"I thought you looked particularly flushed this morning." He leaned in and kissed my cheek.
"Thank you." I batted my lashes at him. It never hurt to practice. "Where's Alec?"
"Still asleep. He had a late night too."
"I noticed." I ran my tongue slowly over my full lips. Alec danced at the V, but his act was less stripper and more Chinese acrobat, bringing people far and wide to drool over his . . . skills. Alec had recently started training at the local circus too.
My phone rang.
Jared picked it up off the bed. "It's your father."
"What?" I snatched it out of his hand so quickly he gave me a hurt look. I offered him a shrug and a smile. He knew how much my fathe
r meant to me.
"Dad. Hi, is everything okay?"
Jared moved to the foot of my bed to give me one of his famous foot massages, and I sank back into the pillows.
"Baby girl," my dad purred in my ear.
I was over forty and he still called me that. It warmed my heart. Probably because vampires and witches aged differently than humans and shifters did. I didn't look a day over twenty-five, yet he still cherished the memories of my childhood.
"What's up?" I asked him. "You haven't called in weeks, I was starting to worry."
"I'm in love, what can I say?" he responded. "Margery keeps me busy and we're creating our life together."
I sighed. My dad had left my mother several months earlier and though my mother was devastated, my father was happier and more vibrant than I'd ever seen him. "I'm happy that you're happy, Papa."
"I don't think I've ever been happier." His voice practically beamed.
Ouch.
"I can't wait for you to meet her," he gushed. "And her daughter, Deenie. You're going to love them both. As much as I do."
"I'm sure I will."
Jared looked up from his perch, raising one eyebrow at me. I shook my head at him and he went back to work on my feet.
My father's voice rose an octave as he pulled the phone away from his mouth. "One minute, sweetheart, I'm on the phone."
"Can you come visit soon?" I asked.
"I'd love to, pumpkin, as soon as things settle down here. Margery is working on a big case right now and needs my support." His voice lowered to a whisper. "How is your mother?"
"She's upset, Dad."
"Naturally." His voice turned stern. "She'll get over it and see it was for the best."
"I don't know..."
His voice altered again as he held the phone away. "Si, si, mi amor."
I waited.
"I've got to go, Maria. I love you. I'll call again when I can."
"I love—" But he'd already hung up.
About the Author
Chloe Adler is a paranormal romance/urban fantasy author. A Witch’s Mortal Desire is the first book in the Distant Edge Romance series with a release schedule of one book a month in this series until all five are out.