by Alexis Davie
“The Great Fire of London?” Pyre nodded, glancing down at her hand over his. “Holy shit,” she whispered.
A moment of silence swept over them, and Finley squeezed his hand, but not even her simple gesture could assure him that everything would be okay.
“Pyre—”
Before she could get the chance to finish her sentence, Pyre stood up abruptly and walked away from her, putting some distance between them. He stared out at the night sky, still hearing the screams of that night in his mind. It may have been more than 350 years ago, but it still haunted him to this day.
“We should get going,” he announced, his jaw tight.
“You don’t have to be so tough all the time, you know,” Finley told him, suddenly beside him, her hand on his shoulder.
“I have to be,” he said. “Come on. Let’s go.”
Pyre drove himself and Finley to his house on his Harley, and despite Finley’s arms wrapped around his weight, her body against his, he had never felt so truly alone in his life.
7
The moon was high in the sky. Finley crossed the street and saw an inconspicuous building in front of her. It was a law firm she didn’t know, but it was apparently one of the top firms in the city. She approached the front of the building but changed directions when she noticed people leaving through the large glass doors. She didn’t want anyone to see her lurking around here, especially not this time of the night. She was surprised that there were still people inside the building. They must be working late.
Pyre had given her clear instructions on how to obtain access to Luka’s headquarters, which were located under the offices. First, she needed to find the concealed door, hidden by layers of ivy, which no human being could ever locate without having x-ray vision. Then she needed to gain access through the guarded doors to his private office.
Of course, Finley noticed the door right away as she made her way onto the side of the building. She pressed against the door, and it opened, although it seemed way too easy for her liking, unsettling her immediately. Pulling the layers of ivy away so that she could enter, she slipped through the door, covered the entryway with the ivy, and closed the door behind her.
A long hallway with a slight downward slant stretched before her, and she bravely took one step after the other. The hallway unexpectedly widened, and two burly vampires flanked a metal door, which resembled the door of a bank vault.
“Hey,” Finley said casually and approached the two men. Their stances immediately changed, and they glared at her threateningly. “I’m here to see Luka,” she said in her most confident voice.
“What business do you have with Luka?” one of them asked, his voice sounding very familiar to her.
“I have information regarding the Dragon Prince, in exchange for his protection,” Finley answered.
The two vampires glanced at one another, and the one on the right nodded. The other one stared directly at Finley and ordered, “Show me.”
“Show you what?” Finley asked, her eyes widening.
“That you’re a vampire.” He rolled his eyes. “What else would I want to see?”
“I have no idea,” Finley sighed and nodded. “I’ll show you.”
Her eyes flashed unexpectedly, and her fangs grew long and sharp. Finley felt proud of herself for mastering her eyes and her fangs in such a short time. Pyre had been a great help, even though he was a little distracted after their night in the wetlands. She didn’t want to ask him about it, as she knew it was hard for him to share things like that. Shameful things in his past.
Somehow, she wanted to make things better for him, but she didn’t know how. Maybe it would be better if she left, after all. She did not want to be the cause of his misery. The sooner she could give him the stone, which was what he had been wanting for a while now—or so it seemed to Finley—the sooner she could get the hell away from him. Then things would be better.
The two vampires nodded, satisfied that she was indeed what she said she was, and they opened the metal door.
“Take the corridor on your left, last door on the right,” one of them said.
“Thank you, boys,” Finley said coyly as she stepped through the door.
The hallway had a deep burgundy carpet, and the beige wallpaper created a luxurious feel. She walked along until she found the second door and stopped in front of it. It was partly open, and she knocked on it.
“Come in,” a voice inside said.
Finley opened the door and stepped into a world she had never seen or experienced before but had been dreaming about for a long time. Everything about the room screamed medieval, from the oversized desk in the middle of the room to the shields and swords on the walls. A large family crescent, with the name Clemens engraved in golden thread, graced the wall behind the desk. Bookshelves lined the far wall to her right, and a young man, about her age, turned in the most graceful manner towards her.
“I’m sorry. I think I am in the wrong office. I’m looking for Luka,” Finley uttered.
“Who let you in here?” the man asked, his voice melodious yet completely terrifying.
“I did, boss.” The large vampire from the door entered the office suddenly, which made Finley jump slightly.
Luka nodded and looked back at Finley. “Who are you?”
“My name is Finley, and like I told your doorman, I have information about the Dragon Prince living here in Miami.”
“Is that so? And you think that I don’t already know this?” Luka asked.
“I’d be an idiot if I thought otherwise,” she told him, and a small smile formed on Luka’s lips.
“I’m sorry. What did you say your name was?”
“Finley.”
Luka made an exaggerated hand gesture towards the large padded chair, which looked more like a throne to Finley. “Please, have a seat.”
She quickly obeyed, and she somehow didn’t feel all that nervous anymore. She sat down and directed her attention to Luka, who stood a few feet away.
“Tell me what you would like in return for this information.”
“I want to know that I am protected after giving this information. I’m all by myself, and as much as I have faith in my killing abilities, I can’t guarantee that I will always come out the victor,” she answered.
“Good choice of words, Finley,” Luka said and slowly circled her, like a shark with its prey, although he did not appear hostile towards her in any way.
“Then you and I should be on the same page regarding what I mean. The dragon is dangerous, and his plans could be devastating,” Finley said, her voice cracking slightly.
“His plans. What plans are those exactly?” Luka asked.
“The four princes are getting ready to attack your clan. They’re taking back Miami, and they want you all gone,” Finley answered and straightened her shoulders. “Apparently, you have something they want.”
Luka’s eyes widened as he turned to something on his desk, and luckily, Finley managed to catch what he’d looked at. Still, she kept her composure and sat calmly in her seat. Luka narrowed his eyes and slowly approached her. “And how exactly do you know this?”
“He told me.”
“Why would he tell you that?”
“He kidnapped me, tortured me for his own fun and games. He was going to kill me, but I managed to escape. Word on the street is you’re the kind of guy who can protect me from sick fucks like that.”
Luka grinned sardonically at her and nodded. “You’ve definitely come to the right place, Finley. But before I open my doors to you, I need a little favor, something that will prove to me that you’re the real deal.”
“What do you want me to do?” Finley asked and stood from the seat. She mentally prepared herself for whatever was required of her to get Luka to accept her into his clan, hoping it wasn’t something too extreme.
Luka looked her up and down, with his eyes resting a little too long on her chest. Finley shivered in disgust, although she hid her repulsion
by quickly looking away.
“You seem like a strong and capable woman, right?” Luka asked in an icy tone.
“Of course,” she answered confidently, although it was more for show.
“I want you to bring me Pyrencko Veskovic’s head.”
“The Dragon Prince who kidnapped me and almost killed me?” Finley asked exasperatedly. “You want me to bring you his head?”
“Yes. Is that a problem?” Luka inquired calmly, almost smugly.
Finley looked at the red and orange stone encased in a gold cage, mounted on top of a velvet pedestal, and straightened her shoulders. She looked back at Luka and shook her head. “No. That’s not going to be a problem.”
“Good. I’ll give you a day. Meet me at this address, after which you will be officially be welcomed into my family,” he said, handing her a red and black business card. “If you are successful in your task.”
“I’ll see you in twenty-four hours,” she assured him.
“Confidence, I really like that. It’s rare these days. So is loyalty.”
“I couldn’t agree with you more.” Finley smiled at him.
“Wade, escort this wonderful creature out, please,” Luka said to the burly vampire by the door.
“Yes, boss.”
Finley gave Luka a silent nod and followed Wade out of the office, down the carpeted hallway, and out of the metal door. She quietly walked back to the wooden door concealed by the ivy and made her way outside. The streets were quiet, and she took a closer look at her surroundings before she crossed the road. She kept walking, looking around her every now and then, just to make sure no one was following her. The walk to Luka’s would take at least an hour, but she needed the time to think.
If they knew that she wasn’t on their side or had absolutely no intention of bringing Pyre’s head to Luka, then she’d be dead—like ‘six feet under’ dead, and not whatever version of dead she was right now.
Finley took long steps, her mind wandering. So many thoughts passed through her mind about being a vampire, starting a new life, and of course, about Pyre. A smile formed on her lips as she mouthed his full name. Pyrencko Veskovic. It sounded exotic, exactly how he tasted. His mother had really named him well. He was most certainly as hot and scorching as a pyre. He was also inclined to be a martyr, which burned either way.
Finley wondered what his mother was like, and how his relationship with her was. She wondered if she was ever going to meet his mother, his brothers, and his father, but it was a dream which wasn’t destined to be realized. By the way things were going, she would be far away from him before the week was up. What was the deal with that stone, and why was Pyre so insistent to get it back? What would it benefit him, anyway? He had spent so much time without it, why not just let it be?
But Finley knew that Pyre was a different breed of being. He was more complicated than she had ever imagined, and hopefully, she would prove herself to him if she got him the stone.
Then again, why would she so desperately seek Pyre’s approval of her if she wasn’t intending on staying? She didn’t belong with him, no matter what natural law said. He hated the vampire species. Therefore, he couldn’t stand being close to her. Except for the night they’d had sex in his basement, he hadn’t touched her or allowed her to get too close to him. What was he so afraid of? Was he afraid that he might hurt her? Or that she might hurt him?
He had mentioned that he knew vampires were sly and untrustworthy, but surely not all vampires were inclined that way?
Surely, she wouldn’t betray him. Would she?
The streetlights were the only sources of light in the dark street. Finley suddenly felt alone and cold, as if something were about to happen. She stopped in the middle of the street and surveyed the area around her. If she had a pulse, it would have been racing like a Formula One car, but there was nothing. Complete silence.
A shiver ran down her spine, and she started to walk again. She felt exposed under the streetlights and rushed onto the sidewalk and into the shadows. Her boots clicked on the stone path leading to Pyre’s house on the corner, which felt too exposed for her all of a sudden. As she reached for the door, it opened, startling her even more.
“Holy shit!” she hissed.
“Get your ass in here!” Pyre hissed in return, pushing her inside. “Do you think walking in the middle of the road is conspicuous? I have neighbors. Nosey ones, too.”
“Oh, I’m sorry for raining in on the perfect little fake life you have here. While you were safely in your house, I negotiated with a Vampire Regent, who was fucking terrifying, by the way! The least you could have done was warn me!” Finley exclaimed and marched into the living area.
“Lower your voice, please,” Pyre hushed her. “Let’s go to the basement. It’s soundproof.”
Finley frowned at him. “The basement is soundproof?”
“Yeah.”
“Why?” She held her hands up in the air before Pyre could answer, and she shook her head. “You know what, I don’t want to know.” Pyre pursed his lips, and Finley could almost see a suppressed smile, but she couldn’t be sure. “Do you want to talk downstairs? Would that make you feel better?” Finley asked, still feeling her nerves kick in.
“Lead the way.” Pyre motioned to the door of the basement. Once they were there, he switched on the lights, and Finley, who was momentarily blinded, looked around her. It looked like a perfectly normal room, with a bunch of couches, a bookcase filled with old novels, and a coffee table in the center. Even the chair with the restraints was nowhere to be found. In the far corner was a small fridge, humming softly.
“Were these things always here?” she asked.
“No, I brought them in, in case you wanted somewhere comfortable to sit and read. Or something,” he said vaguely.
“And the fridge?”
“The two blood bags you stole are in there. You clearly favor type B positive blood,” he pointed out.
Finley frowned at him. How could he have possibly known that? As she walked closer, she noticed the single wine glass standing on top of the fridge and smiled slightly, the simple gesture tugging at her heart. “You did all this for me?”
“Just until you decide to go, you know. I just wanted to make it comfortable to you, because I’m not the easiest person to deal with. At least you’ll have some form of comfort,” he answered shyly, his jaw clenching.
“Thank you, Pyre. I know that it hasn’t been easy for you, having me here, so thank you. I appreciate everything you’ve done for me,” she said, feeling a lump form in her throat, but she managed to swallow it down before she burst into tears. She didn’t want to scare him off for good. Guys ran as fast as they could at the sight of a woman crying. Heaven only knew what Pyrencko Veskovic, the Fire Dragon Prince, would do. She straightened her shoulders. “And hopefully, when I get the stone for you, it’ll be enough to repay you for what you’ve done.”
“It will be,” he answered. “Did you see it?”
“Yes, it’s really pretty. The colors reminded me of…” Her voice trailed off slightly.
You, it reminded me of you.
“Of a sunset,” she continued.
“That’s a part of what it does.”
“What exactly does it do?” she asked.
“It can do a lot of things. For example, in the hands of a dragon, it increases our abilities, so it makes us better at what we already excel at. In the hands of a vampire, it makes them able to walk the streets in the day.”
“Which could mean complete takeover of Miami?” Finley guessed.
“Exactly. If those parasites…” Pyre paused as he glanced apologetically at Finley and cleared his throat. “If they took over Miami, it will be dire for every Gifted Immortal. Not only in Miami, but in the entire world.”
“Why is that? Because of the stone?”
“With the stone, they will also be able to detect every single immortal on the planet. There is a special inscription on the golden case, which makes
it possible,” Pyre explained.
Finley crossed her arms. “This stone was originally in your family, correct?”
“Yes, why?”
“Did your dad do pretty awful things with it? Did he seek out other immortals for the wrong reasons?” Finley asked. “And please answer me honestly.”
“Yes. He did a lot of terrible things that I definitely didn’t approve of and still wouldn’t. He was a terrible ruler in those days, and even he will admit it if you asked him. He tracked down thousands of vampires, witches, and wolves, and had them slaughtered. They did manage to get their revenge, nearly wiping out our entire family lineage.”
“It must be tough,” Finley said. “You know, to lose that many people that you care about.”
“I don’t want your pity, Finley. I just want you to understand that there are things in our past, my past, that we do regret, and we have to live with that guilt for the rest of our lives. The only thing that makes it fade away into the back of our minds is…”
“Retribution?” she asked.
“No, our True Mates.”
Finley’s arms dropped to her sides, and tears filled her eyes. They were from both anger and sadness. She felt like a true failure, as she was the one person who could calm the blazing storm in his heart and mind, but she couldn’t even do that. She only made it worse, in fact. She wasn’t worthy of being the mate of a Dragon Prince, especially not Pyre’s. He deserved so much better than her, and it would be better if she disappeared out of his life as soon as possible.
“I’m sorry, Pyre,” Finley finally said after a long pause.
“For what?” he asked.
“For not being the mate you deserve,” she said quietly.
“It’s not about you being a vampire, Finley—”
“Of course it is. I’m guessing that it is painful for you to have me around because I remind you of a past you’d rather forget, right? I bring back all these memories of vampires in your life who fucked you over, deceived you, and wanted to hurt you. I don’t want that for you, and I don’t want to be stuck with someone who is miserable all the time. I’d rather leave altogether. The only reason I am still here is because I agreed to get the stone for you.”