And beg for forgiveness.
Digging one hand in her hair, he yanked her head back and grabbed the base of his dick for a strong tug. Ah, yes. He had to see his money shot, had to see evidence of marking his territory.
Except, this human was having none of that. She caught him off guard, clamping down on his head to drink all he had to offer. Tenacious little thing.
Since Max never shared his blood with humans, those addicted to sex with vamps, particularly sex with him, would ingest anything they could to have a piece of him inside. He hated sharing his power with them as they were only meant to serve our superior species so she’d been slick. And it would pay off with inhuman strength.
He jerked, cursed, but didn’t use his strength to remove her. I waited patiently as he unloaded himself in her mouth. The better mood he was in, the better for me.
Once his spasms ceased, he pulled her face back, kissed her lips then slapped her hard enough to land her into the wall across the room. She’d known it was coming, that he would inflict punishment. She got up smiling, totally unfazed. For what she’d gotten from him, it had been worth it all.
I got out of the tub and wrapped myself in a towel.
She turned as if she’d finally sensed I was there and grinned nice and big for me. I waved. She’d been a favorite donor of mine. The perfect playmate. Absolutely loved pleasing us.
There were humans out there who wanted the benefits of vamp blood (and other fluids) without the hassle of dying and becoming a vampire. Some just wanted sex, others just friendship. Just to say they knew a vampire. Of course, things were changing. That kind of interaction with us could get everyone involved killed nowadays.
Mercedez knew the consequences, but she stuck around anyway. She and a handful of others who were addicted. It was worth the risk to them.
What I liked most about her was her convictions. She and I philosophized about human nature, love, life’s purpose, religion, you name it. She didn’t want to be a vampire because she didn’t want to relinquish her soul. I agreed with many of her points, but in the end decided I’d take my chances.
So here I was.
Dead. Animated by magic. Soulless or at best, with a darkened soul, a heartless one. Bonded to Max and now Aaron, Remi, and whoever else was in that body.
Oh, yeah…I was also an illegal villain with enemies on every corner.
Reminded me why I was desperate to get on Max’s good side again.
“You come pretending to make amends after you’ve given the human your blood, MY blood,” he looked at me venomously, “and after you have fucked him.” I stood still. Best to let him speak his mind. Get it all out. “Whatever happened to all your moral shenanigans or were they pretend as well? Need I remind you, you are my bride? That means you committed adultery.”
“C’mon, Max. That doesn’t really apply to us, does it? We’re vampires.” What I’d done probably constituted adultery and definitely was fornication, but I wouldn’t take it back. It had been too good. “You were just with Mercedez. She’s human, not one of your brides. Would you really hold a double standard against me? We’re not monogamously wedded. The rules are different for our kind and you did the same thing I—”
He waved his hand, cutting me off. “I forbade you and you did it anyway. You must be punished.” He snapped his fingers and we were instantly transported to a place of darkness that gradually became brighter. There was no evident source of light so I figured Max’s sudden glow was illuminating the area.
I nodded. “I understand. I will take whatever you feel is—” I said as I looked around. A sick feeling started in the pit of my stomach. We were in a circular room that looked like a huge pantry, infinitely high. There were shelves of jars surrounding Max and they were all full. Full of human hearts. Still beating.
“Shut the fuck up, Willow. Are you trying to be stoic or humble? Rational or brave? You confuse me to no end.”
“I am truly sorry to be such a thorn in your side.”
“Pain in my white arse, you mean.”
“That too.”
The glow intensified. “Do you know where I am right now?”
“Not the exact location, but I know you’re surrounded by our hearts. The hearts of your vampires.” No one knew where he kept them and reasonably so. Anyone with possession of them controlled us.
He grinned wickedly. “That’s right, love.” He began levitating and rising, then slowly twirled around midair until he grabbed a jar from a high shelf. “Do you know whose this is?”
My throat was dry as I watched the heart pound, but I managed to whisper, “Mine.”
“Right again, Willow. And do you know what I could do with it right now?”
“Yes.” I was truly scared, my legs shaking.
He continued floating in the air, glaring at my heart-filled jar, his eyes glowing neon green. Making me tense. Worried I’d just spent my last night on earth. When I was certain he was going to drop it to the ground and stomp on it, he returned it to the shelf.
His short blond hair and strong jaw decorated his face so perfectly, it was a shame to ruin it with the menacing look he gave me. “There is only one way you can make amends and you already know what that is.”
I gulped, taking a moment to think. I shook my head. “I’m not rea—”
“Then get out of my face, Willow! If you are not ready to come back to me, I am not ready to be kind to you. Come back on your own and all mine is yours again. Make me drag you back and I will not kill you until after I have let you marinate in a coffin for one hundred years first.” He was about to disconnect our brainwaves.
“Wait!” I needed answers. “My ex’s body was found in my tub. Do you know anything about it? Did you send someone?”
“How dare you question me,” he snarled. “If I had put a body there, yours would have been in pieces next to it.”
That’s what I thought. I rushed my next line before he cut the connection. I wanted him to know why I was not ready to go back. “Max, I love my job. It gives me purpose, keeps me busy. Please understand that. And Dr. Floyd is helping to cure my narcolepsy. I’d finally have a shot at being more normal.”
“Normal?” He laughed. “You will never be normal. You were not meant for such mediocrity. And what of your human fraternizing? How do you explain that?”
My voice came out small, “He has multiple personalities and needs my help. He’s getting worse because of me. I can’t abandon him now.”
That got a deep, rumbling laughter from him. “Multiple personalities? You’re in love with a lunatic? That is about the funniest thing I have ever heard. Call him. Ask if he put the body in your tub.” Then he shut our link down. His evil laughter still echoed in my head four minutes later.
Chapter 29
I’d said to myself a million and one times that Aaron and Remi were insane. But criminally insane? No way. Remi had killed whoever abducted him and had done God-knows what to him. Justifiable, not criminal. And that made all the difference in the world, didn’t it.
Despite my current predicament, I watched hallelujah TV then slept well. No dreams, no unsavory memories, just rest. And when I awoke, I called Saybree from the phone on the nightstand. She answered before it even rang.
After explaining as briefly but thoroughly as possible what had happened to Ivan and what had been going on with Aaron and Remi, Saybree expressed sorrow over Ivan’s death and mentioned she would prepare an amulet for my boyfriend(s). Ideally, a crucifix would work best to ward off human and supernatural evil, a silver Star of David protection necklace, second best. But they weren’t exactly vampire-friendly so she would make a gold and brass medallion to protect my boys from Ivan’s fate. Of course, it wouldn’t prevent them from shifting, but one issue at a time.
Planning to visit her at nightfall, I sat on the bed with my laptop to place an order on Amazon and check my email. Since I didn’t have to work tonight, I had no need to go upstairs…except then I discovered the WiFi reception wa
s not strong enough to maintain an internet signal.
Bummer. I’d gotten good reception at the motels.
First strike.
Not that I was looking for reasons to leave Franco’s sanctuary and move in with Remi and Aaron or anything.
When I got to Franco’s office, I was surprised to find his door shut. First there was mumbling from inside. Then there was louder, more distinct arguing about club policy and…me. When I recognized the other voice, I turned on my heels to flee.
But not fast enough.
The door swung open. “That’s her! That’s the girl from the pictures,” said a raspy male tattletale.
I turned to face the music so to speak even though the only music I wanted to face was away from Franco’s office and towards Hades main room where Pitbull and T-Pain were jamming “Hey Baby” while two nude girls mud-wrestled onstage.
“Ms. Willow! I’m so glad you’re here. Your boss said you didn’t have to work tonight, but I urged him to ask you to come in for questioning. You must be a mind-reader because we were just about to leave,” Agent Monroe sneered.
Blind bastard.
He was nice enough to move out the way so I could step in the office then he closed the door.
Weren’t we being nice.
Unsurprisingly, he had not come alone this time. There were two musclemen standing with their arms folded, eyeing me like I was week-old trash that needed to go out immediately. Without being asked, they confirmed they were co-exterminators by flashing badges that held their credentials.
Okay, so they’d come for me. Fine. But I wasn’t going down without a fight. Monroe would need more than Tweedle-dumb One and Two to take me out. They’d better be packing silver bullets, crosses, holy water…
I glanced at Franco, who was sitting behind his desk. I wasn’t sure he’d help me once things got cranking, but it didn’t matter. I didn’t want him caught in the crossfire. He’d already done enough for me. Probably the main reason I’d survived as a narcoleptic vampire so long without the protection of my clan. Wish I could have thanked him for…
He gestured for me to keep quiet by putting his finger to his lips.
“Ms. Willow, we are here because Ivan Somerset has been reported missing. We’ve learned that he was recently employed here and he is your ex-lover.”
Franco was right that I should keep quiet. They had shit. Still fishing for evidence. “Do you have a question?” I said.
His cheek started twitching. Boy. I really got under his skin. “When was the last time you saw him?” he said through tight lips.
“Uh, I believe it was Friday night.” Answer only what’s asked, I told myself.
He asked a series of questions like when was the last time we were intimate, how did I feel about Franco hiring Ivan, why had we broken up and if I held a grudge.
My patience had finally waned.
“Is there a fucking point to this? He likes to sleep nude and watch me pee, but none of this has anything to do with his current whereabouts. You three jackoffs should turn this over to the real police and let them get out there and look for him instead of being here harassing me again.”
That made him snap. “You smartass! I know you had something to do with his disappearance. Your colleague even said you had words Friday night. See, I think you finally saw an opportunity to get back at him for cheating on you. Now that you’re the big badass vampire you had motive, opportunity, and means to kill him. So where the fuck is he?”
Ming should have kept her fish lips shut. If I managed to keep myself from jail this time, I’d have a long talk with her about over-sharing about me.
Definitely not the way to fit in around here.
Franco was standing behind his desk. “That’s enough, Agent. Either you have something to arrest Willow for or you get out of my club.”
“Forget arresting her,” Monroe said calmly. Uh oh. When he grabbed a Subway sandwich bag from a chair and shoved it at me, I had a pretty good idea what he had in mind. “Eat,” he said.
I opened the bag and saw a meatball sub. My stomach lurched.
“That’s your favorite sandwich isn’t it? That’s what your mother told us. So EAT!” he yelled.
When the hell had he spoken to my mother? He’d been a busy ass bee. Never mind. I had a bigger problem.
He got out a gun from inside his jacket and pointed it at my forehead.
“I do not have to have proof that you killed Mr. Somerset. If you don’t take a bite of this fucking sandwich right now, I’m going to put a silver bullet through your skull because I’ll have enough evidence to prove you’re a heartless blood-sucker.” He cocked the hammer back. “You got five seconds.”
“Wait—you can’t expect her to eat something you brought.” Franco said. “I’m sorry, Agent, but I don’t trust you. You’ve been too overly-zealous to hurt Willow. How do we know that sandwich isn’t poisoned?”
Monroe snarled. “Then have something brought from your bar. Anything. And she better eat it or I’m shooting her and arresting you.”
Silence.
One way or another, I was dying today. At the hand of a blind man.
So much for being at the top of the fucking food chain.
Franco picked up his walkie-talkie and called Punch, telling him to bring a fruit cup from the bar for me to eat. I would have loved to have seen Punch’s face when he heard that.
Already feeling like throwing up, I wondered how I was going to pull this off. “Can you lower your gun, Monroe? Vampire or not, no one likes a gun pointed at them. Accidents do happen,” I said unsteadily, knowing full well if he lowered the gun even a half inch, I’d break a commandment and kill him. One of his Tweedle boys would probably take me out before I could get at them both, but at least I wouldn’t be alone in hell today.
“If I pull this trigger, Ms. Willow, it will not be by accident. It will be because you thought it was best to try and kill me rather than eat food.” He raised his other hand to support the one holding the gun.
Couldn’t get anything past him, could I.
Punch came in ten minutes later, not even blinking at the scene before him. I was glad someone could be calm about all this. Then again, he wasn’t the one about to experience instantaneous sickness from food in order to avoid getting a bullet between the eyes. The food would be poisonous and debilitating to my body until it was out. I knew this because Max had punished another bride in the same manner. It had not been pretty. I wouldn’t die the final death from excruciating pain, but I’d wish for death.
Come to think of it—I may as well take the bullet ’cause sure as my name was Willow, Monroe was going to shoot me once he saw my reaction to the fruit.
I went back to gauging whether I could kill Monroe before he had a chance to get a fatal shot off. Then I noticed there were only red cherries and red strawberries and red watermelon in the cup. I mean, really red.
And I caught an unmistakable delicious copper scent.
Thank you, God!
I didn’t know whose it belonged to, but I was certain there was blood in the fruit.
Chapter 30
Having Punch and Franco on my side was the best thing that could have happened. I trusted them to take care of me, to make sure things turned out well. So far, that trust had not been misplaced. Internet in the basement was cow’s manure compared to that.
Without another thought, I tossed back my head and emptied the cup into my mouth.
Good thing the pieces were cut small. They slid down my throat smoothly without me having to do much chewing. But not so fast that I couldn’t recognize the yummy taste of Punch’s blood.
He’d done all he could for me. His efforts just couldn’t hold off the inevitable.
My whole mouth—lips, cheeks, tongue, gums, and throat burned the moment fruit touched it. Then my chest and stomach. Felt like my guts were on fire…and the flames were spreading. Rapidly.
I managed a smile, holding my arms out like violá, I’m still standi
ng.
But it wasn’t going to last. I really needed Monroe and his goons to leave ASAP.
“Agent, I think it’s time for you and your boys to leave. Willow did everything you asked of her,” Franco said as he stood by the door and motioned for Monroe to exit.
Monroe stood still and I stood tense. Heat had spread up to my head and down to my toes. I was so glad to be caramel brown at the moment. Hopefully, my complexion hid my internal burn, my rising sickness, my bubbling poison.
Ugh…didn’t know how much longer I’d last though.
Monroe continued standing starkly, staring blankly with pupil-free eyes. He surprisingly had excellent aim as the gun remained between my eyes with only the slightest tremble.
I felt like a hot teapot about to blow its top off and whistle in agony. And this was only the beginning. My body would begin to protest, to expel the bits it wasn’t meant to ingest. Any second now…
After what seemed an eternity, Monroe snorted and put his gun away. Then he unfolded his walking stick, straightened his tie and left with his buddies.
Sinking to the floor, I held it together until I could hear Monroe down the hall. Didn’t want him to hear me…
Heave.
There was no holding back.
Involuntarily squeezing my eyes shut, I heaved again.
Who knew fruit soaked in blood would have bought me a little time. It had. But only a little. I was out of time now. Sick to my damn stomach. Heaving up red fruit.
There was frantic movement all around me. Franco was barking orders, scrambling to contain the mess while I was lost in pain racking my entire body.
Not sure how long I stayed there. Purging myself of poison. Ruining Franco’s carpet.
When I was sure the heaving had stopped, trembling began. And then more heaving. Seemed like there was no end to it.
I wanted to yell, to die. Again. For good.
Then I was lifted and carried, the motion causing more nausea. Made me remember what it was like to be seasick. Made me lose count of how many times I puked. When I finally felt the cushion underneath me, I guessed I was back in my room on my bed. The steadiness was welcomed and not a minute too soon.
1 Dicey Grenor Page 18