by Rayna Vause
“You know, this is the first full bag she’s given me in a while. Some days she tosses me bags of blood so thin they could hardly count as sustenance. Bitch does it to keep me from reaching full strength. Keep the vampire weak and hungry, and he’s yours do with as you please. At full strength, I might actually be able to rip the doors right off this wretched cage and run as fast and as far away from here as I could.” He eyed the blood bag again. “I will be so annoyed if she’s spiked it with something.”
“Maybe you shouldn’t drink that just in case.” Guilt, horror, and anger all coiled through Rogan, leaving an oily sickness in their wake. “God, what the hell did I get myself into?”
“Bigotry gets a little harder to swallow after you’ve had a conversation with the thing you hate, doesn’t it? Or does it make me one of the good vampires?” Aiden sneered at him.
“I don’t hate you. I don’t hate vampires.”
“So why are you here?”
“I need the paycheck.”
“You keep telling yourself that. There are other jobs out there.”
“Look, they pay well, and I’m getting damn sick of having to justify my job decisions.”
“Who asked you to?”
“You did. My brother, sort of.” Myself. He’d never admit it out loud, but the more he saw and the deeper he got in this organization, the more he questioned and regretted the day he ever accepted the job.
“Ah, well. Maybe you should start rethinking your life choices. Let me tell you a little something about your boss.”
“I’ve long suspected she’s evil incarnate.”
“Calling her evil is being kind. She’s sick and sadistic. The last drug tests she ran on me erased my self-control and parts of my memory.”
Rogan dropped his chin to his chest. “Don’t tell me.”
“What, you don’t want to hear about the terrified screams that echoed through this lab and the scent of blood that drove me into a frenzy? I don’t remember much of it, but I may have killed at least one person. She shoved some poor, defenseless bastard in here to see what I’d do. I drained him and left his body broken at my feet, either dead or unconscious.” Aiden stepped back and slumped down on the bench anchored into the back wall of his cell. “I pray he was just unconscious.”
Rogan stared at Aiden, a growing ache in his chest. No one should have to suffer through any of this torment. He couldn’t walk away from this. Couldn’t leave him here to keep suffering at Melissa’s hands. Twisted bitch. How could anyone be so sadistic as to take pleasure in stealing someone’s control and forcing them to do things they’d never willingly do, like some sort of private version of The Hunger Games? “I’m going to get you out of there.” He started toward the wrought-iron prison.
“No. Stop.” Aiden’s command stopped him in his tracks. “She’s got cameras in here. I know they’re pointed at this end of the room. She likely has them everywhere, and they’ll all be rigged for remote monitoring. Chances are she already knows you’re in here with me. Who knows what she’ll do once she realizes you’ve discovered her little secret.”
Shit. He should have thought of that. If he tried to free this guy, Melissa would likely have them both on lockdown before he could blink. If, by some miracle, they got away, everyone he cared about would be in danger. Melissa would come after him hard and use every weakness she could exploit. Rogan balled his hands into fists. He’d be damned if she got anywhere near his family. She’d also never let her science experiment escape, couldn’t risk him going to the press or the government.
A pained moan pulled him from his thoughts and back to Aiden. The already pale man went white and almost doubled over.
“What’s wrong?”
“Hungry. Need to eat.” He gestured with the bag of blood. “I guess I have to take my chances. You may want to get out of here just in case.”
“I can’t just leave you in here.” Rogan looked around the room, at a total loss for what to do, how to help. When he looked back at Aiden, the man trembled from head to toe, and the look of sheer despair in his eyes stole Rogan’s breath. “Drink, dammit. You’re going to need all of your strength to escape this place.”
He huffed out a laugh. “If you won’t leave, then turn around while I do this.”
“Nope.”
Aiden cocked his head but kept his eyes locked with Rogan’s as though daring him to keep looking as he did something that most members of Purity would find repellent. He lifted the bag, and his fangs lowered. He pierced the bag, then began to drink. The look on Aiden’s face as he consumed the blood was that of a man getting his first drink of clean water after being lost at sea. He didn’t guzzle; he savored despite the growling of his stomach. Rogan’s gaze dipped to watch the motion of his pale throat as Aiden steadily swallowed. Despite his current state of dishevelment, something about Aiden struck Rogan in a way no one ever had before.
When Aiden had consumed every last drop, he crumpled the bag. As he licked away any stray droplets from his lips, Rogan followed the movement of his tongue. Rogan shifted his gaze to the floor as he took one breath.
“I have to give it to you, Rogan. I thought you’d flinch. Most of Purity would have been disgusted.”
“I’m not like most of Purity.”
“Not sure why, but I believe you.” Aiden slid his gaze over Rogan in a slow, assessing once-over. “So now what?”
“Now I find a way to get you out of there.”
“Not going to happen. These bars are solid iron. Melissa has the only key. You can’t break me out of here, and Melissa probably already knows you’ve been in here with me. If we try anything, she’ll have a platoon of soldiers on us before we get near the door.”
Rogan nodded at the keypad on the wall. “What about her secret entrance over there?”
“Retina activated.”
“Fuck.” Rogan jammed his hands on his hips and dropped his chin to his chest as he racked his brain for an answer. “I can’t just leave you here at her mercy.”
“For now, we’ve got no choice. Any type of jailbreak would be a death sentence for both of us.” Aiden paused.
Rogan stepped closer to the cell and dropped his voice to a whisper. Melissa had video in here, but he couldn’t be sure about audio. “Is there anyone I can contact and let them know where you are?”
Aiden lowered his voice as well. “Alex Connelly and Kieran McCade. Kier owns a bar called the Haven. My sister Alex works there. It’s at Third and Cherry, close to where the city divides.”
“You mean at the edge of the predominately vampire section of town.”
Aiden nodded.
“All right, I’m going.” Rogan shoved his hands in his pockets. “Look, do your best to stay safe until I can get you out of here. I will get you out of here. I promise.”
Aiden shook his head. “Don’t make any promises you can’t keep. But whatever you’re thinking of doing, be quick about it. I’m pretty sure she’s looking for her next victim to stick in this cage with me.”
“Yeah, I know, but she’s got to find him first. Keep fighting. Don’t let her win.” Rogan gave Aiden one last long look. Then, even though he hated to do it, he turned, walked out of the lab, and went in search of a vampire.
“KIER, I’M going to be in the stockroom. Alex sent me with a list of things she needs me to get to restock the front.”
Kier stopped lowering chairs from the tabletops and smiled up at Danny. “I told you that you didn’t have to do this if you didn’t want to.”
Danny smiled back. “I told you I’m enjoying myself.” That little smile—hell, Danny’s mere presence in his bar—tugged at something inside Kier, something he’d repressed for months. But after their talk earlier, he let joy and warmth spread through him.
“Kieran, if he’s going to hang around all night, every night, he’s going to make himself useful.” They both turned their heads to find Alex watching them from behind the bar. She smiled and winked at Danny. “By the way, I just got a
call from Tony. Fucker called out sick.”
Kier and Alex started to laugh. Danny frowned. “What? I’m missing the joke.”
“Dan, vampires don’t get sick. Tony’s probably holed up somewhere with the latest love of his life.” Kier and Alex said the last few words in unison, then laughed again. This time Danny joined in.
Alex moved to the bar and snatched a rag from the countertop. She tossed it at Kier, who snagged it out of the air. “Give us a hand getting cleaned up and ready to open for the night. Even a man down we should still be staffed well enough to handle the crowd, but I’ll let you know if I need help.”
“Can do.” Kier watched Danny disappear into the stockroom before turning back to his chores. Since their talk earlier, Danny seemed a little lighter, a little happier, and maybe more open to possibilities. Although the last might just be wishful thinking on Kier’s part. And Kier couldn’t stop thinking about that kiss.
Kissing Danny after all this time was like getting rescued after being lost adrift at sea. His taste was clean and sweet. The feel of him is his arms was indescribable. They fit together just right. Kier could so easily slip back into an old rhythm with him, but there was still too much uncertainty in Danny’s situation and their relationship. Yes, their talk had gone a long way toward healing old wounds, but Kier couldn’t shift gears that fast.
Alex flipped the switch to turn on the music. Kier jerked out of his thoughts as it blasted out of the mounted speakers circling the room.
“Sorry!” Alex adjusted the volume from blaring to tolerable.
“What are you doing, trying to make my ears bleed?”
She stuck her tongue out at him and started bouncing along to the rock song as she put away the items Danny had retrieved from the stockroom. Kier chuckled and continued to prep the bar. The song switched to some boy band pop, and Kier had to stifle a groan. Then he had to hold back a laugh when Danny whooped and started wiggling his slim hips and perfect ass to the beat as he pushed a dust mop across the floor. Kier licked his lips, watching Danny dance and shimmy his way around the room. When he shifted his gaze toward the bar, he found Alex staring at him. She raised an eyebrow, and his cheeks went warm.
When Danny started to sing off-key, Kier gave in and smiled like a fool.
“Jesus, Danny, you’re going to shatter the windows with your screeching.” Alex threw a towel at him.
Danny caught it and did a booty shake in her direction. “You’re just jealous of my unusual talent.”
“No, I’m jealous of your ears. I’m jealous of their ability to completely ignore how tone-deaf you really are.”
Danny cackled and pretended to use the broom as a microphone. Kier wanted to cross to Danny, hold him in his arms, and kiss his awful singing into silence.
Kier shook his head. This was what life could be like, a man he cared about and good friends laughing and spending time together. He wanted that. God, he wanted it.
The pop song faded away as the opening strains of the all-too-familiar Ed Sheeran song rang out.
“Kier?”
He turned and looked into sparkling brown eyes that were filled with mutual memories of the first time they danced to this song. Danny leaned the mop against the wall and held out a hand to Kier. “Dance with me.”
He walked toward Kier, stopping an arm’s length away. Kier stared at the steady hand reaching out to him. Even as he craved holding Danny in his arms, a small part of him wanted to hold back, to protect himself. Still, he reached out and let himself be drawn into the man, the music, and the memories. His gaze locked with Danny’s as he tugged him close, holding him body to body. Danny slid his hands up Kier’s chest and looped his arms around his neck. Kier rested his hands on Danny’s hips. They started to sway, their movements fluid and familiar.
Kier closed his eyes and breathed deep. Danny’s warm, clean aroma filled his senses. Nothing else in the world smelled as intoxicating as him. Nothing else could ignite a slow burn deep inside. Kier’s breathing came a little faster, and his body went hard. He pressed his cheek to Danny’s temple as he rubbed his hand up and down his back. Damn, he missed this.
“Do you remember the first time we danced to this?”
Kier nodded. “That country and western theme night you dragged me to. Thank God they broke up the blocks of country with other types of music.”
“You had fun.”
“I did after a few shots of bourbon.”
Danny chuckled and gave him a light whack on the shoulder. “I remember you standing at the bar surrounded by a small harem of women. Man, were they disappointed when you walked over to me.”
“Yeah, well, I was going into perfume overload.”
“I was happy to be your escape route. Happy to be held in the arms of an amazingly beautiful man. Happy, period. You made me happy. You still do.”
Kier leaned back so he could study Danny’s eyes. He stopped dancing. He stood there continuing to hold the man who had the ability to destroy him in his arms. What the hell am I doing?
Danny reached up and caressed his cheek as he pressed even closer. Kier sucked in a breath as low-level currents of electricity thrummed through him. Danny carded his fingers through Kier’s hair and set tingles dancing over his scalp. Danny started singing to him in that sexy, off-key manner about being taken into loving arms and kissed under the light of a thousand stars. He sang until their lips were a mere breath apart. Then the singing stopped, and Danny pulled Kier down and pressed a soft kiss to his lips as he slid his leg between Kier’s. He brushed his thigh over the bulge in Kier’s pants.
Danny tasted, nipping and nibbling and driving Kier out of his mind. The slow sampling didn’t last long. This time Kier took the lead and claimed Danny’s mouth. His familiar flavor flooded Kier’s senses. He delved deep with his tongue, licking and caressing, as he took his time exploring the landscape of Danny’s body with his hands.
Everything ceased to exist but this moment and this man. The fresh hunger hit Kier. He wanted to taste more than Danny’s skin. He wanted to drink the rich blood that ran through his veins while he buried himself deep inside of Danny. Kier could hear the rapid thump of Danny’s heart pounding, the rush of his blood.
Mine, he thought and growled as his fangs started to drop. His heart thundered; his breathing was loud and ragged. Only Danny could do this to him, make him forget everyone and turn into a ravenous beast.
The sharp call of Kier’s name cut into his consciousness and allowed reality to creep in. When the call came a second time, he stepped back from Danny and sucked in a sharp breath. He opened his eyes to see a kiss-dazed Danny standing in front of him and Alex a few feet away, looking ready to tackle him should it be necessary.
“I’m fine, Alex. I promise.” Guilt, need, and confusion all swamped him.
“Kier? What just happened?” Danny bit his lip and furrowed his brow as he reached out.
Kier stepped back. “I’m sorry. I got caught up in the moment, and things got a little out of hand.”
“It’s okay. If you need that from me, I’m offering willingly.”
Kier took another step away. He needed to settle, to think, and he couldn’t do it with Danny this close.
“Thank you. You don’t know what that means to me to hear you say that, but taking that step is too much too soon. We need to talk to Sharon and figure out if your blood is safe to drink. We need to think before we take that step. We need to—I need to slow way down.” Kier shoved a hand into his hair. “I need some air.”
He started to walk past Danny, but instead he paused and brushed the back of his finger over Danny’s cheek. “I’ll be back in a bit.” With that said, he turned and strode off down the hallway to his office, leaving a stunned Danny in his wake.
Chapter 9
“HEY, BRI.” Rogan spoke into a Bluetooth earpiece as he drove away from the Purity compound.
“Hey! Where the hell have you been? Did you even come home last night?”
“In late,
out early. What can I say?”
“You work too hard for those people.”
“We’ve already talked about this, Bri.” Rogan blew out a breath.
“Yeah, yeah, money, blah.” His brother’s snort of disgust sounded through the phone.
“Look, I need you to do something for me. I need you to be extra vigilant when you leave the house.”
“What, why?”
“Because there’s some bad stuff going down on the job, and I don’t want you to get caught up in any of it. So just watch your back.”
“Of course.” A long silence fell between the two men. “Mike, whatever’s happening, it’s dangerous, isn’t it? Don’t answer that. I already know.”
Rogan shoved his hand through his hair. Fucking Purity and Melissa Moran. He resented that they’d put him in this position. He never wanted to worry his brother, and now he could hear it in every word he spoke.
“Just quit, Mike. Walk away. We don’t need their blood money. You don’t even believe in their fucking cause. I’ll get a job and help out with the bills. We’ll be fine.”
Rogan clenched his fist on the steering wheel. “I don’t want you to have to do that.”
“I won’t be the first college student on the planet to also have a job. But I’d much rather get a job or drop out of school altogether than have you risk your life for these crazy Purity people, or worse, have them coming after you.”
“You will not quit school. We will figure something out, but for now I need you to be careful while I take care of this one last thing. I’ve stumbled across something I can’t just walk away from.”
“Do me a favor. Don’t be a hero.”
“I’ll do my level best not to.”
Brian barked out a laugh. Rogan pulled his SUV up to the curb outside of the Haven bar and killed the engine. “I need to go. I’ll come home as soon as I’m done here.”
“Please, be careful. You’re all the family I have left.”