Midnight Temptation

by Shari Nichols

  Malcom’s sinister laugh rang through the trees. “How touching. I think I’d rather be dead than listen to this dribble. I beg of you, do it already, and put me out of my misery.”

  “Shut up,” Garrett muttered, his finger pulsed on the trigger. “I lost my humanity a long time ago, the moment you sank your fangs into me.”

  “It’s not true,” she said, her voice thick with tears. “I know the honorable man that you are, the kind, caring friend and neighbor. If you do this, you’ll never forgive yourself. You’ll live with it every day for the rest of our lives. Be the man you were meant to be, Garrett, the man I fell in love with.”

  She loves me? Gillian loves me? She believed in him, no matter how much he tried to push her away. His chest swelled with an emotion he couldn’t identify. She was right. He couldn’t do this.

  His hand wavered, and Malcom used it to his advantage. Malcom’s gaze locked on his and he couldn’t seem to look away. “Needles.”

  Garrett dropped the gun, his whole body contorting in pain. The sensation of needles digging into his skin burned like a thousand bolts of electricity.

  “Stop it! You sick, bastard,” Gillian screamed. The next moment Garrett’s gun rose in the air and smashed Malcom in the back of the head, knocking him to the ground. The sensation of pain fell away.

  “Garrett got to his feet, dragging Malcom with him. He caught movement in the bushes and tightened his hold on Malcom. “You can thank her for sparing your miserable life. Perhaps, you’d be better off rotting in Hellios. I can assure you, they don’t serve cabernet.”

  Smith ran over to them pointing a high-powered laser gun. “Hands up, Malcom Von Scrivner. You’re under arrest for crimes against mages and humanity.” Garrett let go of Malcom and took a step back while Smith placed his sire in cuffs.

  “Took you long enough,” Garrett muttered. He ran over to Gillian and pulled her into his arms. He wanted to breathe her in and never let her go.

  “What did I miss?” Denopoulos ran over, sporting a giant red mark across the right side of his face, and an even larger laser gun. “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.” He helped Smith get Malcom out of the clearing.

  Garrett turned to Gillian and tilted her chin up. He eyed her body, checking for injuries. “Did he hurt you? Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine, just a few bumps and bruises.”

  “What do you say? Are you ready to get out of here?”

  “You have no idea.” Even in the dim light, Garrett could see her face soften into a sad smile. “But I’m afraid nothing’s changed between us, Garrett. I’ll never stop loving you, but it’s like you said, this relationship was never meant to be.”

  Chapter 29

  “What’s your position on man caves, for or against?” Saje posed the question to Gillian and Brooke.

  Resting her head against the couch cushion in the parlor, Gillian finished the last of her dinner and set the container on the coffee table. The three women had been binge-watching HGTV for the past few hours in an attempt to recapture what used to be a typical Friday night. After living at Garrett’s for the past week, being back at the coven felt strange and oddly comforting at the same time. They had the whole place to themselves while the rest of the girls manned the shop.

  “Nick’s been talking about using the spare room in his condo as one,” Saje said, curling up in an oversized chair under a throw. “I said that if we’re doing this there’s no “man cave” or “my cave” but we can do an “our cave”. Funny, he hasn’t brought the subject up since.”

  All three women laughed.

  “You will keep that demon on his toes twenty-four-seven,” Gillian teased.

  If one good thing came from the whole ordeal, it was Nick asking Saje to move in with him. After all the murder and mayhem—witnessing what could happen in the blink of an eye—he declared his undying love to Saje, insisting he couldn’t go another day without waking up to her in his bed. Despite Saje claiming this was Nick’s over-the-top way of making sure he got laid regularly, Gillian knew Saje was secretly thrilled. And the fact that Nick was a hymera, part human and part demon, meant he’d die eventually and could procreate.

  Gillian had to admit, the whole declaration thing was kind of sweet. Even she couldn’t have predicted such a happy ending coming from this nightmare. Too bad she couldn’t say the same.

  “Any word from Garrett?” Saje asked, lowering the volume on the remote.

  “We broke up.” Gillian tried to keep the hurt out of her voice and failed. If he truly loved her, he would have come after her, and he didn’t. Maybe this was his pattern, or maybe he simply didn’t feel the same way. At this point, she didn’t know what to think anymore.

  It had been three days since the night of the masquerade ball, and there’d been no texts or calls from him. At first, when she still hadn’t heard from him, she imagined the worst, but when Natalya had called to check in on her and Brooke, confirming that he’d shown up for work, she’d lost all hope of him coming after her. Too hurt to face him, Gillian went to his place later that morning to pick up her things and had left the key with his neighbor.

  “Don’t give, up, Gillian. Everyone reacts to extreme stress in different ways. Give him time,” Saje urged in her best eternal optimist voice.

  Gillian picked up a deck of tarot cards off the table and began shuffling them. She looked up at Saje and forced a smile. “And sometimes you have to know when to fold your hand.” When she’d gone and declared her undying love to Garrett, her feelings hadn’t been reciprocated. The sooner she accepted the fact he’d remain a vampire and she a human, the easier it would be to get over him. If only her heart could believe it.

  Brooke, who remained silent this whole time, seemed content to flip through decorator magazines and listen to their conversation. It reminded Gillian of old times, a girl’s night in front of the TV, eating take out from Bareburger, their favorite vegan place, and bitching about men. But no one could deny the change in Brooke after her kidnapping. No one seemed to want to talk about the giant, pink signet ring in the room.

  Fortunately, Brooke had agreed to go see a therapist starting next week, and Gillian planned to go with her. Maybe she’d even make an appointment for herself. She needed to stop this pattern of going after emotionally unavailable men once and for all.

  “I’ve talked to the other girls,” Gillian said, touching her arm. “We’re all in agreement. We think you should move in here with us. You don’t have to give me an answer right now.” She set the deck down and reached for her tea. She put the mug to her lips, enjoying the taste of cinnamon, lemon, and ginger. The last thing she wanted for Brooke was to have the memory of that awful night come rushing back. She’d taken the weekend off to regroup.

  “What we lack in privacy around here we make up for in comradery. There’s always someone to talk to, no matter what,” Saje chimed in. “Don’t forget the rituals we go to as a group and movie night. We even host teas with those cute little sandwiches for the other covens in the area. You should consider it, Brooke. It really can be a blast around here, and you could have my old room.”

  Brooke gave a tentative smile. “I think I’d like that. It would be nice to be with friends and family right now. I’m not ready to go back to my apartment. But what about my lease? It’s not up for another few months.”

  “I’m sure we can find someone to sublet your place in the short term. You can decide what you want to do after that.” Gillian placed her mug on a coaster. “We can advertise it. I know a ton of reputable sites.”

  “You seem well versed on the subject. Have you been looking for yourself?” Saje asked and got to her feet. She started to clean up their mess.

  Gillian shrugged. “I guess a part of me couldn’t wait to leave here, to prove I could live on my own, but I realize now that was a waste of time.” If she’d learned anything from this whole mess, it was that Glinda was on to something. Maybe there really was no place like home. “At the end of the
day, it doesn’t matter where you live. It’s about the feeling you get when you’re there. Nothing beats coming home and feeling love.”

  Her mind automatically drifted to Garrett. He’d broken her heart, and now she wondered if it would ever mend. But that didn’t mean she couldn’t enjoy a different kind of love, one that revolved around Brooke and her friends. She wanted to move on and put the whole thing behind her.

  “That, right there, is why I do what I do.” Brooke sat up and some of the haze seemed to clear from her eyes. “Thanks, Gillie, for reminding me. It’s going to take some time, but I’m still here.”

  Gillian leaned over to hug her, relieved she’d started to sound more like herself. She pulled away and got to her feet.

  “How about we call it a night?” Gillian said as she clicked off the TV.

  Together, the three of them took the empty containers into the kitchen. She started to put the leftovers in the fridge when her phone buzzed in her back pocket.

  She reached for it and glanced at the unfamiliar number. Maybe it was an out of town client. She hit accept. “This is Gillian.”

  “Gillian, this is Max Williams calling from WESX radio in Salem, Massachusetts. I’m sorry for calling so late. I’ve been in meetings all day and this is my first free moment. Is this a good time to talk?”

  “Yes, absolutely.” Gillian walked to the center island and sat down on a wooden stool, excitement inflating her chest.

  “I listened to your demo tape and loved it. I’d like to invite you to come here to Salem for an interview. We have a slot that just opened up and would like to talk to you about filling it with a weekly show. Unfortunately, I’m going out of town for a stretch. But I have some free time this week if you’re free. I’m sorry for the last minute notice.”

  She swallowed and tried to find her voice. “No, it’s okay.” She glanced over at Brooke and grinned. She couldn’t leave at a time like this. “Thanks for the offer, but I’m not sure I could break away right now. I appreciate the call. I need to check my schedule. Can I get back to you?”

  “How about I text you all the details? It was great speaking to you, Gillian. I hope to meet you in person. I think you’d be a great addition to the station.”

  “Thanks, Max. Talk to you soon.” She ended the call and glanced up to find Saje and Brooke staring at her with curious expressions across their faces. “I guess you heard that?”

  “Yes, and you’ve got to go, Gillian,” Saje insisted, tying up the garbage bag. “This could be your big break.”

  “Even if I took the time to do this, I can’t just leave. I need to help find someone to sublet Brooke’s place.”

  “I agree with Saje, you need to do this, Gillian. If you don’t, you’ll spend the rest of your life wondering, ‘what if’.” Brooke walked over to her and held both her hands in hers. “And you know, this would be the best way for me to heal. If you do this you’ll show me that no matter how bad things suck, they’ll always get better. Between you and Saje, there’s still a silver lining that came out of all this.”

  “The silver lining is a reality for Saje. As for me, well, that’s still debatable.” Gillian exhaled and tried to mull Max’s words over in her head.

  “Brooke can help me pack up and drop off my stuff at Nick’s place.” Saje carried the bag to the back kitchen door. “Then, we can go get the rest of her stuff and move it into my room. I can stay in yours while you’re away.”

  A combination of excitement and warmth filled her chest. “What do I have to lose at this point?” Gillian used her phone to google the airlines.

  When Garrett got back to his apartment, he went straight to the liquor cart and poured himself a brandy. Taking a swig from his glass, he sighed, but it did nothing to ease the knot in his gut. He loosened his tie and flicked on the TV to ESPN.

  He glanced around his empty apartment. Over the past week, he’d gotten used to seeing Gillian’s beautiful face. Everywhere he looked reminded him of her. If he closed his eyes, he swore he could hear her laughter and still smell her perfume. Now only emptiness greeted him. Going back to his solitary routine would no doubt get old real quick.

  He’d made the choice to let her go, and now he’d have to live with that choice. Even her brush with death couldn’t convince him otherwise. Gillian deserved a normal life, something he could never give her.

  His doorbell rang, and for a split second, he wondered if it could be her. He rushed to the door, breathing hard in anticipation. His eyes focused past the window to find his neighbor on the other side. Flooded with disappointment, he opened the door. “It’s good to see you, Annette. I’m sorry, but I’m not really in the mood for company.”

  “Even more reason for us to talk. You look awful.”

  Tell me something I don’t know.

  She stepped inside and shut the door, then pointed to his table. “May I come in and sit down?”

  He nodded. “Why not?”

  The older woman glanced around at the empty take-out cartons and newspapers piled in a corner and shook her head. He hadn’t been in the mood to clean up. She set his spare keys on the table and took a seat in a dining room chair. “Gillian left these with me. What happened between you two?”

  “We broke up.” The words tasted bitter on his tongue. He kept thinking he’d wake up, and somehow, things would be different. “I could never be what she needed in the long run.” He slumped into a chair across from her and sighed. Exhaustion pressed down on him like a heavyweight.

  “Nonsense. I saw the way you looked at each other. People live a lifetime to find that kind of connection with someone.” Annette patted his hand. “Do you love her?”

  “I don’t see how that’s the point, but yes, deeply. She’s everything to me. But it doesn’t matter. The one thing she’s always wanted is the one thing I can never give her—a family.” Garrett set his glass on the table and realized he was the only guest at this little pity party. Drinking alone did nothing but put him in an even deeper fog. “I had to let her go. It wouldn’t be fair to her.”

  “Fair?” Annette said with a laugh. “For someone who’s lived longer than me, you sure have a lot to learn about life and women. Stop being a martyr and talk to her, Garrett. FYI, there’s something called adoption. People do it every day.”

  “I appreciate what you’re trying to do.” He got up from the table and shoved a hand through his hair. “But it’s not the same as your own blood.”

  “Is that so?” Her green eyes sparkled with wisdom. “You’ve heard me gush about my son, Henry. He’s not my biological child, but I love him with all my heart. I’d take a bullet for him. How’s that for blood?”

  Garrett swallowed the lump suddenly clogging his throat. “I didn’t know Henry was adopted.”

  “That’s the point. It doesn’t matter.” She lifted the key ring off the table and dangled it in her small fingers. “Love goes beyond what runs through your veins. It’s the choices we make that turn us into the people we become. Let Gillian make the choice. I always say a little bit of wonderful is better than a lifetime of ordinary. If you truly love her, then you should do what will make her happy.”

  “I let her down when she needed me the most.” She’d told him she loved him and he said nothing back. “She’ll probably never speak to me again.” Thinking about how he treated her made his stomach twist into knots.

  “It’s never too late. Go to her and find a way to make things work. If you don’t, you’ll regret it for the rest of your days. Tell her how you feel and show her that you’ll be there. Maybe make a grand gesture to show her you care.”

  “A grand gesture?” he repeated and hope blossomed in his chest. Annette’s words rang in his ears with the force of a drum. A little bit of wonderful is better than a lifetime of ordinary. God, he’d been such an idiot. He needed to go to her and tell her he couldn’t live without her for another minute, let alone another day. He’d do anything in this world to get her back.

  “I’m sure somet
hing will come to mind.” She handed him back the keys with a knowing smile. “You might want to clean up the mess first.”

  Garrett bent to kiss her on the cheek. “Thank you, neighbor.”

  He’d wasted enough time; he refused to waste anymore.

  Chapter 30

  Garrett walked to the back of the manor and into the greenhouse. He found Saje, Delilah, Brooke, and Ellen, the high priestess of the coven, toiling away at a butcher block table. Herbs and candles, along with mortars and pestles, covered almost every available surface.

  Saje looked up when she saw him, and he was shocked when she gave him a friendly wave, especially after her warning about hurting Gillian in the shop. It all seemed like a lifetime ago.

  “I’m sorry for just dropping in like this, but I’ve been trying to reach Gillian, and she’s not taking my calls. I know I don’t have a right to ask, but please, tell me she’s okay.”

  She must’ve picked up on the desperation in his voice because she took pity on him with a reassuring smile. “She’s fine. Let’s talk.” After she wiped her hands on her jeans, she led him to the corner of the greenhouse, away from prying eyes, which were currently shooting daggers at him. He couldn’t blame them. Not after the way he’d behaved.

  “I’m sorry about the other girls. They’re just being protective of Gillian. She’s been through so much,” Saje whispered, shooting a glance at the other women, who got back to work cutting herbs and stirring cauldrons.

  He huffed out a breath. “I know. And I never meant to cause her more pain. I’m grateful she has people in her life who care about her. I’ve driven by the shop but she’s not there, nor here. I’m going out of my mind. Where is she?”

  “She went out of town on a job interview.”