by SF Benson
My voice comes out in a bare whisper. “Ya think Tyson is fighting him?”
Hank fumbles for a moment with the front closure of my bra before cupping my breast in his hand. “I know he is. Duchamp needs a fighter strong enough to go up against Zhakarov.”
I moan as Hank rolls and pinches a nipple. “We’ll get help…” My breath comes in short pants. “…from the BlackGuard.”
The sensitive nipple pebbles as Hank’s skillful tongue flicks over it. A delicious shudder races down my spine.
He looks up from my breast. “I hear a but coming.”
“Is that what ya hear?” I tease. “Ya must be doing something wrong.”
“I promise when it comes to loving your body, I’ll do nothing wrong.” Hank rolls to his side, his hand resting on my leather-clad thigh. He strokes me, sending shivers of ecstasy through me. “But maybe we should finish talking first?” he says, prematurely stopping his torture.
Reluctantly, I push myself up on my elbows, already missing his touch. My blouse—along with the straps of my lacy, black bra—fall over my shoulders and down my arms. Hank sighs appreciatively and licks his lips.
Focus, Edwina.
I clear my throat. “You heard Kragen say I have to meet with Cash?”
One of Hank’s hands curl. “Yeah. What was that about the King of Hell?”
“That would be Ashmedai. He wants me to introduce Cash to the leaders of the BlackGuard.” The space between Hank’s eyebrows puckers. If he’s still going with me, then he doesn’t need to worry about me. “Ya still going with me, right?”
“There’s no place else I’d be. I got you, Angel. Anything else I should know?” His hand relaxes as he reaches for the zipper on my pants.
“Kragen knows about Elijah and Jackson,” I confess.
“Good to know.” The soft hush of the zipper fills the room. “Is that it?”
“Only that ya take too damned long undressing me, cher.” I wave my hand and my pants and boots land near the chair.
Hank’s eyes, like covetous, invisible fingers, go to my lacy thong. His breath hisses right before he pounces.
A purr escapes my lips. I’m starting to realize something I may no longer be able to deny. He is my bliss, and I don’t want to lose him.
Chapter 14
Hank
Stretching, I wrap my arms around Edwina. Time is passing too quickly. All I want is to stay here with this beautiful female by my side. Although this trip to New Orleans might just put us face-to-face with danger, I’m not worried about her physically surviving that. My concerns lie with her heart. It’s too soon for her to face the incubus.
Edwina twists in my arms until she’s lying on her stomach. Her dark eyes stare at me. “Hank, I told ya I’ll be fine.”
I push her curly hair back. “Are you sure? I can deliver the message to Cash and take him wherever you say. You don’t have to put yourself through it.”
She places a kiss on my bare chest. “I appreciate ya concern, but I’ve got a job to do. Ya said ya will go with me. That’s enough.”
“Okay.” I cup my hands on either side of her face. “I just want to make you happy.”
Her lips curl into a genuine, toothy smile. “I am happy.”
I smack her bare ass. The sound echoes about the room.
“Ow,” she shouts. “What was that for?”
“Get dressed. I’m hungry, and we need to hit the road.”
Edwina sits up and tugs the sheet over her breasts. “I’m going to hit the shower. Want to join me?”
I stroke her arm. “If I do, we won’t be leaving anytime soon.”
“N’awlins will be there even if we show up an hour or two late.” She stands and heads for the bathroom.
It’s tempting, and I almost give in, but I need to make a phone call. “Go ahead, Angel. I need to take care of business.”
Edwina’s gaze lingers for another minute before she disappears around the corner. I wait until the shower turns on before reaching for my phone. Scrolling through my contacts, I place a call to Brady.
“Hey.” Laughter and clinking glasses sound in the background. “Give me a second.”
Brady tells someone he’s going to the office. The crowd noise fades, and then a door closes.
“Can you talk?” I ask.
“Yeah. The place is crazy busy tonight.” Brady lowers his voice. “Elijah Ryder and his crew stopped in.”
Cat’s got balls. “What the hell did he want?”
“Claimed to be searching for three missing brothers. Humans named Elroy, Mitch, and Dave. Said they disappeared in Ohio.” Brady pauses for a beat or two. “Know anything about it?”
“Now why would I know about missing humans?” Leave it to Brady to tap on the very topic I called about.
“Come on, Hank. I know you like I know my own brothers. I don’t need the details or your location in case someone’s listening. Just tell me if you’re close to endpoint.”
“No. I’m just checking in with you.” It’s an honest answer. “Brady, tell me how well you know Cash Martin.”
“The incubus? I know of him. He’s done some ink for some pack members. Why?”
I scrub a hand over my stubbled face. “We’ll be crossing paths. Just wondering what I’ll be up against.”
“You’re not slick, brother. I know what you’re asking, and Cash isn’t a threat to you.” Brady breathes into the phone. “His mother was in the bar a few nights ago. She said he’s living with that djinniyah. Apparently, they’re happy.”
Great. He’s found someone who brings him joy. Question is how will Edwina deal with the situation? “Thanks, Brady. Keep your ear to the ground for me. I’ll call you.”
“Hank?” Brady rushes before I disconnect.
“Yeah?”
“Be careful. I’m hearing things about Elijah. Cat’s got his hand in some deep pockets. People who have the power to make you disappear permanently.”
I cock my head to the side and tap my chin. “Any of those folks named Duchamp?”
“Bingo.” Brady disconnects the call.
“Did ya learn what ya needed?” Edwina says from the doorway.
I glance up and see she’s fully dressed. Damn, I missed the opportunity. “Yeah. Got confirmation that Ryder and Duchamp know each other.”
Edwina crosses the room and takes a seat on the desk chair. “Well, somehow we have to find where the PFC fight is and not alert Elijah that ya there.”
“Won’t be easy.” I head for the shower.
Edwina has that look about her. The one that tells me she’s got something brewing, a conversation I might not want to hear.
We go to a nearby all-night diner for a bite to eat. Smudged windows, sticky tables, and ripped vinyl booths greet us. Thankfully, we’re not here for the atmosphere. As long as they can prepare a decent steak, I’m good.
The waitress comes over, and Edwina taps the girl’s arm. As soon as she looks at Edwina, she works her magic. The robotic head movement, the far-off look in cloudy eyes, and one-word responses are evidence that the woman has been compelled.
“Ya going to bring out two of ya best steaks,” Edwina instructs in a hypnotic yet soothing voice. “The first one only char on the outside, keep it raw on the inside. Understand?”
The girl nods.
“Make the second steak completely raw. Cut it into four equal pieces, place it on a hot plate, and cover it with a lid. Bring me a large empty glass. Got it?”
“Yes.”
“Now this part is very important. Bring the bill with the food. When ya leave our table, forget ya saw us. Forget our order. Lose any receipt of our purchase.”
The waitress nods again, turns on her heel, and walks away.
I sit back in my seat and study Edwina, searching for any signs of regret. There aren’t any. “You enjoy doing that?”
Her gaze is cloudy, and she doesn’t seem to hear me. I’m about to ask again when she mutters, “What?”
“
Bending people’s wills.” I start to tap my fingers against the tabletop but see the filth and change my mind. Instead, I grab a paper napkin and start wiping up the muck.
“I never think about it. Compelling allows things to be done without chaos.” Edwina plays with the salt-and-pepper shakers. She glances up before speaking again. “Ya want to know about Cash.”
It’s not a question. Instead, it’s evidence she overheard my conversation with Brady. I choose not to insult her intelligence with a response.
The waitress returns with our food. Edwina removes a crisp, fifty-dollar bill from her jacket and slides it into the girl’s apron pocket.
“Now be a good girl and take care of ya customers.”
I cut into my perfectly prepared steak as the waitress walks away. Edwina picks up each portion from her plate and squeezes the blood, like water from a sponge, into her glass. When it’s full, Edwina licks her fingers before taking a long drink. She dabs at her lips with a napkin.
Edwina catches my intense stare. “I only do this when I have no other choice. It’s a survival tip I learned a long time ago.” She takes another sip and returns to the conversation she started. “Ya wondering why I fell for Cash?”
“Something like that.” I take a bite.
“Ya first assessment was the right one. Cash hid his feelings and hated being alone. I didn’t want to share mine. Kind of made us perfect for each other. At the time we met, I was bored. He’d just turned twenty-one, and his friends challenged him to hook up with me. Cash was an eager student wanting to learn how to pleasure females.”
I shift in my seat. “Angel.”
The corners of her eyes crinkle slightly. “I’ll spare ya the details. Suffice it to say I came to enjoy his company.”
“I’m confused. If you cared about the incubus, why’d you end things with him?”
“I wanted more. Cash couldn’t give it to me. Ya know Lilin are more like humans than we are. They cling to their beliefs tighter than the best plastic wrap. Plus, Cash was too good at hiding the truth from himself. I had to drink from him to discover it.”
“Which was?” I swallow another mouthful.
“Cash was falling in love with the djinniyah. Poor fool didn’t recognize it for what it was. Instead, he kept denying his feelings for her.”
Interesting. I’d heard how vampires can learn whatever they wanted from anyone through a simple bite. “Why haven’t you drunk from me?”
Edwina reaches across the table and twists her fingers around mine. “Because of ya honesty. Ya never hide the things I really need to know. Cash was too busy concealing facts from himself and sheltering me from the rest of our community. The bottom line for him? He didn’t want to give us a chance.”
“What about Victor Duquette?” Rumors still swirl around town about Edwina’s pursuit of him.
“Victor is a boy.”
Now, who’s trying to hide things? “Angel.”
She exhales loudly. “Yes, I pursued him. I thought I’d get back into Luc’s good graces.”
“Even though he has a mate?”
A shadow crosses her beautiful face, and she withdraws her hand. “I don’t need ya judgment. We all make mistakes.”
My head bobs up and down. “No judgment intended.”
“Next time ya want info about me just ask. Ya don’t need to call somebody for it.” She drains her glass. “Since ya brought it up, seeing Cash with Qadira is going to hurt. A lot. But I’ll get through it as long as I have ya by my side.”
“Cash is a fool, but that’s an incubus for you. They don’t know what it means to struggle, to fight for what they want.” Lilin rank up there with Sirens. Neither species have to work for what they want. Just turn on the charm and humans yield to them. Each and every time. I push my empty plate aside and drop my silverware on it. “Angel, I’m not hiding you from anyone. You’ve told me you’re fine. I’m good with your word.”
“Thanks,” she says quietly.
I grasp her hand again and rub my thumb across her cool flesh. “But I’ll always worry about you. My beast protects. If it senses trouble, I’m gonna worry.”
Edwina’s eyebrows knit together. “Why do ya refer to ya beast like it’s a separate being?”
Pretty clever how she changes the subject, but I don’t mind talking about my darker side. “When my beast comes out, the human side takes a back seat. He has his own mind and desires. Things he prefers doing.” I grin as I think about some of those things.
She tilts her head to the side. “Are ya not aware of what he does?”
“I am, but it’s freeing not to care what he does. He’s a pretty single-minded creature. Hunting, eating, fucking, and sleeping make up his routine.”
She smiles wickedly across the table. “Sounds like we should meet.”
I waggle my eyebrows at her. My beast has waited to meet her for a long time. “Soon, Angel.”
Chapter 15
Edwina
Another seven-hour stretch is in front of us. Either we need to fill the time talking or fucking. Only the former allows us to cover the distance faster. So our conversation continues.
“Tell me about Sheila. Why did ya hook up with her?” It seems a valid question. After all, I did tell Hank about Cash.
Hank grips the steering wheel tighter. “We were kids. In a nutshell, she drew me in, and I fell for it all.”
I side-glance at him. “She was ya first?”
“Naw. My second and longest.” He doesn’t offer any further explanation.
The first rays of sun lighten the sky, turning it a bluish-gray. Spontaneously, my hand goes to my neck and ensures the pendant is in place. Morgan Le Fay charmed the intricate medallion sporting a variety of vampire glyphs and symbols. The trinket is a visualization of a spell she cast. As long as I wear it, I’m able to endure sunlight. Erring on the safe side, I fused the lock, making it a permanent fixture about my neck.
“Ya not going to say anything else about her?”
Hank slouches in the seat. “I loved the shit out of her.” Words full of grief and anger tumble out. “But I didn’t know she was fucking every cat in town!”
“Sorry I brought it up.”
“Don’t do that, Angel. We promised each other we’d face our demons and move on. It’s time for me to do that.” The leather seat squeaks as he adjusts his position. “Sheila was special, but she wasn’t my soul mate. I think I told you that. My parents begged me not to marry her. They told me I should wait, but I let my dick think for me.”
“Ya mean ya beast did the thinking?”
“Humph. That’s exactly what happened. I should have ended it long before she ran off with Tyson,” Hank says sadly.
“But ya honorable.”
“I’m honorable.” Hank turns his attention to the road.
End of subject. He’s not going to say another word about Sheila Montgomery. Why should he? She hurt him deeply. I understand pain. No need for me to dig any further along that path. But something else bothers me. Something which will ultimately affect us.
“What did ya mean about ya beast wanting to meet me?”
My words send the car careening across the highway, uncontrolled. In a split second, Hank jerks the wheel and swerves back into our lane. Thankfully, there aren’t any other cars around us. He shoots a steely gaze at me.
“How the hell…? Do you read minds?” he stammers out.
“No,” I respond cautiously. “I heard ya thoughts. It happens when vampires are close to others. If there are too many people in a room, though, it sounds like mindless chatter. I have to concentrate really hard to find the voice I want.”
Hank’s expression slides into a scowl. “How long have you been listening to mine?”
His emotions are on a roller-coaster ride dipping between anger and disbelief. Tangled thoughts hit me like a foul wind. Silent words and accusations, like shards of glass, cut me. Gripping the door handle tightly, I bite back my tears and block out the barrage.
Wrong move.
I loosen my grip. Staying calm will allow me to help Hank understand. If he wants me to accept his beast, he’s got to learn to play with my monster. She can be a spiteful, angry bitch determined to have her way.
“Pull over, Hank,” I say gently.
For once, he doesn’t question my command and steers the car toward the Welcome Center exit. He pulls into a parking spot. With the motor running, Hank clenches and unclenches his jaw.
Summoning every shred of strength I possess, I say, “I’d like to explain.”
He growls. “I think you should.”
If this… If he rejects me…
Don’t think that. He just needs to understand.
“I don’t purposely listen to ya thoughts. If anything, I try hard not to hear them.”
“Why is that?”
I swallow hard. “I’m respecting ya privacy.”
“You can say that after eavesdropping in my head?” Hank’s tone turns ugly. “Why the hell bother speaking? Just read me. I knew you overheard me talking at times, but getting inside my head…”
Don’t cry.
“Hank, please don’t hate me,” I plead. “This is what I am. I can’t turn it off.”
He doesn’t speak.
I continue. “It’s just like ya beast—”
“That shit doesn’t compare!” he yells, and the car shakes.
I need to get out of this vehicle. Now. Hell, removing my pendant and risking the sun would be preferrable to Hank’s rejection. I pop open the door and stalk across the parking lot. My feet don’t stop moving until I reach a line of trees surrounding the rest stop—a natural shield against the light.
Wrapping my arms around myself, I realize this is the moment I feared the most. If Hank’s going to cast me aside, he should at least do me a favor and end me. I won’t… I can’t exist in this world without him. Not anymore.
In the background, the car engine dies. Heavy footsteps, pounding the pavement, come up behind me. Before he touches me, I warn, “For the record, I hear ya heart.” My voice breaks. “I hear ya fear, too.”