by Liza Street
But oh, there’d be hell to pay.
She couldn’t risk facing Cosette or Bo. They’d know she’d been with Fraze without even asking—only a shifter’s powerful blood would have allowed her to heal from such extensive injuries so quickly.
She eased her way through the darkened hallways. Candles had been put out, and silence reigned. The building was creepy, not that she really had anything to be afraid of anymore. She was the scariest demon there was, wasn’t that right? They could hurt her, but not for long.
Except now…something could cause lasting damage. She was vulnerable, because if Fraze was hurt, it would kill her inside.
Just before she reached her room, Bo showed up, swaying on his feet.
“You’re cutting it close,” she said to him.
“Need a word, Gracie.”
“Not now.”
His eyes flashed. “Just because I’m about to sleep, doesn’t mean you can be short with me. I know what Cosette did—”
“You know what, Bo? I thought we were in this together. From the very beginning, we looked out for each other. ‘It’s what Clive would want,’ you always said. But…I’m not so sure anymore. He wouldn’t want revenge on someone innocent for something that sheriff did all those decades ago. He wouldn’t want this constant battle. He—”
“I know,” Bo said. “That’s why I came to talk to you.”
Gracie closed her mouth. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, I want you to give up that shifter. Not for Clive, not for revenge.”
“But…that was the whole point, I thought.”
“I know,” Bo said. “It was. But things are changing.” He lowered his voice. “Gracie, Cosette was furious, and she wasn’t kidding about taking the issue to Ana. I’m surprised she hasn’t already, but, well, we’d know if she had. If the Nocturne Court finds out what you’re up to, it’s the end of you. You’ll meet the dawn. You want that?”
“I—no.” Of course she didn’t want that. She’d just met Fraze and was hoping they’d have years to get to know each other.
“Look, following through on the revenge is what’s gonna keep you safe. You’ll survive.”
Gracie remained stubbornly silent. She didn’t have a response right now, and she didn’t care to think something up or try to reason with Bo.
“I gotta get to sleep,” he said.
“Yeah.”
“Think on it, will you?” he asked. “While you’re—” he gestured to her room, filled with books and sketch pads and pencils. “While you’re doing all this stuff, think about Clive. Maybe he wouldn’t have cared about revenge, Gracie Jane, but he did care about you. He’d want you to survive.”
And with that, Bo stumbled off down the hall to his room.
Gracie closed the door shut behind him, and leaned against it.
Survival.
She’d cared about that for over a hundred years. Now, though, she wanted to live.
Eighteen
As Fraze sped down the mountain road, the sun was just dipping below the mountain tops. Ahead of him, Ben’s Jeep Wrangler was taking the turns too fast.
Fraze had been trailing after the Channing twins all day, wondering how he was going to stop them from finding Gracie and the other vampires. At the moment, the Channings were simply driving around, getting out of the car, and exploring in their lion forms. If they actually found something, Fraze would have to get involved.
He didn’t want to have to fight them, but if that’s what it took to protect Gracie, he’d do it. On a normal day, he wouldn’t have liked his chances going against two trained Guardians, but the effects of Gracie’s blood in his system hadn’t worn away.
He could fight through heaven and hell for her.
Suddenly the Jeep stopped on the shoulder, and Ben and Doug climbed out.
Fraze parked behind them. He knew they’d seen him, and he hadn’t tried to hide at any point during the afternoon.
They stripped out of their clothes and shifted into their lions. Right there by the side of the road, the idiots. Did they think they were invisible? A car full of humans could pass by at any time.
Shaking his head, Fraze watched as they loped into the forest. He didn’t need to follow them yet. Such an overt move would only piss them off and they’d brawl. Even though he felt stronger than he had ever felt before in his life, he didn’t want to fight them. No, he wanted to stalk them.
And then, when it was necessary, he’d fight.
He grabbed his phone from where it had been resting on the passenger’s seat. He found Dristan on speed dial and punched the button.
“Dristan’s Deli,” his brother said.
“I gotta tell you something,” Fraze said.
“I knew it.”
“Don’t be a douche,” Fraze said.
“I’m not. It’s just, you’ve been dancing around this for a few days.”
Fraze took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Look, I’m in love with her.”
“Good for you, bro.”
“And I know you think it’s a stupid move. Maybe it is.”
“What’s that thing you say all the time?” Dristan asked. “The heart wants what the heart wants?”
“Yeah,” Fraze said. “Exactly. Only this is more about need. It’s not just desire. It’s like an ache that I can’t get rid of. Like I’m not going to be able to live without her.”
“Sounds like it’s the real thing,” Dristan said. Then he laughed. “Or a high-school crush.”
“Are you trying to piss me off on purpose?” Fraze took a deep breath. “She misses the sunrise over the valley.”
“She’s a vampire.”
“She’s more than a vampire, D. She’s a woman.”
Dristan let out a huge sigh. “What do you want me to say? You want my blessing? I don’t think so. Her kind kidnapped Juan. They attacked me, took my blood. I nearly died in there, and I bet you anything your girl was in there, too. You wanna bang a dead girl? Fine. Just don’t expect me to celebrate.”
Fraze looked at his phone. Jumbled words garbled in his throat in a growl. He had so many, so many comebacks, but instead of fighting with his brother, he hung up.
That could have gone a little better. Maybe.
Sure as shit couldn’t have gone worse.
He pounded the passenger’s seat next to him. Dammit, Dristan. Fraze had supported him throughout his entire, nearly-failed relationship with Laura. The least he could do was pretend not to loathe Gracie.
It was now twilight. The birds had stopped their song, and a hush fell over the forest. Fraze got out of the car and started to walk after Ben and Doug. He’d shift once he was away from the road, thank you very much, because he wasn’t an asshole who enjoyed taking risks that could expose their entire kind.
He stopped suddenly. Somebody’s phone was ringing in the Jeep in front of him. Ben and Doug were coming back—they weren’t even trying to be quiet.
Fraze went back to his car to wait and see what happened.
The phone stopped ringing, then started again.
Ben and Doug came back out of the woods and shifted back to their human forms. Again, right fucking there for the whole world to see. Doug pulled on his pants and fished the phone out of his pocket.
He spoke into it, too quietly for Fraze to hear, then he grinned over at Ben. If Fraze believed anything in this world, it was that a smile on one of the Channing twins’ faces was never a good thing for anyone else. Mean motherfuckers.
They got into their Jeep, turned around, and sped past Fraze. He flipped them off as they went, and they flipped him off, too.
At least the lack of respect was mutual.
Fraze gunned his engine and took off after them, eager to figure out what had them so happy.
They took the turns too fast, but so did Fraze, and his Mustang could go faster. But once they got into town, the Channings blew through a red light. There were people around, though, and Fraze wasn’t ready to risk the live
s of innocent drivers and foot traffic by maneuvering like an asshole through town.
His phone buzzed, and he glanced at the screen while he was stopped at the light. Marlana. Calling the pride in again.
Fraze smiled. He’d be able to catch up with the twins at her place.
Nineteen
Gracie waited until it was nearly dusk, and then she left her room.
As she could feel that night was falling, she heard stirring in the basement. She hurried back to her room and eased the door shut behind her. She didn’t want to talk to any of them, not even Bo.
She needed to keep a low profile until this was over.
But when would it be over? What was her plan? She couldn’t let them hurt Fraze. At the same time, she was powerless. She couldn’t even call him, because she’d destroyed her damn phone.
As soon as she could get away from everyone, she’d find him. The hell with keeping safe by not speaking up. Her loyalties had officially changed. She’d tell him everything, and they’d run off together.
It was the dream of a little girl, though—not the reality of an adult. She’d been trapped in an eighteen-year-old’s body for over a hundred years, but she’d matured on the inside. Maybe no one took her seriously because she was so small and looked so young, but she was strong, and fierce, and she’d protect Fraze no matter what the cost.
And after that? Was the dream of being with Fraze a real possibility? Could they actually run away from everything and everyone they knew? Would he be willing to do that? When they were together, she had no doubts at all that she was the center of his world. But this was fast. They’d known each other maybe a week, nothing more.
But she had seen inside his mind last night. She’d seen his true feelings for her, and those feelings…they’d been just as strong as hers. Could she believe in that?
Voices were muffled through her door, the court getting ready to go out and hunt. She waited. After they left, she’d leave.
Her door burst open. Gracie stood. There in the doorway was Ana. Behind her, Bo, Mikhail, a Nocturne vampire…and Cosette.
“I hear you’re keeping some secrets from me,” Ana said, her gaze like ice on Gracie’s face. “I hear you’ve been seeing your shifter friend.”
Gracie looked to Bo. He shook his head, no, he hadn’t said anything. Gracie trusted him. She looked to Cosette, whose mouth was quirked up in a smug smile.
Gracie shrugged. She wasn’t going to lie about it, because it was true, and because a lie wouldn’t save her now.
“This isn’t about Clive,” Ana continued. “Your human boyfriend from before. No, this is bigger, dear.” She advanced into Gracie’s room, her footsteps slow and measured.
Gracie was a giant compared to Ana, but Ana had all the strength and age.
“This is about our court. Protecting the strength of the court,” Ana said. “Do you know what happens when one bad apple starts rotting? It spoils the rest of them. That’s what you’re doing, little apple. Spoiling the lot. I knew there was something weak about the Corona Court. I’d thought it was Maslin. Obviously, it’s more than him—it’s some of the lesser members. Like you.”
Gracie couldn’t look away from Ana’s cold gaze. She stood as straight as possible. “I haven’t done anything wrong. I’ve followed my heart. I forgot I had one, but I found it again with him.”
“So romantic!” Ana’s laughter was like tinkling glass. In a harder, angry voice, she said, “Grab her.”
Cosette came forward, along with Mikhail and the Nocturne Court vampire. Gracie looked at Bo again, but he was looking away, anywhere but at her.
He was a coward. She’d protected him, fought with him, fought alongside him. Hunted with him. Spent hours in his company. Reminisced about Clive. But now, when she needed him the most, when she needed someone on her side more than anything else, he was turning away.
Cosette, Mikhail, and the third vampire marched Gracie out of the house and into the forest. The air smelled full, warm and expectant. Gracie tried digging her feet into the soft earth, but her captors simply lifted her. Cosette and Mikhail held her arms, and the Nocturne vampire held her legs. Kicking was no use. Squirming was no use.
She turned her head and caught sight of Bo, standing still in the doorway. The regretful look on his face said everything—he had tried, and failed, to get Gracie to see reason.
They carried her for miles, out into the forest. Over logs, through trees and brush. Nothing slowed them down. Ana trailed behind—Gracie couldn’t see her, but she could smell her ancient scent of copper and flesh.
After what felt like hours but was probably no more than forty minutes, Ana said, “Stop. This is the place.”
Gracie looked around. There was nothing here but a clearing. Grasses punched up from the ground that was clear of pine needles. Shrubs, too. Aspen lined the clearing, forming a long oval. At one end, a dead pine tree rose from the ground like a petrified giant.
Silently, two large animals stepped forward from the shadows. Painters, Gracie’s uncle had called them. Cougars. They circled around for a minute, as if checking to make sure they weren’t surrounded, and then one of them started glowing with an ethereal light before transforming into a man. He had reddish-brown hair, and his amber eyes were bright in the darkness.
Naked, he stood up from his crouch and strode forward as if not even aware of his nudity. “This is the gift?”
Ana nodded serenely. “We give her to you. You raise your status in your pride.”
“What do you get out of it?” he asked, scratching the back of his head.
Ana’s voice grew cold and thin. “We rid ourselves of bad blood.”
The man nodded. “Hand her over, then.”
Ana flicked her head in a quick nod, and the Nocturne vampire let go of Gracie’s legs. Cosette and Mikhail let go of her arms. She darted to the left, but her path was suddenly blocked by a huge mountain lion. Gracie shrieked, but the naked man came up behind her and covered her mouth.
Ana and the other vampires were already gone. Bo was never here to begin with.
Twenty
The meeting at Marlana’s had gone on for too long. Fraze was antsy—Ben and Doug weren’t here. It made no sense. They were supposed to be here. Laura and Chase were patrolling the grounds, so Ben and Doug should be here, but Marlana didn’t even note their absence.
Dristan ignored Fraze, wouldn’t even look at him. Asshole brother, Fraze thought. So judgmental.
Maybe Fraze would’ve been judgmental, too, if he’d been alone in that vampire cave when they all came after him. But he had to believe Gracie wouldn’t have been in on such a low move. He had to believe she’d already fled the area when all of that had gone down. His Gracie was fair and kind. She wouldn’t—
He was making excuses, and he knew it. Dristan had every right to hold a grudge; if it weren’t for Laura coming in at the last minute, Dristan would have died that day.
Fraze followed basically what Marlana was talking about. Next steps for negotiating with the vampires, and other protocol to keep the members of the pride safe until a treaty was agreed upon.
After she finished, he checked his phone. Still no text from Gracie. He was nervous—she should have contacted him by now. He sent a quick text to her instead. Everything okay? and waited.
Nothing happened. Shouldn’t she respond? What if something was wrong? Then he remembered, she didn’t have a phone anymore.
Phone or not, he was still uneasy.
Again the absence of Ben and Doug was something that made him uncomfortable. Marlana finally ended her briefing and excused everyone, so Fraze headed out. He could hear Dristan coming up behind him. He ignored his brother and tried to brush past Marlana with his head bowed. Maybe she’d ignore him, as she usually did.
“Where are you off to?” Marlana asked.
Fraze kept his head bowed. “The woods.”
“Be more specific.”
“I’m worried about my mate.”
; “Your mate? I wasn’t aware you’d found a mate.”
“It just happened.”
“Well? Who is she? She’s not in our pride, I take it, or she’d be next to you right now.” Marlana paused, and her eyes widened in surprise. “You—she’s not a—”
He forced his head up to look at her. “She’s a vampire.”
Marlana held her fists tight at her side. “She’s a vampire?”
“Yes. A vampire. And she’s mine.”
Marlana shook her head, and the anger flashing in her cold blue eyes forced Fraze to bow his head again. “This is unbelievable,” she said. “Shifter-human matings are problematic enough. A shifter-vampire mating? It’s unheard of. I won’t allow it.”
“There’s nothing I can do about it,” Fraze said. “Even if I wanted to. Which I don’t.”
Stepping closer to him, invading his personal space, Marlana hissed, “How do you even know that she’s your mate?”
A low voice said from behind Fraze, “He knows. I’ve heard him talk about her. Whatever’s going on between them—it’s real.”
Fraze turned to see Dristan. His brother was sticking up for him, even though he didn’t approve of Gracie.
“Shit,” Marlana muttered.
Fraze couldn’t remember hearing her swear before. “What do you mean?” he asked sharply.
“It means, if this is real, I should call Ben and Doug,” Marlana said.
“What are they doing?” Fraze reached out and grabbed her arm.
She wrenched herself out of his grasp. “Do not get aggressive with me, young man. I’m going to do the best I can. They told me they were getting a vampire—the queen saw them at the bar and made an arrangement. A peace offering from the court. They wanted to show her to me at dawn.”
He knew, without a doubt, that they had Gracie. Every cell in his body told him the truth, every feeling in his gut, every premonition in his mind. Fear washed through him, emptying him out, making everything cold.
“Find out where they are,” Fraze urged. “Please.”
“Somewhere near the Argothan Lodge, but they didn’t say where exactly.” Already, she was dialing. Fraze listened as the tone sounded and then it went to voicemail.