by Dawn Ibanez
Augustina pulled the coat on. Her face lost all expression as she pulled on the collar of the coat. She zipped it partially and ran her hands over the patch on the left breast. “I’ll think about it,” she said softly.
Tati smiled. “I knew that would look boss on you,” she said. She reached out and embraced Augustina. The fact that the dark-haired woman remained frozen didn’t faze her. “Take care of yourself. My break’s over, and I need to get back into the rig. I’ll be seeing you. Bye!”
Elijah didn’t say anything as the redhead made her way out of the hospital wing. He wouldn’t say anything about it. If Augustina wanted to make friends with the strange woman that migrated from another part of his sector, he wouldn’t stop her.
That also wouldn’t stop him from putting her under a microscope.
Augustina spent her entire life protecting her sister. He would take this time to protect her.
She was, after all, a citizen of the North as well.
Chapter 6
Gus looked at the mansion in front of her. It reminded her more of a castle from old fairy tales. The stone facing was intimidating, but she wouldn’t let her fear show. Elijah was watching her. So was his pet guard dog Edmund. The car ride to the meat market had been uncomfortable, and that had been only her and Elijah. Edmund made her feel like an ant under a magnifying glass.
Elijah placed his hand on her lower back and guided her to the front doors. In one of the cherub shaped statues was a camera. Elijah looked at it for a moment and the doors sprang open silently. “After you,” he said softly.
Gus walked through the doors and felt an odd sensation on her skin. She frowned and looked at him. “What did you just do?”
“The threshold is warded against those that would do Lord Elijah harm,” Edmund said as he followed Elijah into the house. “Usually those that feel anything have violent thoughts toward him.”
She pulled her lips up into a smile. “I have already told Lord Elijah that I will not harm him, unless properly provoked.”
“What would you consider properly provoked?”
There was no way she would back down from the man in front of her. She wouldn’t show that kind of weakness. “Ask your friend Warren. That’s his name, right?”
“Stop it,” Elijah said rubbing the bridge of his nose. “You both want the same thing.”
“No we don’t,” she and Edmund said in unison. They looked at each other for a moment. Finally, Edmund shook his head. “I’m going to check in with security and make sure nothing else has gone wrong tonight.”
Gus remained silent as she looked around the large foyer they stood in. Everything screamed old money. She pressed her lips together as she tucked her hands into the pockets of her coat. “Do you bring a lot of people here?” she asked.
“I would have to spend time here in order to want to have people over.” He stepped behind her and helped her out of her coat. “The security is tight. This is my last line of defense, so to speak. But people do not normally traipse through here. That is what Sector Central is for.”
Sector Central was an area she had always managed to avoid. Gus looked at him as he rested the coat on a near statue. When she frowned, he smiled. “The servants here are frightened of me. They avoid coming out to meet me and will only pick up after I leave an area.”
“That isn’t something to be proud about,” she commented. She moved away from him and examined a painting. “If you want to be a proud ruler, you need to have your people’s love and respect, not their fear and loathing. Otherwise you’re no better than De Leon.”
She saw his hands ball up into a fist. “Don’t get all sensitive. I’m not saying that you are De Leon. It’s just that I’ve known more vampires like him than like you. And it’s not a good look. But I’m not here to tell you how to run your house. You want me to find a killer.” She turned to walk away and paused when he held her arm. “What?”
His eyes were focused on hers. “You and I need to get a few things straight,” he said. He dropped her wrist and walked past her. “Come this way. We can discuss this in my office.”
Gus narrowed her eyes at his back. While part of her wanted to fight him and run, another part remembered their deal. He would look after Mel and make sure she got nothing but the best care. As long as he let her get a shot at whoever put her sister in that hospital bed, she would play nice with the Chevalier. She followed him down the hall and turned when she heard someone moving behind her. She turned to see a human girl taking their coats from the statue he placed them on.
“Augustina,” he called.
Gus saw the girl look at her and nodded. She then turned and went into Elijah’s office. She looked around the room and whistled. There were bookshelves along each wall. Each cover looked like it had been put there more for the aesthetic feel than his actually having read them. The earthy green tone of the walls and curtains went well with the brown wood of the floor and his desk. The entire room looked as if it came from a catalogue from years gone by.
“Impressive,” she said as she sat in one of the plush leather chairs in front of the desk.
“Thank you,” he said dryly. He closed the door and walked over to the chair opposite her. “While you are helping in the investigation, please feel free to consider the grounds your home.”
She looked at him. “I’m not your prisoner?”
He shook his head. “I intended to keep you close. The incident with Warren has not officially been answered to yet, but also if something happens with your sister, it would be more expedient to have you here in the house. But I have never entertained the idea that you are my prisoner.” He stood up and paced around his desk. “As for the comparisons to De Leon, I would appreciate it if you stopped them. They are inaccurate and insulting.”
Gus took a deep breath and held it for a moment. “I’ll try. Is that good enough?”
“Only if you tell me why. When I asked, you said you weren’t from Mexico.”
She had known he would want more information. Gus decided to give him some of the information he wanted, before he found out on his own. “And I’m not. But I’m from the southern tip of the South Sector. There were border raids periodically.” She jumped to her feet and paced around the room. Everything had suddenly become too small. “When I was twelve, one of those raids nearly took me. My father fought them off. The next night, they came back. De Leon was with them. Papi didn’t survive the night. The only reason why Mel and I did was because a neighbor put is in his basement. We hit the road that sunrise.”
He stepped in front of her. His eyes bore into hers. “What’s the rest?”
Gus swallowed as she looked at him. Something about his gaze called to her. Her hands trembled as she fought the urge to lash out at him. “De Leon’s men caught us. We were taken down to Punta Cana, and De Leon killed Blake, our neighbor. He put me into a fighting pit and took Mel into his house.”
“You two were children.”
“A decade or two is nothing to immortals.” She shook her head and moved away from him, and his piercing gaze. “The pits became my home. I fought for his entertainment. If I got hurt, then he would just jam some blood down my throat. I hated it. But there were others that wanted it. I didn’t get why. Not for a while.”
His voice was little better than a growl. “When did you leave?” he asked.
Gus ran her hands through her hair. A dark laugh escaped her. “Mel’s fifteenth birthday.” She saw a serving tray with a decanter of liquor in the corner and poured herself a healthy glass. “I was a star in his pits, so he put up with my whims. I would follow his orders as long as no one touched my sister. I didn’t care what was done to me.”
“What was done to you, Augustina?”
The way he said her name made her eyes fill with tears. She closed them and shook her head. “I’m not going to talk about that. You don’t get that.” She drank the liquor she poured in one gulp. The burn down her throat helped center her, but the words didn’t stop.
“I knew what he planned for Mel’s birthday. He wanted to make her real woman on her quinceañera. Like he did with every girl in his house. I broke out of my cell, found Mel and made our escape. He found us before we could get out, so I did what I always do. I protected my sister.”
“You’re the one that killed him.”
“I’m the one who killed the Chevalier of Northern Mexico.” She poured another drink and guzzled it. The memories would haunt her, she knew it. But if he wanted to know her story, if he needed to know it to learn to trust her, she would give it. Most of it. “We ran. By the time we reached the border, it was late morning. A couple of members of the South Glaive let us through. Mel told them what happened, minus the part of me killing De Leon. They got us checked out at the hospital. After that, we disappeared. Fast forward to two years ago, we came to the North Sector, and Mel met Shawn. He’s a womanizer, but he never tried anything with her. He offered us jobs, and here we are.”
“You kept up your training because you think De Leon’s men will come after you again?”
She tucked her hair behind an ear. “Wouldn’t you?” she asked. When he looked at her, she shrugged. “It’s been quiet, and Mel’s happy here. If she could pretend to have a normal life, I was fine letting her.”
He went to his desk and leaned against it. “On to the next topic then,” he said with a nod. He folded his arms over his chest. “You aren’t human.”
A snort escaped her. “That’s news to me. Our father was as human as they came, and I only have trace memories of my mother. She was beautiful and loving. But to all children, their mothers are.” Gus then shook her head. “And if you ask Mel, she remembers even less than I do.”
Elijah nodded as he changed positions again. She had the feeling that he was feeling just as pent up as she was. “De Leon was killed, and Gideon’s men took care of some of his followers. He didn’t give any details but told Lord Raul that if he didn’t install someone that would honor the treaty with Dominic, we would take Mexico.”
She shrugged and went to the window. Gus leaned her head against the cool glass and closed her eyes. “I think it would be best if you took me to wherever I’m sleeping,” she said.
He went to her and turned her to him. He cupped the back of her neck and looked into her eyes. “I won’t promise to not give you my blood again.” The frown that marred his face made the expression in his eyes unreadable. “If you are injured, I will do as I see fit to protect and care for you.”
“You would do better to protect and care for Mel.”
Elijah nodded as he released her. “You care for your sister, but who cares for you?” he asked.
She lowered her gaze. No one ever took the time to care for her. She was the older sister who was supposed to care for everyone else. Shawn tried, so did Henry. But it had always been her and Mel against everyone else. “No one’s strong enough to do the job.”
“No one has the patience to get past your prickly nature.” Elijah raised her face to his. She was still as he leaned down closer to her. Gus fought not to tremble as his lips hovered centimeters from hers. “I really should show you to your room.”
She blinked. He was supposed to be her host. He was supposed to be the big bad Chevalier of the North. If he had been anything like De Leon, she would already be stripped bare and ass up on his desk.
Gus stepped back and crossed her arms over her chest. “Yes. Please.”
Elijah nodded and went to the door. Gus watched him move and reminded herself that he was the very person she should have been running from. He was the hand of a ruling gargoyle. His words were law. Yet she couldn’t stop herself from wanting to trust him. “I assume you’ll want a room that gets a lot of sunlight.”
“If that’s what you have, I’ll take it.” She shrugged when he looked at her. “Years in a cell, remember? Having a bed is a luxury. Getting to pick out my own room may be a little too much.”
His expression was unreadable as they walked through the house. “There is a door down this hallway that will lead you to the back gardens. If you go down the left hall, you’ll eventually reach the kitchens. Maxwell is the head cook. His daughter is Sabrina. She tends to take on the role of the head of house. If you need anything, she can get it for you.”
Gus continued to follow him. If she wasn’t a prisoner, she would try to spend some time outside on the grounds. She took a mental note to explore everything later. “Where do you sleep?” she asked. When he turned to her, she smiled. “Don’t worry. If I decide to kill you, you’ll be awake. I just want to know where to avoid in the house.”
Elijah’s skeptical look was her answer. He turned and led her up a flight of stairs. “You won’t have any reason to contact me during the day. The staff will make sure of that.” Before they started down another hall, he turned to her and pressed her against the wall. “And again, I will remind you, I am not De Leon. You’ll find me a lot harder to kill.”
Gus couldn’t stop the smile that crossed her face. There was no reason to trust the man in front of her. He was the Chevalier of the Sector. If he wanted to, he could have her thrown into a cell and forgotten. He could have her publicly executed for the things she had done in the past. But something told her that he would never do that to her. “Those tests or whatever you want me to do tomorrow. You know I’m going to pass them, right?”
He reached up and caressed the side of her face. “I hope you do,” he said in a soft voice.
Her hand trembled as she reached up and ran her fingers through his dark brown hair. She smiled as she messed up the neatly combed style he wore. “I’ve wanted to do that for a while.” Her eyes widened as his arm wrapped around her waist and hauled her against his body. She didn’t think as she brought his face to hers and kissed him. She moaned softly as his tongue parted her lips. Gus clutched at him as he took control of their kiss. Her hands shook as she clawed at his shirt. Any idea of being scared or of running from this man evaporated as he lifted her off the floor.
“I thought the purpose of having her here was to keep her close. Not for you to sleep with her,” Edmund’s voice said.
Gus broke the kiss and turned her face away from the intruding vampire. Her feet touched the floor again as Elijah released his hold.
“Don’t you have something better to do?” Elijah asked.
Gus refused to look at Edmund. She waited until Elijah released her completely before moving away from him. “I’ll just take one of these rooms,” she said. He mumbled something before she opened a door to a vacant room. Gus took a breath and turned to him. “This will be fine. I’ll see you when it’s time to go to Sector Central,” she said before closing the door.
She looked around the room and saw the bed with its lush white comforter and plush pillows. She pressed her back to the door and slid down to the floor. Gus rubbed the back of her neck as she remembered the feeling of Elijah’s arms around her. “How the hell am I going to get out of this one?”
*****
Elijah watched the door close behind Augustina. He knew she was running from their attraction. He didn’t fully blame her. The Chevalier turned to his second in command. “Don’t start,” he ordered.
“You said you wanted to know when something of interest happened in the sector. Something of interest has happened.” Edmund turned and started towards the stairs. “It’s too late for us to do anything, but I have sent a few of the more skilled human Guardsmen to secure any evidence.”
Elijah went to the stairs and started down them. He pulled his phone from his pants pocket and quickly sent a text to the young woman that ran his home. When he reached Edmund, the other vampire was in his office bringing up a report on his tablet. “Is it another body?” he asked.
Edmund showed Elijah the devise. “One person can’t be doing this. There are too many bodies.”
Elijah took the tablet into his hands and scrolled through the report. He frowned when he saw the pictures from the crime scene. He held out the device. “I want yo
u to give these pictures to Augustina. She may know of where they are moving to next.”
Edmund put the table on the desk and frowned as he leaned against it. “We need to talk about Miss. Vega.”
Elijah looked at him. “What about her?”
“Why is she here?” Edmund crossed the room to one of the chairs and sat. “You say that she is here under your protection. But when given the chance, you’re pawing at her in the hallway. I thought you would have had more control than that.”
“She is under my protection. Augustina will be vital in eliminating whatever this threat is.”
“You don’t know that. She could be working for the monster is doing this. She could be the monster doing this.” Edmund gestured to the desk. “You know nothing about her. And you have not only brought her into this investigation, but you brought her into your home as well.”
It was true. Elijah knew that everything she told him could have been a lie. It also didn’t stop him from wanting her. “I know enough,” he declared. When Edmund’s expression soured, he held up his hand. “If you feel the need to check out her background, by all means, do so. Report if you find anything of note. But I have a feeling you will only find things she has already told me.”
Edmund nodded. “Fine. I’ll start on that now. You must go down to your chambers. The last thing either of us need is for her to find you during the day.”
Elijah loosened his tie as he left his office. He walked to the stairs and found the opening to his underground apartment. He ducked down and made his way to his chamber. He understood what Edmund was doing. As captain of the Glaive, it was his duty to protect the ruling Chevalier. Even if the Chevalier’s worst enemy was himself. It didn’t make the idea of Edmund finding out about the Vega girls’ time with De Leon any easier. Elijah opened the door to his bedroom and stripped out of his tie and shirt. He glanced at the mirror and saw that his hair was a wild mess. Elijah ran his hands over his scalp to fix it. Whatever good mood he had been in soured as he thought of Augustina’s passion.