Toil & Trouble

by Nikki Landis

  “Yes, I thought it was you. We almost had sex.”

  “Oh, you did or he wouldn’t have bonded you.” Damian’s voice was bitter. “I’ll take care of this after we go to the Ether.”

  “Damian.”

  “No, precious. This is better left to me.” His fangs lowered and he pierced my skin as a wave of rapture erupted along my spine. After a minute he paused and sliced his wrist open, pressing it to my lips. ‘Drink, my beautiful pet. You need the extra boost.’

  He licked my lips once I was finished, continuing his tight embrace. I lay my head on his shoulder and enjoyed this rare moment alone with him. “You won’t tell me what happened?”

  “Not now, little Raven. I need to speak to the others.”

  After a kiss to my forehead, Damian left without another word.

  Chapter 5

  Strange dreams dominated a good portion of my night. I awakened to an odd sensation and found Kayde in my doorway, watching me as I slept. Talk about creepy . . .

  Maybe I needed a cup of tea. Sometimes that’s all it took to relax.

  As soon as I walked beyond the archway of the door, I was pulled into the room across the hall. The door closed with a click as I was slammed against the wall, my arms pinned on either side of my head as I stared into the stern expression of the witch hunter.

  “For someone who’s completely disinterested you seem to show up often enough.” Yeah, I was trying to bait him. The man was an instant irritant and I didn’t like the way he was still holding me.

  “Shut up, witch,” he ordered, his hard gaze locked on mine. “I don’t know what game you play but you risk exposing three immortals to the Thrall. Don’t be so selfish.”

  Exactly, immortals. They couldn’t die. Kayde was an idiot.

  “You should be taking care of this on your own,” he continued.

  I flinched at the hatred in his tone. “If I thought I could, I would.”

  “You’re too weak,” he spat in disgust, “so don’t allow the others to be destroyed because of your pathetic attempt to return to the Ether. You’ll be lucky if the Thrall don’t kill you.”

  I still didn’t understand his reasoning or his animosity. “Why do you hate me so much?” I blurted, trying hard not to let any emotion creep into my tone and failing miserably.

  “I’d have to care to hate you.”

  I saw nothing in his gaze that contradicted that statement. Keeping eye contact, I nodded. “Understood.” When I tried to move, he wouldn’t budge. “Let go of me.”

  “We’re not done yet, princess. I’ll let you know when I release you.”

  Sneering at his comment, I lifted a knee to catch him in the crotch but he swiveled out of the way easily and stuck his knee between my thighs. My legs spread apart as he leaned in and smiled . . . but it wasn’t friendly.

  “We need to establish some rules, Cassandra.”

  I don’t know which surprised me more – the fact that he used my name or he seemed to be wanting to work things out. “We do,” I agreed.

  His expression hardened. “I come and go as I please. I do as please. I say what I want and I take what I want, when I want it, how I want it and I answer to no one.”

  I rolled my eyes. He was on such an ego trip. Not to mention this sounded a little too close to Fifty Shades of Grey. I doubted Kayde was any kind of Dom. My guess – he was just a man who’d been betrayed and chose to block everyone else in his life as a means of preservation. “Whatever.”

  “Rule number two, you don’t ever try to fight me, little witch. If I give an order you will obey me instantly without question.”

  Arching a brow, I smirked. “Don’t count on that.”

  “And three – my business is my own, so stay out of it. That includes bothering your aunt about me. Got it?”

  “Wouldn’t I have to care to ask?”

  A muscle in his jaw twitched when he realized I tossed his own words right back at him. “Break these rules and the consequences will be severe. Understood?”

  I was super curious about whatever punishment he was capable of inflicting. Kayde gave off a tough and brutal exterior but as I gazed into his eyes I caught a quick glimpse of pain. Something in his past caused his hardened shell. Neither of us moved as we stared into the depths of each other’s souls. An intensity I didn’t expect seemed to radiate between us and crackle like static cling – an electric spark that wasn’t lust or desire but something even more profound.

  It scared the hell out of me.

  I wanted nothing to do with Kayde or the mean streak that reared its ugly head every time we shared the same space. Pushing him away with a sudden burst of panic, I ran from the room without a word. Once I was alone in my bathroom, I sank to the floor, my back resting against the wood of the closed door.

  Kayde truly terrified me . . . and I wasn’t sure if it was the magnetic pull toward him or the hard man that held secrets that spooked me more.

  * * *

  October 5th

  “Ryder?”

  He was sitting on my bed when I entered the room after breakfast, watching the doorway with interest. “Hi, angel.”

  “I was beginning to think you were ignoring me,” I teased.

  “Not a chance, hot stuff.” He winked as I flopped down next to his side. “My turn,” he replied huskily before his hand rose and cupped my left cheek. “I’ve been thinking about this for days.” His warm lips met mine in a kiss that was unexpectedly gentle and took me by surprise.

  The moment we touched a felt a flash of icy cold wind brush over my skin followed by a rainbow of colors that burst like fireworks across my line of vision. A hazy film seemed to settle and cover everything like those waves of heat that hover above the asphalt on a hot day as the sun beats down relentlessly.

  I gasped as Ryder stood in front of me and smiled. “Do you know where we are?”

  “It’s not the fade or the Ether.”

  “Nope.”

  “It’s like we’re realm walking but we aren’t,” I surmised. “I can’t describe this. It’s so different.” It was reality but it wasn’t. The sensations and colors were strange but uniquely crafted in such a way that I felt at home among the magical vibrations.

  He chuckled lightly. “Yes, because you can only do this if you’re a Ghoul.”

  My jaw dropped. “We’re spirit walking, aren’t we?”

  “More or less. Just as I possess the gift of soul touch, so I can also connect to other Ghouls or with those I share a bond. Our mortal flesh is connected and we aren’t only here mentally. We’re here physically, too.”

  “That’s impossible . . .” I blinked and spun in a circle, taking in all the souls I could see walking on invisible but deliberate paths. They filtered in and out like mirages, ghosts of the physical bodies of the Ghouls that belonged to each individual one. Fascinated, I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the scene. It was beautiful. “What are these?” I asked, staring at the thin lines of color that trailed behind each Ghoul.

  “Our threads.”

  “Threads?” I turned back to Ryder.

  He stepped closer, pulling me into his embrace. “Yes. See?” He picked up the multi-colored thread that resembled some kind of umbilical cord, twisted in every shade of the rainbow.

  “Where does the thread start?” I asked, looking for where it entered his body.

  “My navel, of course.” He laughed lightly. “It’s a Ghoul thing.”

  It was cute, in a weird way. “Why is it so colorful?”

  “Every emotion and facet of my personality, my unique abilities and skills, they all combine to make this thread. It begins a solid color at our birth and then thickens and changes, growing longer and more colorful as we age.”

  Huh. Interesting. “It’s so odd,” I admitted. “We don’t keep ours after birth.”

  “No, and you wouldn’t want to nor need it.” He paused and lifted my hand to his thread, nearly touching. “Once you touch mine, we’ll be forever linked. This isn’
t physical like a human consummation. A Ghoul’s thread is spiritual. It’s the source of my power, angel.”

  My eyes widened. “Really?”

  He smiled and his whole face took on a boyish quality that was at once endearing and sweet. “Yes. Ready?”

  I exhaled a deep breath and nodded as my hand closed around the warm thread, Ryder’s hand over mine as a pulse throbbed beneath my palm. My whole body trembled as a whoosh of power and sudden knowledge flooded my brain. I gasped as I saw Ryder as an infant, held in a woman’s arms and lovingly snuggled close. A man kissed his forehead and picked him, swinging Ryder around as a toddler as he laughed and squealed. I saw him as a youth, a teenager, and then a young adult. Milestones and specific moments that must have been pivotal to his growth and development into the man he was flashed across my mind and picked up speed until I felt dizzy and nearly nauseas.

  Throughout the quick succession of images was an undercurrent of joy and laugher, emotion and a ready enthusiasm for life. Ryder was a unique and interesting man who was open, honest, and full of warmth and passion.

  The memories slowed down until they stopped on the first time Ryder saw me during Samhain. I felt every emotion in his chest as his attraction, desire, and curiosity became my own. Each moment we saw one another, every laugh, every word he spoke were seared into my brain. They joined the images from his childhood and adolescence until I knew everything about him – his strengths and weaknesses, his desires and dislikes, and even his mistakes and successes.

  His joy became mine.

  His sorrow became mine.

  His burdens. His needs. Every part of the man and the Ghoul.

  I felt my body collapse as he caught me, overcome with the extent of this knowledge. “My Cassie!” He called out, his voice tight.

  My vision cleared as Ryder’s face focused into view. “You . . . you’re . . . mine,” I whispered in awe.

  “Yes,” he confirmed, “always.”

  Trembling with emotion, I pulled him close until our lips met. This kiss was different, deeper, stronger, more powerful than any kiss I’d had before. “Ryder,” I finally managed to whisper. For the first time, I noticed the tears that glistened in his eyes.

  “Cass, my angel, I feel so much.” He shook his head. “Your loss, your parents, your suffering . . . I’m so sorry.”

  “Did you see my childhood? All my memories?” The thought was a little disconcerting. No one knew my pain. I hid it well and wasn’t inclined to dwell upon it. Living in the past was something I never indulged. Only the present and the future mattered.

  “You don’t have to worry with me,” he assured, “I am yours. Every secret is safe.” His forehead lowered to mine. “I will guard and protect you until I no longer exist.”

  “Ryder, does this mean we’re bonded?”

  “Yes, it’s actually much more to a Ghoul. It’s a form of marriage, but not in the sense that humans think of it. It’s a merging of hearts, memories, and power. You will gain a portion of my abilities over time.”

  Now that was cool. A witch with Ghoul abilities like soul touch? How awesome was that?

  Until I remembered he liked to feast on zombie flesh.

  “I’m not eating anyone’s brains,” I replied, nearly gagging.

  He laughed hard and shook his head. “It won’t be like that,” he assured me, “I promise.”

  “And intimacy? What about sex?” Okay, so I was curious. Who wouldn’t be?

  He chuckled again before his lips met mine. “Not required for the bond but I’m hoping we won’t skip that part.”

  I can’t believe I actually blushed at his words.

  He noticed and couldn’t contain his mirth as we lay on the ground, souls walking around us in intersecting lines. Some paused to look down and smile as others would stop and offer a quick congratulations. Maybe it was obvious to them once a Ghoul bonded to another.

  Ryder pulled me to my feet and began to dance, swirling us around as the colors blurred and spun in my peripheral. He hummed a gentle melody as I lay my head against his chest. A contentedness that I didn’t expect filled my heart with warmth.

  “Cassie?”

  I lifted my head and realized we were once more in my room. With a gasp, I noticed Gabriel and Damian instantly. The wolf was growling low in his throat as he leaned against the wall next to my dresser, his arms folded across his muscular chest. The vampire was lounging on my bed as if he didn’t have a care in the world.

  ‘You move quick, pet.’

  The urge to roll my eyes constantly in his presence increased as I ignored his attempt to rile me up.

  Gabriel sniffed at the air and scowled. “You smell like the Ghoul.”

  Well, no shit. We literally just bonded.

  “Wasn’t the whole point to bond with each of you?” I asked, mildly irritated. “Or have you all forgotten that I’ve been bitten by Thrall and have a rogue witch trying to kill me?”

  ‘Personally, I think this just increases the fun.’

  Damian would think that.

  ‘Stay out of my head.’

  ‘Not a chance, precious. You’re far too entertaining.’

  Sighing, my eyes locked with Ryder’s and he shrugged. “I’ve never minded sharing.”

  That statement didn’t surprise me at all. Ryder seemed to have been at ease from the beginning, despite the fact that Damian and Gabriel were a part of this Cosan, too. Gabriel had been jealous from the start. The vampire? Who knew what the hell he thought about anything?

  His laughter echoed in my head and I glared in his direction until it silenced.

  “Isn’t this cozy?” Gypsy was leaning against the doorjamb of my room, munching on an apple. “So, Ryder says he can share. Damian appears to agree. The wolf looks ready to explode. And . . . where’s the fun witch hunter? Doesn’t he get an opinion?”

  If I didn’t love her so much, I’d smack her. As it was, she was right so I just sat on the edge of my bed, piercing her with my eyes. “You know the jackass hunter isn’t included.”

  “Oh? Does he know that?”

  “I don’t care what -”

  “Jackass hunter? Since when did I earn such a sentimental nickname?”

  ‘I want a nickname.’

  There wasn’t a chance in hell of me acknowledging Damian’s purposeful whine.

  “With your pleasant attitude,” I snapped as Gabriel sauntered forward and pulled me to my feet, growling at Kayde.

  For once, I liked the wolf’s overprotective tendencies. “Leave her alone.”

  “Come now, I was only teasing. Can’t anyone take a joke?”

  I caught the Lycan‘s arm as he snarled. “It’s alright, Gabe. Thank you.”

  He pulled my body closer as one hand rested possessively on my hip and Kayde’s eyes followed the movement. “I’m always here for you, my sweetness.”

  Damian pretended to gag in my head as Kayde smirked. Both were highly amused.

  Ryder strode forward and approached Kayde. “Can we talk?” He ticked his head toward the doorway which suddenly opened a path as Gypsy sank into a nearby chair, winking as I caught her wide smile.

  I seriously needed a drink of something with a high proof of alcohol.

  Kayde and Ryder left as Damian whooshed past me in a blur. Damn vampires with their stealth and speed.

  Gabriel pressed a kiss to my cheek. “I’ll meet you out back when you’re ready. I’ve got a few things to finish before we leave.”

  I nodded as Gypsy and I were left alone.

  “So, you bonded to the Ghoul? Tell me you didn’t have to eat any zombies.”

  With a shake of my head, I laughed at her expression of horror. “No, babe, it was a lot more amazing than that.”

  Chapter 6

  Kayde cornered me as I walked into my room from the shower.

  “I don’t fancy getting bitten by Thrall so you’ll excuse me if I leave this little excursion up to the other three. They can protect you.”

  What
a constant contradiction he was! His odd behavior was annoying and seriously starting to grate on my nerves.

  “I didn’t give you permission to enter my room.” With a flick of my wrist, I sent him flying backward and out the door where his back hit the opposite wall with a loud crack. “Next time, you need to ask for permission.” I chanted a quick few words under my breath, ensuring I wouldn’t be caught by surprise again.

  Kayde catapulted himself forward but slammed into the invisible barrier I placed in my doorway. “Cassandra,” he warned.

  “From this moment on, you’re unable to enter my room. Any conversation you wish to engage with me can be done downstairs.”

  He looked ready to explode. A single vein pulsed in Kayde’s forehead and I was tempted to laugh or smile smugly but I didn’t. This wasn’t a childish impulse. He kept disrespecting me, treating me coldly and rudely, and he needed to learn I wasn’t going to let him get away with his behavior.

  “Remove this barrier, little witch.”

  “This isn’t about your pride or mine. This is about how you talk to me and treat me. I’ll have nothing to do with you, Kayde as long as you continue to be such a demanding jerk.”

  He folded his arms across his chest and surprised me when he suddenly chuckled. “You can’t stay in there forever and now you’ve broken a rule, princess.”

  Either he was stupid or he didn’t realize I could come and go as I pleased, without ever walking in front of his door or setting foot in the hall. “You’re so smart,” I quipped with sarcasm.

  His eyes narrowed. “I think you’ve forgotten about your little trip. Enjoy! Hope you don’t end up dead – for your aunt’s sake. Those Thrall are nasty little fucks.”

  “Well, if I die, don’t let it rest on your conscience or anything. After all, you were sent to help so it makes sense that you refuse. Bye, Kayde.”

  The door slammed shut in his face and I began to pace my room in frustration. Kayde was the least of my problems. I dismissed his surly attitude and irritating one-liners. After I was changed and ready to leave, I met Gabriel and Ryder in the back yard.