“No, I’m on the bus now, just a few stops away.” If she weren’t in such a rush, she would have hauled her junk by foot the seven blocks it was from the last art supply store she needed to go to and her studio. Now, she was thinking of getting off at the next stop just so she could ride alongside Julius. It was much too cold for that sort of insanity.
“I’ll be waiting for you by the time you get there, I think,” Julius said. “I’m on my way now.”
“If I’m not there, just bribe my landlord again. I’m sure he’ll let you right in.”
Julius chuckled. “I’ll see what I can do.”
The bus route took the longest it ever had. It seemed like the driver intentionally stopped at several places where no one got off the bus just to piss her off. To her dismay, he waited at several of the busier stops longer than necessary. There was no one hauling ass from three blocks down, yet he waited like they were. Heck, she’d taken this route long enough to know that those people were usually left in the dust.
To go seven blocks took them nearly fifteen minutes. Thankfully her studio was just off the corner. She swept the block, looking for Julius’s two-seater, but she didn’t see it parked outside. Hopefully, he didn’t have to park too far away. This time of night, with most people home for the evening, parking was at a premium.
Hauling several bags upstairs was the least amount of fun she’d had all day. By the time she reached the fifth floor, she was exhausted. To her surprise, her door was already unlocked. That rat bastard. But Erica smiled without a hint of ire. He really did bribe her landlord again.
“Julius,” she called as she opened her apartment door and walked in.
One of the vases rattled before toppling over in the studio. It fell but didn’t break. “Yeah, I meant to put those up. Why are you in the dark?”
Erica flicked on the light. “Jul—”
His name died on her lips when she saw a strange man leaning against her counter. Thin and dressed in a plain leather jacket, nothing about the man in front of her screamed comfort. She should have run. She should have screamed. Something other than asking, “Who the hell are you?”
“I need you to deliver a message for me.” His voice was raspy like he’d spent his entire life smoking Marlboros and drinking whiskey.
Yeah, no. Erica moved backward to find the hard body of a man pushing her forward.
Trapped.
“This has to be some kind of mistake.” Erica panicked, struggling against him. Her bags dropped to the floor at her feet, and she dug her heels in. Dread soaked through to her bones as her feet were forcibly moved toward the man in her kitchen. “Please. Just leave now and it’s forgotten, I swear.”
“We’re in the right place, sweetheart.” The gaunt man gave her a nasty sneer.
Stunned into incoherence, Erica’s thoughts froze into a brick.
“Tell Max I know where you live.”
Max? What the heck did he have to do with this? Then her mind flitted back to their conversation at the coffee shop. Splinters. The man in front of her with a thick scar running down the side of his face was here for her. He’d stop at nothing to get back what was owed. Erica struggled harder against the body behind her, but his viselike grip wouldn’t let her go.
Oh God, this can’t be happening.
Erica screamed.
A thick hand that smelled like a dirty car engine wrapped around her mouth and made it nearly impossible to breathe. The rough callouses of the man’s thick fingers squeezed painfully at her cheek bones. Bile etched the lining of her throat. The gaunt man straightened from the counter and walked toward her. Erica struggled against the man behind her, tears leaking from her eyes. She’d seen enough movies to know what was next. He was going to make an example out of her.
That singular thought gave her all the fight she needed. She pushed against what felt like a giant boulder.
“Hold her, Binks.”
Fight like hell, run like hell. It was the code every woman should be taught in her lifetime when faced with an attacker. That’s all she could think of when a skinny, tan hand patted the top of her head like she was some sort of family pet. The man’s dark beady eyes, blacker than coal, were cold and indifferent.
“You’re such a pretty thing. It would be awful to have to—”
She kicked out as hard as she could.
Caught by surprise, the gaunt man in front of her doubled over for a moment before the eeriest laugh came from him. She’d never heard a sound so foul before.
“She’s a fighter, Binks. Look at that.” His eyes found hers. “I’m going to love tearing you apart.”
She tried to kick him again, but Binks slammed her against the wall, knocking her into one of her stacks of paintings awkwardly. A hole gouged out of one of them as her foot went right through it.
Suddenly, he let go. She didn’t realize she was free until she heard glass shattering across the room as the man was thrown into several vases.
Julius was in her doorway one moment, then pulling the man off of her the next. It was as if he’d sprouted from the ground.
When Binks tried to get up, Julius launched himself at him, throwing him off balance and offering blow after blow to his face. This was not the brawl in her parents’ house. This was full of rage.
A strangled cry escaped Erica as Julius broke his nose. Binks let out a howl, a painful yelp akin to a dog as he clutched his face.
The bones in Binks’s face started to crack and break. His nose broadened, the bridge extending. His face started to change. Her eyes were playing tricks on her. They had to be. Julius’s hands were back on the man’s face, this time pressing hard against it as if trying to put it back into place.
Adrenaline and fear rooted her legs in cement, making her part of the furniture. Sickness roiled her gut.
Reaching out with a thick arm, Binks grabbed a glass vase and smashed it against the side of Julius’s head.
A shard of glass the size of her palm cut into Julius’s face, settling deep into his cheek. To her horror, he staggered backward. He must have been in shock as he pulled it out. Blood stained the glass as he let it drop to the floor, never taking his eyes off of Binks. When he turned, the mark on his face slowly closed, exposing new skin. If she hadn’t seen the glass shard in his face, she wouldn’t have believed he’d been cut save for the blood dripping to his shirt.
“Binks, let’s go.” Splinters looked wearily at the scene in front of them. Binks didn’t follow the command right away. Splinters didn’t wait for him. Instead, he moved to the door and out, leaving his comrade to fend for himself. Maybe he could sense a losing battle when he saw one. Or knew that something much worse was coming.
A vicious growl answered the thought. One that was equal parts rage and deranged. Julius’s eyes darkened, then flooded with black, like tar being poured in the road, but deeper, shinier like glass. His teeth elongated into points. His canines first, then a second set that seemed to protrude from just behind the first set.
The intruder didn’t have any more fight left in him as he scurried from her apartment after Splinters. For a moment, Julius locked eyes with her. He was completely feral. Unhinged.
Julius followed them out the door and at least down the hall, but she couldn’t hear much past that. The silence in her studio was deafening. Yet, there was no peace. Not a single ounce of relief that the men were gone.
Erica couldn’t focus on that. She could only focus on the man she’d slept with the night before. All this time, she thought it was a joke. That he was playing around. But no. The monster in front of her was real. Very real.
The light eclipsed her doorway. Julius was back, eyes alert. And thankfully, back to normal. Her heartrate spiked in fear at the sight of him.
“I can track them, but I need to make sure you’re alright.” The sound was throaty and came out like a hiss. His fangs were still down, pearly whites in sharp spires.
“You’re a—”
“Erica…”
/> “You’re a—”
“You’re safe now.” Julius’s voice sounded like his own again.
“You’re a—” The words were stuck on repeat.
“Erica, I’m not going to hurt you.” His canines receded.
“Get out!” Trembling, she grabbed two paint brushes, then hopped up onto her couch as if Julius were a freaking mouse scurrying across the floor. “Get. Out.”
“I can explain.”
“Get out!”
“You shouldn’t be alone right now.”
“Help me.” At first the words were breathless, but then they became louder. She yelled again, praying like hell Mr. Hinkley heard it and called the police.
“All right,” Julius said in a rush and backed away. “I’m going.”
Erica’s gaze followed him to the door, and as soon as he was out of it, her feet let her move again. She threw all of her body weight against the door and locked herself behind it.
Her throat was coming out of her mouth. She still felt open and exposed. She rushed to the bathroom and locked herself in there too.
He really was a… a…. Goodness, even thinking the word made her want to join the ranks at the asylum. But there was no doubting what she saw. A flash of his fangs, the way his eyes morphed into a black abyss. He was a demon.
No.
Julius Craul was a monster.
15
JULIUS
JULIUS PACED.
When that did him no good, he went to the bar and grabbed another blood bag. He ripped open the main port and put it to his lips. Blood sloshed into his mouth; its thickness was euphoric. He could feel himself getting stronger with each gulp. Thank the all gods, his sister was in town. He would not suffer synth blood again. It made him vulnerable. Weak.
He’d nearly failed to subdue the wolf in Erica’s apartment when he began to shift. If his vampire hadn’t been so close to the surface—hadn’t come out—Erica would have gotten hurt. Now, she was terrified of him because of what he was.
“There is a way we can solve that particular problem.” Evan’s soft voice was at odds with his usual spry tenor.
“How? Travel back in time and prevent this from happening?” Julius’s sarcasm smeared on thick. “I come from a line of very talented brothers, but as far as I am aware, none of you can do that.”
“You also have talented sisters, you know.” Dani entered the common room in a thick linen bathrobe, scrunching her wet dark hair in a towel. “What are we solving?”
The two of them went quiet.
“Did I miss something?” Dani looked between the both of them. “What aren’t you saying?”
Julius locked eyes with Evan before turning to his sister. “Erica saw me.”
“Yes, you were with her last night.” Dani shrugged, but then her eyes widened. “Oh! You mean she saw you. How much of you are we talking?”
“Everything.”
“Holy macaroni. I thought Evan was kidding when he said you were going to screw this up for us.”
“Not helping,” Evan said.
Dani carried on anyway. “When did this happen?”
“Last night,” Evan answered.
“And you’ve been holding on to this all day? No wonder everyone’s been in a pissy mood. How exactly did you let your vampire out for her to see it?”
“She was attacked. I lost control.”
“What do you mean attacked? Is she okay?” Dani asked in concern. “Do we need to kick someone’s ass?”
His face tightened into a wry smile. His sister hadn’t even met Erica, yet she was already protective of her. He couldn’t have asked for better siblings.
“Shaken, but she’s fine.”
“Well, where is she now?”
“At home. Asher is guarding her apartment,” Julius said.
“I’m confused.” Dani tapped a pointed fingernail on the bar top. “Erica was attacked, you’re here, and Asher—my scary vampire palace guard—is at her door? Who thought that was a good idea?”
“He’s been ordered to be a bit more discreet than that,” Evan said. “He’s keeping his distance, blending in.”
Dani’s face pinched in disbelief. “This is Asher we’re talking about. Have you seen him? Tall, thick like a train, no table manners? I can’t even have him on campus without turning heads. Asher is the definition of a sore thumb.”
Evan cleared his throat and stared pointedly in Julius’s direction.
Dani quickly backtracked. “I mean… He is, but she will be safe.”
“I know she will. I’ll make sure of it.” The ache inside of Julius amplified at the thought of failing her again.
“I see. That explains the blood.” Her golden eyes flickered down to the bar top, littered with a few empty blood bags. “You might want to go easy on those. You’ve been on rations for the better part of a year.”
“Dani, leave him,” Evan warned.
“In just a minute. I want to make sure I understand this.” Dani sat on the sofa beside Evan and gave Julius an unreadable look. “Our dear brother here has lost control, exposed vampires to humankind and our plan is to sit in the hotel suite while Asher guards her door?”
“Do you have a better solution?” Julius asked, slamming a hand on the bar.
Dani paused, as if choosing her words carefully. “All I’m asking is, how do we keep our secret?”
“What are you insinuating Danica?” His face turned cold, his body hard. A secret was only silenced one way. With death. That was what their father taught them. There was no way they were going down that path. He’d rip the entire alter realm apart if any harm came to her. He shot to his feet and headed to the window. Even this late in the night, lit windows were sprinkled throughout the city.
“I didn’t say we were going to do anything. All I asked was how we were planning on getting her to conveniently forget we exist? If anyone found out that she knew—”
“No one will.” His voice was harder than stone.
“How can you say that for certain?”
“I know of an alternative,” Evan said.
Curiosity made him turn to face his brother.
“I can remove her memories.”
“Out of the question. You know how dangerous it is.” Julius wasn’t going to let his brother near Erica. Not when removing her memories could put them both at risk.
“Evan, you can’t do that.” Dani’s concern was infectious. “It hurts you. Remember the last time? You almost didn’t survive it.”
“What are our other options?” Evan asked.
“Even if we did take her memories—” Julius eyed them both. “—which we won’t, she’ll have someone after her, only she won’t know why.” If his sister’s personal guard hadn’t been there, Julius would have never been able to pry himself away from her door. Not while the shifters were still out there. Retreating didn’t mean they’d given up. Only regrouped.
“We don’t know that for certain,” Evan said.
Dani looked between them again. “What don’t we know?”
“He thinks the shifters will be back.”
“I have no reason to doubt they won’t.” Even thinking of them still prowling the streets made him itch with anger.
“We’re going to find them.” Evan reassured him.
“I should have tracked them when I had the chance.”
By the time he’d gone back for them, they’d changed forms. Their scent wasn’t strong enough to track in an open street. Not like a human. He could detect a human heartbeat from a mile away if absolutely necessary. Shifters were a different breed entirely, virtually undetectable to him unless they were close.
“What did the shifters want?” Dani asked.
He looked up to his sister. “I could barely think of anything besides killing once I realized she was in danger.” Julius tried to level the anger boiling in his gut. It was unsuccessful. Instead, he checked his watch and squeezed at his blood bag. Asher should be calling in a report soon, as he did e
very hour.
At exactly the one hour mark, the phone in his pocket buzzed, then rang.
“Your highness,” Asher said.
“How is she?”
“We’re on the move.”
“Where?”
“I don’t know. Someone picked her up ten minutes ago. Human female, long black hair, piercings. Likely a friend. However, I’m not the only one keeping her company.”
The words felt like a cold wind chilling his bones to ice.
“Explain.”
“Two shifters are in a car in front of me. What are my orders?” Asher asked.
“Make sure she’s safe.” Julius’s throat tightened. “Call me when they reach their destination.”
“No need, they’re stopping now. Doesn’t look like much. Brick building, red door.”
Savu. Julius stood abruptly.
“Are they going inside?”
“Looks like. Their company too. I’m headed in.”
“Don’t take your eyes off of her for a second. Understood?”
“Yes, your highness.”
Julius disconnected the call and looked into the stricken face of his brother and the determined one of his sister.
“Let’s go,” Evan said.
“I’m coming too.” Dani nodded, then scurried off to her room to get dressed. Julius wasn’t going to wait for his sister to get dolled up. But, by the time he was at the elevator, she’d already pulled on a dress and had her hair pulled into a tight bun at the top of her head.
“That was quick,” Evan said.
“Vampire, remember?” She opened the door to their hotel suite. “Now, let’s go kick all the ass.
____
AS PER HIS GROWING EXPECTATION, Savu was busy. The place was swarming with people, and on a weeknight no less. The bar at the front of the house was packed end to end. He knew Erica was at the bar, somewhere. The challenge lay in getting from the entrance through the ocean of warm bodies screaming for him to take a sip. His vampire inhaled deeply, reveling in the scent. He swallowed the dryness that formed in his throat. His thirst was awakening.
Evan’s thoughts invaded his own. Keep it together for one minute. We’ll grab Erica, then we’ll leave. He didn’t miss the worried glance, nor the mind-numbing tingle that started to curve up his spine.
Love Bitten (Vampire Blood Royals Book 1) Page 13