by Sadie Moss
I turned sharply and headed up the street. Mal and Sol followed close on my heels.
We made it a few blocks before a yell of frustration echoed in the darkness behind us. A few moments later, I heard her soft footsteps padding toward us, moving quickly to catch up.
A grin tugged at the corner of my lips.
Good call, sweetheart.
16
Willow
I watched the three brothers walk away under the light of the street lamps. A battle raged in my chest as I stood frozen in place. The smart voice in my head was telling me to go home and lay low, to avoid all of this. To stay the hell away from vampires, shadow creatures, and anything else that went bump in the night. To go back to work at the bar, maybe take Grace up on her offer to go clubbing sometime, and just generally act like none of this had happened.
Or maybe that wasn’t the smart voice in my head. Maybe that was the dumb, scared, stubborn voice.
Mal was right. As much as it pained me to admit it, I probably couldn’t take on one of those shades by myself. They were too strong, too magical. If a single one attacked me, the best I could do was escape. If I was ambushed by a group? I’d be dead.
And as foolhardy and reckless as I’d acted thirty minutes ago, I really didn’t want to die.
If I tried to get through this on my own, chances were extremely high the shades would get what they wanted from me. Whatever that was.
But would I be safer with the brothers?
There were no guarantees. I hardly knew the three men. But somehow, they’d become the only lifeline I had in this strange new world. Helpless anger and frustration welled in my chest, and I tipped my head back and screamed into the night.
“That’s it! I’m calling the fucking cops, lady!”
The irate man from earlier leaned out of his window, waving his cell phone at me.
Grimacing, I set off quickly down the street before he could make good on his promise. Worry still gnawed at my stomach, but surprisingly, my chest felt a bit lighter. As much as I wanted to blame the vampires for all this, I knew it wasn’t their fault. I’d been attacked by the shadow creature first, and by the time the brothers found me, they’d had only two choices—let me die, or turn me.
Truthfully, I was glad they’d chosen the latter.
Mal, Jerrett, and Sol came into view ahead of me a few blocks over, weaving through the shadows like ghosts.
A ripple of fear passed through me at the unearthly sight of them.
Vampires are real.
So are shades. The undead.
Were there other kinds of supernatural creatures out there? Things worse than shades? More dangerous than vampires? My entire worldview had been turned on its head, and that opened the door to terrifying new possibilities. I might be a vampire now, but that didn’t mean I was automatically equipped to deal with the supernatural world. I was barely getting the hang of my new abilities—hell, I didn’t even know what all of them were.
I was out of my depth, big time.
“So… what now?” I asked quietly, falling into step with the three men. The one named Mal didn’t even glance at me, but Sol smiled in my direction.
“We need to identify what the shades are after. And we need to keep you safe. We’ll take you back home with us.”
“Where you should’ve stayed from day one.” Jerrett threw a pointed look at Mal.
“You know why I didn’t want that,” Mal answered. “I’m still not sure it’s a good idea, but we have no choice.”
“Are there… other monsters out there?” I swallowed. “Worse ones?”
Sol’s fingers brushed my hand. He lifted it and tucked it gently into the crook of his elbow, a surprisingly gentlemanly gesture. It felt strange being led down the street by a man who couldn’t see, but then again, I’d just witnessed him pluck a knife out of the air. I supposed I didn’t need to worry about him steering me into a tree or anything.
“There are all kinds of supernaturals in the world, Willow. Not all are evil, though many are dangerous. Humans are ignorant of their existence, for the most part. Supernaturals live in shadows, and people don’t want to believe. They never notice what’s right under their noses, do they?”
I couldn’t argue with that. I’d always thought of myself as pretty perceptive, but becoming a vampire was like having a veil lifted from my eyes. I could truly see now. I could smell now. I could feel everything. It was a little like the first time I’d watched a 3-D movie, only more nausea inducing.
“Are there other supernaturals here in New York?”
“Yes, some. Loners and outcasts, mostly. Entire civilizations of supernaturals exist in places humans can’t discover. Only a small number of us chose to live among humanity.”
“So, which are you guys—loners or outcasts?” I asked. I thought it was a fair question, but Mal stopped in his tracks ahead of us to glower at me. Jerrett snorted, and Sol chuckled.
I met the tall man’s dark glare with a lifted chin. If I was going to be stuck with them for the foreseeable future, he needed to know I wasn’t scared of him.
Or at least, he needed to think I wasn’t scared of him.
“We’re hunters by choice.” Mal turned around and resumed walking. “We live without a clan so we can watch over the world. Our sworn duty is to keep it safe from evil beings and rogue supernaturals who would attack humans—or even other supernaturals. There are dangerous creatures out there that need to be kept in line.” He paused, then added, “Someone has to do it, don’t they?”
The tone of his voice changed as he spoke those last words, becoming hard and bitter. I was curious what he’d meant by that, but I didn’t press. He didn’t seem to be in the mood to answer questions.
“We made our base in New York because the city is a constant draw to supernaturals,” Sol said “There’s so much life and activity here—and with the size and diversity of the population, it’s easier for nonhumans to blend in.”
“That makes sense,” I murmured. I’d seen a few people on the subway I would have no problem believing weren’t entirely human.
“We’ve been tracking the shades for a while.” Jerrett swung the shriveled arm like a baseball bat, earning him a grunt of disapproval from Mal. “It’s becoming pretty obvious that they’re working together with some kind of end goal in mind. They have a purpose. A task to complete. And they’re not going to rest until they do.”
“And what do they want with me?”
“Yeah… that part I don’t know yet. But they definitely want you, sweetheart. I mean, shit—can’t say I blame them for that.” He winked at me, his bright blue eyes glittering like stars.
I was glad the darkness hid my blush, but I swore Sol could feel the heat rising to my cheeks, because he chuckled softly beside me.
Trying to get the conversation back on track, I cleared my throat. “So a bunch of undead supernaturals are after me for some unknown reason. What am I supposed to do about that? How do I stay safe?”
Mal shot another look over his shoulder, his expression serious.
“The first thing we need to do is train you.”
17
Malcolm
I rapped my knuckles sharply on the door of the guest bedroom.
“Uh, hold on! I’m almost ready!”
Panic sounded in Willow’s voice, and I had a sudden vision of her rushing around the room as she scrambled to finish dressing. I could imagine her tugging a shirt over her head and pulling it down to cover the milky softness of her breasts, the smooth plane of her stomach, the swell of her hips.
Clenching my jaw, I forced those images from my mind. This was exactly why I’d tried to send her away, as misguided as that attempt may have been. Jerrett would never let me live my weakness down.
It’s not entirely fair, I groused to myself. He followed her in secret too.
The only difference was, such a flagrant violation of the rules wasn’t at all out of character for Jerrett—but it was for me.
/> The door swung open, and Willow greeted me. Her hair was slightly disheveled, and she tugged down the hem of her loose white t-shirt. It seemed my imagination hadn’t been far off after all.
“Is this okay?” She gestured to her t-shirt and the tight, stretchy black pants she wore.
“Yes. That’s fine. You just need something you can move in.”
Dragging my gaze away from her body, I canted my head down the hallway. She pulled her door shut and fell into step beside me.
It’d been nearly dawn by the time we arrived home after our encounter with the shade, and Willow had clearly been exhausted. She needed a good day’s sleep, so I’d had Yuliya make up a guest bedroom for her—though not the same room she’d stayed in last time.
I’d botched the girl’s transformation just about as badly as was possible, and I wanted to start Willow’s stay with us on the right foot. Putting her in the same room where she’d once woken up terrified, alone, and strapped to a bed didn’t seem like the best way to put her at ease.
Truthfully, I wasn’t sure anything would do that.
The sun had set a few hours ago. Sol and Jerrett were in the study, working on deciphering the runes on the shade’s arm. And as I’d promised last night, I was going to train the girl. My gut roiled every time I considered how much worse the shade’s attack on her could have been. If she’d died because we weren’t there to protect her, I would never have forgiven myself.
Why do you care so much?
A traitorous voice that sounded suspiciously like Jerrett’s whispered insidiously in my head.
Grinding my teeth together, I picked up my pace and led Willow through the large house, as if hoping to outrun my thoughts.
I care what happens to her because she’s my responsibility. My brothers and I turned her, and that makes her our charge. That’s all.
Willow hurried to keep up with me, her heart slamming against her ribs. She was nervous, though she tried her best to hide it. Her walk was strong and poised, but her pulse gave her away. She didn’t trust me, and she was probably right not to.
My predator instincts rippled under my skin as we descended the stairs to the lower level. Her flushed cheeks and wide eyes called to me like a wounded deer calls to a wolf; my muscles shook with the urge to press her up against the wall and show her how little she should trust me.
Agreeing to spend more time with her was a mistake. I knew that. The bond between my brothers and the girl was growing, and it was only going to become stronger now that she was living with us.
I hated to admit it, but my own need for her was growing too.
As reckless and insane as it had been to approach her in the bar, I couldn’t stop replaying our dance over and over again in my head. I could still remember the warmth and strength of her body as it rocked against mine, the uninhibited joy, passion, and sensuality of her movements.
But the truth was, we needed her in a more practical sense as well. She might be able to help us uncover answers about the shades, why they were attacking, and what they wanted. She was our only lead, and we were her only protection. It was a fair trade.
We reached the basement, and Willow’s hazel eyes nearly popped out of her pretty little head when I ushered her inside the training room.
“Oh!” She blinked at her surroundings.
I cocked my head at her, a smile tugging at my lips despite myself. “Just ‘oh?’”
Her reaction didn’t surprise me. The lower level didn’t exactly match the luxurious design of the rest of our house. But this room wasn’t meant to be pretty. It was meant to be useful. We didn’t need expensive art on the walls or extravagant upholstery here. We just needed a large, unbreakable space.
Somewhere to let our demons out to play.
“What is this place?” She glanced over at me. The specks of gold in her irises shone even under the dingy florescent lighting.
I took off my jacket and threw it to the floor, flexing my shoulders. “This is the best room in the whole house.”
Willow scanned her surroundings again doubtfully, as though she might’ve missed something. There was nothing to miss. A few heavy bags hung from the ceiling in one corner, and a rack of weapons and a small chest of drawers stood against the opposite wall. That was it.
“It is?”
“Yes. This is the training room.” I grinned, the excitement of a fight loosening my tense muscles. Sparring always helped calm me down and clear my head.
Willow blanched, biting her plump bottom lip.
“Do I really need training? I mean, it’s kind of intuitive, isn’t it? I can move a little faster, I’m a little stronger, and I can smell and hear more acutely. Is training neces—”
Before she could finish the word, I had her pinned to the wall with her hand behind her back. Her ass pressed against me as I leaned into her, her cherry and almond scent invading my senses, and I struggled to control my instinctual reaction.
Her body was like a drug I could get high on over and over, but that wasn’t the point of this. I couldn’t lose focus. I needed to teach her how dangerous it was to underestimate her opponents.
Or to get cocky.
“Yes. Yes it is.” My words were a dangerous whisper in her ear. She struggled against my grip, but I didn’t let her go yet. “A creature with the same heightened strength and speed as you can easily take the upper hand if you aren’t prepared. And those shades are incredibly strong and nearly vampire-fast. You might feel invincible, Willow, but that’s only because humans are weak. You have no idea what supernaturals are capable of.”
I finally released her, stepping back. She turned around and leaned against the wall—because her legs wouldn’t support her weight, I was guessing—but the glare she shot me was fierce.
“Jesus! First on the dance floor, now here. If you grab me like that again, I’ll kick your ass!”
“I didn’t think you minded it on the dance floor.” I raised a mocking brow, ignoring the reaction in my own body at the memory.
Willow’s eyes widened. She flushed bright red and looked down, her dark hair falling around her face like a curtain.
“That’s not the point,” she whispered. “You can’t just go around grabbing people without their permission.”
Her vulnerability drew out the predator in me, but to my surprise, an even stronger instinct rose in my chest—the need to protect her, to comfort her.
“Wildcat.” Stepping closer, I tipped her chin up with the fingers of one hand. Tears glistened in her eyes. My thumb caressed her cheek, the skin soft as rose petals. “There are monsters in this world who wouldn’t ask permission to kill you, let alone touch you. I’m trying to make sure you can defend yourself from them.”
She tugged her lower lip between her teeth, staring at me intently. “And you’re not one of them?”
“The monsters?”
Her head dipped slightly, still cupped in my hand.
“No, Willow.” I bent down to meet her at eye level, wanting her to see the truth in my eyes. “I try very hard not to be.”
“I… I believe you.”
A shaky smile broke across her face, and I swore I heard an angelic choir singing. My chest tightened at the sight, an unfamiliar but not unpleasant ache squeezing my heart.
“Good.” I cleared my throat and stepped back, giving us both a chance to recover our equilibrium. “I’m going to challenge you in our training because I want you to learn. I want you to have to push yourself, and to feel the adrenaline that comes with danger. But I will never hurt you. I promise.”
Willow nodded, stepping away from the wall. I was pleased to note that her legs no longer wobbled. She was strong. Brave.
“Okay. I’m ready.”
“You have a lot to learn. Blind determination and balls will usually get you just far enough to get you killed. That shade would’ve started carving you up in a few seconds if we hadn’t found you when we did.”
She blew some hair out of her face, frustration cle
ar on her features.
“I was… handling it.” At my raised brow, she sighed. “Okay, I wasn’t handling it well. I want to learn how to move like you guys do. You shift through shadows so quickly. I want to be good at hiding.”
Good. She wanted to learn defense before she learned offense. That was the mark of a smart fighter.
“It is a useful skill,” I agreed.
I glanced around the room. It was sparse, so there weren’t many shadows. But the few pieces of equipment we had were enough. I instructed Willow to watch as I approached one of the heavy bags. The shadow it cast was almost half my size, but I slipped into it effortlessly, disappearing from view.
Willow gasped, and I grinned. It’d been quite a while since I spent time with someone who was impressed by any of this. My brothers would’ve just called me out for being too slow.
I slipped back out of the shadow, reappearing before the girl. “That’s how it’s done.”
“Like… this?” Willow walked hesitantly over to the shadow cast by the heavy bag. She stepped onto it carefully then glanced up at me with hope shining in her eyes.
Fighting down a laugh, I said, “I can still see you, wildcat.”
Her face fell. “Damn it. What did I do differently than you?”
“Well, for one thing, you just stepped on it. To hide in the shadows, you have to slip into them.”
Willow wrinkled her nose. “I’m trying so hard not to let my brain explode right now.”
I couldn’t blame her. She’d been in her new body for a few days. I’d had centuries to get used to mine.
“It’s all right, we’ll try again. Come here.” I gestured her forward, and she stepped away from the bag’s small shadow. Grasping her shoulders gently, I spun her around to face it again, lowering my head to speak low in her ear. “Think of it like stepping off the edge of a pool into deep water. You don’t have to do anything. The water is there. Waiting. It wants to envelop you.”
Was it my imagination, my untethered longing playing tricks on my mind, or did she soften under my touch? Did her body lean back slightly as if seeking more contact with mine?