Bitten At Daybreak

by Deanna Chase

  “So close and yet so far,” faux Phoebe muttered from the back seat.

  Dax glanced in the rearview mirror and said, “We know how you ended up in this world, but what did you do once you got here? How did you know where Phoebe’s houses were or where to go?”

  “Jesus.” The surly witch rolled her eyes. “I had her car, which had her keys and wallet. Her address was right there on her license. And once I searched her room and found her lockbox—which was locked using fingerprint entry, thank you very much—I had everything I needed. Money… well, until it ran out. You should tell her to keep a bigger stash. And she had those addresses to her safe houses in there. Not just the addresses, but the real estate transactions. That was super helpful. I just hadn’t counted on Dax being able to get in. Talk about sloppy. That’s not how I’d do it.”

  “And how’s that?” Leo asked dryly, clearly over feeling responsible about stabbing her through the lung.

  “Never let a man have the keys to the kingdom. What else?” she replied.

  Seth chuckled. “Yep, that’s how she plays.”

  “Damned straight.”

  “Except for when it comes to Dax,” Seth added. “No matter what she says, he’s her weakness.”

  Dax didn’t know how to respond to any of their conversation. He knew they were talking about the other Dax, but it still felt really strange.

  “Yeah, well,” faux Phoebe said. “Yours is Heather.”

  Seth’s eyes darkened and he scowled at her. “Leave her out of this.”

  “Why? It’s the truth.” She shrugged and stared out the window at the old house.

  “Ready?” Dax asked.

  Faux Phoebe didn’t budge as the rest of them climbed out of the Trooper.

  Seth moved to her side of the vehicle and held the door open for her. “You don’t want us to drag you out, do you?”

  “You wouldn’t dare,” she said with a low snarl.

  “Wouldn’t I?” He glared back. “This exchange was ordered by the Void. Do you really think they’re just going let one of their agents rot in the otherworld? They’ll hunt you down and throw you back through in a potato sack if you don’t cooperate. And think of what Allcot will have to say about that.”

  “Oh, shut the fuck up.” She hauled herself out of the Trooper and, without another word, walked toward the house and disappeared into thin air.

  Immediately the real Phoebe appeared. Her eyes immediately locked on Dax’s and she ran, throwing herself into his arms.

  26

  I’d known they were there. It was as if I could feel Dax just waiting for me. My Dax, not the one in the alternate reality. The faux Dax, as I’d taken to calling him, had already received his back pay and had taken off to Baton Rouge to start fresh in a new city. I’d wanted to tell him to not give up on his Phoebe, but I’d already made enough of a mess of things. If those two had the will to work it out, they would. If they didn’t, well, that was their business.

  But as the hopeless romantic that I apparently was, I kinda thought they had a thing or two going for them. Faux Dax was now free and so was Phoebe. Or she would be if she decided to pursue the information I’d left for her in her witch basket up in her studio. After I’d been scandalized by Pandora and Allcot going at it in his office, I’d run back up to the room I’d been staying in and wrote a long letter to my doppelgänger.

  I told her everything from where she might find Dax and Willow to what I’d witnessed in Allcot’s office. What she did with that information was entirely up to her. But I thought she should be aware of what kind of changes my presence in her life had caused. She’d either hate me forever or consider me her savior. It was a fair guess for either option.

  I’d been sitting upstairs, gazing out the window at the large oak trees, when I heard the faint rumble of a familiar vehicle. The Trooper. I’d know it anywhere. Of course I hadn’t seen a damned thing. I’d just heard it. That was when I’d gone running outside, frantically searching for something I’d never see.

  And then there she was. My doppelgänger appeared out of nowhere, and with no conscious help from me, my feet carried me through the portal and right into Dax’s arms.

  “Dax!” I cried, tears streaming down my face.

  He laughed and swung me around, burying his face in my neck. “Jesus, Phoebs. I thought I was never going to hold you again.”

  “I’m here,” I said, my words both a confirmation and a promise. “I’m right here.”

  He pulled back slightly, staring down at me. “Are you all right?”

  “I am now,” I said and plastered myself to him again, never wanting to let go. I’d known I’d missed him, but I hadn’t realized just how much until right at that moment.

  “Okay, break it up,” Seth said with a chuckle. “Let me see my sister for a minute before I cross back over.”

  His words hit me like a ton of bricks. There were things to say before he crossed. Reluctantly, I stepped away from Dax and turned to my brother. Behind him I spotted Leo, who was sitting in the front seat of the Trooper, watching us. I gave him a big wave, more than thrilled to see him. He waved back, but the motion was tentative as if he was unsure of his actions. I frowned. That wasn’t like Leo.

  “Hey, sis,” Seth said, pulling me to him in a brotherly hug. “How are things back at the homestead?” He gestured to the plantation. “Anything I should know about before I walk into a firestorm?”

  I bit down on my lip and nodded.

  “Uh-oh. That doesn’t sound good.” His expression was strained as he watched me. It was about to get way worse.

  “I’m not sure where to start.” There was unmistakable guilt in my tone, and I mentally kicked myself. I was a badass investigator who regularly went undercover. Why couldn’t I figure out how to lie to my brother?

  “What happened?”

  I took a deep breath and blurted, “Allcot knows everything.”

  Seth frowned. “What does that mean? Everything?”

  “He knows about me not being his wife, about the portal, about you being from this world. Heather. He knows everything.”

  Seth shrugged. “Okay. That’s not the end of the world. You made it back okay, so he must’ve taken it better than I thought.”

  I snorted out a humorless laugh. “You told me he’d likely kill me if he knew I wasn’t ‘his Phoebe.’”

  “Well, okay. That might have been a slight exaggeration, but you just never know with that guy. I thought it was better to keep this to ourselves. It’s fine, Phoebs. I’ll handle it. I always do.”

  “He also knows about his counterpart here. He knows Allcot is a rich bastard who runs this city.”

  Seth actually chuckled at that. “It’s not that different from what he is in that world.”

  “Yes, it is. And he made me tell him everything, Seth. All about Pandora and their relationship too.”

  Seth sucked in a sharp breath. “He knows he’s supposed to be with Pandora?”

  I winced again. “Yes.”

  “Fuck!” He started to move toward the area where the portal would be, but I grabbed his arm and pulled him back.

  “There’s more you have to know.”

  “What more could there possibly be?” he asked, clearly frustrated.

  “I found him and Pandora together. They were… um… you know.”

  “Fucking?” he asked, almost dispassionately.

  “Yeah, that.” I studied him, taking in his furrowed brow and slight frown. He didn’t look like a jealous husband. More like an annoyed brother. “You’re not upset about that?”

  He shrugged one shoulder. “I’ve been expecting it for years. Honestly, I guess I’m glad it’s finally happened. Now we can stop pretending.”

  Well, that was a relief. “And Heather?” I asked, hopeful.

  A little bit of light flashed in his eyes as he said, “It’s possible, I guess. But that was a long time ago, and there’s still Allcot to navigate.” He reached out and caressed my cheek. “Li
sten, Phoebs, I know you’re worried about me. But don’t. I can handle myself. I’ve been doing it a long time. Now that you’re back home where you belong, that’s all that matters.” He nodded to Dax, who was waiting for me by the Trooper. “He’s a good man, and I gather a fucking good partner if he tracked you all the way to this place.”

  “He did?” I asked, astonished.

  “He did,” Seth said with a nod. “He was so close you probably heard the rumble of his engine.”

  That was entirely possible. I’d heard it today.

  “Just do me a favor and hang on to each other, all right? Someone should get their happy ending.”

  I smiled up at him, feeling the burn of tears in my eyes. I didn’t want him to go. But I knew he had to. Lex was on the other side, waiting for him. I’d even managed to find a way to look Allcot in the eye and tell him to forget about my demand to send Seth back to this world. He’d been so agreeable after his romp with Pandora, he’d just grinned and said, “Whatever you want, Phoebe.”

  Now I had to stand here and say goodbye to my brother forever. It fucking sucked. There was no holding the tears back any longer. I grabbed him, hugged him tight, and said, “I love you, Seth. Make sure Lex remembers me. Tell him every day how much I love him and miss him.”

  Seth kissed the top of my head. “I will, Phoebs. And one day, when you and that shifter of yours are ready, you’ll bring a little one into this world and you’ll be the best damned mother that ever lived.”

  I chuckled. “Don’t go saddling me with kids just yet. Dax and I haven’t even gotten to the ‘will you go steady with me’ phase yet.”

  A bark of laughter escaped from Seth and he snorted. “Oh, little sister, you are way past that stage. Trust me. That man is in love with you. Hook, line, and sinker.”

  I glanced back at Dax, squinting at him. “You think?”

  “I don’t think. I know.”

  His tone was so sure that I didn’t bother debating him. I just grinned like a fool and said, “Thanks for telling me that. I love him too.”

  “Don’t tell me. Tell him.” He turned me around, kissed me once on the cheek, and then gently nudged me toward Dax. Our eyes met and I felt all the tension from the past week drain right out of me.

  “Take care of yourself, Seth,” I said, glancing over my shoulder, but before I’d finished saying the words, my only brother disappeared into thin air. I stood rooted to the earth, staring at the spot where he’d just been. A tiny hole formed in my heart, and I knew it would forever be the place only Seth could fill.

  “Hey,” Dax said. “Ready to go home?”

  I turned to look into his beautiful dark eyes and said, “When I’m with you, I’m already home.”

  It was sappy as fuck, but it made my heart flutter when he gave me that lopsided grin, making it more than worth it.

  27

  “Just tell me one thing,” Dax said. He was sitting on my bed, boots off, feet crossed at the ankle as he watched me rub lotion over my bare legs.

  “What’s that?” I asked from my spot in the doorway of my en suite bathroom where I’d just changed into the sexiest black lace bra and panty set.

  “What did you think of the Dax in the parallel universe?”

  I groaned. “You don’t really want to talk about this right now, do you?”

  A wolfish smile broke out over his handsome face. “I was just hoping to prolong the show for a little while longer.”

  “Right.” I rolled my eyes. “Why don’t you tell me what you thought of the faux Phoebe?”

  “Honestly?”

  “Yes,” I said, my tone suddenly serious. “Did you like her better than me?”

  “What? Hell no. She knocked me out and tied me up.”

  I raised one eyebrow. “I thought that was a fantasy of yours?”

  “Sure, if it involves blow jobs and plenty of sex. That wasn’t on the menu,” he said dryly. “Besides, she wasn’t you.”

  Uh-oh. Now was the time I had to come clean about the runaway kissing with the other Dax. “Listen—”

  “What I mean is, she wasn’t anything like you. The other Phoebe is jaded and vengeful. You’re nothing like that. You care about the people around you, put your life on the line for them, but you’re also soft and caring in a way that keeps you from being hardened. I think the other Phoebe has been through an awful lot that colors her perspective.”

  “You can say that again,” I agreed. “Let’s just say she’s had a lot of tough knocks, and if she’s kinda bitchy, I understand why.”

  “Okay, fair enough,” he said, rising from the bed and pulling me to him. His hands slipped down to gently cup my ass just as his lips brushed over my jawline. “Now, what about my counterpart? What did you think?”

  I smiled up at him. “You’re wonderful in both worlds.”

  His eyes glittered with amusement. “Really? Was he this wonderful?” Dax dipped his head and trailed hot kisses over my bare shoulder.

  “No.” I laughed and tilted my head, giving him better access. “Not nearly that wonderful.”

  “That’s good. I’d hate to have to kick my own ass for touching my woman.”

  I pulled back slightly and pressed a hand to his chest. “There is something I need to tell you. Actually a couple of somethings before we go any further tonight.”

  His muscles tensed as all his amusement fled. “Do I need to be sitting down for this?”

  “Probably not. It’s not that serious.” I gave him a tentative smile. “But in the interest of full disclosure… You should know that the other Dax did kiss me. A couple of times.”

  “Why?” he asked, sounding more curious than angry.

  “Because he’s in love with the other Phoebe, and they haven’t been together in years.”

  “But she’s married to Allcot, right?”

  I nodded. “Yeah, but I was helping him out of a really shitty situation, and he kinda thought it was her. Emotions were running high. I don’t know. Mine were too. He was… like you. We were a team and everything sucked. I just… I missed you, Dax. I wanted comfort from you, and he…” I clamped my mouth shut, realizing I was rambling. “I’m sorry. It’s not an excuse. But I thought you should know. I’m not a cheater. This was just a really strange thing and—”

  “Forget it,” he said, his voice husky with emotion. “I understand.”

  “You do?”

  “Of course I do, Phoebs.” He brushed a lock of hair off my shoulder, letting his fingers trail over to my neck.

  The movement made me flinch, and I hated myself for it.

  “Whoa,” he said gently. “What was that?”

  I squeezed my eyes shut, wanting to forget the memory. But I knew I had to tell him. I couldn’t let Allcot’s bullshit come between us. “You know that while I was there, I stayed at Allcot’s, right?”

  “Yeah.” His hand came up and cupped my cheek. “It’s okay, Phoebe. You can tell me.”

  “Well, he did that. Ran his hands over my neck, brushed his fingers over my pulse, and then…” I hesitated, not wanting to say the words.

  “And then?” he prompted gently.

  “Fuck.” My eyes flew open, and I knew they were blazing with red-hot anger. “That fucking bastard bit me.”

  “He bit you?” Dax repeated as if he hadn’t heard me the first time. “As in sank his fangs into your neck and drank from you?” The anger in his shaking tone matched mine, and I knew I had to rein it in or he was likely to lose his shit, just like I was every time I thought about it.

  “Yeah. But I stopped it. It only happened once.” Though he’d acted like he’d do it again.

  “How?”

  “I kicked him in the balls.” It wasn’t completely true, but I’d intended to, and that was enough.

  Dax was silent as he stared at me, then he threw his head back and laughed. “Of course you did. Damn, that’s my girl.”

  His levity was exactly what I needed, and I slipped one knee over his thighs to straddl
e him.

  “You’re not mad?” I asked, taking his face in my hands.

  “At you? No. Should I be?”

  I shook my head. “You’re the only one I want sharing my bed.”

  “That’s a damned good thing, Phoebe Kilsen, because if anyone else tries to climb into it, shit is going to go down.”

  “You’re pretty cocky for a guy who hasn’t even asked me to be his girlfriend,” I said, my tone light and teasing, but there was much more behind those words. After my ordeal, I felt the need to define what we were to each other. I knew how I felt and was ready to tell him. But I had to be sure it was the right time.

  “You don’t know if you’re my girlfriend or not?” he asked, surprise in his tone. “Seriously?”

  “We’ve never talked about it.”

  An impatient noise sounded deep in this throat. “Phoebs, I’ve gone way past the girlfriend-boyfriend label. I don’t know about you, but I’m just about ready to move right into this bedroom and never leave.”

  I felt a smile claim my lips. “Yeah? What if Willow and Tal aren’t interested in a fourth roommate?”

  “Then you better get packing, ’cause you’re moving into my place.”

  I started to say something about his cramped apartment, but he cut me off with a kiss. His lips were hot. Urgent. Hungry. And so were mine. I’d wanted him the moment we’d stepped through the door. But I’d had to hug Willow and Tal and give them a basic rundown of my ordeal.

  It hadn’t taken Dax long to get impatient and tug me into my room though. He’d made an excuse about my needing my rest, but we both knew that wasn’t going to happen. We needed each other. Needed that connection that made us feel alive and loved and real.

  “Come closer, Phoebs,” Dax ordered, pulling me up so that I was straddling his lap, my breasts pressing into his bare chest.

  He was rock-hard male everywhere. And I do mean everywhere. The bulge in his boxers was already pushing against the strip of the black lace between my legs, and I wanted him. Needed him to fill me, claim me, make me his again.