The Renfield Syndrome

J.A. Saare

Published by Mundania Press

Also by J.A. Saare

Dead, Undead, or Somewhere in Between

The Ripple Effect*

(*Forthcoming)

www.Mundania.com

The Renfield Syndrome

Copyright © 2011 by J.A. Saare

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Edited by Skyla Dawn Cameron

Cover Art © 2011 by Skyla Dawn Cameron

First Edition August 2011

eBook ISBN-13: 978-1-60659-265-6

Trade Paperback ISBN 978-1-60659-266-3

Published by:

Mundania Press

6457 Glenway Ave., #109

Cincinnati, OH 45211

All rights reserved under the International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher, Mundania Press LLC, 6457 Glenway Avenue, #109, Cincinnati, Ohio 45211, books@mundania.com.

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.

No part of this book may be scanned, uploaded or distributed via the Internet or any other means, electronic or print, without permission from Mundania Press LLC. Warning: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000. (http://www.fbi.gov/ipr/). Please purchase only authorized electronic or print editions and do not participate in or encourage the electronic piracy of copyrighted material. Your support of the author’s rights and livelihood is appreciated.

Dedication

To my husband, my mom, my children, my friends, my family, my beta readers, my editor and cover artist, Skyla Dawn Cameron, my critique partners—Rosalie Stanton, Madelyn Ford, and Fallon Blake—author Carolyn Crane, Mundania Press, and most of all the readers, bloggers, and book reviewers who gave Dead, Undead, or Somewhere in Between a chance and asked for more.

This is for you.

Acknowledgement

An enormous amount of gratitude is owed to Rufus Coppertop for ensuring the Latin passages in this novel are correct. Your knowledge and insight were invaluable. I can’t thank you enough.

Chapter One

Rhiannon’s Law #22. You can’t lie to yourself, so don’t bother trying. Doing so only multiplies your douchebag level to the umpteenth power and confirms what others have been saying about you for years—that you are an idiot. Of course, I couldn’t fault those guilty of breaking Law #22 from time to time, as I was prone to do so myself.

Like now, for instance.

From the moment I found myself on my ass, holding an issue of the Blood Times, I tried to convince myself it was all a bad dream. One minute I was in my apartment ready to get back to my vampire boyfriend. The next I was making a deal with a demon and getting my ass sent to the future as a part of the bargain. It couldn’t be real, but damn it, the concrete sure did feel cool and solid beneath my jeans, and my busted knee throbbed like a son of a bitch.

My gaze shifted back to the newspaper in hand. If it was meant as a joke, I wasn’t laughing. The date on the paper indicated it was October 28, 2112. The feature article made my holy-shit-o-meter blare like a banshee. Humans were vanishing. Not as in going missing, as in they were ceasing to exist as a species. Something called the Renfield Syndrome was responsible. The side effect of the Renfield vaccine produced during the Third World War between humans and vampires.

I flipped through the paper, desperate for more information.

The rest of the pages were full of ads, most of them chock-full of people offering themselves as blood slaves for immortality, money, and a decent place to live. Morbidly, the entries reminded me of the classifieds purchased when pets spawned unwanted puppies and kittens and irresponsible owners had to find them decent homes. Only these warm-blooded mammals weren’t pets, they were people, and knowing that made my stomach roll and my hands tremble oh-so slightly.

I blew a steady stream of air through my pursed lips, attempted to slow the erratic beating of my heart, and tried to get a handle on things. The coolness of the shade against my face as the sun dipped below the horizon got my attention, putting things in perspective.

It would be night soon, and I had to find Disco.

Disco. My heart spasmed at the thought, and my chest felt as if a weight had been placed upon it. If not for my feelings for the man, I never would have made the deal to sever his debt, landing me one hundred and one years in the future. As fucked up as this shit was, I had to fulfill my part of the bargain with Zagan, the demon Disco was indebted to. Once I had the opportunity to speak with my vampire lover, his obligation to the sadistic creature from Hell would come to an end. One message was all it would take, a few short words to relay that the price to end their agreement had been paid. I didn’t want to remain indebted to a demon—no matter what year it was—and there was no better time to get my shit together.

Groaning, I rose to my feet. The bastard right knee of mine was aching something fierce now with a dull, throbbing pain that extended straight through the bone. Although the kneecap was mending, the process was agonizingly slow, and I resented how uncoordinated and helpless the injury made me.

The folded newspaper was oddly heavy in my hand as I headed south, in the direction of The Razor. Some things changed, but I hoped in this circumstance that some things remained the same. The Razor was a club that belonged to Paine—Disco's most trusted friend and the second in power to his family—which meant finding him wasn’t a bad place to start. Not only would he be able to direct me to Disco, he could also offer me much needed protection in the surreal reality I now found myself.

I walked as fast as my leg would allow, wishing some of the vampire blood that saved my ass when I took on a deranged child vampire four weeks prior had stuck around for some physical healing. Not that I was complaining, mind you. A minor physical handicap was nothing when compared to crossing over to the other side. And I would know, since I’d almost stepped past the pearly gates into Heaven.

The streets were eerie, completely void of human elements. There were no cars, no traffic, no people, no pets and—something especially uncharacteristic of New York—no sounds. Each scrape of my sneakers on the pavement was the only distinguishable noise as I scuffled along the sidewalk, so loud in the misplaced silence that each step was almost deafening.

My attention flickered nervously from building to building, and I gazed disbelieving at what remained of the street. Several of the apartments were in shambles, doors and windows missing, the insides decimated and destroyed. I could see inside a few of the residences, and they looked as though they’d been raided or burglarized. Garbage, clothing, and personal belongings were left next to stairs, spilling onto the street. It was as if the tenants had been permanently tossed out on their asses, with no time to gather their wardrobes or tend to their possessions.

I hobbled along each new street, hoping to escape the hellish nightmare only to be greeted with more of the same. A few of the doors that remained shut had huge crosses on them. Most were brushed onto the surface of the entrance with white paint, but some had the real deal. Enormous pieces of wood that were interlocked together formed a big fat, Don’t beware of dog, beware of fucking owner, warning.

A couple of times I could have sworn heavy curtains shifted as I passed, but they immediately went still as I strode by. It was a damned shame that I didn’t have the time to play Nancy Drew, going door to door to unlock the mystery of the holy relics on display. If anything, it would have matched the surrealism of my situation.

For a moment, I paused and lifted my face toward the darkening sky. Vampires would be out soon, if they weren’t already. Sunrays were only dangerous when they came from the direct source, the reflection of the light as harmless as tap water to the creatures of the night, and it was well past sundown.

I breathed in through my mouth and released the air in a steady exhale through my nose, steeling myself to remain calm as I was forced to quicken the pace. I pushed my busted knee harder than I knew I should, ignoring the sharp, burning ache that started to pound deep in the joint with each step. I alternated the paper from my right hand to the left, shoved my fingers into my pocket, and removed the items hidden inside.

My butterfly knife, closed and ready to be wielded if necessary, felt heavy in my palm; the rosary Father Rooney had blessed, complete with wooden beads and a silver cross, was notably light in comparison. The emplacement charm made of wood with a simple stone on one side—in the event my necromancer support group got into deep shit and we needed to locate each other—rested on the top of the pile.

Thank the Lord Almighty.

At least I had something to protect myself with if necessary. Even though I was marked as Disco’s familiar, I was still vulnerable without him around, and a lot can take place in a century. Where was he? What had happened to him in the time I had been missing? I wasn’t entirely sure I wanted to know the answers to my own questions.

I cut down an alley, deciding on a shortcut as each step I took became more painful, the fire in my knee now a blazing inferno. I was several blocks away from The Razor, and I wasn’t sure I could go the distance. The sun was gone, the faintest gray and purple littering the sky as dusk lingered in those brief, final moments prior to the moon’s takeover. The heaviness in my gut warned me it wasn’t good to be caught outside at night, when the creepy crawlies came out to play.

My necromancer sixth sense alarm bells started shrilling, and I drew in a deep, ragged breath. A vampire was close, damned close. Since Disco had opened the mark between us and fully introduced me to the source of my power, I was able to distinguish a hell of a lot more—including vampires anywhere in a twenty to thirty foot radius. From what I could gather—which, if I was being honest with myself, wasn’t shit—there was only one. But one was more than enough cause for concern when you were a mere crippled mortal.

I didn’t bother trying to hide, continuing on my path as I was already at the halfway mark. A vampire would know I was in the area regardless. Our uncanny senses homed in on each other, creating an undeniable pull—sort of like a fly uncovering a steaming pile of shit—that was impossible to ignore.

The vampire I sensed made her appearance directly in front of me, approaching slowly from the other end of the alley. Her blonde hair was cut short, the inch long strands sticking on top of her head in a hairdo straight out of the eighties. I was pretty sure she bleached it since the strands were a blaring, platinum white. Her pale skin appeared flawless and lovely, her full lips stained with bright, tomato red lipstick. The black heels that clicked over the pavement made her impossibly tall—well over six feet—and she was covered in leather. The black pants hugging her lower half molded seamlessly to her hips, while the skimpy vest surrounding her torso stopped at her ribcage, displaying her smooth and lean stomach.

“Animator bait,” she rasped and stopped several feet away. She shifted her head, looking past my shoulder, as if she expected to find someone.

“I’m not fishing, sister,” I replied evenly and came to a stop.

“I smell them.” She sneered, her nostrils flaring wide. “But the question is, how did they come across you?”

She crossed the distance using her vampire speed and appeared in front of me. Her hand lashed out, and her cool fingers clamped around my throat. She shoved me into the wall, pressing into my chest, invading my personal space. She brushed her nose along my skin, breathing deeply. Suddenly, her head jerked back. She turned to glare into the darkness pervading the alley, and her deep navy blue eyes flared.

“What are they doing with you?” she whispered through clenched teeth, turning to study me.

“Who the hell are ‘they’ pray tell?” I tried to breathe instead of pant as my oxygen supply was considerably limited by her hand around my throat.

She never had the opportunity to answer.

The rustling of multiple feet and rubber soles appeared on both sides of the alley. I turned my head as best I could in her unbreakable grip, first left, then right. The dusk was gone, and it was officially nighttime. My body hummed, a slight burning as more undead approached. However, the faces I could see with guns raised were not vampire, but human, and they were covered from head to toe with fun goodies like guns, knives, and camouflage gear that made them resemble life-size G.I. Joes.

Barberella seemed to anticipate the company. Her lips curved into a Joker-like grin, and she relinquished her hold, stepping away from me in deliberate movements.

The camo posse moved in, guns pointed at both of us. My gaze flickered back and forth between the vampire and the men, and I lifted my hands into the air. Having a gun pointed at you by someone who actually knows how to use it isn’t funny or exciting—not at all. Even worse was being in the center of a soon to be shitstorm from which I might never be fully cleansed.

“Don’t even think about it,” one of the men snapped as the vampire moved, as if she was preparing to flee.

I rotated toward the sound of the voice. His black hair was unkempt on the top and short in the back, his resolute gaze intense and lethal. He kept his gun leveled on the vampire but turned his attention to me, his stare traveling up and down my body, taking me in.

“Carter,” Barberella purred. Stepping back, she shook her head and sniffed the air. “I should have known.”

“Kate,” he responded coolly. “Why am I not surprised to see you?”

“Must we do this night after night?” She sighed, rolling her eyes, and placed her hands on her hips. “Really, what’s the point? We’ll have you all eventually. It’s only a matter of time.”

My necromancy buzzer was raging full steam ahead, tingling under the surface of my skin like an itchy rash. I fought the urge to shift my feet and rub my arms. Movement in this circumstance wasn’t good. Besides, the men with the guns were the least of my concerns.

Vampires were close, and they were plentiful.

I pushed my back against the wall, my right hand at the ready to grab my only two defenses from my pocket. I didn’t know how long my leg would carry me, but I was positive the adrenaline coursing through my veins would ensure I made it out of death pit alley.

“Get the human,” Carter ordered, his steely gaze remaining on Kate.

A handful of people from each side of the alley approached, taking slow, cautious steps. They kept the guns trained on Kate, their motions intentional, calculated, and smooth. This shit wasn’t good. One wrong move and it was game over. I cursed Zagan for sending me into the middle of a futuristic version of hell and damned myself for leaving the safety of Disco’s home the morning he’d all but begged me to stay.

Hindsight was such a cruel bitch.

Swiveling my head to the right, I peered down the alley. As I did, a solid and strong hand grasped my left arm, causing me to emit a loud yelp of panic. I jerked away from the touch and quite literally busted my ass when I lost my balance and fell. I glared up at the owner of the appendage who touched without permission, angry and wary. It was one of the men who arrived on the scene armed to the gills, covered from shoulder to ankle with weapons, dressed in varying shades of green. He was in his forties, salt and pepper stubble spaced across his face, matching his shortly shorn hair.

“Come with me,” he said quietly and extended his hand.

“Nuh-uh.” I shook my head, scooting in the opposite direction. “I don’t think so, All American Hero.”

His frown was genuine; he didn’t understand why I would refuse his help. I shoved my hand into my pocket, going for my trusty butterfly knife. My fingers wrapped around the outline of the warm metal, and I felt an insubstantial amount of comfort at its presence which was better than none at all.

Vampires were here now. All around us.

“Incoming!” Carter yelled, eyes narrowed, mouth in a tight line. His chiseled arms flexed as he tightened his grip on the gun.

Vampires engulfed the alley, several dropping from the rooftops above. I pressed into the wall, attempting to remain miniscule. Whatever the hell was about to happen didn’t involve me, and I didn’t want to become a part of it. The alley erupted in gunfire, snarls, and the distinct symphony of fighting.

Someone snagged me by the shoulder, thrusting me upright, and yanked me forcefully to the left. I planted my feet and tried to lean my body in the opposite direction but stumbled as my weak knee caved. The hold didn’t lessen, firm and unbreakable as the gargantuan soldier dragged me behind him. I focused on the battle we were leaving, gaping at the sight. Vampires were attacking in bursts of speed, but they weren’t killing their targets. Those suited in camouflage didn’t offer the same courtesy, firing round after round into heads and torsos.

“Come on!” the man yanking on my arm snapped. Too bad for him I was equally pissed.

“Let go of me!” I snarled, planting my feet again, and used my left leg to bear my weight. I pulled him up short, and his dark brown eyes flashed in warning.

“Get her out of there! We’ve got to move!” Carter bellowed.

A strange sensation brushed my skin, the slightest drizzle of beaded water tickling my face and hands. I stopped arguing with G.I. Joe and lifted my chin in the direction of the cooling sensation.

Then I heard the snarls.

Misty waves of condensation flittered from the rooftops, floating in the air before dropping down. It started at the opposite end of the alley and spread out. If the sun had been in the sky, it would have created a rainbow effect, much like a water hose with fork holes that created an instant, ghetto sprinkler.

The vampires hissed in outrage, and Kate pulled her lips back to reveal elongated fangs as steam erupted from their skin. It took a moment to compute. Comprehension caused my stomach to knot as nausea made me want to toss my Cheerios. The water was blessed. It had to be.

“I don’t have time for this,” G.I. Joe grumbled, using my distraction as an opportunity to take control. He bent at the waist, shoved his shoulder into my midsection, and lifted me easily.

“Put me down, you dumb motherfucker!” I fought to get free—kicking, thrashing, and squirming.

He ignored my tirade, striding purposely to the camo army. My head flopped, and I tried to see through my hair as I continued struggling with each step he took. A few vampires were on their asses, large holes seeping their life’s blood from their bodies. The bullets had to be blessed or silver as well. Their wounds would have started healing otherwise.

The walls of the alley disappeared from view, and my weight was shifted. Unexpectedly, the shoulder holding me was gone, and I traveled backward. I attempted to prepare myself for the fall that I knew was on the way, trying to relax instead of tense to ensure the connection with the ground didn’t cause nearly as much harm. My back hit first and air exited my lungs in a painful exhale.

My knee cursed me as I scrambled to rise, but I stumbled over regardless, until I was safely on my stomach. I fought to get my body in an upright position, using my hands as leverage. Several men in shades of green stared down at me from their seats, their expressions totally unreadable. A brand new spike of adrenaline overcame my fatigue.

Stay in a big ass bus full of scary ass men from the future? Thanks for the offer, but I had to fucking pass.

After getting my feet properly under me, making sure my left leg would be the one I pushed off with, I lunged for the back door that was still wide open, my rubber soles squeaking loudly against the floor as I attempted to escape.

An arm lashed out, and I deflected it, pivoting in the opposite direction while using the flat portion of my palm to throw the blow off course. I stepped back in panic as two men stood to assist the one who had attempted to stop me. Watching them all, I pulled out my knife and flicked it open smoothly. As I peered down at the blade, and then gazed up at the men, I wanted to slap myself. It was laughable, really. All I had was a lame ass balisong to protect me from massive guys armed with Uzis.

Something hard and cold nudged the base of my skull, and I heard the very distinct click of a gun being cocked. My breath left my lungs, and I went stock still.

“Drop the knife.”

The voice was Carter’s, and it wasn’t friendly or open to discussion.

My horrified and anxious gaze darted around the bus. They all looked ready to roast me alive, and the rosary wouldn’t to squat against any of them. I opened my right hand and shortly after a dull clack sounded at my feet.

“Good. Now, take a seat.”

A firm hand gave me the initial get-the-move-on shove. I staggered and bit back my diarrhea mouth. It wasn’t easy. My temper always had a mind of its own. Carter put a hand on my shoulder and guided me to an empty seat on the right. I slid in and Carter walked past me, toward the front of the bus. He lowered the sidearm in an experienced grip and released the hammer. I cringed when my ears made out the violent sounds of guns being fired in rapid succession in the alley, followed by odd gurgles in the distance.

“Quinn has the second team.” Carter spoke in hushed tones to the driver. “Take us back.”

The bus started with a loud roar of engine and pistons, sputtering at the start until wheels rolled smoothly underneath. I jolted forward in the seat and stared out the window, trying to figure what the hell was going on. Humans might be on the verge of extinction, but some of them obviously weren’t down with being vampire Happy Meals.

Carter whipped around, and I felt his eyes burning a hole in my face. I returned his stare, compressing my lips and crossing my arms like a surly teen. He looked away as he strode back down the aisle. I returned my attention to the windows, gazing into the darkness. His footsteps stopped a short distance from my seat, shuffled, and started back in my direction. The all too familiar sound of metal sliding together chimed in my ears, and I turned in time to see Carter slide my knife into his pocket.

“These aren’t so easy to come by. You can consider it a down payment for saving your ass,” he said calmly and propped himself into the seat across from me. Leaning forward, he braced his elbows on his parted knees.

I drew in a breath and looked away, rolling my eyes. “Don’t be so quick. You didn’t save shit.”

“What were you doing out past curfew?”

I blew him off and kept staring out the window, wishing that I had the power to shut him out entirely. I had no idea there was a curfew to follow. It wasn’t as if I’d experienced anything in the last century. Besides, I had my own set of problems to think about—namely finding Disco and delivering the message from Zagan. It was the only thing that would end the bargain between them and ensure the vampire I’d fallen in love with wouldn’t pay the piper in spades. I had to take this one step at a time or run the risk of losing my goddamned mind.

Anger surfaced, a fire inside my chest. Maybe that was Zagan’s intention all along; to have me freaking out and caught in something I couldn’t control.

The rotten bastard.

“What were you doing out past curfew?” Carter repeated.

“You know what?” I tilted my head back against the seat and peered in his direction, looking him in the eye. “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you. So why don’t you drop me off at the next stop and we’ll call it a night.”

“I’m afraid that’s not possible. You should have stayed safe and sound where you belonged. Now we have to take you with us. It’s protocol.”

“Protocol, huh?” He didn’t so much as nod, gazing at me in a manner that made my skin crawl. “Fuck me sideways,” I muttered and leaned forward, until my head pressed against the brown leather seat in front of me. When I got home, I knew the first thing I was getting. A tattoo on my forehead that said, “Your ticket to insane shit stops here.”

“I wouldn’t say that any louder if I were you.” His gray eyes darkened, and his voice deepened as I glanced at him. “Someone might try to give you exactly what you’re asking for.”

“It wasn’t an invitation.”

He moved across the distance and rested his hands on the seat directly next to my leg. I felt my hair move as his face brushed the strands, and he whispered against my ear, “Then keep it to yourself.”

I settled in and kept my big fat yap shut, fuming silently, and safely, instead. The view from the window didn’t lift my spirits. The landscape was as dead as the people I saw on a routine basis. In fact, I saw several of those along the way as well. The spirits watched the bus as it drove by, sensing my presence. Their faces didn’t tell me much, but their ravaged bodies did. Some had died horrifically, in ways I didn’t want to think about. I could only guess as to what had transpired to make things so bad.

The entire city was a dead zone.

The driver turned right on Prospect Park West, and my eyes bulged in shock. The reality of my situation hit hard and fast. I was seeing buildings that were only a conception during my century. Prospect Village, a mere idea in my time, had reached its completion in my absence. It was impressive, even on the darkened street, and I was fairly certain the contract on the leases had expired by now, leaving plenty of room for potential tenants.

The bus took a sharp turn around the corner and I ducked instinctively, thinking the top of the bus would rip off by way of the building’s lower parking floor roof. We barreled underneath without incident into a dimly lit area. I latched onto the seat in front of me as the driver maneuvered the large vehicle, slammed the breaks, and tossed it in reverse. When he had the bus where he wanted it, he put it in park. The vehicle veered back and forth unsteadily before slowly going still. The sounds of shuffling bodies and feet echoed inside the enclosed space, and I glanced behind me to see the men filter out of the back door.

Carter stood, and his broad body blocked the walkway. He stared down, studying me intently. He hadn’t bothered speaking again, not since he’d imparted his earlier warning. It was cool; I didn’t miss the conversation. I only wanted to get the hell off the bus—at some other location preferably.

He lifted his hand, pointing with his index finger down the aisle. “Let’s go.”

Pressing my lips together and biting my tongue, I rose from my seat as gracefully as possible. The men from the back of the bus were gone, but I could see them entering the building directly ahead. I reached the drop off, jumped, and landed awkwardly on my left foot. I wobbled unevenly, lost my balance and tumbled forward. Hard and unyielding fingers gripped my arm, pulling me up and back. Carter waited until I regained my balance before he let go.

He motioned toward my bent knee. “What happened to your leg?”

“Oh, that?” I looked down at my lame leg and shrugged. “I was a professional river dancer until one of my jigs went terribly awry. It happens.”

His brow crinkled in what I recognized as very real confusion—a look I was all too familiar with. He probably had no clue who in the hell Michael Flatly was, much less The Lord of the Dance.

He didn’t press the issue, standing quietly behind me as I strode up the ramp and inside the building. The hallway was barren, the cream colored walls spray-painted with multi-colored graffiti. He placed his hand under my left arm and guided me toward the elevator. The men from the bus moved aside, allowing us to pass. I felt the weight of their stares but tried to appear unfazed, looking directly ahead at the silver elevator doors.

When they slid open, I stepped inside and found there was one bonus to be had in the apocalyptic future: no whimsical flutes serenaded the inhabitants of the compartment with the sounds of music. Carter pushed the button to take us to the top floor, and the doors closed with a happy ding.

The horrible wretch of the elevator as it lifted caused my stomach to roll. I shifted my attention, glancing at Carter. He was as serious as ever. From what I could gather, he was probably in his thirties. Yet when his brow furrowed and creased, he looked damn near fifty.

When we reached the designated floor, the alarm chimed again and the doors opened. Directly ahead was a huge living room, complete with art deco furniture. Carter lifted his hands, indicating I should go first, and I nervously stepped inside the room. Although he hadn’t given the vibe that he would try to do something I wouldn’t agree to, I was well aware of the masks people wore when they wanted to portray themselves as something they weren’t.

“Take a seat,” he instructed.

I took him up on the offer, not to be menial but because my knee was betraying me like the two-faced bitch it was. The couch wasn’t comfortable, but neither my bruised posterior nor my crippled leg complained.

I sat back, anxious and cautious, but physically relieved.

“Would you like something to drink?” Carter stepped from the center of the room.

I remained silent as he walked around the bar and worked the holster off his broad, muscular shoulders before tossing it onto the counter. He unbuttoned the long sleeve camouflage shirt covering his body and revealed corded forearms with a scattering of dark hair. He shrugged out of the garment, folded it, and placed it next to the holster. He walked to the fridge and I heard the pop of the door being opened as he called out, “Do you always make people repeat themselves?”

“Sure Martha, I’ll take a drink. Why don’t you whip me up some dinner while you’re at it? I’m starving out here.” My annoyance threshold was at its breaking point.

“The name is Carter. Mind telling me yours?”

I considered lying, but figured I had nothing to lose. “Rhiannon.”

“Nice name.” I heard glasses being dinged together, the slurping slosh of liquid being poured inside, and the refrigerator door slamming shut. He came around the bar with two drinks in hand.

“Here.” He extended one of the glasses to me. I took it, keeping the beverage far, far away from my mouth. Silently, I balanced the glass on my knee, studying the amber colored liquid encased by thick crystal.

“Not thirsty?” he asked just before he downed his drink.

Rhiannon’s Law #5. Don’t accept drinks from strangers. Not unless you want to be drugged, date raped, and given all sorts of STDs, and not necessarily in that order.

“I don’t drink things unless they come from a sealed container.” Anyone could drop something into an open glass. I was a bartender back in the normal world, and it was a known fact. I’d seen too many women fall victim to men who liked to add a little something extra to the concoctions they offered to them.

“Then you must be special to one of them. I haven’t tasted soda since I was a boy.” He plopped the glass down on the table in front of me. “I’m amazed your master let you stray so far. I’m sure he’ll be upset to find you’ve been taken.”

“Look.” I sat up and placed my glass on the table. “This isn’t what you think, and I don’t really have the time or patience to explain. I have somewhere I needed to be yesterday.”

“I bet you have somewhere you need to be, and lucky you, we’ve brought you here. Distance from that cesspit will allow you to see clearly.” He smirked, lifting his glass in a mock salute, and returned to the kitchen.

“I am not staying here,” I said quietly, refraining from screaming like I wanted to. Acting like a raging bitch wouldn’t help me. I had to attempt to pacify him and, in the doing, bargain with the asshole.

“Oh, yes you are. Your bedroom is right there.” He pointed behind me, to the left. “I suggest you get comfortable.” He shook his head. “All of you black swans are exactly the same, so don’t think you’re any different. You get swept up in the night side and forget all about your own kind. A few months here will open those eyes of yours. If it doesn’t...” He cleared his throat, shaking his head again. “Let’s hope it won’t come to that.”

“You don’t get it,” I snapped, standing steadily without the betrayal of my knee, and walked toward the elevator. “I can’t stay here. I have something important I have to take care of. Fight your war with someone who gives a shit. Me? I’ll take my chances with the creepy crawlies outside.”

I pushed the button repeatedly, the round flickering yellow border indicating the device was working. My breathing increased, the few contents left in my stomach shifting past my abdomen and into my throat. I didn’t want to vomit, not right now. Once I was safely inside the confines of the neat and clean elevator, I could take care of that little problem. A ding sounded and the doors opened, revealing two men dressed in camo pants, wife beaters, and black Berettas.

“Is there a problem?” Their gazes trained on me as they asked the question, and their hands drifted to their sidearms. I loved men who felt superior simply because they had bulk and an automatic weapon on you.

Spineless pricks.

I lowered my head, exhaling in exasperation. This was the craziest fucking shit. Too bad I’d be repeating the same thing in the future. I couldn’t seem to stop trumping myself.

“I think she understands the ramifications if she tries to leave,” Carter answered from behind me, and I heard him settle into one of the seats and clunk his boots on the table. The big ass bastard on the right nodded his buzzed blond head, his biceps and chest flexing as he pushed the button and closed the doors with another cheery ding.

“So, this is what we’ve reverted to.” I turned to glare at Carter. “Kidnapping people and holding them hostage. It’s good to see the human race has evolved during my sabbatical.”

“Don’t give me that bullshit.” Carter’s boots created an earsplitting boom as they connected with the floor as he sat up. “If you need someone to blame, take a look at those leeches you supply. They are the ones who have caused this, not us. We’re doing what we can to survive. It is our responsibility to show those bred in captivity what it’s like to be free.”

“Bred in captivity.” I grimaced in disgust. “You can’t be serious.”

“Where have you been the last forty years?” he asked in what I easily perceived as agitation. “Did you miss the after affects of the war? When we lost, they changed everything. You can’t believe what they tell you, not even your parents can vouch for it. Blood slaves are tainted—all of them. You’re nothing more than walking food.”

I was curious by his statement, as well as completely confused. No better time than the present to get some answers. I wasn’t very adept at playing a dumb ass—okay, I admit my douchebag level had increased recently—but with my lack of experience, I hoped I pulled it off.

“So let me get this straight. They won the war and made us into meals on wheels? Even our children?”

“Have you learned nothing during your captivity? You’re not a child, and you’re far too old to have been allowed to remain with your family.” His words conveyed his shock, surprise, and doubt.

“Let’s just say,” I answered cautiously, shaking off the skeevies at the notion of being taken from my parents like a newly minted, six week old puppy. “The last time I was in the know, the world was slightly less messed up.”

“How much do you know?” He was scrutinizing me, curiosity and disbelief overriding his annoyance. His eyes were a lighter color now, the steely gray softening to what reminded me of a calm sky. His expression was less skeptical, as if he no longer viewed me as a threat.

“I know something called the Renfield Syndrome wiped us out and that humans have resorted to whoring themselves out in the paper.”

“Take a seat,” he instructed quietly, raking his long fingers through his black hair, “and I’ll tell you.”

I nodded, rolling my eyes, and complied with the request. If I was stuck in this hellhole, at least I got cookies, milk, and story time. I took a seat and settled in.

“The first vampire came into the open in 2041. No one believed it at first, but after a few months when the world found out it wasn’t a hoax, things started to change. The United States government, as well as the leaders across the globe banded together, calling for registration of all the vampires across the world. That was met with resistance. Some of the older vamps refused to participate, and a line was drawn. Those vampires who didn’t submit to the request were deemed a danger to humanity. Within a few months, the fighting started. By 2044, the war was in full swing.” He dry washed his hand across his shadowed face, hair falling across his forehead. “I need something stronger than tea.”

He braced his hands on his knees and pushed his way to his feet. Swiveling around the couch, he quietly returned to the bar. He reached under the counter and produced a bottle. Some things might change, but liquor always stands the test of time. I recognized the label immediately. It was my old friend, Mr. Daniels. Carter reached for two short glasses, holding the rims between his fingers, and returned to his seat.

“Now.” He put the glasses side by side, pouring the amber liquid carefully. “Vampires might have been weak during the day, but they slaughtered at night. The military dispatched soldiers to all largest neighborhoods, a worldwide curfew was established, and it became a game of cat and mouse.”

He handed me a glass, and I took it. He threw his shot back, swallowing hard, and shook his head. He immediately poured another shot and sat the bottle on the table.

“Then the war on bloodsuckers got a new weapon. Something so accessible anyone could have it—the Renfield vaccine. It was engineered from vampire blood, and the way it worked was simple. You got the vaccination and if a vampire bit you, the vampire died. It seemed like an easy solution. All the leaders around the world showed a united front, televising the summit where they received the injection themselves. Before the end of the month, over three quarters of the world population had the shit floating around in their systems.”

He downed the next shot and poured a third.

“It took almost thirty years for the side effects to occur. People started aging rapidly, their cellular levels going completely off the charts. They died within hours, all of them; men, woman, and the children vaccinated couples had conceived. The only populations that remained untainted were the third world nations that didn’t have access to dependable health care, and we lost contact with them years ago. Since the first people to inject the tainted shit into their systems were the world’s leaders, it was only a matter of time before the entire infrastructure combusted.”

Eyes wide, I exhaled softly. “Jesus.”

Carter smiled bitterly. “It was only weeks before what was known as the Renfield Syndrome wiped us out. When vampires started scouting for survivors, those who decided against receiving the vaccine got word there was a safe haven here in New York, which is where you currently find yourself. That was thirty years ago, and things still haven’t changed. People are still fighting for the right to live, and vampires are still hunting them down and forcing them into slavery.”

“So people are slaves?” I spoke slowly, thinking, How does that work exactly?

“They are nothing more than primped and preened cattle the vampires keep as pets. They try to fool you into believing you can live a normal life, that you can have a family and children. They clothe you, they feed you, but you’re never free. You’re always intended to provide what they need. Trust me, I know.”

I twirled the glass between my palms, looking down at my hands. “Would it be too personal to ask how?”

“Someone here will tell you eventually. It’s probably best you hear it from the direct source.” He reclined in his seat. “A few years after we arrived, my older brother started getting cabin fever. Each day Patrick ventured out, traveling further and further into the city, and one night he didn’t come home. It was difficult, but we made our peace with the fact he was gone. When he showed up several years later, he was...” Carter paused, frowning. “He belonged to one of them. I won’t go into detail, or explain why it was so reviled among us, as it’s irrelevant. He claimed they only wanted to help rebuild society and that’s when we learned they only demanded one thing in return—servitude. He was lucky to make it out the door alive. If he wasn’t my brother, he wouldn’t have.”

“I’m sorry,” I said, voice somber.

“Losing a sibling is painful, but I’d imagine losing a child would be worse, and that’s what would happen. Once you agree to what they want, they own you. And that ownership extends down to your children. They aren’t trying to rebuild the population because they care. They are doing what is necessary to ensure survival. Right now, children are a rarity, especially among us. Once we’re gone, they’re fucked.”

I crinkled my forehead, giving my brain time to filter the new information. Things were worse than I could possibly have imagined. Ending the debt to Zagan was going to be hell, but doing so in this reality was going to be almost impossible.

I put the glass to my lips and downed the shot in one gulp. I closed my eyes and drew in a nose full of fire-laced air, blinking several times to combat the tears in my eyes. I sniffed, clearing my throat, and plopped the glass down on the tabletop as I met his gaze.

“Now that is some fucked up shit.”

“I’m glad you think so.” He nodded his approval, leaned forward and downed his third shot, and then lifted the bottle to refill both of our glasses.

Chapter Two

Despite having luxury accommodations, I slept like shit. Blessedly forgotten nightmares returned hard and fast, reminding me why I sought refuge in the arms of my lover each night before I succumbed to the land of dreams. Disco always took me to beautiful places when I slumbered, entering my mind to redirect my thoughts to more pleasurable things versus the hell that was my childhood after my parents were killed. No longer was I afraid to close my eyes to rest. In fact, I had started to welcome the evenings spent in his embrace.

I tossed and turned on the queen-sized mattress, and each time I awoke in a cold sweat, terrified the dreams were real. I told myself it would all be over when a new day greeted me. I had suffered this misery before and survived, before Disco was a part of my life. I could do it again without his assistance. When I finally drifted off to the land of dreams, it was out of sheer exhaustion. I woke the minute the sun’s beams drifted through the glass wall, lighting my eyelids with shades of pale orange and yellow.

I stared at the ceiling as I came to awareness, trying to figure out what in the hell I was going to do. Carter wouldn’t let me leave. He truly believed he was showing me the light. I pulled at the crunched cotton material at my throat, rubbing my fingers against the tiny tattoo created from Disco’s bite hidden beneath. They didn’t see my mark, and if I could help it, they wouldn’t have the opportunity. These people lived life to the extreme. If they discovered I was not only claimed by a vampire, but that I was also a necromancer beholden to one, my life expectancy was sure to take a nosedive.

I grated my teeth, wishing I could grate something else together instead. I bet Zagan was having a good old fashioned laugh at my expense, the rotten demon bastard. He’d known exactly what he was doing when he made our deal, took the amulet I’d procured killing a child vampire, and sent my ass forward through time. Admittedly, I was never good at eating crow, but this went beyond any sort of good-humored joke.

Closing my eyes, I pictured Disco’s face. His pale skin and distinct features were gorgeous, as all vampires were prone to be, but his eyes were his best attribute: deep multicolored pools of blue, green, aqua, yellow, and gold. I would give anything to feel his solid arms around me, his cool breath against my face. The night before had only shown me how much I’d started to depend on him, to force me to accept that I’d grown to need him.

I never would have agreed to Zagan’s bargain if it weren’t for him.

Pushing aside the duvet, I decided it was time to make it a new day. The bedroom was stark bone white, the linens, dresser, and nightstand matching perfectly. It was meant to look sophisticated, but it was merely plain and simple. I bet the decorator charged a bundle for his services, too.

The adjoining bathroom matched the bedroom except everything was elaborate. The sinks were deep and square, the faucets bright, polished stainless steel that arched over like flower stems. I walked inside to rinse my mouth of putrid dragon’s breath—the result of multiple shots of Jack I’d taken the night before. I cupped water in my hands, cleaned my face, and used the towel on the sink to pat my skin dry when I was done, feeling slightly cleaner if not totally spring fresh.

I took a long look at myself in the mirror. The woman gazing back at me hadn’t changed. She still had long mahogany hair, chocolate brown eyes, a heart-shaped face, delicate cheekbones and two eyebrows that arched like twin brush strokes. But the image didn’t relay what resided inside the twenty-five-year-old who felt far older. That was more complex. No mirror in the world could accurately portray that woman.

When I walked out of the bedroom, the living room area was empty. I headed toward the glass door leading to the outside balcony. After I unlocked the handle and slid the glass partition aside, I stepped into the chilly morning air and crossed to the railing. Nothing but woodland greeted me, since the building was built near the accompanying park. There were no signs of life, no people going through daily morning rituals. It was as country as the city could possibly get.

The sun spread across the sky, distorting the horizon in variations of blue, red, purple, orange, and yellow. I took a deep breath and frowned. There were no exhaust fumes or smells of food. There was just brisk air that burned my lungs, and the lingering moisture which accompanied morning dew.

Something touched my arm, and I tensed. Whipping around, I deflected the object with the base of my palm. My right leg flew back automatically as I attempted to stand in a defensive position and, wouldn’t you know it, my bastard knee faltered. I cursed, using a flailing hand to brace myself and keep a precarious balance using the concrete barrier that kept me from toppling over the roof of the building.

“I bet you were quite the ass kicker before that knee of yours bummed out,” Carter observed casually. He lifted a mug of coffee to his lips and leaned against the concrete barrier, staring into the sun. He had on his camouflage pants, boots, and a black wife beater. His dark hair was in disarray, messy around his shadowed face.

“I could hold my own,” I growled, angry at myself and my injury.

“How did you hurt it?” He glanced over, lips curving around the mug. “Tell the truth this time.”

“A vampire broke my knee cap,” I answered before I could think, brute force honesty flowing easily from my lips. I cursed the lack of filters between my brain and my mouth the second I heard myself say it aloud.

His curious smile vanished. He lowered his mug, resting it on the barrier, and faced me. “No shit?”

“No shit,” I responded, wishing I could kick myself in the ass.

“What happened?” His gaze was so unnerving that I had to look away. I took several long moments to formulate my answer, deciding honesty wouldn’t hurt as long as I kept out essential details.

I returned my attention to him and shrugged. “I killed him.”

“You killed him?” He threw back his head and laughed, thinking I was making a funny. When I didn’t join in, his laughter and smile faltered. His tone changed from teasing to sober. “You’re serious.”

“I don’t joke about death,” I told him quietly.

“How did you kill him?” He leaned closer, eyes curious. The muscles along his shoulders and biceps were clearly displayed, and they corded as he shifted the mug in his hands.

“Well...” I took my time responding, making sure I didn’t give too much away. Kiwbe, the child vampire I’d killed, was an evil shit. He deserved to die for murdering and devouring his own kind. I didn’t have any remorse for what I had done, and it was evident when I finally said, “First, I emptied a clip into his back. Then I cut off his head.”

Carter’s gray eyes darkened slightly, and his lips parted. Homeboy just got a shock. He didn’t expect the damsel in distress to have a pair of balls. To his credit, he recovered quickly.

“Good for you.” He gave a curt nod and took a heaping swig of java.

“Since we had some fun share time, do you think it might be possible to let me walk out of here?” I asked with a hopeful expression, pretending that we were friends now instead of total strangers.

He shook his head again, smiling. “Nope.”

I sighed and pushed away from the railing. Stepping back and making sure I had decent balance, I started to walk away. A terrace circled the top of the building, and I took brief stops to take a look around.

The area between the two buildings had a garden, the soil tilled but empty as the weather had turned too cool to plant. The vines intricately woven through the slats of wood and metal obscured a portion of the area from view. One thing was for certain—I couldn’t leap from the building. If I did, there would be a nice red splatter for everyone below. I sat down in one of the metal chairs next to a matching rounded table. This shit was going to get old quick. Time that I didn’t have to spare was slowly ticking away, and I didn’t even have my tattered copy of Jane Eyre to distract me...

“Listen.” Carter appeared and pulled an empty chair away from the table. “We’re going out to collect supplies. Normally, the newer residents remain behind. We don’t have the time or resources to play babysitter. But I’m willing to extend you an olive branch. Promise to behave and you can tag along.”

“What makes you so sure I won’t haul ass the second you give me headway?” I narrowed my eyes and glared at him. “You are keeping me prisoner, after all.”

“Because if you do, your privileges will be revoked for an undetermined period of time and you’ll be kept in our hold in the basement. Besides, with that leg injury to slow you down, you won’t make it far.”

“Damn it,” I snapped, leveling with him. “I can’t stay here.”

Carter chuckled, unperturbed. He finished off his coffee but remained seated, taming his unruly hair with tanned fingers. “You’ll see the light. Give it time.”

Give it time, my ass. If homeboy only knew just how much time I’d given up. “And just how many hostages have you taken in your effort to save humanity?”

Lifting his arms above his head, he stretched out, taking his time, muscles lengthening as he took a deep breath. When he lowered his hands to the chair, he answered only, “Enough.”

Struggling not to scream or toss my chair at him, I chose to make a hasty exit, rising as gracefully as possible. Unfortunately, after a couple of steps, I was forced to hobble to the sliding glass door. The crisp air-conditioned condo was exactly as I left it, everything neat and in its proper place. I briefly wondered what Carter would think if I went on a demolition and ruined the entire decorative flow.

As I rounded the corner, I made solid contact with a body, which sent each of us off course and back. The blasted right knee of mine held out for a change, and I breathed a sigh of relief, thankful I wasn’t gracing the floor with another ass mopping.

“You’re the new one,” the girl that crashed into me snarled, her sky blue eyes narrowed.

She was dressed in the fugly camouflage pants everyone seemed to love, a thin black wife beater, and combat boots. Guns protruded from holsters strapped under her arms and blades were situated in casings along her thick leather belt. Her features were soft—full lips, pert nose, dainty chin—but any illusion of femininity was ruined by her caramel brown hair that was cropped incredibly short. Not to mention the lean, rippling muscles along her tanned shoulders and arms that would do a man proud. I met her stare, crossing my arms defiantly over my chest. She-Ra was a good three or four inches taller than me, and could probably kick my ass considering I was lame and lacking her firepower, but I’d be damned if I backed down.

“I say,” she said softly as she moved closer, leaning in so I heard her loud and clear, “that they let you go back. You deserve to rot.”

“Well, hello and greetings, fellow neighbor,” I replied snarkily. “Top of the morning to you.”

“Jax,” Carter snapped, and I pivoted on my good leg to glance at him before I returned my focus to G.I. Jane. “What are you doing here?”

“She thinks you should let me go back.” I turned my back to Carter and smiled at Jax, leaning close to whisper to her, “Personally, I think that’s a fine idea. I’ve been trying to talk Mr. Serious over here”—I hiked my thumb in Carter’s direction—“into giving it consideration. So far, he’s not listening.”

“I asked you a question, Jackson,” Carter barked from just over my shoulder.

She didn’t avert her focus from my face, reaching for the bag resting across her chest. She pulled it free, lifted it over her head, and threw it at my feet. “Quinn told me to bring her clothing to wear until she collected some of her own.”

“That’s great.” I smiled and shifted my feet, gently prodding the bag on the floor. “You don’t happen to have a spare pair of shit kickers? Do you?”

Jackson looked like she wanted to explode. Her lids slitted, her forehead creased, and her full, berry tinted lips thinned. Chock it up to another person won over by my superb conversation skills and outstanding wit. I would have pumped my fist in the air, but I had a feeling it would have only made matters worse.

“Thank you, Jax.” Carter intercepted what was sure to become a cat fight, stepping directly beside me. “You can go. Tell everyone we’ll be down after breakfast.”

“Don’t get too comfortable, vessel,” Jax quipped before she lifted her chin at Carter. “You’re not welcome here. Your time is short.”

I smiled, goading her like a moron. “Talk about an understatement. You have no idea just how short my time is.”

She started to step forward when a horrifying growl carried through the room. The sound was unlike anything I’d ever heard, so deep it felt as if the walls rattled and the floor shifted. Jackson glanced at Carter before she spun around and made her way to the elevator. I peered over at the man beside me, who was the source of the noise. He went quiet when our unexpected visitor stopped in front of the elevator.

“Vessel?” I asked him. “Am I about to tread water somewhere?”

He didn’t look at me until the elevator dinged open and Jackson disappeared behind the closed doors. “A vessel is a vampire blood donor.”

Great. The more things changed, the more they stayed the same. Even with the world coming to an end, people were still determined to judge others with labels. I bent at the waist and retrieved the small black satchel. The contents were light, and when I flipped back the flap, I saw a pair of camouflage pants and a couple of black garments folded neatly inside.

“What is up with all the green and black?” I grumbled, placing the flap back over the satchel.

“Our clothing distinguishes us from average civilians.”

“I hate to break it to you.” I motioned at his face and then his very fit body. “But your entire look screams military asshole. Woodsy outdoor clothing is just the cherry on top.”

Annoyed now, Carter muttered, “Are you always such a smartass?”

“No, not always. That character trait is generally reserved for the fucked up situations I find myself in. Like this one, for example.”

Carter appeared legitimately uneasy and exhausted, gray eyes going dark as his shoulders drooped. He ran his fingers through his hair, shifting his feet.

“I’m going to be straight with you. A person that’s just been taken off the grid would normally be quarantined and placed under observation. It’s protocol and ensures no one falls into harm’s way. The only reason you’re not is because I’ve taken a personal interest in you. If not for that, you’d be holed up in a cell in the basement with the rats, a floor mat, and a water dish. No one here likes outsiders, especially human ones who’ve lived among vampires.”

I was about to get snarky again when I internalized his last two words.

Human ones? Hello?

Slowly, warily, I asked, “What do you mean human ones?”

“How old are you, Rhiannon?”

What a nice question to ask a girl you’d just gotten to quasi know after sharing a name exchange and a few shots of Jack Daniels with the night before. I pulled the satchel into my chest. “I’m a certified antique at a quarter of a century, vintage twenty-five.”

“How is it that you know so little? You couldn’t have been kept so ignorant of everything taking place around you.”

Nothing made me as warm and fuzzy inside as being referred to as an imbecile, but I couldn’t tell Carter why I was ignorant of the world’s happenings or why I had no idea what in the hell was going on. There was too much danger in honesty. I might find my throat cut or my body tossed over the side of the outdoor patio.

I stood there, unable to answer the question.

“Are you suddenly mute?” he snapped, staring at me as if fighting the compulsion to shake the hell out of me.

“What do you want me to say?” I blurted, grasping at straws. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. Does it really matter why? You refuse to let me leave, keeping me prisoner in this...this...” I waved my arm to the insanely odd and out of place apartment that was only an architect’s wet dream before my ripple across the space time continuum. “Better Home and Gardens meets The Jetsons military fortress.”

Carter moved quickly, taking my upper arms in his large hands. He squeezed harshly and growled, “You’re lying.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I yelped, chest heaving, becoming furious and ready to give him more than he bargained for. I might be lame, but I knew how to defend myself, and there were plenty of objects in the vicinity to use as weapons.

His nostrils flared as he inhaled deeply, and my stomach sank as his irises became silver. He wasn’t vampire, but he most definitely wasn’t human. More than a virus had come along since the Third World War.

“You’re hiding something. I knew it the moment I scented the people, cars, and exhaust fumes all over you in the alley. No one smells like that anymore.” He buried his face into the hair at my shoulder and breathed in deeply, murmuring on the exhale, “No one.”

“What are you?” I whispered in a weak voice before meeting his unwavering stare.

“I won’t dignify that question with an answer. If you want to play dumb, so be it.” Carter released me and took a step back. “Get a shower and get dressed. We’ll eat, and I’ll take you on a quick tour of the premises.”

I watched quietly as he turned and stomped away; the muscles along his shoulders and arms jerking as he clenched his fists spastically. This entire situation was becoming worse and worse. And the most sickening part was I had no idea of what in the world I was dealing with.

Turning on my heel, I returned to the bedroom, stomping across the lush carpet that managed to cushion my throbbing knee. I tossed the satchel onto the bed, ready to tear something apart, when something shiny caught my attention. As I neared the bed, my stomach knotted, sweat beaded across my forehead, and my heart increased its tempo as fear swamped my senses.

It couldn’t be.

No. Fucking. Way!

I lifted the amulet from atop the comforter with trembling fingers, causing the tiny bead of amber with the black tear drop center to quiver and shake midair.

I wasn’t sure how it was here, considering I’d handed the damned thing over to Zagan myself, but it radiated an all too familiar and eerie hum, an energy that crept past the barrier of my flesh and coursed through my blood.

Marigold Vesta’s amulet—spun by Lucifer’s very own familiar—was once again in my possession.

Chapter Three

Carter pointed out various things as we made way toward the bus that would take us on a mission through the city, such as the apartment used as a store room, and the large area downstairs with a massive projection screen and multiple couches that were used for the ever celebrated movie night. He also introduced me to several of the unbelievably fit and trim residents who crossed our path along the way.

Aside from a brief glance and a bob of the chin in acknowledgement to each and every one, my mind was somewhere else entirely. For the umpteenth time, I brought my hand to my chest, patting the amulet hanging around my neck. It was still there, emitting an odd, powerful hum against my skin.

“Rhiannon?” Carter’s voice broke through my haze. “Are you listening to me?”

“Yes, sorry.” I sighed and lowered my hand from the incredibly thin but overly large black turtleneck I’d taken from the satchel and changed into earlier. The camouflage pants fit a bit better, but only due to the assistance of an old military style cloth belt with a metal clasp that shone like polished brass. I looked pretty hard core until you got to the immaculate white Nikes with the light pink swooshes on my feet.

“Who are you thinking about?” Carter slowed his brisk pace.

Who wasn’t I thinking about? I was worried about Disco, without question. My lover had no idea where I’d been for the last century. Which got me to thinking about everyone else. What happened to my old boss, Hector? My co-workers Deena, Cletus, and Butch? The Black Panther Club, where I worked as bartender? Then there was the vampire family I was a part of—with Paine and Nala being in the forefront of my mind.

And each time I started this train of thought, I went back to one person in particular—Ethan McDaniel, aka Goose. My mentor, friend, and the only person aside from Disco and Paine I completely trusted. He would know what to do and how to get me out of this pickle, but was he even around anymore? Vampire blood extended longevity, but one hundred and one years is a hell of a long face lift.

“Rhiannon,” Carter prodded.

“I’m not thinking about anyone,” I lied smoothly, increasing the pace down the narrow hallway.

A firm hand grasped my shoulder and spun me around, bringing me face to face with one furious and very disbelieving man. The rope Carter walked was getting shorter and shorter. Gray eyes shone oddly, becoming almost silver again.

“You’re romantically involved with one of them, aren’t you?” His voice changed, becoming impossibly deep before my very ears. “That’s why you won’t tell me anything. You’re protecting your lover.”

If only it were so simple.

Beyond my own threshold of patience, I let him have it. “If they are as powerful as you claim, why would I need to protect any of them? We are the endangered species. Not the other way around.”

“That’s true enough. Your species is endangered,” he agreed, catching me off guard as he grasped my arms, brushed his larger body lightly against me, and I took a step back. “But we are not. Soon, we will equal them in number, if not exceed it. While they control the night, we control the day. When the time comes, they will all burn.”

“Carter,” a deep voice bellowed from the end of the hall, stopping my question of exactly what he was. “We’re ready to go.”

“We’ll be right there,” Carter shouted but kept his powerful gaze homed in on me. Moving closer into my personal space, he whispered thickly, “You’re not going anywhere. You’re place is here. Your home”—he emphasized the word with purpose, allowing it to hover between us for several seconds—“is here.”

Before I could respond, he released my arms and moved away. Stepping past me, he strode toward the end of the hall. He glanced at me when he stopped before the men and quickly turned away, absorbed by their conversation.

Something was very, very, wrong here. Something I wasn’t privy to. And it was something I wasn’t sure I wanted to uncover.

****

Each new landscape I viewed was a stark contrast to the world I left behind. There were no longer choppy lawns or trimmed sidewalks; sparse portions of grass, ragged weeds, and random flowers jutted from the cracked asphalt marred by paper, garbage, clothing, and forgotten belongings. Buildings were in a considerable state of disrepair with bricks missing or scattered about. Multiple window ledges were falling apart, the air conditioning units of a few apartments dangling precariously close to disaster.

The large reinforced bus traveled across the city, deftly maneuvering the sunlit roads that remained empty but for a random critter here and there that quickly fled from sight as we rounded corners, or people who viewed our passing from behind flittering curtains.

Our stops were sporadic, mostly trips to restock supplies from storage facilities across the decaying city. Most of the stores were of the canned variety, each label neat and tidy. I noted there was little dust or grime, indicating that the non-perishable market continued to thrive despite the change in the infrastructure. I wasn’t entirely sure how that was possible. When I asked Carter about it, he informed me humans had to be fed and vendors were always willing to make arrangements for the right price. He also gave me a history lesson on vampires and their detestation of technology, stating they preferred newspapers to the internet and physical letters to virtual correspondence. Therefore the World Wide Web was not readily available in most cities, although cell phones continued to be put to good use.

We stopped once to eat, as the sun glistened down from the center of the sky. It felt as if I’d entered some surreal version of New York as I sipped on a small canteen of water and ate crackers, meat, and cheese while sitting in front of the New York Public Library. I quickly gathered it was not a place they visited often as guns were pulled out and people were placed on guard, standing along what once was known as Fifth Avenue. Pigeons were long gone, migrating to better locations to scrounge for food. I didn’t really blame them. There were no crumbs left behind by messy eaters to scavenge, or overfilled garbage cans to investigate.

Carter exited the library with several books in hand, and I quickly fisted my reusable plastic baggie and jumped to my feet to make a hasty departure to the bus. It wasn’t hard. I’d kept myself distant from all of the men throughout the day, and that meant I had a clear path to safety.

Safety, I thought sardonically. How laughable.

One thing, and one thing only, had remained consistent throughout the entire day, and it made my stomach contort into knots. I recognized the look Carter had given me before we left the building now, because I’d seen it bestowed time and again when I caught him peering in long possessive stretches in my direction. I’m not sure how in the hell I missed it before, but I contributed my impressive lack of attention span to the fact, as well as my completely non-existent sexual interest in other men thanks to a certain vampire I got horizontal with on a regular basis.

Carter wanted more than quality time to show me the light.

A lot more.

He called out for me halfway to my destination, and I pretended not to hear. Scrambling frantically onto the empty bus, I rushed for my vacant seat near the front. I plopped down and lowered my entire body until I was practically invisible, bringing my knees up and arching my back until I was in an upright fetal position. If I could have made myself disappear, I would have.

“It’s no use, Rhiannon.” His voice echoed inside the cabin from the back of the bus, and I listened as he climbed up. “I saw you.”

When he appeared, I kept my face blank, eyes focused on the odd swirling pattern embedded into the fake leather seat directly in front of me. He perched on the edge of the seat across the way, much like he did the first night he intercepted me. He sorted through the books he held, until he found what he was looking for.

“You said Brontë was a favorite, right?”

As he passed the volume over, I noticed it was indeed a Brontë novel, but not a personal favorite. I accepted the copy of Wuthering Heights with a jerky nod and an unladylike grunt.

“That’s not the right one, is it?” He didn’t seem put out by the fact, his voice abnormally husky and tinged with amusement. When I didn’t respond, he wrapped his hand around my wrist. “Come on, let’s go back inside and pick your poison. We don’t travel to this area often, and I can’t promise we’ll be back anytime soon.”

I almost told him I was illiterate but found myself snipping, “That’s okay,” instead when he tried to pull me from the seat. I leaned in the opposite direction, but resistance was futile. Carter had me trailing behind him as we exited the bus, and instead of making a spectacle of myself, I fell in line as he guided me up the stairs to the library courtesy of the hand that was now latched around my elbow.

It was creepy as we walked past the non-secured door and climbed the quiet stairs, which had a mild slathering of mildew and dust. Carter didn’t release his grip on my arm until we neared the third floor, allowing me to hobble on my own as we entered the McGraw Rotunda.

My favorite ghost, Zippo, wasn’t in her normal place in front of the Moses mural. Instead I saw her wandering aimlessly along the hallway. Her brown skirt was just as neat as I remembered, her white top flowing with her movements. She turned as we neared and stared in our direction, but it wasn’t necessarily because we drew her attention. Spirits were nothing if routine.

I pointed down the hall, in the direction of the ladies’ room. “I need to take five. Is that possible?”

Carter grinned, and the effect it had was incredible. He was boyishly charming when relaxed, bordering on hocking adorable in his ease. Warning bells in my head insisted I depart immediately, so I did. Swiveling on my heel, I made a hasty break for the bathroom. I was curious about the electricity that continued to work throughout the building, only interrupted by random flickers and spurts, but my questions could wait. The time for answers would come later.

After I figured out what in the hell I was going to do.

Only a few florescent bulbs withstood the test of time, and even then bathroom was dimly lit. I went to the sink and tested the knobs, sighing in bliss when clean and clear water sputtered from the faucet. Cupping my hands, I collected the cool liquid and splashed my face repeatedly, attempting to calm my rattled nerves.

My skin bristled when I remembered the looks I’d been receiving from Carter. Apparently blood wasn’t the only rarity in this Tales from the Crypt version of the demented future—so were new additions to the population. I thought back to the random faces at the Prospect Village. There were females throughout—all of them like Jackson, built Ford tough and probably long time residents—but men didn’t cross my path as nearly as often. I was willing to wager the ratio of gentlemen to ladies had changed in recent years.

Lifting my head and opening my eyes, I peered into the mirror.

“Rhiannon Murphy.” Zagan’s androgynous face sneered through the glass as the edges of the mirror distorted and rippled.

“Fuck!” I choked and quickly staggered away.

Zagan’s opalescent eyes hadn’t changed, remaining odd in their luminescence. The color of the pupil shifted like water drifting along the surface of oil, creating a dizzying rainbow collage of orange, yellow, and red.

Just behind the demon was the desert I’d seen during our last meeting, the swirling sand creating small whirling tornados in the distance. Zagan was clothed in the same unisex attire, the crisp white shirt impeccable, brown slacks hanging loosely across its hips.

It bared pearly white teeth, hissing. “You have something that belongs to me.”

I immediately touched the solid lump under my turtleneck and was rewarded with a steady thrum of power.

“Give the amulet over,” Zagan snarled and black smears formed around its temples, marring the perfection of its skin. “We had a deal.”

“No,” I retorted, angry as I remembered exactly what Zagan had done. I wasn’t sure why the amulet had returned to me, but it would be a cold day in Hell before I handed it over to him a second time. “You twisted the terms of the contract without my consent, sending me to this futuristic version of hell.”

“Do not be angry over that which is of your own making. You agreed to the terms.”

“No.” I embraced that inner lick of anger as it raced under my sternum, lighting a fire under my skin. “I didn’t.”

“It matters not.” Zagan brushed aside my fury with ease. “The debt that was once Gabriel Trevillian’s has now been cast to you. I demand the amulet as payment due.”

Chest heaving, I reminded the demon levelly, “You haven’t given me the opportunity to deliver my message. I don’t owe you shit.”

“My dear, sweet child.” Zagan crowed merrily, the laughter high pitched and painful. It tossed its head back, sending strands of liquid bronze hair churning across what appeared to be starched cotton.

“What’s so funny,” I demanded, taking a shaky step back.

“Gabriel Trevillian is no more,” Zagan informed me between crazed cackles. “He ceased to exist long ago. You cannot deliver a message to a dead man.”

A dead man...

Stillness came, an odd folding and distorting of time. Everything froze in the instant my heart ceased beating. The coldest chill routed through my skin and coursed through my veins, numbing the world around me.

He was gone.

That was why I couldn’t feel Disco as I always did, why his absence was so incredibly painful and profound. I didn’t have to argue or demand proof. I felt his loss. I’d felt it the moment I crossed into this damnable future but couldn’t decipher exactly what it meant. That was why my dreams were hindered by nightmares. Why I didn’t find solace even as I closed my eyes and sought the peace that had become his freely given fantasies. If Disco was alive, he’d never allow such a thing, no matter the distance between us. It was a promise he made to me once, not so long ago.

I found myself sinking limply to the floor, warm trails of salty agony streaking in winding paths down my face.

“Don’t fret, pet,” Zagan cooed, and the sound made me cringe. “Return the amulet to me, and I will end your suffering. I give you my word.”

My tongue was heavy and thick as I swallowed, making a loud crackle in my head, breaking me free of the stupor of grief. Disco had been taken from me, long before I was ready to let him go, and the cause of our lost time together was right in front of me. I lifted my eyes, seeing Zagan’s ecstatic expression, and I knew I’d choke on the fucking amulet before returned the cursed relic to him.

“No.” I exhaled, clutching at my shirt to locate the damned thing the demon had come for, and twined my fingers around the rounded shape through the thin cotton. I gasped at the corresponding tingle of power that spread through my fingers, heated my palm, and seeped up my arm.

“Do not fuck with me, ghost purveyor!” Zagan brayed. “Accept the course of your destiny. Give me what is rightfully mine, or I will rip out your spine!”

The ripples in the mirror extended, warbling the edges of the frame, and the demon slid past the surface. The stink of sulfur burned my nose and encompassed the small area, surrounding me in waves of heat. Zagan leapt clear of the mirror and started forward when the bathroom door crashed open, sending chips of plaster, paint, and wood scattering across the floor.

Carter’s sidearm was out, the barrel leveled and at the ready. “Get away from her.”

“This matter doesn’t concern you.” Zagan hissed, displaying teeth.

“I said...” Carter’s furious voice dipped an octave, and he growled each word distinctly, with an open warning. “Get. Away. From. Her.”

“Rhiannon Murphy has something that belongs to me.” Zagan didn’t seem fazed by Carter or the gun. “I will not leave until she delivers it into my keeping.”

“Hand it over, Rhiannon,” Carter ordered and advanced into the room. “Peddling in demon magic carries a death sentence among us.”

“No,” I repeated loudly, staring Zagan in the eye. “The demon can go fuck itself.”

That did it.

Zagan advanced, and so did Carter. They clashed in a horrific display of muscle and strength. Zagan’s slight frame and clean cut appearance was deceptive; the demon was equally matched, engaging Carter easily. The gun slid free of Carter’s fingers and clacked loudly against the tiles, spinning as it sped across the way to rest against the far wall. I scrambled for it, kicking at the floor with the soles of my feet as I scurried on my hands, until I was crab walking on palms and heels.

A loud crash erupted from behind me, but I didn’t turn. When I reached the weapon, I wrapped my fingers around the butt of the gun. Unexpected, cruel fingers twined into my hair, ripping strands from my scalp, and yanked me backward.

“You will deliver the amulet into my keeping this time—of your own free will,” Zagan thundered into my ear. “It was intelligent on your part, handing it over without informing me you’d initiated a blood rite. You’re smarter than I gave you credit for, mortal. I believed you completely ignorant of the workings around you.”

The next crack I heard came courtesy of my skull making solid contact with the wall. The room went out of focus, my vision coated in a hazy and confusing blur. Turning my head, I saw a flash of camouflage—Carter. For a moment, I thought his clothing was tearing apart, separated as his body contorted, grew, and reformed into something I’d never seen before, something that was definitely not a man.

It wasn’t possible, was it? It couldn’t be...

I blinked rapidly, trying to bring the room into something I could recognize. Zagan’s breath was hot against my cheek, clawed nails biting into my skin, but Carter was the person with my undivided attention. He changed within seconds, becoming something terrifying and totally unlike the stories depicted. Thick, dark hair scattered all over his grotesque body; his limbs, torso, and thighs were disproportionate and unnaturally large. His face was no longer normal, replaced by a broad snout and a multitude of razor sharp teeth. The fists I once observed were now laden with dark claws, each one long, sharp, and absolutely lethal.

He was more beast than man, more human than wolf, a mixture of something in between. The deafening roar that tore from his throat was horrifying, like a bear or lion facing certain death and emitting a final, chilling battle cry. A sharp, undeniable tendril of terror started at the back of my neck and traveled down my spine.

I was less terrified of Zagan in that moment than I was of Carter.

Carter crossed the distance faster than I would have ever imagined possible, grasped Zagan by the throat, and sent the demon’s body sailing into the mirror above the sinks.

It gave me just enough time to get the fuck out of Dodge.

Water exploded from the gaping holes created when Zagan’s body connected with the ceramic counter. Two sinks tore free of the wall, drenching my clothing and the surrounding tile in a tidal wave of cold, overflowing water. I grasped the solid butt of the gun, staggered on slippery feet, and bolted for the obliterated remains of the door and away from the chaos behind me.

“Less than a fortnight!” Zagan screeched as glass shattered, and the noises somehow managed to go hand in hand. “As you have violated the terms of our bargain, you have thirteen days remaining to pay my due as a cemented bargain dictates! Then I will own your fucking soul!”

Time meant little to me—something I was aware of but didn’t truly think about. Another crack in the eggs I continually danced on. The discernable sounds of fighting stopped. Gone were the outraged roars and ear piercing hisses, replaced by the shrill shrieks of the wet rubber soles of my Nikes as they made contact with the floor. I ran with a pronounced limp, arms extended to maintain a precarious balance. If my knee was protesting, I couldn’t feel it. My mind was too numbed, my heart too goddamned heavy. The thought of impending company sent me into an uncontrollable panic. I lunged for the stairs, started down them, lost my balance midway, and collapsed in a wadded heap at the base.

Whatever touched my shoulder sent me into an incomprehensible display of fear, despair, and terror. I lashed out violently with blind fists, swinging the gun in jagged, cutting thrashes. It was do or die, and I was not going to face the oblivion.

Not here.

Not now.

Not alone.

Warm hands encased my arms and dragged me forcibly into a solid chest, stilling my wild movements. I was aware of a steady rocking, the motion deliberate and calm. Then, the most softly spoken words that didn’t make any sense were whispered into my ear, accompanied by gentle hands that stroked my drenched hair, over and over again, following the indention of my spine. I dissolved into gut wrenching sobs, unable to bear the suffocating weight of anguish. I cried until my chest couldn’t bear the loss of air, gulping in deep, greedy breaths.

“Don’t cry,” an unexpected, feminine voice whispered.

My breath caught, my heart stalled and quickly restarted, and I lifted my head. Peering past the shoulder casing my trembling body, I met the understanding eyes of Zippo. She nodded, and for the first time I was able to perceive her as an entity and not an anomaly.

Then, they came.

The ghosts of the New York Public Library surrounded me, and with them came the most unexpected surge of power, solidarity, and comfort. Now, their stares were not sightless and their faces were no longer blank. The focus of their attention was apparent, gazes resting solely on me. The heaviness of my burden lifted, no longer so difficult to bear.

Nothing ever truly died. I knew that.

“You see clearly now.” Zippo beamed in what I immediately perceived as approval.

“Yes,” I murmured. “I do.”

Carter’s questioning voice interrupted us. “Rhiannon?”

I turned away from the gazes of those I’d never truly seen and peered into the face of what was now a man—not a beast—holding me. I didn’t know what Carter was, and I didn’t care. It didn’t concern me. Something far more important was at stake. I had people to see, things to do, and a debt to sever.

“You’re going to have to let me go,” I informed him in a feather light voice, enforced by the one thing I needed most.

Hope.

Chapter Four

The tingling, salty spray of the ocean surf caressed my face and coated my hair as the radiating sun heated my skin and shrouded my vision with rays of yellow and white. Closing my eyes and tilting my head into the beams, I breathed in the heavy air. The weight of wet humidity solidified the space around me, embracing me, holding me aloft. I was in the place Disco always brought me when I needed security and a soft place to fall: my own refuge in the world of dreams.

Our warm place.

A solid torso went flush against my back, hard flesh molding to the softer contours of my body, totally unyielding as I pressed back and wriggled my hips. Smooth fingers moved the hair from my nape as another arm wound around my waist. Soft lips brushed against the sensitive portion of prickly skin between my neck and shoulder, trailing up to my mark, sending pure liquid fire rushing to the erogenous zones of my body.

“Yes,” I whispered, encouraging him, pressing into his chest. “God, yes.”

The hand at my waist drifted up my shirt, tickled my ribcage, surrounded the softness of my breast, and cupped and massaged the mound through the thin lace of my bra. The rough pad of a thumb brushed against my nipple, rotating in a slow lazy circle until the flesh pebbled and hardened.

Sharp teeth scraped idly against my throat, sliding back and forth in a dangerous caress before a moist, wet tongue took their place. I groaned at the sensations of the rasping licks and gentle nips against my skin, lifting my hand to wrap trembling fingers around the hand at my breast.

Disco went still at the contact, body tense and arms tight. I wasn’t sure why. He always knew what I wanted, what I needed. Especially in my dreams. “Don’t,” I moaned, afraid to open my eyes and find him gone. “Don’t stop.”

His voice against my ear was deeper than I was accustomed, throatier somehow. “Do you want more?”

My voice was equally heavy, a seductive promise. “Yes.”

The fingers caressing my shoulder wound down, coming around my hip to trail a path along the quivering skin of my stomach. They slid easily past the top line of my panties, skimming down to the wet heat of my slick sex. A large finger brushed past the folds and parted me gently before slipping into my quivering core, causing me to arch my back and gasp softly.

His thumb massaged my clitoris as he worked another finger alongside the first and started a familiar and teasing motion—in and out, slow and steady. Each time he withdrew, I was rewarded with his tender return, each pass more delicious and electric than the one before. My ragged pants grew louder, and a slight sheen of sweat appeared on my skin, cooling me off as I moved and gyrated against his hand.

Soothing wisps of air caressed my neck, followed by wet kisses that started at the base of my shoulder and slowly worked their way up. As his mouth neared my ear, and I heard his shallow breaths, I felt my climax approach. The glorious tingles beneath my skin bloomed into what would become a dizzying explosion, and I reached for it, begged for it.

My plea came out a pitiful whimper. “Please.”

He groaned against my ear before licking along the lobe and increasing the pace, timing the thrusts to match the steady rhythm of his thumb at my nipple. Those fingers were masterful, knowing exactly what I needed to send me over that ever approaching cliff of pleasure.

I bit down on my lower lip as a mindboggling release detonated inside of me, starting at my stomach and spreading outward, and sent my body into uncontrollable tremors. My limbs shook and my muscles spasmed, my heart beating out of synch as I drew in ragged gulps of air. My sex clenched the fingers that continued to work at my center, gripping onto them as if my body feared they might leave and end the erotic bliss they created.

Strangely, the heat and light from the sun diminished as my orgasm came to a shattering conclusion, becoming almost artificial against my lids as I slowly descended from the clouds I had just floated upon. I was no longer standing on a sandy, sun scorched beach. I was nestled on my side, resting atop a very soft and comfortable mattress.

And I wasn’t alone...

Comprehension struck swiftly, and my eyes flew open.

I scrambled away as quickly as I could, which wasn’t fast enough considering blankets were wrapped around our entwined limbs. My mind refused to accept what it already knew for fact. I had just engaged in a very sensual and fulfilling game of foreplay—and the man rewarding me for my involvement wasn’t Disco. The knowledge made my sexed and needy body feel incredibly violated, wrong, gross, and icky.

“How could you?! You fucking sick bastard! You goddamned rapist!” I yelped just before I collapsed onto the floor in a messy heap of tangled of sheets.

I couldn’t see Carter as I was currently staring at a mattress, but when he spoke he didn’t sound remorseful. “Rape would imply you were unwilling. I tried to stop. You were the one who said you wanted more.”

“Because I thought you were someone else!” I snarled as I disentangled by leg from the tanned sheet that caused my fall and peered over the edge of the mattress. Carter was covered in nothing more than tight black boxer shorts and a lazy grin. I balled my hands into fists, prepared to beat the shit out of him.

Goddamned fucking prick!

“How in the fuck did I get here?”

He shrugged. “You passed out on the trip back.”

The anger subsided, pushed aside as I tried to recall exactly how I’d gotten where I was. Passed out? I remembered being carried from the library and into the midday sun. The voices of the men as they approached were too fuzzy to understand, a stirring of multiple echoes inside my brain. I assumed it was due to the ghosts that appeared along the way, watching as we traveled down the stairs of the building. Carter had climbed onto the bus with me, took a seat, and asked someone to bring a glass and some water...

“You drugged me?” I asked in disbelief.

His smile evaporated. “You were inconsolable, Rhiannon.”

“I was fine!” I kicked free of the blasted linens, until they were scattered across the floor, and faced off against him. “I should kick your goddamned ass!”

He rose from the mattress with the grace of a predatory cat, muscles contorting seamlessly. “You were talking to yourself, muttering things that didn’t make any sense. I didn’t have any choice.”

To my utter dismay, the shirt engulfing me was several sizes too large and smelled strongly of the man who stole second base, enhancing my sense of guilt, shame, and embarrassment. “I was not talking to myself,” I grumbled and started rotating in a circle, searching for my own clothing.

I froze when he said quietly, “I know that...now.”

Something else dawned on me, and my hand shot to the throat he had nipped and played at, closing over the tattooed mark that rested there. It wasn’t hidden, but now displayed for the world to see. What I was to a vampire wasn’t a secret any longer. Yet I was alive and not dead.

Meeting Carter’s silver laced eyes, I asked, “Where are my clothes? And why are we in your bed?”

He didn’t turn away. “In the wash. You were soaked through when we arrived, and I couldn’t put you to bed in them. I stripped you down, put you in one of my shirts, and climbed in beside you to keep you warm.”

Keep me warm, my ass. “Aren’t you just a boy scout and a gentleman to boot.” I severed eye contact, snatched the offending sheet at my feet, and attempted to pull it free from the comforter to cover my bare lower half. When I failed, I started cursing, over and over again, using every vile word in my vocabulary.

“You were speaking to ghosts in the library, weren’t you?” Carter ignored my colorful, verbal tantrum. “Vampires only take those with the ability to converse with the dead into their most sacred fold. That brand on your throat means you most assuredly belong to one of them.”

The sheet in my fingers drifted to the floor when I saw Carter’s clothing—complete with his guns and holsters—on the floor. I lunged for the pile, yanked a gun from the protective casing, and pointed it at the bed.

“You’re right, I do. And you just touched what doesn’t belong to you.” The first bullet grazed his arm and the second got him in the shoulder. He gawked at me, eyes wide while blood seeped down his torso. An uncomfortable silence followed, and it felt as if neither of us moved, spoke, or breathed. The complexities of the entire situation kept me doubly quiet and edgy.

“You can’t kill me with that.”

“Wanna bet?” I aimed the barrel at his head. “I didn’t shoot you between the eyes because I wanted this to last. Right now, I’ve got you dead bang.”

The flicker of indecision in his gaze told me a bullet in the center of his forehead just might kill the bastard. “You would kill me for touching you?”

I nodded and smirked. “Just before I cut off your dick and shoved it down your throat.”

He was pensive, cautious, and moved slowly from the bed to the other side of the mattress. He stood with his arms folded over his chest, waiting. The reminder that he wasn’t entirely human left a foreseeable question lingering on the tip of my tongue, but I figured it would keep.

“Put down the gun.”

“I don’t think so.” I remained as I was, ready to fire.

“You’re in no danger with me.”

“I bet you tell that to all the girls you drug, asshole.”

“Put the gun down,” he repeated firmly. “Guards will already be on their way up, and if they see you with a gun they will kill you.”

“Here’s the way it’s going to work.” Since time was short, I talked fast. “You don’t touch me. Not now, not ever. If I feel your fingers so much as brush against my hair, you’re not getting them back.”

“Fine. Put the weapon down.”

I was prepared to comeback with a witty retort when I heard the elevator ding. I tossed the gun on the bed just in time. Two guards entered with guns in their hands.

“What’s going on, Carter?”

Carter didn’t even glance at them. “A miscommunication.”

“Some miscommunication. You’re bleeding all over the place.”

“When I remove the rounds, I’ll heal.” He lifted an arm toward the door. “Get out.”

One of the guards looked at me, eyes narrowed. “With this crazy bitch?”

“Did it sound like I was making a request?” Carter tore his gaze from me and looked at the guard. “Get the fuck out!”

They didn’t want to go, that much was obvious, but they exited the bedroom and shortly after I heard the elevator open and close.

“Tell me why you made a deal with a demon.” If Carter was in any pain, it didn’t show. Although blood seeped from his wounds, he hadn’t so much as looked at the damage.

“I didn’t.”

“Don’t take me for a fool.” He growled and his eyes flashed much like Disco’s did when I stoked his temper. “Demons can only cross through to our dimension when summoned.”

“Or when a debt it is owed to them,” I corrected.

Carter’s gaze traveled to my face, as if seeking the truth. “You are indebted to a demon?”

“I wasn’t, but...” My eyes burned at the harsh reminder of all the differences brought by the passage of time. I’d forgotten it was possible to hurt this much, to suffocate on pure emotion. I brushed the misery aside, determined that somehow I would find a way to put things to rights. “If Disco is gone, his obligation falls to me.”

“Disco?” He said the name distastefully.

“Yes, Disco,” I repeated, growing testy. “Otherwise known as Gabriel Trevillian.”

“Your owner.”

“My lover.” I embraced the fury that lifted me above the burning edge of pain. “Not my owner. And it’s rude to speak ill of the deceased, including the twice-dead. Show some fucking respect.”

Several emotions flickered across his face—confusion, concern, a growing understanding, and then a blistering anger. His outrage at my admission wasn’t expressed in the same manner I’d grown accustomed to. Disco was prone to use space to keep me from knowing how his anger affected him. Carter wasn’t.

He leapt over the bed in a fluid motion and landed within inches of me. I didn’t back down, even when his canines elongated and he stepped into my personal bubble. I was familiar with pointed teeth and serious attitude problems. Besides, the time for contemplation and ass kissing was over.

“You would willingly bed down with one of them after all they’ve done?” he demanded, snatching my forearms in a grip that was unbreakable yet bizarrely gentle and cautious.

“There is a lot of shit you don’t know about, Carter. I think it’s time we were honest with each other. Don’t you? And get your fucking hands off me.”

His jaw clenched, and while he did let go, he demanded answers as if he were talking to one of his men. “Start talking.”

“I was born on July 22nd, 1986, in Miami-Dade County on a balmy and mildly cloudy Tuesday morning.”

Going still, he studied me closely. “You said you are twenty-five”—his nostrils flared, and his shadowed face smoothed in disbelief and a slathering of doubt—“and you’re completely human.”

“You’re right, I did.” I nodded. “And I am.”

He shared his confusion through his words. “I don’t understand.”

“Do you remember how you smelled things on me that couldn’t possibly exist? Things that are long gone?” He nodded, and I said, “That’s because I came directly from that era to here. Those scents clung to me because that’s where I’m from. The demon that appeared in the library sent me here to repay a debt.”

“So what are you saying? That you traveled through time?”

“That’s exactly what I’m telling you.”

He burst into deep and heavy laughter, the sound encasing the room. He shook his head as his jovial mood ebbed and he exhaled loudly. “Many things are possible, Rhiannon. Hell, I’m walking proof of it. But time travel isn’t one of them.”

“I’m not going to argue with you.” I tried to move but he slammed his hands on either side of my body, blocking any escape.

“Who’s arguing?” He stopped laughing, serious again. He stared at me in a way that indicated what he was thinking just before he stated it verbally. “I don’t care what stories you concoct. I only want to know what it is the demon wants so we can sever the debt.”

“Listen to me!” I screamed in his face. “I’m not concocting shit. Think about it. Why in the hell would I lie? What good would it do me?” I looked him in the eye and snapped, “I can’t end the debt. The damage is done. Zagan will return in just under two weeks and drag my sorry ass to Hell as payment. You have to let me go. I will die if you keep me here.”

“I won’t let anything happen to you—”

Son of a bitch! The last thing I needed was a knight in shining armor!

For some odd reason, my knee wasn’t as wobbly, the joint holding its own for the first time in weeks. I brought my foot between Carter’s legs and bent my leg at the knee, using his own heavy mass against him as I lunged forward and slammed my hands into his chest. I applied pressure against the back of his calf with my heel and he staggered back, separating our bodies.

He didn’t fall, not that I expected him too. His reflexes appeared to be as fast as a vampire—even if he was unfailingly gentle where they were dismissively strong. He regained his balance almost as quickly as he lost it, but I managed to launch onto the bed, cross it in two bouncy steps across the slippery sheets, and land with ease on the other side. My knee continued supporting me without complaint, bearing my weight, and I had to stifle my curiosity to take a quick peek to see why. My attention remained on Carter, and it was obvious he was equally shocked at my newfound mobility. His lips were slack, and his eyes were wide.

“I’m a big girl who has taken care of herself for a long time. I’ve seen and survived shit that you couldn’t possibly imagine. So do us both a favor. Stop underestimating me. You don’t want to believe that I’m from the past? Tough shit. I didn’t want to believe my eyes when you sprouted a body full of fur and a muzzle full of teeth, Old Yeller.”

“You’re telling me you truly believe you’re from the past?”

“I don’t believe shit,” I corrected him again, trying to keep my cool. “I am from the past. From the year 2011, if you want to be exact.”

“Say I buy that.” He started to move in my direction, but stopped when I countered his action with a hasty step back. “Why in the hell would a demon send you to me? Here and now?”

“Zagan didn’t send me to you, you arrogant prick. It sent me one hundred and one years into the future to deliver a message to Disco. You just happened to cross my path shortly after my arrival.”

Our eyes clashed and we stared at each other, neither willing to back down. After a moment he rubbed his fingers across his face and shifted his weight from side to side. “Since we’re being honest, I think it’s only fair I offer up some information of my own.” His eyes found mine before quickly darting away. “You’re mine, Rhiannon.”

Faulting my ears and hoping like hell I’d misinterpreted him, I blurted, “Say again?”

“You’re mine.” He met my gaze when he clarified, “As right of my position, I get to choose my intended—my mate. I chose you the night I saw you.”

Oh god. Not now! I groaned and resisted the temptation to walk to the wall and bang my head repeatedly against the surface. His mate? What did that mean? He was an animal. A big, hairy, razor toothed thing that went bump in the night. I’d seen him change with my own eyes. Maybe his declaration had something to do with that? Or perhaps he was part caveman? Too damned bad he wasn’t the idiotic GEICO variety.

I quickly decided against the caveman theory. Carter could shift his form into some scary ass version of Beauty and the Beast, but he maintained control of himself. He never would have been able to change back to hold me after I tumbled down the stairs otherwise. He was animalistic, that much was clear. But how far did his feral tendencies go?

“Let’s get something straight. You can’t mate what you can’t touch, and you sure as fuck are not going to be touching me again.”

“You don’t know me. I never would have touched you without your consent.”

“Then there you have it. You don’t have my consent.”

“Rhiannon...” His deep growl didn’t scare me now, it only pissed me off.

“I’m sorry to break it to you like this, but I belong to someone else.” Quickly, I added some clarity of my own. “I love someone else.”

Animalistic? Check.

He wasn’t as graceful as Disco in his speed, but he was equally deft. After crossing the mattress as he did earlier, he stopped in front of me before I had the opportunity to run. I pressed my back into the wall with nowhere to go. Large, tanned hands landed on either side of my head, and I had to stifle an instinctive jerk. Carter moved closer, and I noted the shifting of his iris, the steely gray becoming vibrant silver.

His voice was garbled and no longer wholly human. “That may be true, but your lover is dead. You said so yourself.”

“I just saw him yesterday,” I whispered hoarsely, and my eyes started to grow hot with tears I refused to shed. I collected myself enough to bite out, “All of this has taken place in a matter of hours for me.”

His face gentled at that, but he didn’t move away. He pressed his sweltering heat closer to my naked legs and scantily covered body. Debating the specifics would get me nowhere. Carter wasn’t willing to bend or to break. I had to work this carefully—with grace and tact—which meant I was fucked six ways from Sunday. Those were two charming traits I wasn’t genetically manufactured with.

“I have to find someone.” I thought aloud. “He’ll know what to do about the demon.”

Carter’s nose blurred as his face crowded mine. “And this someone would be another vampire, I take it?” I would have pressed my head into the plaster to get away from him if I could have. As it was, his breath brushed against my mouth in a heated caress.

“I don’t know.” I brought my hands up and pressed trembling palms against his bare, bloody chest, demanding space, and made the decision to discover if his wolfy balls were as durable as a vampire male’s if he didn’t back the fuck off. “He was like me in my time.”

Carter withdrew, but only by inches. “Have you considered the fact that he might not exist? The syndrome wiped out a majority of the human populace, in case you’ve forgotten.”

“Without him, I am dead.” I spoke with absolute certainty. “We have to find Goose. He’ll know what to do. He always does.”

“And just how would you suggest we do that?” Carter’s body brushed against mine, and I retreated as far away as the wall would allow, putting a sliver of distance between us. “Locating someone isn’t easy these days. It takes time.”

Locating someone... Little alarms went off inside my head.

The emplacement charm!

Sheer desperation allowed me to break away from Carter. I slid against the wall, rushed from his bedroom on bare feet, and ran for the room I’d slept in on the opposite side of the condo. The door was open, and I prayed my clothing remained as I’d left them that morning—neatly folded on the counter of the bathroom sink.

The sight of my blue jeans nearly brought about my undoing. Hope welled for the second time since my godforsaken trip into hell, burgeoning into a newfound optimism. I heard Carter’s heavy steps as he followed me, and I snagged the bundle of clothing from the tile surface and rummaged frantically through the left pocket of my jeans, leaving behind smears of Carter’s blood on the material. The small corkboard attached to a thin string was tangled with my rosary, and I forced myself to go slowly as I separated them. I couldn’t afford to lose the charm now—it was the only thing standing between me and a probable eternity in Hell.

“What is that?” Carter demanded suspiciously as I worked the two items apart and lifted the charm into the air.

“It’s my ticket home,” I answered and turned, colliding with Carter in my rush. He attempted to right me, but the moment I found my balance I took off, rushing for the balcony.

It was dark outside, the crescent shape of the moon lighting the sky with a small scattering of shining stars. Rushing to the ledge, I lifted my hand, stilled the charm, and allowed it to hang limply on the string.

Carter stepped in beside me, but my eyes were focused on the stone in the center of the corkboard. The color was a clear blue, almost white. Seconds ticked by slowly, and my heart started to pound. An inner pleading to a higher power echoed repeatedly in my head, a promise to live the straight and narrow if given the opportunity. Just when I was ready to lower my hand and give up, the center of the stone shifted, becoming a dim shade of aquamarine. The color wasn’t intense, but it wasn’t meant to be. The only way I’d get the full monty was if Goose was standing directly in front of me.

Slowly, the necklace began to sway, moving in the direction of its originator. Elated, I peered up at Carter with a self satisfied smirk.

“Goose is alive. He can help me. And this”—I wiggled my hand and the charm jangled, ceasing the slow rhythmic rocking—“will lead us directly to him.”

Chapter Five

Angry stares and resentful muttering greeted me as I wandered the building unescorted, exploring the first floor of the complex while Carter informed his pack of his intention to escort me into the city to find Goose and end my debt with Zagan.

Pack. The world made me shiver as the hair on my nape rose on end. Although, if vampires, demons, and necromancers existed, I supposed it was only fair lycanthropes did as well. It seemed God had a sense of humor when He created His creatures, gracing several with the ability to shape from man, to wolf, to leopard, to tiger, to...

Well, to just about anything you can imagine.

They only reason the werewolves—or Lycae as they called themselves—survived the Renfield Syndrome was due to what they were: mystical creatures that were immune to human disease and maladies. Like vampires, they were incredibly slow to age, living several hundred years at least. And that was just the tip of the iceberg.

“He should just change her,” someone muttered from nearby. “Or kill her.”

They were quickly rewarded with a muffled agreement. “It would save him a lot of lot of trouble.”

“I can’t believe he’d mate a vampire lover. He’s no better than his brother.”

“Patrick deserted us for a vampire. I’d say that makes him worse.”

“He was out of control. It doesn’t exactly count.”

“It does count. He was one of us. His place was here. Instead of taking on the responsibility he was given, he decided to go sniffing for vampire pussy. A total waste of a male if you ask me.”

I swiveled my head to peer at the she-men doing the talking. It wasn’t a shock to cross paths with jealous harpies, all of whom wished I’d go back to where I’d come from. Here women outnumbered men two to one, meaning they had to play for their own team or sleep alone every night. Like Jackson, their brown hair was cut short and their tanned bodies were muscular and thin. The stares they aimed in my direction were unfriendly and openly hostile. They were also dressed like men, in their normal ass kicking wardrobe. I decided right then that if I never saw a piece of camouflage again, I could die happy.

“Hi there.” I harassed the she-men shamelessly, breaking into a wide and peppy sorority sister grin as I gave them a wave. “How’s it going?”

The shorter one growled at me, irises flashing an odd hue of yellow, and the other one narrowed her eyes as she spit on the floor.

“Very nice, ladies,” I drawled, giving them a double thumbs up. “Now I can see why Patrick decided not to stick around.” I turned before they could form a plausible response, although I did make out a random “fuck you, bitch,” as I resumed my walk.

The hallways were mostly empty, with a few trash bags placed in front of random doors. There was no movement or sound I could decipher, meaning the residents leaving behind garbage and waste must have moseyed upstairs to listen in on Carter’s plan.

“Psst! Hey. Hey! Over here!”

Frowning, I stopped and searched for the tiny voice, looking around until I discovered a young boy who didn’t appear to be any older than nine or ten peering around the corner. He motioned with frantic waving jerks of his hand, indicating I should move closer and be fast about it. After a moment, I started walking in his direction. When I got within his reach, he snagged my arm, pulled me behind him, and hauled ass for the only open doorway. We barely made it inside the apartment before he spun around, closed the door behind us, and sagged with apparent relief against the wood.

I was about to ask him what he wanted when the ghost of an woman appeared, walking out of the kitchen as if she were still very much alive. She stopped and lifted her head. Her dark auburn hair was markedly longer than I’d seen the other women sporting, but it was still cropped into a bob that met her chin. It was a shock seeing her, as the spirits I’d encountered never crossed into a personal dwelling. She had to have died here—within the building—inside the very apartment we stood in.

“They say you can see ghosts.” The little boy’s voice gained my notice as he walked into the room. He stopped in front of me, blocking out portions of the spirit that waited just behind him. “Well?” he demanded. “Can you or can’t you?”

I took a quick glance at the ghost and tried to decide which was better—the truth or a lie. I was already up to my neck in shit, and I didn’t want to add manure to the pile.

After a moment, I answered cautiously, “I can.”

His face lit up, tiny chocolate brown eyes expressive and eager. “Do you see her?” he asked in a rush, turning around in a circle and staring about the living room. “Nathaniel says I’m nuts, but I know she’s here.”

“Nathaniel?”

“My best friend,” he replied without turning, eyes darting across the open space. His gaze hovered over the area the ghost was standing at, as if he could sense her in some way.

I lifted my head, shifting my attention from the child. The ghost had the same eager expression, studying me with a mixture of awe and ill-concealed hopefulness. The change in my necromancy was disconcerting and disorienting. It wasn’t as if I were seeing an entity that shared themselves via touch or an impression. This woman appeared very much alive—apart from having an airy and see-through body—and aware. Her eyes were a beautiful midnight blue, her attire the same horrendous combination all the women wore—green camo fatigues and a tight black wife beater. I noted there was no outward sign of what killed her. No wounds or injuries present.

“You see her, don’t you?” the child asked excitedly, yanking on my arm and bringing my focus back to his face. “I know she’s here. I can smell her perfume. Where is she? Can you talk to her? Can she see me?”

I studied his enthusiastic face and produced a thin smile. I wasn’t sure why he was so eager, but an inner warning told me it was best to converse with the spirit without an audience.

“I might be able to, but I’ll need you to sit down and keep quiet. Do you think you can do that?”

He nodded, bounced over to the dark brown couch, and plopped down on the cushions. He sat on the edge of the seat, bringing his elbows to his knees as his small fingers came together.

Touching the spirit was the best way to communicate, although I was certain I could converse with her as I did the ghosts in the stairwell at the library. She remained still as I approached, waiting patiently as my hand extended. When I made contact with her bare shoulder, the amulet went warm against my skin, creating a sharp, tingling burn. She remained solid beneath my hands, just as she should have, but our minds didn’t merge.

“Son of a bitch,” I grumbled, frowning and lowering my hand.

“Do you see her?” the little boy asked again. “I know she’s here. I can feel it.”

“Shh.” I shook my head while keeping my eyes on the spirit. “Quiet, remember?”

“Sorry,” he muttered and settled back.

I took a deep breath, focusing on what I wanted, honing my concentration on the ghost before me. When my hand lifted, the pendant started to hum again, the prickles against my flesh stinging painfully. This time, the world vanished upon contact and the agonizing burn from the pendant faded. Oddly enough, the setting was the very same apartment—minus the eager young boy who brought me to it.

“Who are you?”

She smiled, obviously relieved. “My name is Marianne.”

“How are you here?” I released her shoulder and studied her now solid form. “The dead can’t transcend the barrier of a mortal home or refuge unless they’ve passed away inside of one.”

“This is where I died,” she answered readily.

“So why didn’t you cross over?” I gave her another once over.

“I can’t leave until my murderer has been brought to justice.”

Then it all made sense. Marianne had been killed, taken before she was ready. Now her soul couldn’t rest until justice was served. I wasn’t sure there was anything I could do. My time was limited, and I had no idea who killed her or how she had died.

“Great,” I grumbled. “A ghost with a vendetta. Just what I need.”

I turned and peered around the apartment. The space, while very much the same, was also markedly different. A beautiful fawn leather sofa replaced the dark brown cotton couch I’d seen nestled against the wall, and a matching leather recliner was situated in the cozy corner beside it. The homey touches in this reality were long gone in present.

“They stripped the entire unit after I died,” she informed me, as if reading my mind. “Lycae are not susceptible to the Renfield Syndrome, but the humans they bring into the fold are. When I succumbed, they took everything from the building. I imagine they burned it. ”

My chin jerked upright, and I met her level stare. “You were human?”

“I was, yes.”

She was human and had died from the syndrome, but it was obvious she was only in her twenties, and she had lived among werewolves. That meant she came into contact with the Renfield virus at some point, which wasn’t good news for me. I hoped the shit was long gone.

“How did you contract the virus? I assumed the vaccine was destroyed after the world got hip to the damage it caused.”

She bent at the waist and tugged at the legs of her pants around her booted feet. I noticed thin tears in the material and a slathering of blood then, so minor it was easy to escape notice. She brought the material to her knee and revealed a portion of her calf that had been on the receiving end of one hell of a bite. The wounds were ragged and deep, the largest two displaying white flashes of bone.

“Sweet baby Jesus.” I crinkled my nose. “One of them bit you?”

“A carrier gave me the virus.” She released the material, allowing it to fall to her ankle as she stood. “She knew everyone would think the transition caused my death. I wouldn’t be the first human to die after being infected by a Lycae. There’s only a fifty-fifty chance that you’ll survive the effects of the bite. The fever alone is enough to fry your brain.”

“A carrier?”

“A human who had the vaccine but was transformed to a Lycae before the syndrome developed in their body. Lycae are immune to the virus, but those who have carried it never lose it. It manifests in them to the point one bite will send a human into the final stages of the syndrome. The breakdown of the body is much the same as that of the transition. ”

“Who’s the kid?” I asked, thinking of the boy that was able to perceive her presence.

“My son, Joshua.”

I took a closer look. A resemblance was definitely there. It was just that my renowned attention span managed to overlook it. They had the same almond eye shape and softly rounded noses.

“He’s human?” I hated to ask the question, feeling just as ignorant in this reality as I did my own. The more things changed, the more they stayed exactly the fucking same.

“No, he isn’t.” She shook her head and sighed, as if relieved. “His father is Lycae, so Joshua inherited the trait during conception.”

“His father, as in your husband?”

“Yes.” She appeared confused, staring at me oddly. “I’m sure you’ve met Quinn. He’s the beta of the pack, the second in command under Carter.”

“Nopers.” I sighed, suddenly tired and cranky. “I’m always the last one to meet the people I should or know the things I need to.” I did recognize her husband’s name, but I had yet to meet the man. And even if I had, it probably wouldn’t have mattered. There were too many new faces here, all of whom I had zero interest in getting to know on a personal level.

The amulet came to life again, burning and scorching my skin. I hissed as I reached for it, prepared to lift it up and away from my chest.

“Listen to me, please.” Marianne sounded desperate, her words a rush of frantic syllables. “She killed me because she wanted Quinn for herself. As you can see, there aren’t enough men to go around. She had to wait years for the chance, and when she got it, she took it. She bit me when we were out doing rounds, claiming a vampire servant attacked and I was caught in the crossfire. But her plan didn’t work. Lycae only mate with females their bestial half accept and desire. That means more humans are chosen than females of their race. We’re not sure why, but Carter believes it has to do with keeping the bloodlines clean. Quinn doesn’t want her, and she’s accepted she’s got to start setting her aspirations higher if she wants a respectable place in the pack.”

Hissing at the burn against my fingers as I handled the jewelry blistering my skin, I snapped, “Don’t they know Lassie is a carrier?”

“No, they don’t. She must have been changed before she started to display any outward symptoms. The only way they’ll know is if you tell them. You can’t trust her. I’ve listened to her and the bitch she plots with. She wants all of the new females brought here destroyed.” Marianne placed a hand on my shoulder, and I peered up from the glowing amber pendant dangling inches from my turtleneck. “Including you.”

That got my attention. “What? Why?” I blurted. “What the hell did I ever do to her?”

“If human females are not available, the males will be forced to mate within the pack. You’re next on the short list she’s prepared. She can’t risk you taking Carter away as a prospective mate. He’s alpha. His children will lead the pack when he passes. That means you’ve got to go before she has the chance to bite and change you. She’s willing to risk the wrath of the pack to see it done.”

“Okay, listen up.” I moved away, passing the hot amulet back and forth between my hands while trying to get a grip on the thin leather string around my neck. “I’m not sticking around this hellhole. Whoever you’re talking about can have Carter. I don’t want him. I just want to get out of here and pretend this has been one terrible fucking nightmare.”

“You can’t mean that. If Carter chose you that means you share some level of attraction. I know it’s hard at first, but it does get easier. I—”

I shoved a palm into her face, stonewalling her completely. “Trust me. I am so not interested.”

“Then help me,” Marianne pleaded, her entire demeanor bordering on desperate as she grasped my shoulders. “She’ll have another female vying to take my place soon. Quinn has been alone for two years now, but he won’t remain that way forever. My son deserves a mother who will love him. Not some bitch who wants to get knocked up as quickly as possible to replace my son entirely.”

Distracted and playing hot potato with the charm, I asked, “Who exactly is ‘she’ anyway? I can’t help you if I don’t know who you’re talking about.”

“You’ve met her, I heard her tell Delores about your encounter in Carter’s penthouse. She said that when the pack had another meeting, she was going to see that you weren’t a problem anymore.”

I tried to focus on what was Marianne was saying as she prattled on about a devised plan to see me gone, attempting to block out the agonizing burn of the charm that blazed white hot. It was as if the amulet was trying to warn me of something, breaking my concentration.

The connection between Marianne and I began to sever, the reality of her past becoming the reality of my present. But the words she wanted me to hear most—although bunny-rabbit soft—were clear as I zoned back into the dismal apartment with cheap dark furniture, a terrified young boy, and the woman whose name and face were just as familiar as the ghost insisted they would be.

“Her name is Jackson Montgomery.”

Chapter Six

“I told you to go to your fucking room!” Jackson snarled at Joshua, lifted an imposing hand, and pointed to the hallway. Her short caramel hair was messy, her toned and muscular back contracting as she motioned to the empty hall.

“N-No,” he stammered, and it was apparent his entire body was quaking.

“Don’t make me tell you again.”

Marianne rushed between her son and the enraged woman, as if her airy body could somehow shield him from harm. Jackson moved toward Joshua, passing through the ghost like a dense New York winter fog.

This was not good. Not fucking good at all.

I glanced around frantically. The entire apartment was stripped, with none of the essential necessities to engage in diligent combat. The porcelain lamps would shatter upon one good use, and the television and entertainment center would be impossible to lift. My gaze settled on the old oak coffee table, the dark wood stain matching the somber furniture and gloomy atmosphere.

God certainly had a warped sense of humor.

My only chance was the enormous bible situated on the end; the good Lord Jesus Christ beamed up at me from the center of pristine white leather, flaming heart aglow.

Better make it count.

I didn’t hesitate, snagging the thick, heavy book and bringing it around, building momentum, and slugged the good word across the side of Jackson’s head like a sacred baseball bat full of deliverance. Her head snapped around with a rip roaring slap, spinning upon impact as her body followed, and the blow sent her staggering to the floor on her unworthy knees.

The sidearm latched into the holster at her waist was just the meal ticket I was looking for. I dove to the ground, grasped the butt of the gun in one hand, and began undoing the metal snap closure with the other. The barrel slid free just as Jackson turned and clocked me in the chin with a balled fist. I managed to work the gun loose but lost my grip. The dark Beretta slid past my fingers, hit the ground, and glided across the carpet to Joshua’s feet.

I rolled onto my back and flipped, placing my feet on the floor, damned thankful my knee had miraculously healed after the visit to the library. Jackson might be stronger and faster, but making a living as a bartender in a dangerous city meant I knew how to defend myself. When she charged, I crouched low to the ground and dodged left when she came right. The instant she barreled past me, I made a rush for the gun, lunging for the end of the couch. I extended my arm, my fingers brushed the hard edge of steel, and a hand latched around my ankle.

“Not so fast, bitch,” Jackson said, tugging forcibly, and pulled my fingers out of reach.

One minute my stomach was flush against cushiony synthetic carpet, the next it was soaring through the air. My shoulders and cranium made contact with solid plaster across the room first, my limp noodle legs following shortly after. I would have groaned if I had any breath, but as luck would have it, I had a difficult enough time wheezing.

My legs were weak but steady when I rose to face the incoming were-bitch. Her eyes were glowing white, the pupils large in the centers. Her short brown hair was scattered in multiple directions, and a nasty set of claws were visible from each of her long fingers. Twin fangs that were thicker and longer than those of any vampire I’d ever seen shoved her full lips back, giving her the visage of an acid-trippy saber-toothed cave-chick.

“Fuck me.” I groaned, bracing myself.

The sound of gunfire came first, then the accompanying jerk of Jackson’s body when she was struck. The bullet must have lodged somewhere inside her, because it didn’t pass through and continue on a path to me. The shocked look on her face was priceless, but I didn’t have a decent opportunity to enjoy it. She whipped around and faced the boy standing across the way with a gun leveled at her chest.

“Leave her alone.” Joshua’s pitiful voice cracked and he started to cry.

Chick fighting is never attractive, especially when you’ve taken self defense and know how to throw a decent punch or deliver a jaw dropping roundhouse. But as my instructor Mike is always so keen to remind his devoted followers: the smart fighter will acclimate to their surroundings, take what they’re given, and give thanks to lady luck as they do so. It was such a mindset that had me springing from the floor and launching onto Jackson’s back when she started for the boy.

I twined my legs around her slim waist and latched them together at the ankle. She spun in a circle, slashing at my arms. The sharp edge of the kitchen counter met the fleshy part of my lower back, and I cried out. I sent my fingers across her face, searching for and finding the giving sponginess of eye tissue. I plunged my fingers into the slippery orbs, making sure my fingernails pierced first.

Her hoarse bellow of pain was highly gratifying, as was the pop and disgusting fluid slurp when my index fingers sank through the rounded orbs and into the socket, until I touched the unyielding solidity of bone. She shook her body from side to side, clawing at my hands to get to the injuries that would leave her blind.

“Don’t like that, do you?” I yelled, knowing the bitch had the lesson coming for a long ass time. “It’s no fun when you’re on the receiving end of what you like to dish out. Is it, Foo-Foo?”

Rubbing in my victory was the wrong thing to do. Jackson started pounding my back against the counter, using all of her strength, which was damned impressive. My legs automatically loosened, as did my suddenly tired arms. The pain against my spine was agonizing, each blow stronger than the one before. My fingers slid free of Jackson’s now hollow and empty eye sockets. When I was forced to place my hands somewhere on her body or risk busting my ass, I gripped the tips of her ears. The thin cartilage ripped from her skull when she thrust me back and I turned my wrists, intentionally pulling the tissue down, out, and away.

She screamed, a terrible bray of pain and outrage, and it gave me newfound strength. I tugged on her lobes, yanking them down, and ripped the skin and cartilage to the skull. As she flailed and yelled, I flexed my thigh muscles, holding on tight. She stopped thrashing against the counter, reached over her head, and began swiping at my face. A few scratches broke the surface of the skin, but the feeling was pleasurable compared to the misery of the ceramic counter I’d kissed multiple times with my kidneys.

“I’ll fucking kill you!” she roared, slashing at my shoulders and face.

I was beyond furious and exhausted, which made my snarky retort weaker than I’d have preferred. “Not if I kill you first.”

The cold hard truth was I was fed up with being clawed, mangled, and constantly thrown for a loop. Being in this reality blew balls. I was tired, confused, and just wanted to take my sorry ass home. I didn’t have my crucifix, my Ruger, or my beloved butterfly knife. There was only one saving grace, one thing that kept me going—a shitload of pent up heartbreak and anguish that needed an outlet.

I bent forward, using the thighs manacled to Jackson’s waist as leverage, and buried my teeth into the nape of her neck. The skin gave beneath my blunt teeth without the assistance of sharp incisors or canines, and her blood flowed into my mouth. The amulet went molten against my chest, burning like an open flame against my skin through the thin cotton, but I was numb to it. Jackson’s roar of pain was the only thing I wanted to think about.

She whipped around and stomped. The hands at my shoulders wound down, until her nails sank into the giving softness of my legs. Her razor sharp claws slid easily past the thin camouflage and into the warm, pliable flesh beneath. I released her neck and bit my lip, tasting the metallic bitterness of her blood, when her talons went through my muscles into bone. My hands and legs went slack at the torturous stabbing sensation, causing me to slip from her back, and she chose to do something I never would have imagined, something I never saw coming.

She body slammed me.

Pain—pure, raw, and intense—radiated throughout my entire body as she sent me to the ground and landed on top of me. I let go of Jackson, terrified of the black speckling my vision.

If I lost consciousness, it would all be over...

A hand appeared in my hazy vision, and I felt long fingers twine in my hair. A sharp tug separated several of strands from my scalp, forcing me onto my knees. I struggled to breathe, balancing my weight on the floor with shaking hands, and tried to ignore the amulet that had somehow burned through my turtleneck and now brushed against my skin.

A gunshot sounded again, this time with dual rounds being released. Jackson shuddered before releasing the fistful of hair. A horrific sounding growl came from her as she forgot about me and barreled across the room toward Joshua.

Marianne’s horrified scream brought me to my feet, even as the room continued to spin. I blinked and shook my head, trying to see clearly, attempting to regain the equilibrium necessary to stand upright. Jackson’s body was a blur across the short distance, as was the body of the child trapped beneath her. He was squirming on top of the demolished coffee table, his small legs kicking out pitifully. I could hear him gurgling, as if he were choking on blood.

“Help him,” Marianne begged, rushing to me, and reached for my arm.

The ground shifted when her hand touched my shoulder, and an odd and profound trembling overtook my body. The aches and pains in my back and legs faded, muscles and limbs becoming strong despite my prior fatigue. The room came into a vivid focus, allowing me to see everything clearly, even those things marred by my peripheral vision. My spine went straight as I stood upright, and I lifted my head, nourished and guided by the unexpected surge of power.

Jackson’s free arm came back, rounding into a fist, and I didn’t hesitate. I snagged the bitch by the wrist and brought it back, applying just the right amount of pressure as I went. The bone broke cleanly, jamming through the skin. Pink, ivory, and vivid red created a macabre anatomical art display. I didn’t know where my newfound inhuman strength came from, and I didn’t really care. When I saw the blood pooling from Joshua’s mouth, I wanted to see the hairy werehound suffer.

Jackson removed the hand around Joshua’s throat and dropped him. He went limp, brown eyes sliding closed as he hit the table. As she turned to face me, I wasn’t afraid. The pendant against my skin throbbed and pulsed, very much alive. The beating of the black center trapped inside the amber pounded in chorus with my heart, each pulse sufficing my muscles, eyes, and limbs with an unexplained, yet undeniable, energy.

“What are you?” she demanded, staggering on unsteady legs, flaring her nose which told me her sense of smell guided her. Both of her eyes were in bloody tatters. Portions of flesh and egg white tissue drifted to her cheekbones.

“A person you never should have fucked with.” I smiled as I said it, bleeding and hurt but in much better shape than the creature in front of me.

It didn’t take a rocket scientist to predict Jackson’s next move. She came at me like a brick shit house, balls-to-the-walling-it, wild and crazed. Her teeth shone in the light, large and bright, transcended only by the narrowing of her hollowed out eyes and the claws that lashed out. I shouldn’t have been able to perceive the moment; it was too fast, too fucking quick. Yet my body reacted instinctively, moving into a defensive position as I prepared for the offensive attack soon to follow.

Each violent thrust and punch she aimed in my direction, I evaded or blocked. I somehow saw what she intended before her blows found their mark. Her rage enhanced roar goaded me, driving me onward. As she lashed out with one hand, I encouraged her to try harder, to try again. I wanted to watch this beastly woman crumble.

I wanted to see her on her fucking knees.

A hollow pain struck my chest—directly beneath Marigold Vesta’s amulet—knocking me off balance. My incredible strength began to ebb, and I heard Marianne making weak cries. Through a heavy haze, I listened to her pleas, her desperate begging to return to her child once more before she crossed over. As I focused on her voice, my strength waned, and Jackson butted my nose with her forehead, creating an unbridled flow of blood.

Heavy punches from her good hand rained upon my shoulders and face, sending me into a huddled ball at her feet. Her boots found the vulnerable hollow of my side, hard rubber soles leaving imprints behind as she kicked. I attempted to cough out the blood in my mouth, forcing the bitter and warm liquid from my lips. The brutal blows continued, going on and on, until I realized this might be it. I could very well die in this place before Zagan had the opportunity to take my soul.

I wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or bad thing.

A solid punch sent me on my ass, forcing my chin up and back. As my back hit the couch, the familiar and welcome coolness of metal flickered against my palm. I grasped the gun as Jackson descended on me, her features half human and half wolf. I didn’t know squat about werewolves, but I figured the general rule of thumb applied.

When in doubt, aim for the heart or head.

The moment the gun slid into my hand, I lifted it, put the barrel directly beneath her chin, and squeezed the trigger repeatedly. The rounds cannonballed out of the chamber and into her head, each new bullet shattering teeth and obliterating bone. Eye sockets oozed as blood flowed freely from the serrated holes. When the last bullet in the chamber passed through what was left of her skull and lodged in the ceiling above, I knew the bitch was dead.

She sagged against me. The heavy flow of blood from her face and what remained of her jaw coated my forehead and merged with my bloody nose. Her weight was unbearable, and I thrust her aside, kicking at her legs and torso until she was clear of my body. When she was in an awkward heap, I took several calming breaths, getting my shit straight.

I pushed aside the remnants of the table, went to Joshua, and cradled his small head in my lap while brushing stray locks of bloodied hair away from his temple. My fingers were trembling as they crept to his throat, and I released a heavy sigh at the steady pulse that greeted me. He was a brave and extremely resilient kid.

Marianne appeared before us, studying her son. She ran her hand across his face and closed her eyes when her fingers passed through his forehead. When she rose and turned toward the wall, her eyes widened and her lips parted. I didn’t ask what she was witnessing because I remembered it all too well. The radiance of Heaven is something a person never forgets, especially if they are torn from it against their will.

She began her journey toward the light, one foot in front of the other, until suddenly, she stopped. I couldn’t imagine the willpower such a thing would take. I had been drawn toward those spiraling white rays once. The songs of the angels drew in a soul just like the sun tempted a rosebud to bloom, making it impossible for a spirit to see or think about anything else. Were it not for Goose and Sonja tethering my soul and forcing me to remain in the mortal realm, I would have happily crossed over.

“You will take care of him?” she whispered, gazing at her child.

I wanted to give her the resolution she craved, but I didn’t want to lie. I didn’t know how much time I had left, or if I’d be around to do as she asked.

“Don’t worry.” I brought Joshua closer to my chest. “I’ll tell them everything. He’ll be fine.”

Her eyes clouded and she turned toward the blissful place I couldn’t see but recalled all too well, striding forward with her arms extended. The peace etched across her features was beautiful, as if she was coming full circle, and I watched as she strode to the wall and vanished. Pain radiated through my body then, as if a band-aid had been ripped from delicate, scabby tissue. The pendant thrummed once, twice, before it settled snugly between the scorched sweater and my blistered skin, the amber charm no longer hot but cool.

I sagged, grateful for the cushions and cotton lined plywood behind my back. Heavy footsteps and shouting were muffled by the walls, but I could hear a stampede approaching from the hallway. I waited, knowing that the fight may have seemed long, but the first shot was fired only minutes before.

The door was obliterated, completely torn from the hinges, and crashed into thick splinters and shards against the plaster and molding. A burley man rushed inside with Carter hot on his heels. When he saw Joshua cradled in my arms, he stepped forward, baring his fangs until his eyes rested on Jackson’s broken body crumbled at our feet.

“What the fuck is going on?” Carter asked and kneeled beside me with the larger man who was obviously the renowned pack beta, Quinn. “Did she bite you?”

I relinquished my death grip on Joshua and handed him over to his worried father, grimacing as the blood on my hands smeared free. My arms were dead weight, the muscles drained from whatever had given me strength while overtaking my body.

“No, she didn’t bite me.” I laughed as I recalled the fight and the way I’d taken a mouthful out of her neck. “But I did get a piece of her ass.”

“This isn’t funny,” Carter snapped. “Lycanthropy is transmitted from our saliva. If you were bitten, you’ll start the change soon. The first twenty-four hours are critical. I need to know if you’re going through the transition.”

“She didn’t bite me,” I repeated and glanced at Jackson’s body. “She didn’t have a chance.”

It was impossible to tell if he was relieved or disappointed. “Tell me what happened.”

“Jackson killed his wife.” I lifted my chin in Quinn’s direction. Then I closed my eyes. The pounding in my skull elicited a groan, and I allowed my head to tumble back and rest on the cushion. “She was a Renfield virus carrier and bit Marianne on purpose.”

Holy fucknuts.

The syndrome.

I sure as hell hoped it wasn't transmittable through a love bite. Marianne said the symptoms didn't take long to surface—the shakes, fever, or other nastiness. Did I feel shaky? Not really. Feverish? Negative. Apart from feeling like scrambled eggs, I was fine. I experienced a mental sigh of relief.

Another day, another bullet dodged.

“Marianne’s spirit was in flux as a result, stuck in the apartment until vengeance was served,” I continued. “Jackson paid a visit while I was having a discussion with the departed and decided it was a good time to give me the same treatment.”

“Why should I believe you?” Carter sounded more than annoyed. He sounded fed up. “You’ve been nothing but trouble since you got here.”

“I warned you to let me go before the novelty wore off.” I lifted my head, opened my eyes, and met his infuriated gaze. “But if you need proof, track down Jackson’s partner in hate, Delores. Marianne said she heard them discussing their plans. I’m sure she can fill in any blanks.”

“Josh was telling the truth?” Quinn demanded with a note of hope in his voice, holding his son’s limp body tightly to his chest. “Marianne is still here?”

“She was here.” I shook my head and winced at throbbing in my temples that occurred as a result. “The tie has been severed. Marianne crossed shortly after she-bitch over there ate lead.” Their skeptical expressions pissed me off. “I think if you take a good look around you’ll see I’m not lying. Jackson tried to kill your son because he got in her way.”

Carter studied me quietly before he yelled, “Cam! Collect Delores and escort her to the hold.”

A distant, “You got it,” drifted from the doorway.

“You look like shit,” Carter informed me in a clipped tone, swiping his fingers across my forehead. They came away streaked with blood and gunk. He lifted his hand to display the pink mess. “You’re covered in blood, bone, and brain.”

My witty retort vanished when he shook his head and cleaned the nastiness from my cheeks with tender passes of his fingers. I was tempted to tell him to keep his fucking hands off, but I wasn’t in the mood to fight, not after I’d almost had my ass well and truly kicked. Every combatant in a fight to the death deserved time to recover if they made it out alive.

“I’d rather wear it than display it, thank you very fucking much.” I exhaled and closed my eyes again.

“Why did she do it?” he asked. “Did you provoke her?”

“Provoke her? Please. I’m not standing in line to be a breeder. Could you imagine? Me as a mommy? I don’t think so.” I chuckled at the utterly ridiculous statement, but stopped when the amulet shifted over a blistered portion of skin on my chest, causing me to wince.

“You’re not making sense,” he grumbled as he carefully inspected the wounds on my thigh.

“Sure I am. You’ve got yourself one hell of a male drought, and Jackson didn’t want to share. It’s a fundamental flaw of Mother Nature; she didn’t deem it fit to make enough men to go around. That’s why we have Heinz 57s of all kinds in the world.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Are you being intentionally stupid?” I clucked my tongue. “I’m talking about breeding. The natural process by which similar creatures mate and procreate.”

His hands went still. “She fought you because you wanted to mate with me?”

As if. “No, Mr. Ego.” I moved my head from side to side, although doing so hurt like a bitch. “She fought me because she wanted to mate with you. Huge difference there.”

“Denying the attraction that exists between us doesn’t matter. Eventually, you’ll have to face the truth.”

The words—though entirely ridiculous in comparison—were shockingly similar to ones Disco said to me in a time not so long ago. The reminder of those words—and of our lost time together—provoked grief to go along with my physical misery. That alone kept me silent, lips planted firmly shut. Memories of Disco were too painful. Especially when I realized I would never see him again.

Channeling my inner Scarlett, I decided I didn’t want to think about that shit today. I’d think about it tomorrow.

“Jax could have killed you,” Carter informed me while tugging at my pants to get a better look at my wounds. He cursed at what he found and ripped apart the material to reveal the ravaged flesh beneath.

“She gave it her best shot.” I waved my hand dismissively. “I guess it just wasn’t her day.”

His hands stilled, and I knew he was gawking at me again. “This isn’t funny. Jax trained for decades with the pack. She’s stronger and quicker than a human, especially when she calls on her wolf. You’re incredibly frail compared to us. Like vintage china inside an armory.”

I cracked my lids just enough that I could see and glowered at him. “Is that so?”

His eyes flashed silver. “Yes, that’s so.”

The wonderful emotion called anger energized me, generating a familiar and missed wave of heat under my sternum. I might not be as fast as a preternatural being, but goddamn it, I wasn’t helpless.

The truth was Jackson died because she was stupid. A smart person would have snapped my neck in front of Joshua and faced the firing squad after. Sure, there might have been the obvious questions and repercussions, but I was certain the bitch was aware she was bound to get caught in the scuffle regardless.

Attempting to stand hurt; each individual muscle protested the movement, a million pinpricks under my skin screaming at me for forcing them to work so soon after such torturous treatment. But I couldn’t stay down. What I had to say required being on my feet. For a moment, I swayed on my hands and knees like a rickety rocking horse on rusty springs. When the room stopped rotating, I planted my feet and rose.

As I regained my balance and slapped off Carter’s attempt to assist me, I walked to Jackson and peered at her very dead body.

She was a mess.

The front of her face was now concave, full lips sinking into the gummy teeth in the back of her jaw that escaped my wrath unscathed. The top of her skull was completely gone, short chunks of hair bordering and offsetting the mushy center like a flesh oozing Hostess Twinkie. Her right ear dangled from the side of her head like a ghastly piece of jewelry.

“She should have killed me, huh?” I nudged Jackson’s shoulder with my ruined Nikes and glared at Carter. “Why don’t you tell her that?”

I turned on my heel and limped through the werewolves in my path who were silently observing. When I exited the apartment through the shattered entranceway with my brain-splattered head held high, I listened gleefully to the sharp squeaks of my blood-covered sneakers as they gripped the expensive ceramic tile and left a trail of red tread marks behind me.

Chapter Seven

Holy fucking God. The New York of the future was not a New York of which I approved. As we drove through the deserted city streets with Carter taking command behind the wheel, I gawked at the absolute devastation along the way. It was as if the heart of the city had stopped beating right along with the residents. Dorothy once said there was no place like home, and after viewing what had become of mine, I couldn’t help but agree. Versus bumper-to-bumper traffic with people congesting the streets, there was an emptiness that reminded me of Richard Matheson’s I Am Legend.

We’d left on our mission nine days after I killed Jackson—wasting too much time in my opinion, which was ignored. Carter kept me confined in his apartment the entire time. He said it was so I could rest and recover, but I knew better. Despite my warning to stay away, his constant attention told me he wanted us to find common ground. The days were the longest of my life. He wanted to talk; I didn’t. There wasn’t anything to talk about, after all. I had no interest in Carter—zero, zilch, nada.

He didn’t give up but did vacate the premises to take care of pack business and venture into the city. That meant I was left for hours staring at the walls with my thoughts, fears, and misery as company. Not a good thing when you’re grieving and nursing a broken heart.

I felt so lost, so alone.

Hopefully that wouldn’t be the case for much longer.

Since we’d departed the compound in the afternoon, we were given just hours to locate Goose, get my information, and return to base. Of course, Carter wasn’t aware that I had absolutely no intention of returning anywhere with him. Once I found Goose, I was sticking to him like glue. Not only was he the only friend I had now, he was quite possibly my only chance to settle the debt and end Zagan’s claim.

“I don’t like this,” Carter complained for at least the fifth time since our departure, gripping the steering wheel so tightly his tanned knuckles turned white. Apparently, traveling into the ’burbs was something his people didn’t do. Seemed the vampires marked those areas as off-limits, as their servants and families resided there.

He glanced from the road to the pendant that had guided us in the direction of Brooklyn Heights. I could tell he wanted nothing more than to destroy the damned thing. The momentum of the car had jarred the charm more than once, causing us to travel in the wrong direction as a consequence, and burned up valuable time.

Looking away from Carter, I stared through the dingy glass window. I got a glimpse of my reflection and it freaked me out enough that I turned away. The injuries looked weeks—not days—old. My nose was no longer swollen, the wounds I’d suffered from Jackson closed over as if I’d ingested vampire blood to heal. Even the deep gashes in my leg were on the mend with no indication they’d leave any scars. I didn’t understand it, and at the moment, I didn’t want to think about it. Things were fucked up enough without adding additional pressure to the situation. Right now, I could only focus on one thing at a time.

We exited Prospect Park, drove past Union Street, and entered a place I knew once upon a time. Apprehensive, I waited for the big reveal, to experience more of the weirdness I’d just grown accustomed to. Instead, the moment we drove into the populated area of Brooklyn Heights, it was if we’d traveled back in time and I was at home. People were out in force, chatting with each other as they pushed strollers, walked the streets, and entered shops. The roads weren’t as busy as I recalled, but we did pass a few cars with passengers along the way.

“What the hell is going on?” I asked, studying the people as they stopped to stare at our vehicle.

“They are blood slaves,” Carter informed me. Venom laced each word. “Every single one of them. Including the children you see who have yet to give their consent.”

“Doesn’t look like they’re suffering to me.”

“Why am I not surprised to hear you say that?”

“Because you’re Mr. Negativity?”

Carter growled and looked at me, eyes glowing in the centers. “I’m not arguing with you.”

“I have an even better idea.” I kept my tone amicable. “Why don’t you drop me off and pretend we never met? It’s a win-win for both of us.”

He didn’t respond and I sighed when I realized he wouldn’t.

After a few minutes, our destination was apparent. I should have known. As much as things had changed, something had remained the same. In all the years that had passed, Ethan McDaniel had chosen to reside in the same location.

When we pulled to the curb and Carter killed the engine, I stared at the Brownstone. Visions of a shared kissed with Disco at the base of the stairs hit me like a sucker punch to the stomach, so unexpected I couldn’t breathe. It wasn’t fair. Once, my memories were caustic, bitter, and allowed me to detach from everything around me. Now that I’d fallen in love, my emotions were turning against me. I knew it was a part of the relationship train, even though I tried to deny it.

Life really fucking sucked like that.

I palmed the charm and gazed at the stone. It was shining brightly. With the brilliance of the aquamarine came a shard of hope. Maybe, just maybe, I could find a way to get my ass out of this mess.

A shadow in the side-mirror pulled my attention from the charm. Several enormous werewolves climbed out of the van that followed us. There were six of them total, still in human form, without their normal array of weapons. The few people on the sidewalk hurried to the other side of the street or vanished into their apartments.

“I expect you to listen to me when we go inside,” Carter warned, gaining my focus. “Don’t fuck with me. Not today. I’m breaking several rules by coming to this place. Our kind isn’t welcome across this side of the river unless we’re invited or we’ve been captured. Just by venturing over we’re asking for trouble.”

Turning from him, I muttered under my breath, “Hopefully I won’t be in his hellhole that long,” and opened the door. The pack members who traveled behind us took places at the base of the stairs, their massive arms folded over their chests. I didn’t look at them as I walked toward the door. I took a deep breath and said a hasty prayer, hoping that for once my luck would hold out. Exhaling, I took the plunge and knocked as Carter placed his intimidating form firmly beside me. I lowered my arm, scowled at him, and wondered how much trouble I’d get into for knocking his ass over the railing and into the shrubbery.

“I’ve got it!” a voice called from the other side of the door.

My breath caught when I heard the distinct rasp of the deadbolt sliding free from the bracket. Seconds separated me from my future. I would soon know if there was a snowball’s chance in hell I might make it out of this fucked up nightmare alive.

The door opened and I came face to face with a woman my age. Her black hair was trimmed short, the pixie-cut enhancing very lovely features. Her nose was small, her cheekbones were high and evenly spaced, and her lips were bee-sting swollen. The smile she gave me matched her warm and beautiful chocolate brown eyes.

“Who is it, Bells?”

The phrase, “my heart stopped,” was one I always used figuratively. After all, your heart can’t stop, right? In that moment, I discovered not only could it stop, but the world could reverse on its axis and stand still. Perhaps it was the relief, or maybe it was a combination of the stress, grief, and confusion, but when I heard Goose’s voice, I almost lost it.

“I’m not sure,” the girl—Bells—answered. She lost her welcoming smile when she stared past me and got a glimpse at the wolves standing at the base of her stairway.

“Goose,” I whispered hoarsely and cringed at how broken I sounded, how childlike. Bell’s face went pale at the name, her brown eyes becoming miniature saucers.

“Oh, Goddess. You’re her.”

Footsteps came from the adjoining room as Goose’s voice drew closer. “Bells, who are you talking to?”

She stepped aside, and it literally felt as if I was in a bad episode of The Twilight Zone. Although he was dressed almost entirely the same—pressed button down shirt, dress slacks, and dress shoes—Goose had gotten older. Gray peppered his temples, traveling along the shell of his ear. His clean-shaven face was the same, with only a few, miniscule crow’s feet around the corners. The moment our eyes met, and recognition struck, he froze. His lips parted in shock, and his doe-brown eyes widened in alarm.

It looked as if he’d seen a ghost.

“It’s me. You’re not in Kansas anymore.” I finally managed to speak, trying to find some humor in the situation.

“Oh, dear God. Rhiannon.” He broke free of his trance and stepped forward. He extended his hands toward my elbows and touched me as if I was a figment of his imagination.

“There’s so much I have to tell you,” I expelled in a rush, suddenly eager to unload my burden. He was real. I wasn’t in this futuristic version of hell alone. “You have no idea of the kind of shit I’ve been through.”

“Not out here.” Goose glanced around. The moment his gaze rested on Carter, his eyes narrowed. “I don’t know what he’s doing with you, but the dog stays outside.”

“I don’t think so.” Carter growled, and the deep, menacing sound radiated from his throat and chest. “She remains with me.”

“Bells!” Goose called over his shoulder, but his gaze was fixed on Carter.

“I’m one step ahead of you.” Bells strode into my line of sight, and she was toting one nasty looking rifle in her arms, holding it as if she knew exactly how to use it. “Back off, Fido.”

Carter reached for me, and Goose yanked me into his chest. His solid and unrelenting arms wrapped around my back as the men behind Carter started up the stairs, snarling.

“Stand down!” Carter thundered and the sounds of footsteps approaching went quiet. “We can do this the easy way, or the hard way. She wants your help, so give it to her. But if you think I’m handing her over so you can pass her off to one of your masters or mistresses, you’ve got another thing coming.”

“What is she to you, a female to breed with? How dare you call yourself any better!” Goose had never sounded so furious. This was a side of him I’d never seen before.

“With me, she’ll have a choice.” Carter spoke with malice so apparent you could feel it.

“You call this a choice?”Goose refused to let me go. All I could see was Bells and the big ass gun balanced on her shoulder, her finger steady on the trigger.

For a moment, I allowed myself to go soft in Goose’s embrace, thankful he was alive and had finally grown a nice pair of brass balls. Goose, whether I wanted to admit it or not, had become a security of sorts during our friendship, keeping me grounded. I never thought I’d miss him so much.

“If you’re smart,” Goose said, “you’ll leave.”

“I’m not going anywhere.” Carter lost the growl but there was an edge to his voice, as if he were struggling for control. “We came to end her debt to the demon and go. She’s not staying.”

“I’m aware of why you’re here.” Goose’s arms were quaking, as if the shock of my arrival was finally taking over.

“What? You are?” I tried to pull away, ready for some answers. “How?”

“It’s a long story.” He peered down at me, his expression difficult to read. Goose had always been serious, but this was different. My stomach churned as that intuitiveness we are all born with warned me I wasn’t going to like everything he had to say.

“You were expecting me?” It was posed as a question, but in my gut, I knew the answer.

He didn’t look away. “Yes.”

“We have so much to talk about. There’s so much I don’t know.”

His expression softened, and for a moment I could see the Goose I’d become close to. He was one of the few people I trusted. Someone I allowed myself to lean on and believe in.

“You’re right. We do.”

“I don’t mean you or yours any harm,” Carter said, intruding on our moment, and I felt him place his hand on my shoulder. “I gave her my word I’d protect her, and I’m not breaking it. Everyone else will stay outside. You have my word.”

“Bells?” Goose asked evenly.

“He’s telling you the truth.”

Goose released me and guided me to the side. “Come in.” Then, turning to Carter, he warned, “My daughter and I are directly tied to Queen Victoria Delcroix. You know what will happen if you cross a line.”

The lack of mention of Paine alongside the name Queen Victoria Delcroix computed first. Back in my time, Paine was Disco’s second, which meant he and Goose would have remained tied unless something had happened. I hoped that wasn’t the case. Paine was another rail in my foundation, someone Disco trusted without question. I’d learned over the past few weeks I could also rely on Paine, no matter the situation.

Then the other whammy sank in.

I studied Bells, taking in her familiar features—the eyes, the hair, the smile, even the preppy clothes. Well, fuck me silly. Goose was a father. I didn’t think Mr. Prim and Proper had it in him.

As Goose closed the door and we walked into what was once his office, I noted the changes. A wrought iron staircase was now placed in front of the bookshelf, the dizzying spiral leading to a perfectly rounded hole in the ceiling that took you to a second floor. The décor had changed as well. It was more lived in, homier somehow.

Goose reverted to the man I knew, the consummate gentleman, even when facing the fucking surreal. “Can I get you anything?”

Carter released my shoulder and took a spot in front of the entranceway. He crossed his arms and stood before us like a fucking stone barrier. His entire body posture screamed, “Don’t fuck with me.”

Christ.

“I’ll take a shot of answers.” I started pacing, my thoughts chaotic. “I don’t know where to start.”

“You don’t have to.” Goose walked to the wall and removed a picture, revealing a safe. “We already know.”

I stopped, going still as I lowered my arms. “How could you possibly know? I’ve just gotten here.”

“You’ve been gone for over a hundred years.” He opened the safe and removed a small box. “That’s given us more than enough time to learn what happened.” He turned and pulled the box to his chest, studying me somberly. “Do you know about anything that’s happened in your absence?”

“Let’s see.” Placing my hands on my hips, I assumed the pissed off female pose known centuries over. “The world went and fucked itself up?”

Instead of the indignation I was so used to, Goose actually grinned. “Ever the smartass.” He shook his head and walked to me, handing over the box. “Here.”

“What’s this?”

His serious eyes met mine, and he hesitated. After he cleared his throat, he finally answered, “Gabriel’s remains.”

I let go of the box, wanting to believe I’d heard him wrong. The rectangular piece of wood dropped to the floor with a heavy plop and settled at my feet. The room started to go round and round, the multiple books on the shelves seeming too close and then too far away.

“Get that away from me.” I choked out the words, staggering back, feeling as if I was going to be sick. Disco couldn’t be inside that small box, the center hollowed out to create the likeness of a coffin. A six-foot-plus vampire would never fit inside it. He was larger than life in my eyes. The thought of him being reduced to something so miniscule made me violently ill. My knees went weak and I swayed. Lifting a hand to my mouth, I tried to fight the nausea rising from my stomach, determined not to vomit and make an absolute ass of myself.

Goose wrapped his hand around my forearm to steady me, his grip firm and his voice soothing. “It’s going to be all right.”

“Rhiannon?” Carter questioned.

“She’s in shock.” I heard Bells say it, but I didn’t turn to her. I was unable to get my bearings, seeing everything yet nothing at all.

Keeping an unbreakable grip on my arm, Goose retrieved the box. He pressed the piercing edge of the wooden container into my stomach. “I gave Gabriel my word I would return him to you. He took comfort in that.”

I glared hatefully at the cursed object, wanting to destroy it to ease the heavy weight in my chest. Taking the box would mean throwing away my dreams. I would be forced to crush my own fucking heart, restart it, and live life as I once did—as an emotional zombie.

Lifting my head, I gazed into Goose’s compassionate, understanding eyes and implored in a hollow and heartbroken whisper, “Don’t make me. I can’t.”

How did I explain that by accepting his offering I was admitting Disco was really and truly gone?

He didn’t relent, pressing the box into my hands. “You can.”

It was as if I was on autopilot, doing what made sense to my mind but not my heart. I gazed down at the intricately carved wooden box and trailed my fingers lightly along the indentions. I wanted a redo. I wanted to go home. I wanted to tell Disco the three miniscule words he’d waited to hear for too fucking long because I was too much of a coward to say them.

I’d come so close to revealing what I felt the morning I left to take a trip to the grocery store, just before I’d returned home and found myself face to face with Zagan, making a deal to erase Disco’s debt. I had intended to tell Disco before I left; I had wanted to give him what he longed for most. As I stared into his brilliant golden blue eyes, I almost found the courage to reveal just how much I cared for him. But God help me, like the coward I was, I hesitated. We both knew how I felt; it was the proverbial elephant standing in the center of the room. Even when he voiced his feelings, and I’d felt a warm flood of happiness in my chest, I’d remained quiet. I was consumed by the fears of a girl who continued to exist in the woman who had outgrown her.

Bitterness swept through me, and for the first time in a long while I hated the drunk driver who killed my family, the state of Florida, and my former foster father and childhood destroyer, Ray Shaw, more than I ever had in my life. Now I would never have that chance—to love, to cherish, to share the warmth and comfort of the most intense and indescribable emotion with another—and the finality of it seared into my soul. A portion of me that had only found new life was smothered forever and would no longer be able to breathe.

I accepted the light weight into my hands, walked into the large living room with bay windows that allowed me to see the sinking afternoon sun outside, and sat on Goose’s posh leather couch.

“Give us a moment,” Goose said as he followed me, and I glanced up in time to see Bells take a right into the kitchen and Carter return to the entranceway of the house.

The leather sank as he took a seat beside me, and he started to talk, to tell me how he knew about me, my disappearance, and my arrival. But I wasn’t ready to talk to Goose. There was too much pain, too soon following my loss, so I listened instead and processed a story that seemed improbable.

Almost two weeks after my disappearance, Disco had been set to meet his close acquaintance and fellow vampire master, Joseph, to discuss business in the city. He was distracted, upset, and difficult to talk to. Joseph, being the absolute conniving bastard I remembered only too well, used that knowledge to his advantage.

“Gabriel never saw it coming,” Goose said. “He was so concerned about you that he dropped his guard.” He inhaled raggedly, as if he needed to build up his courage for the next part. “I was with him when it happened.”

Considering he had promised to return Disco remains to me, I’d already assumed Goose had witnessed his death. Looking directly ahead, into the setting sun, I braced myself and whispered, “Tell me.”

“Joseph came with Sonja and one of his family members so his intentions wouldn’t be obvious. We met at a warehouse near Brooklyn, the one Gabriel purchased just before you vanished. It wasn’t supposed to be anything special, a swapping of information. As soon as we entered, Gabriel knew something was wrong. A prominent family from Vermont showed up. They formed an alliance with Joseph, which meant one family too many in New York.”

“So they killed him.”

“Not without a fight. Gabriel challenged Joseph. The city is large enough to house multiple families, but it’s always been the unspoken rule that this territory belongs to Gabriel as it was passed down from his maker.”

Turning my head, I met Goose’s gaze. “What happened?”

“Joseph accepted and Gabriel laid into him. It wasn’t pretty. Gabriel had grief and rage on his side, and he used it. I’ve never seen him like that before. People believe the demon that comes from vampirism doesn’t arise in those who were once human, but after witnessing the destruction he caused firsthand, I’m not so sure.”

Frowning, I shook my head. “I don’t understand. If he was so strong, how was he killed?”

“Sonja.” Goose placed his hand atop mine. “The moment Joseph’s strength began to wane, he compensated by drawing on hers. When Gabriel realized that Joseph would kill her to win, he hesitated. It was a small opening, but it was all Joseph needed. He’d hidden a silver spike in his coat and by the time Gabriel realized what he intended, it was too late. But...” Goose’s fingers squeezed mine. “That’s where things get odd.”

“Odd?” All things considered, odd was the understatement of the century.

“Vampires can recover from any wound, but those caused by silver, especially when it’s directly to the heart, can be fatal. As Gabriel lay dying, Zagan appeared.”

I jumped from the couch, threw the box on the cushion, and turned on him. “That’s not possible! A demon can’t return unless summoned or if a debt is owed to it.”

“Technically, the debt was still owed,” Goose said carefully. “You were no longer here.”

“How do you know all of this?” I demanded, becoming hysterical, pacing as I screamed. “How do you always know? I’m the one living the fucking experience and you still know more than I do! Do you have any idea how fucked up that is? Living in the dark?”

“Calm down and listen to me.” Goose’s own patience was spider web thin as he towered over me. “I found out everything because Zagan taunted Gabriel. He told him that he would offer one last bargain before he died.”

So Zagan was a he, not a she. “What kind of bargain?”

“If Gabriel would let you go, then Zagan would remove the spike, heal the wound, and their debt would be settled. Or Gabriel could die and Zagan would reveal what had happened to you and ensure your safe return. I’m giving you one guess as to which Gabriel chose, and the first doesn’t count.”

“Oh God.” I couldn’t mask the anguish in my voice.

An invisible vise pervaded my chest and squeezed my heart—crushing, intense, and brutal. I was livid, hurt, and angry at myself for being the stupidest person ever to grace God’s creation. It had all been a trick—a fucking demon’s game—and I’d fallen for it like the ignorant human Zagan believed I was. I tried to imagine Disco, betrayed by those he trusted most, only to be turned on in his darkest hour by the very demon responsible for my disappearance.

Blissful, delicious, anger wrapped around me, forcing aside the pain, encasing me in something familiar and welcome. I wasn’t sure how I’d manage it, but no matter what it took I’d see Zagan suffer. I’d make sure the fucker got his due and then some.

“He told Disco what he’d done?” I asked.

Goose nodded. “Before Gabriel died, he made me promise that when you finally returned, Paine and I would take care of you. Zagan didn’t specify when that might be, so it’s been a waiting game. We’d almost given up.”

“Where is Paine? Why isn’t he here?”

My question was interrupted when Carter appeared, his expression grim. “You’d better have gotten what we came for.”

“Are you kidding?” As furious and upset as I was, I considered slapping him in the face. “Don’t you have any fucking respect?”

“Did you help her?” Cater ignored me and stared at Goose. “We’ve got to go. The sun is setting.”

“There hasn’t been enough—”

“Don’t you dare explain yourself to him,” I interrupted Goose and faced Carter. “I’m not going anywhere with you,” I told him coolly. “I’m not sticking around that insane place you—”

When his shoulder made solid contact with my abdomen, it knocked the breath out of me. I gasped, unable to breathe as he pushed Goose to the side and strode for the door. It only took a few long strides before we were outside.

“Let’s move!” Carter shouted and everyone did.

“Goddamn you!” I shrieked and clawed at his body as I kicked at his back. “Don’t do this. Put me down. Right now!”

“You should think about this,” Goose yelled from the doorway. “You’re playing with fire.”

Carter climbed into the back of the van, heedless of Goose’s warning, and someone closed the doors. The engine was cranked, the gears were shifted, and it took off. I fought Carter with everything I had as he shifted me in his lap, landing a solid fist to his jaw and a few heel-kick blows to his shins. The space was limited, and he held me so closely I couldn’t get good distance, but his grunts and curses were music to my ears.

I was not taking this shit anymore.

Going still, I arched my back and lifted my head. We were chest-to-chest, hip to hip. He met my livid stare, and I smiled as I jackknifed, mustering up as much force as I could in the limited space, and sent my forehead barreling toward his nose with all my strength. The satisfying sound of bone giving way, as well as his outraged cry, made the you-had-that-coming-asshole angels sing. But the icing on the cake was the slack in his arms, giving me just enough freedom to make a break for it.

One of the men at his left lunged for me, and I rushed for the empty passenger seat, scrambling over the legs that created obstacles in my path. The last man’s arms shot out, and I brought my knee up sharply, cracking him in the chin.

It was just the window of opportunity I needed.

I jumped over the seat, grasped the door handle, and said a hasty prayer. As I looked ahead through the window, there were no cars in my path, just concrete.

Nothing like road rash.

This was going to hurt like hell.

I pushed open the door, jumped and rolled, and took the impact on elbows, knees, and my chin as I collided against the cruel, unforgiving asphalt. The sound of squealing breaks brought me out of my crouch and I scurried to my feet and took off in the opposite direction. The sun truly was dipping now, so low on the horizon that the sky would soon be a beautiful orange hue that meant vampires would be able to venture from their bat caves. If I could only make it back to Goose, I stood a chance.

Unlike the barren city we’d traveled through, people blocked the path I followed with what sounded like a bull stampede on my heels. Once more, the pendant against my chest went warm, then hot. Ghosts appeared, some of them so hazy they had to have died centuries prior. They turned to me and became solid, and as they did, I felt the same energy surging through my body as it did in the library.

An arm looped around my waist and lifted me off my feet. I decided to use the same tactic I’d employed in the van but in reverse, bringing my head forward and then back. A solid crack, and a loudly bellowed “fuck” from my assailant, and I was released. The moment my sneakers touched the ground, I took off again.

“How the hell is she running so fast?” a deep, furious voice thundered from behind me.

“I don’t know,” Carter snarled at my back.

Fuck!

I pushed harder—legs pumping, muscles quaking—and made a sharp right, onto another, more populated street. Buildings that were once residences were now various shops with window signs. A few booths were spaced out here and there, providing obstacles I immediately used to my advantage, dodging left and right.

Or so I thought.

The crashing noises that followed indicated Carter and his pack of hounds were merely demolishing the things in their way. Screams from the confused and terrified shoppers drowned out the sounds of shattering wood, glass, and God knows what else.

The deafening roar of an engine was the only warning I got before the van I’d been forced into swerved around the corner. Darting onto the sidewalk, I prepared to go on the offensive when one of Carter’s men jumped out of the moving vehicle.

The ghosts surrounding me gasped, their voices loud in my head, wails of agony causing me to shiver as the pendant burned into my skin. Just as before, I saw my attacker’s intentions before he struck. His arm came back, poised to snatch and grab, and I jumped to the left, bringing the heel of my right palm up. Strength that was not my own powered the blow to his chin. He staggered before he fell on his ass, and I continued running like the devil was on my heels.

“Stop her!” Carter roared.

Barreling past the van, I hooked a left. Spirit upon spirit appeared, shimmered, and became solid. As they did, my heart and lungs seemed to take on new life, drawing air easily, like I was walking versus running for my life. Only one sensation had ever compared—when Disco unlocked the mark that existed between us—but even that sense of power was weak in comparison.

The buildings blurred, becoming nothing more than varying colors in my peripheral vision. I could hear the heavy, pounding footsteps at my back, and knew they were behind me but were unable to gain ground. My legs had never moved this quickly in my life, my once-bummed knee now a distant memory.

Something struck me in the middle of my shoulder blades, knocking me off balance, and sent me to the ground. I cried out as I extended my arms and my palms met asphalt. The tiny shards of pebble and cement scraped away the skin at the meaty part of my hands, embedding dirt and remnants of rubber in my flesh. Within seconds, my knees followed suit, and the pain was equally intense.

Lifting my head, I came face to face with the same kind of monstrosity that Carter had become in the library. Half man, half beast, it snarled at me. Its large clawed hands were inches from mine. Its jaws parted, saliva pooled down its muzzle, and lethal teeth stopped inches from my face. An American Werewolf in London had absolutely nothing on this shit.

Nothing at fucking all.

There was no opportunity to make it to my feet or attempt to flee. Carter wrapped an arm around my waist and hoisted me from the ground, bringing my back against his chest while wrapping his free hand around my throat.

“I warned you.” His voice was markedly different, almost unrecognizable.

My struggles didn’t do much. The strength he was so careful to keep in check was now unmistakably evident. My arms were locked firmly at my sides, and my head was bent at an awkward angle that forced the base of my skull against his shoulder.

The van returned, and once again, everyone piled in—including the one that had shifted back and now wore clothing that was ripped and tattered. The angry gazes of the pack were homed on me, their irises shifting brightly.

No words were spoken, not that there was much to say. Instead I took the time to process everything that I’d learned in the last few hours. A plan had started to formulate. Disco was gone, which was something I wasn’t prepared for, but all was not doom and gloom. If I could find some way to contact Disco, I could give him my message, sever the debt with Zagan, and find some way to destroy the bastard.

Goose was the ace in the hole, which meant I had to find some way to get back to the ’burbs. Swallowing thickly, I eyed the werewolves, all of whom looked like they wanted to rip out my throat and say to fuck with it. As soon as I was under lockdown, I’d never get out in time to sever the debt. Zagan had said I had thirteen days, and that was nine days ago.

The clock was ticking.

“Shit.”

At first, I thought the word was another one of my inner ramblings. Then I realized it was from the driver—a very loud, alarmed, and snarling werewolf.

“We’ve got trouble, Carter.”

The van’s brakes made a horrible squealing sound as they ground together, causing all of us to shift inside the back of the vehicle. Carter moved, until he could peer past the headrest of the passenger seat. Whatever he saw, he didn’t like. His grip tightened, and a steady thrumming growl vibrated against my back.

“What the fuck are they doing out so early?” one of the men to our right asked.

“Shift,” Carter commanded and moved to the back doors. I watched in horror as the men ripped off their shirts and their bodies contorted, limbs changing as bones cracked and reformed. The muscles along their spine rippled, pressing against the skin with a disturbing popping sound as the vertebrae grew larger and reformed.

Carter didn’t hesitate when he jumped from the back of the van, walked around the side, and faced a line of expensive cars and limousines. They were all newly waxed and polished; the chrome rims glistened as streetlamps came on and paint gleamed. Several people stood in front of the vehicles, their stylized clothing as sophisticated and luxurious as their mode of transportation.

Even without my necromancy, their luminous skin and gleaming eyes would have given them away. Vampires stood between us and the path home, efficiently blocking us in. Strangely enough—and for the first time I could recollect—I found myself relieved to see them. I suppose it takes being placed in a shitty fucking circumstance to appreciate what you once took for granted.

A man strode from the center of the group, leather coat snug around his broad shoulders yet loose at his waist, the collar high at his neck. The shirt beneath matched, black as ebony, the buttons open at the throat. Spiffy black slacks clung to his hips, the shiny steel belt buckle in the center flashing with each long stride.

His hair fell to his shoulders, the lush brown waves untamed and free, framing a face that was breathtaking, even in fury. Obsidian eyes met mine and didn’t look away as he approached. His fists were clenched, telling me he was more than ready to do battle.

My heart raced and blood pounded in my ears.

He had always been beautiful, like an avenging angel sent to keep a watchful eye on things. Now, seeing him here, I said thanks to God, Satan, or whatever power it was that allowed him to find me.

“You have something that belongs to me,” Paine said in a soft, menacing tone and stopped a mere yard or so away. “I want her back.”

Chapter Eight

Carter’s grip on my neck intensified, nearly cutting off my much-needed supply of oxygen. Paine obviously noticed it. His black eyes narrowed and his lips pulled back, revealing a glimpse of his fangs as he looked away from me and glowered at Carter.

“She has the right to a life of her own choosing,” Carter growled.

“You’re right.” Paine’s expression became unreadable as his onyx stare bore into me. “Choose, Rhiannon.”

“Let...go...of...me...” I gasped.

“Listen to me,” Carter whispered in my ear; he loosened his grip and allowed me to dredge in a heaping lungful of oxygen. “They will never let you go. You will exist as you always have, as a slave to their whims. With us, you have a chance to live on your own terms.”

“In your pack as your mate?” I rasped, livid at the audacity of the man.

How could he not see that what he offered was no different?

“If you don’t want me, you are free to choose another,” he replied without attempting to hide his bitterness. “Don’t sacrifice your freedom, your chance to have a life, children, and a family.”

“Right now, my freedom is debatable, my life is certainly up to chance, and children are out of the question.” I looked directly at Paine, communicating my intent. “But don’t worry, I’ve got the family part covered.”

Hell broke loose as I brought my hand up, snagged Carter’s arm, and forced his hand to my mouth. I bit down into the fleshy meat behind his thumb, breaking the skin.

The shifted werewolves met the vampires in a ferocious attack. I’d never seen anything like it. Whereas the vampires were faster, the wolves were stronger and, I was terrified to admit, deadlier. Blood soared through the air when one vampire lost an arm. Another beside him went down as jaws clamped down on his throat and crushed the bones in his neck.

As I took in the scene surrounding me, I struggled to compute what I witnessed. The werewolves were outnumbered five-to-one, but the vampires hadn’t even caused a dent. The only bodies littering the street were those accompanying Paine. Most had their throats torn out, but a few were still alive with limbs missing.

“Let her go.” Paine advanced, unfazed by the carnage taking place around him.

“You want her?” Carter laughed, taunting him. “Come and get her.”

Carter thrust me to the ground. They came face to face and collided as they delivered matching, singular blows to each other’s faces. Paine was knocked back several feet, and Carter used the distance to his advantage as he started to shift.

The ground felt as if it were shaking as I rose on unsteady feet, watching in horror as more werewolves approached from the city. They moved fast, covering the distance. There were dozens of them, outnumbering the vampires. If it was a blood bath before, it would become a massacre now.

Paine grasped Carter by the throat before he finished shifting. He brought his knee up and smashed it into Carter’s jaw before he pumped back and clocked him dead-on in the face. A roar of outrage came from Carter, and Paine moved out of the range of his sweeping, clawed hands when he struck out. Behind them, werewolves leapt over cars and joined the fray, taking the vampires down one by one.

A sudden, unexpected flash of blinding red sent me on my ass, knocking me back several feet. A dull stab tore through my side when I landed on the curb, stealing my breath away. Paine and Carter separated—Paine landing close to me while Carter went in the opposite direction—as an explosion boomed in my ears and vibrated off the concrete.

I watched, stunned at the cause of the disturbance. A missile of some kind made contact with a werewolf and, click-click-boom, he detonated. Just like that. There one second and gone the next.

Turning and peering over my shoulder, I noticed the cars coming from Brooklyn Heights. The human slaves had obviously gotten word of the shit downwind and had come to lend a hand. Several held what appeared to be bazookas on their shoulders, riding in the back of moving vehicles like they were straight out of Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome. We don’t need another hero? Fuck you, Tina. I’ll stick with Bonnie Tyler.

Who needs immortal strength when you’ve got weapons of mass destruction?

Gunshots carried through the night, more explosions followed, and exquisite red stains marred the streets, vehicles, and just about everything else within a close proximity. Vicious and outraged cries mingled with throaty snarls. The wolves divided, and I watched Carter stagger to his feet, his furry and massive chest heaving. His furious, silver gaze froze me in place. I knew the look, even through the eyes of a beast.

Betrayal.

He threw his head back and released a deep, heartbreaking howl that gave me chills. The wolf-men stopped, pulled back, and surrounded him. He stared at me long and hard before he took off in a dead run toward the cars blocking his path home. None of the vampires offered resistance, and the gunfire ceased. The silence was out of place and strange considering what had just happened.

“Rhiannon!” Goose’s hoarse cry was the only thing that had the power to tear my eyes away from the splatters and fleshy pieces of skin and fur scattered all around. He leapt from the passenger side of a truck as Bells climbed from the driver’s seat.

When I tried to rise, a sharp pain stopped me short. I glanced down and cringed when I saw the bone protruding from my side. A whispery wheeze accompanied my effort to gasp.

Had it been this difficult to breathe before?

I lifted my hand to my mouth and brushed my knuckles against the warm wetness seeping past my lips. They came away bloodied, the red liquid bright against my pale skin. I remembered what it felt like to suffocate with a punctured lung, and I didn’t want a repeat of the experience.

“Rhiannon.” Paine’s soft timbre caressed my ears, and I turned to look at him.

Unlike Goose, he’d not changed at all. His face was as gorgeous as I remembered, and his voice just as alluring. In reality, I’d seen him over a week before in Disco’s family home when he’d stopped by the kitchen to talk to me while I ate some peanut butter toast. It was a rare occasion, since Paine was hardly around following the scuffle that nearly ended my life. I wasn’t sure why, but that shared moment between us felt like it had occurred a hell of a lot longer ago.

“I went and got myself broken again.” I hissed as I moved my hand away and allowed him to get a look at the wound.

“I’ll take care of it.” He reached out to touch my face and hesitated, as if uncertain. After a moment he brushed the pads of his fingers against my cheek and kept them there. His features relaxed and he presented me with one of his ultra rare but heart-stopping grins.

Goose knelt in front of me, forcing Paine to move, and pulled at the shirt obscuring the wound. He ripped the thin material away until he had a clear view. The skin along my ribcage was torn unevenly, and the puncture around the bone was oozing blood.

He frowned at what he saw. “The bone will have to be realigned or it won’t heal correctly.”

“Move,” Bells ordered and took a knee in front of me. She didn’t make contact with my skin as she splayed her hand over the gory mess, her palm hovering just over the bone, and said, “Brace yourself, this is going to hurt.”

That was the only warning I got before raw fire radiated from the injury, as if she were cauterizing the wound with a poker. It was impossible not to wail in agony, but fortunately the sound didn’t last long as my breath caught in my throat. The light shining from her palm was white, reminding me of the rays I basked in when I almost crossed over into the glory of the ever-after.

Caught in the throes of misery, I peered into Bells’s face and noted an unwavering attentiveness to her task but nothing more. There was no preternatural gleam in her eye, nothing to indicate she was anything other than a normal girl. But normal girls didn’t go around with mystical power of some sort that could return bones to their proper location courtesy of the light emitting from their palms.

What the fuck was she?

A hand grasped mine, fingers cool, skin smooth. Paine. I squeezed his fingers, grinding my teeth as the rib was forced into the skin and shifted back into place.

“It’s done.” Bells rocked back on her heels as I bit out a curse.

Paine released my hand, pulled the sleeve of his jacket back, ripped at the cuff of his shirt and bit his wrist. As he lifted the offering to my lips—presenting me with matching, circular wounds oozing the crimson liquid that would heal me within minutes—I hesitated. Although Paine had taken my blood as the second of Disco’s home, I hadn’t taken his. That only occurred when the head of the house had passed away or left the home.

My heart contracted, compressed by a phantom hand that continued to wring the piss out of it like a disposable squeaky toy. Fuck, if the reminder of Disco’s death didn’t hurt. It felt as if a clenched fist was obliterating my heart, bearing down until I couldn’t breathe.

“It’s all right,” Paine said quietly, as if he knew what I was thinking. “Take it, Rhiannon.”

He didn’t mention the worry about the blood changing me as I’d ingested a bucket load not too long ago, but I was aware that we were on the same page. Considering he and Disco had been friends since childhood, long before they had become vampires, the loss must have been excruciating to him as well. Perhaps even more so, as he’d witnessed Disco’s death before it ever happened. It was his gift and his curse to see the past and future of those he touched.

Anger surfaced at the thought, even if it was wrong of me. Paine could have saved all of us a lot of misery if he’d have broken his rules regarding fate, circumstance, and chance.

Damn him and his fucking ripple effect diatribe.

As if sensing my fury, he pressed his wrist to my mouth, preventing me from lashing out at him verbally. I snatched his arm and did something I never did with Disco—I bit down. Even though he must have felt it, he didn’t move or make a sound. His blood tasted different than Disco’s. Instead of cloves and cinnamon, Paine was like sweet, woodsy lemon balm. One swallow, then another, and my perception shifted. My eyes cleared, my hearing changed, and my enhanced sense of smell allowed me to appreciate the succulent aroma of Paine’s skin. The moment I felt the corresponding tingles that indicated his blood was bypassing my stomach and spreading through my system, I let go and thrust his hand away.

Paine turned from me, but as was always the case, I couldn’t read him. He nodded at Bells. “Thank you for calling me.”

“No prob.” She shrugged and grinned. “When I saw the dogs, I knew things were bound to get nasty.”

“We need to go.” Goose stood and extended his hand to me. “We still have a lot to talk about, and it’s not safe in the open.”

“That’s the understatement of the fucking century,” I muttered and placed my hand into his.

“We can discuss this at the club.” Paine didn’t move closer as I stood, but his attention remained on me. It wasn’t uncommon to catch him staring. Back in the day, I’d see him doing it when he thought I wasn’t aware, as if he had knowledge of something I didn’t. I always assumed it was because of the connection we shared. Although it shouldn’t have been possible, I was the only person who wasn’t susceptible to his ability.

Recalling his earlier hesitation before he touched me, I paused. Perhaps he could see my future now. Maybe things had changed.

“What did you see when you touched me?” I asked, hoping in some perverse way he could see all now.

He took a one step closer, then another, until he was directly in front of me. Time seemed to stand still as I waited, hope and fear warring with each other. Our friendship was formed by his inability to see anything in my past, present, or future. If he could see those things now, it would change our relationship, and I needed more friends in this reality than enemies.

His answer came in the form of touch.

He placed his hands on either side of my face, cradling my jaw, and angled my chin until our eyes met. “Nothing has changed.”

For a moment, I considered telling him he was wrong. Everything had changed. But I didn’t. A fatigue spread through me, an acceptance that despite my anger and hurt, I was here now. Wallowing in self-pity wouldn’t do me any favors. I lifted my hands and wrapped my fingers around his wrists, comforted by the feel of his cool, soft skin, and gave a gentle squeeze.

“Come on,” I said, staring him in the eye. “Let’s get out of here.”

Chapter Nine

In 2011, Paine’s club, The Razor, was on the down low. While vampires were in the know—as were those rare individuals who enjoyed being Scooby Snacks—the general human populace remained oblivious. The place was private and exclusive; it was impossible to get inside unless you had the proper invite, which said a lot for a New York club. Aside from that, it appeared to be like any other private establishment that catered to the dance and clubbing enthusiasts of the city.

That secrecy was now a thing of the past.

It was difficult to comprehend vampires feeding in the open, their servants offering wrists and throats like dainty, living and breathing appetizers. The atmosphere appeared dangerous somehow—the lights dim yet more oppressing than before, the blue sconces replaced with red—and the patrons were dressed differently, which, I supposed, was to be expected.

Paine’s grip was firm as he held my hand and led us through the masses, and for a moment I wondered about his unwillingness to let me go. At first I assumed it was due to shock. A lot of time had passed since he’d last seen me, and it would make sense if he wanted to reassure himself that I was really there. The looks I got from Goose and Bells, however, told an entirely different story. They made me wonder what else I didn’t know.

We made it to the back but, unlike the norm, the double doors to Paine’s hideaway weren’t locked. No one was waiting for us on the other side either. The area was better lit, but aside from that, there were no other apparent changes. Up the stairs we went, until we made it to his personal office.

Paine went in first, but stopped after he crossed the threshold. He released my hand and forced me behind him as his right arm came around and his hand pressed into the arch of my spine. He urged me to press close against him, moving back slightly.

“Victoria.” He spoke with an air of indifference, and I might have been fooled at his dismissal if his fingers hadn’t dug into my lower back as he did so, giving away his anxiety.

“Don’t bother trying to keep her from me,” an eloquent and notably feminine voice replied. “I’ve already gotten word that you helped yourself to some of my people to go after your long lost paramour. Lest you’ve forgotten, I have eyes and ears everywhere, Paine.” She said his name as if he were nothing more than a cashier at the convenience store she was forced to enter for a box of tampons when PMS arrived a tad too early and ruined her favorite pair of undies.

Slowly, Paine lowered his arm. Wise to the situation, I stepped around and came face to face with one of the most beautiful creatures I’d ever seen. A massive entourage of vampires stood at her back, alert and on guard. Although I’d been absent from most of the gatherings involving vampires and their houses, I was able to perceive the importance of her presence—as well as the danger. Her hair was so dark and lustrous it reminded me of a starless midnight sky. The raven, blue-black strands contrasted beautifully with her fair skin and full cherry red lips. When our gazes met, I got a full-on view of her vibrant, grass green eyes.

Sometimes you’ll meet someone and that instinct we are all born with kicks in—a gift from the holy creator—warning you to stay the fuck away lest you be eaten or worse. This woman’s vibe was stronger than most, as was her odd, yet not totally foreign, power. Although she looked like a twenty-something female in her prime, my necromancy told me the bitch was older than dirt.

“You are not as I expected.”

I didn’t move, speak, or give any indication I cared either way about what she expected me to be. Sometimes it was best to bide your time and wait for things to unfold. She sized me up, starting with my blood stained Nikes, gazing past my camouflage pants, and worked her way to my face. Considering she was swathed in a skin tight, black velvet outfit straight out of Saturday Night Fever, I was sure my apparel didn’t meet her standards. It was all good. As shitty as the ripped, bloody, and ugly-ass camouflage looked, I wouldn’t be caught dead in a cat suit.

“She’s mine, Victoria.” Paine broke the silence and took a decisive step forward, shielding me with his taller, broader body.

“You no longer have any say as far as she is concerned. The bond you once shared was severed when you stepped down from your responsibilities.”

“She swore fealty to me.” Paine’s voice changed, his gravely baritone dropping an octave. I could feel the fury simmering below the surface of his carefully constructed facade, could see it in the way his shoulders went taut, his muscles flexed, and in how he planted his feet—as if getting ready to fight.

“You no longer head a family.” Victoria brought her hands to her waist, her long, squared fingernails painted in the same shade of red that glistened on her lips. “That changes things.”

“Why’s that?” I stepped to Paine’s side and slid my hand into his. It was more than a way to calm him down. It also served as reminder of our connection, whether Victoria wanted to accept it or not.

“He deserted his enclave. He doesn’t deserve a familiar.”

“I swore fealty to him,” I repeated Paine’s previous statement, flying blind and hoping I appeared to know what I was talking about, and dredged up some prior education I’d acquired from Disco. “I didn’t agree to become beholden to another.”

“Well, aren’t you just the smart one?” She studied me intently, eyes slitted and lips pursed.

For once, I was at a loss for words. Was it a trick question?

Goose chimed in and squeezed in around me. “Given the circumstances, I assumed you’d allow her to reconnect with what she knows. Even as Paine’s familiar, she will reside in your domain and remain under your power.”

Her large, snake-like eyes zeroed in on Goose. “I don’t recall asking for your opinion, Ethan.”

Like a chastised child who knew the shit would certainly hit the fan if he didn’t put a lid on it, Goose immediately lowered his head, placed his chin to his chest, and didn’t say another word. Goose was always polite, but I’d never seen him back down like this. As if he was standing before God instead of a vampire.

Who the fuck was this bitch?

“What say you?” she asked me, seeming bored as she glanced at Paine. Her attention lingered on him far longer than it should have, as if she was caressing his body with her eyes. “Would you debase yourself by remaining in his accompaniment? Would you willingly be the familiar of a vampire who turns his back on his own?”

Then, as if the clouds parted and revealed what I couldn’t see before, I understood the reason for the animosity. Ms. Cleopatra Cat Suit had the hots for Paine. No wonder she looked like she wanted to kill me.

“Of course I would,” I purred and released Paine’s hand to plaster my body to his side. Although I knew he was surprised, he recovered quickly and snaked an arm around my waist. Mirroring his movement, I skimmed my hand slowly across his abdomen, taking my time as I outlined the muscular indentions along his stomach, and smiled broadly when I saw Queen Bitch’s jaw tic as if she was grinding her teeth.

Oh yeah, she had the hots for him all right. Bingo.

“I believe she has answered your question.” Paine remained cordial, but his disinterest was blatant.

Victoria moved fast, crossing the distance, and stopped inches from me. Her beautiful face came closer, and I was struck by the alabaster skin that seemed as smooth and flawless as porcelain. Long, dark lashes fanned her eyes, and at our close proximity, I knew they weren’t falsies.

“I don’t care who you are, where you came from, or what you can do. I’ve been told all about you, Rhiannon Murphy. Cross me, and I’ll rip out your fucking throat, let you bleed out, and make those who care about you so much watch.” Turning her head, she looked at Paine. “The same applies to you. Fuck with me, and there won’t be any place you can hide. I’ll own your soul.”

Paine yanked me behind him as Victoria walked past us with her head held high. The dozen or so men in her accompaniment followed, remaining silent though each took a glance in my direction. She stopped just outside the doorway and turned.

“Don’t forget our agreement, Paine. I’ll expect time with your necromancer soon enough.”

Paine didn’t say a word, and neither did I. I mentally compiled what she said to my growing list of questions, all of which would be asked at a better time. The moment they were gone, Goose and Bells quickly stepped inside and closed the door.

“Who the fuck was that?” I stepped away from Paine and made a beeline for the couch. My muscles were achy and my head was starting to pound. The adrenaline coursing through my system made me shake, causing my entire body to tremble in a way I couldn’t control.

“So much has changed in the time you’ve missed,” Goose answered, and I glanced at him.

“Tell me something I don’t know.” Reclining, I signed in bliss as the cushions cradled my back.

Paine approached and kneeled at my feet. He placed a hand on my thigh, the weight of his palm comfortingly heavy, and I couldn’t help but notice the physical contact thing. He couldn’t seem to keep his hands to himself.

“Victoria is the queen of the newly established North Eastern Province,” Paine said. “She controls everything above the Mason Dixon line, all the way to what was once the Canadian border.”

“A queen, huh?” I exhaled softly, closed my eyes, and allowed my head to fall back. Now the world consisted of vampire royalty. Why was I not surprised?

“This isn’t a joke.” Goose sounded annoyed, and I welcomed it. As fucked up as it was, his aggravation reminded me of home.

Lifting my head, I opened my peepers and looked him in the eye. “Do you see me laughing?”

“Her kind is responsible for everything you see around you,” Bells said quietly, her voice grave. “The war, the syndrome—all of it.”

“What?” I sat up, balancing my elbows on my knees. “Are you telling me she isn’t a vampire?”

The pressure of Paine’s hand on my leg increased as he spoke. “Lady Victoria is not as she seems. The beauty is an illusion, a bit of clever magic.”

“Are you saying she’s a witch?” I looked at Bells, thinking that perhaps I was finally onto something.

Bells folded her arms over her chest, visibly insulted. “She is nothing like me. I resent and take offense to the insinuation.”

“She’s a half-demon,” Paine clarified as if Bells hadn’t spoken. “The result of an encounter between a summoning witch and a demon.”

Shit. Demon children were powerful creatures. In fact, they were responsible for creating vampires by draining a human dry and replacing their blood with their own.

“I thought they were sent back to Hell a long time ago.”

“They were, until demons decided it was time to up the ante. They are the reason vampires were revealed to the world. In fact”—Paine moved closer, invading my personal space—“they control everything now.”

Demons, magic—a world gone fucking crazy.

A terrifying thought had me grasping Paine’s wrist in a vise-like grip, fear mingling with fury. “Can demons cross over to this realm freely now?” Zagan had come for me at the library. Was it possible for demons to cross over without benefit of contract or the bidding of a summoning?

“No.” Paine’s tone was pacifying, as if he knew just how close I was to going into shock. “The same rules apply. It is only their children that can freely travel between the dimensions.”

“Vampires, and werewolves, and demons, oh my.” I released his wrist and shook my head, attempting to curb my horrid attempt at humor and focus.

“You’re fortunate they took you out of their boundaries.” Paine’s hand moved from my thigh and wrapped around my fingers. “Normally they keep everyone they find in the compound.”

“They” meaning “werewolves.” Jesus. It was hard to believe that just months ago I was stupid enough to believe that vampires were the biggest, baddest, creepy crawlies that existed.

“They didn’t really have a choice.” Rather than moving away from Paine, I accepted the comfort of his touch. Lord knew I needed it. “They couldn’t exactly keep me around, not with me owning a debt to a demon.”

The entire room became quiet, and Paine froze.

“That’s right, boys and girls,” I continued, peering around at their baffled faces. “I’m indebted to Zagan now, which means I have four days to deliver a message to Disco before my ass is grass.”

“What do you mean, indebted?” Goose took a step forward. “Zagan said he’d sent you forward in time. He said nothing about a debt.”

“It was a trick,” I admitted, furious with myself once again. “Zagan said that he’d sever the debt between him and Disco if I gave him Marigold Vesta’s amulet and delivered a message.”

“A message?” Paine asked softly, stroking my knuckles with his thumb.

“To Disco.”

“You can’t deliver a message to Gabriel.” Goose sounded horrified, and when I turned to him, his face was chalky white. My stomach started to churn. The look from Goose was an indicator of bad things to come, like a red stain covering the moon, or a black cat crossing your path.

“Why not?”

“He crossed over after he passed,” Goose actually croaked, and his hands were visibly twitching. “He’s not in this realm any longer.”

I was a selfish bitch, because even as a part of me was grateful that Disco had passed to the pearly gates of Heaven and not Hell, another part of me realized what was bound to occur. Disco’s debt had officially become mine. Before, when there was a chance I could somehow deliver my message—even to his spirit—I had hope. That sliver of light was snuffed, taken away until only darkness remained.

“We’ll figure something out,” Paine said, appearing calm although his body language and jerky mannerisms screamed distress.

I knew that he was wrong. There wasn’t anything to figure out. Disco was gone, and no amount of necromancy or magic would bring him back. I’d read Goose’s journals and was aware that once you crossed to that blissful haven in the sky, that was it. God didn’t allow dalliances with the mortal realm, not unless you were one of the angels sent to maintain an all-important balance. Besides, Heaven wasn’t like Hell, so why would anyone ever want to leave it?

The answer is they wouldn’t. Not for anyone or anything.

Dread settled in my gut, followed by finality, and eventually, acceptance.

I glanced at the people around me, noting the concern etched all over their faces. They knew what was coming as well as I did.

I owed Zagan a debt, and in four days, he would claim his due.

Chapter Ten

“Goddamn it.” I tossed the heavy tome onto the floor, ran my fingers through my hair, and took a deep, fortifying breath.

The enormous grandfather clock sang from across the room, informing me the afternoon was officially over, the evening now in full swing. Twenty-four hours had passed since I’d found Goose, been rescued by Paine, and had learned that demon spawn now controlled a solid portion of the general population, putting the number of days I had left to find a way to sever my debt to Zagan to three. AKA seventy-two hours. AKA four thousand, three-hundred and twenty minutes.

Tick, tock. Tick, tock.

So far I’d learned how to conjure a demon, dismiss it, and barter a deal if I was so inclined. The information was the easiest to find, which was fucking frightening in the extreme. Summoning a creature from the pits of Hell was as simple as picking up a phone book and ordering a pizza from Dominos. All you needed was the right form of payment, a reflective object for it to pass through, and shit for fucking brains for even considering it. Of course the severing a debt portion was absent from the pages. Couldn’t have a way out for a mere mortal to take advantage of. Once you screwed the pooch, you took it in the ass like a good puppy—whether you liked it in the shitter or not.

Sighing, I shifted my tucked legs from beneath the book-covered coffee table. Goose and Bells were doing more of the same at his home—searching for ways to sever the debt and buy me some time—but so far there was nothing. It was like looking for a needle in a haystack. Accepting a bargain with a demon might work, and was an option, but it was a last resort as it would only nullify one debt in lieu of another. Besides, there was quite literally nothing to bargain with.

Glancing around Paine’s empty living room, I listened for sounds that would indicate he was close by. His place was situated just behind The Razor in a building that had become an extension of the club. He renovated the entire top floor, leaving behind an enormous open area that consisted of hardwood floors, minimal but matching furniture, and a few bedrooms. Since he wasn’t a part of a family any longer, it was mostly empty space.

I pulled the pendant from beneath the plush sweater Bells had given me and inspected it. There was no warmth, but the all too engaging hum was present. Some strange compulsion told me not to inform Goose I had it when we shared details of things that had occurred between my disappearance and now. Maybe it was because of his reaction so long ago, or maybe it was because right now we had enough problems without freaking him out.

Standing, I rubbed my eyes and stretched, allowing my mind to drift as I stuffed the pendant back under the sweater. It was difficult to believe that Paine would hand control to Peter—the next in line to lead the family—and leave everything behind after Disco’s passing. Why had he done it? I wasn’t sure. In between acclimating to the changes of living around vampires and brainstorming with Goose and Bells, I hadn’t had the opportunity to talk to him one on one. In fact, this was the first evening he and I were the only two people inside the apartment.

Soon, he’d leave his bedroom and come looking for me. I knew he didn’t have to sleep, but he’d left me to my research at the crack of dawn. I wasn’t sure why, but I had a feeling it was because he knew how exhausted and terrified I was and wanted to give me time to sort some mental shit out.

My stomach growled, reminding me the tank was empty, and I started walking toward the kitchen. There hadn’t been food in the place when I’d arrived, but Paine had taken care of that. I studied the counter covered in bananas, apples, oranges and various other perishables, and tried to decide where to start. A whisper of air against my neck was the only warning I got before Paine swept past me, his long, easy strides lethally silent.

“If you keep that shit up, I’m buying you a collar with a bell,” I told him, deciding to make a peanut butter and banana sandwich. “You’re just like Disco—too fucking quiet.”

We froze as soon as the words came out, staring at each other. Talk of Disco had been kept to a minimal, as neither of us seemed to want to go there. I wasn’t sure if he could see my anguish as assuredly as I saw his, but I had a feeling he could.

“He loved that about you,” he eventually said, ending the agonizing quiet, and smiled thinly at the memory until he saw my face. I quickly shook it off and reminded myself that for Paine, Disco had been gone for a very long time. Unlike me, there was a substantial amount of healing that had taken place.

“My attention span?” I asked, thankful the sadness I felt wasn’t present in my voice.

He nodded and moved closer, closing the distance step by step. Then we were toe to toe, chest to chest. I lifted my head as my chin tilted back, so we maintained eye contact.

“Gabriel wanted me to take care of you.” He brought his hands up, circling his fingers around my arms. “He told me that on more than one occasion.”

“You knew, didn’t you?” I tried not to let my resentment show. “How he was going to die.”

Paine’s brow furrowed, twin arches of lush brown coming together, and for a moment I saw the invisible weight resting on his shoulders, the horrible burden he always carried. His liquid black irises dulled, making the pupil indistinguishable, and I lowered my gaze guiltily.

“You don’t have to answer that,” I said before he could respond. I already had my answer. “It doesn’t matter.”

When I attempted to walk past him, he grasped my elbow in a light grip. “You hate me for it. Don’t you?”

Even as I answered, I wasn’t sure if it was the truth or a lie used to pacify him. “I don’t hate you. What happened wasn’t your fault.”

“No?” He tugged my arm, waiting for me to meet his level stare. “So when I saw Gabriel leaving that night—clothed as he was in the very vision I glimpsed of his death—it wasn’t my fault for allowing him to walk out the door? Don’t you wonder about that? What might have been had I broken my rules for a change? Because I do. I think about it every single day.”

“Then why didn’t you?” I couldn’t stop the question. It was something I had to know and was determined to understand.

Paine’s powerful, unnerving stare was almost more than I could bear. He seemed to be considering something. Suddenly, he took my hand.

“Come with me.”

He guided me to the long hallway where the rooms were. He continued until we came to a door on the left. Behind it was a staircase, and we started making our way to the roof. Once there, he strode to the long brick ledge surrounding the top of the building. A breathtaking view of the street just below The Razor greeted us, the streetlights coming on as the sun relinquished her authority and night came to life.

“The year I was changed was a difficult one.” Paine stared ahead as he spoke, peering into the night. Lush waves of dark brown hair obscured his face from view. “I quickly learned that no matter what I touched, I could witness how it would die. It was agonizing and nearly drove me mad. The memories, if allowed to build, can consume you. The cost of control was isolation, which can become overwhelming to anyone. For a time, I wasn’t sure if I could stand it. Until one day when I decided to forsake fate.”

His thumb brushed over the back of my hand—once, twice—before he continued. “I came across the most adorable puppy one day. He was filthy, tick infested, and starving. When I touched him, I knew that one day he’d be hit by a car. There were no flashes of future tragedies or happenstances, only happiness. He provided me with companionship, and I provided him with a home. It worked beautifully until the day fate was set to strike, and I was unable to stand idly by and allow it.” He turned away from the view ahead, bringing us face to face. “The day I saved Lex, a domino effect was started. Every single person he came into contact with suffered some kind of accident or mishap, and the trend continued for months. As time passed, it became clear that he was altering things—no matter how small—and the result was a shift in what should have been.”

I wasn’t sure I wanted to know, but had to ask. “What happened?”

“One day during the summer, Lex fell into one of the oil wells. I imagine he swam for as long as he was able, but eventually he succumbed to the heat and exhaustion. One of the workers found him and hauled him out.” Paine released my hand, lifted his arms, and rested his palms on my shoulders. “He suffered horribly. Had he died the day he was intended to, he would have gone quickly. Instead he treaded oil in unbearable heat for God knows how long.”

“And you didn’t see it?” I was genuinely confused. “You couldn’t see how he died and stop it?”

Dark eyes narrowed and plush lips thinned. “No. I can only see the manner in which a person dies once. After that, I can’t see anything.”

“But—”

“He wasn’t meant to live.” Paine interrupted in an uncompromising tone. “My interference meant when he finally passed, he did so cruelly.”

“You can’t believe he died a miserable death because you interfered.”

“There’s no way to know for sure,” he conceded but pressed on before I could question him further. “But there’s also no way of knowing I’m wrong either. Death comes to all of us. It’s not my place to dictate the when or where.”

Whatever I might have said was interrupted when a shout came from Paine’s apartment. We turned just as a vampire I didn’t recognize burst through the door to the roof, his expression alarmed.

“You’re needed downstairs. Now.”

“What’s the matter?” Paine released me and started walking toward the vampire, who glanced at me before he answered.

“Some of the guests brought their pets. It’s getting nasty.”

Paine cursed and hustled to the door. He and the other vampire traveled much too fast for me to keep up, but I remained behind them when I heard the ear piercing sounds coming from the building just next door. The closer I got, the louder the noises became, until I distinguished horrific, stomach churning howls. Paine’s apartment was connected to The Razor on the second floor, where a narrow, covered corridor was erected between the brick structures.

The sea of vampires was already parted by the time I ran across the metal stairwell and stopped far above the crowd. Paine and the vampire who had retrieved him were rushing into the fray, but I wasn’t watching them. I was too distracted by the werewolves locked in a heated clash in the center of the dance floor.

They were completely nude, covered in thick, coarse looking fur, their bodies twice the size of men. The ragged, bloody gashes along their torsos and shoulders wept freely, streams of red splattering as they continued to slash at each other with clawed hands and fanged jaws. As I gawked in disbelief, I noticed four vampires standing nearby holding thick chains—chains that were attached to the collars around the brawling men’s necks.

The vampires forming a circle around the enraged creatures were laughing at the sight, as if the warring beasts were a twisted form of entertainment. Several remained lounged in their seats, their human Happy Meals situated at their heels. When I glanced to the right, I saw Victoria perched in a large, antique chair; the red velvet cushions padding her ass and back were vibrant against her fair skin and dark hair.

Paine strode around the edge of the circle and approached her directly, heedless of the vampire guards surrounding her chair. The commotion taking place was too loud to make out what he said, but the clipped motions of his mouth told me all I needed to know. He wasn’t happy about what was going down at his club.

Victoria rose from her seat and moved closer to Paine, until they nearly touched. When her hand came up, and she started to place it against his chest, Paine took a swift step back, as if her nearness was toxic. Her eyes narrowed, her lips pressed together, and she lifted her hand and snapped her fingers.

The vampires behind her surrounded Paine, and I started hauling ass his direction. Taking the stairs two at a time, I said a silent prayer that I didn’t bust my ass or break my neck. The path was clear when I hit the floor, and I ran across the distance, heart pounding. The pendant started to go warm, the hum against my skin spreading from my chest to my limbs.

Before I made it to Paine, and just as I was within distance to touch him, an arm wrapped around my waist and hoisted me from the ground. Prepared to break free, I was stunned when the pendant became white hot on my skin. I hissed at the unexpected burn, and the owner of the appendage shuddered violently and let go. The pendant went cool as I spun my torso, got a visual, and rotated my hips as I brought my right leg up and around, taking aim and going directly for the bastard’s chin. The moment my rubber sole made a solid connection, his head snapped around, and I watched, amazed, as he flew back several feet.

The action taking place in the center of the dance floor didn’t stop, but it was essentially forgotten when the attention in the room turned to me. Paine started to move in my direction when he was swarmed by the vampires in Victoria’s accompaniment.

“You again.” Victoria strode past all of them, and I stayed as I was—arms loose at my sides, in a defenseless pose—but my feet remained in a perfect position to protect myself or dodge a blow if necessary, my right leg angled slightly behind the left, my balance centered.

“Don’t tell me,” I quipped. “We have to stop meeting like this.”

She smiled without humor. “I’ve been told that you think the things you say are amusing. It’s good to know that Ethan wasn’t lying.”

“Lying?”

Her grin became genuine. “You’re not funny.”

“That all depends on your sense of humor.” I glanced at Paine. His dark eyes were those of a predator, taking in everything, and the message they were sending to me was crystal clear.

Shut the fuck up, Rhiannon.

Victoria walked around me, her fuck-me high heels clicking with each step. She stopped after she’d made a full circle. I noticed that the sounds of the fighting to my back had ceased, though the furious snarls remained. It was impossible to turn to see why. There was no way I was placing my back to the deranged demon bitch who was sizing me up.

She snapped her fingers again, and one of the vampires standing in front of Paine stepped forward. “I want a better view,” she said, eyes on me. “And place another seat beside mine.”

The vampire moved to do her bidding, and she motioned behind her, indicating I should place my ass in the cheap metal folding chair the vamp had snagged and was now opening beside hers. “Come. Take a seat.”

As I started to look at Paine, she moved into my line of sight. “Don’t look to him for assistance. He can’t help you.” When I met her stare, I could see she was pushing me, hoping I’d cross the line so she could flex her muscles.

Unable to do anything else, I kept my mouth shut and sat. The chair was hard against my back, the legs shorter than those of her ornate throne at my side. It forced me to look up at her, putting me in a physical place of submission. My pride resented the implication, but my mind overcame emotion, keeping me silent when all I could think about was standing up, folding the chair back into its original position, and kissing Vicky girl upside the cranium with it.

From my vantage point, I could see the werewolves were being kept apart, tethered by the chains that were in the hands of vampires standing on either side of the beasts. The wounds in their chests were slowly closing, but their fur was matted with varying shades of blood—ranging from fresh, deep red, to dark, rusty brown. What I’d thought was one link in the collar was actually two, allowing the vampires to control the wolf-men more efficiently using two to one odds.

“Hideous creatures, aren’t they?” Victoria said and clucked her tongue. The vampires holding the chains moved closer, allowing the interlocking circles of metal to go slack, and the werewolves started slashing at each other again.

I wanted to turn to see if Paine still stood behind me, surrounded and unable to move. Knowing better, I focused instead on his presence, the comfort that arose from his touch, the safety I felt in his company, and almost gave myself away when I felt an all new, yet heartbreakingly familiar, sensation suffice my body and mind.

When Disco opened the marks between us, it allowed us to share not only physical strength, but emotions. No longer were we individuals who were separate and divided. The bond of a familiar and their master was one that created a union that was perfect in all ways. It was how Disco knew how I felt about him despite my fear to say it aloud. He could sense everything I couldn’t formulate verbally, and I could anticipate his moods and actions prior to his taking action upon them. He could close the marks at will, but when we were intimate, or when he wanted to convey just how important I was to him, he allowed the gates to open wide, granting us the freedom to bask in the unspoken glory of how special our relationship was.

The mark between Paine and I, while different than one I shared with Disco, was equally powerful—if not alarmingly more so. I wasn’t sure if it was because so much time had passed and he was now older and therefore more formidable, or if he had been stronger than Disco in the past and I was blissfully unaware of it until now. Either way his strength and very distinguishable presence surrounded me like an imperceptible blanket, permeating my soul until the link settled into place and I could feel just how livid, concerned, and anxious he was.

Yet it wasn’t the emotions that should have concerned me most that washed over me, causing my heart to stammer and my breath to catch. It was the one I felt above all others that jolted me into an alarming awareness, forcing me to see what I had remained entirely oblivious to for God knows how damned long.

Before I could dwell on the significance of what I’d learned, Victoria was whispering in my ear. “Mindless savages, that’s all they are. What were once God’s protectors of men have become nothing more than animals. It’s a shame. When they’re not furry and repulsive, they make excellent lovers.” She smiled at me, voice pleasant and unchanging. “I’m certain Paine is exceptional in bed, but if you’ve never had a wolf...” She leveled me with a look that made my stomach lurch. “Do you like to be fucked good and hard?”

The question would have been offensive if she’d asked the average person, but since I worked as a bartender in a strip club back in my time, it didn’t even scratch the surface. There wasn’t much anyone could say that could shock me. For a blissful moment, I felt like I was back at The Black Panther Club, facing a drunk who hoped if he treated me extra special he might get into my pants.

“Like a bastard nail,” I said while I thought to myself, Straight into a fucking coffin.

“No, really.” Her smile reminded me of the Cheshire Cat—laughable to children and horrific to adults who knew better. “If you’re interested I’m sure I can arrange something. Paine has had you to himself all day, and I can tell he’s not cemented your union. You must be dying for sexual release.”

Thinking on my feet, I gave her a smile as fake as the silicone breasts the dancers at the BP proudly showed off. “Thanks for the offer, but I’m still suffering from jetlag.”

She shrugged and turned away, presenting me with a profile that would make Aphrodite jealous. “Look at that them,” she mused as one of the werewolves bit into the shoulder of the other and removed a sizeable portion of flesh, revealing a disturbing flash of bone. “For all of their stupidity, they are exceptional in their violence.”

“Why are they fighting each other?” I recalled how close the pack was at Carter’s compound. Even though there was a traitor in their midst, there appeared to be a very strong connection and loyalty between them. Nothing at all like what I was witnessing at the moment.

Victoria laughed, and my skin crawled at the lyrical sound. “Leave it to someone like you to question the why of it.”

She pointed to the left and her long, lacquered nail flashed vermillion as it caught the light from the sconce. “We caught that one when he came sniffing around the kennels.” She pointed to the right, wriggling her finger. “And that one lost his female when the guards got involved. Needless to say, they’ve wanted a piece of each other for quite some time.”

“Kennels?” I echoed hoarsely, feeling sick. “You keep them caged?”

“Some of them, yes.” She sounded bored. “Those who have become familiars are allowed certain privileges, but they are the rare exception. We can’t have strays running around.” When I didn’t respond, she gave me her undivided attention, which I realized was something I wanted to avoid like the plague. “What did you expect? They are animals.”

“They’re also people,” I corrected before I questioned the sanity of speaking.

She moved faster than I could see, grasped my chin in her fingers, and lowered her head until we were nose to nose. It wasn’t a painful hold, but being so close to her caused my heart to skip a beat.

“They are whatever I say they are.”

She didn’t bother waiting for my affirmation, releasing me just as quickly as she’d snatched me up. I resisted the natural impulse to rub the area she’d touched, wanting to wash away the feel of her fingers and the tips of her long nails against my skin.

Shuffling noises behind us distracted me from the bloody fight taking place only a few feet in front of me. I angled my head slightly, peering at the commotion from the corner of my eye. Paine was trying to force his way past the guards. He met my gaze, and I quickly turned away, unnerved by the emotions I felt earlier combined with what I now recognized in the pools of shimmering black aimed in my direction.

“Victoria,” Paine said in a low, ominous warning, his anger unmistakable. “If you don’t tell your harem to get the fuck out of my way, you won’t be getting any of them back in one piece.”

“Men,” Victoria huffed and rolled her eyes. “One whiff of the pussy they’re after, and they can’t stop chasing the tail.” She ran her tongue along her top teeth, focused on a tipped canine, and looked at me in a manner that made me want to shrivel into the chair and disappear. “I can’t say I blame them. It’s not often that you find fresh meat.”

Another fast snap of her fingers, and I heard more shuffling of people at my back. I felt Paine’s long, cool fingers tickling the curve of my throat just before his hand cupped the base of my neck, his palm resting against the steady throb of my pulse. Once, that touch would have been steadying, reassuring, keeping me grounded. In light of my recent enlightenment, the caress felt aggressive, deliberate—possessive. He moved in close, until I felt his legs brush my shoulders. His scent was a combination of leather, soap, and smoke from the club, minus the radiating sweetness of cloves and cinnamon I knew so well.

“I told you not to bring them into my club.” The anger was absent from his voice—which made his mood impossible to decipher to the average bear—although I was able to perceive it through our connection.

“You’re overestimating your importance.” She didn’t look at Paine, keeping her face forward. “You don’t tell me anything.”

A heavy silence followed, but I felt a substantial amount of comfort in Paine’s presence. The fighting continued, violent, vicious, and unnecessary. The vampires studied the clashing Lycae as they laughed and spoke with each other, oblivious and uncaring.

“So,” Victoria drawled casually. “Have you spoken to your pet yet, Paine? Have you told her what’s expected of her now that she’s arrived?”

His fingers became taut around my neck. “Not yet.”

Victoria didn’t turn away from the carnage in front of her. “And why is that?”

Paine’s livid growl was almost as intense as the ones coming from the combating werewolves. “I haven’t had the opportunity.”

Victoria sighed and turned to me. “I suppose he’s wanted to make up for lost time, or perhaps he’s still trying to lure you into his bed.” At my stunned expression, she laughed. “Oh yes, I’m very aware of how your former master died, and of the connection you shared. It’s not easy to overcome such a loss, which is understandable. However, now that you’re here, there’s no better time to discuss what you’re going to do for me, necromancer.”

“She needs time—”

“Interrupt me again,” Victoria said and glanced past me, “and I’ll remove her from your care.”

Paine’s silence spoke volumes. The power this crazed she-demon wielded was more than even he could face. An involuntary shiver coursed down my spine, and Paine’s fingers became gentle as they softly caressed my nape.

It took every ounce of self-control I possessed not to say something snarky when Victoria informed me, “I have a problem.”

Paine’s continued silence clued me in that it was my time to walk the line and engage the deranged and unstable woman in conversation. “What kind of problem?”

“A poltergeist has taken residence in a location I want. I’ve discussed it with Ethan, and he’s informed me that you are more than capable of removing the entity from the premises.”

I hesitated. If Goose couldn’t handle it, how the hell could I? “He couldn’t do it himself?”

“No.” Victoria chuckled. “The only time he tried, he got his ass handed to him on a silver platter.”

Poltergeists were something I knew very little about. They were covered briefly in my daily meetings with Goose, when I’d been tutored in all things wacky following my near demise, but I was still sketchy on how it all worked. They were ghosts who could physically touch, destroy, and maim. Not exactly something I wanted to be a part of or fuck with in particular.

“What kind of poltergeist are we talking about?”

Victoria shrugged. “One tied to the building by murder or ritual. Regardless, I want it gone. The building is in my city, and I want it. You’re going to remove it for me.”

Being honest was dangerous, but I didn’t see any alternative. “I’m not sure I can help you.”

Victoria didn’t even turn in my direction. “Of course you can.”

With another wave of her hand, the vampires standing across the room parted. In the middle of them was a terrified girl in torn clothing. She was filthy, her hair matted and her skin covered in smudges of dirt.

“You see”—Victoria snapped her fingers and the men shoved the girl toward the fighting werewolves—“this isn’t open to discussion. I tell you what to do, and you do it. You’re in my domain now. What I say goes. And I’m telling you that I have a poltergeist in a building that I want gone, and you are going to remove it for me. Simple as that.”

The only thing powerful enough in that moment to tear my eyes from the bitch beside me was the eerie quiet as the werewolves stopped fighting and turned toward the girl who was shaking so violently you could see it. Their stances changed, and I watched in horror as they became visibly aroused. Their penises went from flaccid to engorged, jutting from their hairy and odd bodies to the middle of their bellies.

“Look at her.” There was an edge to Victoria’s voice now, an obvious excitement. “She’s petrified.”

Wouldn’t you be? God help me, in another time, another place, I would have vocalized the words. Instead, I thought them, swept up in the wrongness of what I was seeing.

“There’s only one thing that can rip mongrels apart during a blood lust,” Victoria continued. “A female in heat. From my understanding, this is her first.”

Anger melted away my restraint. “She’s just a child.”

“No.” Victoria’s cruel laugh made me wish I was powerful enough to shove my fist down her throat. “She’s just a puppy—a dog. You keep forgetting that.”

The men forced the girl toward the werewolves, and the Lycae pounced. She screamed as her clothing was torn from her body and claws left bloody trails in their wake. A few of the vampires inhaled deeply, scenting the blood in the air. Paine’s touch was no longer tender. Now, his fingers pressed almost painfully into my skin, a reminder that under no circumstance should I intervene. Unfortunately, as a victim of the same sort of atrocity in my childhood, I was unable to obey.

I attempted to move from my seat, and Paine’s hand kept me right where I was, applying brutal pressure as his other hand rested on my shoulder. I forced my head around despite the fingers around my neck and glared at him.

“You can’t let them do this.”

Victoria continued laughing when Paine remained silent. “He can’t do anything to interfere with my wishes. Don’t ask for what he can’t give you. If you’ve not learned anything in your time here, remember the old adage—don't latch onto a man thinking you can change him or mold him into what you want.”

The werewolves at the girl’s back began ripping at her pants, and her terrified screams were too much. I began struggling in my seat, furious and determined to do something. I had no idea how I could help, or what I could do to stop the atrocity taking place, but I refused to sit quietly and watch.

“Your anger tastes delicious.” Victoria glanced at me and smiled. “You’d like nothing more than to jump into the ring and stop them, wouldn’t you?”

“What I’d like to do is take the chair I’m sitting on, bash it over your fucking head, and make you eat it when I finished, you sick bitch,” I snarled, uncaring of what danger awaited me.

“Rhiannon,” Paine warned, grip increasing, until the bite of the tips of his fingers into my skin was almost unbearable.

“Let her talk, it’s amusing.” Victoria studied me for a moment. Then she reached for me. Paine’s hand vanished, and I knew he’d moved before she could touch him, granting me freedom. Shoving free from the chair, I jumped forward, and was stopped when Victoria’s fingers wrapped around my wrist. I felt something solid and warm slide into my hand. Glancing down, I saw it was a blade. The stainless steel hilt was wrapped in leather, the sharp end glistening metal.

“Never enter a fight unarmed. I still need you to exorcise a poltergeist, remember? If you think you can stop them, do it. I enjoy a show.” Victoria released me and turned to Paine. “She does this alone. No interference. You stay where you are.”

For reasons unknown to me, I sought out the power of the pendant. The burn was different this time, as if the magic recognized and was relieved at my call. Raw power rushed through my body, sufficing my muscles as it had previously. Only this time it was different. I felt the hum enter my body instead of surrounding it, filling me in electric tingles.

“Rhiannon, don’t.”

Paine’s request came too late. I was already moving.

The werewolf closest to me tore the panties away from the screaming child who was now sobbing for help. He didn’t see me as I walked behind him, grabbed him by the back of his hair, and pulled his neck back. One deft motion and the blade plunged into his throat. I yanked to the right, severing arteries, creating a spew of blood that covered the back of the girl beneath him. Since the blade sliced his vocal cords, I wasn’t sure if the sound he made was meant to be a howl or a snarl. His hands moved from the girl’s ass to his throat as he slid his fingers into the blood exiting his body. I realized then that the blade was silver, meaning the fucker wouldn’t heal properly and would likely bleed out.

The volume of the voices in the room increased as the vampires watching took a sudden interest in the turn of events. The werewolf at the girl’s head released her and lunged at me, razor sharp claws bared. The increased speed I’d used when Carter’s men attempted to chase me down returned, and I sidestepped just as the werewolf neared. Turning on my heel, I crouched, waiting for the wolfman to come at me, ready to introduce him to the same treatment his now limp and twitching counterpart was experiencing on the floor.

The girl scrambled away, but instead of rushing toward the vampires that had forced her into the situation, she rushed behind me. There was no time to reassure her or to accept her whispered, “thank you, thank you, thank you.” My opponent was gauging me, taking his time, and soon I’d have to be ready to dance.

“Kill him and I’ll give you the puppy as a prize,” Victoria called out. “Every girl deserves a pet.”

The werewolf came at me like a freight train, so fast that I didn’t have enough time to get out of the way of his claws. The sharp tips scored my side, easing through skin and scraping bone. The pendant flared hot again, and I realized there was no pain, only recognition of the injury as it occurred. Pivoting, I delivered a wound of my own, pressing the knife into his thigh as he moved away.

The warm oozing at my side told me my blood was flowing freely, soaking into my sweater. For a moment, I considered the weakness brought about by blood loss. Then I felt something else pervade my system. Paine’s mark crashed into me, so strong I almost fell to my knees. The werewolf took that exact moment to pounce. We clashed; chest to chest, claw to fist. It was an honest to God brawl. Each time he struck, I dodged and evaded, and he mirrored my movements as I did the same. As he drew back to swipe his claw-tipped fingers at me, I countered and forced his hand aside, using the opening to direct the knife toward his bared chest.

The knife sank into the area over his heart, and when it was fully embedded, I stepped back, judged the distance, and spun around to deliver a kick that would send the hilt farther into his chest. To my shock, the entire knife vanished, buried so deep the only way to remove it would be to cut it out.

He howled as he dropped to his knees, his furred face lifting, his wild gaze finding mine. There was disbelief there, but my heart sank when I saw something I never expected—relief.

He toppled over and spasmed on the floor, legs twitching as he entered a death rattle. I stood over him, panting shallowly, as the vampires began clapping in appreciation, as if they’d just watched a fucking opera instead of the death of two men.

The tug at my ankle brought my attention to the girl—who was no older than sixteen or seventeen—at my feet. She’d wrapped her arms around my leg, as if I was some Arthurian protector come to save her from a horde of bandits. Her pitiful face broke something in me, reminding me of a time not so long ago when I’d clung to a police officer who’d lifted me from a bloody bed to help me onto an awaiting stretcher.

“Excellent!” Victoria rose from her chair and the room went silent. “To the victor go the spoils.” She motioned at the girl and told the vampires at her back. “Take it and clean it. You can hand the mutt over to her new owner once she’s free of vermin.”

“No.” I didn’t move, facing off against the bitch that I was growing to hate more and more. When Victoria arched a brow, I said in a level tone, “I’ll clean her up myself.”

An evil grin spread across her face. “So it isn’t just men you find amusing. Fine, then. Enjoy your new toy. Tomorrow I’ll expect you to take care of my poltergeist.”

I didn’t have to turn to know the hand that wrapped around my forearm was Paine’s. The mark was fully open between us, allowing me to sense his rage, his concern, and his fear for me. Without breaking the contact, I helped the girl on the floor to her feet.

“What’s your name?” I asked softly, torn by the confusion and terror in her eyes.

“J-Jennifer,” she stammered.

Jennifer.

My breath caught, and I remained standing by sheer willpower alone. Sometimes serendipitous things occur in our lives. Like tragic events, you never see them coming. I couldn’t save my sister, but I could save the girl who shared her name. Perhaps there was some hope in that, some sense of justice.

I lowered my head, trying to keep myself from falling to pieces as the girl sobbed. Even though I felt as if something inside of me had been torn apart, shredded into pieces, and irrevocably broken.

Chapter Eleven

From the moment we arrived in Paine’s abode, Jennifer clung to me like a life vessel. I’d learned a lot of fucked up shit as I’d coaxed her into the bathtub and made small talk to calm her, such as she’d been living in the kennels all her life. I didn’t ask for details, too afraid to delve into questions about her parents, how she was raised, and how vampires had started breeding their own personal puppy mill.

Once she was clean, I tucked her into a bed in one of the extra rooms. She’d fought sleep, as if afraid she’d wake up in the same terrifying nightmare. As someone who suffered nightmares of my own, I understood and stuck around until she was fully out.

“She’s finally asleep,” I whispered to Paine as I strolled into the living room.

The mark between us was still very much open and alive, something that was foreign and new as Disco always kept that link between us carefully locked away unless necessary. Because of our link, I was aware that Paine was furious at me, but an underlying worry for my safety was also present. I knew the exchange went both ways, and he would be able to sense my own issues.

Which begged the question...

Settling across from him on the couch, I said, “I don’t carry your mark. How is it that we share one?”

His expression didn’t change. “You carried my mark from the moment I gave you my blood after you were hurt in the warehouse. When my blood entered your body, the bond was established.”

I frowned at the unexpected information. Yes, Paine had healed me with his blood, but I always assumed a mark was established by drinking from a vampire, not sharing by sharing blood directly via a wound or injury.

“Disco never said anything.”

“There wasn’t any need to. He knew I would never break his trust, and under the circumstances it was necessary.”

“So how does that work exactly?”

“In the same manner it worked with Gabriel. It’s not totally uncommon for those who serve a vampiric family to be marked by more than one member.”

Running my palms across my face, I tried to come to grips with everything that had transpired in the past hour, as well as the newfound information that Paine could access my necromancy and all that came along with it as easily as Disco had.

Paine slid across the distance, until we were thigh to thigh, and placed an arm around my shoulder. When I lifted my head, scant inches separated us. The look in his eye and the bond between us allowed me to feel another emotion, one that was his alone but amplified nonetheless because of our connection. It caused my stomach to contort, as it felt right yet wrong at the same time.

“Paine...”

Whatever else I wanted to say was vanquished when his lips brushed mine softly, the most tender and heartbreaking of kisses. I felt confused by the contact, torn as my heart rebelled even as my body warmed at the display of comfort and trust. His hand twined in my hair, fingers light against my scalp. When he pulled away, his dark eyes were simmering with a heat I knew all too well.

“You’ve no idea how long I’ve wanted to do that.”

He leaned in again, and I didn’t move. My heart was too heavy, my grief still present but searching for something to dull the pain. His lips parted as his tongue ran along the crevice of my mouth before it slipped past. It wasn’t a passionate kiss, but a sweet one, as if we both understood how significant the moment was. I wasn’t sure how long it had been since he’d kissed a woman, but I gathered it had been a very, very long time.

“You taste so sweet, so incredible...”

“We shouldn’t do this,” I murmured even as I wrapped my arms around his neck, looking for an anchor, something I could control if only for a short time.

“Yes,” he responded in a heady groan. “We should.”

Because of our marks, I could feel his need, the agony he’d suffered in the wait for me, his torment that my heart belonged to another while he longed for me in ways he couldn’t share or act upon. I wasn’t some normal woman; I was the only person he could be with like this—just like this—without fear or pain, revulsion or disgust.

When his hand slipped under my legs, and he lifted me, I didn’t protest. I had no idea how much time I had left, or if I’d even survive facing the poltergeist in the morning. Nothing had gone according to plan. If this was the one gift I could give him, I didn’t have it in me to say no. He handled me carefully, pulling me into his chest as he lowered his head and kissed me again. When I opened my eyes, we were already in his bedroom with the door closed. As he placed me on his bed, a surge of panic surfaced, the byproduct of my past. Only Disco had ever gotten this close to me before, able to breech the walls I’d surrounded myself with.

“Shh,” he whispered against my lips, perceiving my unease. “I swore to take care of you. Let me love you.”

The words brought tears to my eyes, reminding me of another time, another place, another person. I pulled away, and he watched me as his hands reached for the hem of my sweater. His fingers were cool against the sensitive skin along my abdomen, causing me to tremble as he brought the material up. I lifted my arms instinctively. Thankfully, the pendant slid off my neck along with the sweater, preventing him from seeing it. I wasn’t sure if he would even recognize it, nor perceive the importance, but I was relived there was no need to explain what I was doing with it.

For a moment I thought he’d reach for my jeans. Instead he stunned me by placing his lips against my throat, nuzzling me in a manner that indicated he was drawn to the contact versus the eroticism of the act.

“How long has it been for you?” I asked softly, twining my fingers in his hair.

“One hundred and one years, give or take.”

Pausing, I tugged gently on his hair until he peered up at me. “What aren’t you telling me?”

After kissing my chin, he breathed a line of cool air along my jaw. “It’s always been you. From the moment I touched you, tasted your blood, I knew. The only person I could ever truly touch was the only person I could never have.” Lifting his head once more, he met my confused stare. “Until now.”

“Disco.” My voice broke as I said the name that existed as a chasm between us.

“Is gone.” Paine’s agony at the admission was evident. “He wanted this for us. The two people he loved most. He wouldn’t want you to be alone, and he was always aware of how I felt. That was why he wanted me to establish the first mark, to ensure that this would transpire in the event he passed. He always knew, Rhiannon. He was always aware.”

My willing compliance and increasing desire felt like a betrayal, but at the same time, what Paine said was also true. The fact that days had passed, instead of the years that I had missed, didn’t matter. My life, if you could call it that, was no longer occurring in any facet that resembled normalcy.

When he bent his head again, I forced aside the memories that threatened to put an end to what was occurring between us. His touch was gentle, his fingertips feathering over my skin. Lowering my head, I pressed my nose into his hair and inhaled, taking in his own unique scent, finding that while it was different from what I knew, it was equally as tantalizing and oddly comforting. His skin rippled as I ran my fingers down the back of his neck, and he pulled me closer when I hesitated.

“Don’t stop touching me...please.”

There was so much misery in the request I felt myself tearing up again, but for an altogether different reason. I couldn’t imagine being apart from those around me for so long, able to look but never touch.

“Take off your shirt.”

Leaning back, he did as I asked. His skin was as flawless as I expected, as were the muscles that lined his shoulders and chest. He closed his eyes when I placed my palm over his heart, searching for and finding the slow, steady beating just beneath.

“I’ve dreamed about this,” he said as he took a deep, jagged breath. “So many times.”

A question came to mind, and it was impossible not to ask. “How many women have touched you?”

“None since I was changed.” He moved away again until we were face to face. “Sex was only sex, and it was always one sided.” At my questioning look he clarified, “It doesn’t make me proud, but I used the women I had sex with. It was something done to scratch an itch, and only when I couldn’t bear being trapped in my own skin. They never touched me, and since I used protection and never touched them, it made the experience bearable.”

“So no one has ever done this?” I trailed my fingers down his chest, along the indention that created a path to his abdomen.

Once again, his eyes closed, as if he was basking in the slight tickle of my fingers against his flesh. “No.”

My gaze drifted to the clock on his dresser, the second hand ticking steadily away. A sharp shard of pain pervaded my chest when I envisioned how his future would be once I was no longer a part of his life, taken if I was unable to find a way to end my debt to Zagan. The impact the realization created was startling.

Paine and I had days to spend with each other, perhaps nothing more than this very night.

This time, I went to him. Our lips met and the kiss was no longer about grief or fear. This was about taking solace in each other, in embracing the fact that we were alive, here, now, together. We devoured each other as our hands wandered, wrapping and cupping, sliding along bared skin. When his fingers skimmed the buttons of my jeans, I arched my hips, assisting him even as my own hands drifted to his pants to do the same. Within moments, with the exception of my bra, we were both nude.

My skin heated in the areas Paine’s gaze drifted. Slowly, he reached behind me and unlatched the clasps between my shoulder blades. I slid my arms free of the thin straps, and he tossed my bra to the floor. For several seconds, we remained as we were, staring at each other. Then Paine leaned forward and brushed his nose along my right areola, over and over again.

“You smell so good,” he said and moved to the other side, repeating the motion.

When he finally sucked my nipple into his mouth, it was with a tentative, unpracticed motion. He was unfailingly gentle; no nipping or playful tugging. As I arched my back and pressed against his mouth, he became bolder, more certain. I groaned when he bit down, skimming his teeth across my skin without breaking it. My reaction caused him to become more aggressive, until I was pressing my fingernails into the skin on his back.

He pulled away, looking up, unsure once more. “Is that too much?”

“No,” I breathed the word, shaking my head.

“I’m...” Shaking his head, he grappled for words. “As you can probably tell, I’m new to this.”

I brushed my fingers along his temple. “We all are at some point.”

He smiled, full on, and my heart raced. Paine was never one to smile, not really, regardless of the situation. I’d never seen more than a half-assed grin here and there—never this. It was a shock to the senses, locking us together in a moment that left no room for anyone else.

“I want this to be good for you.”

I continued stroking his hair. “Then it will be.”

He nuzzled my palm, so tenderly I worried my heart my break. “Tell me if I do anything you don’t like.”

Then his lips were on me, creating a trail along my ribcage, up my arm, along the arch of my shoulder and neck. His hands cupped my breasts and brought his thumbs to my nipples. Pressing forward, I placed light kisses along his shoulders, noting each shudder that came from him. Eventually, we moved until I was on my back across the bed. He came over me but didn’t rush, exploring my body like it was something new and undiscovered. As he did, I continued running my palms along his sides, his arms, and his back.

“That feels incredible,” he groaned and kissed a path to my neck.

Keeping my touch light, I moved from his back and slid my fingers along the front of his body, reaching down until I took his cock into my hand. He gasped, exhaling loudly, and pressed the engorged shaft into my fingers. Squeezing softly, I carefully ran my fingers up and down his length, keeping my fingers loose. Within seconds, he stopped the motions with a firm hand around my wrist.

“It’s too much.”

Lifting onto my elbows, I urged him away and instructed, “Lie back.”

When he was resting against the headboard and pillows, I started at his ankles and worked my way up, touching him as he longed to be touched, christening his skin with the wisp of my fingers as they traveled up muscular calves to equally toned thighs. Glancing up, I saw that he’d closed his eyes again, his face a mask of bliss. Placing myself between his outstretched legs, I scooted on my knees until I was in a perfect position to do something I knew he’d never experienced.

This time, it was I who was forced to soothe and reassure when I took his turgid length in hand.

“Rhiannon...”

“It’s okay,” I whispered and lowered my head. His eyes were cloudy, his lips slightly parted as he watched me take him between my lips.

His hips bucked when I sucked, forcing him deeper into my mouth. I closed my own eyes then, trying to block out remembrances of another man who had no place in the moment. This wasn’t about Disco or our time together. This was about giving a gift to someone, doing something for Paine while I still could. No other had the power to give this to him—only me.

“That feels...” He gasped, fisting the sheets. “It feels...”

I moaned, and he inhaled loudly as the vibrations created by my mouth rippled against his cock. His leg muscles became tense against my knees. Through our connection I was able to feel his pleasure and shock. This was foreign to him, something he’d only fanaticized about, and the reality was so much better, so much sweeter, than he’d ever believed possible.

It wasn’t necessary for him to force me away as my lips glided up and down; I felt a glimpse of panic as he felt the tension in his body, that undeniable occurrence we all experience when we near climax. I stopped before he lost control and advanced, prowling over his body, until I was straddling his waist.

Unbidden images of Disco flashed through my head. I didn’t have the courage to look Paine in the eye, aware he had to know what I was thinking, what I was feeling. As if it was preordained, the large, grandfather clock in Paine’s living room chimed as a new hour arrived. The soft sounds were enough to break apart my doubts, a reminder this was about sharing a moment when I could, since I might not ever have the opportunity again.

Paine wrapped his fingers around my left wrist. “Look at me.” It was hard to do, but I managed to meet his gaze. His expression mirrored what I felt—torn but determined. “I won’t let anything happen to you. I give you my word. We’ll figure out a way around everything. Trust me.”

I didn’t respond as I lowered my head and guided him with my free hand toward the haven of my body, feeling him slide against the heated wetness that would grant him easy entry. Words were no longer necessary—or possible—as I began the descent down his length, the broadness of his cock wider than I was accustomed to though slightly shorter, stretching me in the most delicious of ways. Memories of Disco clouded my mind, and I felt as if a spike were driven into my chest. Never again would I have this with the man I loved beyond reason, the man who was now dead but remained as important and essential to me as breathing.

“Don’t.” Paine squeezed my wrist, forcing me to look at him again. “I want you to see me. Be with me.”

He didn’t add “Not Gabriel,” because I knew it was what he meant. As I slid down until he was fully buried inside of me, I balanced myself with a hand on his stomach and looked into his face. There was such adoration there, so much need. His obsidian eyes were unwavering, forcing me to see him and only him.

Beginning the dance, I lifted away and returned, slow and steady. Paine released my wrist and cupped my breasts, thrumming my nipples. I groaned and tossed my head back, taking more of him. He released my breasts, traced the scars along my abdomen, and finally placed his large hands on each of my hips, his fingers rough as they pressed into my skin.

“You feel...it’s so good. So good.” He arched his back and plunged further into me, causing me to gasp at the sensation.

Although I knew he wanted me to reciprocate the sentiment, I couldn’t. Rather I gave him exactly what he wanted, a closeness and trust that came from the ultimate act of intimacy. Faster I moved, silencing him though I knew he wanted to say more. I didn’t think it was possible, but my body soon quickened as the broadness stretching and engulfing me hit the spot that would send me shattering to the stars.

“Beautiful, Rhiannon.” Paine continued thrusting. “You are so fucking beautiful.”

Rotating my hips, I closed my eyes, embracing the tingles in my belly that continued to build, growing stronger and more prominent, until I was biting my lip in an effort not to call out the name that threatened to escape. As my orgasm rolled over me, Paine cried out my name and started to move beneath me, lifting his hips, until I felt the thrumming jets of coolness that told me he’d also found the true release he’d waited centuries for but had been denied for so long.

Sated, saddened, and unable to look at the man beneath me, I rested across Paine’s chest, taking refuge in the arms that wrapped around me. Our soft breathing was the only sound in the room, but it didn’t drown out the noise that remained a constant reminder of tomorrow and what it might bring, the only thing powerful enough to send me into the bed of a man who needed reassurance and a sense of connection as much as I did.

The unavoidable ticking of the clock.

Chapter Twelve

“Rhiannon?” Goose’s voice broke me from the stupor I’d found myself in ever since I’d opened my eyes and greeted the new day in Paine’s arms. “Are you all right?”

“Just dandy.” I tried to create peppiness where none existed, but I knew Goose could—and did—see right through it. He didn’t press, which I was thankful for.

I wasn’t ready to go there.

Climbing from Paine’s bed—remaining silent as I dressed and he watched with an expression of confusion and hurt—and leaving without saying goodbye was difficult enough. Especially since he kept the damned mark open between us, allowing me to feel his pain at my emotional and physical withdrawal. As a consequence, he was also able to detect my concern about ending my debt to an asshole demon before time ran out.

“I can’t go inside with you. The spirit will recognize my presence and we won’t be able to get beyond the foyer.” Goose stood in front of the door of the large building, obviously angry he couldn’t assist me as he would have done so readily in the past. “As I told you before, we haven’t been able to scratch the surface with this one. We have no idea who the entity once was, how it was killed, or why it has chosen to inhabit this place.”

“I’ll be with her.” Jennifer moved closer to me, unwilling to leave my side. She’d sought me out after I’d left Paine’s room to shower and get my mental shit in order. I told her to wait on me as I entered the bathroom, and I found her in the exact same spot I’d left her.

She’d been on my ass ever since.

Goose glanced at her but didn’t say anything, his face a mask of mistrust. When he’d learned of what transpired at the club, he was livid, especially when he learned I’d acquired a new ally. I didn’t understand why he didn’t trust Jennifer, but all things considered, it wasn’t that important. I had other, more pressing shit to worry about.

Victoria’s missive, delivered via Goose, arrived before I’d had a chance to eat breakfast, partake in a cup of much needed caffeine, or have the discussion Paine attempted to instigate once he was clothed and out of the bedroom. Victoria wanted the job done, and she wanted it done now. The house she wanted me to exorcise wasn’t a house at all, but a large duplex. To my shock, I learned the place once belonged to Joseph—the vampire responsible for killing Disco.

Bells handed me a large bag, forcing me to bite back my anger and resentment, along with a small pet carrier containing a sacrificial zombie cat. I tried not to look at the poor thing, knowing the fate that awaited it. Goose assured me that the animal was no longer fully aware or cognizant of what was taking place, but it didn’t lessen my guilt.

“Everything you need is inside.”

I nodded and took the bag and cage. Fortunately, Goose had managed to train me during my downtime, so I knew what I needed to do. Bless myself with the holy oil, create a circle of salt and blood, prowl the premises and provoke the beast and, God willing, place my sorry ass safely inside the sanctity of the area when the shit hit the fan. Mixing the blood with the salt created my own refuge in the residence—the only space the entity could not enter. The confines would be the only place I would be able to keep the fucking thing from touching me. Once there, the undead cat would become the host for the angry pestilence, something I had to destroy to end the spirit’s lease on the building.

Goose stepped forward. “If you can’t do it, wait the poltergeist out in the circle. It could be hours, but whatever you do, don’t step out of the circle.”

I cracked my neck and nodded. “No problem.”

Lifting the bag over my shoulder, I glanced at Jennifer. If she was nervous, I couldn’t tell. I took the key Goose extended to me, examined it, and braced myself to enter the duplex. As I took a deep breath to steady my nerves, I unlocked the door and stepped inside. To my surprise, the entire interior of the building had been gutted and the premises very much resembled a house. There was a foyer with a living room just beyond. I’d already been given a rough breakdown of the layout. All of the bedrooms were upstairs, with the kitchen, living room, and den situated on the lower floor.

The moment I stepped past the threshold, I felt the presence of the entity, and it was staggering. Whatever remained behind in this place had left traces of itself everywhere. Jennifer growled as she followed me into the large room just ahead, and when I turned to her, I noticed her dark brown eyes had taken on an amber glow.

“You feel it too?”

“I feel it.” Her voice had changed as well, becoming gruff.

Goose had instructed me to create the circle in the center of the structure, meaning the living room directly ahead. As I walked into the area, I could see where he’d attempted to do the job himself. Furniture was broken and a circle of salt was spread along the dark carpet. It wasn’t those things, however, that snagged my attention. It was the imprints of the people from the past that stopped me dead in my tracks.

Apparently I was capable of seeing the residuals of the twice-dead through history. Some were vampires I recognized, while others were ones I’d never been introduced to. A few lounged on the couch while a couple vanished into the den. The undeniable pull that always came during these situations lured me toward the stairs—to the bedrooms.

Shaking aside the temptation, I walked into the area I wanted to block off and Jennifer dutifully did as instructed when I told her to stand in the center. When she was in place, I rummaged through the bag and removed the container of salt.

“Ter circum orbes adligatum male omnis cade in solum.” Thrice around the circles bound sink all evil to the ground.

Repeating the incantation Goose had taught me, I popped the lid and began pouring the grainy substance as I went, intentionally making my circle smaller than Goose’s had been. Crossing the magic wouldn’t do me any favors, especially since he’d fought the entity and lost. When I finished, I took out the knife to mark it in my blood and grinned. The blade was my all-time favorite—a butterfly knife.

The knife whispered open with a deft flick of my wrist. I brought it to my hand and cut across the meaty portion of my palm. Blood dripped along the white salt on the floor, merging with it in fat drops, until I’d finished and the circle was complete. After I shoved the knife into my back pocket, I returned to the bag and removed the oil vial. Jennifer had stopped growling, but I imagined if she was in a furry state, her hackles would have been raised. I stood and made my way to her, mentally preparing for what was about to transpire.

As I painted an oily cross on her forehead, I warned, “No matter what happens, don’t move from the circle. Some crazy shit might go down upstairs, but I’ll make it back here. I can’t take care of myself if I’m worried about you. Understand?” I wasn’t sure what could happen to Jennifer, even if she was stronger and more durable than me.

My skin was burning now with the desire to go upstairs toward what my necromancy wanted me to see. I began trembling as I continued to fight the urge, very aware that soon I wouldn’t be able to deny it.

“I don’t like this.” Jennifer’s nostrils flared, and her irises took on the same eerie glowing hue again.

She wasn’t the only one who felt uneasy. “Neither do I.”

Before I started making my way to the heart of the house—and the bedroom that waited at the top of the stairs—I removed the Browning pistol Goose had included in the bag. I knew it wouldn’t do shit against a poltergeist, but the blessed silver melted from crucifixes in the shells would slow it down, and the weight of the sidearm sure felt comforting in my palm. After I checked the safety, I placed the gun in the crook of my back and pressed it into my jeans.

With one last look at Jennifer, I started walking to the set of stairs along the left wall. The carpeted slats kept my movements silent, but it didn’t really matter as each step caused the itchy sensation beneath my skin to intensify, telling me the spirit was well aware of my presence. More impressions of ghosts past were laughing as they reclined against walls, one feeding from a human who was so limp I was fairly certain she was dead.

When I reached the top of the stairs, I hooked a right and started walking down the hall to the room that waited at the end. The door—unlike all the others which were a plain, dark wood—was painted blood red. Emblems were etched in black along the surface in a language I didn’t recognize.

I took a deep breath and reached for the glass doorknob. As I turned it, I felt the burn under my skin increase as my heartbeat accelerated. The amulet warmed against my skin, and I welcomed the slow, even thrum of heat. Whatever power resided inside the charm had helped me thus far. I could only hope it would do the same now.

The door creaked when I pushed it inward, and though I braced myself for anything, I wasn’t prepared for the sight that greeted me. I went stock still when another ghostly apparition surfaced before my eyes. It was Sonja—Joseph’s familiar and family servant—dressed in a black robe of some kind. Her head was bowed and she was seated in the center of a black circle of candles, chanting something I couldn’t hear. She reached for a long knife placed in front of a candle, the flame glowing unnatural gray. I watched, horrified, as she brought the edge of the knife to her elbow and began cutting downward, in a way that would ensure she would bleed out before help could arrive.

Rivets of vibrant red raced down her arm but she didn’t stop there, quickly moving to the second. The carpet in her room was white, a sharp contrast to the walls that were painted black. It was like watching a rose in bloom during the winter as her blood spread across the carpet, soaking into the floor around her, until she began tottering back and forth. She braced herself with a hand on the floor and brought the blade to her throat. I knew what was coming but couldn’t tear my eyes away as she sank the length of metal into her windpipe, creating a river of crimson that streaked down the robe.

She collapsed then, directly on top of the candle. The gray flame engulfed her, but there was no fire. Instead it seemed to blanket her entirely, until she was a huddled black mass beneath a dense and unrelenting fog.

I was so immersed in the visual that I didn’t see what threw me with enough force to send me crashing into the far wall, through the moment imprinted in time. After I hit the unforgiving surface, I reached for the gun at my back and turned to face something far more powerful than me. I’d never seen a poltergeist before, but I’d been warned they were a grisly sight, something straight out of nightmares.

Goose hadn’t been kidding.

The thing was nothing more than rotted flesh, shredded muscle, and a bald head with thatches of hair here and there. It was the hair that told me who haunted Joseph’s home. Only one person in the world was brave enough to pull off the Rainbow Brite look.

“Sonja,” I whispered.

If she heard, she didn’t give any indication. She advanced on me, and I fired a round directly into her chest. In the next instant, I was thrown into the hallway. I didn’t look to see if she was following me. I hauled ass to the stairs, ready to get her where I needed her to be. Just when I reached the top of the staircase, she grabbed my leg and sent me barreling to my stomach. The gun slipped from my hand, hit the ground, and started ricocheting off the stairs.

“Shit,” I snarled and rolled, trying to get my balance.

I supposed Sonja didn’t want me out of the room after all, since I felt her ghostly hand wrap around my ankle and she started to pull me back in the direction we came from. The stairway vanished as I was dragged back inside. The bedroom door slammed shut, my ankle was released, and when I turned and lifted my head I came face to face with a woman I once knew who had become something terrifying. She didn’t move from her place in front of the door, barring my exit. She studied me oddly, turning her head from side to side. Her once clear blue eyes were now entirely black, with a discernable red pupil that started to dilate. She opened her mouth, and I cringed when I saw most of her teeth were missing.

“Finally, you have returned.” Her voice wasn’t really a voice at all, more a whisper of wind that managed to form consonants and vowels.

“What have you done, Sonja?” I didn’t bother rising in a position to defend myself. Like this, she could eat my Wheaties and then some, and I wasn’t stupid enough to provoke her.

She smiled, and it wasn’t a pretty sight. “I have finally been given my boon for an eternity in living hell—your arrival.”

“I don’t—”

“Understand?” She cackled, the sound like scattered branches flittering against a window. “Of course you don’t. I didn’t expect you would.”

Growling and clawing came from the other side of the door, and I knew Jennifer had foolishly ignored my wishes. Sonja didn’t seem disturbed by it. Instead she turned, waved her hand, and the door started to glow as if burning. The clawing immediately stopped and I heard a horrible whine.

“Don’t worry,” Sonja said as she advanced on me. “She won’t be bothering us. Not until we’ve had the opportunity to talk. You have things to set right, and I’m here to make sure that happens. It’s the only reason I was willing to sell my soul.”

I couldn’t mask my disgust when she took a seat right in front of me, her decaying body worse than any dead person I’d happened upon in my life. To her credit, she took my revulsion in stride.

“Not looking as good as I once did, am I? That’s what happens when you die and you give your flesh over to demons to devour. That’s what they like most, you know—fresh flesh and blood.” Her eyes drifted to my cut hand that had slowly started mending, and I pulled it into my chest. That angered her, and she actually snarled. “I do not partake of the flesh. If I did, I would end my time here and finally descend into Hell itself.”

“What do you want?” It was obvious she’d planned this; I just needed to know why.

“Vengeance,” she stated matter-of-factly. “A righting of a wrong. A chance to make things the way they should be, not the abyss the world has now become.”

“I don’t see how I can help you there. In case you haven’t noticed, I’m up to my neck in royally fucked up at the moment.”

“Oh, but you can.” She moved closer and pointed at my chest, her finger aimed directly at the area shielding the amulet from view. “You have everything you need to turn back the clock, to ensure things occur in a way that won’t bring forth an unnatural balance.”

My heart was pounding, palms sweaty, optimism causing me to throw caution to the wind. “What do you mean, turn back the clock?”

“I have a present for you. Something that can put an end to the predicament in which we find ourselves. But you have to be willing to make a sacrifice in order to do it. Nothing worth having comes without a price.”

There was no hesitation. “Tell me.”

“When Gabriel died, and I learned of what had transpired, I began doing research. You see, the vampires who cornered Joseph into killing Gabriel were those he knew better than to cross, those born of vampires far stronger and deadlier than those made. Do you know what I’m talking about?”

“Half-demons.” It was an easy guess since they now ruled the world.

“It was Victoria Delcroix who set things in motion.” Sonja’s black eyes narrowed, and I could see her teeth grinding together through her shredded lips. “She needed control of one of the most powerful cities to begin her plan. Once Gabriel was gone, she knew there would be nothing to stop her.”

“Why Gabriel?” I shook my head, attempting to piece the puzzle together. “Was it because he ruled New York?”

“You were always foolish.” She snorted. “Why does anyone plot against another? I’ll give you three reasons: power, control, and domination. Since Gabriel was the child of a vampire who was sired by a half-demon, he had an extra level of protection. Had Graham Tavish attempted to destroy Gabriel, Gabriel’s maker would have sought retribution, and when he did, his sire would have come to his aid.”

Holy fuck nuts. Gabriel’s maker was created by a half-demon. I had no clue how powerful the vampire that changed Marius Dymock—Gabriel and Paine’s sire—truly was.

“Graham Tavish?”

“Victoria’s half-brother.”

Her half brother? Shit. “I still don’t see what I can do. I’m stuck here.”

She slapped me—hard. As I lifted my hand to sooth the sting, she snapped, “Don’t be daft. You are in possession of Marigold Vesta’s amulet. With it, you can do more than you ever dreamed. She will expect payment for assisting you, of course, which is why I said a price will have to be paid.”

It was an overload of information, almost too much to take. However, there was one point that continued hammering away in my mind, something I wanted beyond measure.

“I can go back? This”—I grasped the amulet under my shirt—“can send me home?

“Finding information about your charm was almost impossible, but I managed to learn enough. If you strike a bargain with Marigold, she will undoubtedly give you what you request in turn.”

I continued rubbing my tingling and hot cheek. “Why are you giving me this information? What do you get out of all of this?”

“For your first question, I want Graham Tavish dead. He is a being that never deserved to exist. He destroyed everyone and everything I loved. I told him he’d pay for it when he killed Joseph and he attempted to make me his familiar. I swore I’d get revenge, even if it meant living in hell. You can make that happen. As for what I’ll get? I want a chance at a new life.”

“You think I’m capable of doing that?”

“If you return and change the events of the past, you can.”

Change the past. Paine’s warnings of tampering with the future ran through my mind, as well as a noticeable amount of sickness at what I had recklessly done with Paine while believing I’d never return. God help me, if what Sonja said was true, I could go home. But what would the repercussions be?

How would I tell Disco what I had done?

Jesus, I didn’t know if I’d be brave enough to confront him. Would he forgive me? If not, could I still find a way to prevent him from being killed?

So many questions, so few answers.

The ripple effect, Paine called it. Changing what wasn’t meant to be changed, altering the future. It was dangerous, foolhardy, and something that should never be done. Even knowing that, even considering Disco’s anger and sense of betrayal at my actions, I didn’t give a shit.

“You should know that shortly after Gabriel was killed, a shift in power occurred. It wasn’t long until Joseph was left with nothing to bargain with. He was thrust aside like a forgotten toy, his family nothing more than a plague that had destroyed the most powerful vampire in the city. Joseph never wanted to harm Gabriel. He wasn’t given a choice.”

“So you want me to return, kill a half-demon, and set the future on a different path?”

“Look around you. Is this the world you want for the children in your past? Living as cattle? Forced to subservience or face the possibility of death? I don’t see how changing the past can make things any worse. Can you?”

“No.” The response was automatic and honest. “I can’t.”

“Return to your apartment, go to your closet, and locate the box hidden in the back. Everything you need to summon a demon is there, including all the information I could find on Marigold Vesta. Do what you were intended to do. Sever the debt with Zagan, return to where you belong, and change the course of history as we now know it.” When I didn’t immediately respond, she asked, “Will you do this? Are you brave enough to take a risk with your life to save the person who loved you so much he was willing to die to learn what had become of you?”

Slowly, I nodded, the choice already made. “Yes,” I said and looked at her. “I will.”

Her grin was nothing more than gums, partially missing lips, and a few teeth. “Then I will willingly accompany you downstairs and allow you to do what you must. There is something you should know, though. You can’t speak about this to anyone. If you decide to go forward, you do it alone. Ethan is tied to Victoria, and she has total control and power over him, as well as their daughter.”

My chin snapped up. “Their daughter?”

“Isabella McDaniel is the product of a seduction that forced Ethan to become a willing servant to what he detests most. By baiting him with glamour and becoming impregnated with his child, he had no other choice but to fall in line.”

“He’d try to stop me,” I mused aloud, knowing I would do the same thing given the circumstances.

“He would, and you would be killed. Everything that transpires here stays here. You cannot tell anyone.” Her endless ebony gaze met mine. “Anyone.”

I started rising to my feet, thinking ahead as I prepared to do what needed to be done. “I understand.”

Jennifer was waiting when I opened the door, half-changed. Her furred face went from furious to confused when I exited the room with Sonja. She growled, and I stopped her with a gentle hand on her arm.

“Don’t. It isn’t necessary. Trust me.”

Her baffled look didn’t stop me as we all descended the stairs—necromancer, werewolf, and poltergeist. When we came to the circle, I entered it, opened the metal door to the pet cage, and pulled out the dirt-infested cat by the scruff of the neck. I wasn’t sure what I expected, but thankfully Sonja made things easy. She didn’t fight when I walked out of the circle and lifted the cat into the air, holding it so their eyes could meet. The moment she started to dissipate, I retrieved the knife from my pocket.

The cat went wild as Sonja entered its body, scratching at my arms, but it couldn’t avoid the knife that severed the artery at its throat. When Sonja was fully trapped inside the host of something I could control, I started working the blade through the bone, grateful I’d taken Paine’s blood and my strength had increased.

“Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. Return to the hereafter from whence you came. God have mercy on your soul.”

I knew Jennifer was watching me with a mixture of shock and awe. When the cat’s head finally detached from its body and hit the ground, its body went still in my arms. I gently laid the carcass on the ground and began collecting my things, although it took longer than I’d have liked to locate the gun that had fallen down the stairs.

When I stood, I felt the weight of Jennifer’s stare. I didn’t look away as I placed the weapon in the small of my back. This was it. There was no time to contemplate what I’d done, or to access all of the information I’d been given. I had to retrieve the things Sonja had promised, learned what I needed to do, and take things from there.

It was time to start making preparations.

It was time to get my ass back home.

Chapter Thirteen

By the time I arrived at Paine’s apartment, I had managed to get my chaotic emotions under control. It hadn’t been that difficult, not with Goose’s questions regarding the exorcism, his disbelief that it had went so easily, and his endless information on a solution to my demon dilemma. If that wasn’t enough, Jennifer’s constant staring told me she wanted answers of her own. As if I didn’t have other shit to worry about.

Tossing the bag I’d forgotten to return to Goose onto the couch, I turned to Jennifer who remained on my heels. “Go get something to eat. I need a shower.”

Instead of waiting for her acknowledgement, I began the trek down the hall toward the bathroom. It wasn’t until I was almost there that it dawned on me I needed new clothing and every single garment I was given was tucked safely inside Paine’s bedroom.

I knew he was awake. I could feel our emotional connection slam firmly into place the instant I opened the door. He was as shaken and uncertain as I was—struggling with himself and his need for a repeat of the night before—while also entirely aware that I needed time and space. I didn’t think it was possible to magnify my guilt, but as was usually the case with me, I was wrong.

He was fully dressed and seated in the corner lounge chair when I stepped inside. His brooding, hurt expression was one I didn’t really want to see. My stomach twisted, making me feel sick. I wasn’t aware he had the power to affect me so profoundly.

Clearing his throat, he looked at my bloody clothing. “How did it go?”

I knew I had to keep the pertinent details to myself, so I answered with a careful omission. “Better than I thought. The entity put up a fight, but I was able to contain it.”

He nodded, although I knew he wanted to say more. I walked to the bag in the corner of the room to get fresh clothing when he informed me, “We need to talk.”

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

I didn’t want to talk right now. At least, I didn’t want to talk about what he wanted to talk about. There was already too much anger and resentment inside of me, too much pain. I didn’t regret what I’d done for him, or what had occurred between us. He deserved to have one moment of happiness, even if the cost meant my own. However, I knew that a repeat would extend past the blurring lines of black and white, into territory I didn’t want to think about.

“About?”

“Don’t, Rhiannon. I know you feel as if last night was a mistake, but don’t pretend it didn’t happen.”

How could I ever? “I’m not,” I responded evasively. “I’m just exhausted. Facing off against a deranged creature from Hell will do that to you.”

“I didn’t want you to go without me.” His anger was unmistakable. “You should have waited until the sun went down.”

“It would have been dangerous to go at night. Demonic entities draw energy from the darkness. Going this morning probably saved my ass.”

He rose from the chair and crossed over to me. I tried not to become tense as he drew me into his arms and pulled me into his chest. “Were you hurt? I can smell your blood.”

Shaking my head, I relaxed. “I had to use my blood to seal the circle.”

“We didn’t do anything wrong, you know.” He kept his arms snug around me, preventing me from pulling away. “Last night was not a mistake. It was meant to happen. Regretting it in the light of day doesn’t change anything.”

God. If only he knew. “I know that. I just need some time to sort things out. This is happening way too fast for me.”

“I understand, and I know you’re worried about severing your debt, which is why I’m trying to give you space.”

His emotions swarmed me again, and I couldn’t prevent the habitual response to lash out. “If you want to give me space, you’d close the mark between us and give me breathing room. It’s impossible to think when I have to deal with how we both feel right now.”

He released me and suddenly the mark was completely gone. “I wasn’t aware it bothered you.” He put distance between us, walking toward the other side of the room. “You should have said something.”

With a sigh, I crouched to retrieve the clothing I’d come for. “Disco never left the marks open between us unless it was necessary. I’m starting to understand why.”

“He had more familiars than you, Rhiannon.” Paine sounded annoyed and frustrated. “This is a first for me.”

Stilling, I gazed up at him. I knew Disco had marked Goose, but I had never considered there were others before us. “I wasn’t aware of that.”

His dismissive shrug annoyed the hell out of me. “Time passes, those beholden sometimes die. A life among vampires isn’t exactly safe for a human.”

“And you’ve never had someone beholden to you?

“No.” His unrelenting stare seared through me. “I haven’t.”

“How is that possible?”

Now he seemed uncomfortable. “I can’t touch people, remember? Creating a mark forms a bond. That means you require the closeness of the person you’ve claimed. It’s natural for us. I didn’t know Gabriel kept his feelings so distant from you, although with his ability, it would make sense.”

The underlying implication pissed me off. “He didn’t keep anything from me. He respected my need for space. I don’t see what his ability has to do with that.”

“You’re wrong.”

I came to my feet with the bundle of garments under my arm. “What are you saying? That he was hiding something from me?”

“It doesn’t matter now.” Paine lowered his gaze.

But it would matter in the past? “Yes, it does. What aren’t you telling me? Why would Disco keep a part of himself from me?”

“Gabriel...” Paine paused, shaking his head. “He was a powerful person, with a powerful gift, who had to deal with a lot of things. Things you weren’t ready for. I’m sure he didn’t want to frighten you.”

Information overload, too much, too soon—yet again. I strode past the bed and started to exit the room when Paine stopped me with a hand on my arm.

“You cannot continue holding onto the past. Your life is here. The sooner you accept that, the sooner you can begin to let go of your grief. Trust me on this.”

Shrugging from his hold, I attempted to step past him when he blocked my escape. I looked him in the eye, no longer afraid or guilty but furious.

“What is it that you want from me?”

“What I’ve always wanted.” His lips formed a ridged line. “There’s something you should know, something I would have eventually told you.” At my questioning look he continued, “I was going to leave. The moment the mark was established between us, it was too much for me. I planned to tell Gabriel and the family, but you were gone before I had the chance to tell you how I felt. My feelings for you were undeniable, even then. I knew they would only grow over time.”

Memories of the past surfaced, of the way things changed with Paine following my near expenditure. He was always close, touching me in ways that were never uncomfortable but noticeable on the rare occasions we bumped into one another. I’d thought it was because he was grateful to be able to reach out to someone else. Now I knew it was something else all together.

“You would have left?” The pain I experienced at the knowledge was more than I expected. If I did what I planned, it would do more than change the future; it would change everything between us.

“Seeing you with Gabriel, sharing what I wanted.” He ran his hands up and down my arms. “I’ve never coveted what belonged to another. I had no idea how powerful the temptation could be.”

I wanted to say so much, to comfort him, to give him what he needed, but I couldn’t. Instead I rose on my toes, pressed a quick kiss to his lips, and turned to leave the room. He didn’t allow that, bringing me into his arms and kissing me in the manner of a dying man. Using my free arm, I touched his face, fingers whispering along his skin, giving him what he needed.

When he would have moved to take things further, I pulled away, gazed into his face, and cupped his jaw. “I never would have wanted you to leave. Not over me. We all needed you—I needed you.”

“You never told me that. You never even indicated it.”

No, I hadn’t, but I would. If things worked as I hoped, if I was given the chance, I would make sure he was aware of how special he was. How important. I knew how it felt to be alone, apart from everyone and everything around you. Paine and I shared that in a lot of ways, which was probably why I was beginning to relate to him on an entirely different level.

“We still have a lot to discuss. I’ve managed to strike a deal to sever your debt. I’m thinking it might be a good idea to do a trade off with a demon—like Gabriel did. If I can work it right, none of us will carry the burden of the debt.”

Baffled, I murmured, “You can do that?”

He smiled thinly. “If the trade off is worth it, I can.”

“My debt in the place of another?”

He didn’t meet my gaze. “Something like that. If everything goes as planned. We wanted to initiate the summoning tonight, since time is so short.”

“That makes sense.” I nodded, though I was consumed by panic. If I ended my debt to Zagan now, could I still reverse the events of the past?

Paine obliterated any such thoughts when he brushed his lips across my brow. “Go take your shower. We can talk when you’re finished.”

Even without the mark, I knew he wanted to follow when I lowered my hand and turned from him, but he didn’t. I could feel the heaviness of his stare, following me as I went. I didn’t turn back and I didn’t stop until I’d reached the bathroom, stepped inside, and closed the door.

****

Paine was gone when I emerged from the bathroom, but Jennifer wasn’t. She was waiting in the living room, rising from the couch as I entered. I didn’t ask where the master of the house had gone. At the present moment, I only had one thing on my mind.

“We’re going to have to make a trip into dangerous territory,” I told her as I slid the butterfly knife I’d kept into my front pocket. The gun was once again placed at my back, the additional clip I’d taken from the bag carefully tucked into my jeans. “And there’s something I need to ask you.”

“Okay.” She remained where she was, arms over her chest.

“Do you know where the kennels are?” Referring to her home as such sucked, but it was the only term I knew that applied.

Jennifer eyed me warily. “At Victoria’s compound.”

“Can you give me a better idea of a location?”

“I’ve heard people say it was once a place called the SoHo Mews, but that could be a rumor.”

“Would you be able to find to if you had to?”

“Probably, we have strong noses and an even better sense of direction.” She studied me for a moment, shifting her feet. “Why?”

“Because after I’m finished collecting what I need, I’m going to let you go. The Lycae need to know everything that you do. I’m sure they’ll want to find a way to return to the place you were kept and take back as many of you as they can.”

Excitement crossed her features. “You’re talking about the pack.”

“Yes.”

“I was told they were a myth, something to keep hope alive. I didn’t know they were real.”

I laughed at that. Of course Victoria would feed off her caged entertainment’s crushed hope. The sadistic bitch thrived on misery. “They’re not a myth, but they want a piece of my ass, so I can’t take you there. I can only point you in the right direction.”

“I don’t understand.” Worry crossed her face. “Why would they want to hurt you?”

“I betrayed them.” When her eyes widened, I exhaled slowly, trying to find the proper words. “I was warned about how things were with vampires, but I didn’t listen. I just wanted to return to the people I believed had the power to help me.”

“You’re different.” When I glanced at her she clarified, “From the others, I mean.”

“Yeah, I am.” I didn’t offer more than that. Considering what I was about to do in a few hours, it wouldn’t matter anyway.

As I tried to formulate a plan, I started to pace. I needed a ride to my neighborhood in Greenpoint, which was near werewolf territory. Asking Goose was out of the question since he’d want more information than I could readily provide. Paine was another no. The moment he found out I was dabbling in demon magic, he’d put an end to things before they’d even started.

“Tell me what I can do to help.”

I’d almost forgotten Jennifer as I strode back and forth across the room. I stopped and faced her. “I need to go to my old apartment, but I can’t ask anyone here to take me. Walking is too dangerous. We need to get there without being detected and there’s a hell of a lot of miles between here and there.”

Her face became deflated, like a child who learned their best wasn’t good enough. “I can’t help you there.”

After walking to her, I placed a hand on her shoulder and squeezed. “It’s okay, I’ll figure something out.”

A knock at the door broke us apart. I took a deep breath and went to greet our unexpected guest. Bells waited on the other side with a tentative smile. I stepped aside and she walked in, carrying a couple of bags.

“I didn’t think the clothes I gave you were enough, so I brought more. Dad said our styles don’t exactly mesh.”

I smiled, trying to make it as believable as possible, and accepted her offering when a thought came to mind. It felt totally wrong, since what I would be asking for would essentially ensure Isabella McDaniel never came into existence.

Sometimes the big decisions and choices were the most difficult to make.

“I was thinking about that, actually.” I placed the bags on the couch and turned to face the female version of Goose. “I was wondering if I could swing by my old apartment. Some of my things might still be there.”

“As far as I know, everything is exactly as you left it. Dad could probably take you later this evening with Paine.”

“I’d rather go during the day.” I tried to keep things airy and light. “The last time I saw my place, some crazy shit happened.”

“You’re not afraid of the dark, are you?” Bells arched a brow playfully.

“Nope. I just like to be able to see where I’m going, and I prefer to do my errands during the day. I haven’t had a chance to become accustomed to the nightlife.”

Bells didn’t seem swept away by the idea. “I suppose I could ask for an escort and take you over.” She glanced at Jennifer. “I take it you’ll be bringing your new friend along.”

Keeping my annoyance at bay was tough, but since I dealt with assholes at the bar on a regular basis, I managed. “Is that a problem?”

“No.” Bells turned her attention to me. “I just don’t think Paine would appreciate me taking you without his consent. He’s in the club. You should go tell him before we go.”

Damn. Facing Paine again was not the thing I wanted to do. However, judging by Bells’s unrelenting stance, I didn’t see any way around it.

“Okay, no problem.”

Bells relaxed and Jennifer glanced at me. I looked at the young girl, hoping the decision I was making for her was the right one.

“You stay here. I’ll come back for you and we can go.”

Jennifer nodded, and I began the journey that would take me to the club. There was no one to bump into along the way. The place was eerily quiet, so different from what I was used to. I’d come to The Razor once when it was closed, curious to see how things operated when vampires weren’t crowding the joint. Oddly enough, it reminded me a lot of The Black Panther during the day. There were people cleaning, vacuums blaring, and the sound of bottles being stocked.

Paine wasn’t on the lower floor, so I went upstairs to his private area. He was on the phone when I entered but quickly ended the call when he saw me. His dark hair was unkempt, his expensive shirt loose around the neck, several buttons undone along his throat.

“Are you ready to talk?”

His brisk and impartial tone was like ice settling over my skin. “I wanted to tell you that Bells is driving me to my apartment to get some of my things.”

That brought his all-seeing attention to my face. “I’d prefer you to wait until I can accompany you and we have the opportunity to talk.”

Smiling, I reminded him, “Space, remember?”

He scowled and rose, moving so quickly the back of the chair banged against the wall. He didn’t walk around the desk; he prowled, each step lethal and menacing. When he stood in front of me, I couldn’t tell if he was resisting the urge to shake me, take me into his arms and kiss me again, or both.

“I’m not going to order you to stay here, but I am going to ask.” He looked me dead in the eye. “Will you wait for me to accompany you? It’s dangerous outside our area, and I don’t want you going alone.”

Using physical intimacy was wrong, and I knew it. Still, it didn’t stop me from placing my hands on his chest. “I won’t be alone, remember? It won’t take long. A quick trip to collect a few things, and I’ll be back. We can sort things out then.”

He closed his eyes as my fingers brushed the skin at his throat, and I’d never felt like more of a traitorous bitch in my life. This wasn’t me, using my feminine wiles to get what I wanted. I was becoming someone I didn’t recognize, someone I never imagined could stoop so fucking low.

He opened his eyes and nailed me with his glorious, obsidian gaze. “You can go, but there is one condition.”

Panic threatened to choke me when I saw the seriousness in his eyes, but I bit it back. “What condition?”

“The next time you share my bed of your own free will. I don’t want a pity fuck, or you using me as you think of someone else. When we are together, you will be with me—only me. I can’t settle for anything less than that.” At my ragged intake of air, he wrapped his cool fingers under my hair and around my nape. “I know you haven’t had a lot of time to come to terms with what has happened, and asking for so much makes me a fucking prick, but I can’t help it. I’ve waited years for you, uncertain of when you’d return. Now that I’ve tasted heaven, I can’t go back to being alone. Don’t ask me to.”

“I’m not sure I can.” I felt the hot sting of tears, knew that if I did as he asked, this time it would be a betrayal instead of something done from sheer desperation and a need to have control of something in the crazy course of my life.

Tugging me into his chest, he whispered into my hair, “I’m pushing you, I’m sorry. We’ll figure this thing out. We have time. We have each other.”

Christ, how little he knew. It wasn’t fucking fair.

I had always hated crying. It represented a weakness I could never afford. When the tears started, I wanted to force them back, demand they stay right where they belonged. Paine pulled me closer and started stroking my hair in a manner that I was certain was meant as comfort. What he couldn’t possibly understand was his touch made me feel even worse, since I was using the very thing he craved against him.

As soon as I had my shit together, I pulled away and swiped at my cheeks. “I won’t be long. Just a few hours.”

He reached into his pocket and produced a phone and a key. “Here’s the key to your apartment. I had the locks changed shortly after you disappeared. Take this with you.” He handed me the cell and key. “I expect you to call and tell me when you arrive. The number for the office is programmed in the memory.”

Nodding, I took the extremely thin device and key and slid them into my free pocket. I felt the tips of his fingers under my chin and closed my eyes as I lifted my face, anticipating the kiss that was to come. It was soft, gentle, tender—a parting farewell that promised something more, although there was nothing more for me to give.

“Don’t stay away too long.” His breath was cool against my lips. “I want to take care of things as soon as possible.”

Feeling as if I was drowning and unable to breathe, I closed my eyes, made a mental snapshot of him of him in time, and murmured thickly, “I won’t.”

Chapter Fifteen

Rhiannon’s Law #68: If you’re going to fly by the seat of your pants, rock out with your cock out. The landing is going to hurt either way, and you might as well make an impression when you nail it.

My vault was in the making, created by a decision that was unshakable. From the moment I met with Bells, the escort she introduced as Mardock, and Jennifer, I was ready to face whatever came my way. I was about to betray not only Paine but the bitch who controlled the city. Did I care about the last part?

No. Not really.

The drive to my apartment was bittersweet, the minutes ticking by faster than I would have liked. Each mile that brought me closer to my home amped my adrenaline, and damn if it wasn’t a bitch to remain cool in the face of what I was about to do. Not with Bells and her easy smile; knowing she would cease to exist, becoming nothing in the future, didn’t weigh easy on my scruples.

When we pulled to the curve in front of my building, I motioned for Bells to remain seated. “Give me a few minutes.”

Her slight frown told me she didn’t trust me, and I didn’t blame her. Thankfully, she didn’t argue as I climbed out. Jennifer remained glued to my ass, and I didn’t deter her. Part one of my plans meant that she would have to accompany me into the apartment.

To my surprise, not much had changed. There was still the glass door I had to open to enter to enter the building. As we climbed the stairs, my heart started to race, a rapid thumping in my chest. Sliding the key into the shiny brass knob on an otherwise grungy door, I opened the gateway to my pad. A simple glance informed me that things were exactly as I’d left them. The cherry table next to the door still had my answering machine, although there was no blinking indicating I had any messages and dust coated the surface.

Jennifer closed the door behind us, and I started the trek to my bedroom. Sonja said everything I needed was in my closet, but a part of me remained skeptical. Sure, she’d allowed me to send her to whatever place her spirit was doomed to inhabit, but that didn’t mean shit. I’d learned a long time ago that things weren’t always as they seemed.

Entering the bedroom, I had to force myself to walk, not scamper, to the double glass doors that were cloudy and didn’t clearly reflect my image. As I slid them open, I saw my clothing was as I left it, although the various jeans, shirts, and sweaters were encased in plastic. I didn’t have time to think about who had decided to preserve my belongings. It was time to see if there truly was a prize behind door number one.

There was nothing in the back of the closet, but I immediately noticed the box on the top shelf—a box that definitely did not belong.

I pulled it down, sneezing as a layer of dust drifted into my face, and learned it wasn’t a box but a suitcase. Glancing sideways at Jennifer, I carried it to my bed. It took a hell of a lot of courage to open the damned thing, but with two snaps of my fingers on either side of the front I was able to access the items inside. There was a journal, a folder, and a sheathed knife of some kind. I pulled the journal out first, fingers trembling, and sagged in relief when I saw the pages contained the information promised. Sliding it back, I reached for the folder. There were more pages inside, ones I didn’t have time to read over.

“Listen to me closely,” I told Jennifer as I slid the folder into the suitcase. “See that window? It’s got a fire escape attached to it. It’ll take you to the side of the building. No one will be able to see you leave.”

She glanced at the window. “You want me to run?”

“I want you to live out the life you deserve.” As I examined the case, I asked, “You said you have a strong sense of smell, right?”

There was genuine laughter in her voice, which somehow gave me the cojones to follow through with my decision. “It comes with the genes.”

“Good, because you’re going to need your nose to guide you. You’re going to want to head south, in the direction of a wooded area, as quickly as possible. Avoid people and major streets. The sun is still out, which means you shouldn’t have a lot of trouble.”

“How am I supposed to find them?” Her humor was gone, replaced with fear.

“Hopefully, you won’t have to.” I smiled at her apprehensive face. “They have guards out during the day, collecting things they need or patrolling their borders. If you do what I’m telling you to, one of them will find you.”

“What about you?” She followed me as I returned to the closet to retrieve a large duffel bag and some clothes to make my trip look legit.

“I’ll accept the consequences. I was told you were mine to do with as I pleased. If I want to let you go, it’s my choice.”

“Victoria will kill you.” There was no threat in her voice, only a calm point of fact.

Shoving clothing into the bag, I shrugged. “She wouldn’t be the first to try.”

Jennifer wrapped her fingers around my bicep, her grip painfully firm. “I’m not joking. I’ve seen her destroy her own for less. When she learns what you’ve done, she’ll either kill you or turn you into some form of entertainment. That’s what she does.”

As I pulled from her grasp, she stepped back, and we faced off.

“Here’s the deal, Lucille. My ass is grass regardless. I owe a debt to a demon. I have less than forty-eight hours to end it. Right now, the odds of doing that are pretty slim. I’m doomed no matter what happens. If I’m going to go, I’m going to do what the fuck I want in the time I have left. Right now I want to know you’ll never return to what I imagine is its own version of hell.” At her stunned expression, I shook and lowered my head. “I’m fucked no matter if I let you go or if I don’t. Given the choice, I’m going to let you go. It’s that simple.”

She didn’t say anything, so I nodded at the window. “I want to give you a decent head start. I’m going to pack some clothes and take my sweet ass time doing it. By the time someone comes to check on me, you’ll be long gone.”

The innocent and torn look in her eyes was one I could relate to, one that brought up memories from the past. “I can’t leave you.”

“You can, and you will. I just have one thing to ask of you in return.”

Her uncertain expression didn’t change. “All right.”

“Tell Carter I was wrong. Tell him that if I have anything to say about it, this cesspool we’re living in will never happen. He’ll understand the message.”

“Who’s Carter?”

I began urging her toward the window and pulled up the blinds. Sliding the lock open, I reached for the bottom of the windowsill. “You’ll see. Now, get going. You’re wasting time.”

I considered thanking the good Lord above when she didn’t argue. As Jennifer climbed out the window, I watched in silence, keeping an eye on her until she was safely down the metal stairwell. When she hit the ground, she looked at me one last time and took off. I hoped like hell that she’d make it—that she’d continue south and be found by one of her own. It was the only thing I could give her, and goddamn it, if I could, I would.

It didn’t take long to stuff jeans, sweaters, and my favorite clothing into the duffel. I quickly retrieved my shit kickers from the small washroom attached to my kitchen, swiped the dust away, and put them on before I returned to the bedroom and took a seat on the floor—in front of the suitcase. I wasn’t sure how much time had passed, but I was guessing it was nearing the ten minute mark.

The folder contained information that I had pretty much covered—demon conjuring, how to banish a demon to Hell, and how to kill one. The killing required something blessed by a holy man and a pure-blood demon of all fucking things, which I was guessing was the purpose of the devious little surprise wrapped in a leather sheath inside the case. Tossing the folder aside, I slid the dagger into my still opened duffel and reached for another file.

As the contents of the manila envelope spilled into my lap, I heard the floor creak and lifted my head, meeting a pair of knowing chocolate brown eyes. Bells didn’t speak for several seconds, taking in the guilty spectacle of my ass. Then, pushing away from the door she was reclined against, she stepped into the room.

“I figured I’d give you enough time to let your shadow go.”

I almost laughed. Almost. “You knew?”

“I had a general idea.” She took a seat directly across from me. “The question is, what are you up to now?”

I could have lied, but what was the point? Information about Marigold Vesta’s amulet was all over my lap. As Bells lifted one of the various sheets of paper, she studied it as if reading a bank statement. There was no indication of anger, fear, or aggravation.

“I knew you had it. I could feel it on you the moment I mended your wound. Only something as powerful as the pendant of a fallen angel could balance out my darkness.”

That was a fully loaded statement, complete with sour cream and bacon bits. “Your darkness?”

She arched a brow, and in that moment, she appeared very much like her father. “You’re aware of how I was conceived, aren’t you?”

I gulped, the sound loud in my ears, and nodded.

“Are you also aware of what happens when a mortal and a half-demon procreate?”

“No.” I hated how weak my voice sounded.

“Well.” She smiled at me, but her eyes became cloudy, so dark the pupil was almost absent. “We live out a solid human lifetime as a hybrid. A little of both. When we mature, the demon within begins to take over. It’s something you can’t control and you can’t stop. It’s only natural that a being born with half a soul will eventually embrace the darkness they carry.” She paused. “Do you remember when you implied I was like my mother, and I told you we were nothing alike?

Boy, did I. “You didn’t seem very happy about the idea.”

“It’s because it hit so close to home. In a few months, I’ll reach maturity. It starts with the ability to heal, and then it becomes something else. Instead of wanting to ease pain, I’ll desire to inflict it. I’ve felt it coming for months.”

“Goose—”

“Doesn’t know. I haven’t told him. Considering the circumstances, it wouldn’t matter anyway. I am what I am, I know what I am, and I know what I’ll eventually become.”

Bells took more of the papers from my lap and began sorting through them, one by one, not saying a word. When she finished, she took the journal and flipped through it. She stopped when she reached a passage and started reading. It was the last page of the journal, so I wasn’t sure what it was, until she actually fucking smiled. When she looked at me, what was once bleakness in her eyes was replaced by a look I couldn’t place.

She handed the journal over. “Here.”

Instead of some kind of spell, I found the last page was a letter written by Sonja, telling me if I’d come this far, maybe I was ready to go all the way and book a safe passage home.

“You’re planning to make a deal to go back, aren’t you?”

My fingers froze on the page. “That depends.”

“On?”

Lifting my gaze, I answered her straight. “If you’re going to try to stop me.”

“Why would I want to do that?”

She was so serious, but I couldn’t find it in myself to not to answer like a smartass. “Because you’ll cease to exist, for starters?”

Looking away, she began putting the pages in her lap in order. “I was never supposed to exist. I was created as a part of a demon’s game, a way of taking claim of someone who didn’t want her. Dad hates her, you know? Even though he loves me, he knows what he’s condemned me to. I’ve seen the impact it’s caused. He’s slowly watching me vanish before his eyes, becoming something he’ll eventually love but hate, while attached to bitch he detests, and there isn’t a damned thing he can do about it.”

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “So you want me to do something about it in his place?”

“I know about mortal history. I’ve researched it, studied it, and know it like the back of my hand. The place that exists now is a shell of what it was supposed to be, a world corrupted and overtaken by demons. Soon, there won’t be much left. You’ve seen how it is, and believe me, it’s only going to get worse. Right now other half-demons are taking control of all the major cities across the world. When they do, they’ll summon and conjure their full-blooded brethren to take their place. God might have won the first round, but He won’t survive the second. Armageddon is, as we speak, at hand.”

“From the looks of it, it’s already arrived.”

She made a sound that was a mixture of a snort and a laugh. “You’re probably right.” Taking a deep breath, she settled her hands on her knees. “So, when do you plan to do the summoning? I’m assuming that’s your plan?”

Tempting as it was, I didn’t ask, How about now? “The sooner the better. I’m running out of time.”

She frowned, pensive. “You’re not going to get the opportunity to do anything if Victoria finds out about what you’ve done. That means we’re going to have to improvise.”

Relief, profound and immense, radiated through me. “Does that mean you’re going to help?”

She nodded, moved to her knees, and looked me in the eye. “Yes, I’m going to help you. But a little bit of pain is going to be involved. We can’t have you returning empty handed without an excuse.”

Before I could question exactly what she meant by that, she decked me in the face with enough force to plant me flat on my back and knock the wind from my sails.

Chapter Sixteen

“So she attacked you?” Victoria circled me like a shark, eyes those of a predator. “You fought the mongrels in the club easily enough. How did she gain the upper hand?”

Pressing the wadded handkerchief Goose had given me to my bloodied, battered nose, I muttered, “She waited until my back was turned and got the drop on me.”

“You expect me to believe that?”

“No, I don’t.” I sighed and tried to relax in the extremely uncomfortable chair I’d been placed in. “I wouldn’t believe it if I hadn’t experienced being shit kicked first hand.”

Paine watched our interaction from behind his desk, unmoving, studying me. Equally quiet next to him were Goose and Bells. Victoria’s guards were, as always, at her back.

Victoria turned from me, glancing at Bells. “Any word from Mardock?”

Bells stepped forward and shook her head. “She was long gone by the time I entered the apartment.”

“Which begs the question.” Victoria landed a look of hatred on her child, one no parent should ever bestow. “Why was she allowed to leave your presence? I gave specific orders that she was never to be left unattended until we were assured of where her loyalties lie.”

“That’s been taken care of.” Paine stood and walked around his desk. “The mark between Rhiannon and I has been established, as well as the bond between those beholden to each other. She’s proven her loyalty to me. That suffices.”

Shit. The stunned look on Goose’s face told me that my sex life was now out in the open. Why hadn’t we had the chance to talk? So that I could explain everything?

“Isn’t that convenient?” Victoria resumed circling my chair, noting each of the injuries Bells had inflicted. I had to hand it to the girl; she knew how to kick some ass. The first punch was only a warm up. I had bruises, scratches, and a swollen eye to prove it.

“She won’t run.” Goose’s voice was so neutral, so indifferent. “She needs our help to sever her debt. It wouldn’t serve her any purpose to flee.”

“Ah, yes.” Victoria’s eerie smile forced me to look away as she stopped in front of me. “A deal has finally been brokered. Isn’t that fortunate for you as well? I’m surprised, frankly, as the cost seemed too high.”

I looked up then, noting that Paine was now staring at the floor, avoiding my gaze. In fact, everyone seemed uncomfortable. Victoria glanced around the room and started to laugh like a fucking deranged and rabid hyena. When she stopped, she kneeled in front of me and waited for me to meet her eyes.

“Paine didn’t tell you, did he? Naughty, naughty boy.”

Don’t slap her, don’t slap her, don’t slap her.

I made sure my reply was docile and not curt. “What are you talking about?

“The cost of my help is a night in my bed. Your lover has avoided it long enough.”

I launched myself at her without thinking. I didn’t care about the danger, about the prospect of never returning home. The thought of the violation she’d expect Paine to endure—the very same torment I’d suffered—was impossible to ignore. Her initial surprise was short lived. She placed her hand around my throat as she pressed her weight into my chest and glowered down at me.

“Never, ever, do something that stupid again. You challenge me”—she squeezed her fingers, cutting off my oxygen supply—“and I’ll break your fucking neck. I don’t give a shit about you. All you are is a toy, a means to get what I want. And make no mistake; I will get what I want. I’ll fuck your vampire, I’ll drink from him, and before the night is over, he will call me Mistress. I will own his soul, and he will do each and every single thing I tell him to without question. Even as he suffers the deaths of all the lives I’ve claimed. When he returns to you, a part of me will always remain, and there isn’t a damned thing you can do about it.”

She released me and stood. I brought my hand to my neck, coughing as I struggled to breathe despite the aching in my abdomen that came courtesy of Bells’s recent ass kicking. No one came to my assistance, not that I expected them to. As I rolled onto my knees, I had to force myself to keep my eyes on the floor instead of looking at Paine, unwilling to see the anger, remorse, or frustration I knew he must be experiencing.

“We’ll perform the summoning at sunset, which is just minutes from now. Meet me at the floor of your club. We’ll have the ritual there.” Victoria turned her back to me, facing Paine. “When the deed is done, you will come to me.”

I couldn’t see if he nodded, but since he didn’t speak I knew he must have. I wanted to scream. I wanted to rip something apart. I wanted to do anything but remain on the fucking carpet as the bitch strolled by with her fucking troops marching idly behind. I buried my fingers into the soft carpet under my hands, trying to call on each and every ache in my body and face. It was the only way to stay in control, to keep from losing my shit.

“Rhiannon.” When Paine’s voice came from above me, I moved away as if the sound burned. I understood why he kept the details of his deal from me, but it didn’t lessen the sting or piss me off any less.

“You should have told me.”

“I know. I’m sorry.” The pain and misery in his voice wrapped invisible fingers around my heart—fingers that squeezed until I thought the very beating might stop.

His apology made me angrier. What did he have to feel sorry for? I was the one who had placed him in this predicament and put him in this wretched place. I’d never asked why he was so averse to touching Victoria, assuming it was because, like others, he would see things he wouldn’t like.

“You’ll see all the people she’s killed.”

“I will.” His level voice didn’t mask the slight quiver I caught.

The sacrifice he was willing to make changed things, an irreversible shifting of events that would alter not only the future, but the past.

It was inevitable, something I’d denied myself but now knew I could never truly avoid. Paine would do something no other had ever been willing to do for me, and knowing that changed the way I felt about him, whether I wanted it to or not.

“I need a few minutes alone.”

No one questioned it, but I managed to stop Bells as she started past. “Wait,” I told her, my gaze glued on my fingers. “I want to speak to you.”

The fleeting footsteps stopped, until Bells spoke. “Go ahead. I’ll bring her down when it’s time.”

I waited until the door closed before I released the scream I’d been holding. It didn’t matter that they could still hear my rage, my heartbreak, my turmoil. It was a precursor of what they could expect from me. As soon as I was finished, my throat raw, I lifted my head. Bells stood in the same place she stopped, waiting.

“I didn’t get a good layout of the club the last time. Are there still mirrors in front of the dance floor, under the DJ booth?”

“Yes, that’s where they plan on performing the summoning.” Bells knelt beside me. “What are you planning, Rhiannon? Don’t do something stupid.”

“Stupid is as stupid does,” I muttered, recalling my nifty Law # 51.

“Tell me what you’re going to do. I can’t help you if I don’t know.”

“It’s best you don’t know.” I struggled to my feet, shrugging Bells off when she attempted to help.

“Then tell me what I can do.”

Shaking out my stiff shoulders, I finally looked at her. She was tense, her face pensive. “When the shit hits the fan, stay the hell out of the way.”

I glanced around the office until I located my duffel. Everything I needed was inside. It was a fucking risky gamble, but one I was willing to take. If it was necessary, I’d burn the entire building to the fucking ground to set things right.

Summoning Marigold Vesta would require a bit of my blood and a sacrifice. Most witches used animals, like chickens, cats, and dogs. In my case, I had a much larger target in mind, one that deserved to be sent to Hell until she could be reborn.

I yanked the packet with the information on Marigold and her amulet from the folder and read over it. There was a lot to cover, including the amulet’s ability to prevent maladies—such as lycanthropy—heal injuries, shade your presence from others—including vampires you were beholden to—and increase powers. Several of the pages were ones I needed to keep, so I folded them into a tidy square and shoved them into my back pocket.

When the time came, I would use the gift I’d received. It wasn’t something that was meant to be used lightly, something that if given the chance could sear into your soul. That was the power of the amulet. Much like the “one ring to rule them all,” the strength and seduction of the jewelry only became headier. That was the reason Goose was so terrified of it. Pure souls—those untainted by tragedy and violence—were repulsed by the hum I found so delicious. For others like me, who had witnessed and partaken in fucked up shit, it was like a drug.

“At least let me heal you.” Bells grasped my arm, but I pulled away.

“It’ll only clue them in to what is going on. I need to stay just like I am.” At her worried look, I gave her a grin. “Believe me, as good as you are, I’ve had worse.”

The final thing I needed was at the bottom of the bag. I removed the ancient looking dagger from its sheath and studied the shining blade that didn’t match the nearly rusty hilt. It was hard to believe the thing fed off blood. Once I unlocked its hunger, I’d be forced to continue nourishing it. Good thing I always seemed to need a decent blade in my arsenal, although I would miss my trusty butterfly knife.

The knife didn’t fit into my pocket—too long and wide—so I stuffed it into the front of my pants and covered it with my sweater. The metal was cool against my skin, deadened until returned to life.

Downstairs, I heard the clock chiming. When the sounds stopped, I knew it was time.

“Are you sure you’re ready for this?” Bells asked softly.

It might have been cheesy to say, but damn if it didn’t feel just right. “Let’s rock and roll.”

Chapter Seventeen

The entire crew was assembled by the time I arrived, including a few new faces I didn’t recognize. A circle of salt had been created in the middle of the dance floor, which was perfect. All I had to do to make it my own was seal an inner circle with my blood and voila—a safe place. Not that it would matter. The moment I went balls out, it was game on. If I was knocked from the sanctity of my personal bubble of protection, it would be a free for all.

Paine didn’t look at me as I approached him. His shame made the fire in my veins all the hotter, my rage all the brighter. He seemed stunned when I stopped in front of him, placed my hands on his shoulders, and lifted onto the tips of my toes to whisper in his ear, “No matter what happens, don’t open the mark between us.”

He gripped my waist, pulling me closer. “Why would you say something like that?” His dark eyes sought mine. “What are you up to?”

Lying to him hurt more than I anticipated. “I don’t want to share what you’re feeling when this is all said and done. I can’t bear it.”

His fingers dug into my back, and I wrapped my arms around his neck, holding him tight. This could very well be the last moment we would ever share together, a snapshot frozen in time. I was grateful he couldn’t see into my mind as Disco could. Right now, he needed to believe what I told him, and thank God he did.

When he kissed me, I gave as good as I got. This thing between us wouldn’t change. Too much had transpired. I had seen into the soul of the man, had learned how far he was willing to go for someone he loved. And it was love. Of that I was certain. He might not intervene when it came to fate, but he would do everything in his power to protect those he cared for if he was able.

It felt as if I was torn in two as I pulled from the comfort and solidity of his embrace, prepared to greet whatever would be. He wasn’t as willing to let go of me as I was of him, holding on as long as possible.

“Let’s get this show on the road.” Victoria’s smug grin, one that came along with pride and a sense of victory, made my choice all the easier.

Do or die. Life or death.

I’d been there before, and I wasn’t afraid.

“Dimitri,” she said as she waved at the circle.

A man stepped from the vampires at her back and strode toward the ring of salt. He was human, and he was a necromancer. I felt the power radiating from him, so much more than I’d ever experienced with Goose or Sonja. Watching as he began summoning the demon made me itchy, a prickle beneath the skin. I kept telling myself to be patient, to wait it out. Still, I couldn’t keep that tingle of anticipation from traveling up my spine.

The mirror I would use soon warbled, a bright flash of light overtook the room, and the smell of sulfur accompanied it just as a figure appeared inside the mirror. Like with Zagan, there was a strange desert behind it, the very realm of Hell appearing before us.

“Nemnoc, I summon you to do my bidding.”

“I do not owe a debt to you, human.” The demon was as androgynous as Zagan had been, tailored in the same unisex clothing. Instead of bronze colored strands, its hair was bright, vivid silver. Strange black markings marred its temples, and its eyes were the same opalescent hue I’d seen inside the face of the monster that had placed me in this predicament.

“No, but you owe one to me.” Victoria stepped into the circle, arrogant and haughty as ever.

“Victoria Delcroix.” The demon grinned and began moving through the mirror. The edges changed, becoming almost liquid as it passed through. Within seconds, an unmistakable heat permeated the area and it stood before us.

“You owe me a debt, which I’m willing to end if you use your leverage to sever another debt.”

“Interesting.” Nemnoc’s grin broadened.

“I thought you might think so.” Victoria moved closer to the demon but didn’t leave the circle. “I have a human in my midst who owes a debt to Zagan.”

“Zagan?” The creature’s grin became a full-fledged smile.

“All demons owe you a debt of some kind, it’s common knowledge. Sever the bargain to the mortal in question, and I will end your severance to me.”

Nemnoc glanced around the room until its gaze rested on me. “Again, interesting.”

“I didn’t summon you to fuck around.” Victoria was no longer happy-go-lucky, but the demon didn’t seem fazed. If anything, her agitation amused it.

“I don’t see how any fucking can be accomplished, Victoria Delcroix, as you remain in the safety of your circle.”

“True.” She shrugged, and though her back was turned to me, I knew she had to be smiling.

Fucking bitch.

No one noticed me as I edged away from Paine, with the exception of the vampire himself. I felt something grab at my back, but it was too late—I was already in motion. Only steps separated me from the demon that could rip my ass a new hole, but if things went as I hoped, it wouldn’t be an issue.

“I have a bargain for you, Nemnoc. One you can’t possibly pass up.”

Victoria’s head whipped around, and she glared at me. “Step back in line, or I’ll have you placed there.”

“Rhiannon Murphy.” Nemnoc studied me as I neared. “Rumors of your bargain have spread through Hell.”

“I’m sure they have.” I stopped within inches of the very place he spoke.

“The terms of your bargain,” Nemnoc said. “I’m listening.”

“It’s true that if the host you owe a debt to is killed, you are no longer bound to the contract. Correct?”

The demon seemed intrigued by the question. “Yes, it is.”

“Then I offer you the life of Victoria Delcroix. In exchange, you will return to your dimension and consider the debt paid.”

“Guards!” Victoria shrilled, and I reached inside my sweater, pulled the amulet out, and wrapped my fingers around it. I remembered Kibwe using the same chant, but it was the cleverly crafted notes from Sonja that allowed me to recall it when I needed it most.

“Vim corporem, potestatem praesentiamque tuam da mihi! Libere tibi me do!” Present me your force, physical strength, and presence. I freely give myself to you.

I thought I would collapse at the sheer force of the power that engulfed me in a raging inferno, white hot, radiant and pure. Yet I remained standing as fear became something else, something I was unaccustomed to. I no longer felt human, nor did I feel contained by mortal frailness or weakness. I felt like a god, a deity, stronger than any presence around me. The energy wrapped around me, entered my body, and built from the inside. It didn’t stop, but kept growing until I wasn’t sure I could contain it. And then a frightening realization hit me.

I wasn’t sure I wanted to.

Turning from Nemnoc, I lifted my hand at the approaching group and said softly, “Stop.” It was instant, the order overtaking them in the very moment my lips formulated the syllables. But it wasn’t only the vampiric guards who were frozen, so were all of the vampires in the room—the undead—those I was born with the power to see and, fortified by the amulet, control.

“Rhiannon, don’t, please.” Paine’s plea seemed distant, muffled by the ever glorious rubbing of power against my skin.

“Dimitri!” Victoria screamed. “Kill her.”

The necromancer exited the circle, and I waited like a lion for the lamb, eager as he approached. He didn’t stand a chance. The moment he was within reach I grabbed him by the throat. One quick flex of my fingers and the delicate bones of his neck were crushed. He toppled over like a fallen tree, too dead to brace for the fall.

“I accept your bargain, Rhiannon Murphy,” Nemnoc called out from behind me. “End the life of Victoria Delcroix, and I will leave. Our debt will be relinquished.”

It was music to my ears, the one thing I wanted to hear. I was offering a demon a way out without demanding payment. I thought it was too good to pass up, and I was right. Victoria produced dual blades from hidden seams on her skintight leather skirt, her high heel boots planted firmly as I stepped into the circle.

“I’ll rip out your throat, you ungrateful bitch.”

Smiling, I reached for the knife, pulled it free, and pointed the tip in her direction. “Give it your best, psycho.”

She came at me and I dodged easily, watching her as if she were moving in slow motion. She was well trained, handling the blades like extensions of herself, but it didn’t matter. I laughed as she kept trying to make contact. With the amulet, I was just as fast if not faster. It became a game to me, a way to draw out her torture, knowing the end result would be the same. She would die, I would win. The only variable was how long it took to take us there.

“Rhiannon, stop!”

How many times had Paine shouted before I heard him? I wasn’t sure, but when he broke through the blissful surge of the amulet’s influence, I reacted. A deft kick to her chest forced Victoria onto her back. I stepped on one wrist until she relinquished her hold on her blade, followed immediately by the other, and kicked her weapons away before I straddled her like a pony. Her beautiful green eyes were full of terror. I suppose I could understand. It wasn’t often you met your maker.

Grasping a handful of her hair at the top, I lowered my head, until we were eye to eye. “Before I kill you, I want you to know something. I’m going to go back, and when I do, I’m going to do the same thing I’m about to do to you to your brother. Afterward, I’m coming for you. We will meet again.”

Before she could respond, I yanked on her hair, presenting her neck, and buried the blade into her throat. There was no blood, as the blade did as I was told it would. It drank her, feasted on her lifeforce. I continued applying pressure until the knife broke through bone and met the ground below. It was only then that a pool of red stained the floor.

“I now honor our bargain, Rhiannon Murphy.”

I heard the odd sounds that indicated Nemnoc was, in fact, leaving. As I lifted my head, I saw the bewildered stares of the vampires who had just lost their primary source of power.

Accepting the look of horror on Paine’s face was just another price I was forced to pay.

Returning the blade to my pants, I lifted onto my knees and reached for my butterfly knife. I had to mingle my blood and Victoria’s before I could finish what I’d started. I cut into the fatty portion of my hand—over the healing tissue from exorcising Sonja earlier—and reached into the dark, red pool, scooping up as much of Victoria’s blood as I could. Then I crawled to the edge of salt, grabbed a handful, and stood.

“What are you doing? Rhiannon!”

I turned when I heard Goose who was held back by his daughter. His revulsion mirrored Paine’s. The few humans in the room were too fucking petrified to move, their mouths gaping, eyes wide.

The sadness in my voice was very real. “What I have to.”

Turning in a circle, I released the salt as I opened my hand, creating a very skimpy outline of my blood, Victoria’s, and the grain that would bind the two together.

“Marigold Vesta, I summon you to bargain. Heed my call and appear before me.”

The mirror distorted, but it was not the same. Instead of rippling, the glass cracked, as if due to shatter. The walls vibrated, causing several of the light fixtures to topple. Then, a white light, brighter than the sun, blinded me. Everyone gasped, crying out as the beams seared into their vision. Blinking rapidly, I shook my head. When I was able to see clearly, a woman stood before me.

Her hair was the blonde of a child, streaked naturally from the sun, and her skin was as pale and fair as the most beautiful and cherished of porcelain. Her bright violet eyes took in the scene before her, and oddly enough, the cries and voices around us vanished, as if she and I were the only people in the room. Then her gaze turned to me. Our eyes met, and her smile was so vibrant it created its own brand of light.

“I see the amulet made its way back to you, as I intended.”

“I want to strike a bargain.”

“I already know what you desire, Rhiannon Murphy. I’ve known since you arrived here. That’s why I ensured the amulet returned to you. Zagan was stupid in forgetting you’d obtained it through a blood rite—a slight on his part. Not that he deserved the power that the amulet bestows.”

I didn’t give a shit about Zagan, or the blood rite, in that moment. “If you know what I want, then name your price.”

“I desire to be revived, something that is easily within your power to do.”

It sounded easy enough, but I remembered all too well how ignorance had nailed me in the ass before. “I need to know the conditions, requirements, timeframe allotted, as well as the penalty I will incur should I not do as you’ve asked.”

“Good, you’re learning.” Her smile was as breathtaking. “That will serve both our purposes.”

“Don’t forget your mistakes,” I said, another one of my Laws, “or you’re prone to repeat them.”

“I am unaware of where my body is located. You have to find it and perform a ritual to return the shell that once contained my soul to life. Considering it will take time to locate, I’m willing to negotiate the contract for the term of one year.”

“And if I can’t do as you ask?”

“Then you will willingly summon me, open your circle, and offer your body as a sacrifice. Although I’d prefer the face I’ve always carried, you can freely offer your body to me, presenting it as the vessel of one of the fallen. I can exist in your form while I search for my own.”

“And my soul?”

“That depends.”

“On?”

She arched a blonde brow. “On what terms you are on with the Holy Savior, of course. It is His will that prevails in such matters. Not mine.”

There were so many unanswered questions, such as how she landed in Hell in the first place, how an angel became one of the fallen, and what she’d done to become the familiar of Lucifer—the very ruler of Hell—as well as his concubine. Unfortunately, I didn’t have the time or the luxury of asking them.

“I agree to your terms, but there is a stipulation.”

“Which is?”

I grasped the amulet in my fist. “I keep the amulet. Regardless of what happens.”

Her smile waned, and her eyes darkened several shades. “Already you are basking in the glory of its power. It should indicate how dangerous the magic you wield is, how seductive.”

“I’m going to need it when I return.”

Her unrelenting stare was a force to be reckoned with. “If you say so.”

“Do you agree to the terms?”

“Step from your circle, Rhiannon Murphy, and I will return you to your time. Your debt to me, as well as the time you are given to see it done, begin the moment you return. Consider the bargain made.”

Before I did as she asked, I turned and faced Paine. He was frozen in place, but that didn’t hinder the way his brows creased and his lips pressed together, nor did it interfere with what appeared to be pools of red in his eyes—vampire tears.

Was it possible for my heart to shatter more than it already had? Apparently so.

“Things will be different between us,” I told him, meaning every word. “I promise you.”

He implored me with eyes, his distressed gaze nearly impossible to deny. “Don’t go.”

I turned from him, unable to bear not giving him what he wanted, and stepped from the circle. Just as I did, the sound of doors being demolished resounded through the room. I watched, mortified, as Carter appeared with a posse of werewolves at his side. Jennifer was among them, situated in the middle of the pack.

Carter’s gaze drifted to the very dead demon in the circle just behind me, his eyes growing wide in bewilderment. Then, without warning, the werewolves began to shift, and I realized crossing over wasn’t going to be as easy as I thought.

“Move!” I shouted, releasing the vampires from the grips of the magic that contained them. Just as I was about to accept Marigold’s bargain, striding toward her, strong arms snaked around my waist—Paine's.

“I won’t let you do this.”

Werewolves and vampires clashed all around us, sending torrents of blood across the room. I tried to wrest free of Paine’s hold, but he refused to let go, arms locked around my midsection.

“Carter!” I thundered over the fray, frantically searching for him in the chaos. “Please, listen to me!”

Paine let me go when he was hit from behind. The force of the blow knocked us both to the ground, sending us in separate directions. Carter positioned himself between us on all fours, changed into the half-man, half-beast that was so macabre in its ferocity.

“You betrayed me, vampire lover,” he snarled, advancing one clawed hand at a time.

Jennifer came out of nowhere, partially changed herself, and barreled into him before he could touch me. They wrestled, although it was quite clear of who was the stronger of the two. Paine returned to me, attempting to tug me to my feet, when he was hit in the chest by another werewolf who snapped razor sharp teeth in his face.

“You promised,” I heard Jennifer whine as Carter pinned her to the ground, trapping her on her stomach. “You said you wouldn’t hurt her.”

“She’s a danger to us all,” Carter snapped. “She can’t be allowed to exist.”

“Then I won’t tell you anything else.” Jennifer growled and lifted her head to stare at me across the distance. “Kill me if you want. I don’t care. I won’t be the pawn of one monster in the place of another.”

“Don’t cross me, little girl.” He increased the pressure at her nape, causing her to whimper, but she didn’t cave or say another word. Roaring in fury, he lifted his head and looked at me. “What is it that you want, you traitorous bitch?”

Pointing at Victoria, I informed him, “I killed her. She is no longer a danger to you or yours. You need to bring your numbers together and prepare for the next half-demon in line to inherit her place. This isn’t the doing of vampires; it’s the doing of those who made them. There can be a peace between vampire and Lycae.”

“Lies!” he bellowed, eyes shifting color.

“The truth,” I responded firmly. “You have the opportunity—right here, right now—to make things right. You can make that difference. Paine controls the city now. I’ve made that possible. He won’t betray you.

“Please, listen to me.” I moved closer to Carter, movements slow and unthreatening. “It’s time for a change. Things can’t continue like this. Call your men off and listen to me.”

“I’ll call mine off if you’ll call off yours.” He grinned, unaware that I now held that very power.

I looked around the room, making sure Paine was clear of harm, and called out, “Stop!”

It took several moments, and the deaths of many of Victoria’s men, for Carter to realize I’d done as he’d asked. As he became fully cognizant of that, he followed suit.

“Stand down!”

It was bizarre, watching as the vampires and werewolves stood in front of each other, fangs and incisors bared, but did nothing more.

Carter narrowed his eyes, fangs prominent. “You have one minute to plead your case. I suggest you start now.”

“The Queen is dead. The power in the vampire infrastructure has shifted. Form an alliance with the vampires who don’t approve of what’s transpired. Make a change for the better before another demon is sent to take her place. Together you can overpower anyone who enters the state. There are enough of you to make that happen.”

“How can I trust your word? We’ve entered such agreements before, and it’s blown up in our faces. How do you think so many of us were captured?”

I walked to Paine, releasing him from the thrall of the amulet. “Come with me.”

Paine was furious at me, and it showed. “You have a lot of explaining to do.”

“Later.” I smoothed back his hair and took him by the hand.

Carter’s fury at greeting the vampire who had stopped him before him was written all over his features. “You expect me to trust him?”

“I do.” I almost sighed in relief when he released Jennifer and stood.

“How can I do that, knowing what he is?”

“Because none of this was my doing, or the doing of any of those who existed here prior to Victoria’s appearance,” Paine answered smoothly, once again the confident vampire I recognized. “It was her power that crippled the vampiric houses, bending them to her will.”

“Like you couldn’t take her down.” Carter began to shift into his human form, unashamed of his nudity. “If she”—Carter motioned at me—“a mere human, could do it, you can’t possible think I’d believe you were incapable of doing the same.”

“Victoria was a half-demon,” I responded before Paine could. “The only thing that could kill her was a weapon she didn’t expect and the element of surprise.”

Carter’s gaze drifted to Marigold Vesta, and his eyes flared once again. “I see you’re bartering with demons again.”

“I’m bartering to return home, to change everything that has happened here. If I go back, I can stop everything before it occurs.”

“Rhiannon.” The fingers Paine wrapped around my wrist were cruel and harsh, squeezing so tightly I couldn’t bite back a wince. “I’ve told you what happens when you change the course of history. You cannot intervene. You can’t do this.”

“What other choice do I have?” I softened toward him, knowing a combination of his fear for me, as well as his adoration, demanded he force me to stay by his side. “Look around you. Is this the world you want? Could anything possibly be worse?”

“The pain you will bring upon yourself will destroy you.”

“Maybe,” I acknowledged, nodding, “but it’s a chance I’m willing to take. I can’t allow this to happen. Not if I know there is some way I can stop it. This isn’t your choice to make, it’s mine. You’re going to have to let me go.” I wound my fingers around his, loosening his death grip. “There’s something I have to tell you, something you need to know.”

“Nothing you can say will change how I feel.”

Taking a deep breath, I whispered, “Which is why I’m going to make things right between us when I go back. I don’t know how, and I’m not sure what will happen, but now that I know what I do, I won’t allow things to pull us apart. I’ll find a way to make things work.”

“Gabriel will never allow that to happen.”

An invisible vise around my chest made it difficult to breathe. “Once he learns of what occurred between us here, it’s probably not going to matter.”

“You’re going to tell him?” His thumb caressed the back of my knuckles.

“I am.”

He pondered the thought for a moment. “He won’t take it well.”

“No.” I felt as if the weight of the world suddenly landed on my too weak shoulders. “But he won’t have any choice but to listen.” Lifting my free hand, I cupped his jaw. “I didn’t know how deeply your feelings went, or how I would feel when I learned about them. It’s changed things. I’m not sure what will happen, but I do know this. I won’t let you go when I return. I won’t let you leave because of this obstacle between us. We’ll find a way to work things out.” Determined, I added, “I’ll find a way.”

He lowered his head, until our foreheads touched. “Did I ever tell you that familiars beholden to a family are sometimes shared by those they establish a mark with? It’s not common, as vampires are possessive by nature, but it does occur. The link between those who share a mark is too strong to be denied. Gabriel didn’t want you to know that, which is why he kept you so close at his side. He feared you would feel it, and he wasn’t ready to consider what it could mean for the three of us, of what it would mean for you after all you’ve been through in your life. He didn’t want to frighten or scare you.”

“Because of the mark you established when you saved my life?”

He nodded, his cool skin brushing against mine. “It was necessary, but it was also something I wanted. Gabriel knew that.”

Surprisingly, the information didn’t scare me. “Then I’ll find a way. We all will.”

“I’m waiting, Rhiannon Murphy.” Marigold sounded mildly amused.

I peered up at Paine, smiled, and broke away. “If things don’t work out as I hope, you have a chance to make things right now. That’s the way it should be. Make a difference. Don’t allow the world to continue as it is.” I turned to Carter. “I’m giving you both a chance here. Use it. Don’t let foolish pride or hate stand in your way. No one will win if you do.”

Walking the short distance, I stopped in front of the fallen angel. “I agree to your terms.”

“Then consider our bargain sealed.”

As Marigold’s hand touched me, I was swept into a pendulum of time, growing sick as images shifted behind my eyes, flash frames as I was swept into the past, and fell to my knees. The ground shifted beneath me, smells I couldn’t place causing me to gag as colors bled together. As I started to retch, the world became still once again.

Lifting my head, I gazed around the welcome and familiar confines of my bedroom, in the exact location I had been when Zagan sent me forward in time, the only difference being my clothing was different, and the possessions I’d had on me when I left the future remained on my person.

I warbled as I stood, unsteady and off balance. Using the wall in the hallway to remain standing, I rushed for my telephone with one person on my mind. The cherry-side table next to the door crashed to the ground as I fell into it in my rush to get to the phone. My fingers shook as I punched the numbers. The phone rang once, twice, and then Nala answered.

“Hello?”

“Disco,” I gasped into the phone. “Put him on the phone.”

“Rhiannon! Where have you been? Everyone’s been looking for you. You have no idea what it’s been like here.”

“Disco,” I repeated.

“He’s gone, he...” I heard her gasp and the phone shuffled.

“Rhiannon?” Paine’s lyrical timbre came through the line. “Where are you?”

“I need to talk to Disco.” My voice was steadier now. “Put him on the phone.”

His hesitation sent a spike of fear through me. “He’s not here.”

“Tell me where he is!” I screamed into the phone. “Where the hell is he?”

“I’m sorry, Rhiannon.” The sorrow in his voice told me all I needed to know. “I can’t tell you that.”

Nausea surfaced, threatening to send the few remaining contents in my stomach to the floor. “What day is it, Paine? How long have I been gone?”

Anger surfaced in his tone. “Shouldn’t I be the one asking the questions?”

“Don’t fuck with me,” I snapped. “Not right now.

“It’s been nearly two weeks.” He sounded skeptical and confused. “How could you not know that?”

I hung up on him. Paine wouldn’t tell me shit, and I needed to know exactly where Disco was. He was killed a couple of weeks after I vanished, and a sinking feeling told me tonight was the night. Frantically, I dialed Goose’s cell, praying I would get there in time, knowing there was a very real possibility I might not.

He answered on the first ring. “Rhiannon? Where the hell are you? Where have you been? Everyone has been worried sick.”

“I’ll answer all your questions later. Where are you?”

“A warehouse at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. I was just about to go in.”

Double shit. “Where’s Disco? Put him on the phone.”

“I can’t. He’s inside speaking with Joseph.” I felt sucker punched as he said it. The meeting was already starting. There was no time left.

I hung up without saying goodbye and rushed to my closet to retrieve my gun. While the gun nestled in my lower back was powerful against all things supernatural, I could always run short of rounds. The Ruger was where I left it, as were the extra set of clips. I slid on the shoulder holster I’d recently acquired and slid a hoodie over it. I didn’t bother locking the door as I snagged the cash I kept stashed in the table, which now rested on its side, the lamp I used so often completely shattered. I fled the apartment and rushed down the stairs.

One spot of luck was on my side when I ran outside. There was no way I could make it on foot in time, but a vehicle certainly could, and a yellow submarine was traveling down my road. I stepped in front of the cab, stopping it from progressing, and quickly ran to the back to hop inside.

“Are you crazy, lady?” The driver thundered. “I could have killed you!”

The fifty-dollar bill I plopped into the front seat abruptly changed his attitude. He grasped the money and started the meter. “Where to?”

My heart was racing, my body trembling uncontrollably. “The Brooklyn Navy Yard.” As the put the car in gear, I told him, “I’ll throw in another fifty if you can get me there within the next five minutes,” and was rewarded by the purr of the motor as he punched the gas, and I was thrown back in my seat.

Chapter Eighteen

By the time I arrived to the warehouse, I had a feeling I’d arrived to the party too late. There was this horrible wrenching in my chest, as if my heart was being ripped apart. I didn’t bother thanking the driver as I tossed the promised fifty dollar bill into the front seat and hauled ass out of the vehicle.

I couldn’t find an open door to the building, so I climbed atop a box below a window, broke it with my elbow, and cleared aside the glass until I could get in. As I entered, I heard voices, and realized events were taking place on a lower floor.

Running as if my life depended on it, I flew down the first set of stairs, until I came to another floor, followed by another. The voices became louder, as if I were entering an underground fighting ring. Then I saw them. Disco was on the ground with a metal stake driven through his chest, his hands covering the silver, causing them to blister. Blood pooled beneath him, and from the reflection of his blood, I saw a familiar rippling as Zagan started to appear. Goose had already moved forward, but he stopped when he saw the demon appear with a satiated smile across his face.

As he stepped from the puddle of blood, outrage unlike any I’d ever known overcame me. I listened, furious, as Zagan offered to give Disco a second chance at life.

“I offer you a severance of our debt, Gabriel Trevellian. I can save your life, remove the spike, and all will be well. However, you must forget about and never know what happened to your familiar and lover, Rhiannon Murphy. Or, if you’re inclined, you can die and learn where she is and exactly where she has been sent.”

Gabriel’s response was instant, and before he could form the words that would take him from me, I yelled, “Gabriel Trevellian, your debt to Zagan has been paid.”

All eyes were on me then, but it was Disco’s gaze I sought. He lifted his head, his honey-blond hair stained in the back with red. There was so much pain there, but despite that, there was also a love, relief, and acceptance so dear I had to hold back the strong urge to cry.

“Rhiannon Murphy!” Zagan seethed.

Continuing down the last flight of stairs, I faced the demon, prepared to send him where he belonged. “The price of the bargain between you and Gabriel Trevillian has been paid. Go back from where you came. You are no longer welcome or wanted here.”

“You cannot command me, bitch!” Yet even as Zagan screeched the words, he began to dissolve back into the blood. The moment he realized he was beaten, he snarled, “This isn’t over. I’ll come back. When I do, I will own you.”

“Yeah, yeah,” I muttered loudly enough that he could hear. “I’ve heard that one before.”

Joseph stepped forward again, as if he intended to end what he started. I reached for the amulet over my heart, whispered the incantation to bring it to life, and literally soared down the last few feet.

“Don’t move, any of you!” I shouted, fortified by the amulet. “Stay exactly where you are.”

Everyone froze, with the exception of Goose and Sonja, who peered around, stunned and amazed. I quickly started accessing the room, looking for and finding the only person shuffling his feet—the half-demon Graham Tavish, Victoria's damned half-brother and the creator of this entire mess. He looked a lot like his sister, with striking black hair and green eyes.

Once I had my target in sight, I went to Disco. He was fading fast, turning an odd hue of purple that made me want to scream at the fates and damn them for harming someone who didn’t deserve it. Goose offered him his wrist, but Gabriel refused to take it.

“He has to feed and take from us,” Goose said in a rush, obviously panicked. “He’ll die if he doesn’t.”

“Don’t worry.” I met his frantic gaze. “I’ve got this.”

I didn’t use the nickname Disco hated as I dropped to my knees at his side, grasped the silver and yanked it free, and put my wrist to his lips. “Gabriel, drink from me. Take from me.”

“Too...late.” The words were hard to understand, muffled by gurgles of blood at his mouth.

“It’s not too late. Listen to me.”

“Where...have...you...been?”

Leave it to Disco to ask questions at the wrong fucking time.

“Look at me, you selfless asshole.” I placed one hand on either side of his face, smearing blood across his cheeks. “I love you, and I’m not going to lose you. You’ve always told me to trust you. Now, I need you to trust me. Please, drink from me.” I placed my wrist once against at his mouth and ordered, “Take from me.”

“Say...again...” There was a smile on his face, and I wanted to strangle him when I realized he thought this was it—his first and final time to hear those words he had so long waited for. I reminded myself that if he’d only do as I asked, there was plenty of time to repeat the words in the future.

“I’ll keep saying it if you do as I ask. I love you, do you hear me? I always have. You’ve always known it. I was just too much of a fucking coward to say so.”

“Still...good to hear it.” His teeth scored me cleanly, and although it hurt, I didn’t feel him draining any of the energy he needed to heal himself.

Furious, I looked into his face. “Take what you need from me, right now, goddamn it! I won’t let you die. Do you hear me? I won’t.”

Then, I felt it, a sapping of my strength. Releasing his face, I wrapped my hand around the amulet, focused on the vampires in the room, and repeated the incantation that would bring it all to an end. The alarm in their eyes made this all the more worthwhile.

Fuck with the bull, assholes, and get the horns.

“You’re all about to wish you’d fucked with someone else,” I said when I’d finished reciting the necessary Latin. “Your undead asses belong to me now. On. Your. Knees.”

I wasn’t sure if it was the command that forced them to do as I asked, or if it was the fact that my weakness faded in the very instant I absorbed their lifeforce into myself. Either way, each of their knees slammed into the concrete as I drew from the very power that gave them life. Their strength crashed into me, cocooning me in an unbelievable amount of energy.

“Oh God, Rhiannon. How are you doing this?” Goose was mystified, but I could also feel his horror.

“We’ll talk later. Right now, it’s time to take care of a few loose ends.”

After several, agonizing seconds, the wound in Disco’s chest started to mend, closing slowly as the flesh came together. His heartbeat sounded in my ears, growing louder as he reclaimed his strength. When the wound was almost sealed, I took a deep breath, finding comfort in his lips against my skin. I didn’t want to stop him, but I knew I’d need energy for what was yet to come.

“Goose will take over from here.” I nodded at Goose who offered his wrist as I pulled away. “Keep trusting me, please. There is something I have to do. When we’re safely away from here, I’ll answer all of your questions.”

Even if they are things you don’t want to know, I reminded myself bleakly.

He was still too weak to do little more than sit up, but he grasped my hand. “Once more, tell me.”

I planted a hard kiss on him and pulled away. “I love you, you arrogant bastard. Happy now?”

“More than you know,” he replied before he fell back again and accepted Goose’s wrist, too weak to do much more.

Standing, I turned toward the one person in the room that had to go. He was studying me closely, as if gauging the threat I represented, and had planted three human familiars in front of him like a barrier.

“Graham Tavish.”

His green eyes narrowed. “Have we met?”

“Not exactly.” I started for him, reaching for the gun at my side.

“That’s too bad,” he said and gave a dismissive wave of his hand.

I pulled my Ruger free, took a balanced stance, and knocked down each and every one of his necromancers with a solid shot between the eyes. They didn’t even make it five feet from their master, dropping like flies.

“Kill her!” he roared at the vampires around him.

“They can’t, Graham. See, right now, I’m holding all the cards. They have to do what I tell them do. How’s about a demonstration?”

Looking at the vampires clustered around him, I ordered, “Place your master on the floor.”

The shock on Graham’s face was fleeting. His entire coven moved to do my bidding, wrestling him to the ground as he struggled and fought. It didn’t take long—only a few seconds—before he was trapped, vampires at his arms, legs, and throat, leaving him little more than food for the fishes.

I crossed over to Graham and straddled him, resting my weight on his stomach as I retrieved the knife from my jeans and held it within his view. His fear was apparent, right there in his eyes. I was certain this was the first time he’d be introduced to the emotion. Too bad it would also be his last.

“Here’s the thing, Graham. You did one of the most stupid things you ever could have conceived of in coming here. You thought you were smart. You came to Joseph, offered a bargain, and when you learned how weakened Gabriel was, you knew you could force Joseph to go against one of his own. It was clever, considering you’d never want Marius to become involved. After all, half-demons don’t go after their own kind.” Before he could say anything, I leaned forward and continued, “Thing is, I know all about you and Victoria. I’m aware of your plan to establish a demon-like hell on earth. Too bad it’s never going to happen. I have more of the same waiting for your sister when I find her.”

“Victoria will spit you up and chew you out,” Graham spat. “When she learns what you’ve done, she’ll come here, and she’ll end you.”

I shrugged, smiling. “That’s the hope. I want her to come here. It will make my job so much easier. I have other shit to work out, so the sooner she comes to find me, the better.” Looking at the vampires at his neck, I said, “Reveal his throat.”

“Don’t do this,” Graham choked out, struggling. “We can work out a deal. It doesn’t have to be like this.”

“That’s where you’re wrong. This is exactly how it has to be. It’s time to meet your maker.”

The amulet grew hot against my breastbone. When I could see his artery, I took the blade and buried it fully into his throat. This time, I severed the head with one quick punch of the knife. The crack of bone came just before concrete stopped the progression of the blade. Graham’s struggles ceased almost immediately, but his eyes and mouth continued working just fine. I grasped his detached head by the hair as I stood and walked over to Joseph. He couldn’t move, but thankfully, I could easily distinguish the terror in his eyes.

“This could be you. Fuck with my family again, and it will be you. This is Gabriel Trevillian’s city. It belongs to him. You try to do anything to upset that balance again, and I will kill you. Do you understand me? Tell me that you understand, Joseph.”

His lips moved, although his body remained motionless. “I understand.”

“Good boy.” I tossed the head behind me, uncaring of where it landed, and moved over to Sonja.

“You and I are going to develop a rough, if not equally opportunistic, friendship. You might not like it, but with the information I’m willing to share, I’m sure you’ll be able to look right past it. You might be the weaker of the one you serve, but only physically. It’s what you carry up here”—I patted my temple with my index finger—“that makes you a force to be reckoned with.”

She gasped, the sound loud in the quiet room. “Joseph...”

“Will allow it. He’s going to get the request from the ruler of the city, which means he doesn’t have the authority to say no. Expect my call in the next few days. We have a lot of work to do.”

Pivoting as I returned the blade to my jeans, I saw Disco had made it to his feet. He was a bit wobbly, but the purple tint that marred his skin was gone. He opened his arms, and I felt my eyes burn as I finally caved into the emotions I’d kept so long at bay.

I loved him, more than anything else in the world. However, I also knew that despite my declaration, things were going to change between us. I had done something most lovers would never forgive. When he found out, things might never be the same.

Forcing such thoughts aside, I rushed into the paradise that was his embrace, relishing the scents of cloves and cinnamon, so damned thankful to be back in the arms of the man I had taken for granted for too fucking long.

“Christ, I’ve missed you,” he murmured into my hair. “Where have you been?”

“It’s a really, really long story.” I sighed. “I’ll tell you about it when we get home.”

“Home?” He pulled away, looking me in the eye. “Are you trying to tell me something?”

Before I’d left Disco for the last time, I’d told him I couldn’t promise to live with him at his home, needing my own personal space. Having lost him, I quickly learned I didn’t want to miss a single moment with the man. It was ironic, in retrospect, as when he learned about what Paine and I had done the invitation might be revoked. Until it was, I was willing to put my heart on the line.

“I’m ready to pack my bags and move in, if that’s what you want.” As a smile spread across his face, I felt that sharp slice of betrayal in my own heart. “But there’s a lot we have to talk about. A lot you need to know.”

“It doesn’t matter.” He pulled me into his chest again. “We’re together now.”

Breaking down wasn’t part of the plan, but I almost did. Eager to get my shit together, I turned to the vampires, released them from the magic that contained them, and gave my full attention to Disco.

“There’s a lot I need to tell you, but not here.”

“Let’s go home?” He waited, undoubtedly wanting to hear it again.

“Yeah.” I glanced over my shoulder, at the carnage I had caused. “Let’s go home.”

Chapter Nineteen

The drive home was odd, to say the least. Goose and Disco wanted to ask questions, I could feel it, but they didn’t. I was grateful for the time I had as I tried to figure out what I was going to say and how in the hell I was going to work through what had to occur. As we entered Disco’s home, the first person to greet us wasn’t Nala, but Paine. I had to keep my emotions in check. I knew how he felt, but for him nothing had changed. His alarm and displeasure at our presence was apparent, and he shocked all of the members of the household, who had assembled as they waited, when he yanked me from Disco’s arms and demanded an audience.

“We need to talk.”

“Later,” Disco said as he attempted to pull me back.

“No, Gabriel. Rhiannon and I have to talk—now.”

“It’s okay.” I placated Disco with a soft brush of my fingers across his face. “Go upstairs, get cleaned up, and wait for me.”

Disco’s face hardened into an impenetrable mask. “After everything that’s happened, I don’t want you out of my sight.”

I moved closer to him, nuzzling his ear. God, he smelled so good, so comfortingly familiar. “I won’t be for long. Give us a minute.”

“Tell me again,” he whispered. “Tell me.”

“I love you, Neanderthal. Now go upstairs and wait for me. We have a lot to talk about.”

I felt Disco lift his head, staring past me. “You have five minutes.”

The family parted as Paine snagged my wrist and began dragging me toward the room used for meetings. There was no fire roaring in the fireplace this time, as I was certain none of them expected human company. Paine shoved me into the room, closed the doors, and locked them behind us.

“What have you done?” he snarled, voice heated. “Haven’t I warned you about changing the future? Of the consequences? You have just fucked with fate, and the result will be more than you can bear.”

He was so very much like the Paine I’d left in the future, yet different. The looks were the same—dark, mysterious, sexy—but the attitude was unlike what I’d been close to in the last few days. This Paine had yet to learn what it was like to live in a hellish future, with demons in control of the world. Instead he held steadfast to his beliefs, bolstered by the tragic occurrences of his own past.

Trying to remember that, I faced him. “You’re not going to believe me when I say this, but the future you think you’re saving is a future that should never be. You might be right. I might pay a hefty price for interfering with it, but it’s one I’m willing to face.”

Paine turned away from me, toward the fireplace, and I knew he wanted to roar in outrage. He’d felt so much grief in his decision not to follow Gabriel, to stop what had been set into motion, only to find I’d interfered. What would happen now? What would become of those he cared for so deeply? It was then that I knew he’d unwittingly allowed the mark he shared with me to open, if only a little. A promise I made came creeping back, and I reacted without questioning it.

Crossing the room, I wrapped my arms around his midsection—the first time I’d ever touched him on my own in this reality. His ragged intake of air and the trembling that consumed his body was signal enough that I’d gotten a message across. He tried to slam down the connection between us but I stopped him.

“Don’t. I already know the mark exists. There’s no sense in hiding it now.”

He went tense. “Gabriel told you?”

No time like the present to get things out in the open, even if they did sound completely unbelievable. “No. I found out when I made a bargain with Zagan to end Gabriel’s debt and wound up one hundred and one years in the future.”

“You did what?” He ripped himself from my arms and faced me.

I sighed, surprised at how exhausted I suddenly felt. “I know it’s hard to believe. Hell, I wouldn’t believe it either. But it’s true. Zagan told me all I had to do was deliver a message to Gabriel, telling him the debt was severed, and he would consider all things paid in full.”

He frowned. “And he sent you one hundred and one years into the future?”

“Ignorance on my part. I forgot the bastards like to weave deals and fuck with bargains.”

“If that’s true, how did you return? Time travel isn’t possible.”

If only that was the case.

“I made another deal, which is a long ass story that five minutes won’t cover.”

Rough hands grasped my shoulders. “Tell me you did not make a deal with a demon.”

Technically, I didn’t, but I wasn’t up to telling him that just yet. “Okay, I won’t tell you.”

“Damn you, Rhiannon.” He released me and started to pace. “What you’ve done will cause a chain reaction. I’ve told you what happens when you alter what is meant to be.” Rounding on me, he snapped, “Gabriel was supposed to die tonight. He wasn’t supposed to make it home. What you’ve done... You have no idea, you have no concept. But you will. Very soon, you will.”

“I’ve seen the future, remember?” I reminded him softly. “What I’ve seen is nothing in comparison to what I might see as a consequence of my decisions.”

“You might think that now, but when the reckoning comes, you’ll wish you had heeded me.”

I was so tempted to take it further, to tell him exactly what had transpired between us in the future as a result of my actions. Fortunately, something told me to hold back, to keep it to myself. The first person who deserved to know was waiting for me upstairs. It was his reaction I feared the most. I had to learn exactly where it put Disco and I before I placed Paine in the line of fire.

“You’re right, maybe I will. But then again, you could be wrong. Ever think about that?”

I sidestepped him and headed for the door, when his ominous warning stopped me. “Have you considered the future that awaits Gabriel now? What will happen to you as a result? Have you even thought about how much worse it will be now that you’ve challenged fate?”

Had I thought about it? Yes, I had. Perhaps it made me a selfish and prideful bitch, but I couldn’t help but think that with me at his side, nothing would have the power to harm Disco again. Not only was I a necromancer who had yet to learn her full potential, but with Marigold’s amulet I could head off anything that came his way.

I kept my back to Paine as I answered. “If anyone or anything comes after him, they’ll have to deal with me. Considering how much things have changed, only a fool would risk it. If you don’t believe me, ask Goose. He’s waiting outside.”

Goose’s guilty face greeted me as I unlocked and opened the doors. I had felt his presence the moment Paine and I had stepped into the room. One call from Goose to Disco and it would have caused a permanent rift in the house. Thankfully, it wasn’t necessary.

“Tell him what you saw at the warehouse,” I told Goose as I stepped into the hallway. “I’ll fill you in on everything later. I have to get upstairs.”

“It’s that thing.” He motioned distastefully at the amulet. “Isn’t it?”

I wrapped my fingers around the stone, barring it from view. “You always knew there was something about this that made you uncomfortable. There’s a good reason for it.”

“You shouldn’t dabble in dark magic. It’ll get you killed.”

I smiled, shaking my head. “Seems like everything I get involved with these days might kill me.”

His annoyed scowl was one I was all too familiar with. “You’re not funny.”

“I suppose some things never change.”

“You and I are going to talk in the morning. Meet me in the kitchen as soon as you wake up. You have a lot of explaining to do.”

“Done deal, just do me a favor.” At his questioning look I said, “Be sure to bypass breakfast. I’d hate to upset that weak stomach of yours.”

Before he could say anything else, I was walking past the rest of the family, ignoring their curious and angry stares. I’d been gone for a couple of weeks, without any explanation, and I understood their inquisitiveness and outrage. I would be furious too. Vampiric households survived on the strength and solidarity of their bond. As one of their own, I could have betrayed them in the time I’d been gone.

I heard quiet footsteps behind me as I climbed the stairs, and I waited until I was nearing the hall with the bedrooms to stop and turn. It was Nala, beautiful as always, with an expression I couldn’t read.

“Everyone has a right to know where you’ve been. They’re going to want answers.”

Again, another truth. I did owe them all an explanation. Unfortunately for them, there was one person who had to hear it first. He ran the house, his word was law, and it would be his decision that kept me here or sent me packing.

“I have to speak with Disco first. He’s the boss, so he should be the first to know.”

“I get that, but it’s not going to smooth things over. Things have been awful since you left. You have no idea of the turmoil everyone has suffered.”

I wasn’t sure how to respond. “I’m sorry, it wasn’t my intention.”

I’d never seen Nala angry, and it was something I didn’t want to witness again. The beauty I was so enamored with was gone, changed by the way her eyes slanted slightly and her mouth contorted.

“Then I suggest you get ready to kiss a lot of ass. Everyone will want a meeting called tomorrow. You’d better use your time with Gabriel to come up with an adequate apology and explanation. You’re going to owe all of us exactly the same.”

A full-on punch to the gut wouldn’t have carried as much weight. I felt the impact of her words, knew that she was right, and struggled against the bile rising to my throat as I made my way to Disco’s bedroom.

Was he going to hate me when he learned what I’d done? Could he possibly forgive me? The Paine of the future said it wasn’t common, but those beholden to families were sometimes marked by more than one vampire and were often shared. Would that make his sense of betrayal any less? Would it soften the fall he was sure to experience?

I rubbed my temples as I stopped before his door, trying to see into the future. Disco had never been anything but understanding in situations regarding me, taking the higher road, becoming the person I knew I could always rely on. Now, I wasn’t so certain he would come to my defense, no longer my knight in shining armor to keep the wolves at bay. I couldn’t say I didn’t deserve it, even given the circumstances. As much as I loved him, I had made love to another man—his best friend—and there was no taking that back.

Minutes must have passed as I stood there like the coward I was, trying to find the words, attempting to sort things out. Images blurred together—of the past before I made the debt with Zagan, of the hours I spent in Disco’s arms, of the decision I made to give Paine the only thing I had left to give, only to discover that as a consequence I had betrayed the only man I had ever truly loved. Topping it off was the way I felt about Paine, something that was a deep-seated emotion yet held no official title.

“If you keep me waiting much longer, I’m coming out there to get you myself,” Disco called through the door.

I wrapped my fingers around the knob, holding my breath. When I accepted that there was nothing else I could do, I opened the door and stepped inside.

Chapter Twenty

I didn’t have a chance to brace myself. The moment I entered the room I was flipped around and pressed against the door, forcing it shut. Disco trapped me between him and the wood, his chest flush along my back, the firm ridge of his cock pressing into my ass. His breath was cool on my neck as he bowed over me, rubbing his nose against my throat.

“You have a lot to answer for, love. I can’t decide if I want to take you to my bed and bust that perfect ass of yours”—his hand came down, cupping my right buttock—“or rip off your clothing and take you here and now against the wall.”

“We need to talk.” I wanted to cringe when I heard my voice, as husky and thick as a cigarette toking phone sex operator. There was no way he’d take me seriously like this.

“We’ll talk when I’m ready, not before.” He shoved his body into mine, using enough force that I had to place my head to one side to avoid smashing my nose. “You’ve brought out a dark side of me, something I’ve tried to keep in check. When you vanished without a trace, I swore I’d show you what it would mean if you tried to leave...” He took a deep breath. “I’ve always wanted to know how far our trust goes. I think it’s time I found out.”

“Disco...” I tried to recall why it was so important that we talk. I couldn’t go to him after what I’d done. That would only make things worse. But with him so close, so tempting, after I thought I’d never see him again—it was impossible to think clearly.

“What did you call me?” He bit my earlobe, hard enough that I hissed.

“Gabriel,” I quickly corrected myself, mortified that I sounded as aroused as he obviously wanted me to be.

“That’s right. Tonight, I’m calling the shots. No more games, Rhiannon.”

He pulled away with vampire speed, leaving me shivering against the door. The loss of his presence was haunting, another reminder of how much I wanted to be with him again.

Shaking my head, I struggled to keep my desire at bay. “We need to talk.”

Returning with the same impressive speed, he slammed me against the wood, wrapped his fingers in my hair, and forced me to look at him over my shoulder. He’d cleaned the blood from his hair and face. In all our time together, he had never been this dominant. I gulped as his golden blue gaze settled on my lips.

“I’m going to take a step back and you’re going to turn around, take off your clothes while I watch, and come to me. I’ll get your answers when I’m ready for them.”

Holy shit. He was completely serious. Even as my heart sped up in alarm, my panties became wet. I wanted this even if a part of me was frightened. Before I could mull over the change in my lover, he did exactly as he said he would. I kept my hands on the door to keep from sagging. My legs were shaking, my entire body growing hot. I
turned slowly until I faced him and removed the holster from my shoulders.

Two sides of me warred. In my heart, I knew this was wrong. You didn’t have sex with another man and return to the bed of your partner. Disco—Gabriel—had a right to know. Unfortunately, judging by the heat in his eyes, he wasn’t in a talking mood.

The necklace came off with the sweater, and I tossed them into a heap on the floor. Next went my weapons—knife and guns dropping to the ground—followed by my boots, jeans, and socks. All that remained was the underwear Bells had given me—plain and white, without the lace Disco loved to tear apart.

“Beautiful,” he murmured. “Come to me.”

I felt as if I were under a spell of some kind as I complied with the order. It was impossible to look at anything but Disco, who had unbuttoned his shirt to reveal his fully healed chest. He stood motionless and watched me approach. When I was inches from him, he held up his hand, waited until I stopped, and started unbuckling his belt.

“On your knees.”

This wasn’t entirely new. I often liked to shock Disco when he was in his office by locking the door, going to my knees in front of his chair, and teasing him with my lips and tongue until he draped me across his desk and made love to me wildly, without restraint. However, he’d never asked for or demanded that level of intimacy.

Until now.

A portion of me, that faithful and wholesome part that was slowly dwindling away to nothing, told me it was wrong even as I did as he asked. He had every right to know what I’d done, to turn me from his bed, to deny me the haven of his arms. I should have given him the opportunity, but I was too weak, to fragile, too damned eager to feel the comfort of skin against mine, the coolness of his breath, the whispered words of love he would give me that I didn’t deserve.

His cock was hard, arching toward his belly, when he unzipped his pants and revealed himself. I didn’t have to be told what he wanted. As I moved between his thighs, I reached for him with my free hand. Though hard as granite, his flesh was as smooth as satin and as soft as silk. I brought him to my lips, parting them as I darted my tongue along the slit in the mushroom shaped tip.

“Look at me, love.” His voice was husky with desire, the words laced with adoration. The hard edge to his tone was gone, and I wanted to wrap my arms around his thighs and hold on tight.

Our lovemaking had never reduced me to tears, and I knew if I broke down and crumbled, he would want to know why. So I focused on just how relieved I was to be with him again, of just how important this moment was. A sacrifice to keep him with me had been made, and I would be damned if I was going to deny myself one last time in his bed.

I gazed into his golden, aquamarine colored eyes with the solid border of black that offset them like jewels as I took him into my mouth. He remained still, though he groaned when my lips surrounded him. Flicking my tongue along the underside, I took more of him, using my hand to attend the area I couldn’t take even if I relaxed my throat and swallowed.

“I’ve missed you so much. You have no idea of how terrified I was. I’ll expect you to tell me everything I want to know when this is over, but first, I want this with you. I need this with you. I need to know that you’re here—truly here—with me.”

I bobbed my head, a nod as well as a way to pleasure him, and was thankful he didn’t say anything when I broke eye contact to hide my tears. He didn’t know it, but I needed exactly the same thing. To know he was safe. To know that he was here. To know that despite all the wrongs I’d committed I had ensured he would survive to see another day that—God willing—included me.

I felt the sweetness on my tongue that I was familiar with, a sign of his control, and began to suck harder as I went up his length to the tip. He loved to be on the edge, riding the cusp of orgasm. Like this, I challenged him to keep control when he didn’t think he could, forcing him to give all of himself to me. It was a game of cat and mouse since I’d learned just how long I could keep it up, devouring him with my mouth until he finally forced me away.

“You won’t win this time,” he grated, as if knowing my thoughts, although I was aware the mark between us and his power to see into my mind weren’t being used. “I’ve waited too long for this. I’ll keep you like this until you can’t take it any longer.”

Upping the ante, I sucked harder, rubbing the length of his cock with my tongue. His hiss told me I’d hit the right spot, so I continued moving up and down, over and over again. Each time I ran my fingers along the wet skin left over by my mouth, keeping him on the precipice. I thought it would be enough. However, as the minutes passed, and my jaw became sore, I knew it was a test. He wanted me to break first, to become the slave to what he desired.

“Uncle,” I whispered and released him, panting.

“Good. Now for me.”

He moved with speed I’d missed so much, lifted me into his arms and carried me to the bed. He placed me on the mattress, resting my head against the pillows. When he kissed me, there was nothing but the two of us, caught in the throes of passion and need: a desire to connect, to cement what we shared, to grasp it tightly and never let go.

“I love you,” I said for the first time during our lovemaking, desperate to make him aware of it.

“I’ve always known that,” he murmured as he placed kisses along my neck, paying special attention to his mark at my throat, and removed my bra. “I knew it would just take patience and time. Something I have plenty of.”

He had no idea how true I hoped those words were.

Before I could dwell on that, he was moving down my body. Gabriel enjoyed breast play, spending plenty of time on each mound, until they were pink and sensitive. As he nipped, caressed, and stroked my nipples, he knew I wanted more. Turn about was fair play, and he wanted me to cave again, to beg for what I wanted.

“Please, don’t torture me,” I moaned, writhing beneath him.

For a split second, I feared he would, returning to the man who’d thrown me up against the door and demanded my submission, showing me exactly what he’d suffered and then some. Then his mouth surrounded my right nipple, and I wrapped my hands around his blond head, urging him on. He sucked, bit gently, and soothed the sting with his tongue. As he did so, he used his free hand to attend the other side, causing me to gasp and quake, until I was bucking against him.

He chuckled, released my breast, and began a descent I enjoyed all too much. I sighed as his tongue laved my navel, spent time on the scars along my stomach, and became tense in anticipation as he parted my thighs and settled between them. Although my panties were thin cotton and not lace, he had no problem tearing them apart with a violent tug. With my eyes closed tightly, I braced myself for the heavenly feel of his tongue, knowing nothing else compared.

Strangely, there was only one cool lap against my flesh, one solid touch of his tongue from bottom to top, when he froze. I opened my eyes, confused and achy for more, and met a livid stare I was totally unprepared for. He was off the bed in a flash, staring at me like a total stranger, his glorious blue eyes flashing a bright shade of teal.

“What the fuck have you done, Rhiannon? Or should say, who the fuck have you done?”

Oh God. Oh shit.

Struggling for words, I mumbled like a moron, “It’s not what you think?”

“It’s not?” He paced across from me, breathing hard. “Then why do I taste the seed of another within you?” He stopped as he faced me. The hatred in his eyes caused me to die a little on the inside. “Don’t bother lying to me. The scent of the claiming from another vampire is impossible to mask.”

“Please, listen to me. I need you to—”

“Don’t you dare add trust to that sentence, not if you know what’s good for you. I did trust you, remember? I listened to every word you had to say, including your declarations of love. Two weeks without you, and I’m behaving like a pussy whipped virgin, ready to bare my soul, only to discover you are not the woman I thought you were.”

I sat upright, covering my breasts with my arm. “That’s not fair. You haven’t heard me out.”

He was on top of me in an instant, snaring my hands above my head, keeping me trapped. “I heard Sienna out. I listened to her weak excuses and pleas because I wasn’t strong enough to see past the face I loved to the traitor she had become. Because of her, I almost destroyed my family.”

“I am not Sienna.” It was impossible to keep my own anger in check.

“No, you’re not. At least Sienna was faithful.”

“That’s not fair, and you know it!” I used all my strength, trying to fight my way free, and realized without the pendant I was a sitting duck.

“Isn’t it? Look at things through my eyes. I was almost killed because I can’t keep my head on straight as far as you’re concerned. Then you miraculously show up, with powers you’ve never possessed, and you’ve been bedding another. What other lies do you want me to hear? What other things would you say to make me soften toward you more than I already have? Was that your intention? Did you and your lover hope to gain some control over me and use it as a bargaining tool?” His merciless gaze was impossible to look away from. “You wasted your virginity if that was your goal. You just made the biggest mistake of your life.”

“Goddamn you, listen to me!” I screamed even as I started to cry, weak in the face of my own fury. I thought I knew what a broken heart was, but I was wrong. What I’d suffered before had been grief, something painful but possible to endure. This, on the other hand, felt as if my very soul was being ripped apart, obliterated in such a way it would impossible to completely piece the woman I’d become back together again.

“I can’t believe I allowed myself to be in this position again. There was just something about you that I couldn’t shake, a vulnerability that I couldn’t turn away from. Was that a lie too?” He glared at me, and I could see not only anger, but misery etched all over his face. “Wasn’t it enough that you brought a vampire to his knees?”

“Please.” I softened my voice, trying to reach out to him. “Let me explain.”

My tender tone flipped an invisible switch inside the man gazing down at me, changing him from tormented to livid. “I don’t have to let you explain, remember?” I’d never seen the look in his eye before, as if I’d been completely cut out, permanently amputated from his heart. “I can get every ounce of information I want without it.”

The last time Disco had taken my memories, it was a pleasant feeling, as if butterflies were swarming in my mind. I’d been told his ability was more powerful than I imagined, more terrifying, but I didn’t believe it.

Shame on me for not listening.

I wailed, a scream unlike any in my life, as he invaded my mind without consent, taking access to all of my thoughts and memories. Once the door was opened, it was like watching a movie, only it was my life shown in flashes. I couldn’t stop it or slow things down. As we neared the memory of my parents’ deaths, I screamed again—louder this time. I wasn’t afraid to confront what had happened to those I loved. It was what came after that I didn’t want to see.

He made his way forward despite my thrashing, through memories both sweet and horrific, until there was no part of me he didn’t know inside and out. As he reached my arrival in New York and the first time we met, my screams had become a pitiful mews, my inhales so strangled I thought I might stop breathing. He continued, relentless, past our times together, our history, and then he was at the moment I made my debt with Zagan.

As he assessed the memories of the future, I went slack beneath him, too weak to fight, too drained to care. He studied each memory closely, and I felt him shaking violently when he came to the one moment that created an impenetrable wall between us. I didn’t know how he felt when he learned the truth. My mind was an absolute wreck, unable to focus on one memory or thought. Unexpectedly, the hands at my wrists became pliable. I could have ripped away if I wanted to, but I didn’t. Instead I allowed him to see the rest, to know of every single thing that had transpired to bring me here, to this moment.

When he finished, he remained as he was over me. He was looking at me; I could feel the heaviness of his gaze on my face. I stayed in the same position he’d placed me, crying silently with my eyes closed. He moved away, but I didn’t have the will or strength to care. I stayed exactly as he’d left me: broken and bleeding on the inside, my heart carved out.

I had always assumed being raped meant your body had to be forcibly taken against your will. I had no idea the very same thing could be done through the mind. I felt violated in ways I couldn’t yet conceive, put into place, or formulate with words. Images from the past bled with ones in the present and it was too much.

Too fucking much.

The bed shifted as Disco moved from me, and I listened, sobbing softly, as he adjusted his clothes. As much as I didn’t deserve what he had done, a part of me did. I knew better than to enter his bed without telling him what had happened. I had played with fire, deciding to sate my wants before considering the feelings of another. I’d accepted my hand even as it was dealt, unaware it was a losing one.

After I heard him buckle his belt, I felt him standing at the end of the bed, watching me. I couldn’t scrounge the courage to look at him. It was the strangest thing. The man I loved was one I now despised. I wanted to kiss him about as much as I wanted to rip him apart with my bare hands. He was nothing but a liar, someone who gained my trust only to destroy it.

Even as the thought came, it was followed by the softness that had blossomed inside of me over the last couple of months. That gentle, womanly portion of me wanted to have faith, to believe that it had all been a huge mistake. He was upset and had done something totally out of character.

Was it right to feel this way? Was it okay to hate someone you cared for so deeply?

Guilt hit, hard and fast. It took my breath away.

For a moment, I thought Disco would come to me, but then the mark between us was closed, leaving me in a free floating abyss of my own thoughts and feelings. It was then that I realized the guilt I felt was his, bolstered by my own feelings of remorse and regret.

“I’m going to call a meeting with the family to discuss things and give you time to pull yourself together.” His voice was hoarse and laced with shame. “I’ll come back and we can talk.”

His footsteps retreated from the bed and paused for several seconds. Then I heard the door open and close with a snick. It was the snick that urged me to action. I scrambled from the bed and struggled to collect my clothes with hands that trembled, numb and useless, fabric slipping through my grasp.

I had no concept of time as I dressed, but I knew it took much longer than usual considering I couldn’t button my jeans, pull on my socks, or slide into my boots. Memories of Ray, ones I’d kept dead and buried, were very much alive, breathing, and threatening to take over—worse than my most vivid nightmares. Due to Disco’s invasion, Ray was alive again, several years’ worth of work at building up a wall completely demolished in minutes. With them came memories of Jennifer, of her pain, of her journey from fucked up to psychotic, as well as my own fears, insecurities, and weaknesses.

“Come here, Rhia,” Ray whispered in my head, taunting me. “I have something for you.”

“Get your shit together, right now,” I snapped, swiping at the tears that continued to flow down my cheeks. I only had a few more minutes, maybe less, until Disco came back. And I refused to be waiting for him like a sacrificial lamb, crawling on hands and knees to appease him, just so he wouldn’t do anything more to hurt me.

Just like I had with Ray.

The moment I slid the necklace on, peace overcame me, shrouding me in something other than grief. I called upon its radiating presence, using it to help me stand upright and exit the room as quietly as possible.

I heard voices as I came to the foot of the stairs, the family meeting coming to an end, and rushed to the front door. Once I opened it and stepped outside, I took off at a dead run. I wasn’t sure where I was going, but one thing was for certain.

I was not going to do the walk of shame. Not when I could outrun it.

Chapter Twenty-One

“Wake up, sleepyhead.” A gentle touch on my shoulder put me on guard, and I jumped from the couch I’d crashed on, ready to do battle. When I got acclimated to my surroundings, I remembered I was at Goose’s home. I knew where he stashed his extra key and had used it to get inside. I hoped it would be a place I would be safe, a place Disco wouldn’t come looking for me. The amulet would make sure he couldn’t track me down, but it didn’t prevent him from trying.

“Hey, it’s all right.” Goose didn’t come closer. “It’s only me.”

I shook my head, attempting to stem the flow of dreams that had arrived the moment I’d fallen asleep. Nightmares of Ray haunted me. He laughed at my tears, forcing me to take him exactly as he wanted, and hammered into me over and over despite my pleas to stop. When I lifted my head, I saw Jennifer watching us from a chair in the corner of the room...

“How about I make us some coffee?” Goose stood where I’d first spotted him, watching me carefully.

Clearing my throat, I nodded. “Coffee sounds good.” At the very least, if I did vomit, it would be something liquid and not solid.

As he left to walk to the kitchen, I made a beeline for his bathroom. The light hurt my eyes, but only for a moment. When I saw my face I wanted to kick myself in the ass. I recognized the woman in front of me. The swollen, puffy eyes and the tearstained cheeks. I’d sworn in a time not so long ago I’d never return to this state, not for anyone or anything.

Taking a fortifying breath, I turned the knobs on the faucet and waited until the water steamed. It blistered my hands and face as I scrubbed at my skin using the soap Goose had on the sink, removing traces of the previous night’s events. When I surfaced, the puffiness was still there, and I was red all over. It didn’t do me any favors superficially, but it helped mask my grief.

Goose was waiting in the kitchen, and I took a seat at his table. A cup of coffee was placed in my spot, full of cream and sugar. I enjoyed a hearty sip and followed it up immediately with another. I tasted a hint of chocolate and mint, which should have set my stomach off but soothed it instead.

“Gabriel’s looking for you,” Goose said as he sat across from me, and I started to stand when he lifted his hand. “I told him you weren’t here.”

Suspicious and leery, I placed my ass back on the cushioned chair. “Why would you do that?”

“Because you never run. In all the time I’ve known you, you’ve never run from anyone or anything. When I found you on my couch, I knew that something very bad must have set you off.”

“Disco didn’t tell you?” I reached for my cup again.

“He told us about the time travel, which I confess, I find hard to believe. He also told us why you did what you did last night and the repercussions that would have occurred had you not interfered.”

After taking a heaping swallow, I asked, “That’s it?”

“That’s it. He ended the meeting and went back to his room. When he discovered you’d left he tried to find you on his own until the sun rose. Right now he’s relying on me to find you. I went by your apartment, so I called and told him you weren’t there, which was true. When I found you here, I called and told him you weren’t here either. I figured I’d give you time to sort things out.” He hesitated and produced the warm smile I knew so well. “Or to talk to a friend, if you want.”

It was so tempting to lay it all out there, but Goose was Disco’s familiar, too. It wouldn’t take much for Disco to sort through Goose’s memories to find out how I felt about what he’d done.

“I don’t want to talk about it. It wouldn’t do anything right now but confuse me even more.”

“I heard your screams.” Goose sounded furious, and when I peered past my steaming mug, he looked it as well. “We all did. Paine wanted to intervene, but the family stopped him. We all know something bad transpired between you and Gabriel. Something very, very bad.”

Very, very bad? That was putting it mildly. “Then you also know if Disco didn’t mention it, it remains between us.”

He was still angry, but relented. “Fair enough.”

Goose’s phone rang, and I almost jumped from my seat like an edgy alley cat. He motioned for me to stay put and went to the phone hanging beside the kitchen door.

“Hello?”

I could hear Disco’s voice through the phone. “Have you found her?”

“Not yet. I was going to get a shower and hit Central Park.”

“Call me the minute you find her.” Was that panic I detected? Worry? The part of me that wanted to believe it was quickly suffocated by the hurt portion that always managed to keep out such thoughts. You didn’t hurt those you loved. Once bitten, twice shy. It was more than a great eighties song; it was a motto worth living by.

“Don’t worry, I will.”

Goose hung up and returned to his chair. “See, I wasn’t lying to you. No matter what happens between you and Gabriel, you can always trust me. Our friendship stands outside the confines of the vampiric family. It always has. You can trust me, Rhiannon.”

Damn it to hell, I wanted to cry again. “I can’t trust anyone right now.”

“Then when you’re ready, I’m here, okay? I’m just putting it on the table.”

As the steady thrum of the amulet warmed my skin, I knew there was something I could trust Goose with...even if he wouldn’t want to help.

“There is something you can do for me.” I pulled the jewelry from my sweater so he could see. His eyes narrowed.

“I told you to get rid of that thing. It’s no good, I can feel it.”

I allowed the stone to drop to my shirt. “It doesn’t matter. Good or bad, I now owe a debt that has to be repaid within a year. Coming back wasn’t something that was free of charge.”

The tension coming from him was palpable. “You made a deal with a demon?”

“No, I made a deal with a fallen angel; Marigold Vesta, to be exact.”

Goose dropped his mug, spilling his coffee all over the table. He made no rush to clean it; he simply gawked at me as if I’d lost my mind. When he managed to find his tongue, he sounded bewildered.

“A fallen angel?”

“I don’t know much about her.” I retrieved the notes I stuffed into my back pocket and tossed them at him. “Just the information I was given in the future.”

As he began sorting through the papers, he asked, “What deal did you make with her?”

That was the whammy, wasn’t it? “She wants to be brought back to life. She said her remains are hidden in a location she is unaware of, and she wants me to find them and deliver her from Hell.”

I almost thanked Goose for keeping the papers in hand instead of dropping them into the coffee, since his fingers were trembling and all. “You made a deal with a fallen angel who’s trapped in Hell?”

“Yeah, and get this.” I took a sip of coffee, hoping he didn’t take off screaming. “She’s Lucifer’s concubine. How cool is that?”

“Only you would do something so foolish.” He rose from his seat, placed the notes on the counter, and went for the Bounty paper towels. “Pissing off the overlord of Hell isn’t exactly smart.”

“I didn’t have much of a choice, believe me. It was either make the deal or remain in the futuristic version of hell on earth.”

I averted my eyes when he stared at me, reminded too much in that moment of the daughter he would never meet because of what I’d done—the very daughter who had sacrificed her life in order to achieve a different, brighter future.

“So what are you planning? I don’t take part in this sort of thing.”

I nodded, thinking aloud. “But Sonja does. Which is why she and I are about to become bosom buddies. She was the one who gave me the information you’re holding in your hand while I was in the future.”

He stilled in his cleaning efforts. “I wasn’t aware Sonja was interested in black magic.”

I wanted another drink of coffee, but I answered before I partook. “I’m sure there are a lot of things you don’t know about Sonja.”

Goose left the stained towels on the floor and took his seat across from me again. “Are you aware of the price that must be paid to bring a being back to life? I’m not talking about reanimating a zombie, or recalling one from the dead only to banish them back to where they came from.”

“A life of equal offering of the being that is being recalled from death.” At his stunned look, I couldn’t help but laugh. “I did my studying like a good girl when I was recovering at Disco’s. I’m not as stupid as I once was.”

“Then you know the life has to be equally as strong as the entity you return to life. If you’re going to reincarnate a fallen angel, that’s going to require more than an animal sacrifice. You’re going to have to kill someone in order to do it.”

Nodding, I kept my eyes on my coffee. “I’m aware.”

“Jesus, Rhiannon!” Goose rose again, banging the table as he did with his leg. “I can’t believe I’m hearing this from you! You would actually consider killing someone? It doesn’t bother you to end a life?”

A tricky question, one I’d asked myself several times. Could I kill someone else in order to revive Marigold? Would I have the willpower to take the life of someone else to bring her back to life? Killing someone to protect myself was a lot different than killing someone who’d done me no harm. At first, I thought the answer was no, but after a night spent with Disco, I remembered not all lives are created equal.

The world I returned to, while admittedly better than the one in the future, was one filled with murderers, child rapists, and serial killers. With those who would kill their own families in their sleep, kidnap, rape, and strangle the innocent. No matter how much time passed, there was always someone out there who didn’t deserve to draw air, didn’t deserve to enjoy what qualified as a demented, fucked up life.

“I don’t expect you to understand, and I’m not asking you to help with that. I just need all the information you can gather on Marigold Vesta. I need to figure out where she’s resting, how to get there, and I need to know as soon as possible. My clock started counting down the minute I got back.”

“I’m not sure if I can do this.” When I glanced at Goose, he looked almost green. “I can’t kill someone.”

I placed my cup on the table and looked him in the eye. “You won’t. As soon as I have the information I need, I’ll do this on my own. I’m not asking you to stain your hands. I’m just asking you for some information. That’s it.”

“It’s the same thing though, isn’t it? The minute I give you what you need, you’ll find someone, take them to Marigold’s grave, and you’ll bring her back using their life as an offering.”

I didn’t look away, knowing he needed to hear it, accept it, or walk away. “Don’t ask questions you don’t want the answers for.”

The phone rang again. Goose stomped to the wall, yanked it off the receiver, and thrust it against his ear. “Hello?”

“You haven’t left yet?” This time, it was Paine I heard.

“Obviously not,” Goose snapped.

The surge in Goose’s temper obviously exasperated Paine’s. “What’s keeping you?”

“Things like caffeine, a shower, and a change of clothes, for starters.”

I heard Paine sigh through the phone. “Just call us when you find something, all right?”

“As soon as I find something, you’ll be the first to know.”

The call ended just as abruptly as the first, and I was already making my way to the room that doubled as Goose’s office. I couldn’t stick around. I had plans to make—the sooner the better—and I didn’t want to risk bumping into anyone aside from Goose.

“Rhiannon, wait.” Goose was right on my heels; when I turned, we were face to face. I didn’t expect the hug he gave me, since Goose wasn’t the mushy type, but I accepted it nonetheless. There was warmth there—comfort and friendship. “You never have to run from me. No matter what happens, I’m here. I just want you to know that.”

I pulled away, smiled, and tapped him lightly on the chest. “Then stay by your phone. When I work out the details, I’ll be in touch.”

As I walked to the door, his question stopped me. “You’re not planning on running away again, are you?”

This time, my smile was very real. Goose had said one thing today that reminded me that no matter what, I was no one’s butt monkey.

As I opened the door, I glanced over my shoulder. “I don’t run from anyone or anything, remember?”

Chapter Twenty-Two

Hoisting my duffel over my shoulder, I exited the Greyhound bus courtesy of the narrow walkway between the seats. I waited as the other passengers climbed down in front of me, patient until it was my turn to step off. The warm and humid Florida air was refreshing, reviving me after the long trip from the big city.

A couple of cabbies asked if I needed a ride, but I politely declined, walking slowly alongside traffic in search of my destination. Fortunately, it wasn’t very far. This was a trip a long time in the making, and I needed brace myself for what might greet me.

After several miles of pondering the unknown, I stood in front of the Florida State Mental Hospital. It looked like a normal building to the untrained eye, but I knew better. Inside the building were people with many demons trapped inside them. Demons that made the pits of Hell look like rainbows and sunshine.

After I passed through the glass double doors, I walked toward the receptionist’s desk. She was on the phone and indicated I should wait. As she prattled on, I glanced around, noting that not much had changed since my last visit.

“Can I help you?” the receptionist asked after her call ended.

I nodded and dropped the duffel bag to the floor. “I’m here to see my sister.”

“Name?”

“Jennifer Cunningham.”

The receptionist smiled. “Another visitor, that’s great. I’m sure Jennifer will be glad for the company.”

Alarms sounded, nice and loud. “Another visitor?”

The receptionist’s smiled waned. “Your mother was in to see her earlier. She comes by once a week. You just missed her.”

I recovered, but not quickly. “Carrie was here?”

She nodded. “She’s been coming by weekly for the last few months.” Glancing up, she questioned, “You didn’t know?”

“No.” I shook my head.

I sensed the receptionist’s distrust. “Your name please?”

“Rhiannon Murphy.”

When she saw me on the approved list, her smile didn’t return. I wasn’t sure why, but I honestly didn’t care. I had the right to be here, and there was nothing she could do to stop me.

“Sign in here.” She shoved a clipboard at me and reached for one of the temporary nameplates that would grant me passage to Jennifer’s room.

I signed in, waited until she finished, and took the sticker. Because I was in a bitchy mood, I avoided hitting the trashcan when I tossed the paper backing toward the receptacle, giving her something else to do while on the job. After I affixed the tag to my shirt, I retrieved my duffel.

“Is she in the same room?”

“She hasn’t been moved since her arrival.”

I bit back a curse and started walking past the people in wheelchairs. If Jennifer hadn’t been moved, it meant she was still in the ward for bona fide psychopaths, marked as a danger to herself and those around her. I wasn’t sure why I thought that would change. Perhaps some part of me hoped that in some way she’d made progress in my absence.

The overwhelming odor of piss, shit, and vomit were impossible to cover with the best cleansers in the world, and I tried not to gag as I passed one room that was more offending than the others. It was a short walk to the elevator, and when the doors closed, I breathed a sigh of relief. As I traveled upward, I dry washed my eyelids, begging my body, exhausted from hours of travel, to hold out a little while longer.

When I finally hit the top floor, I began my trek from the confines of the elevator. Another desk awaited me, one that I’d have to pass to gain entry into the room of a patient deemed unsafe for the average visitor. The older lady guarding the gates was much nicer than the one on the ground level.

“Patient?” she asked as she clicked away at her computer.

“Jennifer Cunningham.”

“And you are?”

“Rhiannon Murphy.”

When the woman’s fingers faltered, I knew she was aware of our story. Hell, what had occurred to us had once been on the Primetime News. She was able to pull herself back together fast, which I gave her proper credit for. It’s not every day that you meet someone who survived what my sister and I had.

“You’re all clear. Leave your bag with me and you can retrieve it when you’re finished. She was medicated recently, so you can visit for an hour.”

Something else I didn’t really want to know, so I didn’t say anything as I passed the duffel over. Jennifer had to be medicated. Otherwise she’d find some way to kill herself.

The steps to her room were some of the longest I’d ever taken in my life. I remembered making this trip before I left Miami, feeling as if my feet were weighted by sand. It was much the same now and ironic, really. Wanting to see someone so badly but being afraid to do so.

When I got to her door, it was slightly ajar. I pushed my way inside, glancing at the right corner of the ceiling where a camera was installed. Jennifer was seated in front of the windows, the blinds pulled up so she could see the sky just beyond her reach. I slowly walked over, forcing my feet to keep going, afraid of the sight that would welcome me.

She had recently been bathed, because her hair wasn’t oily and her face was free of any traces of drool. Unfortunately, there was no shower in the world powerful enough to wipe the blank stare from her face, or the way her eyes glazed over. Kneeling in front of her, I carefully placed my fingers over her left hand. Nothing happened. She didn’t move or respond. Much like the last time, she continued staring past me, seeing something I could not.

“Hi, Jenny,” I whispered, hoping that somewhere, deep down, she could hear, “it’s me.”

When she didn’t respond, I started talking. I told her about New York and my life there, excluding my necromancy. I never shared my secret with her, terrified it would scare the only person I had left in my life away. When I got to Disco, I revealed how I felt about him, told her how much he’d hurt me, and how afraid I was to go back. I told her everything I couldn’t tell Goose, including the things that had occurred in Disco’s bedroom I would never utter to another soul. She remained quiet as I babbled, gazing past me to the sun, her hand limp beneath mine. As my tears came, I let them. There was only one person I’d never been ashamed to cry in front of—the woman seated in a wheelchair in front of me.

When I finished, and I was sniffing snot, I laughed and swiped at my nose. “See, I leave town for a while, and this is what happens. I’m a total fucking mess.”

For a brief moment, I thought I felt her finger move, but when I looked at her, her vacant expression was the same. It didn’t really matter. I’d returned to see her, and now that I had, I knew it was okay to do so again. She wasn’t an unwanted memory of my past; she was the glue that helped me hold it together.

“I’m not going to take so long to visit next time,” I told her as I settled at her feet, waiting out my hour as I placed my head in her lap. “I promise.”

Again, if she heard, there was no indication. But somehow I knew that she was aware, that she knew I’d come back to her.

That was all that really mattered.

****

I wasn’t sure why I was shocked to learn Carrie Shaw still lived at the house of horrors I once grew up in. I supposed it was another way to atone for her sins, to make up for the wrongs she had committed by facing the memories that had transpired there. As I paid the cabbie and grabbed my bag, I took a deep breath. Coming here wasn’t a part of my plans when I’d decided to see Jennifer, but it was something I had to do to come to terms with my past.

After I knocked on the door, I fisted the thin duffel handles, hoping to curb my temper. I soon learned it wasn’t necessary. Not when I got my first look at what Carrie had become. She’d lost a shitload of weight, appearing almost skeletal, and her once long hair was trimmed close to her head. She blinked when she saw me, as if she couldn’t believe what she was seeing.

“Rhia?”

“In the flesh.”

It was obvious she was stunned, but she recovered quickly. “Do you want to come in?” She looked so fucking frail, which made this seem unfair. In my younger years, she was heavier, somehow more intimidating. Now I was the scary one. Isn’t it funny how that happens?

I didn’t want to step inside, but my trip was about more than what I wanted: it was about facing the things that scared me, looking them in the eye, and telling them to back the fuck off.

“Sure,” I said with more enthusiasm than I felt.

She moved aside and I discovered the house wasn’t at all what it had once been. The entire place had been remodeled, for starters. No more wooden panels, old furniture, or overly large paintings gathered from garage sales adorned the place.

“Can I get you something to drink?” she asked as she ushered me toward the couch.

I remained standing, shaking my head. “I didn’t come here to sit and chat.”

“Oh.” She started to wring her hands, her mannerisms uncertain and nervous.

I couldn’t believe I was about to say it, but time changes things, including the attitudes and opinions of people. “I wanted to stop by and tell you to keep going to see Jennifer. I can’t be here as much as she needs, and she doesn’t deserve to be alone.”

She started moving her hands more quickly, shifting her feet. “I wasn’t sure if you’d approve of me seeing her.”

“I think that if you want to make up for what you allowed to happen in your home, the best place you can start is there. She’s the one whose forgiveness you need most. Not mine.”

“That’s true.” Carrie nodded, hands still working, feet continuing to shuffle. “I was told by the private investigator I hired that you didn’t want to see me.”

“I still don’t. Call this my personalized twelve step program.”

“Then at least hear me out. Give me a minute and listen to what I have to say.”

“Okay.” I planted my feet, determined to do as she asked. “Your minute starts now.”

“I was wrong. Everything I did was wrong. I allowed fear of a man to control my actions and thoughts. But you have to understand something. Ray was far worse to me than he ever was to you. Before we married, he was the man of my dreams. I had no idea what kind of monster he was until it was too late. He used to make me do the most horrible things.” She sobbed, breaking down. “You can’t imagine the things he made me do.”

“Oh.” I laughed without humor. “I think I can.”

“He used to make me—” She hesitated, swiping at her tears, and seemed to find the strength to continue. “I’m not going to tell you the things he did. I lived them, which is more than enough. I will tell you that by the time we fostered, he seemed to be in control of himself. I hoped it would be enough to make him see what he’d done in the past was wrong. I never knew what he’d do once he was around Jennifer. I never imagined he would see her as anything more than a child.”

With a strangled cry, she broke down—good and fucking proper. She cried so hard she couldn’t breathe, taking rough inhales before letting them out in horrific sobs. Her entire body was trembling, and I was pretty damned sure the quaking arms weren’t fake. It would have moved the most hard-core person, but not me. Not someone who had lived a life no child should because the woman before her was too chicken shit to do something about it.

I waited until she had control of herself before I spoke. “Carrie, I’m not going to bullshit you. I’m still angry at you. I still blame you. And I still think that you’re an absolute piece of shit.” Her new spray of tears didn’t stop me, not that they ever could. “But you’re trying to make up for what you’ve done, which is a hell of a lot more than I can say for most people. If you’re sincere in trying to make amends, do right by my sister. Make sure she receives the best care afforded to her. Do anything and everything in your power to see that she gets the best treatment possible, so that she at least has some chance at making a recovery.” Reaching into my pocket, I produced a piece of paper that contained the number to my cell. “If you can’t get her the help you feel she needs, call me. I’ll make sure it happens.”

When she finally calmed and accepted the piece of paper, I pivoted on my heel, ready to depart. I’d accomplished what I needed to by facing my past and forcing myself to balls up. While it didn’t feel as good as I thought it might, it was a start.

“Rhiannon?” Carrie’s voice was weak and shaky, as if she were liable to fall apart at any moment.

Turning in her doorway, I looked at her. “Yeah?”

“Don’t stay away from Jennifer so long. A few months ago, she broke out of her stupor, and there was only one thing she kept repeating over and over.”

When she didn’t say more, I prodded, “Which was?”

“Your name.” She continued crying, clutching the piece of paper. “Rhiannon.”

I thought nothing could possibly hurt as much as Disco’s betrayal, but damn it, I was wrong. Closing the door and walking down the cleanly manicured sidewalk, I kept myself numb, forcing my brain to function on autopilot.

Somehow I managed to leave Carrie’s home without breaking down, but once I made it to the first available bathroom—inside a nearby crusty gas station—I allowed myself to crumble, heaving into the nasty toilet until my stomach had nothing left to give. I sobbed uncontrollably into the grimy, unsanitized wall. When the last tear had fallen, I stood, walked to the sink, and washed my face.

As I wiped my fingers over my eyes, removing the traces of pain, I wished it could be just as easy to remove the scars of my past, the betrayal I wasn’t sure I could forgive, and the heavy ache in my heart.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Rhiannon’s Law # 7: Home is where you make it, and it doesn’t necessarily have to be a domicile where Betty Crocker is your mother. It can be any place you feel comfortable in your own skin. Be it a video arcade, a pool hall, or in my case, a local tittie bar.

Music blasted from the speakers, Diva Avari’s “Fucking Bitch” drowning out the hoots and hollers that came from the patrons when Cassie took the stage. As I predicted, she kept Lacey on her toes, upping the ante with her exotic looks, raven colored locks with streaks of red, and legs that didn’t stop working. The minute Lacey heard Cassie’s song of choice, she took it like the middle finger Cassie intended, and I grinned.

That was The Black Panther Club, always keeping things real.

“Bartender!”

Normally, the BP’s resident fat ass and loud mouth, Lonnie, would have made me angry. Now, he made me break out in a smile. I never thought I’d miss being treated like shit, but I did. This was my zone, the place I felt safe, and Lonnie was one of many reasons I was reminded of it.

Ambling over, I asked, “What can I get you Lonnie?”

True to form, he didn’t bother looking at me. “Crown and Coke.”

“Sure thing.”

I whipped up his drink of choice in no time, adding a little extra crown in his glass. Deena appeared from the back room just as I placed the drink in front of him. I could tell she was expecting some smart ass comment about how rude he was, or how much it grossed me out to see yet another stain on his otherwise pristine white T-shirt, but I didn’t take the bait. Nope, I was seeing things through entirely different eyes now.

“You okay?” She frowned when she didn’t get my usual tirade.

“Absolutely.” I smiled and strode past her when another patron strolled up, indicating he was ready for another round.

It had been a week since I’d went to see Jennifer, but it seemed a lot longer. I’d decided to take Deena up on her offer to crash at her place when I told her I needed a change of scenery, avoiding Disco, Goose, and Paine at all costs. Of course, I knew the time would come when my avoidance wouldn’t be accepted. It was cool, though, since I had my head on straight and my heart right where it was supposed to be. I was done being the idiot, the lovelorn fool, the stupid girl who forgot her mistakes and was therefore prone to repeat them.

“I need a double shot of Wild Turkey.” The man shoved his glass at me, and I took it without comment. So what if my world now revolved around assholes and hours spent studying in the New York Public Library?

It could be worse.

I filled his drink as requested, accepted his cash, and made my way to the ancient cash register that would nail you in the gut unless you got the hell out of the way when you hit the proper button. Once I’d stuffed the remainder in the tip jar, I went for the cloth under the counter to clean the bar. It was a fast moving night—a Saturday—and if I didn’t keep the counter clean it would be laden with sloppy messes from alcohol-impaired drunks in no time flat.

“Rhiannon!” Deena yelled and I looked up. “We need another keg of Samuel Adams.”

“I’m on it!” I tossed the cloth to its proper place and headed for the back.

My cell vibrated in my pocket, and I pulled it out to see it was Disco—again. The fluttering in my belly was something I couldn’t control, but what I decided to do next was. I didn’t answer, which had become commonplace. I’d speak to him when I was ready, in my own good time. We had issues to sort out, sure, but only after he’d had time to think about what he’d done.

I found the keg and hoisted it with ease. The pendant made things like that a lot easier. I knew I shouldn’t wear it as often as I did, but I figured as long as I didn’t willingly call on its power, it was all good.

As I placed the keg under the counter and attached it to the spout, I heard someone clear their throat. Glancing up, I came face to face with a good looking man about my age. He was gazing at me in a way I was used to, like a piece of candy ripe for the tasting.

“Need help with that, darlin’?”

“Nope.” I returned to the task at hand. “I’ve got it.”

I knew to avoid eye contact until he took the hint, and waited until he was no longer around before I surfaced from beneath the bar. I sighed in relief when I was asked for a refill on a beer and a shot of Hennessy.

Hector walked by as I placed the drinks at their destination, and he grinned and nodded. I wasn’t sure the boss man would allow me to return after all the shit I’d caused, but I was damned grateful that he had. It appeared that we both needed each other, whether we liked it or not.

Cassie’s song ended and I watched as she collected her earnings from the stage before vanishing behind the curtains. In a few minutes she’d be working the room, which meant I had to be on the lookout for a possible catfight. So far, Lacey and Cassie had managed to remain united in their common interests, but I knew it wouldn’t last. Each wanted to top the other at the end of the night, and right now, the scales were tipping in Cassie’s favor.

“Excuse me. Can I get a Grey Goose? Double shot.”

I turned around slowly, coming face to face with one of the three men I’d managed to avoid. Goose was smiling, as if no time had passed at all. If he was angry at me for not returning his calls it didn’t show.

“Sure,” I answered, returning his smile, and marched to make his drink. It didn’t take long to create his beverage of choice. When I placed it in front of him, he handed me a twenty and said the same thing he had a very long time ago. “Keep the change.”

“Thanks.” I turned to the register, cashed him out, and stuffed the remainder in the tip jar. I was tempted to return to the other end of the bar. Instead I walked over to him, resting my elbows on the counter.

“So how goes it?”

He laughed. “Do you really have to ask that question?”

“Let me guess.” I couldn’t totally erase the sarcasm from my voice. “You were sent here to check up on me?”

“Whatever clued you in?” He sat his glass on the counter.

“I don’t know, maybe the dozens of messages on my phone?”

He sighed, staring at his drink. “You can’t run from Gabriel forever.”

“Who said I was running?” When he glanced up, I smiled. “I’m just giving him a little of what he likes to dish out. It’s only fair.”

“He’s hurting, Rhiannon. He really is. He prowls that home of his night after night, and he’s restless. You need to talk to him and resolve what’s going on between you.”

I thought hearing about Disco’s agony would make mine easier. Unfortunately it made me feel worse. Yes, he’d done something atrocious, something totally unforgivable, but despite it all, I still loved the asshole bastard.

Not to mention, I wasn’t entirely innocent.

“I’ll talk to him—”

“When?” Goose asked before I could finish my sentence.

Unable to commit myself to an exact date, I shrugged. “Soon.”

Fortunately, our chitchat was interrupted, and I found myself running from one end of the bar to the next. It was to be expected on a Saturday. There was plenty of cash to blow and plenty of bubbly to go around. When I made it back to Goose, he had a folder in front of him.

“Want another round?”

“No, but if you want what’s inside this folder, you’ll agree to meet me when you’re off the clock.”

I eyed the folder dubiously. “And what’s so special that I’d be willing to do that?”

“The information you need on Marigold Vesta. It took a lot of time to gather it, but with Sonja’s help, I managed.”

I reached for the folder, but he pulled it away. “If you want it, come to Ruby’s Diner after you get off. It’s right around the corner.”

Narrowing my eyes, I grumbled, “I know where it’s at.”

“Then you’ll know where you can find this.” He waved the folder in the air and rose. “Good night, Rhiannon.”

“Wait a minute.” I reached over the counter and snagged his shirt. “How do I know you’re telling me the truth?”

He moved closer, until we were inches apart. “Did you know that the vampire, Kibwe, stole this amulet from his very own grandmother after he killed her? It’s considered a blood rite, which is the only way you can truly own the pendant. It has to be taken by force and cemented by the blood of the previous the owner. That’s how Kibwe amassed his powers. Before that he was only able to see spirits. That enough for you?”

I let him go and he shouldered his way through the crowd, quickly vanishing between the people. I glanced at the clock. It was only 12:30, which meant I had another hour and a half before I could go. Hector would have a bitch fit if I asked to leave, and Deena couldn’t tend the bar alone.

As I tried to forget about what Goose dangled in front of me and work the bar, Deena appeared, flushed and excited. “Hey, got a minute?” She nodded toward the back, and I followed her to the door.

“What’s up?”

“See that guy right there?” She pointed at the same man who had come onto me while I was working on the Samuel Adams.

“Yeah, I see him.”

“He wants to take me out after close. I don’t normally do that sort of thing, but look at him! I don’t want to say no, and since...”

My luck just kept getting better and better. “Since I’m sleeping on the couch, it’ll be put a kink in your plans?”

“Do you mind crashing at your place for one night? I promise not to ask again, but he’s so...so...”

“Fucktastic?” I grinned when she giggled and nodded. “No problem. It’s time for me to go home anyway.”

When I started to walk away, she grasped my arm. “Are you sure? I can tell him no.”

I shook my head. The truth was, returning to my apartment was a long time coming. I’d only avoided it so long because I was wimping out, and the time for acting like a pussy was over.

“I’m sure. You two have fun. It’s time to get back into a routine. I’m ready to get back to normal.”

She didn’t let go. “Only if you’re sure.”

I laughed, removing her fingers from my arm. “I’m positive. Now get back out there before Hector starts bitching.”

We returned to work, and it was a good thing we didn’t dally in the doorway. The crowd grew, more men and a few women eager for some T and A. I couldn’t help my gaze as it drifted to the clock over and over again. I wanted the information Goose had, but I wasn’t sure I was up for his questions or a heart to heart.

The phone vibrated against my ass again, but I didn’t bother checking the number. It was either Paine or Disco, I was certain of it. The only thing I could say in my defense was I did feel bad when it came to Paine, as I’d promised things would be different between us when I returned. As soon as I could get a better handle on things, I knew it was a promise I would have to keep. Unfortunately, I had no idea how to do that. Besides, I wasn’t even sure if Disco had told him all the intimate details of what transpired in the future.

More music blasted from the speakers, a mash up of the Eurythmics’ “Sweet Dreams” and The White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army” resounding through the club. I knew the dancer was Destiny without glancing up. She had a love of all things eighties, especially the music.

I watched her work the pole as men tossed bills at her, grinning when she did the weird thing with her double jointed thighs that allowed her to place her feet directly over her head. As expected, more money was thrown in her direction. It was her signature move, one no girl could replicate, and I felt it was worth every single penny.

“Excuse me again.”

I turned toward the voice of the man who had attempted to charm his way into my panties and, when turned away, found a way into Deena’s.

“What can I get you?”

“Well.” His voice dipped an octave, becoming husky. “Your friend said you were part-time roomies. I was wondering if you might be interested in a little three-way action.”

That wonderful control I’d so far maintained obliterated. Fucking with me was one thing. Fucking my friend was something else entirely.

I grinned at him, glanced at Deena from the corner of my eye, and whispered, “I don’t know. Let’s see.”

“Deena!” I screamed and he jerked back, obviously seeing where he’d screwed himself. “Can you come here a sec?”

“Wait, never mind.” He started backtracking, but it was too late. His chance of getting a piece of ass was long gone.

“What’s going on?” Deena looked from me to her dream lay, and I felt a bit guilty. Not that I wouldn’t call him out just the same.

“Loverboy here says he’s interested in a little three-way action.” I kept staring at the asshole in question, watching as he ducked his head. “I wanted to get your opinion first.”

I knew Deena well enough to move back when she grasped the Coke dispenser. It was a no-no to waste the cola, so she blasted him full on with water. I watched, awestruck and gleeful, as she coated him from head to toe in front of everyone. When she finished, she placed the dispenser back into its slot, grabbed some napkins, and threw them at his chest.

“Don’t bother wasting your time, asshole. Get the fuck out!”

When he didn’t move fast enough to appease her, she shrilled, “Cletus!”

The biggest and baddest bouncer in town didn’t ask questions, and he didn’t waste time. He parted the crowd like water, advanced on the soggy and drenched horny toad, and snagged him by the back of his collar.

“Out you go,” he said as he shoved him through the crowd.

“I’m so sorry.” Deena didn’t stay heartbroken long, which was one of the things I admired most about her. Like most men, she had no problems with one night stands or waking up alone. In fact, I think she preferred it. Thinking about her history with men made me feel slightly uncomfortable since now, really, I was no better.

“I just thought you should know.”

“Hell yes, I should know! What a fucking asshole! Can you believe that shit?”

She returned to work without another word, which was classic Deena. Nothing fazed her, which, again, was another thing I loved about the woman.

Before long, it was last call, and I was up to my neck in dirty glasses, a messy counter, and wet napkins. Butch and Cletus were already at work sweeping the floors, proving they were more than mere muscle and brawn. Everything felt perfect. This was something I could relate to, something I was familiar with. As I started swiping down the bar, Hector strolled over and pulled out a cigar.

“So,” he said, studying his spliff. “It’s nice to have you back.”

“That’s good to hear.” I lifted my head and grinned. “It’s good to be back.”

“Glad to hear it.”

Then, he was gone, walking away as he loosened his tie and prepared to count the take for the night. Hector was still the same too—a man of few words.

Just the way I liked him.

Epilogue

My stomach felt like it had been soaked in acid by the time I decided to leave the club and head to Ruby’s, but I was determined to collect Goose’s information. I was going to need it, since my own research skills were paltry and embarrassing. If this was stuff he’d discovered along with Sonja, it was sure to be good, and I couldn’t pass that up.

As I rounded the corner of the building and started for Ruby’s, I pulled my jacket closer to my chest. It was officially as cold as hell. No more skirts or ass kicking dresses. Nope, it was just me, in my jeans and shit kickers, which suited me just fine.

I saw the light from the diner just as I rounded the corner. As I started to cross the street something snagged me from behind. It was stupid on my part, since I should have put myself on alert the minute I left the bar, but I was so worried about what was inside the envelope that I hadn’t attuned to my senses, which left me in the clutches of a vampire.

“Remember me?”

As I was spun around, I came face to face with Evan, a vampire from my past who tried to mark me before Disco had the chance. He was still dressed in emo clothing, and he’d brought a few of his companions with him.

“You don’t want to do this,” I cautioned as they came closer. “You’ll be fucking with the biggest vampire in the city.”

“We won’t be around to worry about that. Consider this unfinished business.”

The pendant burned white hot against my skin, and I prepared to give Evan an ass kicking he would never forget, when a familiar voice asked, “Remember me?”

Paine clutched Evan by the throat, lifting him into the air, and broke his neck with a deft flick of his wrist. I watched, speechless, as Paine brought Evan back down and proceeded to turn his head, round and round, until his neck looked like a fucking corkscrew.

The moment Paine dropped Evan, the remaining vampires scattered, running for their lives. I gawked at Evan’s body, disgusted yet unable to turn away.

“Will that kill him?”

“If you sever the head, it will. I’m assuming that’s as close to severing a head as you can get. Besides”—he looked at me and tapped his temple—“I’ve seen the way he goes.”

“So that’s it?”

“For him? Yes, it is.”

Shaking my head, I forced my eyes away from the sight, knowing it would remain in my head for the rest of my life. “What are you doing here?”

“Ethan said he had something you needed. He asked me to deliver it.”

Damn Goose! Fucking ambush.

I extended my hand and sighed. “Then hand it over. It’s been a long night, and I’m ready to go home.”

“Go home where?” he asked softly. “You’ve not been home in over a week.”

“How would you know that?” I asked, curious despite myself. Maybe Disco had ordered him to stake out my place night after night.

“Why don’t we go into Ruby’s and talk?”

Taking a deep breath, I got up the nerve to ask, “How much has Disco told you?”

He seemed puzzled by the question, and his reaction was so immediate I knew it was genuine. “Only what he’s told the rest of the family. He’s refused to speak to anyone since you left, aside from inquiring on a status update on your whereabouts. He won’t speak to me, which is something I’ve never encountered before.”

“So you don’t know anything?”

“Anything about what, Rhiannon?”

I didn’t think it was possible for your heart to cramp, but the sensation I experienced was just like one. Paine didn’t know. He had no idea of what had transpired between us in the future. Somehow, I thought Disco would tell him. If anything, it would serve Disco right after what he’d done. Then again, maybe he’d been too afraid to tell Paine, too chicken shit to tell ripple effect master that I’d altered more than time; I’d also altered our relationship.

We stood under the glare of the streetlight for several minutes before Paine’s soft timbre broke through my thoughts. “How’s about a cup of coffee and the envelope you came to meet me for? Asshole here”—Paine nudged Evan’s body with his boot—“can wait until his friends return to retrieve his remains and clean up the mess.”

It felt like a stupid mistake, one I couldn’t take back, but if anything it was a start. Paine had to know the truth. I’d sworn things would be different between us, and now was the time to see that promise to fruition. I wasn’t sure if it meant we would become closer friends, or if we would drift further apart. All I was certain of was that my name had been called and it was time to do my speech, front and center, in the middle of class.

“Coffee and an envelope of knowledge sound good.”

We walked together, keeping a sliver of distance between us. As we stepped inside, I choose the booth at the far end of the establishment, wanting as much privacy as possible. Since it was late, that wasn’t too hard. Most of the people had taken a seat at the bar, eating hours old apple pie with their freshly brewed coffee.

When the waitress arrived at our table, I ordered two coffees, just to keep up pretenses. Paine wouldn’t touch the stuff, but since I had to stay awake for a while, I could take care of his mug as soon as I finished mine.

“You shouldn’t have stayed away so long.” Paine kept his voice hushed, elbows on the table, his head hovering near the center. “We’ve been worried about you.”

“I had things to take care of.” Not the total truth, but not a lie.

“So, this thing between you and Gabriel...”

He didn’t finish but sat up as the waitress brought our coffees and handfuls of creamer. She didn’t ask if we needed anything else as she placed paper wrapped silverware in front of us, which suited me just fine. I didn’t want her returning to our table any sooner than necessary.

Paine moved close again as I poured two creamers into my mug and dosed it with the sugar container. When finished, I ripped apart one of the napkins and used a dented spoon to swirl it together.

I debated on taking a sip when I realized that no amount of caffeine in the world would stop what I was about to do or change what I was about to say. As I gazed up, meeting his onyx eyes, I knew that no matter what happened from here on in, no matter what obstacles I was faced with, the future was one of my own choosing.

From here on in, I was calling all the shots.

Rhiannon’s Law #14: There is a reason the truth hurts. When you cease to feel the sting, it means you’ve stopped caring. And damn, wouldn’t that be a total fucking waste?

Taking a deep breath, I reached across the table, took Paine’s hands in mine, and started to talk.

Author’s Note

What a long, strange trip it’s been. I know it’s taken a long time (too long for many of you) for The Renfield Syndrome to arrive. For that, I apologize. This book was complex on many levels to create, compounded by an enormous amount of pressure to deliver more than the first book provided. I stalled, I hesitated, and I lost many a night of sleep thinking about what I wanted to do and where I wanted to go with The Rhiannon’s Law series. Writing The Renfield Syndrome was one of the most difficult things I’ve ever done, but the reward is staying true to my vision. I hope the wait was worth it and that you’ll return to check out The Ripple Effect next year. I’m doing everything in my power to up the ante and keep the momentum going. Rhiannon refuses to settle for anything less.

Thank you for your continued support, emails, and patience. It means more to me than I can possibly put into words. The first chapter of The Ripple Effect has been included as a teaser. Continue reading if you'd like to have a glimpse of what you can expect in the next installment.

All My Best,

Jaime AKA J.A. Saare

The Ripple Effect

Chapter One

Rhiannon’s Law #47: It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to be MacGyver. Many household products can be used as an explosive device or weapon. All it takes is a little imagination. Or, in the situation I was currently in, blind fucking luck.

I managed to snag the can of Raid and a long, extended lighter I’d been running for a split second before my ass connected with cheap linoleum flooring. I turned, got a visual, and aimed the spout of the flammable contents at my attacker. My hands remained steady when I placed the lighter in front of roach-be-gone and studied the possessed canine.

“Don’t make me do it,” I warned, flicked on the lighter, and prepared to press down on the plastic nozzle affixed to the container.

The dog charged and I went for broke. The flame created by my quick thinking was impressive. The demented beast yelped and backed away as fire scorched its muzzle. A part of me would have felt guilty if the damned thing wasn’t so eager to rip out my throat. I went for the gun tucked in the back of my jeans the minute the dog backed away. It snorted several times, sized me up, and I knew only one of us was going to make it out of the kitchen alive.

“Sorry, pooch.”

When the raging beast rushed me again, I leveled my Ruger and squeezed the trigger. My aim was dead on, and I hit the large mutt directly between the eyes. It dropped to the floor and didn’t even twitch. There was a moment of silence before loud crashes came from the adjoining room.

“Rhiannon!” Goose screamed.

“I’m coming, I’m coming,” I yelled and strode past the puppy taking a dirt nap.

For the umpteenth time, I questioned why I had agreed take this job with Goose. I knew it wouldn’t be easy. We were dealing with a ghost that wasn’t a ghost, but an entity who had taken up the entire house we’d been hired to exorcise. At the time, the money offered was too good to pass up. Now, with bloody bite marks and scrapes on my arms, legs, and face, I was beginning to wonder if it wouldn’t have been smarter to pick up a few extra shifts at The Black Panther.

“Rhiannon!” Goose was really panicking now. His voice was closer, indicating he was hauling ass in my direction.

“Keep your panties on!” I snapped and rushed around the corner. Goose looked about as bad as I did. His nose was busted and his chest was covered in blood.

“It’s coming, right now.” There was a sobering amount of fear in his expression, not that I could blame the poor bastard. He was the hook. I was the ace in the hole. “Do you have everything? Do you remember what to do?”

“I did my homework, remember?” I reached inside the holster pouch under my arm, retrieved the salt inside, and went for the butterfly knife in my pocket.

Something invisible barreled into Goose and knocked him back several feet. He hit the wall across from me and slid down the grimy wallpaper before he started to writhe and thrash. It was like a seizure, which I anticipated. The fucking entity was taking over the only person in the house who wasn’t blessed by the church.

Poor Goose, I could only imagine how it felt to be possessed.

When he went still, I rushed to him, snagged his arm, and dragged his heavy ass to the center of the room. I only had a minute or so before the entity took over completely.

The clock was ticking.

I grasped the knife, cut into the meaty portion of my palm, and made a fist. Blood oozed between my fingers and splattered on the carpet. I walked around Goose’s body, making a large circle. When that was done, I grabbed the container of salt and poured it on top of my blood. After I finished, I released a trembling breath and put the salt in my satchel and the knife in my pocket.

There, it was done. I was about to banish the thing that wouldn’t die to the other side—signed, sealed, and delivered.

The entity took over completely and Goose sat upright. It was frightening to see my partner and close friend’s face distort into an evil grin with drool streaming down the side of his chin.

“Bitch, do you think you can contain me?” he asked and rose to his feet. I smirked until he stepped right past the barrier of salt and blood.

Oh shit.

“I’m going to kill you.” Goose leered, his sidelong glance malicious.

“You wouldn’t be the first to tell me that.” I quickly composed myself and tried to figure out what the hell to do. When Goose and I had planned this, there was no warning that the damned thing we were facing would be strong enough to break through a binding circle.

Damn. I really should have taken a few extra shifts at the club instead of coming here.

The large knife attached to my belt began to thrum, the magic inside of it so strong that I could feel the outline of the damned thing through my pants. For a moment I considered bringing Sucker—the nickname I gave the bloodthirsty blade that was strong enough to kill an angel or a demon—out to play. Then I focused on Goose. He looked horrible. The thing inside him had distorted his handsome features, and there was more rage in his eyes than I’d ever seen. I couldn’t kill the entity without killing him. That meant I had to get the fucking thing out of him pronto.

“Sorry, Goose.” I took a step toward the friend I was about to beat the shit out of. Whatever I did, I had to do it fast. The sooner Goose lost consciousness, the sooner I could deal with the entity.

The first punch to his jaw sent him staggering. When he righted himself, he came at me. He reared back and brought his fist toward my face. I pivoted, turned, and knocked his hand away. He whipped around and I decked him again, right in the center of his nose. My knuckles cracked with the blow, but he didn’t go down. Blood streamed from his nostrils, staining his shirt. His eyes were wild when they homed on me. I noticed his pupils were dilated, the warm chocolate brown irises almost absent.

Fuck.

I wasn’t going to be able to do this half-assed. Goose was going to be black and blue for days.

I waited until he charged, moved to the side, and jumped onto his back. After I got my arms in the right position around his neck, I started applying steady pressure. He thrashed and spun beneath me, trying to knock me loose. I wrapped my legs around his waist and held on for dear life. He was so much stronger than I imagined.

“Kill you,” he rasped and grasped at my hair.

“A total girl fighter,” I grumbled and winced as he got handful and yanked.

He started moving around the room with me on his back, swinging his free arm madly as he continued spinning in a circle. The back of his knees hit the arm of the couch and back we went, a tumbling mass of arms and legs. The cushions padded our fall, but it still hurt when Goose landed on top of me. My grip loosened and he used my weakness to his advantage. His elbow connected with my ribs, hard enough that I was pretty sure he’d bruised a rib. The moment I let him go, he was off the couch. I rolled from the cushions, landed on the carpet, and crouched. Goose was standing several feet away, chest heaving. Bubbles formed around his nose with each breath, causing more blood to dribble down his lips.

Jesus. This thing, whatever it was, wasn’t going down easy. It was supposed to be a simple entity, a creature imprinted onto a building and therefore able to possess all of the souls who were unblessed that crossed the threshold. Somehow I had a feeling Goose had missed something very important during his research.

He jumped at me and I countered the movement, taking a step back. He grinned, threw back his head, and started to laugh. It wasn’t Goose’s usual laugh. It was more of a demented cackle. When he lowered his head, he studied me in a way that made my skin crawl. I never wanted to see that kind of look in Goose’s eyes ever again.

He pointed at the knife on my hip. “You’re not willing to kill my host, so I suggest you leave.”

I stood my ground. “I’m not leaving without him.”

“If I let you leave and take him with you, you would return, wouldn’t you?”

Talk about a tough question. Me? I never wanted to step foot inside this shit heap again. Goose? He’d find another way to go at this thing and try to do his job. Not only did he get paid for it, the freaky bastard also enjoyed it. No doubt he’d find it a challenge—even if trying to solve the mystery killed his curious ass.

“I take your pause as a yes.”

“I wouldn’t willingly come back here, but I can’t say the same for my partner. I didn’t think you’d appreciate any bull, so I decided not to shit.”

“You’re smarter than you look.” Goose sized me up, and I didn’t like it. Having your best friend look at you in a sexual manner is all kinds of creepy.

I tried not to let my revulsion show. “And you are such a charmer.”

“It seems that we are at an impasse.” Goose steepled his fingers. “Unless you are willing to negotiate.”

“Negotiate?” I knew this wouldn’t be good or come out in my favor.

“Remove the blessing that hovers over you. I want your body in place of his.”

“Oh, hell no.” Let that thing inside me? Not in this lifetime.

For the first time since we’d entered the house, I regretted my decision to leave Marigold Vesta’s amulet in my apartment. Goose had given me grief for the last two weeks about the necklace and refused to do any jobs as long as it was on my person. Right now the power the amulet granted me would be more than welcome.

“Then we continue until one of you dies.”

Goose came at me again. There was no hesitation. He was going to kill me if I let him. He wrapped his hands around my throat and backed me into a wall. His steps allowed me to situate my knee firmly between his legs. It was a damned shame I was about to crush his jewels, but it was better than pulling out the gun or either of my knives. His eyes rolled back in his head the moment I hit sacred ground. He didn’t cry out, he just hunched over and grasped his balls.

“Sorry, Goose.” I snagged a handful of his hair, bawled my fist, and punched him in the face. He didn’t go down right away, so I kept going—pounding into his cheek and jaw—until he was belly down on the ground. Once he was there, I gave him a couple of solid kicks in the side. He pulled himself into a fetal position, and I hated myself for being the cause.

“Okay, you fucking piece of shit.” I buried my fingers in the holster pouch that was usually used for ammo, found the small vial with the sand that would cost me almost a year’s worth of rent, and removed it. “I’ve had about enough of this.”

I retrieved my butterfly knife from my pocket and cut my injured hand. I went too deep into the tissue and muscle, but I was too angry to care. The moment blood started to flow I placed my knife between my teeth and walked around Goose. The lid to the vial came open easily, and I poured the sand from one hand as I continued bleeding profusely from the other. After the new circle was closed, I tossed the empty vial to the floor and took the knife from my mouth.

“I bind you to this circle with my blood and will. You cannot pass.”

Goose stirred and slowly lifted his head. “You’re incapable of such a thing. This entire domain is my prison. I can come and go as I please. You hold no power here.”

“Really?” I almost crossed myself and said a prayer before I bluffed. “Then show me. Haul your ass out of that circle. If you can do it, I’ll make the trade. Me for him.”

Goose started crawling and I held my breath. The sand was directly from The Church of the Holy Sepulchre: the very place Christians claimed Jesus died. It was a hell of a lot stronger than salt and, I was hoping, would get the job done. If not I was out more than fifteen grand, my pride, and a job.

The moment Goose’s hand came in contact with the sand he hissed and snatched his fingers away. I wanted to jump up and down and ask the entity who the big shot was now. Too bad I was too fucking tired. Glancing down at my hand, I knew why. The cut I’d inflicted needed some serious stitches. You could see the flesh all the way down to the tendon.

I was bleeding all over the place.

I walked to the bag Goose had deposited next to the cage with the zombie cat inside and removed a towel. We’d already buried the damned thing and performed all the necessary rituals to return it to life. I would have laughed if the situation wasn’t so fucked up. I didn’t like sacrificing a pitiful parakeet—and bitched up a storm about it—to revive the cat when we summoned it from the grave. I could care less now. It was all about checks and balances.

I opened the cage—smearing blood along the stainless steel bars—and retrieved the hissing feline. It struggled in my arms, clawing viciously.

Then I held my mangled hand to its mouth.

“You now do my bidding, bound to obey me by blood.”

The cat went at my wound like it would have to cream in its former life. I let it get in several licks, waiting until it stopped hissing and calmed. It was difficult, but I managed to keep the cat under my arm and wrap a towel around my hand, stanching the blood flow. I walked back to Goose and hellish thing possessing him. He had his eyes screwed shut, which told me the fucking thing inside him wasn’t stupid. It knew what I planned to do and wanted to avoid it.

I placed the cat in front of me, grabbed Goose by the hair, and ordered, “Open your eyes.”

The moment the entity complied, it met the stare of the reanimated feline. I released Goose, grasped the furball by the scruff of the neck, and removed the blade at my side. The hilt vibrated in my palm, eager and hungry. Sucker wanted blood but would have to wait. I needed the power it contained for something else at the moment. The instant Goose collapsed, the cat went crazy. In situations like these, you had to trap an entity inside something that was already dead in order to truly finish it off. The moment it entered the cat, it became trapped in death, not the life it loved to travel to and from.

“See you in Hell,” I whispered and forced the struggling cat to its side. The blood inside the decaying body didn’t appease the blade, so it was cake to remove the cat’s head. The moment it was done, the dark presence I’d felt the moment I crossed the threshold into the house vanished.

It was over.

Thank you God.

I swayed as lightheadedness overcame me and black speckles marred my vision. How long had it been since I was this weak? I knew the answer, even if I wanted to deny it. This afternoon was the first time I’d done anything dangerous without the amulet in my possession. Right now I was just a necromancer with her normal abilities. Blackness rose to claim me, but I fought it. I shook my head, trying to ward off the danger of slumber.

I toppled forward and landed beside my partner in crime—Ethan McDaniel, AKA Goose: paranormal investigator and the one person I needed to learn to tell no. Blinking rapidly, I tried to stop the world from spinning. This was the thanks I got for agreeing to work part-time with a close personal friend. He’d said it was a great learning experience, but so far it had been nothing more than a pain in my ass.

I heard the front door open and tried to make it to my feet. Before I could accomplish that, a large set of hands grasped my shoulders and flipped me over. Paine gazed down at me with concern. I would have said something cocky to remove the worry in his expression, but my tongue was too heavy inside my mouth. After he checked Goose’s neck for a pulse, he looked me over, stopped at my haphazardly bandaged hand, and frowned.

“Damn it. I knew you and Ethan should have waited for me. Why don’t you ever listen?” He sighed, cradled me against his chest, and put a wrist to his mouth. I wanted to tell him I’d be fine as soon as I got home and used the amulet, but it was useless. After he scored his skin and his blood began to flow, he placed the twin punctures to my mouth. “Don’t make this harder than it has to be. You’ll drink willingly or I’ll force my blood down your throat.”

It had been weeks since I’d taken vampire blood; I didn’t need it when I wore the amulet. The powerful token was enough to heal my wounds and keep me out of harm’s way. Now I didn’t have any other option but to take what Paine offered. His blood splashed against my tongue, slightly citrusy and sweet. I swallowed compliantly until the cuts in my hands started to tingle, signaling his blood was already hard at work mending my wounds. He didn’t fuss when I pulled away, which was an added bonus. Paine and I had developed a friendship—perhaps something more—which was compacted by the bond we shared. Since we’d taken each other’s blood, I was able to perceive his anger and worry.

“We’re fine.” I swiped at the remaining blood on my lips. “Goose took a beating, but he’ll be okay.”

“Yeah, you both look fine to me.” His onyx eyes saw far more than I wanted them to, so I quickly looked away. Yes, he was a friend. But the things that had transpired between us complicated matters.

“The entity was tied to the building, so the normal binding circle didn’t work.” I accepted the hand he offered. Once he helped me to my feet, he placed his hands on my waist. “I had to use holy sand.”

When I stumbled, Paine snaked his arm around me and pulled me into his chest. His face was so close I could feel his cool breath against my nose. We stood together, so temptingly aware of each other. I’d tried to maintain a relationship that didn’t go beyond friendship, and Paine tried to do the same. He knew I was still in love with his best friend—Disco, my former lover, the vampire I was marked by and beholden to, and the man I wanted to forgive despite my inability to do so. However, Paine also knew that he and I had done something together that couldn’t be taken back. Something he couldn’t recall. His future self was nothing like his present one, even if both versions wanted me in the same way.

As if it was preordained, the very vampire I had managed to avoid for weeks stepped into the house and caught Paine and I in a very compromising position. It was the first time I’d seen Disco since he’d invaded my mind without consent, broken my heart and trust in the process, and placed an enormous wall between us. I would have released Paine if the bond with Disco didn’t swamp me, surrounding me in waves of love, fury, and jealousy. It was something I wasn’t accustomed to. Disco usually kept the mark between us closed.

“Get away from her,” Disco growled and strode into the room. He was clothed in his usual black ensemble, making his honey blonde hair all the brighter, his aquamarine eyes more prominent in the dim lighting of the room.

Paine didn’t budge. “She was hurt. I’m waiting for my blood to heal her.”

Disco advanced, using long, catlike strides. It wasn’t fair. A part of me wanted to run into his arms, hold him close, and never let go. Self preservation and harsh memories made me want to kick him in the nuts and get as far away as possible. When he was within range, he forced Paine aside and reached for me. I couldn’t help my instinctive reaction; I jerked away from his touch and took several steps back.

“You have nothing to fear from me. You know that.” I felt Disco’s guilt and realized he’d opened the mark between us so that I could sense if he lied. He wanted me to know everything he was feeling, so I was aware his emotions were genuine.

“No, I used to think that. I’m not the stupid woman I once was, and I’m not big on second chances. They usually result in a person being fucked over.” I met his infuriated gaze and didn’t flinch. “I don’t like being fucked over any more than you. We both remember the outcome.”

Goose groaned and Disco turned away from me. He kneeled beside my fallen partner and rolled him over. Goose was Disco’s familiar too, bound to him by blood. Disco took one look at Goose’s face and his jaw clenched. He didn’t say a word as he mirrored what Paine had done for me—opening a vein at his wrist and pressing it to Goose’s mouth. As soon as Goose started to drink, Disco lifted his head and stared at me again. There was so much pain in his eyes, so much hurt. I was the cause of his misery, but he was the facilitator.

“Tell me what happened.”

It wasn’t a request, so I sighed and explained the entire ordeal to Disco and Paine. When I finished, they exchanged a brief look.

“The next time you decide to take on a job like this,” Disco said, watching me closely, “you will wait for me to accompany you.”

“I already told her that,” Paine muttered.

I folded my arms across my chest. “And what do you think you could have done? The thing wasn’t a ghost, and it was only vulnerable when it resided in a zombie host. Or did you just want to stand around and look pretty?”

Disco moved from Goose and would have stopped directly in front of me if Paine didn’t counter his action and block his path. “Calm down,” Paine said, lowering his voice to a whisper I was sure he didn’t want me to hear. “You’ve waited weeks to see her. Don’t fuck this up because you can’t control your emotions.”

“If you want me to keep my emotions under control, stay away from her.” Disco didn’t bother being discreet. As he spoke to Paine, he looked directly at me.

Talk about a reunion I never expected. I understood Disco’s jealousy. When I’d made a trip into the future to sever Disco’s debt with a demon, I never expected to return to my own time. Too many things prevented it—including the fact that Disco was dead in the futuristic version of hell. In the grips of grief, I’d sought to comfort Paine, never believing that I’d see the man I loved again. To my relief and horror, I learned I could return. Only it was too late to turn back the clock and erase the night Paine and I had taken comfort in each other’s arms. Although Paine was aware of what had transpired, technically he was innocent of any wrong doing. Hell, he didn’t even know the specifics of what had occurred between us. Despite his prodding to know more, I’d given him just enough information to get the point across.

Unfortunately, Disco didn’t care about any of that. He was hurt and infuriated by what we’d done, so much so that he’d destroyed the trust between us that he’d taken so much time to nurture. I knew he regretted his actions, because I’d shared his grief and shame after the fact. Still, I was now terrified of the man I loved. It was the strangest thing to hate someone you also cared for so deeply.

“You know I can’t do that.” Paine didn’t look at me when he said it, but I felt how torn he was. We were friends, sure. But Paine wouldn’t be adverse to us taking our friendship beyond a platonic level. “I won’t let you hurt her again.”

I tried to keep my own emotions in check, aware they both could sense them. I knew that there was tension between Disco and Paine, but I didn’t realize just how much. Suddenly the time I’d spent developing a friendship with Paine while I shunned Disco didn’t seem like a very good idea. Obviously, Disco still considered us a couple. Transgressions of the past were apparently nothing more than a bump in the road, something he felt we would overcome.

“Take Ethan home.” Disco’s voice was softer now. “I won’t hurt her.”

Paine didn’t move or speak for several seconds. Then he moved closer to Disco, until they were chest to chest. “Don’t push her any more than you already have. She saved your life and will eventually suffer for it. She deserves better.”

I considered informing them that I was standing right there until Paine’s words reminded me of the consequences for my actions. He warned me something awful would happen since I’d fucked with fate. Disco was supposed to die, and I prevented it. So to keep a balance, I’d have to endure something to teach me the error of my ways. For Paine, it was the loss of a beloved pet that gave him the only companionship he’d known in years. As for me, well, I was still waiting to find out.

Disco nodded and Paine pivoted to me. “I’m only a phone call away. If you need me, don’t hesitate.”

I smiled, but it was forced. “You got it.”

Paine took a step back, bent down, and scooped Goose into his arms. I wanted to shift my feet, move away, or find some reason to leave. Avoiding Disco had been easy when he’d attempted to call me or visited the club. All I had to do was let his calls roll over to voice mail or duck into the storage room behind the bar. Now there was nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. Disco remained where he was until Paine exited the house with Goose. It took every bit of my willpower to keep my feet planted as he came closer.

“Forgive me.” I knew Disco would never beg, but those two words came pretty damned close. “I never should have done what I did. I’ve regretted it every single day since you left.”

My heart skipped a beat and I closed my eyes. “I know.”

“Then why haven’t you returned my calls?” He was so close I could smell the tantalizing fragrance of cinnamon and cloves. “Why haven’t you allowed me to make amends?”

I opened my eyes and met his gaze. He’d stopped mere inches away, close enough that I could touch him. There was no chance in hell that I’d tell him I’d listened to every single one of the messages he left because I couldn’t deny my need for him. Like a love sick girl, I’d replayed every voice mail on nights when the loneliness was too much to bear. When I woke from dreams of the times spent in his arms before everything turned to shit, it was his voice I most wanted to hear. At times, even if I couldn’t stop myself from picking up the phone and listening to his soft, alluring baritone, I hated myself for it.

“Because I don’t know if I want to. I don’t know if I can trust you.”

He started to reach out to me. Then, as if he remembered my previous reaction, he yanked his hand away. “You still think I’m no better than him, don’t you?”

Him. Meaning my former foster father. The pedophile had ruined my childhood and destroyed my foster sister. I’d never thought another man could come close to inflicting the harm that Ray had upon me, until Disco used his ability to break every barrier in my mind and force me to relieve every moment I’d endured while living under Ray Shaw’s roof.

“I don’t know what I think.” I stepped past him to start collecting the items Goose and I had brought into the house.

I’d just grabbed the head and body of the dead cat when Disco asked, “Do you still love me?”

Due to our connection, he already knew the answer. I was aware on some level that he wanted to hear it aloud, to know how I felt with absolute certainty.

“You know I do, but it’s not that simple.” I stood and walked to the cage to place the cat inside.

“Then make it that simple. All you have to do is give me a chance to show you that I will never break your trust or hurt you again.”

“That’s the problem. I did give you that chance.” I closed the cage and picked up the bag next to it. Facing him, I hiked the satchel over my shoulder. “You went through all of my memories by force. You know everything there is to know about me. I don’t have any secrets anymore. There is nothing that has happened in the past twenty-five years of my life that you aren’t aware of. Did you honestly think it would be as easy as saying you’re sorry? Or did you think that because you’re the first man I’ve ever loved that it would give you some kind of an advantage?”

“I don’t expect it to be easy. I’m ready to do whatever it takes. I want you back in my life.” He moved with the speed of his kind and stopped in front of me. “You can’t imagine how much I’ve missed you.”

Probably as much as I’ve missed you. “I need more time.”

He ran his fingers through his hair. “I’m afraid circumstances beyond my control have made that impossible.” He exhaled and lowered his hand. “Marius is coming home.”

I blinked at that, caught off guard. Fuckedy, fuck, fuck.

“Marius? As in your sire, Marius?”

“He knows what happened with Graham Tavish. He’s traveling here to get both sides of the story.”

“Both sides of the story? Is he aware that Graham tried to have you killed?”

“He is, and he’s also aware that you killed Graham because of it.” There was no anger or animosity in Disco’s eyes when he looked at me, only love and concern. “You destroyed a half-demon and controlled all of the vampires under his power while you did it. That’s caused quite a stir, Rhiannon. I could only keep it under wraps for so long.”

I tried not to panic. After all, what was done was done. I wasn’t finished as far as half-demon killing was concerned. “How much does he know?”

“He knows everything, apart from what transpired between us.” When I narrowed my eyes he said, “He’s my maker. I can only keep so many secrets from him.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means that we have to come to an understanding. Marius knows how I feel about you, and since you killed a half-demon to save my life he knows the feeling is mutual.” Disco reached out again and, though I flinched, I allowed him to envelop my elbows with his hands. “He can’t know that a chasm exists between us.”

“Why is that?” My voice betrayed me, my words coming out shaken as a result of his touch.

“The half-demons who exist in the mortal realm want you dead. Marius’s maker is a half-demon, and Marius has convinced him that you acted to defend your master. If Revenald has any reason to believe that our relationship is false or that your feelings have changed, he’ll view you as a threat.”

I am a threat, I thought. As soon as I came face to face with Victoria Delcroix, Graham Tavish’s half-sister, I planned on sending her to Hell with her brother. If I didn’t, she would try and take over the world and create a future in which humans were nearly extinct.

“What do you need me to do?” It was difficult not to move closer to Disco, to allow his scent and presence to surround me like a comforting child’s blanket.

“Put your trust in me, even if it isn’t there yet. You need to move into my home and show Marius that the love we feel for each other isn’t something I created to keep you safe.”

The thought of going anywhere near Disco’s home terrified me. Once I was prepared to throw away my isolated existence and explore something more with him, ready to pack my bags and give our relationship a chance at permanency. All it took was one night in his bed, under his total control, to discover it wasn’t a place I felt safe. I shuddered as I recalled the violation of him forcing himself into my memories.

“I don’t know if I can do that.”

“You have to.” His breath caressed my mouth, swamping me with a need I had long denied.

I took a step back, pulling away from him. “I have a lot of work to do. In case you’ve forgotten, I have to repay a debt to a fallen angel.”

Marigold Vesta had returned me to the present time to save Disco, but it didn’t come without a price. If I didn’t find her resting place and return her to the land of the living, I would have to offer my own body as a vessel. She would take over my mortal form while my soul took a trip to Heaven or Hell.

“Listen to me.” Disco grasped my arm and tugged me close. “If Marius believes for one moment that you’re a danger to our kind, you won’t have to worry about your debt. He’ll try to kill you, and I’ll be forced to do whatever it takes to keep you safe.” His voice dipped an octave, thick with emotion. “I won’t allow anyone or anything to harm you, even if it means going head-to-head with my maker. Do you understand what I’m telling you, love?”

Damn him. The endearment sent shivers down my spine. “He’s older than you.”

“He is.” Disco moved closer, until our hips touched.

I closed my eyes, breathing him in. “And stronger.”

“That too.”

“You care for him.” I sagged in his embrace, allowing him to hold me.

“I do,” he whispered against the top of my head. “But I love you. I never stopped loving you.”

Despite the nagging voice that warned me I was going to make a monumental mistake, I caved. I didn’t save Disco’s life only to place him in danger. Older vampires were far more formidable. Still, that didn’t mean I had to be totally stupid about things.

“I have a few stipulations.”

“Name them.”

“I’ll stay at your home until Marius leaves. After that, it’s back to my apartment.” I could already hear his brain churning. Knowing Disco, he thought he could change my mind.

“If that’s what you want,” he said softly. “What else?”

“I have a lot of work to do.” Christ, could my voice get any deeper? I tried to get my hormones under control and continued, “Between working at the BP and searching for Marigold’s resting place, I won’t be home a lot.”

“Actually, Marius might be able to help you. He has a lot of connections and his maker is a half-demon. He’s indicated he would assist us in severing your debt and wiping the slate clean.”

There was something else Disco wasn’t telling me, I could feel his hesitation due to the opened marks between us. “There’s more, isn’t there?”

“He wants you to destroy the knife.” I tried to pull away, but he kept me close. “It’s the true threat to half-demons. Once it’s gone, Marius can leave and put all of this behind us.”

Sucker was the only thing that could kill a half-demon, so it made sense they’d want me to destroy the blade. Created from a pact between a demon and an angel, the blood that instigated the dagger’s craving had also made it strong enough to behead a demon—something a normal weapon wasn’t capable of. Too bad I’d grown attached to the knife. Even if Sucker demanded its fair share of blood daily, I felt it was more than worth the sacrifice.

I couldn’t lie to Disco considering the danger, so I didn’t try. “I can’t promise that.”

“I had a feeling you were going to say that. We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.” He ran his hand down the length of my hair. “Anything else?”

“You and Paine have to stop going at each other.” This time he tried to pull away, but I kept him against me, speaking into his chest. “He’s become a close friend to me. That’s it. There is nothing more between us. You’re going to have to accept that he’s done nothing wrong. What happened is on me. The fighting between you is causing problems, and Marius will know it.”

“I don’t like him anywhere near you.” Disco’s voice was laced with venom. “Just knowing what you did together eats me up inside.”

“That’s just it. He didn’t do anything,” I reminded him. “The Paine of the future is not the Paine here and now. You’re going to have to cut him some slack.”

Disco ripped free of my embrace. I’d seen him this angry once before—when he’d learned I’d been with another man and forcibly entered my mind. It was then that he learned the man was none other than Paine—a future version of his best friend, but Paine nonetheless. The memory of that night came rushing back, along with the misery I’d endured at Disco’s hands. Fear assailed me. I took several steps back and reached for the knife at my side. Disco glanced at me and his expression changed. The outrage marring his features became sadness. I lowered my hand when I realized I was prepared to fight the man I loved and detested.

“He wants you,” Disco said quietly. “If he thought there was a chance you would consider him more than a friend, he’d sever our ties and do whatever it took to make you his.”

“I don’t feel that way about Paine.” I cared for Paine deeply—even loved him in my own way—but it was nothing in comparison to the feelings I had for the vampire before me.

Disco looked at me through his long, dark lashes. “I know that, but it doesn’t make it any easier for me.”

“That makes two of us.”

We stood across from each other, so close that all it would take was a few steps to separate the gap. Sadly, neither of us moved. The pain was too fresh, the betrayal too deep.

Disco slid his hands into the pockets of his trench coat. “Are there any other stipulations I should know about?”

“Just one.”

“Which is?”

I picked up the pet carrier, reminded myself that I had to be strong, and looked him in the eye. “I might be staying at your home while Marius is here, but that doesn’t mean we’re picking up where we left off.” I stepped past him, started walking toward the door, and called over my shoulder, “If we share a room, I’m calling dibs on the bed. You can sleep on the floor.”

About the Author

J.A. Saare is a multi-published author in varying genres and has written stories featured in horror magazines, zombie romance anthologies, and flash fiction contests. Her work has a notable dark undertone, which she credits to her love of old eighties horror films, tastes in music, and choices in reading, and have been described as “full of sensual promise,” “gritty and sexy,” and “a breath of fresh air.”

Currently she is penning numerous projects within the urban fantasy, erotic and contemporary, and of course, paranormal romance categories. Her website is www.jasaare.com Those interested in her "naughtier" side can visit her alias, Aline Hunter, at www.alinehunter.com.

Table of Contents

Title page