ã€ŠCoveted (Gwen Sparks #3)ã€‹


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    Chapter One

    I held myself rigid, aloof, as I stood in front of Aiden. I did my best to hide the crumbling, fragile woman hiding just beneath the surface. Could he see her? Was the disguise I wore translucent, fooling no one but me? It¡¯d been a week since I last spoke to or saw Aiden. In that time I¡¯d thrown a pity party or two, but I was getting better¡ªstronger. Or at least I told myself I was. The pain of Aiden¡¯s betrayal stemmed not just from that of a deceived lover, but also a friend. For two years I¡¯d known the man standing in front of me. We¡¯d teased, argued and confided in one another. It was that friendship that grew into a romance. However short it¡¯d been, it¡¯d been real.Advertisement

    Aiden was charismatic with his playful grin. His tousled black hair hung across his forehead, peeking over his thick lashes and curtaining his bright blue eyes. He was a masterpiece, and he¡¯d been mine. But just like any work of art, oftentimes tragedy clung to it. Aiden¡¯s particular tragedy was his addiction to witches¡¯ blood, or Brew as the vampires call it. Maybe it was an honest mistake¡ªhis addiction. Or one birthed from too much pride. It didn¡¯t matter how old, or young, the vampire was, Brew took no prisoners. Aiden wasn¡¯t any different. As soon as the magic-infused blood hit his tongue it owned him.

    I learned that during his stint as a Brew addict, not only had he killed a witch out of bloodlust, but he¡¯d known what my enemy was planning and didn¡¯t tell me. The witch¡¯s death stemmed from the addiction. The deceit about Ian Despereaux¡¯s plan was just plain greed. As a spirit walker, I¡¯m connected to the realm of the dead. Within the shadowy world, demons lurk.Vampirism is a virus, a demonic virus. The devil, a fallen angel, made his own children¡ªvampires¡ªto feed off God¡¯s¡ªhumans. Long story short, since I can pop into the realm of the dead, where not only ghosts live but demons too, I am connected to them.

    Because of this, Ian thought I could be turned into what is known as a hybrid¡ªhalf vampire, half witch. I still wasn¡¯t sure if there was any truth to his wild idea, but it was enough to entice Aiden¡¯s curiosity. He¡¯d seen an opportunity for me to share an eternity with him. The ironic thing was that in his hopes of keeping me forever, he¡¯d lost me.

    I¡¯d promised to meet him tonight. But the longer I stayed in his presence, the more I realized it was a bad idea. I could have just as easily said what I had to say via email or text. God help me, but those blue eyes and full lips still got to me. I¡¯m not a stupid, careless woman, or at least I try not to be. I knew damned well that just because a lion looks cuddly doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯ll allow you to snuggle up to it. I only wish I¡¯d made the connection before giving my heart to one. Vampires are, for a lack of a better word, predators. The virus that runs through their bloodstream is tainted with centuries of evil. That¡¯s not to say that all vampires are evil; most are not. But it¡¯s like a zebra trying to change its stripes. As much as they want to, their DNA will not allow for change. Somewhere beneath Aiden¡¯s magnificent good looks lay something so much uglier¡ªtemptation. That kind of pull will cause a person to do all sorts of crazy things. For a vampire? It could be disastrous. It¡¯s what separates the ¡°good¡± vampires from the bad. The difference between the two was only as strong as their willpower.

    Now, I know it sounds like I¡¯ve jumped on the bandwagon in the ¡°Hating Vampire Campaign¡±, but it¡¯s so much more than that. I don¡¯t hold any ill will towards the vamps; I just know what they¡¯re capable of now. Before, my view on the fanged was biased, na?ve. No matter how tame they seem, how romantic and easy-going, they¡¯re still death incarnate¡ªjust like the lion. Where Aiden had lost me from his selfishness; I¡¯d lost my heart from my naivety. We both thought more with our hearts than heads.

    ¡°Gwen. Aiden¡¯s voice was soft as he spoke my name. Its melody struck the chords on my fragile heart. I looked up, shoving the reaction out of my mind. I would not get sidetracked by my emotions.

    Aiden stepped closer, his hands reaching towards me. I shuffled backwards, afraid of the effect his touch would have on my resolve. Against my better judgment I still loved him. I wished that love could be dissolved just as quickly as trust. But love, real love, held on. It wouldn¡¯t matter if I ever spoke to Aiden after tonight, he was etched within my heart for an eternity. The important thing was learning to let go and turn what we had into a memory. Not so easy when the wound was still so fresh.

    I met Aiden¡¯s eyes and held his stare. Flashes of our time together, before the chaos and lies, visited my mind. My eyes blurred with unshed tears, and I cursed myself for allowing my weakness to show. I told myself I was strong, that I could get through this and that I wouldn¡¯t waste another second crying for what I¡¯d lost. Standing in front of the man who had inflicted the pain was difficult. I wasn¡¯t strong, not when he looked at me like that. I couldn¡¯t move past our relationship¡ªmove on from him. The tears pooled until they spilled over and trailed down my cheeks. Only, I had to¡ªI had to clutch onto my decision to be strong and move past him, past us. Nothing changed the fact that I did not trust Aiden, and that might have been the hardest pill to swallow.

    ¡°There is nothing I can say,¡± Aiden began, running a hand through his hair. It was a nervous gesture I¡¯d come to associate with him. ¡°Except, that you¡¯ll never know how truly sorry I am. Words are not sufficient enough to voice my regret. I could tell you excuse after excuse to hide what I did behind lovely and heartfelt words. But the action has been done and no words will justify it.¡± Aiden paused, taking a step forward and then backing away. His fingers flex against the side of his thigh. His eyes held a hint of yearning. I wanted to reach out to him as much as he appeared to want to reach out to me. We were lovers who¡¯d turned into strangers. Once passionate for one another, we were now awkward and unsure.

    With a quick swipe of my hand, I cleared the tears from my cheeks and willed myself to stop crying. It made me feel juvenile¡ªweak. A speck of strength still grew within me, and I clutched it tight. It wasn¡¯t the first time my heart had taken a beating, and it wouldn¡¯t be the last. As much as Aiden¡¯s betrayal hurt now, just like everything else, it would fade.

    ¡°Are you still drinking?¡± I managed to ask. The NAWC (North American Witches Council) was working around the clock to fix the spell that protected our blood. News of more murdered witches traveled on the grapevine. The addicts were desperate to get one last taste of what ran through our veins. Unfortunately, replacing the spell was trickier than the NAWC expected, and it was taking longer to procure our safety.

    ¡°If I answer, would you even believe me?¡± Aiden asked.

    He had a point. ¡°Humor me.¡± I could use a truth spell, weave my question with magic and force him to tell me the truth, but something about using magic to obtain what he should rightfully give seemed wrong. I couldn¡¯t gain my trust for him if I had to steal it.

    ¡°I have not had a sip since¡ª¡±

    ¡°Since you killed a witch for it?¡± I finished for him.

    Aiden rubbed his chin. ¡°Yes.¡± He exhaled in frustration, his eyes burning from the inside out. Those eyes once seared my flesh as they roamed over my body. Now they made me feel vulnerable.

    ¡°My Gwen,¡± Aiden said, stepping closer. The scent of soap and warm spices enveloped the air around me. ¡°I¡¯m not asking you to forget what I have done. I¡¯m asking for us to move past it. Something like this will take time, I know, but we both live for a very long time.¡± He smiled but it was humorless. ¡°I will spend eternity showing you how sorry I am if it means that one day you¡¯ll accept me again.¡±

    I held my head high, not bending under his stare, although I had no doubt he could hear the rapid slamming of my heart against my ribcage. My bravery, where Aiden was concerned, only ran skin deep. Inside was wreckage. But just like everything else, I could rebuild, even strengthen.

    ¡°I think space is best for now,¡± I told him. ¡°I can¡¯t be around you so soon, and pretend everything is normal.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not¡ª¡± Aiden began but I held up a hand to stop him.

    ¡°If you haven¡¯t noticed my life is in a serious shit storm right now. We¡¯re still dealing with Holly, and the vampires are in a frenzy to kill as many witches as they can before the protection spell is secured. I cannot add relationship drama into the mix. I know that sounds heartless, but that¡¯s the truth of it.¡± I restrained a smile, happy my voice came out strong.

    ¡°I understand, and if I can help in anyway¡­¡±

    ¡°I think it¡¯s best you stay away from witches, at least until the spell is back in place.¡± I paused, debating whether I should ask the question that¡¯d been nagging me. I could let it go, move on... But, I needed to know.

    ¡°Why did you do it?¡±

    ¡°I was helping you track down Ian,¡± Aiden began and I shook my head.

    ¡°No, why did you keep drinking witches¡¯ blood? Was it the addiction, or did you crave power like Ian?¡± It was almost unbearable to think Aiden and Ian could have something so ugly in common. Ian¡¯s consumption of Brew stemmed from his need to obtain the magic within it, and he was very good at it. Then again, Holly¡ªa NAWC council leader¡ªwas his teacher, and lover.

    ¡°Addiction, and nothing more. I am a vampire, and do not wish to be anything else.¡±

    I nodded. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I got you wrapped up in this mess. If it hadn¡¯t been for me, then you never would have tried Brew. I know our problems are partly my fault.¡±

    Aiden reached his hands out, his fingers running up and down the length of my arms. I didn¡¯t pull away. His fingertips were cool, a sign he hadn¡¯t fed recently. I tried not to think about how he got his food. Aiden didn¡¯t like drinking bagged blood; he preferred it straight from the source. Did that mean that now that we weren¡¯t together his feedings would be more sexual? That he would be injecting the pheromone induced venom into his donor so they felt arousal? I reminded myself that it was none of my business anymore.

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    ¡°I¡¯m responsible for my own actions, my Gwen. I do not hold you accountable for my choices. Understand?¡±Advertisement

    I nodded.

    ¡°I will give you space,¡± Aiden continued. ¡°That¡¯s not to say that I¡¯m giving up.¡±

    ¡°Aiden¡ª¡±

    ¡°We have decades, centuries even. Don¡¯t count me out so soon. I need to know the future holds a chance.¡± Aiden¡¯s eyes held the question, eager for my answer.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to hang on if you¡¯re letting go,¡± Aiden added.

    Could I say without a doubt that I¡¯d never give Aiden another chance? That I¡¯d never be able to get over his misgivings and move on? No, I couldn¡¯t. Part of me entertained the idea of the distant future holding something to look forward to. If I lived long enough that is. I imagined Aiden was battling some inner demons, a vampire¡¯s midlife crisis of some sort. Maybe it was the reason he acted upon the temptation, maybe not. All I knew was that I couldn¡¯t cut him out of my life completely. I knew without a doubt he loved me, and love is never perfect. Even fairytales have their problems.

    ¡°Yes.¡± I spoke soft, hesitant to give him hope I wasn¡¯t sure would be there come tomorrow. Not that I thought he¡¯d be pining for me until we were together again.

    ¡°I love you, Aiden.¡± I paused when his eyes lit up, catching me off guard. ¡°But the future I¡¯m agreeing to is far away, understand?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Aiden said. He tried sounding nonchalant but I detected a hint of disappointment. I hated how uncomfortable we were around each other when just a couple weeks ago we¡¯d been sharing lingering looks and enjoying each other¡¯s bodies. The world was a cruel, cruel place. Or maybe I was a glutton for punishment. I could end both of our suffering right here and now if I could just get passed his two indiscretions. It just wasn¡¯t in my nature though. My mother use to tell me that my stubbornness was all my father¡¯s fault. At the time I thought being hard headed meant I was difficult. Now I looked at it as a badge of honor to my character. It allowed me to stand up for myself, to not take the easiest road. If my parents did anything for me, it was giving me that trait. I¡¯d need it more now than ever.

    ¡°Have you gotten news of Holly?¡± Aiden asked.

    I appreciated the change of subject, even if it had to do with my potential death.

    ¡°The council has rescheduled the trial for another week,¡± I told him. Charles called me early Monday morning to tell me the news. It should have comforted me, but it had the opposite effect. The sooner Dorian and I told our side of the story¡ªthat Holly was the culprit in breaking the protection spell of our blood¡ªthe sooner I could stop looking over my shoulder.

    ¡°The reason for their delay?¡± Aiden tucked his hands in the pockets of his tailored pants. The movement caused his jacket to span open, revealing a tightly tucked in crimson dress shirt. The man knew how to rock a suit.

    ¡°They¡¯re busy with the spell. That takes priority over a tiff between Holly and me,¡± I snorted, repeating the words Charles had used. ¡°I agree with them though. Just in a week twenty-four witches have been murdered across the United States.¡±

    It amazed me how the news spread so fast. What, did Holly and Ian send out a newsletter? Just thinking about those two caused pure rage to bubble up. Hate is a strong word, one I don¡¯t use lightly, but I hated Holly and Ian. Aiden laughed, a deep rumbling in his chest. I looked back at him in confusion.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Aiden began. ¡°I find it funny that they¡¯re fighting to restrain order yet keeping the one responsible from conviction.¡±

    He had a point. ¡°I suspect it¡¯s because the one responsible is a member of the NAWC. If it were me, or any other witch, we¡¯d be pushing up daisies by now.¡±

    I frowned because it was very possible that my death was in the near future. If Holly was anything, it was ruthless. Her spot on the council was power, and she wasn¡¯t about to give it up. I was the only thing separating her from keeping her place with the NAWC and staying out of the coffin. She had to know that the evidence against her was too strong. Not only was I witness to the entire thing, but I also had Dorian and Aiden. Not to mention, I could summon the spirits I¡¯d used the night of the showdown, and order them to testify as well. I¡¯d learned a lot of cool tricks while in Moon and I planned to use them to my advantage.

    ¡°You know if you need me all you have to do is say the word,¡± Aiden said. I must have looked overwhelmed because his tone was reassuring. I sent him a small smile, but made a mental note not to depend on him anymore. I couldn¡¯t look to him for comfort or protection, not anymore. From now it was me, myself and I. My only option left was to be strong, and I was ready to test my strength.

    Chapter Two

    On the drive back from Aiden¡¯s house I thought about our relationship. Man, it sucked we found ourselves in the awkward place we now were. The temptation to forgive him was overwhelming. Everything within me still yearned for him, needed him. So why the hell wasn¡¯t I turning my car around and heading back to his place for an epic make-up session? This is where the stubbornness would come into play. If I swept Aiden¡¯s betrayal under the rug, then it was possible he¡¯d deceive me again. He needed to know that I wouldn¡¯t tolerate his lies, whether Brew was to blame or not. I learned people will treat me the way I allow them to. I had enough to worry about without wondering whether or not the man I loved was keeping secrets. So, because I¡¯m hard-headed, we both had to suffer. And let¡¯s not forget he killed a witch. Murder is a pretty serious offense in my book.

    My heart was bruised, but I refused to cower under the pain. After a couple of pity parties I pulled on my big girl panties and decided to put on a brave face. It didn¡¯t matter how strong the ache inside my chest was. I¡¯d never show that pain to the world, especially when my life could be in danger.

    Pulling into the small parking lot in front of my apartment building, I shut off my jeep and just sat. The apartment complex was one big rectangular building with windows running in twin rows horizontally. A rusted metal staircase led to the second floor where my place was. It was rather unspectacular in appearance. At twenty-six, this was not where I¡¯d seen my life ending up. With Fiona in Moon, expanding her magic and love life, I never felt like more of a loser.

    Big girl panties! No more pity parties, Gwen.

    Tucking my depression back into the furthest corners of my mind, I exited my car. As I headed up the small concrete path, careful not to slip on the thin sheet of ice covering it, I sensed movement to my right. As I turned my head, a voice from my left called, scaring the bejeezus out of me and down I went. With a hard thump I landed on my behind, wincing as a string of colorful curses flitted through my tight lips. Wearing high-heeled boots in winter was tempting fate, especially since I was born with two left feet. I leaned forward so that I was on my hands and knees, carefully pulling my feet up under my body to stand. A deep masculine laugh taunted my ears and another string of colorful language was my response.

    ¡°A gentleman would help me up.¡±

    ¡°If one happens to come along, I¡¯ll be sure to grab him,¡± Dorian responded.

    I managed to stand, my legs wobbly like that time Bambi braved the frozen lake. If I recalled correctly, his friends laughed at his clumsiness too. My eyes instantly found Dorian and his amused grin. Jerk. He was leaning against the building, his arms crossed. Deciding not to chance the icy path again, I stepped onto the frost-covered grass. I¡¯d definitely have a bruised bum come morning.

    Ignoring Dorian, I made my way up the rickety stairwell. I only made it halfway before he stopped me.

    ¡°Did you forget about training?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± I continued up the stairs.

    ¡°Gwen, we had a deal,¡± Dorian reminded me. ¡°I¡¯m staying with you to teach you how to be a spirit walker. If you don¡¯t take advantage of my teachings then you¡¯re only hurting yourself.¡±

    I paused, my hand gripping the cold steel of the railing. Looking over my shoulder I eyed Dorian at the bottom. Sometimes he could be a smartass, and other times he sounded like a teacher scolding a child. Since I¡¯ve been taking care of myself since I was sixteen, it annoyed me to be treated as such. Still, I knew I needed to embrace my abilities and that meant dealing with the self-righteous angel of Death.

    ¡°Let me help sway your indecision.¡± Dorian climbed up the first few steps. ¡°I¡¯m teaching you hand-to-hand combat. I¡¯ll be your punching bag tonight.¡±

    Was it wrong that excitement was my first response? It¡¯s not like I¡¯m an aggressive woman but I could see the benefits of blowing off some pent up stress by taking my frustrations out on Dorian. As I rolled the idea around in my head, another thought popped into my head.

    ¡°Why do I need to learn hand-to-hand combat? As far I know ghosts can¡¯t physically hurt me.¡±

    ¡°Not all of your enemies will always be in spirit form.¡±

    Like I could forget¡ª my days and nights seemed to slow to a crawl as I anticipated Holly¡¯s strike. After a week of nothing happening I was starting to believe I was more paranoid than anything.

    ¡°Yeah, but I can use my magic to defend myself.¡± I shrugged. Dorian looked away, his hand going up to rub the back of his neck. He looked down at his booted feet, avoiding my waiting stare for as long as he could. He was hiding something. It couldn¡¯t have been more obvious.

    ¡°What?¡± I prompted. ¡°What is it now?¡±

    Dorian looked up, the corners of his mouth turned down as he hesitated to speak. I arched my eyebrows at him in a ¡°come-on-already¡± stare.

    Dorian took a ragged breath, which meant I wouldn¡¯t like what he was about to tell me. ¡°You¡¯re embracing the spirit walker side,¡± he began, and I waited for him to explain. ¡°There are rules, Gwen. You can¡¯t be both things¡ªa regular witch and spirit walker. Once you pick a side, the other fades.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± I shrieked. Since I had been so busy with training with Dorian, I hadn¡¯t used my other, normal witchy powers. Granted, I didn¡¯t use them a lot anyway. I didn¡¯t like to depend on magic for everything, but it came in handy if I needed to conjure an item in a snap or zap a threat.

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    ¡°And you¡¯re just now telling me this?¡±Advertisement

    ¡°I knew what your reaction would be,¡± Dorian said. ¡°And becoming a spirit walker is more important than being able to create clothes and do your makeup.¡±

    My mouth dropped open in disbelief. ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell me what you really think of me?¡± My tone dripped with angry sarcasm. ¡°Is that what you see when you look at me? A superficial woman more worried about stocking her closet than her responsibilities?¡±

    The funny thing was I had always said those exact words about Fiona. I didn¡¯t mean it to be hurtful though, and now it seemed I was just like her, at least in Dorian¡¯s eyes. It shouldn¡¯t have bothered me as much as it did. I knew who I was and screw what his impression of me was. Yet, it did bother me.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it like that.¡± Dorian took a couple steps up. The strong features of his face softened as he looked at me. ¡°I¡¯m just saying that you may lose your magic, but you¡¯re gaining power. Do you have any idea how many witches would love to be a spirit walker? Not everyone is cut out for it.¡±

    I released my anger. Since returning from Flora I¡¯d been on edge and moody, a ball of frazzled nerves. Thinking about what he said, the annoyance ebbed away. I¡¯d embraced my spirit walker self and if that meant losing my physical magic, then so be it. The other option would be to refuse it and go insane from it. And what kind of option was that? So I wouldn¡¯t be able to conjure items, glamour my appearance or cast spells. There were worst things.

    ¡°It just caught me off guard,¡± I admitted. It was yet another piece of my former self I was losing. But I tried seeing it as evolving for the better instead of losing anything. I was determined to look on the bright side even if my life was dark and scary. I couldn¡¯t allow things that were out of my control shake me.

    ¡°So you ready to kick my ass?¡± Dorian grinned causing me to smile.

    ¡°I thought you¡¯d never ask.¡±

    ¡°How did the talk with Mr. Wonderful go?¡± Dorian was driving my Jeep down Main Street. I eyed the strip of businesses lining the street, their artsy signs glowing above their doors. As we passed my store, Broomsticks, a wave of guilt gnawed at me. I hadn¡¯t worked very much since returning home. There always seemed to be something else more pressing to do, like training for the impending attack I wasn¡¯t sure would ever come.

    ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± I bit out, shooting Dorian a warning glare. It wasn¡¯t a secret that he didn¡¯t like Aiden and vice versa. As far as I knew, Dorian had never been in a relationship so I didn¡¯t expect him to understand what I was going through. Whenever he brought up my ex, I made a point to either warn him away from the topic or change it altogether. I wasn¡¯t sure if that was because I didn¡¯t want him poking the fresh wound, or if I was embarrassed about being deceived so easily. Sometimes I wondered if I looked up the word ¡°fool¡± in the dictionary if I would find my picture. I was too afraid to check with Mr. Webster though.

    ¡°That bad, huh?¡± True to his character, Dorian didn¡¯t drop it. Heaven forbid a woman (me) gave into one man (Aiden) and not him. It wouldn¡¯t surprise me if Dorian had never been rejected in his life. I knew what irked him about Aiden was the fact that when we were in Moon, I wouldn¡¯t swoon under his charms and betray my love for Aiden. I mentally snorted at myself. A lot of good my loyalty had done me in the end.

    ¡°We had a civilized conversation and that is all I¡¯m going to say about it,¡± I told him. When he didn¡¯t respond I looked over at him. He was shaking his head back and forth, a bemused look on his face.

    ¡°What?¡± I asked, annoyed with his unspoken words. Dorian shifted, realizing I was watching him. He glanced at me before looking back at the road.

    He shrugged. ¡°He¡¯s a fool. If you were mine I wouldn¡¯t give you up so easily.¡± He threw another glance my way. ¡°I should send him a thank-you card though; had he fought for you, then I wouldn¡¯t get my shot to prove to you what you¡¯ve been missing out on.¡±

    His comment half offended, half excited me. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t matter how hard he fought; he knows I¡¯m resolute in my decision to take time away from him.¡±

    Dorian snorted. ¡°He either doesn¡¯t know how to claim what he wants or he doesn¡¯t care enough to get it.¡± He slid me a sidelong glance. ¡°I couldn¡¯t watch you walk away.¡± His eyebrows dipped together and his mouth quirked up on the side. The confusion on his face belied the confidence of his words.

    ¡°Even you will eventually tire of being rejected and move on. You don¡¯t strike me as the kind of man who exerts energy on something with no reward.¡± I turned my head, looking out the window with a small smile on my lips. Screwing with Dorian was the perfect distraction for my abused brain.

    ¡°There will be a reward.¡± Dorian¡¯s voice was low and smooth¡ªpromising. A small tingle prickled along my skin. He pulled alongside the road, turning the key to shut the car off and got out. I followed him, slamming the door behind me a little too hard. I stared ahead unenthused at the open field as Dorian started making his way across it. When he was fifty or so feet ahead of me, he turned back and motioned for me to join him. Stomping through the tall grass in high-heeled boots was not easy. I wasn¡¯t sure how long it¡¯d be before the magic left, but if learning to throw a punch could save my life then I¡¯d grin and bear the bad news he gave me at the apartment.

    ¡°This doesn¡¯t seem like it¡¯s in your job description,¡± I told him.

    ¡°Spirit walkers derive from me,¡± Dorian said. ¡°Since the numbers are dwindling, and there aren¡¯t enough to take on the task of training, it¡¯s in my hands.¡± He shrugged out of his leather jacket, setting it off to the side. A tiny part within me was excited to spar with Death. I had been fighting for my life for the past few months, it was nice to have a tangible thing to take my frustrations out on.

    Dorian had chosen a large grassy field that sat outside of town. The glow of the moon bathed the landscape in its silver light. Ice crystals clung to the meadow and glistened. A few lazy clouds hung against the star encrusted sky.

    ¡°Okay, feet shoulder width apart,¡± Dorian stepped closer, placing his leg between mine and nudging my legs wider. He reached down and clasped my wrists in his hands, bending my arms up in front of my face. I squeezed my fingers into a tight fist; a smile playing on my lips, mimicking the one on Dorian¡¯s face. He was wearing a grey thermal shirt, snug enough to see the definition of his strong arms and sculpted chest. His warm hands lingered on mine a little too long before he took a step back.

    ¡°I want you to punch my hands, alternating with your right and left.¡± He held his hands out in front of me, and all of a sudden I felt silly. When I hesitated, Dorian lifted an eyebrow and said, ¡°Come on, witch, give it your best shot.¡±

    No more prodding needed, I struck my right fist out and connected to the meaty flesh of his palm. A loud smack echoed through the night as a stinging sensation crawled its way through my fingers.

    ¡°Again,¡± Dorian ordered.

    I struck, this time with my left fist.

    ¡°Again.¡±

    Thwack. I punched with my right and then my left over and over, gaining speed and pain as my fists made contact with Dorian¡¯s hand. After ten minutes, or it could have been an hour, Dorian caught my fist. My breathing was labored and a thin sheen of sweat blanketed my forehead while Dorian looked unfazed by my assault. Jerk.

    ¡°Good job. You¡¯re not as fragile as you look, princess,¡± Dorian chuckled. That comment earned him a kick to the shin since he still had my hand pinned. He cringed but shook it off. A wide smile spread across my lips.

    ¡°Ew, she¡¯s got a temper too,¡± Dorian said, releasing my hand and walking a slow circle around me. I pivoted my head to watch him, my body tensing up for his next move. He stopped just behind me, his body pressing against my back. Leaning down, he rested his face against the side of mine so that his lips were poised next to my ear. I bit my lip to restrain my grin from widening. Ever so slowly, Dorian¡¯s arm snaked around my waist, his large hand slipping beneath my unzipped jacket to rest on my stomach. I ignored the tingles that his touch caused, keeping my head in the game. I concentrated on anything but the feel of his hard body behind me and the flexing of his fingers as he bunched my shirt, causing it to rise a little bit.

    ¡°Now, what do you do if your attacker comes from behind?¡± Dorian whispered. Since it was him playing the part of the attacker, the only thought that came to mind was, let him have his way with me. I¡¯m sure that answer would have pleased Dorian, but we were out here tonight to train, not to flirt.

    Instinctively, my hand began to glow as magic rushed to my fingertips.

    ¡°Ah ahah,¡± Dorian tsked. ¡°No magic.¡±

    Ignoring him, I reached my arm up and zapped his hand. When Dorian released me I turned around quick and sent my arm flying through the air and toward his face. I wasn¡¯t quick enough though; he caught my fist midair.

    ¡°Nice try, cupcake, but when your magic fails that won¡¯t work. Let¡¯s try again, this time no cheating.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no cheating in a fight,¡± I told him. ¡°It¡¯s play dirty or die.¡±

    The side of Dorian¡¯s mouth lifted up into a smirk. ¡°You may just survive Holly¡¯s wrath after all.¡±

    I frowned. Had he thought I wouldn¡¯t? If Death wasn¡¯t on my side then I was in some serious trouble. I never asked Dorian when I would die, though I knew he knew. The idea was tempting but too scary to voice.

    In position behind me again, Dorian asked, ¡°What do you do?¡±

    I remembered the countless movies I¡¯d watched where women took self-defense classes. Though I couldn¡¯t remember all the steps, I knew one. Rising my leg up, knee bent, I thrust it down as hard as I could and stomped on Dorian¡¯s instep. He released me but as I took a step away he reached out and grabbed my arm. Swinging around I¡ªand I¡¯m not proud of this¡ª swatted at his hand.

 Page 4

    ¡°Well that¡¯s not going to hurt anyone,¡± Dorian teased.Advertisement

    Deciding my legs could do more damage than my fists; I raised my leg again and kicked out toward his chest. Releasing my hand, he quickly blocked the blow of my spiked boot. He tugged upwards, throwing me off balance. I landed with a hard thump on my butt, Dorian stood over me with a satisfied smile on his lips.

    ¡°You¡¯re adorable when you pout.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not pouting,¡± I snapped, getting to my feet. I wanted to smack the smug smile off his lips. Stalking towards him, I threw my right arm out and then my left. Dorian blocked each of my blows but that didn¡¯t stop me. I kept coming at him, determined to land a hit. Dorian stepped back and I pushed forward. Punch, block, punch, block. It was a never-ending battle. His soft chuckles taunted me, driving me forward and making my anger skyrocket. Finally I decided to take my own advice¡ªplay dirty or die. I directed all of the magic flowing through my body to both of my hands. They lit up like I was holding two balls of bright, blue light. The hesitation in Dorian¡¯s steps was the confidence booster I needed. Flinging my hands in front of me, I cast my magic out and towards Dorian¡¯s chest. It wouldn¡¯t kill him, but it would sting like a son of a bitch.

    The magic smashed into his stomach, throwing him back a couple feet where he landed on his side. I was breathing so hard I had to concentrate on slowing the rapid intake of air. When Dorian didn¡¯t move, didn¡¯t pop up and make some sarcastic comment, fear replaced my exhaustion. I rushed towards him, falling on my knees to inspect his body. His chest still rose and fell with steady breath.

    ¡°Dorian?¡± I shook his shoulder. Fisting his jacket, I turned him over so that I could see his face. His sunglasses had flown off and his eyelids were closed. I leaned down to listen to his heartbeat. The calming thump of his heart echoed in his chest. Leaning back up, I shifted my eyes to his face and then to where I¡¯d hit him. With nervous fingers I lifted his shirt up to reveal his taut stomach. There wasn¡¯t a mark, not even a scratch from where my magic had blasted him.

    ¡°Dorian, wake up!¡± I tapped his cheek soft at first and then harder. His eyes flinched, a smile lifting his mouth up. Relief washed through me, and then anger. How dare he pretend to be knocked out. His little stunt had about given me a heart attack. I leaned back on my heels, ready to stand up and leave him lying in the field, when he reached out for my arm and I lost my balance. I fell on top of him, his arms encircling my waist and holding me prisoner.

    ¡°Let go,¡± I warned.

    He snorted, that damned smile still holding strong. ¡°I said no magic.¡±

    ¡°And I said there are no rules when it comes to fighting. Now that we¡¯re caught up on the conversation, let me go.¡± I struggled against his body, trying to get my hands underneath me to lift myself up, but Dorian¡¯s hold was unyielding. I was in an awkward position, half on top of him and half off. My legs weren¡¯t any good because if I tried to use them to push myself up, my face planted into Dorian¡¯s chest. I kept my face turned away from him; otherwise we¡¯d be nose to nose. I could only imagine what I looked like. Luckily there weren¡¯t any other witnesses to my shame.

    ¡°You can wiggle all you want,¡± Dorian said. ¡°I¡¯m rather enjoying it.¡± At that I stilled, my body going limp and melting against his. Now that I¡¯d calmed down, I noticed the scent of his cologne¡ªwoodsy and clean. I wanted to inhale deep, take it into my lungs and store it in my memory, but that would have defeated the point I was trying to make. I was mad, reeling and frustrated beyond belief. But man, did he smell good, and the feel of his body just beneath mine threatened to penetrate my determination.

    His fingers flexed on the small of my back. Frustrations gone, I was hyperaware of those hands and the path they were beginning to follow. I held my breath as they slid across the hollow of my back. My shirt had come up a little bit with my earlier struggle, and the warmth of Dorian¡¯s fingers on my bare skin was making me forget why I was mad in the first place.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think we should talk about what happened in Massachusetts?¡± Dorian¡¯s voice was low, smooth and raspy with his inner thoughts. Given what question he¡¯d just asked, I could guess what he was thinking about.

    I released the breath I¡¯d been holding, unsure how to respond. We¡¯d come so close to sealing the deal and now it was the constant elephant in the room. Dorian wanted to discuss it while I wanted to ignore it. I wanted to flirt and train with Dorian, not categorize our relationship. Those kinds of conversations always led to rules, intense emotions and heartbreak. Since my heart was already broken, I was a bit protective of it. Not that Dorian was looking to sweep me off my feet. He¡¯d told me multiple times that he didn¡¯t do the whole relationship thing. No, his motto was more of the ¡®wham-bam, thank you ma¡¯am¡¯ variety than the hopeless romantic so many women are looking for. Though I doubted he ever told the women thank you. I smiled through my nerves, imagining Dorian devoted to one woman and mushy. It just didn¡¯t fit the man.

    ¡°Can you please let me go?¡± I couldn¡¯t have this conversation while in such an awkward position.

    ¡°Since you asked so nicely,¡± Dorian said with a smile in his voice. His arms fell away from my waist and I crawled backwards off him. Sitting crossed-legged, I picked a piece of grass and studied it. Dorian didn¡¯t push; he laid beside me waiting and staring up at the night sky. A million excuses ran through my mind, none of them helpful. Like earlier tonight, this was yet another conversation that needed to be visited. I just hope it went as well as the one with Aiden.

    ¡°Massachusetts was¡­¡± I searched for the right word, something efficient enough to get my point across, but not too harsh. Dorian didn¡¯t seem like the type to have his pride tested. And in truth I did like him, maybe a little more than I should. His kiss was imprinted in my mind. No matter how many times I told myself to forget about him, at least until my life was sorted out, my brain wouldn¡¯t let go.

    ¡°Was¡­?¡± Dorian drawled the question out.

    I looked up through the curtain of my black hair that¡¯d fallen over my right eye. Dorian had his arms bent behind his head, his body stretched out along the ground. Though it was the middle of January the cold didn¡¯t seem to affect him. He drove his motorcycle twelve months a year. I, on the other hand, was starting to shiver. We hadn¡¯t gotten a lot of snow, but the temperature of the icy cold ground was soaking through my jeans and straight into my bones.

    ¡°It was great, considering,¡± I said.

    ¡°Considering?¡±

    I so did not want to have this conversation. Discussing feelings and heartache to a man who didn¡¯t feel those things was nearly impossible.

    ¡°I¡¯d just broken up with Aiden. I know you¡¯re an emotionless tough guy, but I¡¯m not. Ending things with him crushed me.¡± Dorian grumbled and I frowned.

    ¡°Yet you kissed me, a lot.¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± I whispered. I knew his next question would be why. Why had I kissed him if I was pining for Aiden? To that I did not have a response, at least not one that would please him. I had two reasons: I was attracted to Dorian, plain and simple. And I thought by giving in to him for one night, it would erase Aiden from my mind. I couldn¡¯t tell him that though. It was too cruel.

    ¡°You¡¯re wrong you know,¡± Dorian said after a while. I looked over at him, studied the way his hair swayed as the winter breeze stirred it. His eyes were closed as if he were completely content to stay in the middle of the field all night. As for me, I was freezing my ass off. When I didn¡¯t respond he peeked through one eye to look at me. Catching my stare, Dorian propped himself up on his elbows. We were locked in each other¡¯s gazes. The gloominess of his eyes was difficult to see in the darkness, but I could tell the clouds were light, calm even.

    ¡°What am I wrong about?¡± I spoke soft, undecided to whether I wanted to hear his answer. Something told me that when it came to Dorian, I was wrong about a lot of things.

    ¡°I¡¯m not emotionless,¡± he replied just as soft. ¡°I care about you. I didn¡¯t know why I placed myself in your path, not at first.¡± He took a deep breath and then settled back down on the ground. ¡°I told myself it was because of what you are, and it was my job to direct you to do my bidding.¡±

    I snorted and shook my head. The moonlight highlighted the slight upturn of Dorian¡¯s lips. He was such a cocky bastard sometimes. Another tidbit I¡¯d learned while in Moon was that Spirit Walkers use to be Death¡¯s bounty hunters. They tracked down spirits and escorted them to the realm of the dead. Since my kind was quickly becoming extinct, Dorian was forced to work in the field too.

    ¡°But,¡± Dorian continued, interrupting my thoughts. ¡°My interest in you has nothing to do with what you can do for me, at least not job wise.¡±

    I yanked a handful of grass up and threw it at him. He chuckled, brushing the blades off his face.

    ¡°I¡¯m trying to have an emotional moment here. Stop ruining it. It may be the last one you ever witness.¡± When I did not respond, he continued. ¡°What I¡¯m trying to say is that you¡¯ve affected me in a way I never expected. For such a stubborn, smart mouthed woman you sure do know how to charm men.¡±

    Okay, so he had some work to do where sweet-talking was concerned, but his compliment/insult still had the same affect. Emotions I tried to ignore bloomed within me, straining for attention. I tamped them back down but could not contain the smile that slipped onto my lips.

    Chapter Three

    The next morning I tried slipping out of the apartment before Dorian woke up. I tiptoed down the hallway as to not disturb his sleep. Making my way into the kitchen, I grabbed my coat and slipped it on, weaving a gray scarf around my neck. Last night had not offered a lot of sleep. My mind was too occupied with Dorian¡¯s emotional spill and the thought of losing my magic forever. I¡¯d come to depend on it much more than I realized, even though I didn¡¯t use it 24/7. It was my security blanket, and like a small child I wanted to throw a tantrum that it¡¯d be taken away.

 Page 5

    ¡°Where are you going?¡±Advertisement

    I jumped when Dorian¡¯s voice sounded from behind me.

    ¡°To work,¡± I told him. ¡°You know, that thing that pays the bills?¡± The lack of sleep might have made me a little grumpy, or maybe it was the constant questioning from him. Either way, I didn¡¯t want to listen to his lecture about being precautious.

    ¡°I¡¯ll send Eddie to watch over you,¡± Dorian said.

    I¡¯d not only acquired Death as a roommate, but a ghost named Eddie. We¡¯d picked him up while at the bed and breakfast. Dorian used him from time to time to track down spirits and whatever else he didn¡¯t feel like doing. Since returning to Flora, Eddie had made himself scarce, choosing to hang out in the cemetery rather than my tiny apartment.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine,¡± I said. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be, you know, collecting the souls of the dead?¡± I still had no clue what Dorian¡¯s job description entailed. He¡¯s the Angel of Death, sure, but people died every single day and here he was hanging out in Flora.

    ¡°Death comes whether I¡¯m there or not,¡± Dorian replied. ¡°I¡¯m simply the one to make people reach their expiration date.¡±

    I sneered. ¡°That¡¯s a heartless way to put it.¡±

    ¡°According to you I don¡¯t have a heart so I¡¯m sticking with my character,¡± Dorian bit out. He may have been a little ticked that I didn¡¯t respond to his heartfelt speech last night. I listened, nodded and then complained that I was cold and wanted to head home. Dorian showed me a vulnerable side of himself and I ruined the moment.

    I took a deep breath, annoyed with myself and Dorian. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean you¡¯re heartless. It¡¯s just difficult to talk to you about things when you don¡¯t seem to have any emotions where people are concerned.¡±

    Dorian stepped towards me. I watched the way the thin t-shirt hugged his chest and the looseness of his pajama pants hung. That nagging voice inside my head asked why the hell I hadn¡¯t given into him already. Chills that had nothing to do with the temperature in the room radiated throughout my body. My fingers itched to reach out and span the broadness of his shoulders; to move upwards and into his silky smooth hair. I imagined myself doing it: gaining courage and letting go of my inhibitions. I was lost in the thought of what I wanted to do with him. My eyes closed in a long blink as I remembered how his strong arms felt circled around my waist, tugging me toward his body. The way his mouth felt on my lips and the taste of his tongue as it massaged mine. My body quivered for him.

    Dorian stepped closer, his fingers curling around my waist and guiding my body to his. I looked up; my breathing shallow and my heart pumping like a wild animal. I loved these moments: when we were close and the only conversation was held between the stares of our hungry eyes. The attraction was real. There was no denying it. In these moments my feelings couldn¡¯t be excused as anything else. I was an open book and Dorian read me.

    ¡°I¡­have to go.¡±

    ¡°Then go,¡± Dorian said softly. It came out sounding like a challenge to my ears. And it was difficult to remove myself from his embrace and walk out the door. How wonderful it would be to spend the entire day curled up with him. I smiled, my earlier frustrations forgotten. He had a way of making that happen without my knowledge. One minute I would resent him and the next I was losing myself in the cloudy abyss in his eyes.

    ¡°Promise not to send Eddie?¡±

    ¡°I do not,¡± he said with a shake of his head.

    The annoyance was back. Turning out of his arms, I grabbed my keys and purse. I wanted one day without a reminder of what my life had turned into. Before I knew I could see and control ghosts, before the distribution of Brew had thrown my entire world off its axis. The days when I was a simple witch with a magic shop, and the most exciting thing to happen to me was getting new shipments in. It sounds pathetic, I know, but it was my life. Each day a little bit of the woman I used to be was erased and replaced with one I didn¡¯t recognize.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be working late,¡± I told Dorian as I left.

    ¡°Good morning,¡± I said as I walked through the front door of my shop, Broomsticks. I hadn¡¯t worked much since returning to Flora and the guilt was eating me up. Penny had been my rock, taking care of the store and even setting up a website so that we could sell online.

    ¡°Hey,¡± Penny greeted me. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were coming in today.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, sorry I¡¯ve been such a slacker lately. From now on I¡¯ll be back to my regular schedule.¡±

    I stowed my jacket and purse beneath the front counter and slipped out the folder that contained shipping invoices. I needed to take inventory and order more products otherwise Broomsticks wouldn¡¯t be in business much longer.

    ¡°Not a slacker at all,¡± Penny said coming up to lean on the counter. ¡°Just busy. Besides, you¡¯re the boss which means you can have minions to do work for you.¡±

    I laughed and looked up at her. ¡°Only villains have minions. Is that what you think of me?¡±

    ¡°Of course not, but the idea of having minions might be enough to tempt me into becoming one myself.¡±

    ¡°Would your plan be to blow up the world unless the government paid you one hundred cajillion dollars?¡± Penny gave me that look¡ªthe one that said she thought I was a dork.

    ¡°Austin Powers was on TV the other night,¡± I explained.

    Penny laughed. ¡°No, I¡¯d be a much better villain than Dr. Evil.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, with a name like that it¡¯s hard to be eviler.¡± We both smiled and shook our heads. It was amazing the random things I found myself talking to Penny about. My eye caught sight of something moving along the shelves towards the back of the store.

    ¡°Eddie, get your butt up here,¡± I called.

    ¡°Who¡¯s Eddie?¡± Penny asked, craning her neck to see what I was looking at.

    ¡°He¡¯s a ghost,¡± I told her. When Eddie didn¡¯t appear, I walked around the counter and headed back to where I saw him. For most people, tracking down a spirit who didn¡¯t want to be found was next to impossible. For me it was quite simple.

    ¡°What¡¯s a ghost doing in Broomsticks?¡± Penny asked right behind me, causing me to jump. She seemed frightened herself so I smiled in hopes of reassuring her everything was okay.

    ¡°He¡¯s¡­a friend,¡± I told her.

    Closing my eyes I concentrated on pinpointing where he was hiding while I continued to walk down the aisle.

    ¡°Edddiee,¡± I drawled. ¡°Come out, come out wherever you are.¡± I felt a cold gust of wind whoosh past in front of my face and then disappear. Opening my eyes, I rushed forward, following the icy coldness of the ghost. As I rounded the corner, I caught sight of a white mist disappearing behind another shelf. I ran forward, wanting to end the game of cat and mouse. Just as I reached my hand out to grab him, Eddie floated through the wall. Grumbling in frustration, I turned around and headed back to my office.

    ¡°So you have a ghost as a friend?¡± Penny asked, following me through the door that led to the back of the store.

    ¡°Kinda. Hey, why don¡¯t you take today off? You¡¯ve been working non-stop for the last few weeks. You deserve a break.¡± All of that was true, but I could tell that having a ghost in the store creeped her out. I didn¡¯t want her more freaked out when Eddie decided to pop back up.

    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Penny asked with uncertainty. She looked over her shoulder then around the small stock room.

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m sure. Go have some fun for a change.¡± I retrieved the office laptop and together Penny and I walked back up front. Through the large bay window I could see sleet beginning to fall. There wouldn¡¯t be a lot of business today.

    ¡°All right. I¡¯ll see you tomorrow?¡± Penny asked as she put her coat on and headed toward the door.

    ¡°Absolutely,¡± I told her, unlocking the door and holding it open. When she left I flipped the closed sign to open and headed back to the counter. Setting the computer down, I picked up a notepad and decided to take inventory while the store was empty.

    After an hour I was almost done and about dead from boredom. My mind was otherwise engaged, and I couldn¡¯t concentrate on ordering more potions and knick-knacks. I was sitting at the counter with my computer open and filling out an order form when the bell above the door chimed. Mrs. Dobson was the only customer through the door today and she was only here for the basic spell casting supplies: candles, dried herbs and oils.

    When I saw the face of my new customer the red flags went up. I didn¡¯t recognize him which was strange in a town as small as Flora. He was tall, maybe six-foot-two, and almost as skinny as a skeleton. His cheeks were sunken and dark circles ringed his gray eyes. The military style jacket he wore was dirty in various spots and ripped in others. He had buzzed, sandy brown hair and a piercing in his left earlobe. When he turned to look back at the door, I caught site of a dagger tattoo etched along the length of his neck. Definitely not from Flora.

    ¡°Can I help you?¡± I slid off the stool, and crossed my fisted hands across my chest to hide my nervousness.

    The man jerked his head in my direction, his eyes menacing. ¡°Perhaps,¡± he said. ¡°You Gwen Sparks?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± I said feigning confusion.

    The man stepped closer and I took a step back, hitting my back against the wall. A devious smile curled his lips, and he reached behind his back and pulled out a double-edged dagger.

    ¡°I think you are her,¡± the man said, waving the blade and watching as the lights reflected against its sharp edge.

    ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± I told him again. ¡°You don¡¯t want to kill the wrong person, do you?¡±

    The man shrugged his bony shoulders. ¡°I could be wrong, you could be someone else, but I don¡¯t think I am. And if it turns out I am¡­oh well.¡±

    Shit, shit, shit.

    I tried to focus on my magic, direct it to my trembling hands, but the man rushed me. He bolted for me and I scrambled in the other direction. Just as I was about to jump over the counter, I was yanked back by my hair. A scream bubbled up my throat and filled the store with my terror. Reaching my hands up, I tried to break his hold on me, but fighting backwards wasn¡¯t doing any good. Though fear consumed me, I channeled my magic to my fingertips and zapped the man¡¯s hands. Still he didn¡¯t let go.

 Page 6

    Shit, shit, shit. My mind screamed again.Advertisement

    Before I could think of what else to do, the guy yanked me back further and then shoved me forward, slamming my face against the hard Formica. Stars and black fuzziness obscured my vision, but I fought to stay conscious. Blood gushed down my nostrils and onto my lips and counter. It took me a few seconds to come back to reality, pushing through the haze of dizziness.

    ¡°I think I¡¯ll take my time with you,¡± the man remarked with sadistic excitement. I yelped when he tugged on my hair again. Unless I wanted to have a bald spot I needed to go in the direction he was pulling. When I was standing up straight again, he turned me around to face him. His eyes were alight with satisfaction, and he waved the dagger inches in front of me.

    ¡°Sit,¡± he ordered. When I didn¡¯t listen to him, his hand came up and a white-hot burn heated the side of my face. The fuzzy stars that were starting to fade popped back up. My skull rattled with the hit and an instant migraine assaulted my head.

    ¡°Sit!¡± he screamed.

    I was consumed by rage, driven over the edge by fear and the pain he caused. I sneered at him through the haze and the strands of my hair hanging in my face. I was breathing heavily and my hands lit up like lanterns. The man glanced down at my arms, a smirk lifting his mouth.

    ¡°Go ahead, hit me with your best shot.¡±

    I didn¡¯t need to be told twice. I raised my hands and threw the magic towards him giving him everything I had. The magic washed over his body and vanished. Just¡­vanished.

    What the hell?

    ¡°Your magic can¡¯t save you this time.¡±

    I whirled around and tried to jump over the counter again but like before, the man ripped a handful of my hair backwards and I fell to the floor. He knelt in front me, the dagger pointed toward my face.

    ¡°Man,¡± he snorted to himself. ¡°Who¡¯d you piss off to warrant a visit from one of us?¡±

    ¡°Who are you¡­.what are you?¡± I hadnever seen anyone able to withstand a hit of magic, except for Dorian and even it affected him a little. Not this guy. ¡°Are you an angel?¡±

    That made the man laugh out loud, ¡°The furthest thing from it.¡± The amusement was gone from his eyes in an instant. He was all business again; focused on me and the blade. My indecision was soul shattering. I had no clue how to escape this guy when my magic didn¡¯t so much as leave a scratch on him. There was no way I was going to die in my shop, that much I did know.

    I kicked my leg out, my foot landing in the center of his chest. He stumbled backwards but held his balance; now more pissed than before. He swung the arm with the dagger in it backwards and then sent it downward. Everything was in slow motion as I watched the blade cut through the air and towards me. Out of instinct, I raised my arms to protect my face and was rewarded with a slash across my forearm. A bloodcurdling scream left my lips as I grabbed my arm and squeezed. It was no use though. The cut was too deep and the blood just kept flowing. The gash left my skin flayed open in two thick strips. Tears streaked down my cheeks as I continued to hold my arm and stare at the man. The scent of my coppery blood filled my nostrils. If I concentrated on it I knew I¡¯d pass out.

    A crash sounded from behind me. I couldn¡¯t tell what had happened because my back was towards the noise and I was not taking my eyes off of the psycho in front of me. The man stood with a sick sneer on his face as he greeted the new arrival. While my attacker¡¯s attention was occupied I tried to stand up again. It was a bit difficult using one arm, but I managed.

    What I saw was the most beautiful site a dying woman can ask for¡ªan angel. Dorian stood on the other side of the counter, his body so rigid it could have been carved out of stone. The temperature in the store dropped at least twenty degrees, and I could have sworn I heard his teeth crack under the pressure of his jaw.

    ¡°Death has come to claim you,¡± the psycho said to me. ¡°I¡¯m not quite done with her yet and I do so love taking my time,¡± he told Dorian.

    ¡°She won¡¯t be dying today,¡± Dorian bit out.

    ¡°No?¡± my attacker questioned. ¡°She¡¯s lost a lot of blood already.¡±

    I checked my wound and he was right. My arm, fingers, sweater and jeans were stained with blood. I thought the wooziness that swam through my head was a result of all of the blows to the head, but now I knew the real reason. I was dying.

    The man slipped behind me, either to block himself from Dorian or because he wanted to inflict more pain. He wrapped one arm around my throat while the other closed around my waist. The scruff of his jaw scrapped against the side of my face as he rested his chin on my shoulder. I shivered in disgust, wanting to remove every trace of him from my body.

    ¡°Do you think you can kill me before I kill her?¡± He dragged his arm back so that the dagger rested against my jugular. The cold steel bit into my skin as my throat bobbed up and down with my sobs. I kept my eyes locked on Dorian, needing my last vision to be of something good. The guy pressed the knife harder when Dorian took a step closer. I held my breath, too afraid to move lest I force the blade to slice a sensitive area.

    ¡°You have two choices here,¡± Dorian said.

    I could feel the man¡¯s cheeks spread into a smile against my face. ¡°Ooh, I can¡¯t wait to hear them.¡± His voice was filled with mock enthusiasm.

    ¡°You can let her go, answer a few questions and be on your way or I can kill you right here and now.¡±

    ¡°Tempting,¡± my attacker said pretending to think about it. ¡°I gather she means something to you. Death doesn¡¯t save lives after all.¡±

    Only the slightest twitch of Dorian¡¯s lips betrayed that the psycho was right. I didn¡¯t know if the man had noticed it, but it didn¡¯t matter. He was right¡ªDeath took lives, not restored them. As soon as Dorian defended me, my attacker knew something was fishy.

    The man snorted. ¡°Death is sweet on a woman? Go figure. See, I think you¡¯d do whatever you could to make sure this blade¡±¡ªthe man pressed the knife tighter against my throat¡ª¡°doesn¡¯t find its way into your lady friend¡¯s neck.¡±

    I gasped as a searing pain burned along my throat and wet droplets fell against my chest. My body sagged from the exhaustion of the fight, blood loss and the impact my head had taken. It caused the knife to bite against my skin harder. The pain was almost non-existent now; my body was numb.

    ¡°Enough,¡± Dorian growled. ¡°Gwen, look at me.¡± I dragged my eyes up to meet his, fighting to stay conscious. My head felt too heavy for my shoulders. It took concentration that I didn¡¯t have to hold it up.

    ¡°That¡¯s right¡ªjust keep your eyes on me.¡±

    Dorian¡¯s body was blurry to my weary eyes, but I continued to stare at his outline, wishing I could just fall asleep and forget all about the nightmare I was living. The man grunted, his arms squeezing me tighter and cutting off my supply of oxygen. My head fell, swaying to the side and going limp with the rest of my body. If the guy wasn¡¯t holding me up, I would have crumpled to the floor.

    ¡°Gwen, look at me. Stay with me,¡± Dorian ground out. I couldn¡¯t raise my head again, not when it weighed a hundred pounds, but I held onto his voice, allowing it to comfort me.

    My attacker grunted again, a deep rumble at first and then a screech that pierced my skull, causing me to flinch. His grip loosened, his hands slipping a little bit. I fought to keep my legs under me, but they wobbled beneath my weight. I heard a thump behind me, but it took me a moment to register that I wasn¡¯t in the man¡¯s arms anymore. He was sprawled on the floor, his eyes wide and lifeless.

    A new set of arms encompassed my body, the smell of leather filling the air around me. I was hoisted up against Dorian. There was another crash before he lay me down on something hard.

    ¡°Gwen?¡± Dorian¡¯s smooth voice flowed over me like silk. ¡°Help is on the way, stay with me.¡±

    Stay with me. I clung to those words, promising that if I lived through this I wouldn¡¯t take my feelings for Dorian for granted anymore. Cool lips brushed my forehead as soft fingertips caressed my cheek. It was the last sensation I had before my eyes fell shut and I drifted into oblivion.

    Chapter Four

    ¡°I think she¡¯s waking up,¡± I heard someone say. My eyelids were heavy, making it a great effort to get them open. Blinking, I saw glimpses of bodies hovering nearby. Their outlines were blurry figures in the distance that didn¡¯t make sense to my jarred brain.

    ¡°Gwen, you¡¯re in the hospital,¡± a woman said close to me.

    The last thing I remembered was Dorian whispering in my ear, though I couldn¡¯t remember what he had said. Someone slipped their hand in mine and squeezed while using their other hand to brush strands of hair out my face. The coolness of their skin on mine was refreshing. Giving it one more try, I strained to open my eyes. I managed three-quarters of the way but could now tell that I was in a white room. The air was stale and did nothing to help my dry throat. A beeping noise sounded next to me and when I tried to lift my arm something caught on the sheet. The longer I was awake, the easier it got to open my eyes and put a coherent thought together.

    The first face I saw was Penny¡¯s. Her big brown eyes were puffy and red, and she smiled at me. I dragged my eyes away from her face and looked down at my hand that had someone else¡¯s in it. Aiden sat in a chair beside my bed, his hair mussed as if he hadran his fingers through it over and over. His face held pain, sympathy, love and anger all in one. Nearly tangible emotions radiated from him.

    ¡°You¡¯re going to be okay, my Gwen.¡± He squeezed my hand in reassurance. I tried to smile but it felt funny, awkward on my face. I¡¯d just turned my head back straight when I saw another body leaning against the far wall. My eyes locked onto it, onto him. Seeing Death hanging out in your hospital room wouldn¡¯t comfort most people, but I wasn¡¯t most people. Tears filled my eyes, causing my vision to go blurry again. If it hadn¡¯t been for him, I would be in the basement of the hospital.

    ¡°Are you in pain?¡± Aiden got up to inspect me.

    I shook my head. ¡°No. Just realization setting in,¡± I told him. ¡°Could I have a moment to speak with Dorian?¡±

 Page 7

    Aiden¡¯s jaw flinched, his right eye crinkling the tiniest bit before he wiped all emotion off his face.Advertisement

    ¡°We¡¯ll be in the waiting room.¡± He kissed the top of my head. He and Penny left the room, but before exiting he exchanged heated glares with Dorian.

    I tried to sit up but every bone in my body felt like it¡¯d been broken and glued back together. I hoped the doctors had better luck with me than the townsfolk did with Humpty Dumpty.

    I brought my attention away from the pain ricocheting throughout my body and looked at Dorian again. His arms were across his chest, and his head was hung as he studied the floor.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± I began, swallowing around the dryness in my throat.

    ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± Dorian snapped, looking up.

    I was taken aback by the abruptness of his comment. ¡°You saved me,¡± I said like some grateful damsel who¡¯d been rescued from her distress. ¡°I mean¡­thanks.¡± Every word came out sounding unintelligent as I stumbled over my tongue for the right words. When someone saves your life it kind of warrants a fantastic ¡°thank-you¡± speech: one that shows the savior just how grateful you are. Dorian was getting gypped.

    ¡°Do you have any idea how close you came to dying?¡± Dorian¡¯s words were cold and clipped, unlike the normal smooth masculine tone I was so used to. I couldn¡¯t speak so I just shook my head.

    ¡°You lost a lot of blood from the cut on your arm. If it¡¯d been a quarter of an inch deeper it would have hit bone.¡± He pushed off of the wall and stood at the foot of my bed but kept his eyes looking anywhere but at me.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what he did to you, but you had blood on your skull plus a fracture. Your face looks like it was used as punching bag and your clothes were coated in so much blood the doctors thought you were dead when they brought you in.¡± Dorian curled his fingers around the footboard and squeezed so that his fingers turned white.

    ¡°You were knocking on Death¡¯s door and I didn¡¯t even hear it,¡± he mumbled. ¡°If it hadn¡¯t been for Eddie¡­you¡¯d be dead.¡±

    A bottomless pit of unease opened up in my stomach. If I had caught Eddie and ordered him away then I would be dead. I swallowed around the lump in my throat and looked down at the arm that had been slashed. A row of stitches ran from my elbow and stopped two inches before my wrist. The skin was raised in red puckers from where the doctors had pulled the skin tight. I ran my fingertips over my face with care. My right cheek was swollen so much that I could see its puffiness when I looked down. I couldn¡¯t imagine what I looked like.

    ¡°Are you saying that you couldn¡¯t see my name on your death list?¡± I wasn¡¯t sure how Dorian¡¯s job worked: if names of the people about to die just popped into his head or if it were something more complicated. He didn¡¯t talk about that aspect of his life very much.

    ¡°You¡¯re blocked from me,¡± Dorian said, almost in awe.

    ¡°Why?¡± So much for having Death on my side¡­

    ¡°I have no fucking clue,¡± Dorian snapped, turning around as he began pacing the room. I watched as he walked back and forth staring at the ground. I assumed he was so angry because this had never happened to him. He wasn¡¯t used to not having the upper hand in the fate department. The thought that I was the exception to the rule did nothing to help my unease.

    ¡°Hey,¡± I said and Dorian stopped to look at me. ¡°I¡¯m okay. I survived and it was because of you.¡± I smiled. ¡°Whether you saw my death or not, you still saved me.¡±

    Dorian snorted, a smile replacing his scowl. ¡°It¡¯s just like you to try and get Death to look on the bright side. The only silver lining I¡¯ve ever seen is¡­¡± Dorian didn¡¯t finish his sentence. Instead he stood there and stared at me, allowing his silence to speak for him.

    A hard knock brought our attention away from each other. Aiden stood in the doorway, looking from Dorian to me.

    ¡°I¡¯d like to speak with Gwen,¡± he said.

    ¡°Too bad,¡± Dorian said matter-of-factly.

    ¡°Dorian, it¡¯s okay,¡± I told him.

    Both men glared at each other. The tension in the room was so thick it was suffocating. My already sore muscles tightened.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be right outside the door,¡± Dorian warned as he passed Aiden.

    ¡°He¡¯s pretty protective of you,¡± Aiden noted as he walked over to my bed and sat in the chair. I nodded, unsure how to respond. ¡°That¡¯s the only thing I like about him.¡±

    A nervous laugh escaped my lips, and Aiden smiled. Reaching his hand out, he clasped mine and squeezed. I noticed his skin was a lot warmer than it had been before.

    ¡°Gwen, I want you to drink from me,¡± Aiden announced, causing the smile to fall from my lips. ¡°You¡¯re still not out of the woods. You have a fractured skull that¡¯s causing bleeding on the brain. The doctors are waiting until the swelling goes down to make a decision on whether you¡¯ll need surgery. They¡¯ll offer you vampire blood, but all of their donors are young vampires. My blood will heal quicker.¡± Aiden took a deep breath, his eyes burning into mine. ¡°Please let me do this for you.¡±

    The supernatural towns kept a supply of vampire blood on hand to heal severe cases but needed the patient¡¯s approval to administer it. Once the vampire¡¯s blood was running through a person¡¯s veins, that vampire could sense them. I couldn¡¯t imagine how many emotions the donating vampires felt with their blood coursing through multiple people¡¯s bodies.

    I thought about whether it was a good idea or not. There wasn¡¯t any harm in drinking from Aiden. It wouldn¡¯t form a bond like I shared with Ian, but I was still wary. And I would be drinking blood. I could barely look at the stuff without fainting.

    Aiden must have noticed my discomfort because he said, ¡°I can mix it in with tea or something to help hide its taste.¡±

    ¡°I think you should do it, Gwen.¡± Dorian stepped into the room. ¡°I don¡¯t trust this bastard for a second, but his blood would heal you. The quicker you¡¯re on your feet the safer you¡¯ll be.¡±

    It didn¡¯t surprise me he had been listening to our conversation. What surprised me was that he agreed with Aiden. Had the world been knocked off of its axis? Was up down and down up?

    ¡°Jealousy is an ugly trait,¡± Aiden said to Dorian. Once again they were in a glaring match and all was right in the world.

    ¡°Okay,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯ll do it. I don¡¯t want to spend the next week in the hospital, not when more thugs might be coming after me.¡±

    Aiden looked at me and smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll get something to put it in.¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯ll drink from you.¡± If I thought about it too long then I would change my mind. The faster we got it over with the better.

    ¡°You¡¯re sure?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Aiden unbuttoned his cuff and rolled his sleeve up to his elbow. Dorian walked around to the other side of the bed and crossed him arms like some bad-ass sentinel. I tried not to pay attention to him too much. Drinking blood from a vampire tended to be a bit sexual, at least for the vampire. Having Dorian witness such an intimate moment between Aiden and me made a blush heat my cheeks.

    I tried to sit up so that I could lean over Aiden¡¯s wrist, but my body screamed in protest. I sucked in a sharp breath as I waited for the agony to subside.

    ¡°Just lay back, my Gwen.¡±

    Slowly I lowered my body back onto the mountain of pillows, closing my eyes for a moment as the last waves of anguish disappeared.

    ¡°I want to see myself,¡± I said, and both men looked at me with confusion. ¡°I need to see the damage. I want to remember how close I came to the coffin so that next time I¡¯ll fight harder to keep it from happening again.¡±

    The stitches on my arm weren¡¯t enough. Though the gash was extensive in itself, I knew that seeing the abuse my head had taken would shake me to my core. Aiden opened the drawer to the small table next to my bed and gave me a handheld mirror. I squeezed the handle with both hands, the pressure turning my fingers white, before raising it up to see my reflection.

    I¡¯d been right about being shocked. All I could do was stare at the stranger looking back at me. She couldn¡¯t be me. She was weak, defeated and broken. Her long dark hair hung in limp, stringy strands and her skin was almost as white as the sheet covering her. Purple and blue bruises decorated the right side of her face like grotesque body paint. Her cobalt eyes were lifeless and lost, brimming with tears. I couldn¡¯t hold her gaze without her hopelessness consuming me. A long red band circled her neck where the blade had taunted her life, digging deeper and threatening to end it all.

    I chucked the mirror across the room to get rid of the broken girl trapped within it. It crashed against the stark white wall as shards of glass rained onto the floor. Tears splashed against my swollen cheeks.

    ¡°Give me your wrist,¡± I said with a harsh whisper. I would not be defined by the sad girl in the mirror. My life was teetering on the edge and I was going to do everything in my power to not fall.

    ¡°Gwen¡ª¡±Aiden began and I glared at him. I didn¡¯t want to be consoled into thinking everything would be all right. It wouldn¡¯t. Not until I took Holly and her followers down.

    ¡°Wrist,¡± I said through clenched teeth. The first step to gaining the strength I needed was in Aiden¡¯s veins. I¡¯d drink as much as he would give; relish in the newfound power of his six-hundred year old blood coursing through my body.

    Aiden¡¯s fangs descended, glinting in the light like pearl daggers. He bit into his skin, not flinching as his fangs pierced his wrist. A glint of desire burned behind his eyes as he held his arm out to me. A thin rivulet of crimson trickled down from his mouth. He was a walking, talking, macabre masterpiece. Not wasting any more time, I gripped his arm and held it firmly, closing my lips around the twin puncture wounds. The coppery sweet tang of his blood hit my tongue. It wasn¡¯t horrid but it wasn¡¯t delicious either. Putting the thought out of my mind, I began to suck against the wounds with greed. Aiden grunted softly, his hand balling into a tighter fist. I locked eyes with him, flashes of our times together floating through my mind. He watched me with such want I found myself absorbing his hungry emotions. The fact that he was turned on, and that I was the cause of it, sent a rush of heat cascading through my body.

 Page 8

    Dorian cleared his throat and I broke away from Aiden¡¯s gaze to find a pair of aviator sunglasses. Though I couldn¡¯t see his eyes, I could guarantee they would resemble a coming thunderstorm¡ªdark and angry.Advertisement

    ¡°I think that¡¯s enough,¡± Dorian said.

    ¡°I¡¯ll say when she¡¯s had enough,¡± Aiden bit back.

    My eyes volleyed between the two men as I continued to drink in Aiden. His blood was like a dose of espresso, shooting through my body and awakening my tired muscles.

    A handful of seconds passed before Aiden said, ¡°Now it¡¯s enough,¡± and removed his arm. I kept my eyes down; embarrassed I enjoyed it as much as I had. Running my fingertip along my upper lip, I wiped away the excess blood.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± I told Aiden. ¡°I¡¯m feeling better already.¡± And I was. The pain of my broken body was fading and I could tell the swelling in my cheek was receding.

    Aiden bent forward and pressed a soft kiss to forehead. ¡°My pleasure.¡±

    ¡°Am I interrupting?¡± Penny hovered by the door.

    I smiled. ¡°Not at all.¡± She picked the perfect moment to pop in. With her here I wouldn¡¯t have to deal with Aiden and Dorian¡¯s hatred for each other. She walked into the room, stepping around the mirror I broke, and stood at the end of my bed.

    ¡°You look¡­better,¡± she said with confusion.

    I wasn¡¯t sure how fast Aiden¡¯s blood would work, but if results were being seen already, it was a good sign. My head still felt fuzzy, but the rest of my body buzzed with energy.

    ¡°Vampire blood, it¡¯s the duct tape of the medicine world. It fixes everything.¡±

    Penny nodded but her thoughts were somewhere else. Her brown eyes watched me with sadness and sparkled as if holding back tears.

    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Gwen,¡± Penny blurted. ¡°If I would have stayed¡­if you hadn¡¯t been alone¡­¡± She shook her head back and forth as if trying to dislodge the mistake she thought she made.

    ¡°Penny, it¡¯s not your fault,¡± I told her, sitting up and reaching out to her. She clasped my hand, walking around the bed. Aiden stepped out of the way and Penny sat on the mattress. I wrapped my arms around her and squeezed.

    ¡°Apparently this is my life now,¡± I told her. ¡°It¡¯s what happens when you piss off a villain.¡± I smiled and Penny gave a shaky laugh. ¡°And I wasn¡¯t alone. Eddie was with me and saved my life.¡± I hoped that hearing a ghost had saved me would help her reservations about the spiritual world.

    ¡°Speaking of, where is Eddie?¡± I asked Dorian. If he had materialized at Broomsticks, I hadn¡¯t seen him. I was too focused on my attacker.

    ¡°Should we discuss this in front of the kid?¡± Dorian nudged his head towards Penny.

    ¡°I¡¯m not a kid,¡± Penny argued.

    ¡°She has a right to know what we¡¯re facing. She¡¯s part of my life and that means she could also be in danger.¡± I gave Penny an apologetic look. I wasn¡¯t taking any chances now that I knew how ruthless the assassins were.

    ¡°I have him searching for information on the Veil,¡± Dorian offered.

    ¡°What the hell is the Veil?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s an underground organization of black magic practitioners who hire themselves out to clean up people¡¯s messes. They pride themselves on their kills and will go after just about anything or anyone.¡±

    It was becoming clear that I didn¡¯t know of half the evil that existed in the world. Living in a small town I had been blissfully ignorant. That ignorance was going to get me killed.

    ¡°What are they?¡± I asked.

    ¡°They can be anything: humans, witches, vampires, werewolves. They¡¯re rogues who don¡¯t like to play by society¡¯s rules and forfeit their souls to the dark side for power,¡± Dorian explained.

    ¡°Does that make them immune to magic? Because mine didn¡¯t even leave a scratch on that psycho.¡±

    ¡°He was possessed,¡± Dorian stated matter-of-factly. ¡°Magic doesn¡¯t harm demons, unless you¡¯re trained in that sort of thing.¡±

    I nodded. There were various levels of magic. Just like majoring in a special trade in school, witches majored in spells. Fiona was currently studying spell casting in Moon, while others specialized in nature, weather, animals and yes, demons. Practitioners of black magic have been around for centuries. For most, the temptation of a demon¡¯s promise to solve all their problems was too much, and they bent to their influence. It was the job of those who studied black magic and demons to take care of a threat. Black magic practitioners were consumed by evil, and with evil there were always the risk of disaster.

    ¡°So you¡¯re saying that members of the Veil allow demons to possess their bodies all in the name of power?¡± Aiden asked with disgust. ¡°Is Holly a member?¡±

    I hadn¡¯t thought about that, but she would have used black magic to break the protection spell of our blood. Plus, if she was sending Veil members, it was pretty obvious she had an in with the rogues.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Dorian said, rubbing his chin.

    ¡°Yet Holly had you on speed dial to teach Gwen,¡± Aiden retorted. ¡°Just for the record, I trust you even less than you trust me.¡±

    It was Holly who set me up with the Angel of Death, and I did question it. Though now that the dust was settled and I¡¯d gotten to know Dorian a little better, my suspicions of his involvement with Holly faded.

    ¡°You¡¯re one to talk,¡± Dorian spat. ¡°You can¡¯t even be around her without wanting to drain her dry. As for me, I don¡¯t have partners or subject myself to trivial matters. I¡¯m neutral. My interest in Gwen lies solely in her Spirit Walker abilities. She is after all, mine.¡±

    I knew Dorian meant that because I was a Spirit Walker I was under his protection and guidance, but the way he said it implied I was his in a very different sense¡ªa romantic one.

    Aiden snorted a harsh bitter sound. ¡°Gwen will never be yours.¡±

    ¡°Um, hello? Let¡¯s stop talking about Gwen like she¡¯s not sitting in the middle of both of you,¡± I told them. ¡°Besides, Gwen can make her own decisions.¡±

    Penny stood up, adjusting her twisted sleeve to cover her hands. ¡°I think I should head back home. I¡¯m so happy that you¡¯re okay.¡± She gave me a quick hug and cast both Aiden and Dorian an uncertain glance before disappearing through the door.

    Ignoring the ever-present tension between the two men, I asked, ¡°Can I go home now?¡±

    ¡°How are you feeling?¡± Aiden asked, resting a hand on my shoulder as he inspected my face. Dorian snorted to himself but we both ignored him. I moved this way and that way to test the pain. When my body didn¡¯t scream in protest I smiled.

    ¡°A lot better.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll get the doctor, he¡¯ll want to examine you before they release you,¡± Aiden said and turned to leave.

    I studied my hands in lap, unsure how to break the uncomfortable silence. Dorian walked over to the large window that occupied the right side of the room. The night sky was a mixture of darkness and light as the sun prepared to come up within the next hour or so. The stars were fading and the golden glow of a lamppost outside bathed the icy grass in its warmth. I studied Dorian¡¯s reflection in the glass. His body was stoic as he looked out the window without seeing the scenery beyond it. Sometimes I envied mind readers. To know what was occupying his mind at this exact moment would be a godsend. Part of me wondered if he was regretting getting involved with someone like me¡ªsomeone who had attracted the attention of a turncoat council member and the Veil. Was the trouble I found myself in outweighing my worth? It didn¡¯t matter; Dorian couldn¡¯t fight my battle for me. If he decided to walk, to leave me to fend for myself, I would make sure I was ready. I¡¯d find someone to train me and help me become a master of handing out ass whoopings. Maybe even get business cards to verify my badassness. When I came face to face with another rogue, I would know what to do and do it well. I couldn¡¯t afford to let another one get the drop on me. The next time could end up being my last, and I wasn¡¯t ready to die yet.

    Squeaking footsteps brought me out my thoughts. Aiden and a man in his mid-forties¡ªthe doctor if the white coat was any indication¡ª walked into the room. Most of the medical staff was made up of supernaturals of nature: fairies, elves, and hobbits. Their expertise with living organisms¡ªplants and animals¡ªalso transferred to beings. After all, we¡¯re living organisms too. Their type of medicine didn¡¯t consist of human drugs. You wouldn¡¯t find morphine or antibiotics in this hospital. They treated their patients with herbs and other various natural products.

    ¡°I¡¯m Doctor Fern. Mr. Blake tells me that he administered his blood to you?¡± The man asked.

    ¡°Yes, and I¡¯m feeling worlds better.¡± I would run an obstacle course to prove it if it meant I could go home and get away from the stark, cold hospital.

    ¡°Yes, I can tell that it¡¯s working. Already your bruises are fading and,¡± he lifted my injured arm up to inspect it, ¡°the stiches are almost ready to fall out. How is your head?¡±

    ¡°Fine,¡± I said while Dr. Fern shined a penlight in my eyes.

    ¡°I suppose it¡¯s a good sign that you have Death as a friend and not just a visitor, huh?¡± he smiled, tucking the penlight into his chest pocket. Dorian and I looked at each other, our silence depicting our worry that I wasn¡¯t on his ¡°death¡± radar.

    ¡°If you¡¯ll sign here we¡¯ll get you checked out and on your way back home,¡± the doctor said, handing me a clipboard I hadn¡¯t noticed before. Without hesitation I signed at the bottom of the release page and handed it back to him.

    ¡°You¡¯re good to go. Try to stay out of trouble; unlike other businesses we don¡¯t like seeing repeat customers.¡± The doctor smiled, nodded to all three of us and turned to walk out of the room.

    A nervous laugh bubbled up my throat when I slid out of bed and felt a breeze on my backside. Clasping the hospital gown closed, I turned my back away from Dorian.

 Page 9

    ¡°Clothes?¡±Advertisement

    Aiden walked to the other side of the room and retrieved a tan tote. ¡°Penny didn¡¯t have the key to your apartment so she bought you some things from Digs.¡± He handed the bag to me and then said, ¡°We¡¯ll wait outside.¡±

    Dorian was still standing by the window but turned and without a word, he and Aiden left the room. For the first time since waking up I was alone and the tension was gone. I sucked in a deep breath, holding it for a moment and then releasing to clear the rest of the fuzz from my brain.

    I set the bag on the bed and began to disrobe. Digs was owned by elves, and all of the clothes were organic. The shirt I slipped out of the bag was a beige off-white color with the words Mother Nature loves you in green print with a blooming flower beside it. So long as it covered my body I would wear a garbage bag out of the hospital. Before slipping the shirt over my head, I dug through the bag for a bra and underwear. I found the underwear, no bra. I suppose Penny didn¡¯t know my size. Closing my eyes, I focused on creating one with my magic. When nothing happened, I squeezed my eyes tighter and tried again. Still, a bra did not appear. Damn it, it¡¯s fading already, I thought. Or maybe it¡¯s the stress and I can¡¯t connect with it right now. That was the option I was going with. I¡¯d had my magic at Broomsticks so it couldn¡¯t be gone, not yet.

    I finished dressing and looked down at my chest. My nipples poked against the thin cotton of my shirt. It was unusually cold in the hospital, and even colder outside. Penny hadn¡¯t brought me a jacket, or shoes. I rubbed my chest, hoping the friction would ease the suckers back down.

    ¡°Gwen?¡±

    My hands dropped and I turned to see Dorian smirking. ¡°Don¡¯t let me interrupt.¡±

    Heat warmed my cheeks.

    ¡°Here.¡± He shrugged out of his leather coat and walked over to me. I was hyperaware of his presence behind me. With gentle hands he draped the coat around my shoulders, his hands lingering a little too long.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± I breathed, turning to look up at him. I don¡¯t know what made me do it; perhaps it was the gratitude of his rescue or the soft comforting things he whispered in my ear as I lay dying. I reached out to him, my arms embracing his neck as I pressed my body to his. Dorian held himself stiff, as if touching me was torture. I ignored his discomfort and laid my head against his chest, inhaling his scent into my nostrils.

    ¡°We should get going,¡± he said, stepping away from me.

    The embarrassment from trying to get my nipples down wasn¡¯t nearly as bad as the humiliation I felt at this moment. I¡¯d given in to the feelings I had for Dorian, needed to feel the comfort of his arms around me, and he rejected me. I cleared my throat and erased all emotion from my face. It was silly to expect comfort from him. Slipping the tote bag over my shoulder, I walked past Dorian and out into the hall. Aiden was leaning against the wall and looked up at me with an emotion I couldn¡¯t put a name to. Sadness? Anger? A mixture of both? It was gone before I could analyze it further.

    I walked over to him, unsure what to say. It seemed both men were acting odd around me, and I couldn¡¯t stand it.

    ¡°The sun is coming up,¡± Aiden stated, standing up straighter. He looked down the hall, then back to me. ¡°I know we¡¯re not together anymore, but I¡¯d like to assign one of my vampires to guard you.¡±

    ¡°Aiden¡ª¡±

    ¡°It¡¯ll give me peace of mind to know someone is watching your back.¡± Dorian stepped into the hall. ¡°Someone that I trust,¡± Aiden finished.

    Dorian didn¡¯t say anything which I found out of character for him. He just hung back, looking in the opposite direction, arms crossed. When I looked back at Aiden he was almost scowling. What the hell was wrong with them?

    ¡°That¡¯d be great,¡± I told him, afraid to hurt his feelings if I declined. ¡°Thank you, and not just for that¡­for the blood too.¡±

    Aiden cupped my face, his eyes pained and full of questions he wouldn¡¯t voice. It was tempting to reach out to him and let him hold me like he had done so many other times. Before I could act on my thoughts, he dropped his hands and turned to leave. I watched him walk away while my feet itched to run after him. I stomped down the impulse, knowing that just because I was feeling vulnerable didn¡¯t mean I should forget the reasons why we weren¡¯t together. As painful as it was I allowed those memories replace the good ones.

    ¡°Ready?¡± Dorian asked holding out a pair of white slippers to me. I put them on and together we walked down the hallway and out the front doors. The icy chill of the early morning air stole my breath for a second. We headed down the brick walkway to my Jeep parked along the road. Dorian¡¯s pace was a little faster than mine, which gave me a view of his back. When we reached the car he went around to the driver¡¯s side, unlocked the doors and slipped inside. I didn¡¯t expect men to open doors for me, but I knew he hadn¡¯t intentionally, almost as if a signaling something I wasn¡¯t getting. Swallowing my confusion and pain, I opened the door and slipped inside.

    Chapter Five

    Heartless black eyes peered into my soul and left an icy chill quaking through my bones. His smirk revealed the pleasure he took from my pain. As he weaved the dagger through the air light caught the edge of the blade as if shining a spotlight on the weapon that would end my life. He was proud of the double edge knife, wielding it with efficient swift hands like some sideshow at a circus. Only I didn¡¯t clap and cheer for his show.

    ¡°You think you can kill me before I kill her?¡± His breath brushed against my cheek, warm and sour as he dug his weapon into my neck. A white-hot searing burn erupted along my throat as he toyed with my life.

    My eyes popped open. I was on my side in a ball and my cheeks were wet. Heavy sobs choked me as I tried to put the pieces of reality back together. I was safe in my bedroom, not back at Broomsticks. Not in the arms of the rogue. Flashes of the broken girl I saw in the mirror flitted through my mind. Burying my face in my pillow I screamed, hating that I hadn¡¯t let her go yet. I needed to be strong to get the upper hand on the Veil. That couldn¡¯t happen if she was still hanging out in my subconscious.

    Two soft knocks echoed behind my door. ¡°Gwen?¡± Dorian¡¯s soft voice called. I wiped my eyes and nose, clearing the evidence of my breakdown before he opened the door and stepped inside.

    ¡°I heard a scream,¡± he said. The light from the hallway spilled into the room, highlighting his hair while shadows played along his face.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I mumbled. The floorboards squeaked as Dorian stepped further into my room. Sitting up, I hugged my knees and watched him. He walked over to the window, bracing an arm against the wall and looking at the small side yard below.

    ¡°What aren¡¯t you telling me?¡±

    Dorian looked back at me, dropping his arm and turning around to lean against the wall. His hair fell forward as he lowered his head to study the floor. I sat quietly, waiting for him to spill it. It could have been five seconds or five minutes before Dorian spoke. I was so anxious to hear what he had to say that time slowed to a crawl.

    ¡°I cannot see your death.¡±

    Well, I hadn¡¯t been expecting that. ¡°Since when?¡±

    Dorian pushed off the wall and paced back and forth. His hands fisted at his side and his head was down as he stared at the floor. His brows pulled together sending creases rippling across his forehead.

    ¡°I¡ªI don¡¯t know. In order for me to distinguish when someone is going to die, I have to focus on his or her soul. I never checked yours when we first met. It didn¡¯t seem important at the time.¡± His voice was hard with frustration.

    ¡°And now when you try to pinpoint when I will die, you get what? Is your sight just blank, or can you not even sense my soul?¡± This was not good. Having Death on my side was to my advantage, and now he was as clueless as I was.

    ¡°No, I can feel your soul still. Your fate is blocked from me.¡±

    I draped my legs over the edge of the bed and gripped the mattress with both hands. So the reason he was acting so strange was because he didn¡¯t like not knowing when I would die. Not that I wasn¡¯t curious myself. If Dorian could not determine when I would die then that small shred of hope I had been clinging to vanished.

    ¡°Do you think Holly cast a spell of some sorts?¡± I asked. ¡°Something that blocks me from you so you can¡¯t prevent my death?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s impossible,¡± Dorian murmured to himself. Looking up at me he said, ¡°She¡¯s just a witch and I am Death. She¡¯s not powerful enough to hinder any of my powers.¡±

    ¡°The spell would be cast on me, not you,¡± I told him. I stood up and walked over to him, making sure not to touch him. ¡°By erasing me from your sight you wouldn¡¯t get in the way of her killing me.¡±

    Dorian shook his head. ¡°I can break through spells. It wouldn¡¯t be the first time a witch tried to use magic to hide a soul from me. I can see past the magical shields.¡± Dorian scrubbed a hand over his mouth and chin. ¡°It¡¯s something else. Something I¡¯ve never experienced before.¡±

    I had to admit, it was scary knowing Dorian wouldn¡¯t get a head¡¯s up about my potential demise. I hadn¡¯t realized just how much I was depending on his insight until now. When I first met him I had thought about asking when I would die, but chickened out. Now, I was regretting it. It could be today or fifty years from now. That¡¯s life though; we¡¯re not supposed to know our fates, easier for me to deal with than Dorian. I imagined this was bugging him like crazy.

    ¡°So, I will eventually lose my magic and you¡¯re blind to me,¡± I stated, crossing my arms and shaking my head. ¡°Add it to the list of drama that is my life.¡± I tried for a smile to lighten the mood, but Dorian was staring at the floor again; his features pulled tight and sharp. As I waited for him to snap out of his zoned out state, I watched how the shadows played along his face. He was such an enigma and it intrigued me. The shiny finish of his sunglasses caught the reflection of what little light penetrated my bedroom and cast a slight glow on his cheeks.

 Page 10

    ¡°We need to continue to train.¡± Dorian lifted his head, pausing when he noticed I was watching him intently. He stood still and speechless as he watched me watching him, both of us captured by one another. A tingle tiptoed down my spine and washed through my core.Advertisement

    Dorian cleared his throat, rubbing a hand across his stubble-lined jaw. ¡°I may need to leave, Gwen.¡±

    His words snapped me out of my admiration. ¡°Leave the apartment or Flora?¡± I rolled my neck along my shoulders to work out the tension. ¡°Am I supposed to train myself?¡±

    ¡°Both. I need to figure out what is going on. If it can be fixed, it¡¯ll be better for the both of us. I won¡¯t be gone for too long and you can train with the spirits yourself.¡±

    My head was nodding, but I realized after about twenty seconds that I hadn¡¯t spoken yet. Truth was I had grown fond of having Dorian around, even if he infuriated me most of the time.

    ¡°Okay,¡± I finally replied. It wasn¡¯t like having him in Flora would give us the upper hand in the destiny department. But I was still comforted by his presence. Just as Dorian was about to say something, someone pounded on my front door. Dorian and I looked at each other before he headed out of my bedroom with me at his heels.

    ¡°It¡¯s a vampire,¡± Dorian said as he walked to the front door and opened it. A tall leggy blond stood on the balcony, one hip cocked as she studied her nails. The black leather body suit she was wearing looked like a second skin and was unzipped just enough to allow her cleavage to spill forward. Her wide blue eyes latched onto Dorian and a mischievous smile spread across her painted lips.

    ¡°Well hello, handsome,¡± she crooned. ¡°Are you going to invite me in or devour me with your eyes?¡±

    ¡°Who are you?¡± I stepped around Dorian¡¯s large frame to inspect vampire Barbie closer. Her eyes shifted to my face, a coy glint brightening her eyes as she tilted her head to the side to study me.

    ¡°Gwen, right?¡±

    ¡°I know who I am,¡± I snapped. ¡°Who the hell are you?¡±

    ¡°Lauren Hayes, vampire hired gun extraordinaire.¡± She curled her hand in a flourish. ¡°I can see why Aiden is so smitten with you. You¡¯re just his type, dark hair, light eyes, an innocent face, but I¡¯m sure you¡¯re a hellcat in the sack.¡± She laughed a musical tune that I wouldn¡¯t associate with an assassin.

    ¡°Ah, Aiden sent you then? When he mentioned sending someone over I expected¡­well, someone else.¡±

    Lauren rested a manicured hand on her hip. ¡°Don¡¯t let the getup fool you, sweetie. I¡¯m not as nice as I look.¡± She emphasized the statement with a devilish smirk. Fangs peeked out from under her cherry red lips.

    ¡°Point taken,¡± I told her.

    ¡°So, you going to invite me in?¡± Something in her eyes made me uneasy. I was not up to entertaining vampire Barbie, or worrying that she would use me as a midnight snack. Not all vampires were addicted to Brew though, and Aiden trusted her. And she was here to protect me. Just as I was about to invite her over the threshold, Dorian grabbed my arm.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you call Aiden and verify that he did send her before inviting her into your house?¡± he advised. I nodded, turning away and reaching for the phone. I punched in Aiden¡¯s number while keeping my eyes on Dorian and Lauren. If she eye-fucked him any harder, I would need to offer them both a cigarette.

    ¡°Yes, my Gwen?¡± Aiden¡¯s smooth voice rolled over the phone.

    ¡°Hi,¡± I replied. ¡°I¡¯m just calling to confirm that you sent assassin Barbie to my house.¡±

    Aiden chuckled and my body responded with a shiver. I momentarily closed my eyes in remembrance of feeling his laugh on my skin, the way his breath brushed my throat right before he pressed a kiss to the sensitive spot. Snapping my eyes open, I chided myself and shook the memory away.

    ¡°She may look like a grade A hooker but she¡¯s the best in her line of work. I¡¯ve known her for fifteen years and I trust her.¡±

    I shot a quick glance at the woman in question. She was bracing both hands against the doorframe leaning in ever so slightly so that her full breasts spilled forward. I wondered if her being here had more to do with making me jealous rather than her stellar kill record. I could almost hear Aiden say, See, Gwen, I have plenty of beautiful women to surround myself with.

    ¡°Good, maybe you can screw them over,¡± I mumbled to myself, and then bit down on my tongue when I realized I had spoken the words rather than thought them.

    ¡°What was that?¡± Aiden asked.

    ¡°Nothing,¡± I said quickly. ¡°Thank you for sending¡­her. It¡¯s dangerous giving out invitations to vampires these days so I was just double-checking her story. Have a good night, Aiden.¡±

    ¡°Gwen,¡± Aiden breathed before I could hang up. ¡°Stay safe and if you need anything, you know you can call me.¡±

    When I hung up the phone I made my way over to the door. Lauren was giggling, actually giggling at Dorian. What the hell kind of ruthless killer giggles? I was quickly losing faith in her reputation.

    ¡°Aiden confirmed that he sent her,¡± I said to Dorian. When he looked at me he had a shit-eating grin on his face. What the hell were those two so chummy about? I swear, you put a pair of boobs in any man¡¯s face, human or paranormal, and he turns into a drooling dog. And they think they¡¯re the stronger sex? Pft.

    ¡°You can come in,¡± I told Lauren. She smiled at me and stepped over the doorway, swinging her hips and clacking her high heels as she sauntered into the kitchen. Her head swiveled as she took in the small space. Swinging around, she placed a hand on her hip and said, ¡°It¡¯ll do.¡±

    ¡°Happy it has your seal of approval,¡± I bit out.

    ¡°Dorian, would you be a dear and retrieve my bags? They¡¯re in car, the silver Maserati.¡±

    ¡°Bags?¡± I questioned. ¡°You brought an arsenal with you?¡±

    ¡°Only of clothes and makeup,¡± Lauren smiled.

    ¡°Wait¡­what?¡±

    ¡°How many bedrooms does this place have?¡± Lauren took off down the hall, surveying my small apartment. While Dorian headed outside to do her bidding. I followed when I saw her slip into my bedroom.

    ¡°Why do you think you¡¯re staying here?¡± I asked incredulously.

    ¡°My contract states that I am to stay in your company at all times.¡± Lauren walked over to the window and pulled back the curtain, observing the fabric. ¡°We¡¯ll have to get something thicker to keep the sun out.¡±

    Furious, I stepped further into my room and squared my shoulders to face the intrusive Playboy bunny vampire. ¡°This is my room,¡± I snapped. ¡°And Aiden didn¡¯t say anything about you moving in.¡±

    Lauren released an exaggerated sigh, locking eyes with me. ¡°Aiden said you could be headstrong. You need to realize when people are trying to help you out. You don¡¯t always have to go on the defense.¡±

    Who the hell did this woman think she was? ¡°Don¡¯t pretend to know me.¡±

    ¡°I got your bags,¡± Dorian announced, lugging three duffel bags and one suitcase down the hall and stopping in front of my room. I stared at him astounded. Since when did the angel of Death jump when a pretty woman snapped her fingers?

    ¡°Thank you, handsome.¡± Lauren walked over to him and ran a painted nail down his chest, while Dorian grinned like a fool. I shook my head, dumbfounded, as I watched the two of them. What the hell was going on? I knew I hadn¡¯t rocked Dorian¡¯s jollies, but he couldn¡¯t be that hard up. Surely he would satisfied his sexual appetite with some local tart since getting here. He was acting like an eager hormone-induced teenager.

    ¡°Gwen isn¡¯t ready to give up her bedroom,¡± Lauren said to Dorian. Looking over her shoulder at me she said, ¡°Some people don¡¯t know what hospitality is.¡±

    ¡°You can stay in my¡ª¡±

    ¡°No,¡± I interrupted quickly. Both Dorian and Lauren turned to look at me, and I realized I sounded a little too invested in my disapproval. But there was no way I wanted Ms. Bat-my-eyelashes-and-sway-my-hips rooming with Dorian. Yes, I know how that makes me sound. And I¡¯m not the type who tells a guy I¡¯m not ready yet but doesn¡¯t want him with anyone else. Okay, maybe that¡¯s how I was acting, but something was up with Lauren. Dorian wasn¡¯t acting like himself and that¡¯s what scared me.

    ¡°I was going to say she can stay in my room and I¡¯ll sleep on the couch.¡± Dorian grinned at me and an inferno warmed my cheeks.

    ¡°Are you two¡­¡± Lauren signaled between me and Dorian.

    ¡°No,¡± I answered a little too quickly, shrugging and feigning indifference to Dorian¡¯s sexual partners. I had never been a good liar. I was too obvious or overly adamant about what I was saying which was a dead giveaway.

    Dorian was looking at me over Lauren¡¯s shoulder and his jaw tightened the slightest bit when I confirmed that there was nothing between the two of us. Looking down at Lauren he said, ¡°There you have it. Come on, I¡¯ll help you get settled.¡±

    While Dorian was helping Lauren get settled, I headed to the bathroom. I hadn¡¯t inspected myself since coming home from the hospital. My body no longer ached and the swollenness of my face had gone down. Dragging my eyes up, I stared at my reflection and was happy to see that the defeated girl I saw in the mirror at the hospital gone. Vampire blood was seriously a miracle worker. Though I was healed on the outside, inside I was a mangled mess. And not just from the rogue attack. I was still mentally dealing with what Ian had done to me while in Moon. It¡¯s difficult making the world think you¡¯re strong when you¡¯re barely bending under the weight of inner demons. But I¡¯m a firm believer in owning your problems and not allowing them to own you. That may sound like a spiel from Dr. Phil, but it¡¯s been a motto that¡¯s worked for me. I had to accept Ian¡¯s abuse and move past it. At least the son of a bitch was dead and unable to hurt anyone else. See, silver lining.

    Lauren¡¯s throaty giggle sounded through the apartment. What was Aiden¡¯s angle in placing her in my home? I dragged my hands through my hair, gave myself one last glance in the mirror and headed out to see what the hell was so damned funny.

 Page 11

    Chapter SixAdvertisement

    I passed Dorian¡¯s bedroom and stared in astonishment. They were both chuckling like hyenas while Dorian helped unpack Lauren¡¯s things. I had never seen Dorian in a full blown laugh, his cheeks stretching wide while a deep rumble of laughter sounded from his full lips. Sure he had laughed around me, but it was more at my own expense rather than finding humor with me. An, ¡°I¡¯m not laughing with you, I¡¯m laughing at you¡± sort of thing. A nasty pang of jealously stuck in my gut, causing my upper lip to curl up in a sneer as I glared at the blonde intruder. I got my inner green monster under control and headed to the kitchen to slip on my boots. I glanced down to appraise what I was wearing: black yoga pants and a long sleeve gray t-shirt. Deciding that the pants might not be thick enough to chase away the coolness of the night, I hurried to my room and changed into jeans. As I slipped past Dorian¡¯s room, I did a walk by peek. Dorian¡¯s head snapped up and settled in my direction but I didn¡¯t stop my escape.

    I needed time by myself, without a giggling vampire Barbie and infatuated angel of Death and I knew just the place. I grabbed my coat and closed the front door behind me quietly. The stairway squeaked under my weight. I liked to walk and the temperature outside wasn¡¯t as cold as I expected. Slipping on my jacket, I stuffed my hands in my pockets and headed for the one place that had become peaceful for me.

    Flora¡¯s cemetery sat on the edge of town. It wasn¡¯t very big but what it lacked in size it made up for in charm. I know how strange that sounds, that a graveyard would be charming, but I no longer found the resting place of the dead frightening. There was something very calming about the hallowed ground. A three foot stone wall encompassed the area and a tall wrought iron arch with a hinged double gate welcomed grievers. Thick oak trees with curvy bare branches shared the area with tombstones and mausoleums.

    As I walked down the worn thin path, I closed my eyes and reached my senses out. Dorian told me with more practice I wouldn¡¯t have to concentrate on sensing death, it would become a sixth sense of sorts. Though I was accepting what I am, the idea of always being able to detectdeath was a bit disconcerting. Imagine if you found out your neighbor, the one who always waves and makes small talk, had actually killed someone. Sometimes ignorance is bliss. I knew Aiden killed a lot of people and I didn¡¯t want a constant reminder of sensing it from him.

    Death has a distinct feel and smell to it. It is the coldest cold I¡¯ve ever felt. It penetrates to the bone, and then come the emotions. The spirits¡¯ feelings smack me in the face and make it hard breathe sometimes, especially if they are trying to get my attention. And the smell? It would be disgusting to most, but it doesn¡¯t faze me. It is the stench of rotting fruit, sweet yet sour too.

    A tug of cold emotion came from in front of me. I slowly opened my eyes to find at least ten transparent bodies lingering with watchful eyes. The first time I came to the Flora cemetery, the spirits had been shy, scared almost. They knew what I was and that I could send them to the realm of the dead if I saw fit. After coming back a few times, the ghosts were starting to trust me.

    ¡°Where¡¯s your sidekick?¡± Eddie asked appearing right in front of my face. I jumped back in surprise, holding my heart as it jittered rapidly from the shock.

    ¡°Son of a...¡± I took a moment to catch my breath. ¡°You scared the living hell outta me.¡± I took another ragged breath. ¡°Dorian is at the apartment.¡±

    ¡°Does he know you¡¯re out here by yourself?¡± Eddie chided.

    ¡°I¡¯m a grown ass woman, Eddie. I don¡¯t need permission to go somewhere.¡± I walked around him and up the path. ¡°I wanted to thank you,¡± I told him when he floated to catch up to me. ¡°For alerting Dorian about my attack.¡±

    ¡°Just doing my job.¡± Eddie¡¯s pale shoulders rose and fell in a shrug.

    I glanced over at him. ¡°Well thank you for doing your job.¡±

    ¡°I also kinda like you and don¡¯t want anything bad to happen,¡± Eddie admitted and I smiled. The ghost was in his early forties with shaggy brown hair and matching muddy eyes. He died in the seventies and was forever doomed to wear bell-bottom jeans and a blue t-shirt that read Volvo across the front.

    ¡°So have you seen any other rogues around?¡± It suddenly dawned on me that one could be watching me right now. But this time I didn¡¯t feel helpless like I did at my shop. My magic may be waning but I was surrounded by a horde of spirits and could use them to defend myself if I had to.

    ¡°No,¡± Eddie replied. ¡°But I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll be more. Rogues don¡¯t back down easily. The Veil will find out the rogue they sent failed and they¡¯ll send more to kill you. When they¡¯re hired for a job they don¡¯t stop until they accomplish it.¡±

    I walked over to a small, concrete bench and sat while the curious ghosts floated toward me. I smiled as they cautiously came closer, their eyes inquisitive. Seeing them in the period of clothing they had died in was like time traveling. What better way to learn about history than from someone who had lived it? I had no clue why I was so afraid to embrace my spirit walker side. It was pretty awesome. So what if I lost my physical magic? I could control and sense spirits and that was ten times cooler than conjuring stuff.

    ¡°Who wants to play hide-n-seek?¡±

    ¡°You cheat at hide-n-seek,¡± Eddie complained and the other ghosts nodded their translucent heads.

    ¡°How do I cheat?¡± I stood up and placed a hand on my hip.

    ¡°You command us to show ourselves,¡± another spirit answered. He was completely naked which led me to believe he either died when he was a werewolf or been caught with someone¡¯s wife in a compromising position. Poor guy.

    ¡°Okay, okay,¡± I said holding up my hands in surrender. ¡°I promise not to order you to show yourselves.¡± I smiled. ¡°Ready, set, hide.¡± And just like that the ten ghosts standing before me vanished with the steady breeze blowing through the cemetery.

    I crept around the base of a large oak, bracing my hands on the rough bark as I closed my eyes and tried to detect where the spirits hid. My eyes snapped open and a smile lifted my lips. Six feet to my left, behind a tombstone that had the name MORRISON engraved on it, a ghost lingered.

    ¡°Ready or not here I come,¡± I called out. I just hoped no one wandered into the cemetery this late at night. It wouldn¡¯t look good that it appeared I was talking and playing a game by myself. I could almost hear the whispers of the townsfolk now, ¡°There goes crazy Gwen Sparks. I hear she prowls the graveyard at night to play with ghosts.¡±

    I inched forward, the sensation of death getting stronger the closer I got to the tombstone. A rush of icy coldness raced across my back, and I whirled around to search out the apparition making a run for it. Float for it? They were keeping themselves hidden though so I rushed forward, reaching out a hand and tagging the ghost behind the MORRISON tombstone. The spirit appeared beneath my grasp, a woman in her late twenties with a side pony and eighties garb.

    ¡°Got you, Maureen,¡± I exclaimed with a smile before turning and running after the fleeing ghost. ¡°No changing spots,¡± I called out. ¡°That¡¯s cheating.¡± A phantom laugh carried on the wind and taunted my ears. I recognized that laugh¡ªEddie.

    I raced through the cemetery, dodging the protruding stones as I ran after Eddie. In my pursuit I ran straight through a cold spot. Cringing, I turned around and gave an apologetic smile to the spirit who had been hiding there. The naked ghost slowly pieced himself back together, the air coming together to form his body again.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± I told him.

    The spirit looked down at himself like he was making sure all of his bits and pieces were there. Looking up, he smiled and said, ¡°That¡¯s the most action I¡¯ve had in ten years.¡±

    ¡°Awesome,¡± I deadpanned. Making ghosts frisky was on my do-not list. Yuk! Ignoring the amazed naked man, I turned and began walking at a brisk pace. I lost track of Eddie and now needed to sense him again. I tagged four more ghosts on my walk, their transparent bodies forming as soon as I made touched them.

    The crunch of footsteps behind me had me pausing. Looking over my shoulder, I scanned the area but no one was approaching. Swinging all the way around, my eyes tracked the darkened landscape. Gravel being shuffled under someone¡¯s feet sounded to my left and I turned my body in that direction. I latched onto the spirits around me, connecting with their energy and ordering them to my side. Multiple translucent bodies floated forward, circling around me like phantom soldiers.

    ¡°Someone is here,¡± I whispered to my team of ghosts. I didn¡¯t like taking away their rights and controlling them, but if it meant saving my life then I would do it. Their bodies hovered stoically as they waited for my command. The buzz of my magic still ran beneath my skin, though not very strong. I concentrated on it and forced it to my hands. I would use what little I had left while I still had it. It might not faze the rogues but I could use it to throw objects at them, and I was pretty sure getting smacked upside the head with a granite tombstone would stop their attack on me. Or at least I hoped it would.

    ¡°I see you¡¯re finally taking precautions,¡± Dorian said, stepping from out behind a tree with vampire Barbie. My body sagged from its tense position and I glared at Dorian. A thought occurred to me and, I¡¯m a tad embarrassed to say, it brought a smile to my face. Ignoring both of them, I channeled the connection to the spirits and began whispering my orders. One by one they floated away from me and toward Dorian and Lauren. The vampire couldn¡¯t see the spirits but Dorian could. Everyone could see ghost if they chose to show themselves, but these guys were staying hidden from Lauren. Dorian¡¯s right eyebrow arched, peeking over the rim of his sunglasses.

    Lauren was flung back, landing hard onto the ground. The ghost lingered around her, waiting for her to regain her footing. She snapped up in a blur, her blond hair whipping wildly around her head as she searched for the threat.

    ¡°What the hell was that?¡± she snarled, reaching beneath her pant leg and extracting a silver dagger.

 Page 12

    ¡°That,¡± I said, stepping closer, ¡°was all the security I need. How are you supposed to defend me when you can¡¯t sense all of the threats?¡± I crossed my arms and stared at her with a satisfied smile.Advertisement

    ¡°The rogues aren¡¯t ghosts, Gwen,¡± Dorian supplied.

    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± I told him. ¡°They¡¯re worse, they¡¯re demons. Can she detect those?¡± The ghost swirled around her, a haunting breeze stirring up her hair. Lauren¡¯s eyes darted in every direction, her knuckles tightening around the handle of her blade.

    ¡°You¡¯re being petty,¡± Dorian reprimanded. ¡°Yes, they are demons, but they¡¯re in a host body. Lauren will not have a problem fighting them.¡±

    He was right. But I didn¡¯t trust the Playboy vampire. Whatever wiles she used on Dorian weren¡¯t working on me. I eyed both of them, my gaze landing on the skittish blonde and then back to the Dorian. His defense of her soured in my stomach a little, and I tried my damnedest to ignore the unsavory feeling. Dorian and I were friends, and I had no claim on him, or him on me. Still, that didn¡¯t stop me from smiling at the fear on the badass assassin¡¯s face. She talked a good game, but when her threats were invisible she looked about as menacing as a baby bunny. Her big blue eyes were wide orbs as she listened to the whistling of icy cold wind surrounding her.

    ¡°What the hell?¡± Eddie appeared beside Dorian, his hands crossed in front of his chest. ¡°You guys are gossiping like a bunch of girls while I was hiding? Thanks for telling me.¡±

    Dorian spared him a glance before looking back at me. I ignored the indignation on his handsome face and instead brought my attention to the ever-complaining ghost.

    ¡°You cheated,¡± I accused.

    ¡°Wha¡ªdid not,¡± Eddie shot back.

    ¡°You¡¯re supposed to find a spot and stay there,¡± I told him.

    ¡°I found a better spot,¡± he shrugged and I shook my head.

    ¡°Who the hell are you talking to?¡± Lauren asked, her eyes still volleying around the shadowed landscape.

    I looked at Dorian and rolled my eyes. Hadn¡¯t Lauren been debriefed on who she was protecting?

    ¡°We¡¯re in a cemetery,¡± I told her with a bit of sarcasm.

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°And I¡¯m a spirit walker.¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°Add it up, Barbie.¡±

    ¡°So you really can speak and control ghosts?¡±

    I shot another you-have-to-be-kidding-me look to Dorian. ¡°For a vampire assassin you¡¯re a little slow.¡±

    You would think a bunch of supernaturals wouldn¡¯t fear much, and you would be wrong. For some reason, spirits put them on edge. Maybe it was because a lot of supeswere over confident with their super powers. Vampires are quick, lethal and fast healers. However, they can¡¯t fight what they can¡¯t see or touch. If a ghost were evil enough, it could hurt them and they wouldn¡¯t be able to protect themselves. Vampires didn¡¯t like feeling vulnerable¡ªhence the fear. As for the other supes, it was pretty much the same¡ªthe idea of not being able to see what was around them. Hell, I had just gotten use to the idea of seeing them.

    I didn¡¯t wait for either one of their responses. I shoved past Dorian and headed back down the path that would lead to the exit, releasing my control of the spirits as I went. Lately I had been very agitated: a ball of angry nerves threatening to go over the edge. I had done a good job at keeping my emotions under control, but I could almost feel the damn walls tremble under the pressure of putting on a fake smile. I hated it, hated feeling so unsure of myself.

    ¡°Gwen,¡± Dorian called behind me. I looked over my shoulder but I kept walking. When he caught up to me, his hand closed around my arm, yanking me to a stop. I was furious with him and that confused me. He hadn¡¯t done anything wrong, but looking at him made my insides burn, and not in a good way.

    ¡°If I didn¡¯t know better I would say you¡¯re jealous.¡±

    I snorted. ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous. I just don¡¯t trust her. And you shouldn¡¯t let that head,¡± I pointed to his crotch, ¡°think for you. Something¡¯s up with her.¡±

    He stepped closer, his hand still on my arm. With his free hand he brushed my hair back and tucked a strand behind my ear. His soft fingertips caressed the sensitive skin, leaving tingles in their wake. My shoulders shook as a shiver skirted up my spine, and I hoped it appeared that I was cold rather than affected by his touch. I still wasn¡¯t sure how much I could trust Dorian.

    ¡°The only person that head is thinking of is a stubborn brunette with azure eyes.¡±

    I stared up at him, wondering if I should be offended or turned on by his statement. Dorian might have been an angel but there was nothing holy about him. He did what he wanted, took what he desired and raised his middle finger to the world¡ªall while charming it with that damned smirk.

    ¡°Appealing as always,¡± I mumbled, tugging out of his grasp. A small smile ghosted across my lips. I began walking again and was tugged backwards. Dorian¡¯s large hands encompassed my face, his fingers slipping beneath my hair. He leaned forward and before I could put two and two together his mouth was on mine. Out of shock my body wanted to fight, until his tongue slipped through my lips and weakened my knees.

    My insides relaxed and my body slumped against Dorian¡¯s hard frame. My veins hummed with a strange buzz as his tongue did clever circles around mine. He smelled like lavender and some sort of spicy wood, cedar maybe. It was divine. The surge of energy rushed through my body like a live wire, zapping and awakening my desire. I sighed against his mouth when he wrapped an arm around my waist and tugged me closer still. His body was solid, hard muscle against my soft frame.

    ¡°Down!¡± Someone yelled and it pierced through the little world Dorian and I had created. My eyes slowly peeled open and I looked up at him, seeing my hungry gaze reflected back in his aviator sunglasses.

    Dorian¡¯s eyebrows drew together, his mouth forming a hard line. His arm shot out, shoving me behind him so quickly I stumbled over my feet and fell backwards. A blade sailed through the air, right where I had just been standing. My breath hitched when I saw the large man Dorian was fighting. Grunts and snarls sounded up ahead. Lauren was fighting another large man, his skin so dark it blended into the night.

    Quickly standing, I reached out and latched onto the surrounding spirits without a second thought. But before I could direct them to take care of the rogues, heavy footsteps echoed through the night. Five more men were running through the graveyard, daggers drawn and fury in their obsidian eyes as they rushed toward us.

    Chapter Seven

    A twig snapped just behind me, the sound more menacing than the scene before me. Hot, sour breath assaulted the back of my neck. I whipped my body around, bending down and sweeping my leg out. The rogue hadn¡¯t been expecting it. His feet went out from underneath him and he tumbled to the hard earth. His coal eyes pinned me in my place, emanating enough hatred and fury to chill me to the bone. But I couldn¡¯t hesitate when dealing with these bloodthirsty monsters. I took off running for a clear space, hoping that none of the rogues were chasing me. Adrenaline coursed through my veins, amplifying my fear as I reached the clearing. The attack at Broomsticks was still fresh in my mind, making it difficult to focus. A flash of my reflection at the hospital flitted through my mind, the ugly sneer of my attacker and the hopelessness I had felt. It was enough to push the fear away and snap me back to reality.

    I eased my rapid breathing, sucking in deep breaths and releasing them slowly. Off in the distance Dorian and Lauren were occupied with their own rogues. Lauren moved so quickly it was difficult for my eyes to track her. Dorian held one rogue by the throat while holding his arm out to the other. He wasn¡¯t touching the rogue, but he stopped in his tracks all the same. His inky eyes shot wide, his lip curling over his teeth in a feral snarl. White and black mist lifted from his body, twirling and spiraling in a sluggish cyclone. The man fell to his knees, a piercing screech breaking through his trembling lips.

    Another man, no taller than 5¡¯3¡±, was heading my way. Fifteen feet separated us and I was running out of time. I stretched my senses, willing the hiding ghosts to my side. Using my spirit walker powers were a lot like using my normal witchy ones. Both buzzed beneath my skin, but while my witchy magic was warm, my spirit walker magic was cold. My skin prickled and itched as the coldness filled my hot hands.

    White mists twirled around me, slow but agitated. The spirits¡¯ foggy energy continued to surround me, picking up speed the closer the rogue got. He stopped just outside of the protective ring, his eyes squinting as he tried to make sense of the display in front of him.

    My hair whipped out around my shoulders, and my chest rose and fell heavily as I fastened onto the power surging within me. A satisfied smile bent my lips as I locked eyes with the rogue. I wasn¡¯t defenseless this time. This rogue would not get a chance to hurt me like the other had.

    He stepped forward, his hand securely wrapped around the handle of his dagger. Stopping just outside the line of the swirling ghosts, he stabbed his knife forward and into the misty bodies. The dead sped up, whirling around me like an angry tornado. Strands of my dark hair blew across my angry eyes.

    The rogue stepped forward, and I lifted my chin the slightest bit. The spirits rushed forward and the man was flung back and thrown a good ten feet. I stomped toward him, fury racing through my veins and warming my skin.

    ¡°Gwen,¡± Dorian called as he ran over to me. ¡°Stop.¡±

    My eyes flicked up at him and then back down at the snarling man. The spirits pinned him to the frozen ground. His onyx eyes were like black glass. Bending down, I tried to grab onto his shirt but my hand fell through his chest cavity. I was instantly filled with a sense of despair and depression. I fell forward, clutching the earth as tears filled my eyes and fell over my heated cheeks. Thin inky vines crawled up my forearm, encircling as they ascended up my arm. My shoulders shook with my sobs and then I was yanked away.

    I lay on the ground in the fetal position, my body shivering as the overwhelming depression ebbed. A screech sounded just behind me, making me wince. Someone knelt in front of me, fingers sweeping my hair out of my face. I looked up and into a pair of blue eyes. Lauren smiled, her blond hair falling over one shoulder.

 Page 13

    ¡°Come on,¡± she said, reaching her hands out to me. ¡°Let¡¯s get you up and off that cold ground.¡±Advertisement

    I sat up, wiping away the streaks of tears on my cheeks and let Lauren pull me up.

    ¡°What the hell was that?¡± My eyes shot to my arms and I released a relieved breath to see the blackness was gone. Dorian was searching the pockets of the rogue, who lay dead just a few feet away from me.

    ¡°This one was using a meat suit,¡± he replied, looking up at me.

    ¡°Do I even want to know?¡± I wrapped my arms around myself and looked over to the right. Multiple dead bodies lay strewn haphazardly amongst the tombstones and oak trees.

    ¡°Demon inhabiting a freshly dead guy,¡±¡¯ Dorian said as he stood up. ¡°The soul was already gone.¡±

    I nodded, cringing in remembrance. While in Moon I had accidentally lifted Aura¡¯s soul out of my cat¡¯s body. Dorian explained that since her spirit didn¡¯t belong in the cat¡¯s body, I was able to connect to it and release it. Now I was left with a normal cat and lost my familiar when Aura moved on.

    ¡°So what I was touching was a demon?¡± I would have to take a few scolding hot showers to erase the feeling it gave me. I didn¡¯t even know that kind of depression existed. An involuntary shudder trembled through my shoulders.

    ¡°I tried warning you.¡±

    ¡°You could have tried saying something like ¡®If you touch him, your hand will be swimming in demon gunk¡¯.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll remember that next time,¡± Dorian responded.

    My eyes fell to my forearm again. ¡°What were those black vine things?¡±

    ¡°My guess is that the demon was trying to inhabit your body because it knew its host would be killed,¡± Lauren replied, staring down at the dead rogue. A few deep scratches lined her neck and cheeks but were already in the healing process.

    ¡°She¡¯s right,¡± Dorian replied. ¡°You¡¯re lucky I got here before that happened.¡±

    I nodded, swiveling my head to see all of the dead rogues. ¡°You think they¡¯re working for Holly?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but Flora isn¡¯t safe anymore.¡± Dorian walked to my side. ¡°Let¡¯s head back home.¡± He placed his hand on the small of my back to turn me around, but I held my ground.

    ¡°We can¡¯t just leave dead bodies lying around.¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t dead bodies supposed to be in a cemetery?¡± Lauren said and she and Dorian shared a laugh. I glared at him and his laughter ceased but an amused grin remained.

    ¡°Do either one of you have a cell phone?¡± I asked.

    Dorian slipped his hand into his pocket and pulled out his phone. He held it out but when I went to grab it, he tugged it away. ¡°Where¡¯s yours?¡±

    ¡°At home,¡± I said. ¡°I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d need it.¡± I tried to grab it again but he held it up and over his shoulder.

    ¡°Have you learned your lesson?¡±

    ¡°That I shouldn¡¯t invite annoying men to move in?¡± I asked. ¡°Yes, lesson learned.¡±

    Dorian grinned. ¡°Admit it, if we hadn¡¯t come to your rescue you¡¯d be in a serious shit.¡±

    ¡°Give me the phone.¡± I reached my hand out, palm side up. Dorian quirked an eyebrow and smiled when I frowned at him.

    ¡°Fine,¡± I snapped. ¡°You and Lauren saved my hide. Thank you, oh-powerful-ones. Now give me the damn phone.¡±

    Dorian chuckled, placing the cell in my hand. Shaking my head, I turned away from the smugness on his face and dialed the only person who could handle a cleanup this bizarre.

    ¡°Who are you calling?¡± Lauren asked from behind me. I held up a finger in a ¡®wait¡¯ gesture. It was a little after midnight, but I knew Micah kept his cell right next to his bed in case of emergencies.

    ¡°Hello?¡± His raspy voice answered after the second ring.

    ¡°Sorry to wake you up,¡± I told him. ¡°I have a situation that needs dealt with.¡±

    ¡°Gwen?¡± he paused. ¡°It¡¯s 12:30. What could possibly be that important?¡±

    ¡°How about ten dead bodies in the cemetery?¡± I glanced over my shoulder, cringing when I saw a man¡¯s arm torn off and lying a couple feet from his body. I was guessing that was Lauren¡¯s handy work.

    ¡°The cemetery is full of dead bodies,¡± Micah said, his voice low and rough like he was fighting staying awake. I wondered if I should be concerned that Micah shared the same sense of humor as Lauren and Dorian.

    ¡°Fresh dead guys,¡± I said. ¡°They¡¯re rogues that we just killed.¡±

    ¡°Who just killed?¡± Lauren chimed in, leaning over my shoulder. I swatted her away.

    ¡°Listen, I¡¯ll just call the department. I¡¯m sure one of your lackeys can handle it.¡±

    There was a groan and then the squeaking of the bed. ¡°No, I¡¯m on my way. But I¡¯m calling Wyatt too. There¡¯s no reason he shouldn¡¯t be woken up, too.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Micah.¡±

    Fifteen minutes later, red and blue flashing lights lit up the night. Micah and Wyatt walked down the beaten trail, their eyes drooping and Styrofoam cups in their hands. When they stopped in front of the three of us, their eyes instantly landed on Dorian. I knew what they were thinking: their squinting eyes, drawn together brows and tight lips all screamed of their suspicion of the tall, leather-coat-wearing man standing to my right. Little did they know he wasn¡¯t just some rough neck.

    ¡°Gwen,¡± Wyatt said in greeting, nodding his head in my direction but his eyes still on Dorian. It was nice to see that I wasn¡¯t the only one affected by Dorian¡¯s presence.

    ¡°Sorry for waking you guys,¡± I said, and their eyes finally found my face. Micah and Wyatt were brothers and you could definitely tell. Though Wyatt¡¯s hair was shorter than Micah¡¯s, it was the same shade of cocoa brown. To the casual observer, their eyes would also appear brown but I couldn¡¯t miss the gold swimming through them that marked them as werewolves. Both men were tall and muscular, five o¡¯clock shadows lining their sharp jaw lines, though Micah¡¯s was a little scragglier compared to his brother¡¯s.

    ¡°Not a problem. I know when you call it must be serious.¡± Wyatt smiled. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize you were back from Moon until the other day.¡±

    ¡°The other day?¡± My eyes caught movement behind the brothers. The spirits lingered amongst the tombstones, their necks craning as they watched the FPD¡¯s team invade their territory. I curled my lips inward to restrain my smile. I imagined what the police would do if they knew they had a phantom audience. I envisioned a lot of screaming and heavy footfalls as they ran for the gate.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Wyatt said, bringing my attention back to the conversation. I looked up at him and he looked over his shoulder. ¡°When you were attacked at your shop... You were already on your way to the hospital by then.¡±

    ¡°Oh, yeah, I got back about a week ago,¡± I told him and he looked back at me. I smiled and he cocked his head a little to the side in question. The last time I had seen Micah and Wyatt, I thought I was just a normal witch with an unusual talent for reading the dead. They hadn¡¯t heard that I was actually a spirit walker.

    ¡°So what happened tonight?¡± Micah asked, his eyes falling on each of the dead bodies. He took a drink of his coffee while he walked over to the nearest dead rogue. We all followed and he knelt down to inspect the man who attacked me.

    ¡°They¡¯re rogues,¡± Dorian answered.

    ¡°Why would rogues be after Gwen?¡± Wyatt asked, joining his brother beside the body. He pulled a pen from his pocket and used it to drag down the man¡¯s shirt collar. Having not found anything, he then used the end to tilt the man¡¯s face away.

    ¡°They¡¯re working with the Veil,¡± Dorian said, crossing his arms.

    I caught Lauren¡¯s smile in my peripheral and turned to look at her. She was tracking one of the uniforms with her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m going to see if he needs any help.¡±

    Before I could threaten her to keep her fangs to herself, she was gone and charming the police officer. Shaking my head, I turned back to the three men. Wyatt turned the dead man over and pulled down the back of his coat to reveal a dagger tattoo spanning his neck. I vaguely remembered the man at my shop having the same tattoo.

    ¡°Who the hell did you piss off enough to warrant a visit from the Veil?¡± Micah asked, his golden eyes hard.

    ¡°So you guys know about the Veil too?¡± I¡¯d been living in my own little world in Flora and hadn¡¯t questioned the things that lurked outside its boundaries. My ignorance was going to get me killed. First thing tomorrow, I was doing some serious research.

    ¡°It¡¯s sort of our job to know about this stuff, Gwen,¡± Micah said without humor. ¡°Who hired them?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure it was Holly,¡± I told them. ¡°She¡¯s a member on the NAWC¡¯s council.¡±

    ¡°What the hell happened in Moon?¡± Micah asked. It¡¯d been the FPD¡¯s case that started the downward spiral, though that was just the tip of the messed up iceberg.

    ¡°It¡¯s a long story,¡± I told him. ¡°In short, Holly and Ian were a couple. Ian thought that since I¡¯m a spirit walker, I could accept the vampire virus and be turned into some sort of hybrid and used for his revenge on the VC.¡± By the time I finished talking Micah and Wyatt were staring at me with disbelief.

    ¡°Can you accept the vampire virus?¡± Wyatt asked.

    I shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know and I don¡¯t want to find out.¡±

    ¡°And Ian?¡± Micah said.

    ¡°Dead.¡±

    ¡°You?¡±

    I smiled. ¡°Silver stake through the heart.¡±

    ¡°Damn,¡± Micah said. ¡°Seems we missed a lot. I¡¯m happy you¡¯re home safe.¡± He looked down at the dead man in front of him. ¡°Well, home at least.¡±

    ¡°Now that you¡¯ve given Gwen her welcome home speech, can you clean this up and keep it quiet?¡± Dorian grimaced.

 Page 14

    Micah and Wyatt stood with their shoulders wide and tense as they glared at the uncouth angel at my side. A smirk lifted one side of Dorian¡¯s mouth up as he brushed off their intimidating stares. The werewolves weren¡¯t to be trifled with. Most people avoided their hair-trigger tempers, but Dorian wasn¡¯t most people.Advertisement

    ¡°This is Dorian Hade,¡± I said to break the tension. ¡°He¡¯s staying with me to teach me about being a spirit walker. Ignore his rudeness; it¡¯s the only side of him.¡±

    ¡°I resent that.¡± Dorian looked down at me. ¡°I think we both know I have another side.¡± He winked and I rolled my eyes, looking back at Micah and Wyatt. Their eyes volleyed between me and Dorian, their assumptions written all over their faces. Why was it men always assumed a man and woman were sleeping together simply because they are friends?

    ¡°All right, well, we¡¯ll take these guys back to the morgue,¡± Wyatt stopped, a thought occurring to him. ¡°Are the demons gone from their bodies?¡±

    ¡°Only three of them,¡± Dorian responded. ¡°I didn¡¯t have time to extract the rest.¡±

    ¡°What are you, some kind of black magic witch?¡± Micah questioned, his right eye crinkling in speculation.

    A sly smile spread across Dorian¡¯s lips. ¡°I¡¯m much worse.¡±

    Micah and Wyatt looked at each other, and then at me accusingly like I¡¯d stepped over to the dark side and was consorting with the enemy.

    ¡°He¡¯s Death,¡± I said. ¡°And the only thing dangerous about him is his enormous ego.¡± That wasn¡¯t true; Dorian was a force to be reckoned with, but I wasn¡¯t going to feed his narcissism. And for the most part he was one of the good guys.

    ¡°As in the reaper of souls?¡± Wyatt asked.

    ¡°That¡¯d be the one,¡± Dorian replied.

    ¡°Now that the introductions are out of the way, what are you guys going to do with the bodies?¡± I asked. It was quickly getting colder and the thin jacket I wore wasn¡¯t up to the task of shielding me from it. Plus, I was exhausted from the fight and using my energy to control the spirits.

    ¡°Like I said, we¡¯ll take them to the morgue,¡± Wyatt replied. ¡°We¡¯ll have to find someone to exercise the demons from them.¡±

    ¡°I can do it,¡± Dorian offered. ¡°It¡¯d be best if we took care of it tonight so that the demons don¡¯t extract themselves and go into one of your officers.¡±

    Micah and Wyatt looked at each other, their heads nodding and their mouths agape. The poor guys were used to dealing with the run-of-the-mill criminals, not demons.

    ¡°Where¡¯s Lauren?¡± Dorian asked.

    I turned to see where she had gone but didn¡¯t see her. ¡°I don¡¯t know, probably sinking her fangs into the cute officer she was flirting with.¡±

    ¡°Some bodyguard she¡¯s turning out to be,¡± Dorian mumbled. ¡°You¡¯ll have to come with me to the morgue.¡±

    ¡°Like hell I will,¡± I bit out. ¡°It¡¯s late and I¡¯m tired. I¡¯m going home.¡±

    ¡°Not by yourself you¡¯re not,¡± Dorian replied, his tone final.

    ¡°For crying out loud, I¡¯m not helpless and you can¡¯t order me around.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll just give you two a moment,¡± Wyatt interrupted. He and Micah walked over to a couple of their officers and left me alone with Dorian. We glared at each other, both unwilling to bend.

    ¡°It¡¯s nice you care about my safety, but I¡¯ve survived twenty-six years without you. I think I¡¯ll manage to stay alive for one more night.¡± I turned and walked away.

    ¡°Meet you at the morgue, boys,¡± Dorian called behind me as his footsteps headed in my direction. ¡°I have to walk Gwen home.¡±

    I frowned, hugging my arms to my chest and continued up the path. Dorian fell in step beside me and together we exited the cemetery. I felt something heavy fall around my shoulders, and when I looked up, Dorian was no longer wearing his leather jacket.

    ¡°You know, if word gets out that you¡¯re a gentleman, it¡¯ll hurt your rep.¡±

    ¡°Luckily there aren¡¯t any witnesses around.¡± We walked in silence for a few long seconds before Dorian spoke again. ¡°It happened again tonight.¡±

    I had been staring into the trees lining the street. I looked up at him. ¡°What happened again?¡±

    Dorian shook his head slightly, his lips a tight wire as the muscles in his jaw flexed. He was absolutely gorgeous, even when pissed off. His skin, though lined with a five o¡¯clock shadow, was warm porcelain.

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t see the danger you were in tonight,¡± he said, bewildered.

    I knew the lack of insight bothered him, and it bothered me too, but I believed everything happened for a reason. I just didn¡¯t know what the reason might be.

    ¡°Maybe you¡¯re not seeing it because the rogues weren¡¯t going to kill me. You see death, right? What if the rogues were ordered to just kidnap me or something?¡± Dorian gave me an ¡®are you serious?¡¯ look, I shrugged. Truth was I didn¡¯t have a clue why I was blocked from him. In my experience, it couldn¡¯t be good.

    ¡°I cannot pinpoint when you¡¯ll die, Gwen. Do you understand how baffling and dangerous that is?¡± Dorian¡¯s hands curled into fists beside his thighs. ¡°I have to find answers. Otherwise you may not live through the week. Especially when you don¡¯t take precautions.¡± He gave me a chiding look.

    ¡°How do you plan to find answers?¡± We¡¯d made it back to the apartment. We climbed up the staircase and I fished my keys out of my pocket and unlocked the door. Dorian¡¯s strong hands slid over my shoulders and he turned me around to face him.

    ¡°I have to leave, Gwen. I don¡¯t know how long I¡¯ll be gone.¡± He moved his hand up my shoulder, to my neck and cupped the side of my face. Brushing the pad of his thumb along my jawline, he leaned down and pressed the softest kiss to my lips.

    ¡°Leaving is the last thing I want to do, but finding answers could save you and that¡¯s more important than my need to stay by your side.¡± He spoke against my mouth, his breath caressing my lips.

    The idea of Dorian not being around twisted my heart. I knew he¡¯d come back, but that could be days or months. The Dorian leaving was different than the Dorian who arrived at the castle in Moon a month ago. This man still had hard edges but they were softening, and it pained me to see him go. I may be reluctant to enter into another relationship, but I¡¯d come to think of Dorian as my friend¡ª even if that friend occasionally kissed me.

    ¡°When?¡± I mumbled.

    ¡°As soon as I¡¯m done helping the FPD.¡±

    I nodded and looked down at my hands. Turning, I opened the door and stepped inside. Dorian followed, closing the door behind him. A small part of me was angry with the angel of Death for leaving me at such a vulnerable time, but I wouldn¡¯t voice those emotions. Dorian needed to find answers for what he was experiencing and who was I to stand in his way? He¡¯d given up his life to help me out and now I had to let him get back to it.

    ¡°Alright,¡± I said, crossing my arms and staring at him. ¡°Good luck.¡±

    He crossed the room, stopping just in front of me. We watched each other for a few lingering moments until his lips were on my mouth again. There was nothing soft about this kiss. It was urgent, hard and possessive. A delightful tremor ran through my body as his arm snaked around my waist and pulled me tighter to his body. If only all moments could be this delicious.

    ¡°Whoa,¡± Lauren said behind us. The door slamming shut was like the snap of a hypnotizer¡¯s fingers, awakening me from a dream.

    Dorian pressed one last kiss on my lips before he turned away and disappeared through the door. I caught Lauren¡¯s smile but wasn¡¯t in the mood to return it. Turning, I headed to my bedroom and prayed sleep would claim me fast.

    Chapter Eight

    I don¡¯t know why I thought finding information on a secret, underground group of evil rogues would be easy. It wasn¡¯t like there was an evilrogues.com. (Yes, I tried it.) I had woken up at 4 a.m. and spent the morning hunched over my laptop sifting through websites until my eyes burned and I couldn¡¯t see straight anymore. There were a few conspiracy theorist blogs where they mentioned the idea of a group like the Veil, but they also thought there were subliminal messages on children¡¯s televisions shows. After reading it, my brain hurt and my patience was thinning.

    I must have drifted off because I woke up on the sofa, my laptop discarded on the floor and infomercials for slimming lotion squawking from the television. The good news was I hadn¡¯t dreamt about assassins or sharp daggers. As I tried to sit up, the throw blanket got tangled around me like some sort of cotton boa constrictor. I fought my way out, yanking and lifting until I was free to stand. Talk about an early morning workout.

    Rubbing my blurry eyes, I padded into the kitchen in desperate need of coffee. While I waited for it to brew, I headed down the hall to the restroom, pausing in front of Dorian¡¯s bedroom door. It took me a moment to realize he wasn¡¯t behind it. Turning the knob, I opened the door; half hoping he would be sleeping under Fiona¡¯s frilly comforter. He wasn¡¯t. Lauren was curled into a tight ball, her arms strangling her pillow. Her long blonde hair spilled over her face. She actually looked peaceful when she wasn¡¯t strutting and wielding her body at the closest man.

    Lauren would be dead to the world until tonight. Vampires could awaken during the sunlit hours, but they had the strength of a toddler. The two windows had thick blankets duct taped to the wall to keep out even the smallest sliver of light. My eyes adjusted quickly, the light from the hall leaking into the room. Fiona had had movers pack up a lot of her things when she decided to stay in Moon. I knew her father didn¡¯t want her around me when I was the target in so many bad guys¡¯ eyes, but I missed her. Seeing her half-empty room caused a pain in my chest. Deciding it was probably creepy to be watching over a sleeping vampire, I turned and closed the door.

    After three cups of coffee, and more endless internet searches, I reached a dead end. I flipped through the notes I had scribbled down in my journal. There were more doodles than information. Sometime during zoning out, I had drawn a dagger. Its hilt was wide and at the base a gem was set in the metal, just like the tattoo I¡¯d see on my attacker¡¯s neck. As I thought about my assassin, another thought came to mind: What had Dorian done to him? The man stood behind me so I couldn¡¯t see what had happened, but one minute he was holding my life in his hands and the next he was crumbled at my feet¡ªdead. And he hadn¡¯t touched the man at the cemetery either. He simply reached his hand out and black and white smoke rose from the rogue¡¯s body. Bizarre.

 Page 15

    ¡°Damn you, Dorian,¡± I whispered to myself.Advertisement

    Two hard knocks echoed behind my front door. I froze, afraid to find out who was on the other side. I didn¡¯t have a lot of visitors, and the ones I did have only came once the sun fell. Jumping out of the chair, I hurried to the knife block on my counter and grabbed the biggest blade it stored. Clutching the handle, my palm suddenly sweaty, I inched closer to the door.

    ¡°Who is it?¡± It was times like these that I wished I had a peephole. It didn¡¯t matter, if I didn¡¯t recognize the responder¡¯s voice I wouldn¡¯t open the door.

    ¡°It¡¯s Micah,¡± a smooth baritone answered and I sagged in relief. I flipped the lock and opened the door. Micah, my ex, local detective and werewolf, stood with his arms crossed and a smile on his face. His shaggy brown hair was a tangled mess as if he had just hopped out of bed and headed over here. Dark circled lined his eyes and his skin was a shade paler now that I could see him in the light of day. He looked like he¡¯d aged five years.

    ¡°Hey,¡± I said. ¡°Come on in.¡±

    Micah stepped inside, shutting the door behind him.

    ¡°Do you want something to drink? I think I have some iced tea.¡±

    Micah eyed the knife in my hand and then arched a brow at me.

    I smiled sheepishly. ¡°You can never be too careful.¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m fine,¡± Micah said, waving off my hospitality. ¡°The reason I came by was to tell you I think you should keep the store closed, at least until rogues stop coming after you.¡±

    I leaned against the counter and studied Micah¡¯s face. ¡°You mean because the other business owners don¡¯t want me to reopen.¡±

    Micah rubbed his stubble-lined jaw as he stared at the floor. When he looked up his amber eyes were apologetic. ¡°We¡¯ve gotten complaints,¡± he admitted. ¡°But that¡¯s not the only reason. I do think it¡¯s a good idea to lay low. I don¡¯t know what happened while you were in Moon, but the residents of Flora aren¡¯t happy you brought the trouble back with you.¡±

    I snorted. ¡°It¡¯s not like I invited the rogues here to kill me or wreak havoc in our peaceful little town.¡±

    It was Micah¡¯s case that started the entire mess, one that I should have kept my nose out of. Not that it would have done any good. Ian Despereaux targeted me before I even knew he existed. I was doomed from the start. Since the fight was between the witches and vampires, the two governments took over handling the problem, leaving Micah, and every other person who worked on the case, out of the loop.

    ¡°I¡¯m not saying that, Gwen,¡± Micah said. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­what did happen in Moon? I thought the NAWC and the VC were taking care of the problem?¡±

    That caused me to snort in derision again. ¡°Oh they are, but Holly, our trusted council leader, was in on the entire thing. Like I mentioned last night.She and Ian were also screwing.¡± I took a moment to reign in my anger. ¡°She¡¯s supposedly locked up and awaiting trial while the other NAWC members are working around the clock to reset the protection spell of our blood. Until then, I have to dodge rogues and whatever else Holly throws my way.¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t surprise me. Every government has a dirty side.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, well, my government¡¯s dirty side is trying to kill me,¡± I paused. ¡°Speaking of which, what do you know about the Veil?¡±

    Micah sat down at the table, leaning back in the chair. ¡°I thought they were a myth, a story that paranoid supes told. Up until now they¡¯ve been more legend than fact.¡± Returning the knife to the block, I joined him at the table.

    ¡°So, what do you know about the Veil? I tried looking them up on the web but got a whole lot of nothing.¡±

    Micah chuckled. ¡°They¡¯re a secret, underground group, Gwen. They¡¯re not going to advertise their services on a website.¡± He pointed to the computer. ¡°They¡¯re not stupid.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s called grasping at straws, Micah. I have no way of finding out about them. Everything else is on the web so I figured I would give it a shot.¡±

    ¡°Why not ask Dorian?¡± Micah asked.

    ¡°Hmm, I should have thought about that right before he left.¡± I was trying very hard to not allow Dorian¡¯s runaway act anger me. It was not working so far. I had plenty of time to think about it this morning and the more I thought the angrier I got. Demon possessed rogues wanted my head, and he was off who knew where trying to figure out why he couldn¡¯t see my death. One thing was for sure, I was on my own for the time being. I would have to start taking those precautions Dorian was so fond of bitching at me about.

    ¡°What?¡± I asked once I noticed the strange look Micah was giving me.

    Micah grinned. ¡°Nothing,¡± he said shaking his head and lowering his eyes.

    ¡°It¡¯s something,¡± I insisted. ¡°Do you forget we dated for eight months? I know when you¡¯re hiding something from me.¡±

    ¡°I can smell your desire for him,¡± Micah said almost apologetically. ¡°Were you and him¡­¡±

    ¡°No,¡± I snapped. ¡°And that¡¯s TMI.¡± It was impossible for a person to retain their modesty when they were around vampires and werewolves. They saw, heard or smelled too much.

    ¡°Hey, I tried not to tell you,¡± Micah shrugged. ¡°Getting back on track, the Veil is made up of supernatural rogues, creatures who don¡¯t want to play along with society¡¯s rules. Once they join the Veil they forfeit their souls to the dark side for the chance of gaining power. No one knows where their headquarters are, and the only way to contact them is through a black magic spell.¡±

    Well, that information didn¡¯t help me. It was pretty much the same thing Dorian had told me. Maybe the Veil was just a bunch of social rejects that banded together and formed their own gang, a minor operation instead of the huge following like we all suspected. There was nothing more important to thugs than their reputations. If the public thought they were some scary, demon-backed group, they would leave them alone. The rogues would be free to kill anyone they wanted. I ran the argument through my head, testing it for flaws. After debating my theory, I found one¡ªthe black eyes. My attacker wasn¡¯t a vampire, which meant he was something else, something darker¡ªeviler.

    ¡°How are you feeling?¡± Micah asked, tearing me away from my thoughts. ¡°You look a lot better.¡±

    ¡°Better than last night?¡±

    ¡°Better than after your attack.¡±

    My eyebrows arched. ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t realize you saw me afterwards.¡± I remembered Dorian telling me he called for help when I was fighting to stay conscious, but I couldn¡¯t put a coherent thought together. Of course the FPD would arrive on the scene.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Micah said softly. ¡°We weren¡¯t sure you would make it.¡± His warm honeyed eyes watched me with compassion, and I gave him a small smile.

    ¡°Aiden gave me his blood,¡± I said with nonchalance. ¡°How have you been? You look¡­tired.¡± I needed to change the subject. If I thought about how I felt in the hospital it would break through my confidence.

    ¡°Jesse¡¯s pregnant,¡± he said reluctantly. The reason it hadn¡¯t worked out between Micah and me was due to the fact that I wasn¡¯t a werewolf and couldn¡¯t offer him purebred children. His father, the alpha of their pack, did not make our relationship easy. In the end, Micah chose his pack and it was for the best.

    ¡°Congratulations,¡± I said and tried to sound the way a normal, excited person would. I was happy for Micah but it was still a touchy, awkward subject.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Micah said. ¡°A pregnant werewolf¡¯s hormones are off the charts. If I survive this it will be a miracle.¡±

    I smiled. ¡°You¡¯re tough. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be okay. I bet your father and Wyatt are excited.¡±

    ¡°Gwen, we don¡¯t have to talk about it. I just wanted to stop by and see if you were all right and to ask you to keep Broomsticks closed until this blows over.¡±

    ¡°Are you going to call the people who send my bills and let them know why I can¡¯t work?¡± I halfheartedly joked. A magic shop in a town full of magical folks didn¡¯t rake in the dough like some would think. I made enough to cover my expenses with a small profit at the end. Plus, keeping the store closed meant Penny and Jillian wouldn¡¯t get a paycheck either.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you kill Ian Despereaux?¡± Micah asked.

    My eyebrows drew together. ¡°Yeah? So?¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t get an inheritance?¡±

    ¡°A what?¡±

    ¡°When vampires are killed, their assets go to the one who ended their life. It¡¯s a sick rule the vamps have. Doesn¡¯t make sense to me. You would think people would be trying to kill vampires all the time to inherit their fortunes.¡±

    I laughed. ¡°That is the silliest thing I¡¯ve ever heard. Plus, Ian¡¯s sire is still alive. Wouldn¡¯t his money go to him?¡±

    Micah shrugged. ¡°Perhaps, or maybe his sire just doesn¡¯t want you to have it and that is why you haven¡¯t gotten notice of it yet. You should ask Aiden¡­if you two are speaking, that is.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, we¡¯re still talking¡­sort of.¡±

    Micah¡¯s forehead wrinkled in confusion.

    ¡°Another long story I don¡¯t feel like telling,¡± I explained.

    An awkward silence settled over the kitchen, and then Micah stood up. ¡°I should get going. It was nice seeing you, Gwen.¡±

    I stood up also, walking around the table to hold the door while Micah stepped out onto the balcony. ¡°You too.¡±

    ¡°Think about what I said about keeping the store closed, and stay safe. You know if you need anything you can call me or Wyatt.¡±

    ¡°I will, and thanks. Tell Jesse I said congrats,¡± I smiled. When Micah turned to leave, I shut the door and leaned against it, staring at my small kitchen. Cabinets and countertop were housed on the far wall, along with the stove. The refrigerator rested at the end, and a small worn table sat in front of two windows that looked over the pathetic front lawn and parking lot. I had painted the walls a bright blue, but the longer I stared at them the more I hated the color. The yellowing linoleum was beginning to crack in various places. The landlord hadn¡¯t updated the apartment building since the eighties.

 Page 16

    The phone rang, startling me. I laughed at myself for being easily shaken and walked the short distance to answer it.Advertisement

    ¡°Hello?¡±

    ¡°Is this Gwen, Gwen Sparks?¡± The man¡¯s voice sounded like that of an elderly man, soft and raspy.

    ¡°Yes,¡± I said with uncertainty, peeking over my shoulder and around my kitchen.

    ¡°I have a deal for you,¡± the man said.

    ¡°Who is this?¡± I hurried to the window and looked out into the yard as if the man would just be standing out there. What can I say¡­ people get paranoid when they¡¯re scared.

    ¡°Who I am does not matter,¡± the old man said. ¡°What matters is your life and whether or not you¡¯ll have it for much longer.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t say anything to that. I slammed the phone onto the cradle and stepped backwards and away from it like it was a poisonous snake. The phone rang again, screaming through the kitchen and beating against my eardrums. I jumped. It continued to ring repeatedly until the sound became one long noise in my mind. I raked my fingers through my hair, frustration seeping through my veins.

    ¡°What do you want?¡± I growled into the phone, clutching it tight. A low, raspy chuckle rolled over the receiver and all the way down my spine. There was nothing fragile in that laugh.

    ¡°Avoidance is only postponing the inevitable, my dear.¡±

    Goosebumps pebbled my arms, and my skin crawled as his soft breath sounded in my ears. I punched the END button and took the battery out of the back of the phone for good measure. Now rogues were making house calls? Suddenly the walls and locked door didn¡¯t make me feel as safe as they had moments before.

    Chapter Nine

    I sipped my vanilla iced coffee on my walk to Broomsticks. As I headed down the sidewalk from Espresso Self to my shop, sharp stares and not-so-hushed whispers fell my way. The people of Flora really weren¡¯t that different than those of a human small town; give them something to talk about and their mouths ran wild. I had brought chaos to their haven. I could almost see the ideas of pitchforks and torches in their steely gazes. As I passed one woman with a small child, I had to smile as she shielded the little girl from me as we crossed each other. In a town of monsters, I had become the boogeyman. Talk about ironic.

    I stopped in front of my store, eyes wide and a frown on my face. A sheet of plywood covered the door. I had forgotten Dorian had busted it down, but that wasn¡¯t what made me frown. In bold, red letters was the Latin word infelicitas, which roughly translated to bad luck. It was a warning to the townsfolk to stay clear of me. I could handle Fiona¡¯s dad talking her into staying in Moon; she was his daughter and he was protecting her, but now my hometown was keeping a wide berth?

    ¡°What ever happened to unity?¡± I asked no one in particular, looking over my shoulder. A man¡ªno, not a man, an elf picked up his pace to pass me and murmured something under his breath that sounded a lot like ¡°cursed¡±. Shaking my head in frustration, I made my way down the alley and to the back of the store. Unlocking the door, I flipped on the light and stepped inside, making sure to lock the door behind me.

    The storage area wasn¡¯t very big, but it was enough for my small store. Rows and rows of metal shelving units ran in three lines to the left and to the right was a gift-wrapping station that rarely saw use. Just behind that was my office and restroom, the walls were made of cinder block and painted the color of sand.

    I made my way up front, my steps slow and hesitant. From the back of the store the shop looked untouched, but I knew better. It was a crime scene, my crime scene. Once I made it out of the rows of glass shelves, I stopped. The register, pens, bags and various papers were strewn in front of the cashier station. Shards of wood and glass littered the gray carpet by the door. I stepped closer, my heart thumping wildly. Like a movie reel, those horrible memories replayed in my mind.

    The rogue held me from behind, the dagger cutting into the skin at my throat. My head was full of blurry stars from getting it slammed onto the counter. Dorian stood on the other side of the counter, icy fury rolling off him in dangerous waves. He was as beautiful as an avenging angel.

    ¡°Can you kill me before I kill her?¡± the rogue had asked, pressing the blade tighter. I was losing consciousness but Dorian ordered me to keep eye contact with him.

    I walked around the counter and stared at the space behind it. A deep dent concaved the wall where the rogue had thrown me against it.

    The rogue¡¯s hold loosened, the dagger¡¯s sharp edge falling from my throat. Angry grunts sounded from behind me as the man fought against Dorian¡¯s influence. With a hard thump, the rogue fell to the floor. Before I could join him, Dorian captured my falling body in his arms. With a swipe of his arm, he cleared the counter and placed my body on top.

    ¡°Stay with me, Gwen,¡± he whispered.

    I blinked as the memory of his words bounced around my head. The last thing I remembered was Dorian catching me and clearing the counter. I was sure after that I had passed out yet, now things were being added to a memory I didn¡¯t know I had. My eyes fell to the counter and the red stain of my blood coating it. A tremor vibrated my bones.

    Dorian brushed my hair away from my face. My eyes were closed and my head lolled to the side. For all intents and purposes I looked dead. Dorian leaned forward, pressing a kiss to my forehead. His fingers disappeared through the curtain of my dark hair while he rested his cheek against my head.

    ¡°You will not die,¡± Dorian growled, standing up straight. He looked to the ceiling; his hands fisted so tightly his knuckles turned white. ¡°Do you hear me?¡± He yelled. ¡°I won¡¯t let you take her.¡±

    I blinked back tears, surprised to feel them falling against my cheeks. Confusion consumed me. How was I able to see and hear Dorian when I was passed out? The memory was so vivid like it was there all along.

    ¡°Gwen,¡± Dorian said softly, standing and taking a couple steps. A white mist hovered just in front of him, so soft it was hard to make out. Dorian reached out his hand to the misty form and it became solid beneath his grasp. The fog solidified into that of a woman with long dark hair. Her back was turned toward Dorian.

    I took small steps backwards while I saw the past play out in front of me. My throat constricted and the air in my lungs thinned. I jumped when my back hit the wall behind me. Looking over my shoulder briefly, I brought my gaze back to the space in front of me.

    ¡°I¡¯m not done with you yet,¡± Dorian said to the woman. His voice was tinged with pain and indecision as though he were fighting some internal battle. The woman turned her head, her skin porcelain and cream. Her almond-shaped blue eyes stared unblinking at Dorian, but they churned like an emotional sea.

    I gasped, my hand going to my mouth. The spirit was me. How was that possible? Tears spilled over my eyes, dripping onto my cheeks.

    The spirit me looked at her body on the counter and then back at Dorian.

    ¡°I¡¯m dead, aren¡¯t I?¡±

    ¡°Not completely,¡± Dorian replied.

    The spirit me wrinkled her eyebrows and stared at her abandoned body for a long while.

    ¡°Gwen, you have to return.¡±

    The spirit¡¯s eyes fell back on Dorian and then she looked over her shoulder.

    ¡°I¡¯ll drag you back here and put you back in your body if I have to,¡± Dorian threatened. I turned to look at him, a frown bending my mouth down.

    ¡°If it¡¯s my time¡ª¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not,¡± Dorian snapped. ¡°I won¡¯t allow it.¡±

    I looked over my shoulder again but before I could make a decision, Dorian held out both hands, palm facing toward me. The white mist making up my body began to drift toward him, disappearing into his palms. As soon as all of the fog was soaked up, Dorian turned towards my fleshy body and placed his hands on my chest. Tipping his head back, his mouth fell open and tendrils of white began to snake out of his palms and seep into my body.

    That¡¯s where my memory ended. The next thing I remembered was waking up in the hospital. ¡°What the hell?¡± I murmured. Dorian hadn¡¯t mentioned anything about capturing my soul and placing it back in my body. Was I supposed to die the other day? Was I just having an out of body experience? It was pretty creepy that Dorian had sucked my soul up. I had been inside of Death. Sure, I thought about Death being inside me a few times, but this was different¡ªnot sexy.

    I wiped away the lingering tears, eyeing the counter with disdain as I stepped around it. The next time I saw Dorian, he had better start explaining or he would have more to fear than a loss of insight.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯m here. What¡¯s the big emergency?¡± Jillian crossed her arms and leaned against the doorframe leading into the living room. Her blonde hair was cut into a bob, longer in the front and shorter in the back. She was new to vampirism, turned five years ago. When she wasn¡¯t working at Aiden¡¯s bar, Vain, she covered nights at Broomsticks.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t say it was an emergency.¡± I gave her a pointed look, one that reminded her I was her boss. She rolled her eyes and I barely restrained myself from getting up and smacking her head to see if they would stick like that. It would be hard to be a sarcastic vampire with crossed eyes.

    Penny sat in the overstuffed chair next to me. Tonight she was wearing red and gray plaid pants with suspenders over a white baby tee. Her red-streaked muddy brown hair fell in twin braids over her shoulders. I had called them over to break the news about Broomsticks closing for a while. I had a feeling they wouldn¡¯t be as broken up about it as I was.

    I pulled my attention away from the screen of my open laptop and looked up at the girls. ¡°Due to recent events,¡± I began, ¡°the FPD thinks it¡¯ll be in everyone¡¯s best interest if I close Broomsticks for a while.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re making you close your store?¡± Penny asked with indignation. ¡°That¡¯s total BS.¡±

    I agreed, but I didn¡¯t want to add fuel to her fire. ¡°The FPD asked me to consider it,¡± I told her. ¡°Nobody¡¯s making me. However, after careful consideration I decided that it¡¯s for the best. Had you or Jillian been working when the rogue came, he could have killed you. I don¡¯t want to put either of you at risk. Besides, just because the store is closed doesn¡¯t mean there won¡¯t be work.¡±

 Page 17

    Jillian walked into the living room but didn¡¯t sit. Instead, she stood in front of my sofa table and stared at the silver frames lining it. She picked one of them up and studied the photograph.Advertisement

    ¡°How old were you in this?¡± She held up the frame, looking over her shoulder. My eyes fell to the picture of me with my younger sister Rebekah. We had been close despite our ten year age difference. I hadn¡¯t seen her since I was sixteen but that didn¡¯t stop me from wondering what kind of woman she¡¯d turned out to be.

    ¡°I was fifteen.¡±

    ¡°And who¡¯s this?¡± She tapped her finger over Rebekah¡¯s face.

    ¡°My sister.¡± Rebekah had the same raven colored hair as me, and her eyes were so brightgreen they resembled spring grass. I smiled as I imagined how beautiful she must be now.

    ¡°I had a sister too,¡± Jillian responded more to herself than me. She stared at the photograph for another long second before placing it back on the table. When she turned to face us, she noticed Penny and I were staring at her.

    ¡°Did she pass away?¡± Penny asked, her voice soft.

    ¡°Wha¡ªno, my family disowned me when I decided to become a vampire. My parents were afraid I would drain them dry.¡± She rolled her eyes. ¡°Haven¡¯t seen or heard from them in almost four years.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I told her. ¡°I know what it¡¯s like to have an insensitive family. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll see your sister again someday, when she¡¯s old enough to decide for herself whether she wants to see you or not.¡±

    Jillian snorted. ¡°My sister is older than me. If she wanted to reach out, she would have by now.¡±

    ¡°At least you¡¯ve got us,¡± Penny beamed, making me smile. I knew she was doing it just to annoy Jillian, and Jillian knew it too.

    ¡°Lucky me.¡±

    ¡°Okay, back to business,¡± I said. ¡°The front doors may be closed, but thanks to Penny, we have the internet sales. Those will still need to be packaged and shipped each week. I made up a schedule.¡± I flipped open a folder and handed a piece of paper to both girls. ¡°Each of you has keys to the shop. I just ask that you keep the door locked while there. Just in case. I¡¯m not saying another rogue will pop up but it¡¯s better to be safe.¡±

    ¡°Oh, is it a girls¡¯ night?¡± Lauren stood in the doorway, a smile stretching her lips. She had been out doing recon, or so she said.

    ¡°Just a work meeting,¡± I told her. Turning my attention back to Jillian and Penny I said, ¡°Do you guys have any questions?¡± Both girls shook their heads. Now that my business was situated, I felt a lot better, and Penny and Jillian wouldn¡¯t have to look for another job.

    ¡°If you¡¯re done, we have somewhere to be,¡± Lauren said, her face growing serious.

    ¡°Where?¡± I looked up from the folder in my hands.

    Lauren gestured with her head for me to follow her into the kitchen. Excusing myself, I got up and walked over to where Lauren stood by the counter.

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°Aiden has asked me to bring you to Vain.¡±

    I arched a brow. That news didn¡¯t seem as important as she was making it.

    ¡°The VC is in town and they¡¯ve requested a meeting with you. Aiden wants to do it at Vain so that his vampires are there, in case things get out of hand.¡±

    ¡°You know,¡± I said, ¡°it would be nice if just for once, someone had good news.¡±

    Chapter Ten

    Vain is in a long rectangular building. The outside was painted black, and the tinted windows looked like liquid silk as the lights reflected off them. Above the door hung a black sign with the word Vain in red neon, a drop of blood hanging from the center of the V. Gripping the handle, I opened the door and waited for Lauren to enter. She hung back, arms crossed and apprehension coloring her delicate features.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t go in,¡± she all but whispered. I had to stick my head out to capture her words fading into the night wind.

    ¡°What do you mean, you can¡¯t go in? Aiden hired you to protect me. I mean, that is why you moved into my apartment, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, and I¡¯ll be out here when you¡¯re done. But I cannot go inside. Aiden knows why.¡± Lauren¡¯s voice grew stiff, her blue eyes piercing.

    I shrugged. ¡°Fine.¡± I stepped inside and let the door close behind me. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t I be the one terrified of entering?¡± I mumbled to myself.

    The inside of the club had a red, black and white color scheme. The walls were covered in black and gray damask wallpaper. Various two-person love seats were ranged along the wall, while the dance floor was situated in the middle of the room. Off to the left, a bar made of black marble stretched along the wall. Rows of alcohol bottles were perched on black glass shelves, red lights beneath to cast an eerie glow. The floor was covered in black slate tile and hanging lights with red shades fell from the ceiling, their bulbs barely casting enough illumination on the space below them. Seeing wasn¡¯t necessarily difficult for me, but it wasn¡¯t easy either. Silhouettes of bodies cast shadows against the walls, only visible when the dance lights cut across the floor and revealed their identity.

    Arms slid beneath mine, languid yet possessive. I didn¡¯t need to see the person¡¯s face to know that it was Aiden behind me; my body was attuned to his energy. The air around me thickened as Aiden slipped one of his hands free and trailed a finger down my arm while holding me against his chest with the other. My eyes closed briefly, relishing the familiar ecstasy. For just a moment, I didn¡¯t want to think about what he¡¯d done, why we were apart or the impending meeting with the VC. If only it were that easy. My newfound spirit walker powers wouldn¡¯t allow me absolute ignorance. The death rolling off Aiden twined with his energy and sent goose bumps flitting up my arms. I tried to push the feeling away, to ignore the truth of his past.

    Aiden settled his face against mine, his mouth brushing my ear. The sound of his tongue rolling across his lips as he licked them was an intoxicating seduction that stirred the fire within me. No matter whether Aiden and I were together or apart, I would always be attracted to him, had been since I first met him. It only made being away from him that much harder.

    ¡°The VC does not know that we aren¡¯t together,¡± he whispered, a kiss behind my ear following his words. ¡°It would be best if they didn¡¯t find out. Without a vampire consort you¡¯re fair game.¡±

    I hadn¡¯t realized my eyes had slipped all the way closed until Aiden¡¯s embrace disappeared. When my eyelids opened sluggishly, he was standing in front of me. His blue eyes broke through the darkness: penetrating and hungry. He watched me for only a second before he stepped forward, his hand disappearing in my hair as he cradled my face and kissed me hard. His mouth claimed my tongue, sucking and twirling in a delicious battle to bring me to my knees.

    When he broke the kiss, my breathing was heavy. I traced my swollen lips with my fingertips, averting my eyes from Aiden¡¯s. Oh, man, I was on a slippery slope. If Aiden kissed me like that again, reason and sense wouldn¡¯t penetrate through my desire to have all of him.

    ¡°I¡¯ve missed the taste of your lips, my Gwen.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t say things like that,¡± I breathed. ¡°And you shouldn¡¯t kiss me.¡±

    A devious smirk lifted one side of his mouth up. ¡°So I can still affect you; is that what you¡¯re saying?¡±

    ¡°The VC¡ª¡±

    ¡°Can wait,¡± Aiden stepped closer, towering over me like a dark seductive shadow. He kept advancing until the only option I had left was to step backwards. When the wall stopped my retreat, his smirk grew into a full-blown smile. He reached an arm up and rested it against the wall, while his other hand settled on my hip, his fingers gripping my waist.

    ¡°My blood runs in your veins. I know how turned on you are right now, my Gwen.¡±

    The techno music beat against the walls, sending short vibrations running against my back. Vain was crowded, but all I could see was Aiden¡¯s athletic lean body in front of me. My eyes fell to his full lips, and I licked my own in remembrance of how they tasted. Aiden yanked my hips toward his body, my pelvis smacking against his in a delightful collision. A moan slipped through my lips before I could stop it. Aiden¡¯s mouth was busy suckling against my throat, his tongue licking an upward path. For the love of god, he felt good against my body, an enticing drug that promised the ultimate high. I could lose myself to this man and not realize I was lost.

    Someone clearing his throat made me snap open my eyes. Aiden leaned up slowly, more annoyed about being disturbed than embarrassed. When I realized I had his shirt fisted in both of my hands, I quickly let go. Aiden smiled at me before turning toward our interrupter.

    ¡°Aaron does not appreciate being kept waiting while you grope your witch,¡± the man said. ¡°His words, not mine.¡± The man looked out of place in his jeans and sweatshirt. A baseball hat pulled low on his head obscured his features in the shadows.

    ¡°My apologies,¡± Aiden said dipping his head. ¡°But can you blame me for wanting to stay in her company instead of theirs?¡±

    Though I couldn¡¯t see the man¡¯s eyes, I could feel them observing me.

    He shrugged. ¡°She¡¯s no Alana.¡±

    Ouch, that stung. Alana was Aaron¡¯s sister and a member of the Vampire Council. She is also Aiden¡¯s very blonde, very sexy ex. I hated her.

    ¡°That¡¯s what I love most about her.¡± Aiden¡¯s fingers brushed a light path across my cheek, and then he turned back to the man. ¡°And if you ever speak ill of my Gwen again, the VC won¡¯t even be able to protect you from my wrath, understand?¡± When Aiden gave a threat he did so with calm and calculated words. He was over six hundred years old and knew how to demand respect. His low clipped words wielded the danger of a blade as he directed them to the man, who was wise enough to fear them. He bowed before disappearing through the shadows.

    Exhaling to clear my head, I ran my hands through my hair and got myself together. Aiden¡¯s little seduction had knocked me off track and that was dangerous¡ªhe was dangerous, at least to my resolve.

 Page 18

    ¡°Aiden, while that was¡­nice, and thank you for threatening that guy¡­but¡ª.¡±Advertisement

    ¡°I know you¡¯re not ready to be with me yet. But I don¡¯t apologize for what just happened. I love you, Gwen and I¡¯ll never stop craving you.¡±

    ¡°As long as you don¡¯t get the wrong impression... Just because we made out a little doesn¡¯t mean we¡¯re getting back together. Things are fragile right now and while I¡¯m still physically attracted to you, nothing more can come of it.¡± I mentally groaned at how cold and technical my words sounded. ¡°I do love you, Aiden, and the Goddess knows I¡¯m attracted to you. It¡¯s just¡­¡±

    ¡°Dorian?¡± Aiden supplied.

    ¡°What? No.¡± Dorian hadn¡¯t even entered my mind while I was being seduced by Aiden. ¡°There¡¯s nothing going on with us. I think it¡¯s smart if I take a break from relationships for a while.¡±

    Aiden frowned. ¡°Everyone makes mistakes, Gwen. Don¡¯t allow mine ruin your outlook on love.¡±

    Disbelief fell over my face. ¡°Are you saying you want me to be with Dorian?¡±

    ¡°Fuck no,¡± Aiden growled. ¡°I only meant, don¡¯t let what I did ruin what we could have. Screw Dorian. On second thought¡­don¡¯t.¡±

    When Lauren told me that the VC was waiting to meet me at Vain, I hadn¡¯t expected all of them to show up. Six pairs of steely eyes landed on my face when I entered the private room in the back of the club. Aaron, the voice of the group, stood and met me in the center of the room. He might have looked like a teenager, but there was nothing na?ve about him. His brown eyes held knowledge while his face deceived the world. The Vampire Council was made up of the original vampire family, the first humans to be turned by the demon Nufesum. And their appearance in Flora wasn¡¯t just a friendly meet and greet. I had struck a deal with them while in Moon and the payment for their help was my blood. I knew it was only a matter of time before they came to collect, but I hoped it would be in the distant future.

    ¡°So nice to see you again, Ms. Sparks,¡± Aaron La¡¯rue smiled, clasping my hand and bending at the waist to place a kiss on top. I was sure all of them could hear my heartbeat speed up; I could almost feel the rapid thump against chest.

    ¡°And you,¡± I said through tight lips. My eyes circled around the room and landed on the other five vampires. Alana sat on the edge of the suede sofa, her lengthy legs crossed and a satisfied smile on her face. Her long blond hair was neatly pinned up while tendrils escaped and brushed her shoulders. Pernis, Ian¡¯s sire, sat next to Alana. He was tall and lanky with slicked back brown hair and a no nonsense attitude. He wore a three piece suit that looked like it had been constructed in the 1920s.

    ¡°Let me introduce you.¡± Aaron still held my hand, and as he walked further into the room I had no choice but to follow. Aiden made sure to stay right beside me, his hand on the small of my back. I knew in a room full of elders there wasn¡¯t a damned thing Aiden could do to save me, but I appreciated the illusion of security he offered.

    ¡°You¡¯ve met Alana and Pernis.¡± Aaron gestured toward the two of them. They both smiled, and I tipped my chin down in a shallow nod. ¡°This is Fredrick.¡± Aaron held out his hand toward a man with reddish brown hair, a thin coating of freckles lining the bridge of his nose. His eyes were brown like Aaron¡¯s but had gold twining through the irises, giving him an almost ethereal look.

    ¡°And Mira and Giles,¡± Aaron continued. My eyes fell on the last two. Mira looked to be the youngest, maybe fourteen when turned. She had shoulder-length dirty blonde hair and wide green eyes. Giles, I admit was good looking, with spiky golden hair and blue eyes. There was a cockiness about him that was both off-putting and alluring. I gave both of them a small smile before bringing my attention back to Aaron. I should have said something along the lines of ¡°it¡¯s nice to meet all of you¡± but that would have been a lie. In no way was I happy to meet the entire Vampire Council or have them travel all the way to Flora to meet me. If they thought my silence was rude they didn¡¯t comment. Out of all of them, Pernis was the one I was most afraid of. I had killed his child, broken a bond with someone he¡¯d had in his life for over eight hundred years. Depending on the vampire, retribution could be extracted should they see fit. Another thought occurred to me, one scarier than allowing six vampires feed from me. Were they here to kill me for killing Ian? In Moon they had offered to help capture Ian, but there was no talk about killing him. Maybe I stepped over the line and they were here to punish me for it. I mentally laughed, more of a stressed out chuckle as I thought about the absurdity of worrying about demonic rogues when the real threat was the VC. I hadn¡¯t been anticipating their role in my survival.

    ¡°Please sit.¡± Aaron held out his hand to an empty chair. ¡°We have much to talk about.¡± I walked toward the chair and sat while Aaron joined Frederick on the couch. All six vampires were watching me, each with different expressions. Aiden stood beside me, his hands clasped in front of him. I looked up at him briefly before looking back at the VC. The room remained silent except for the echo of music beating against the dark walls. The VC remained motionless; their eyes pinned on my face. I trailed my own eyes over each of their faces, expecting someone to say something, anything. The awkward silence was playing hell on my heart. It jumped and slammed harder against my chest as my anxiety spiked.

    ¡°This is your idea of having a lot to talk about?¡± I finally said. My impatience always outweighed my common sense. Granted I wasn¡¯t trying to make a good impression with the council leaders, but I knew it was dangerous to mouth off to them.

    ¡°Apologies,¡± Aaron said. ¡°We were having a short meeting.¡±

    I looked up at Aiden in confusion and he tapped the side of his head to indicate they were talking mentally amongst themselves. Creepy.

    ¡°You remember your promise, I assume?¡±

    ¡°Yes, but it was under the terms of you guys helping me capture Ian.¡± I shrugged. ¡°Seeing as how handled it myself, I figured the deal was null and void.¡± I knew for a fact that it wasn¡¯t but you couldn¡¯t blame a girl for trying. There was no way I wanted six pairs of fangs sinking into my body. Again, I should have thought about the consequences before making the deal. The best I could hope for now was that they didn¡¯t inflict pain when they bit me.

    ¡°Capture is the key word, Ms. Sparks,¡± Pernis said. ¡°There was no mention of killing. When you drove that stake into Ian¡¯s heart, you didn¡¯t just kill him, you offended me in the process. As you know Ian was mine to deal with how I see fit. It was not your call to end his life¡ª¡±

    Aaron placed his hand on Pernis¡¯ arm to stop his speech. Pernis¡¯ hard eyes bore into me while his mouth stretched into a thin line.

    ¡°What Pernis is saying is that it goes against our rules to kill another¡¯s child. In that aspect you took a piece of his property.¡±

    ¡°You guys do realize why Ian bonded himself to me, right? Why this whole thing happened?¡± I paused for a moment. ¡°He wanted to turn me into a hybrid so that I could kill each and every one of you. If you¡¯re asking me to feel sorry for ending him, I don¡¯t. I do however apologize for taking a piece of your property, Pernis. But judging from how Ian talked, there was no love lost between the two of you.¡±

    Aiden tensed up beside me. I didn¡¯t have time to think how unusual that was because Pernis shot up off of the sofa and was in my face before I could blink. Hisses echoed around the room. Fangs glistened, capturing what little light was in the room. Aiden was crouched beside me, his hand gripping the edge of the chair tight. I could tell he wanted to rip Pernis away from me but was biding his time. Once he laid a hand on Pernis, the tension would escalate to something deadlier.

    ¡°He was mine,¡± Pernis snapped. ¡°Feelings are beside the point.¡±

    ¡°Pernis,¡± Aaron warned, standing up. Frederick and Giles joined him. I wasn¡¯t sure if they were getting ready to grab Pernis should he attack or if they simply wanted to join in on the fun of ripping one of my veins open.

    Pernis blinked and I could see the veil of his anger falling away. With one last contemptuous look, he stood and took a couple steps back. The entire room took a collective sigh as the tension settled back to normal. Aiden stood back up, portraying a statue of calmness.

    ¡°I apologize for my brother¡¯s brash reaction,¡± Aaron said. ¡°We know why Ian was interested in you. The idea of hybrids has been lingering on the lips of vampires for centuries. It¡¯s a pipe dream, one derived from an insane mind. Ian was not well.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me that,¡± I added.

    ¡°Can we drink her already?¡± Alana pouted from across the room. ¡°I¡¯m dying to taste Aiden¡¯s pet.¡± A wicked smile turned her pretty face into something far more sinister. Her fangs peeked out under her full lips and her blue eyes blackened around the edges. I knew from that look that no pleasure would be gained from her bite. And I was okay with that; there was nothing worse than being turned on by your ex¡¯s ex. It was wrong on many levels. I would rather be in pain than be under her arousing control.

    ¡°The deal you made with us remains,¡± Aaron said. ¡°A blood gift is non-returnable.¡± He smiled at his small joke, but I was having trouble finding the humor.

    ¡°Okay,¡± I said standing up. ¡°I will hold up my end of the deal, but this¡ª¡± I pointed to my neck¡ª¡°is a no fang zone. I¡¯ll go to the hospital and have six vials of blood drawn and to you by tomorrow night.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Alana shrieked. ¡°I want to sink my fangs into her pretty little neck.¡± Her whiny voice was grating on my nerves. I tried to channel my magic to my hands but the power was more timid than ever. Losing it was like losing the ability to breathe or blink or sneeze. It was pure instinct for me and the realization that I might not have it for much longer not only caused anxiety but depression.

    Aaron turned to look at his dissatisfied sister and then back at me. ¡°That is not the normal procedure. If you¡¯re frightened of us taking too much I can assure you have nothing to be worried about. I take you under my protection.¡± He glanced at his sister again. She crossed her arms, sitting down with a sneer on her face.

 Page 19

    ¡°When the deal was made there were no rules given,¡± I reminded him. ¡°I am more than willing to give you guys my blood, but how I go about doing that was never stated.¡±Advertisement

    ¡°She killed my child,¡± Pernis interjected. ¡°I will drink from her vein.¡±

    I was smiling at finding a loophole in the VC¡¯s blood gifting procedure and hoping like hell they would honor it.

    ¡°I have a proposal for you,¡± Aaron said, holding his hands behind his back. ¡°The five of us will accept the vials, but Pernis is allowed to drink from you as payment for killing his child.¡±

    I eyed Pernis. He looked down at me over the slope of this thin nose. His brown eyes were tinged in black either from anger or hunger. My guess was both. One of his hands was in his trouser pocket while the other arm hung limply at his side. All of the La¡¯rues looked young, having been turned so long ago. Pernis seemed to between eighteen and twenty, but his eyes were wise beyond his face¡¯s age. It was bizarre to be in a room full of teens, yet feel like the most inexperienced in the group.

    I sucked in a breath to calm my beating heart. Aiden was the first vampire to ever drink from me, and I didn¡¯t want another tainting the memory like Ian had. I would always associate a vampire¡¯s bite in the intimate sense. As I look at Pernis a shiver of disgust rolled over my skin.

    ¡°The NAWC have been working on resetting the spell,¡± I said. ¡°It could already be fixed which means drinking from me won¡¯t offer the high you¡¯re all expecting.¡± I was praying that Charles just hadn¡¯t called me back to inform me as such due to being busy with the hype at the castle.

    ¡°We¡¯re not Brew addicts, Ms. Sparks.¡± Aaron smiled. ¡°We just¡­appreciate the taste pallet of your blood.¡±

    In my lifetime I¡¯ve gotten random compliments, but this was by far the creepiest. Six pairs of hungry eyes rested on me¡ªno, not me, necessarily, but on my neck, my wrists and even my breasts¡ªall places vampires could sink their fangs.

    ¡°And how would you know that? You¡¯ve never tasted my blood.¡±

    ¡°Ah, but we don¡¯t need to in order to know it¡¯ll be delicious,¡± Aaron said, his eyes darkening. ¡°You¡¯re a spirit walker, which means your blood is not only full of witches¡¯ magic but also that of the angels.¡±

    I balked, my mouth hanging open in disbelief. ¡°That¡¯s¡­not true.¡± My head was shaking from side to side lethargically as I tried to wrap my mind around what Aaron had said.

    ¡°You don¡¯t know, do you?¡± Giles asked, stepping forward. I had been staring at the space in front of me, not seeing those around me. When I looked up, Giles was standing right in front of me, his sensual presence overwhelming the air surrounding us. His power circled around my body, warm like a lover¡¯s caress.

    ¡°Back off, Giles,¡± Aiden snarled, shoving between the space that separated me and Giles.

    He held up in hands in surrender, a devious smile on his face. ¡°Touchy, touchy. I remember you didn¡¯t use to mind sharing, Alonzo.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t call me that,¡± Aiden snapped. He¡¯d been born Alonzo Moretti but adopted the name Aiden Blake after leaving the VC. The mention of his birth name was a reminder of the family he¡¯d once had, before the VC killed them.

    I moved around Aiden. ¡°Why would you think I have angel¡¯s blood?¡±

    Every one of the VC members smiled at me. It was dangerous wanting information from a vampire. They knew I was on their hook, and they were getting a kick out of watching me squirm.

    ¡°Will you allow Pernis to feed from you?¡±

    ¡°If I do you¡¯ll tell me what you meant?¡±

    Aaron nodded. ¡°I will.¡±

    ¡°Gwen, this is ridiculous,¡± Aiden said, turning toward me. He placed his hands on my shoulder and squeezed. ¡°You have no reason to believe they¡¯re telling the truth.¡±

    That was true, and chances were they weren¡¯t. But I had made up my mind to let Pernis feed from me when the question was first posed. Feeding one vampire was better than feeding six. The VC might think I was falling for their tricks, but they were about to fall for mine.

    ¡°Aiden, I know what I¡¯m doing.¡± I shrugged off his hands, stepped away from him and held out my arm. ¡°Bon app¨¦tit.¡±

    Pernis walked forward, a smirk on his lips. The remaining VC members slinked off the sofas, circling around the two of us. The tension in the room spiked, sensual energy pulsating against my body. I sucked in a deep breath, my chest rising and falling heavily. My tongue darted out and rolled over my bottom lip.

    When Pernis¡¯ fingertips brushed my forearm I thought my insides were literally catching on fire. It was a strange sensation. In no way was I attracted to these vampires, nor did I want to feel aroused by them. Yet, my body yearned for their attention.

    Pernis leaned over my arm and pressed a kiss to the sensitive skin. My eyes slipped closed as he moved his mouth down to my hand. He sucked my finger into his mouth and I almost exploded.

    ¡°Gwen.¡± I vaguely realized it was Aiden¡¯s voice, but he sounded off in the far distance. Words were exchanged; I couldn¡¯t be sure what was being discussed. And then someone was behind me, holding my body against theirs.

    ¡°Join us,¡± a woman purred.

    The person behind me slid my hair to the side and I moaned as his or her warm lips began trailing up my neck. The faint scrape of fang only excited me more. The temperature in the room was scorching as multiple hands, mouths and bodies pressed against my own, all demanding I give into the craving they offered. I moaned and realized everyone else was moaning as well.

    A sharp pain shot through my throat and was replaced by a rush of the strongest desire I had ever felt. I wiggled my body against the one holding me, my hands caressing someone else.

    Something loud burst through the haze and then I was crumbled on the floor. Hisses, sickening cracks and yelling sounded all around me. Crawling onto my hands and knees, I closed my eyes and tried to shake the fog out of my head. Looking around me, I saw several pairs of legs standing still. When I looked up, my mouth formed an O.

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± I breathed.

    Dorian walked over to me, he was calm and dominated the room. Kneeling down, he helped me up and checked me over for injuries. His fingers brushed my neck and he frowned.

    ¡°You still trust him?¡± He nodded behind me.

    ¡°Aiden didn¡¯t do this.¡± My voice was hoarse as though I had just woken from a dream.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you look at lover boy now that you¡¯re not under their influence?¡±

    My stomach sank as I turned around. Aiden had his head hung, but I could see the blood smeared on his lips. My eyes searched all of the vampire¡¯s faces in hopes of finding blood on their lips too. They all smiled with clean mouths. My eyes welled with tears that I refused to let fall.

    Aiden lifted his head. ¡°I had to, Gwen.¡±

    ¡°Nothing you have to say will justify what you just did to me. You were supposed to protect me, Aiden.¡±

    ¡°Tell her,¡± Aiden snarled to Aaron.

    Aaron simply smiled and shrugged. ¡°Things got out of hand and sometimes vampires have a difficult time controlling themselves.¡±

    Aiden flew across the room and attacked his sire, his fist connecting with Aaron¡¯s face. All of Aaron¡¯s brothers and sister rushed forward, and Aiden went sailing across the room where he slammed in the wall.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Dorian tugged on my arm, but I dug my heels in.

    ¡°We can¡¯t leave him.¡± I was pissed at Aiden for making a midnight snack out of my throat but I was afraid that if I left the room without another look, the La¡¯rue¡¯s would kill him. No amount of anger would allow me to ignore Aiden¡¯s potential death.

    ¡°So help me, woman,¡± Dorian grumbled through tight lips. ¡°Back off, fangsters,¡± he warned the VC, stomping toward Aiden, who was getting to his feet, and hauled him toward the door. ¡°Come on.¡±

    ¡°Just so you know,¡± I said over my shoulder to the VC, ¡°the deal¡¯s off. If you so much as show your faces in Flora again, I¡¯ll show you firsthand why you shouldn¡¯t fuck with a Spirit Walker. Nighty-night, and may stakes find their way into your cold black hearts.¡± And with that I slammed the door and followed Dorian and Aiden out of the club. We may have escaped the council and their fangs, but I wouldn¡¯t celebrate just yet. It was still early which meant the rogues had plenty of time to make an appearance.

    Chapter Eleven

    ¡°You¡¯re back,¡± I said as we ran through the front door of Vain. My hand went to my chest as I tried to catch my breath. It wasn¡¯t so much the sprint out of the club, but the adrenaline racing through my veins that left me shaky and breathless. Dorian¡¯s appearance didn¡¯t help my jittery heart either.

    ¡°What happened?¡± Lauren asked, jogging to catch up with us. Dorian was holding my hand, tugging me across the street to my Jeep. He whirled around on Lauren, jerking my body in the process.

    ¡°Why did that bastard send you to watch Gwen?¡± He questioned Lauren, his voice harder than the grip he had on me.

    Lauren had the good sense to look frightened. ¡°To protect her, of course.¡±

    Dorian let out a sarcastic snort. ¡°Fine job of that you¡¯re doing. Your boss had his fangs in her throat while the rest of the council members circled around her like hungry vultures.¡±

    ¡°Maybe she wanted him to bite her,¡± Lauren snapped, finding her courage. ¡°Some people like what our fangs offer.¡±

    ¡°I just want to go home,¡± I added, reaching my hand up to feel the spot on my neck. It didn¡¯t feel that bad. Lauren and Dorian were in a staring match when the front door of Vain slammed open. Aiden stepped out, his hair a mess and his eyes wild. Those eyes found me the second he stepped foot outside. I stared at him, my heart breaking. And then the realization of what had just happened slammed into me.

    ¡°Son of a bitch,¡± I whispered.

    ¡°What?¡± Dorian and Lauren both questioned.

    I was shaking my head back and forth in anger as I watched Aiden walk across the road. Dorian stepped in front of my body to shield me from him.

 Page 20

    ¡°Gwen, you have to know that I didn¡¯t plan that. Aaron ordered me to bite you.¡±Advertisement

    ¡°And you just had to? Lamest excuse ever.¡±

    ¡°He has to do whatever Aaron tells him to do,¡± Lauren added.

    ¡°Of course you¡¯d take his side; he¡¯s paying you,¡± Dorian accused.

    ¡°Children cannot disobey their sires,¡± Aiden said. ¡°I didn¡¯t think they would order me to bite you. God¡­if I had known what they were up to¡­¡±

    ¡°What the hell is going on?¡± Dorian growled, sliding his arm around my shoulders and holding me to the side of his body. I admit I didn¡¯t mind one little bit.

    With a deep breath, I said, ¡°Aiden just bonded himself to me.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Lauren shrieked.

    ¡°Son of a bitch,¡± Dorian growled.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know,¡± Aiden murmured.

    ¡°Wait,¡± Lauren said. ¡°You would have had to drink from him too.¡±

    I eyed Aiden, remembering how he offered his blood to me in the hospital to heal me. I swore in that moment that if I lived through this I would never accept a drop of blood from a vampire again. I would rather lay broken and bloody than be linked to another vampire, even Aiden.

    ¡°Aiden made sure to offer it when I most needed it,¡± I told Lauren, never taking my eyes off my ex. ¡°Did you also hire the rogue to attack me so I wouldn¡¯t be able to refuse the help of your blood?¡±

    A look of disbelief fell over Aiden¡¯s face. ¡°As much as you hate me right now, I¡¯m not Ian Despereaux. I don¡¯t have some evil master plan. If you¡¯re looking to point fingers, direct them to the VC.¡±

    Aiden began choking, his hands clawing at his chest as he worked to fight off the invisible threat.

    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Lauren yelled, her hands searching Aiden for a wound.

    White mist began seeping out of Aiden¡¯s skin, slow and sluggishly. I turned towards Dorian and knew he was the cause of Aiden¡¯s pain.

    ¡°Dorian, stop!¡± Shrugging out from under his arm, I stood between him and Aiden. ¡°Stop it,¡± I yelled, looking over my shoulder at Aiden. ¡°You¡¯re killing him!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m breaking the bond,¡± Dorian said in the calmest tone. It sent shivers quaking through my body.

    ¡°Not like this, please.¡±

    Aiden fell to his knees, coughing. His blue eyes were wide and staring right at me. Though I was beyond furious with him, I couldn¡¯t watch him die. More importantly, I didn¡¯t want him to die.

    Dorian wasn¡¯t going to stop no matter how much begging and pleading I did. My arm was in the air before I realized what I was doing. I sent my fist flying towards him where it connected with the side of his face. That was enough to break his concentration. Aiden stopped coughing but didn¡¯t get up.

    ¡°What the hell was that for?¡± Dorian growled.

    ¡°You were going to kill him,¡± I snapped, turning to see if Aiden was okay. The white mist rising from his body fell back, soaking into his skin again.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    Aiden scrubbed a hand over his face, getting to his feet with wobbly legs. ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°Good.¡±

    Smack

    Aiden and Lauren¡¯s eyes shot wide when I smacked him across the face.

    ¡°Just because I didn¡¯t let Dorian kill you doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m not pissed off.¡± I stuck my pointer finger out and said, ¡°You better find a way to break the bond, Aiden.¡± Turning, I hopped in my Jeep and drove away from all of them, my tires squealing against the asphalt.

    Dorian stepped through the front door of the apartment fifteen minutes later. I was sitting on the couch with a glass of wine and looked up when he entered the room. He sat down in the chair adjacent to the sofa and rested his elbows on his knees. I couldn¡¯t appreciate how excited I was to see him again when my insides felt ready to combust in anger. Had Aiden been fooling me since day one? As I eyed Dorian, I wondered if he had a plan too. Was everyone out to get me in one way or another? The idea of packing up and moving far, far away tempted my mind. Or maybe I was just paranoid.

    ¡°You want to tell me what happened back there?¡±

    Bringing the glass to my lips, I took a drink, staring at Dorian. ¡°Which part?¡±

    ¡°You in a private room with the VC and him.¡±

    I laughed a quiet snort. ¡°You¡¯re acting like a jealous boyfriend.¡± When he didn¡¯t respond I leaned forward and sat my wine glass on the coffee table, folding my arms across my knees and hanging my head.

    ¡°They said they wanted to discuss the blood gift. Pernis was the only one who was supposed to drink from me, payment for killing his child. The others I was going to give vials of my blood.¡± I paused, sitting up straighter. ¡°I don¡¯t know why they¡¯d want Aiden to drink from me. And now I¡¯m bonded again.¡± I snatched my wine glass up and emptied it, reaching for the bottle for a refill.

    ¡°Gwen, Spirit Walkers are rare. People are going to do try and take advantage of that¡­of you. Being able to control the spirit world is a power some covet. You have to start suspecting everyone of some kind of motive¡ª¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s your motive?¡± I interrupted with a glare.

    Dorian leaned back in the chair, resting his arms on the armrest as a sly smile spread across his lips. He motioned with his head and said, ¡°Come over here and I¡¯ll show you my motive.¡±

    My eyes fell to his broad shoulders, down to his strong chest, to his belt buckle and further still. His legs were spaced apart, enough room for me to crawl between and¡­ Taking another drink, I stared at the rack of DVDs across the room. I¡¯d already been tempted by one man tonight; I didn¡¯t need another one playing with my mind.

    ¡°If all you want is sex, you can get that fantasy out of your head right now. Not going to happen, buddy.¡±

    ¡°I want all of you and everything that entails. I thought I¡¯ve made that clear?¡±

    I ignored him and took another drink of my merlot. My body hummed with unfilled desire. Aiden had awakened it during our little make-out session, and then the VC had made sure to stimulate every last one of my nerve endings earlier. If I wasn¡¯t careful, I would end up turning to Dorian to end the torture. After bonding with Aiden, every man was on my shit list. Horrible timing too because I was horny as hell.

    ¡°What did you find out on your vacation?¡± I asked, taking another drink.

    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t believe me,¡± Dorian said.

    I swiveled my head to look at him. He was still sitting in that relaxed position, perfectly inviting. I could see myself standing up and walking over to him, climbing onto his lap and¡­ Damn those stupid vampires. Playing with one¡¯s libido like a game of keep away should be punishable by death.

    ¡°Try me.¡± I took another drink to ease the dryness of my mouth and frowned when I had emptied the glass. On refill number three, I sat back against the soft cushion of the sofa and watched Dorian. For crying out loud, could the man at least have the decency to have one physical flaw, one that I could focus on and smack my lust away with?

    ¡°You¡¯re too perfect,¡± I heard myself saying out loud. My cheeks warmed either from the wine consumption or embarrassment. The merlot was doing its job and turning my tense body into a cozy marshmallow. I felt my anger melting away.

    Dorian laughed. ¡°That¡¯s the nicest thing you¡¯ve ever said to me.¡±

    ¡°It was meant to be a criticism.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll take what I can get.¡±

    ¡°Well, you¡¯re not getting any of this.¡± I signaled to my body with a wave of my hand.

    ¡°Yes, you¡¯ve made that abundantly clear,¡± Dorian deadpanned. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t stop you from eye-fucking the shit out of me. Why don¡¯t you come over here so I can give you the real thing?¡±

    Was it hot in here, or was that the wine? ¡°Stop distracting me. What did you find out when you left to wherever?¡±

    Dorian shook his head in exasperation. ¡°It¡¯s going to sound like a pick-up line.¡±

    ¡°The reason you can¡¯t see when I¡¯ll die will sound like a pick-up line? Consider me intrigued.¡±

    ¡°Remember when I told you everything has rules?¡±

    I nodded.

    ¡°It turns out I¡¯m not the exception¡ª¡±

    ¡°Imagine that.¡±

    Dorian ignored my sarcasm. ¡°The Fates have obstructed my view of your life because¡­¡±

    ¡°Because¡­?¡± I drawled.

    ¡°Because of how I feel.¡± His voice was a whisper, but I had heard it loud and clear. We watched each other for a few moments before he spoke again.

    ¡°They¡¯re afraid I¡¯ll favor you and not collect your soul when the time comes.¡±

    I smiled to myself, hiding it with another drink. ¡°So Death is sweet on me. There are worst things I suppose.¡±

    ¡°Get over yourself,¡± Dorian teased. ¡°You¡¯re a hot piece of ass and that¡¯s it.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t hide my smile this time. ¡°Really? So that spiel about wanting all of me and everything it entails was just a line? And the Fates¡¯ declaration was wrong?¡± I laughed, standing up and heading into the kitchen for another bottle of wine. ¡°Tell me,¡± I said loud enough that Dorian would hear me in the living room. ¡°Are the Fates often wrong?¡±

    ¡°About this they are,¡± he said right behind me, scaring me. I jumped, but once I got over the initial shock, I became aware of his body just behind mine. My fingers gripped the side of the counter and I remained still, afraid if I turned around Dorian would make his move. Hell, part of me was hoping he would.

    His hands slid up my shoulders, gripping the hem of my jacket. I hadn¡¯t taken it off when I got home. Finding the wine seemed more important at the time. Sliding it off, Dorian placed my coat on the counter beside us. He swept my hair to the side, revealing my neck. As he pressed a kiss in the crook, flashbacks of tonight visited my mind. Anger and lust overwhelmed me. I was pissed at what had happened but still fighting the effects of the vampires¡¯ sensual power.

 Page 21

    Dorian placed a hand on my stomach, holding my body to his as his lips moved up my neck, to my jawline and then my mouth. I turned my head slightly to make the kiss easier, moaning as his tongue slipped between my lips.Advertisement

    ¡°Hate to interrupt,¡± Lauren said from behind us. Dorian didn¡¯t stop kissing me, his mouth moved against mine in a sensual seduction while his hands trailed over my body.

    ¡°I¡¯ll just tell the rogues outside to wait,¡± Lauren said. ¡°Give them ten minutes, boys,¡± she mock yelled.

    It was enough to make Dorian step away from me. I turned my face to the counter again, closing my eyes and sucking in a deep breath. My entire body was warm from the wine, but Dorian had awakened it with a need so strong I thought I would scream in frustration.

    ¡°How many?¡± Dorian all but growled.

    I shook off my irritation and spun to face them. ¡°And why are you here?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. Should I leave so you and hunky can get back to screwing while the rogues beat down the door?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± I told her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry and we¡­weren¡¯t screwing.¡±

    ¡°How many?¡± Dorian repeated.

    ¡°Four, and some weird dude in a black cloak. He smells old.¡±

    My heart stopped beating for a second. ¡°An old guy called me¡­this morning.¡± Wow, it seemed like ages ago that I had gotten the call. Talk about a long day.

    ¡°What did he want?¡± Dorian asked.

    I shrugged. ¡°Something about making a deal. I hung up on him.¡±

    Two hard bangs came from my front door. The wood rattled against the frame and had me worried it would be bust down. It wasn¡¯t like the apartment was built with quality materials. If the bad guys wanted in, it wouldn¡¯t be that difficult, unless they were vampires of course. I loved that little rule about them needing an invitation to enter any private dwelling. Or maybe I was just clinging to any semblance of a silver lining.

    ¡°We have to leave,¡± Dorian said. ¡°Flora isn¡¯t safe anymore.¡±

    ¡°Where are we supposed to go?¡±

    Another round of bangs sounded, my door creaking with the pressure. The windows rattled and heavy footsteps raced across the metal balcony. Lauren hissed, rushing forward in a blur. She was standing in front of the windows and I¡¯d just caught what caused her reaction; a man was hovering outside the window, his eyes inky pools as he watched me. Lauren pulled the string that lowered the blinds.

    ¡°What the hell? We¡¯re on the second floor.¡± In my experience supernaturals didn¡¯t fly. That whole witch and broomstick thing is just a bad joke.

    ¡°Demons can pretty much defy gravity. Creepy little bastards.¡± Dorian headed down the hallway, me on his tail. He disappeared into my room. Opening my closet, he began pulling clothes from hangers and stuffing them into a duffel bag.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re leaving. I don¡¯t know how long we¡¯ll be gone.¡± He walked over to my dresser, opened the drawer and held up a pair of red lace panties. With an arch of his eyebrow, he smiled and stuffed them in the bag too, along with a handful of others.

    ¡°Where are we going?¡±

    ¡°New Orleans.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s in New Orleans?¡±

    ¡°My house and something that just might kill these bastards.¡±

    A loud crash echoed through the house. Dorian stopped packing and we both remained silent as we listened. Footsteps slapped against the floor, followed by more crashes and grunts.

    Dorian peeked his head out quickly and then shut my bedroom door. Walking over to me, he wrapped his arms around my waist and held me close.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± I craned my neck to see around him. My eyes were glued to the door, positive my room would be invaded at any second.

    ¡°They¡¯re in the house,¡± Dorian whispered. ¡°Lauren¡¯s holding them back.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think we should help her?¡±

    ¡°No, I think she can handle herself and that I should get you to safety.¡±

    My cat padded out from underneath my bed and I broke away from Dorian to scoop her up.

    ¡°We¡¯re not bringing her.¡±

    ¡°Like hell we¡¯re not,¡± I snapped. ¡°I can¡¯t leave her here, especially when you don¡¯t know how long we¡¯ll be gone.¡±

    ¡°Fine, but if she sheds on any of my stuff I¡¯m kicking her out.¡±

    He wrapped his arms around me and my cat and I closed my eyes as the air began speeding up and ruffling my hair. My cat struggled against me, but I held on tight. I didn¡¯t know what would happen if she jumped out of my arms while Dorian was transporting us to the realm of the dead.

    I opened my eyes when the gust settled to a normal breeze. We were in what looked like a deserted town. Buildings crumbled to the ground. The remaining stones still standing looked like they were struggling to hold themselves up. Like the times I had visited before, the realm of the dead was a gray washed out landscape, barren and gloomy.

    ¡°Where are we?¡±

    ¡°New Orleans,¡± Dorian said, placing his hand on the small of my back. Together we walked toward a structure that looked like it used to be some sort of restaurant. A rotting wooden sign swung in the breeze. Wooden columns held up a decaying balcony above. My eyes traveled up the length of the building and the broken windows. Dorian had tried explaining the ghostly realm to me while in Moon. It seemed like such a depressing place to spend the afterlife, but from what I understood the ghosts saw it differently than we did. If the spirit was pure and good then they saw their own piece of heaven within the gloom. If they were evil during their lives then their afterlives were hellish.

    Dorian and I stepped into the dilapidated structure. The interior was coated in a thick layer of dust and cobwebs. Fallen beams hung from the rafters.

    ¡°We¡¯ve got to get to the shimmer,¡± Dorian said, pointing across the space. Shimmers, or safe zones, are spots that spirit walkers could walk through and transport to other areas. The spot would shimmer like a heat mirage. The one Dorian was pointing to was all the way across the room. Large holes where the floor had crumbled blocked the path to it. Dorian intertwined his fingers in mine and together we walked with caution toward the safe zone. My cat struggled against me, her nails digging into my shoulder. I winced from the pain but kept a tight hold on her body. There was no way I was losing her in the realm of the dead. There were scarier things here aside from ghosts. Demons also prowled the desolate place.

    ¡°How are we going to get to it?¡± There was a single plank still standing but it looked like it was struggling to hold up the weight of the dust, let alone Dorian and me. He stared at the spot for a moment and then turned back and looked at the door we had come through. He let go of my hand and stuck his booted foot out to test the stability. The board creaked as puffs of dust swirled into the air.

    ¡°You still have your magic, right?¡±

    ¡°As far as I know,¡± I told him.

    ¡°Can you create something to reinforce the floor?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll try.¡± I used my magic to create a lot of things, clothes mainly but I¡¯d never tried to produce something substantial like wood. Closing my eyes, I envisioned two by four inch planks spanning the gap, strengthening the floor. The magic within me buzzed and rushed through my veins, sending a jolt of energy to awaken my senses. I could smell the wood I was trying to create, see the blonde color and picture it sliding into place to form a bridge. Opening my eyes, I stared at the space where the hole had been.

    ¡°Come on.¡± Dorian gripped my hand again. I held my breath as he stepped onto the wood, hoping the magic held and the boards wouldn¡¯t disintegrate under our feet. The entire building creaked as we made our way to the shimmer, as though it was angry that we¡¯d found a way around its booby traps. I squeezed Dorian¡¯s hand tighter as we walked with caution across the boards. Dust rained down from the ceiling causing the air to thicken with tiny particles. My cat sneezed, scaring me. I jolted, my foot slipping off the side of the wood. Something resembling a shriek escaped my lips as I fought to keep my balance and not fall off the side and into the dark hole on either side of the bridge. Dorian stopped, his hand sliding down to grip my forearm and hold me steady. Once I found my footing again I took a moment to take a deep breath and nodded for Dorian to continue. Three more feet and we would be safe inside the shimmer.

    ¡°You couldn¡¯t have found a less dangerous place to cross?¡± I asked, keeping my eyes trained on Dorian¡¯s back. If I didn¡¯t look down then I could pretend I wasn¡¯t a misstep away from falling to my death.

    ¡°I could have, but it would have been further away. Traveling long distances in here would be more dangerous than this old building.¡± I had learned last time just how dangerous the realm of the dead could be after a demon chased Dorian and me. I did not want to run into another one anytime soon.

    Dorian stepped inside the shimmer, which clung to the decaying wall like some kind of optical illusion. Just as I was about to cross the safety threshold, loud footsteps sounded behind me. Looking over my shoulder, my eyes locked with three men. The hoods obscured their faces from me, but I didn¡¯t need to see them to know they weren¡¯t there to help; their evil smirks spoke volumes.

    They rushed forward, dodging the holes in the floor like some kind of supernatural ninjas. Dorian yanked on my arm hard, pulling me into the shimmer. The men stood on the other side of the bridge staring ahead as if they couldn¡¯t see us. One of them began to cross the wooden boards. He tilted his head to the side to inspect the wall in front of him.

    ¡°They can¡¯t see us?¡± I whispered.

    ¡°Not while we¡¯re in a safe zone,¡± Dorian said. ¡°Destroy the boards, Gwen.¡±

    I envisioned the boards disappearing. My heart pounded with each second they remained under the man¡¯s feet. The other man followed in his friend¡¯s footsteps and walked onto the bridge too. I tried to concentrate on willing those boards to vanish and ignore the evil men standing just a foot away. One of them leaned closer to the wall, reaching his hand out and tracing the worn boards beneath his fingertips. His lips spread wider, revealing crooked, yellowing teeth. I snapped my eyes shut and threw all of my willpower and focus into the bridge.

 Page 22

    ¡°What are you waiting for?¡± Dorian asked in a harsh whisper. ¡°Do it!¡±Advertisement

    Energy built like a volcano causing my veins to feel like they would explode. A migraine slunk its way around my skull, weaving around my brain and pounding against my temples. I grunted, grinding my teeth as I sent all of my will into breaking those damn boards.

    A loud shriek made my eyes snap open. The boards were disappearing one at a time, and the men were scrambling to save themselves. The one closest to us threw his arms out, shoving the first man out of his way. The man fell over the edge, his fingers gripping the fading 2x4s as the other ran past him and onto the safety of the building¡¯s fragile floor.

    ¡°Help me,¡± the man clinging to the bridge snarled. His friend made no move to save him, and then the wood disappeared and the man¡¯s screams were swallowed up by the darkness of the deep hole. The remaining guy laughed a maniacal sound that didn¡¯t belong to a human being. He winked as if he could see me, sending icy cold shivers to penetrate to my bones. Turning on his heel, he fled from the building and out the door. When he was gone, my entire body sagged in relief, and exhaustion consumed me. The migraine worked overtime to abuse my head and sweat collected along my forehead.

    ¡°Come on.¡± Dorian wrapped an arm around my shoulders and we were walking again. My legs moved but my brain was somewhere else. I was on autopilot: an empty shell of worn out muscles and depleted energy.

    It felt like hours, though I was sure it was mere minutes, before I felt the warm wash of exiting the shimmer cascade over my body. Loud noises and bright lights overpowered my senses, causing me to blink and cringe. I raised my arm to shield my eyes. The neon lights were hell on my headache. I was vaguely aware that Dorian¡¯s arm was still wrapped around my shoulder and I was huddled against him. My legs felt weighed down, too big and bulky to move with grace. I stumbled over the cracked concrete as we made our way through the crowded street. The sounds of the nearby people talking and laughing became white noise, floating in the back of my mind on a sea of confusion.

    ¡°Where are we going?¡± I mumbled, squinting to see my surroundings. We were on a narrow road bordered on either side with businesses. Above, wrought iron balconies hugged the buildings and were full of lush greenery.

    ¡°Home,¡± Dorian said. ¡°It¡¯s just around the corner.¡±

    My vision blurred in and out of clarity, but I kept my feet moving and allowed Dorian to guide me in the right direction. I rubbed my cheek against the soft leather of his coat, inhaling the scent. The clicking of metal against metal sounded. I lifted my head and looked forward. Dorian held open a gray door with wrought iron detailing.

    ¡°Here,¡± Dorian said grabbing something from my arms. I realized after the thing was gone that he had taken my cat and placed her inside the home. Snaking an arm around my back, Dorian bent down and lifted me into his arms, cradling me against his body. I stared up at him, the strong outline of his jaw, the softness of his brown hair and the fullness of his lips. I hadn¡¯t realized how afraid I was when he left until he came back. Though he had only been gone for a day, the fear that I would never see him again surprised me.

    We reached a landing but he didn¡¯t put me down. Instead, he carried me through the home and down a long hallway where we entered a bedroom. My eyelids were heavy and my vision was getting fuzzier the longer I tried to focus on any one thing. My limbs felt boneless and weak as they hung limp in Dorian¡¯s arms.

    Dorian laid me down on a bed and began slipping my shoes off. He drew the thick comforter up around my body and then turned to leave the room. I watched his silhouette getting further and further away as I drifted off to sleep.

    My eyes fluttered open, and I stared up at the high ceiling of an unfamiliar room. I looked around. Toward the left was a wall of tall, arched windows. The sky was dark which meant I had slept all day. For all I knew I¡¯d slept for multiple days. Lights from outside cast shadows to dance around the large room, making it seem more menacing than it probably was. A large armoire rested on the adjacent wall, antiquated and beautiful, and a large circular mirror hung on the next wall. The room was large, but mostly bare of furniture.

    Slipping my legs over the edge of the bed, I braced my hands on either side of me and closed my eyes as I thought about what had happened. Dorian came back and cloaked figures were stalking me. I didn¡¯t know whether I should be happy about Dorian¡¯s return or afraid of more evil rogues hunting me. A mixture of emotions consumed me, but at the moment I would concentrate on the good ones.

    Standing up, I hugged my arms across my chest and padded out of the room. A long hallway of gray stretched in either direction. There were two doors made of dark wood to the right. To the left there were two more doors and the opening of the hall. I chose left. As I got closer to the entrance soft music and a large, rectangular living room greeted me. I recognized the hauntingly beautiful piano melody as Beethoven¡¯s Moonlight Sonata. It had been one of my favorites since I was fifteen.

    Coming around the corner, I saw Dorian¡¯s large frame sitting on a black, leather sofa. He was leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees as his head rested in his hands. His chocolate hair formed a curtain around his face. An amber filled crystal glass sat on the thick wooden coffee table in front of him.

    ¡°How are you feeling?¡± Dorian¡¯s smooth voice carried across the room though he hadn¡¯t spoken very loudly. My heart jolted that he knew I was watching him, but he made no movement to look at me.

    ¡°Okay,¡± I said closing the space between us while I looked around the room. It seemed his entire house was painted in varying shades of gray. The living room was dark, the color of angry thunderclouds. Wrought iron sconces clung to the wall every six feet casting a warm golden glow against the cherry hardwood floors. A kitchen sat toward the back of the room and was made up of one row of upper and base cabinets with frosted glass doors. A granite island separated the two rooms.

    ¡°Now I know why you thought my apartment was shit,¡± I joked. Five of my tiny apartments would have fit in this place.

    ¡°If you need to take a shower, the bathroom is at the end of the hall. There¡¯s a closet of women¡¯s stuff in your room if you need to change your clothes. They¡¯ll have to do until tomorrow.¡±

    I didn¡¯t want to know why Dorian had a supply of women¡¯s clothes, nor did I want to wear his one-night stands¡¯ castoffs. I was standing next to him now, unsure whether I should sit or not. He seemed like he was in a bad mood.

    I sat down beside Dorian and smiled when I saw my cat curled up on the cushion next to him. ¡°Thank you¡­again,¡± I said. He didn¡¯t respond or look up at me. Ignoring my annoyance, I said, ¡°I¡¯ve always loved this song.¡±

    Dorian reached for his glass, taking a drink before leaning back against the sofa. When he looked at me his face was devoid of any emotion. ¡°I¡¯m going to head to bed.¡± He finished off the glass, stood up and walked around me and to the kitchen. Turning around, I watched him put the glass in the sink and head toward the hallway.

    ¡°Dorian,¡± I called out, confused and angry. He stopped but didn¡¯t turn to face me. Scrambling off the couch I walked over to him and, without thinking, wrapped my arms around his waist and hugged him. His body went stiff, unwilling to embrace me back. A door opened, and I stepped away from Dorian. A tall woman with brunette hair exited the far room. She was dressed in a long t-shirt that hung mid-thigh. She giggled when she spotted us staring at her.

    ¡°Bathroom?¡±

    ¡°Last door,¡± Dorian said.

    Everything inside of me felt like it had been crushed. My lungs constricted as air tried to fight its way through. Angry and embarrassed, I stepped away from Dorian, turning my back to him. We weren¡¯t a couple in the least so I didn¡¯t want him to see the hurt and jealousy on my face. I had been so stupid to allow another man to weave his way into my psyche. Maybe the reason I kept getting hurt was because I allowed it to happen. I knew as soon as I met Dorian that he hopped from bed to bed. Hell, he¡¯d even told me so himself. So why was I surprised to see a half dressed woman in his home? The more I thought about it the more I realized I was madder at myself then him.

    ¡°Listen, Gwen¡ª¡±

    ¡°No explanation needed,¡± I said interrupting him. Turning around, I smiled though I felt like crying. ¡°Good catch. She¡¯s pretty.¡± Dorian glanced away, unable to look at me any longer. ¡°Well, goodnight.¡± I headed for the sofa, willing myself to stay strong and not breakdown in front of him. The sound of his footsteps disappeared down the hall and then a door closed. I sat on the edge of the couch, unable to decipher the change in Dorian¡¯s personality. He wasn¡¯t the man I¡¯d come here with. This man was distant and cold¡ªdetached. The door opened and closed again, but I tried not to think about the leggy woman sharing Dorian¡¯s bed. It was none of my business.

    A set of French doors led out to a balcony. Heading to the kitchen, I grabbed the first bottle of alcohol I could find and headed through the doors, shutting them quietly behind me. I should have probably eaten something, but my appetite was gone. The balcony was actually a rooftop patio. A wrought iron fence surrounded the entire perimeter. Terracotta pots with blooming flowers sat in the corners. A square table rested in the middle, surrounded by padded chairs. I made my way over to it, sat down and propped my legs up. Unscrewing the bottle, I took a long drink and choked back the burn crawling down my throat. I tried to think about anything except for Dorian and what he could be doing at the moment.

    I took another drink from the bottle, sat it down and stood up. Walking over to the edge, I leaned against the railing and stared down at the crowded street. My eyes roamed over the French inspired architecture and I realized we were in New Orleans. I had only seen it in movies, but it looked exactly the same. I smiled as a couple of women stumbled their way down the sidewalk laughing like hyenas. It must be nice to be carefree and human. They had it so easy. At the moment, it made me miss Fiona. I hadn¡¯t talked to her in almost two weeks. I hoped she was having more fun than I was and that her new relationship with the judgmental Ethan was working out. I didn¡¯t like him but he seemed to make my best friend happy and that was the only thing that mattered. I made a mental note to call her tomorrow and catch up.

 Page 23

    As I stared out onto the crowded street I found myself falling in love with the vibrant city. There were all sorts of characters to be seen; it was like a Where¡¯s Waldo book come to life. One man was dressed in all black with a skeleton mask covering his face while he posed for pictures with tourist. Another man was painted entirely silver, sitting on a milk crate against a restaurant wall. I smiled watching these two free spirits. They weren¡¯t concerned with what the world thought of them and I loved that. Too many times society played a major role in making our decisions for us. In New Orleans, the residents were true to themselves. I could learn a thing or two from them.Advertisement

    Chapter Twelve

    Morning came sooner than I wanted. I hadn¡¯t gotten to sleep until around four. My face was plastered against Dorian¡¯s leather sofa, a thin coating of drool on my lips. Sitting up, I wiped my arm across my mouth and grumbled at the bright sunlight streaming through the windows.

    ¡°Morning,¡± Dorian said from behind me. I turned, brushing my hair out of my eyes. Most of last night had been spent thinking about him and his houseguest, when I wasn¡¯t thinking about Aiden and our bond. I could be the poster girl for chaos and drama.

    Dorian¡¯s hair was wet, his white t-shirt snug against his chest and two cups of coffee in his hands. I silently wondered if he was bringing her breakfast in bed. He answered my question when he walked into the living room and sat a mug down in front of me, taking the empty seat across from the coffee table. He wasn¡¯t wearing his sunglasses so I had a clear view of the cloudy abyss of his eyes.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± I mumbled, lifting the cup and taking a small drink. I couldn¡¯t look at him without thinking about what he might have done last night; so I focused on the house. It wasn¡¯t at all what I was expecting. Everything had a place and nothing was out of order. On the far wall hung colorful prints of jazz musicians and a large flat screen television hung. The entire place had cherry hardwood floors. A staircase was to the left of the living room, leading down to the front door.

    ¡°I thought about something last night,¡± I ended up saying when the silence began making me uncomfortable.

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    I nodded, glancing briefly at Dorian and then away. ¡°Yeah. Aiden¡¯s eyes didn¡¯t turn blue. I mean they¡¯re blue anyway, but they didn¡¯t turn the electric blue they do when a vampire drinks our blood.¡±

    ¡°Oh yeah,¡± Dorian said, his voice complacent.

    I nodded again, still uncomfortable. Was the woman still here? Would she come out in one of his t-shirts and nothing else? And why did I care?

    ¡°Something bothering you?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± I looked up.

    Dorian signaled with his head to my hands. ¡°You¡¯ve got a pretty tight grip on the sofa.¡±

    I glanced at my hands, releasing the cushions from my death grip. ¡°No, just thinking. It must mean that the NAWC has restored the spell that protects our blood. Otherwise why wouldn¡¯t his eyes change? And why haven¡¯t they called me, or Fiona for that matter? If¡ª¡±

    ¡°Gwen.¡± Dorian¡¯s voice cut through my ramble.

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask me what you really want to know?¡±

    I pursed my lips and feigned innocence. ¡°There¡¯s nothing I want to know.¡± I took another drink, burning my tongue in the process. Standing, I stretched and asked, ¡°Bathroom?¡±

    Dorian lifted his arm and pointed down the hall. ¡°Second door on the left.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to take a shower. Where¡¯s my bag?¡±

    ¡°First door on the right.¡±

    My head bobbed, and I headed for the hallway.

    ¡°Gwen?¡±

    ¡°Hmm?¡± I didn¡¯t turn around. Instead I looked over my shoulder, pissed that Dorian looked so tempting this early in the morning. His feet were bare and his entire body seemed relaxed. I was trying really hard not to think of why.

    He stood up and walked over to where I was. ¡°About last night¡ª¡±

    I held up my hand. ¡°You don¡¯t have to explain. We¡¯re friends, right?¡±

    Dorian nodded. ¡°Yeah, but it¡¯s more than that. I need to get my head straight to gain my sight again. This,¡± he signaled to me and then himself. ¡°whatever it is, puts your life in danger. Without knowing when you¡¯re in trouble or going to die, I¡¯m useless to you.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s cool, seriously. Do yothang.¡± I turned on my heel and sped walked down the hallway. Only when I closed the bedroom door did I let out the breath I¡¯d been holding.

    ¡°Do yothang?¡± I whispered to myself, embarrassed beyond belief.

    Pull your head out of your ass, Gwen. I may have even pulled out the finger guns, which only made me cringe with more humiliation.

    I spent a good forty-five minutes under the hot spray of the shower before the water began running cold. Sluggishly I dressed in a pair of jeans and green henley. I had gotten four hours of sleep, but my body felt depleted. Running a comb through my hair, I wrung out the excess water and picked up my old clothes, rolling them into a ball and exiting the bathroom.

    A woman¡¯s laughter flowed down the hall and to my ears. Grumbling, I headed to the bedroom where I first woke up and stuffed my dirty clothes into my duffel bag. Given the choice between having an awkward conversation with Dorian¡¯s flavor of the night and dealing with rogues, I¡¯d choose rogues.

    I slipped out of the bedroom and walked the short distance to the opening of the living room. Craning my head forward, I spotted Dorian and a dark haired woman sitting at the breakfast bar. At least she was dressed this time. Dorian leaned on the counter, a smile on his face and his sunglasses back in place. I wondered if the woman had an inkling of what Dorian was.

    ¡°Gwen,¡± he said, blowing my eavesdropping out of the water. I was embarrassed, not at getting caught, but from acting like an immature child. Dorian was free to do and see anyone he wanted. The jealousy snaking its way through my entire body was irrelevant.

    ¡°Hi.¡± I stepped out into the room. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to interrupt.¡±

    Dorian smiled, telling me he didn¡¯t believe what I said. I walked over to the wall and picked up the phone cradled there. ¡°I need to make some calls and I forgot my cell at home. I¡¯ll just get out of your guys¡¯ way.¡± I smiled to myself that I had come up with a good excuse as to why I couldn¡¯t sit and get to know her, but Dorian stopped my brilliant exit. Jerk.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be rude, Gwen.¡±

    I spun around, shooting a glare toward Dorian before the woman turned on the barstool to smile at me. Of course she had reason to smile; she spent last night in Dorian¡¯s bed.

    ¡°Sorry, I wasn¡¯t intentionally being rude.¡± I smiled back at the woman, walking over to where she sat. ¡°I¡¯m Gwen Sparks. Nice to meet you.¡±

    ¡°Ah, the Gwen Sparks?¡± She looked at Dorian with a knowing smile. ¡°It¡¯s nice to finally meet you. The big guy hasn¡¯t stopped talking about you since he met you.¡±

    I could feel my eyebrows crawling up my forehead with my confusion. Who was this chick?

    ¡°Pardon me,¡± she said, still smiling. ¡°My name is Amara. I¡¯m a friend of Dorian¡¯s. He helped me with a pesky poltergeist a couple years ago, and we¡¯ve been friends ever since.¡±

    I crossed my arms, shooting a look at Dorian. ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t do friendships?¡±

    Amara¡¯s mouth popped open and she teasingly slapped Dorian¡¯s arm. ¡°You¡¯re still pulling that bad-boy crap?¡± She looked to me, the smile still holding strong. ¡°He¡¯s all talk, ya know?¡±

    I nodded, a small laugh bubbling up my throat. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m learning that. So what has the bad-boy been saying about me?¡± For all intents and purposes, Amara seemed like a nice person, but did that mean I wanted Dorian telling her about my business? No.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you have some phone calls to make?¡± Dorian finally said.

    I pursed my lips and shook my head, hiding the phone as I crossed my arms. ¡°I¡¯d much rather talk to Amara.¡± I sat in the empty barstool next to her. Her face was ethereally beautiful and made me wonder what type of supernatural she was. Her long chocolate hair spilled halfway down her back while her large green, almost-shaped eyes lit up.

    ¡°Sorry for my rudeness, but are you a fae?¡±

    She tipped her chin down as if embarrassed by my question.

    ¡°Amara is one of the Fates, Gwen. She¡¯s who I visited to find out answers.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t do anything but stare. I had always been a fan of Greek Mythology, but I assumed it was just stories, legends. My eyes slid to Amara, then back to Dorian¡¯s face.

    ¡°Are you actually Hades?¡± I breathed. ¡°Is there really an Underworld and a river Styx?¡±

    ¡°More or less,¡± he shrugged. ¡°But not the Underworld you¡¯re thinking of. It¡¯s the realm of the dead.¡±

    ¡°Wow. I mean I know your name is Dorian Hade, but I assumed you were trying to be clever.¡± My smile fell away as I thought about something. ¡°You said you were an angel, but Hades is a Greek God¡­and¡­I mean you¡¯re not the Devil, right? Because Hades is also another name for hell.¡± The time from when I stopped talking and from when Dorian answered was mere seconds but seemed like lifetimes. If I was attracted to and kissed the Devil that would truly be the lowest point in my life. In no way did I want anything to do with that sort of man.

    Amara laughed, causing Dorian to smile and me to blush. I knew right then that I had interpreted it all wrong. The strain in my chest eased.

    ¡°I am an angel, Gwen. I handle the dead, so in some ways I¡¯m like Hades, but not the son of Cronus and Rhea. I am the neutral middle-man, collecting souls and directing them to the hereafter. Whoever takes care of them after that is a mystery, even to me. Most of the Greek gods have either been imprisoned or killed. The remaining few like to keep a low profile.¡±

    I nodded with a smile on my face. This was the most Dorian had talked about who he was and what he did. And the idea of Greek gods existing was the cherry on top.

 Page 24

    ¡°So as one of the Fates, Amara, you know why Dorian cannot see my death?¡±Advertisement

    ¡°I do,¡± she grinned.

    ¡°Why then?¡±

    She looked up at Dorian and then back to me. ¡°Perhaps this is a conversation better left between the two of you.¡±

    I looked to Dorian expectantly. ¡°Now would be a good time to make those phone calls.¡±

    I could tell Dorian didn¡¯t want to discuss it, either at all or with an audience so I nodded and headed out to the rooftop patio. Walking over to the wall, I leaned against it and punched in Fiona¡¯s number.

    ¡°Hello?¡± She sounded confused.

    ¡°It¡¯s Gwen.¡±

    ¡°Where are you calling from? I don¡¯t recognize the area code.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m in New Orleans with Dorian. Flora was getting a little crowded.¡± Understatement of the year.

    ¡°What does that mean?¡± Fiona asked. I could hear people talking in the background and wondered if Ethan was sitting next to her eavesdropping and rolling his eyes. That man did not like me. The feeling was mutual.

    ¡°Never mind,¡± I told her. She didn¡¯t need to know rogues had invaded our hometown. My drama was the reason she stayed in Moon. ¡°I¡¯m calling because I have reason to believe the council members restored the protection spell.¡±

    ¡°Just a minute,¡± she whispered. I heard her say something to someone and then her footsteps as she walked away. ¡°What have you gotten yourself into, Gwen?¡±

    My face scrunched in confusion. ¡°I haven¡¯t done anything. Why? What have you heard?¡±

    ¡°Everyone is gossiping about you, saying that you¡¯re going through with it.¡± Fiona¡¯s voice was a hiss as she tried to keep her voice down and still coat her words with the severity of what she was saying.

    ¡°Going through with what?¡± The people of Moon gossiping about me really wasn¡¯t that big of news. I hadn¡¯t made a lot of friends there when I chose to continue seeing Aiden while they were all gearing up to take the vampires down. They saw me as some kind of traitor. Now that I knew the truth about Aiden, I was claiming stupidity instead.

    ¡°Going hybrid,¡± Fiona whispered harshly. ¡°Don¡¯t do it, Gwen. You know supernatural blood cannot coexist in the same body. Everyone thinks you¡¯re either suicidal or up to something.¡±

    I rubbed my forehead in hopes to ease the confusion out of my brain. ¡°Why in the world would they think I was going to try and become a hybrid?¡± Just the thought of becoming half vampire and drinking blood made me cringe. I had my hands full with being a spirit walker; I didn¡¯t need to add to the burden.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but it¡¯s all everyone is talking about.¡±

    ¡°Well tell them you heard it from the source that it¡¯s not true. I swear everyone in Moon is worse than a group of teenagers.¡± I swallowed my growing frustration. ¡°Have they restored the protection spell?¡± I knew the answer before Fiona spoke.

    ¡°Yes, they were successful like two days ago. I¡­never mind. I don¡¯t think I should say anything.¡±

    ¡°Spill it, Fiona.¡±

    ¡°It just¡­Holly has been spotted around the castle acting like everything¡¯s peachy.¡±

    My frustration quickly grew into anger. Why the hell hadn¡¯t Charles called me to let me know the spell was back in place? And why wasn¡¯t Holly held up in a dirty cell?

    ¡°I knew they wouldn¡¯t believe me about that night. Holly is going to get off scott free,¡± I bit out. ¡°Is Charles at the castle now?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I haven¡¯t seen him today.¡±

    The line went silent for a moment. ¡°Sorry for the rant. How are you? How¡¯s the spell casting going?¡±

    ¡°Moon is okay, but it¡¯s not home. I miss Flora and you. Ethan and I are good and I¡¯ve learned a lot of cool new spells.¡±

    I could hear the smile in her voice and it made me smile in return.

    ¡°That¡¯s good. Moon may not be home but it¡¯s the safest place for you right now. You wouldn¡¯t want to be drawn into the drama I¡¯m facing,¡± I laughed but it sounded fake to my ears.

    ¡°Gwen, is everything alright? You said Flora was invaded? By what?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m over reacting as usual,¡± I laughed and this time it sounded sincere. I could tell Fiona about the rogues and the bond with Aiden but I didn¡¯t want to worry her when she was thousands of miles away and unable to do anything but work herself up.

    ¡°Okay, but if something else is going on you better tell me. Just because I¡¯m studying in Moon doesn¡¯t mean that I¡¯m not still your best friend. And if I find out you¡¯re lying to me I won¡¯t hesitate to use one of my new spells on you.¡±

    I smiled wide. ¡°Consider me scared.¡±

    After we hung up I stared at the phone for a few minutes as I contemplated whether I should call Charles. If the council was allowing Holly to roam around the castle, then maybe they were part of her scheme. And if everyone in Moon believed I was going through with the hybrid thing then I definitely didn¡¯t have any fans there. It looked like I was on my own and would have to take care of Holly myself.

    Chapter Thirteen

    ¡°It was so nice to meet you, Gwen.¡± Amara embraced me. I couldn¡¯t help but notice her hair smelled like lotus blossoms and when she touched me my entire body relaxed against hers.

    ¡°I hope you¡¯re not leaving because of me.¡± I still wasn¡¯t sure if there was something going on between her and Dorian but that didn¡¯t matter; I liked her. And I was supposed to be taking a break from relationships so if she was involved with Dorian then it would give me a good reason to stop thinking about him.

    ¡°Of course not,¡± Amara said. ¡°I¡¯m just passing through. On my way to Maine.¡± At my confusion she said, ¡°I don¡¯t like staying in one place for too long. The world is too vast to stand still.¡± She eyed Dorian across the room and then turned me slightly, motioning for me to follow her down the stairs. When we were standing in front of the door she leaned in really close, her face almost touching mine.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be so hard on him. He¡¯s not as shallow as he seems. A vast life of solitude with nothing more than the dead to keep him company has hardened his heart. That is, until he met you.¡± She stepped back, winking as she opened the door.

    ¡°Goodbye,¡± she called loud enough for Dorian to hear.

    ¡°Good travels, Amara,¡± Dorian said from the top of the stairs.

    When the door closed I turned to stare up at him, taking one step at a time as I slowly ascended to the top floor. Dorian had his hands braced on either side of the short wall surrounding the staircase, blocking my path.

    ¡°What¡¯s the plan?¡±

    Dorian reached his hand out and I took it, stepping up to the landing. I tried, and failed, to ignore how small my hand looked in his. Everything about him made me feel safe. I knew without a doubt that whatever threat was thrown my way, Dorian would shield me from it. I had learned he was more than his attitude when he first saved my life.

    ¡°The only thing you have to do today is be a tourist.¡± He shook my hand gently. ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Dorian and I¡¯ll be your guide to all the wonders that is New Orleans.¡±

    We walked all up and down Bourbon Street, my eyes wide while Dorian pointed things out. It was unusually warm for a February day or maybe that was one of the perks of living in the South. The world still went on with its business while my mind was plagued with thoughts of rogues, vampires and scheming council members. Tipping my eyes up, I stared at the fluffy white clouds against a bright blue sky. Walking next to Dorian, I could pretend everything would be all right, if only for a day.

    The scent of food from the multiple restaurants lining the street permeated the air and made my stomach grumble.

    ¡°Hungry?¡±

    ¡°Starving.¡±

    Dorian laughed, wrapping an arm around my shoulders and tugging me into the nearest restaurant. The sign had a grinning alligator welcoming guests. A woman with short, red hair smiled at us.

    ¡°How many?¡±

    ¡°Two,¡± Dorian responded.

    She grabbed two menus and we followed her through the restaurant and outside to a bricked courtyard. Colorful plants rested in various sized pots while a fountain trickled water toward the back. A bar sat off to the side and wrought-iron tables sat in rows.

    ¡°Your waitress will be with you in a moment,¡± the hostess said. Dorian and I sat, picking up our menus. I smiled with excitement at seeing alligator and jambalaya listed.

    ¡°What¡¯s a boudain ball?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re a mixture of rice and sausage. Very good, but spicy.¡±

    I nodded. ¡°I think I¡¯ll try those.¡±

    As I waited for Dorian to choose and our waitress to come over, so many thoughts raced through my head. I still needed to ask Dorian about what really happened at my shop, what he did to Aiden and the rogues and figure out a way to tell him that my council might be shady. As I watched Dorian, I also wondered if I could trust him. Holly was the one who brought him to Moon. That wasn¡¯t a good start. But against my better judgment, I did trust him. He had saved my life more times than I could count and acted protective of me.

    ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Marie and I¡¯ll be your server today.¡± The waitress smiled at both of us but chose to keep eye contact with Dorian. I didn¡¯t blame her, Dorian was nice to look at.

    ¡°She¡¯ll have the boudain and I¡¯ll have the blackened pasta.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Marie said, writing our orders down. ¡°And what can I get you to drink?¡±

    Dorian looked at me.

    ¡°I¡¯ll have iced tea with lemon, please.¡±

    ¡°And I¡¯ll have water,¡± Dorian added.

    Marie took our menus and walked away, leaving Dorian and me to ourselves. A lump formed in my throat as the words I wanted to say ran through my head. My mouth opened and then closed, opened and closed. If Dorian thought I was gasping like a fish out of water, he didn¡¯t say anything. Finally I found my voice.

 Page 25

    ¡°I visited the store the other day.¡± The words didn¡¯t carry as strongly as I intended over the clatter of the restaurant, but he¡¯d heard me. Dorian turned his attention towards me, his head bobbing as if it was the courteous thing to do.Advertisement

    ¡°It was a mess,¡± I continued. ¡°Micah came by to tell me I should keep it closed. I guess other business owners have complained.¡± I was getting off track. ¡°Did you have to bust my door down? Did you have a sudden fear of door knobs?¡±

    ¡°The next time your life is in danger I¡¯ll be sure to follow protocol,¡± he said sarcastically. His sarcasm didn¡¯t bother me as much as it used to, Especially if it was always followed by that sexy ass grin.

    ¡°Something strange happened when I was there.¡±

    ¡°Oh yeah?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± I responded. ¡°I saw¡ª¡±

    ¡°Here we go,¡± Marie said, sitting our drinks down. ¡°Your food will be right up.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Marie.¡± Dorian smiled and a fresh blush colored Marie¡¯s pale skin. She cut her eyes to me, looking away quickly as if embarrassed to be swooning over another girl¡¯s boyfriend. I didn¡¯t have the heart to tell her Dorian and I weren¡¯t an item. If he was interested in her it would last one night, and Marie would be crushed. It was better they never interacted outside of the restaurant.

    When Marie walked away, I took a big drink of my iced tea. Leaning up, I rested my folded arms on the table, my knee bouncing up and down nervously.

    ¡°You were saying¡­¡±

    ¡°I remembered things that couldn¡¯t be real,¡± I began. ¡°I mean, I guess they could be real. We deal with ghosts all the time but¡­¡± I stopped to take a deep breath. Circling around what I wanted to say was pointless. I just needed to spit it out and hope he told me the truth.

    ¡°What did you do, Dorian?¡±

    ¡°I thought it was clear what I did,¡± he responded. ¡°I saved your life, again.¡±

    ¡°But¡­I was a ghost. I saw it, saw you¡­suck my soul into your hands.¡± My upper lip lifted in a cringe. If I was just watching Dorian, daydreaming about all the things I would like to do with him, it was easy to pretend he was normal. But if I thought about all the things I had seen him do, that fantasy collapsed. He wasn¡¯t just otherworldly, he was unlike anything I had ever seen before.

    ¡°I did what I had to,¡± he said tersely.

    ¡°Was I supposed to die?¡± I whispered. I waited, watching him speculate internally on how much he wanted to tell me. ¡°Damn it,¡± I slammed my hand down on the table, rattling our glasses. The other patron¡¯s searched for the commotion and quickly looked away when I glared at them.

    ¡°I have a right to know.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not the time for this conversation,¡± he snapped. We were locked in each other¡¯s stares when Marie popped back up. She sat our plates down in front of us, but still we didn¡¯t break each other¡¯s gazes. I could see my angry face reflected in Dorian¡¯s sunglasses.

    ¡°Uh¡­Is there anything else I can get for you?¡±

    ¡°No, thank you,¡± Dorian said and Marie scampered off. ¡°Eat,¡± he ordered, breaking eye contact to pick up his fork and stir his pasta. I shook my head, my frustration outweighing my hunger. How could I sit across from this man and eat lunch like everything was hunky-dory?

    ¡°You are the most pig-headed man I¡¯ve ever met. How in the world I was ever attracted to you is beyond me¡ª¡±

    ¡°At least you¡¯re admitting to it now,¡± he interrupted, shoveling a mouthful of noodles into his mouth.

    ¡°Shut up,¡± I retorted. ¡°Marie.¡± I waved my hand in the air. She looked up, her eyes volleying between me and Dorian. After a few seconds she headed over to our table.

    ¡°Can I get a to-go box please?¡±

    ¡°Sure, would you also like the check?¡±

    ¡°No, he¡¯ll take care of it.¡±

    Marie nodded, her hair bobbing against her shoulders. ¡°Be right back.¡±

    ¡°Where the hell do you think you¡¯re going?¡± Dorian asked. It may have been childish but I ignored him. There were too many emotions fighting for my attention. If I acknowledged him, I might start screaming. Since I didn¡¯t want to draw any more attention than we already had, I kept my mouth closed and my thoughts to myself.

    ¡°Here you go.¡± Marie handed me a Styrofoam container.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± I smiled.

    Storming out loses some of its effect when you stop to fill a doggy bag, but I knew my appetite would return and I was curious to try the boudain. Besides, I didn¡¯t care what Dorian thought of me, or about the smug smirk currently on his face.

    Standing, I picked up the container and headed out. Dorian didn¡¯t try to stop me. I had no clue where I was going. Going back to Dorian¡¯s townhouse wasn¡¯t an option, and I wanted to experience the city. Taking a right, I headed down the sidewalk and walked and walked. The sidewalks were crowded in every direction. I cut across the street, heading south. After ten minutes or so the city opened up to a large square. An elaborate building rested against manicured shrubs and flowers, its spiky steeples reaching towards the darkening sky. Its white granite exterior was in sharp contrast to the gloomy clouds above.

    Spotting an empty bench, I walked over and sat down. My eyes studied the gray clouds and it only made me madder. They raced across the sky, mimicking Dorian¡¯s eyes. My head tipped down, staring that the container in my lap. My appetite still hadn¡¯t resurfaced. As I thought about my argument with Dorian, I watched people walking through the square. I was thrilled I was still alive, but at what cost? Had Dorian thrown the cosmic design off balance when he chose to restore my soul to my body? I really wished I had asked Amara about it; she was one of the Fates after all. Maybe her visit wasn¡¯t just about Dorian finding information on why he couldn¡¯t see my destiny.

    The angel of Death was such a mystery to me. Half the time I wanted to punch him, and the other half I wanted to rip his clothes off. He had gotten under my skin in more ways than one. I replaced my aggravated thoughts of Dorian with the NAWC. If there was anything that could make me angrier than Dorian, it was my council. As soon as I got back to Dorian¡¯s I was going to call Charles and find out what the hell was going on. Knowing that Holly was roaming around the castle like an innocent woman had me seeing red. Not only did she try to kill me, but she was the one who, informed Ian about me. Had he not known a spirit walker was within his grasp, my life would still be my own.

    My mind stewed, changing to thoughts of the VC. Where did they come into play, and why did they order Aiden to drink from me? A million different motives were in play, and eventually they would all collide. I needed to be ready when it happened.

    I felt him before I saw him. The icy coldness of death¡¯s grip hit me in my gut. I had gotten pretty good at not focusing on the sensation; otherwise I would go insane. But Dorian wasn¡¯t someone who could be ignored. His presence dominated wherever he was. Currently, he was walking across the square toward me. I watched in awe as people went out of their way to walk around him, making sure to not get in his way. I wondered if he knew the effect he held over them. I cursed mentally when I felt my anger with him slipping away. I was more focused on the confidence of his walk, the way the strong wind whipped his hair across his face, the fullness of his lips and the snug fit of his motorcycle jacket. My brain told me to be pissed, but my body was currently thinking ¡°bow-chica-wow-wow¡±. I was a hopeless mess.

    ¡°Do you feel better after your tantrum?¡± Dorian sat next to me, resting a foot on his bent knee. He leaned back, placing an arm across the back of the bench.

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t a tantrum,¡± I bit out. ¡°I just don¡¯t like you keeping things from me.¡± I lost some of my steam, leaning back and crossing my legs. I looked at Dorian. ¡°How did you know where I was?¡±

    His lips bent upwards. ¡°You can¡¯t hide from me, cupcake. I¡¯m the keeper of souls, and I¡¯m attuned to yours.¡±

    I didn¡¯t know how to respond. It was an obvious statement, but the way he had said it implied it meant more than just being able to track me down. I looked away, watching the people instead of focusing on Dorian. We sat in silence, absorbing the city. Thunder rumbled in the distance, but neither of us made a motion to move. The wind picked up, caressing my face. I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath and enjoying the feel of it against my skin.

    Fingers curled around my shoulder, tugging me closer. My eyes opened slowly, and I looked at Dorian. He was staring straight ahead, but his lips strained as if holding back a smile. Anger forgotten, I leaned closer, resting my head on his shoulder. It didn¡¯t matter how many times he infuriated me; being next to him, feeling his hands on me settled my soul. He was a hot cup of tea on a cold day; a big serving of comfort food that always hit the spot. He might poke the fire within me but he also knew how to tame it.

    ¡°Dorian,¡± I whispered.

    ¡°Hmm?¡±

    ¡°Did you condemn me by saving me?¡±

    His fingers brushed against my shoulder back and forth. ¡°The payment will be mine.¡±

    I tilted my chin up so I could see him. ¡°What does that mean?¡±

    He looked down, his other hand coming around to caress my face. ¡°It means you have nothing to worry about.¡±

    Something about his words made me sad. Before I could analyze why, my mouth was on his. I kissed him gently, placing my lips against his soft as a whisper. His arm tightened around me, holding me close to his body. Our mouths worked against each other, unhurried as we savored the moment. Unlike the other times, this wasn¡¯t raw sexual desire. It was a sweet, untainted emotion. Droplets of water splashed against my cheeks and the thunder grew louder.

    When I pulled away all I could do was stare at him, speechless against the emotion swirling through my stomach. I could deal with lust, it was a natural feeling, but it wasn¡¯t what was causing me to catch my breath or see Dorian with new eyes. I sat up quickly, putting distance between us.

 Page 26

    ¡°We should probably get home before it really starts pouring.¡± I stood, ignoring the rain splattering against my face and the thoughts cluttering my head. I heard Dorian stand, but couldn¡¯t look at him. Instead, I began walking. Once we got back to his place, I could occupy myself with trying to find answers. Charles was the first one my list, and then Aiden. I was hoping the VC might have explained why they made him drink from me. The bond left me angry, but not at Aiden. The VC had something up their sleeve. I just needed to find out what it was, and why. Surely they couldn¡¯t be that angry over losing a lowlife like Ian.Advertisement

    I glanced over my shoulder, and stopped when I saw Dorian staring up at the beautiful building. All of the other people rushed around him, hurrying to outrun the coming storm. He was a picture of solitude staring ahead at the towering church. Turning, I walked toward him. Everything else faded into the background as I made my way to him. I was captured by the loneliness seizing his face. It only took moments, but my short walk toward him left me with the realization that Dorian was deeper than I gave him credit for. I no longer saw a man who slept around and spouted off sarcasm like it was his first language. All of the one night stands were nothing more than an opportunity to share a small piece of his life with someone else, a moment when he wasn¡¯t alone. Amara had told me that the lifetimes had hardened his heart, but maybe his detachment from the world was for protection.

    I stopped beside him and admired the architecture too. Slowly, I reached my hand out to the side and clasped his.

    ¡°The St. Louis Cathedral,¡± Dorian said.

    ¡°It¡¯s beautiful.¡± Thunder boomed overhead, lightning striking through the gloominess of the sky. ¡°We should get back.¡±

    Dorian turned toward me. His face was calm, masking what he was feeling inside. ¡°I take souls, guide them to the hereafter. I¡¯ve done it for as long as I can remember, never asking questions.¡±

    Another crack of thunder sounded, the rain picking up. ¡°Dorian, we can talk back at your place. It¡¯s not safe to be out here.¡±

    The wind was picking up, bending tree branches with its ferocity. The square was now completely empty.

    ¡°I never questioned the departure of a soul until yours,¡± Dorian said. ¡°I couldn¡¯t watch you go.¡± He was shaking his head as if his words astonished him. Tears filled my eyes, hidden by the rain. My mouth was open, words failing on my trembling lips. The air in my lungs constricted with his vulnerability.

    He stepped toward me, his hand going up and his fingers burying themselves in my wet hair. With his thumb, he brushed the droplets away from my cheek. His eyebrows scrunched together, as if pained by something. Like the lighting above, Dorian struck, claiming my mouth with an eagerness that awakened every nerve ending in my body.

    Wrapping an arm around my waist, he held me tighter. His tongue slipped between my lips and I felt my body sag against his. We drifted to a place where only he and I existed. I no longer heard the booming thunder, the smack of rain hitting the concrete or the feel of it against my skin. There was only Dorian, his hands on my body, his mouth on mine and the delicious sensations he stirred within me.

    He sucked on my bottom lip, his tongue rolling over the plump flesh before delving back into my mouth. I wrapped my arms around his neck, needing him even closer. The barest sliver of space between us was too much. I needed to feel all of him against me as I tasted the sweetness of his mouth.

    The slamming of a door startled me back to reality. My eyes popped open and I stared in amazement at being inside Dorian¡¯s home. He didn¡¯t allow me to analyze how we had just been in Jackson Square one minute and at his place the next. His hands were currently tugging off my jacket, my shirt and my jeans. They all fell to the floor in a wet heap. Dorian used one arm to lift me. My legs instinctively wrapped around his hard waist as he carried me down the hall and to his bedroom.

    Chapter Fourteen

    Dorian released me and I slid down his body, my feet hitting the floor. He reached over, making sure to keep a hand on my waist, and turned on the small bedside lamp. When he was standing in front of me again, I reached up and slipped his sunglasses off so I could see his eyes. The reverberating thunder outside was like a soundtrack to the thunderstorm rolling through his eyes.

    ¡°You¡¯re shivering,¡± Dorian said softly, trailing a finger down my arm. ¡°Are you cold or nervous?¡±

    ¡°Both, I think.¡± I was standing in my bra and underwear after having wet clothes on, but I was also nervous because I knew without a doubt I wouldn¡¯t stop Dorian this time. Tonight I would throw all my rejections about relationships out the window and just take what I wanted, and I wanted Dorian.

    ¡°Close your eyes.¡±

    I did as he instructed. Fingertips grazed my shoulder, down my arm until it was lifted up. Dorian took one of my fingers and traced it across his bottom lip, his teeth nipping softly before placing a kiss there and moving on to the next. I heard the rustle of clothes and then my hand was traveling over the hard ripples of Dorian¡¯s stomach. I couldn¡¯t help myself, I peeked through one eye. Dorian was looking down, watching my hand touching him. When he looked up, I snapped my eyes closed, unable to stop from chuckling.

    Dorian let my arm fall to my side and then his hot breath and wet lips were on my shoulder, ascending toward my neck. His seduction chased the cold away, heat consuming its place. With one hand he fisted my wet hair and gently tugged my head to the side for better access to my throat. A moan slipped from my lips, each kiss searing my skin.

    I felt him peel the strap of my bra off my shoulder and my breathing hitched. Anticipation for what I had wanted for so long caused time to slow to an unbearable crawl.

    ¡°Dorian,¡± I breathed.

    ¡°Hmm, say my name.¡± He pressed another kiss to my neck and my eyes popped open.

    ¡°You did not just say that,¡± I laughed.

    Dorian stood up straight, staring down at me. ¡°When my name is a sweet whisper on your lips, you can guarantee I¡¯ll beg to hear it again and again.¡±

    All I could do was smile. Dorian took my hand, leading me to the bed. We were in the room where I had first woken up. The world outside of the shuttered windows was dark as the storm moved in.

    ¡°Lay back,¡± Dorian said as he gently pushed me down. I stretched out along the down comforter, my body his to claim. Dorian placed a knee between my legs, crawling onto the bed so he towered over me. My eyes absorbed the broadness of his shoulders, his chest and the rippling muscle of his stomach.

    He leaned forward, his hair brushing against the swell of my breasts as he pressed a kiss to the mounds. My hands moved up his arms, to his shoulders until my fingers were burying in his hair. He slid down my body, pressing kisses here and there. I held my breath when he stopped at my black cotton panties. Had I known I would be naked in front of him I would have chosen something a little sexier.

    Dorian hooked his fingers under the hem of my underwear. My heart was racing like that of a frightened animal. I was anxious and nervous, both emotions fighting for attention. Dorian had been with countless women. The measly three sexual encounters I¡¯d had left me feeling inadequate.

    When Dorian raised my leg, his mouth hot against my skin, my mind snapped back to reality. His kisses made a path down my calf and toward my inner thigh. Something white caught my peripheral vision. Rolling my neck, I checked out the other side of the room but didn¡¯t see anything. I shrieked when I felt the pressure of Dorian¡¯s mouth against the cotton of my underwear. We made eye contact down the length of my body, a smile playing on Dorian¡¯s lips.

    ¡°I bet you taste as delicious as you look.¡±

    I propped myself up on my elbows so I could see him better. I hoped he didn¡¯t notice the flush coloring my cheeks. ¡°You don¡¯t need to¡­¡± I loved when Aiden did it, but I knew Aiden, was comfortable with him. With Dorian it felt too intimate, which was silly because sex in itself was intimate.

    ¡°Oh I think I do,¡± Dorian said, pressing another kiss against the fabric covering the very spot that was quivering for him. ¡°I¡¯ve wanted to taste you from the moment I saw you.¡± He slowly tugged my underwear down.

    Another glimpse of white raced out of the corner of my eye. I snapped my legs shut, sitting up and staring around the room. Now that it had my full attention I could detect it was a spirit.

    ¡°Dorian?¡±

    ¡°Hmm?¡± He was sliding an arm around my back and working the clasp of my bra.

    ¡°Stop it.¡± I shrugged him off. ¡°Something is here.¡±

    Dorian let out a frustrated breath. ¡°It¡¯s Eddie.¡±

    I quickly grabbed a pillow, hugging it to hide my body. ¡°Eddie, you better show yourself right now.¡±

    White mist hovered in the air, growing thicker until Eddie was standing in the room.

    ¡°You better have a damned good reason for bothering us,¡± Dorian bit out. He enveloped me in his arms. Geez, how much had Eddie seen?

    ¡°I didn¡¯t want to bother you but¡­the vampires are here.¡±

    ¡°What vampires?¡±

    ¡°The blonde woman and the dark haired man,¡± Eddie explained. ¡°They¡¯re out on the patio.¡±

    Dorian and I looked at each other. ¡°What do they want?¡± Dorian asked.

    ¡°More importantly,¡± I said. ¡°How did they know I was in New Orleans?¡± The last time we had seen Lauren she was fending off rogues. It seemed like ages ago.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but I followed them like you asked and they led me here.¡±

    I looked up at Dorian. ¡°You told Eddie to follow Lauren and Aiden?¡±

    ¡°I thought after the bond it was the smart thing to do. I don¡¯t trust either one of them.¡± He looked over at Eddie. ¡°Give us a minute.¡± Eddie disappeared in an instant.

    Dorian tugged the pillow out of my hands. ¡°I¡¯m going to go kill your ex and then we¡¯ll pick up where we left off.¡± He stepped away from me and I hopped off the bed, grabbing his arm.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare,¡± I warned.

    Dorian grumbled, but nodded. ¡°Okay, I won¡¯t kill him but if he just came here to track you down, then nothing will stop me from taking you right in front of him.¡± A wicked grin spread across his face, and he leaned down to kiss me again. In no way did I like an audience when I was with a man, but his words excited me.

 Page 27

    ¡°You¡¯d do no such thing.¡±Advertisement

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t I?¡±

    I quickly got dressed, not caring what I threw on. The only thing I was worried about was Dorian being alone with Aiden. I slipped out of the bedroom and headed down the hallway. Aiden, Lauren and Dorian were standing in the living room and their eyes found my face when I entered. I walked over to them, my eyes landing on each of their faces. Lauren had her arms crossed, her hip cocked with a bored look on her face. Aiden¡¯s hair was brushed back, his eyes wild as he stared at me. His hands were fisted at his side, and Dorian was standing as confident as ever, a smirk on his lips.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why are you guys here?¡±

    ¡°I need to speak to you,¡± Aiden said through clenched teeth. ¡°Alone.¡± He glared at Dorian. Uh-oh, what had I missed? Dorian had obviously said something snarky and Aiden was fighting to remain under control.

    ¡°Okay,¡± I said in bewilderment.

    ¡°Like hell,¡± Dorian replied, reaching for my arm.

    ¡°Dorian, it¡¯s okay.¡±

    After a short internal debate, he let go of my arm, and Aiden and I headed down the hallway to an empty bedroom. I couldn¡¯t take Aiden in the room Dorian and I had just been in for many reasons. I made sure to close the door so Dorian wouldn¡¯t be able to eavesdrop on our conversation.

    ¡°How¡¯d you find me?¡± I stood with my arms crossed.

    ¡°Lauren told me you guys just up and disappeared. I needed to know you were okay. The bond directed me to you.¡± He walked toward me, his hands reaching out before they dropped and he walked away. ¡°You have to know I didn¡¯t have anything to do with what happened at my club.¡±

    ¡°What exactly did happen?¡±

    Aiden had made mistakes, but I still trusted him enough to believe him on this. If there was one group of people he hated, it was the VC. Murdering a person¡¯s family didn¡¯t earn them brownie points.

    ¡°I honestly don¡¯t know,¡± Aiden said with confusion. ¡°But I do know they¡¯re up to something.¡± He walked over to me, stopping when only mere millimeters separated us. With soft fingertips, he caressed the side of my face. ¡°I¡¯m leaving, Gwen.¡±

    ¡°You just got here.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m leaving the country,¡± Aiden clarified. ¡°Traveling for a while. Whatever the VC is planning, I¡¯m part of it. I won¡¯t allow them to use our bond to their advantage.¡±

    I know I had just been getting frisky with Dorian, but hearing that Aiden was leaving hurt a little. For all the obstacles that had been thrown in our path, I still cared about him.

    ¡°How is moving out of the country going to help? We just need to find a way to break the bond.¡±

    Aiden¡¯s picked up a strand of my hair, rubbing it through his fingers before leaning forward and taking a deep breath. I didn¡¯t comment how strange that was.

    ¡°Blood bonds are tricky, Gwen. Remember when we were trying to find a way to break the one between you and Ian?¡±

    I nodded.

    ¡°The only answer I found was that the offending vampire has to bestow the bond on someone else. And there is no one else in this world I want to be linked to. Of course there¡¯s always death¡­¡±

    My eyes widened. ¡°I¡¯m not killing you.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear.¡± Aiden smiled. ¡°Gwen¡­¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    Aiden took a deep breath, stepping away from me. ¡°There¡¯s a reason why I placed Lauren as your guard,¡± he paused. ¡°It¡¯s not a myth.¡±

    ¡°What isn¡¯t a myth?¡± I knew the answer but needed to hear him say it.

    ¡°Hybrids. They¡¯re rare, but not impossible to create. Lauren¡¯s father is an incubus and her mother was human. She was able to accept the vampire virus. That¡¯s why men seem to eat right out of her hand.¡±

    I didn¡¯t hear anything after Aiden admitted to hybrids existing. ¡°But¡­you and her¡­for years,¡± I mumbled. ¡°And you¡¯re just now telling me?¡±

    ¡°Yes I¡¯ve known her for years, but I didn¡¯t know,¡± Aiden admitted. ¡°She asked me about us, and once she heard our story she confessed to what she was. This is why I¡¯m leaving. I¡¯m afraid Aaron commanded me to bite you so we would bond and in return he¡¯d own a piece of you too.¡±

    I stumbled over to the bed, sitting as I zoned out. ¡°I thought you sired Lauren? How would you not know she was part succubus?¡±

    ¡°No, Lauren¡¯s sire is a vampire from Maine. I met Lauren fifteen or so years ago, but she never mentioned her mixed heritage.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± I said, mentally sorting through all the information. ¡°And the reason Aaron ordered you to drink from me is because¡­?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s my sire,¡± Aiden said and I nodded. ¡°He can command me to do anything he wants. With us bonded there is no place in the world you could hide from me. Aaron knows you¡¯d never share blood with him. So, through me he controls you too. If he wanted to, he could order me turn you. If the transition was successful I¡¯d be your sire. Do you understand now?¡±

    I nodded again, all the pieces falling into place. ¡°You would be my sire but since Aaron is your sire he could order you to make me do whatever he wanted.¡±

    ¡°Yes, now you know why I have to leave?¡±

    ¡°How does Aaron know hybrids are doable, and do you have proof that Lauren is one? She could be lying.¡±

    Aiden knelt down in front of me, clasping my hands and staring up into my eyes. ¡°Aaron doesn¡¯t need to know if hybrids are achievable. His curiosity is peeked and he¡¯ll try just to see if it¡¯s capable. If you die turning the blood exchange he¡¯ll consider it a lost cause.¡±

    I could see the pain in Aiden¡¯s eyes. I couldn¡¯t imagine someone using me to kill someone I loved. The only way he could make sure that didn¡¯t happen was to run away. I knew Aiden well enough to know that he would race all over the globe just to make sure the VC never found him.

    ¡°And I did a background check on Lauren after she told me her story. There¡¯s no record of her father. It¡¯s not concrete proof, but I¡¯ve felt her influence. I would have begged at her feet had she asked me to.¡±

    I frowned, imagining Aiden worshiping vampire Barbie. Then another piece of the puzzle fell into place. Dorian had been almost enamored with her when they first met and since the only person I had ever seen Dorian enamored with was himself, something was definitely odd about Lauren.

    ¡°Do you think he¡¯s the one who sent the rogues?¡±

    Aiden shook his head. ¡°No, he doesn¡¯t want you dead before he experiments with his theory. That one has Holly written all over it.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand the hype with hybrids,¡± I said with frustration. ¡°So what if another supernatural can accept the vampire virus?¡±

    ¡°Vampires live long lives based on those who either fear them or are loyal to them. Being a sire to a hybrid gives that vampire control of the hybrid¡¯s power. If the VC knew about Lauren, they would want her just as much as they want you. She could make their enemies do whatever she wanted.¡±

    ¡°What if I was the one to run? The only thing I have is my shop, and the people in Flora are starting to hate me. I don¡¯t have anything tying me to Flora like you do. What are you going to do with Vain?¡±

    Aiden sat on the bed next to me. He leaned forward, resting his arms on his knees. ¡°If you ran the VC would just use me to track you down. It has to be me who leaves. If they can¡¯t find me, then they can¡¯t force me to turn you. As for Vain,¡± he shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m putting Zane in charge of it.¡±

    We sat in silence, both lost in our thoughts. Finally anger overwhelmed any confusion or fear I felt. Standing, I crossed my arms and said, ¡°We have to kill them.¡±

    Aiden looked as though I had just shoved a stake through his heart. ¡°They¡¯re the original vampires, Gwen. We cannot kill them.¡±

    ¡°Every vampire can be killed,¡± I reminded him. ¡°They¡¯re not immortal like Dorian.¡±

    ¡°Gwen,¡± Aiden said, standing and grasping my shoulders, ¡°no one has ever gone against the VC and lived to tell the tale. They¡¯re centuries old. Their veins run with the old ones¡¯ blood, demonic vampire blood, Gwen. They cannot be killed. Promise me you won¡¯t try.¡± When I didn¡¯t say anything Aiden shook me a little. ¡°Promise me,¡± he demanded.

    ¡°Fine, but your runaway act isn¡¯t going to save my life. If they want to try and change me into a hybrid, they can just get another one of their children to do it. Hell, if they really wanted to control my power they would just kidnap me and change me themselves.¡±

    Aiden released my shoulders. ¡°They very well could. What I¡¯ve told you is just my theory of why they wanted us bonded.¡±

    ¡°How did everything get so screwed up?¡± I said more to myself than to Aiden.

    ¡°I wish I could take all of your burdens away, my Gwen. The best I can do is take myself out of the equation. Unless¡­¡±

    I had been staring at the floor, but looked up at him. ¡°Unless what?¡±

    ¡°What if you left with me? We could travel the world and no one could touch us.¡±

    While in Moon, Aiden had asked me to run away with him and I¡¯d foolishly said no. The witches needed my help and I had given it. Now, the only people who needed me wanted to kill me. I could easily leave New Orleans with Aiden and never look back.

    ¡°Can I think about it?¡±

    Aiden smiled and I found myself smiling too.

    Chapter Fifteen

    Aiden and Lauren decided to book a hotel room after Dorian very rudely told them they weren¡¯t welcome to stay in his home. I didn¡¯t dare tell Dorian what Aiden and I discussed or that I was thinking about running away with him. Guilt was already knotting my stomach up. Could I just pick up and leave everything behind¡ªleave Dorian? We had shared a moment earlier. I couldn¡¯t ignore that, and I knew Dorian wouldn¡¯t let me forget about it. Still, if I were to leave it all behind, just maybe I could learn to breathe again without having to look over my shoulder and second-guess everyone in my life. We would eventually run into the VC, but that could be years down the road. One thing about vampires, they¡¯re patient.

 Page 28

    There wouldn¡¯t be any more rogues or dirty councils. For all the pros, the one con on my list was the idea of never seeing Dorian again. It was enough to stop me from calling Aiden and telling him to book me a plane ticket.Advertisement

    ¡°What did you ever see in him?¡± Dorian asked as he carried a pizza up the stairs and laid it on the coffee table. Sometime between Jackson Square and Dorian¡¯s place I¡¯d lost my boudain and was starving. At just after eight o¡¯clock, my stomach was furious with me.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Aiden,¡± Dorian clarified. ¡°He¡¯s running away when he should stay and fight. It¡¯s a cowardice move.¡±

    Is that what I¡¯d be if I decided to go with him, a coward? I knew in reality I couldn¡¯t actually run from my problems. Leaving the country wouldn¡¯t eradicate the knowledge that I was a spirit walker from the VC¡¯s minds, and Holly would still be the horrible person that she was. Turning my back on all of my problems would only be a temporary solution, but it was a nice thought.

    ¡°He¡¯s leaving to protect me.¡± I picked up a piece of pizza, making sure the dripping cheese didn¡¯t fall on Dorian¡¯s antique rug or couch. He sat in the chair to the right, resting his leg on his bent knee. I could feel his eyes observing me, his silent thoughts almost loud enough to hear.

    ¡°I spoke to Fiona earlier and Holly is wandering around the castle as if nothing happened. My own council is either dirty or doesn¡¯t believe me.¡± I picked at the pepperoni, popping it into my mouth. My cat pranced around the sofa, her big green eyes pleading with me for food.

    ¡°Oh my gosh. I forgot all about her.¡± Picking more pieces of pepperoni, I laid them on a napkin and set them on the floor. ¡°I¡¯m such a horrible owner.¡±

    ¡°I picked her some food up the other day,¡± Dorian said. ¡°She¡¯s been hiding ever since you brought her here.¡±

    I smiled because Dorian was not an animal person. ¡°Thank you.¡± I looked down at my Persian. ¡°She still needs a name and I refuse to name her shadow just because she¡¯s black. I think I¡¯ll name her snowball.¡±

    ¡°Snowball?¡±

    ¡°Yep, it¡¯ll confuse the hell out of people when they see a black cat named snowball.¡±

    Dorian shook his head, a smile on his face. ¡°Now that that¡¯s taken care of¡­¡±

    I ate my pizza and kept my eyes on my food, afraid Dorian would be able to see my thoughts of leaving all over my face.

    ¡°Do you have proof your council is bad?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± I lifted my head to look at him. ¡°Oh, uh no, but Holly¡¯s freedom speaks volumes.¡±

    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s a faux sense of freedom,¡± Dorian responded. ¡°They could just be making her think they think she¡¯s innocent in order to watch her. Governments never find imprisoning and giving the death sentence to one of their own easy. They¡¯ll want concrete proof.¡±

    ¡°I thought that was the point of the trial?¡±

    ¡°It is, but they¡¯ll want to find their own proof before they see yours.¡±

    I shrugged. ¡°Maybe, but Fiona also said there are rumors going around Moon about me wanting to go hybrid. Add to the fact that no one called to tell me the protection spell was reactivated¡­It¡¯s all a little fishy.¡±

    ¡°So what are you getting at?¡±

    I shrugged again. ¡°All of it, my life I suppose, can be overwhelming. I feel like I¡¯m in a game of Clue; no one is to be trusted. I¡¯m just waiting for the ah-ha moment to happen and someone to yell ¡®it was Colonel Mustard in the library with the candlestick¡¯, for it all to start making sense.¡± I gave Dorian a small smile. ¡°I know it seems like I complain a lot, and I don¡¯t mean to, it¡¯s just¡­this is all new to me. Just a few short months ago I was oblivious to how devious people could be. No one sought me out or tried killing me.¡± I paused, taking a small bite of my pizza.

    ¡°But I¡¯m trying. I want to be fearless and not bat an eyelash when I hear this stuff. It just feels like I¡¯m not getting anywhere, you know?¡±

    Dorian stood up, walked over to the sofa and sat down beside me. He took my plate from my lap and sat it on the coffee table, taking my hands in his. Slowly, I raised my head to meet his eyes. I felt so safe when I was with him; indestructible beside him. It was the nicest illusion.

    ¡°Gwen, you don¡¯t realize just how powerful you are.¡± He reached a hand up and caressed the side of my face. ¡°If you weren¡¯t, people wouldn¡¯t be coming after you. You¡¯re a gentle and caring person, someone who doesn¡¯t know she already has everything she needs to be fearless.¡±

    Dorian leaned back against the sofa, extending his arm as an invitation. I scooted over, cuddling against his side and resting my head on his chest. Dorian clasped his arms around me.

    ¡°Everything worth having comes at a price, Gwen. You may be overwhelmed now and tempted to forget about it all, but your problems will always be waiting for you. Facing them head on is the only solution to salvation.¡±

    His words struck me as odd. ¡°Why do you think I¡¯m tempted to forget about it all?¡±

    Dorian snorted, his fingers tightening around my arm. ¡°I knew as soon as Lauren told me Aiden was leaving he¡¯d try to get you to go with him. And he wouldn¡¯t be staying in a hotel room if he wasn¡¯t waiting for you to make up your mind.¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t decided.¡± That was obvious, but those were the only words I could manage to speak. Dorian was right though; my problems would always be there. The only guarantee of getting rid of them was to take care of the people causing them. At the moment, my mind was split in two. One side imagined the beautiful places Aiden and I would see and the peacefulness of no worries, while the other side wanted to march in and take every last villain in my life down.

    Dorian unwound his arms from me, standing up abruptly. He reached for the pizza and plates, carrying them into the kitchen.

    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m not done with that.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s late, we should get some sleep.¡±

    My eyes found the clock. ¡°It¡¯s only 9:30.¡±

    ¡°Feel free to stay up, just stay in the house.¡± And with that he disappeared down the hallway. So maybe he was a little ticked I was even considering Aiden¡¯s idea. Somehow between snarky comments and stolen kisses, Dorian and I had become more than friends. And I wasn¡¯t sure how to feel about that. I was always getting myself in trouble with the guys in my life. What can I say? I¡¯m a girl who likes men. Not in a ¡°fifty-dollar make you holla¡± kind of way, but I did enjoy the rush they provided my body with.

    I sat on the couch, my eyes roaming around the empty space. Watching television was about my only option. My hand leisurely stroked Snowball¡¯s fur as I contemplated what to do. I might not have been able to go out of the house and explore, but I could do a little exploring inside. Dorian¡¯s house was a road map to his life.

    Standing, I headed down the hall. The first three doors were bedrooms and the fourth was the bathroom. The thought of soaking in a hot bubble bath was tempting also. That would have to wait; I was too curious to see what was behind door number five and six. I stood outside the closed door, listening to see if Dorian had heard my footsteps. When he didn¡¯t stick his head out, I slowly turned the knob and pushed the door open and stepped inside, closing it behind me. I felt around on the wall for the light switch, flipping it when my hand found it. The room was an office of sorts. An antique carved desk rested in front of a large window. Built-in bookcases lined every wall, only stopping when there was a window to break up the flow.

    Walking over to the furthest side, I studied the objects on the shelves. Hundreds of books were lined in rows, perfectly synchronized to their height. Most looked old with fading cracked spines, their titles unreadable. One shelf held nothing but a hodge-podge of knick-knacks that didn¡¯t seem to make sense: a tarnished pocket watch, a string of pearls, a pair of dice, a butterfly hairclip, a pocket knife with the initials EJB engraved and a pewter keychain in the shape of a rose. Moving to the next bookcase, I ran my fingers along the worn spines, sucking in a deep breath of the musty paper they struggled to hold together. I had never been a big reader myself, but I¡¯d always loved books. Something about having them around made me feel comforted. If I happened to find one with an interesting cover I¡¯d buy it just because. I told myself I would eventually get around to reading it, but that never happened. Finding so many books in Dorian¡¯s home surprised me. That¡¯s the thing about first impressions; they¡¯re usually always wrong. It¡¯s better to have all the facts before deciding you think you know someone. Learning about Dorian was like straining over puzzle pieces that all looked the same and rejoicing when you finally see the finished picture.

    Moving on, I sat at his desk. The top was empty except for a pen cup, sticky notes and a small lamp. I eyed the drawers, wondering if I should open them or not. Deciding not to, I leaned back in the plush leather chair and just took in the room. The walls were dark green, the color of the cherry bookcases in perfect unison. It reminded me of a room that might be found in a home one hundred years ago¡ªcozy and perfect. As I trailed my eyes around the room, they stopped when they landed on a raven carved out of wood. Its wings spanned outwards, his clawed feet curved as if ready to grasp something. Standing, I walked over all the while keeping my eyes pinned on the magnificent carving. Only when I ran into the corner of the desk did I break eye contact with it. I cringed, hoping the loud bang didn¡¯t wake Dorian. Rubbing the spot I had hit, I walked around the desk and stood just under the raven. Each feather was so intricately carved I could almost believe it was real. Black beady eyes stared down at me, its beak sharp and open as if stuck in a caw.

    ¡°Gwen?¡± Dorian opened the door quickly, his head swiveling to observe the room. When he realized the only person in the room was me, he turned his head away from me. ¡°What are you doing in here?¡±

    ¡°Your house doesn¡¯t offer a lot of entertainment,¡± I said. ¡°I was just checking the rooms out.¡± I pointed up. ¡°What is that?¡± Obviously it was a raven, but it seemed important, too well done to be just a normal piece of decoration. I knew Dorian was in a bad mood since learning I was thinking about leaving with Aiden, but I hoped if I got him talking he would snap the hell out of it.

 Page 29

    ¡°It¡¯s my crest,¡± he said.Advertisement

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know angels had crests.¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t. It¡¯s more of an adopted crest. There are many legends surrounding ravens. One that I particularly like is the myth that they steal souls. The story goes that if you spot a raven watching you, your soul is his to claim. Many cultures believe ravens are physical omens, bringers of death and ill will.¡± Dorian walked further into the room, stopping just beside me. He looked up and continued, ¡°So many people fear death when it¡¯s just as natural as birth. They¡¯re unable to see the resemblance through the cloud of their sadness. I am the raven and he is me¡ªthe soul stealer. When spirits first see me, they realize their lives have ended and Death has come to collect them.¡± He stopped talking as if he realized he¡¯d revealed more than he wanted to.

    ¡°You should get to bed. We have an appointment early in the morning.¡± He turned to leave.

    ¡°Dorian?¡±

    He stopped, but didn¡¯t turn to look at me or say anything. Walking up to him, I moved around his body so I could see his face.

    ¡°You said by saving me there was a price to pay. What was it?¡± This question had nagged my mind since he told me, but I¡¯d been a little preoccupied to ask.

    Dorian hesitated, finally looking up at me. ¡°You are shielded from me for as long as you live. I will not be able to sense your soul or your death.¡±

    I thought about his words for a moment. ¡°But you said you tracked my soul to Jackson Square and you weren¡¯t able to see my fate before you saved me.¡±

    Dorian took a ragged breath as if annoyed I¡¯d found holes in his story. ¡°I had a spirit follow you when you left the restaurant, a local ghost I¡¯ve dealt with before. And the reason Amara shielded you from me is because¡­¡± He stared at me, his mouth tightening into a hard line. ¡°Because I care about you. I went against the nature of the universe by not allowing you to die.¡± He laughed harshly. ¡°I just got done saying how people fear death because it means loss and when I was about to lose something I care about, I did everything in my power to ensure I didn¡¯t.¡± He looked away, his hand scrubbing over his face. ¡°I was shielded from you before because Amara knew my feelings and knew I would do everything I could to save you from your fate, and she was right. I did exactly what she expected. It was a test and I failed. Now your death will forever be a blind spot to me.¡±

    ¡°But you can still sense my soul. So I¡¯m not completely shielded from you.¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re close,¡± Dorian said. ¡°But if you get too far away I cannot latch onto it. As soon as you¡¯re away I lose all sensation of you.¡±

    His earlier anger made sense now. If I were to leave with Aiden he wouldn¡¯t be able to feel my soul or know if I was alive or dead. The fact that he even cared that much was heart wrenching.

    ¡°Dorian, I¡ª¡±

    He held up a hand, his lips straining to form a small smile. ¡°You know the truth now. No need for explanation to console me. I¡¯m fine, and if you chose to leave with him, then I will wish you the best. Goodnight, Gwen.¡±

    Chapter Sixteen

    The clanging of cabinet doors woke me up. My eyelids lifted slowly and I blinked against the sun streaming through the French doors. My cat was curled up next to my chest. I propped myself up and looked over the back of the couch. Dorian was in the kitchen, his hair damp from showering. He was dressed in worn jeans and a white t-shirt. Damn if he didn¡¯t look scrumptious.

    ¡°Oh good, you¡¯re up,¡± he said, his cocky grin in place. At least he wasn¡¯t still in a bad mood.

    ¡°You had a lot to do with that,¡± I told him. ¡°What time is it?¡±

    ¡°Almost nine. Get up, we have stuff to do today.¡±

    I pulled my legs around, sitting on the edge of the sofa. I had accidently fallen asleep in the living room again. My cat jumped off, scurrying away. Dorian walked into the living room and sat down a bag that read Caf¨¦ Du Monde and a tall Styrofoam cup of coffee.

    ¡°Best beignets around. You haven¡¯t experienced Nawlens until you¡¯ve tried these.¡± He sat on the opposite couch, leaning back and resting his ankle on his bent knee. I reached for the bag, opening it and smiling as the smell of fried dough and powdered sugar greeted me. I slipped a beignet out and didn¡¯t hesitate to take a bite, closing my eyes from the sensations of sugary goodness coating my taste buds.

    ¡°What do we have to do today?¡± I reached my hand up, squeezing my shoulder. I spent last night watching reruns and thinking about Aiden and Dorian. Falling asleep on the couch had put a crick in my neck. By the time I fell asleep I was confident with my choice and ready to execute it.

    ¡°We have an appointment at Marie Laveaus¡¯ at ten. Eat up.¡±

    I took another bite, praying the moan in my mind didn¡¯t slip out. ¡°The voodoo shop?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the one.¡±

    ¡°You think a little voodoo is going to slow down the Veil?¡± I took a small sip of my coffee and then popped the rest of the beignet into my mouth.

    ¡°No, but the dagger I¡¯m picking up may.¡±

    I stared at him with confusion. ¡°Since when do you need weapons? Can¡¯t you just do that bizarre thing where smoke floats out of their bodies?¡± I paused. ¡°By the way, what the hell do you do to them?¡±

    Dorian smiled as if amused by my lack of knowledge. ¡°The dagger is for you. I¡¯m Death, the soul stealer. Use your imagination.¡±

    I pursed my lips and nodded. ¡°So, you just rip their souls out of their bodies?¡±

    ¡°Yes and with the rogues, if the host¡¯s body doesn¡¯t have a soul then the demon cannot possess it.¡±

    Dorian had killed a few rogues, but I never even thought about the people that the demons were possessing.

    ¡°So actually you¡¯re not killing the demons; you¡¯re killing the people their inhabiting.¡±

    Dorian¡¯s head moved up and down in a slow nod. ¡°Demons cannot be killed. The best I can do is eradicate them from their host.¡±

    The thought of lingering demons without a body to inhabit gave me shivers. Would they just hop into another body or go back to the ones who had summoned them?

    ¡°I¡¯m empowering my spirit walker-ness, but I will never be comfortable with demons.¡±

    ¡°As well you shouldn¡¯t. Now stop stuffing your face and go take a shower. We have to be at the shop in thirty minutes.¡±

    The sidewalks were full of people, tourists I assumed. The sun was hidden behind thick gray clouds, the smell of rain in the air. The temperature had dropped just enough that a jacket would have been nice. Unfortunately, Dorian hadn¡¯t grabbed me one when he was racing to pack me a bag.

    ¡°When we were in the realm of the dead, and I used my magic to make those boards, I felt drained. Is that how my magic is going to make me feel from now on?¡±

    ¡°If you use too much, yes. Eventually it¡¯ll leave altogether.¡±

    I tested it, ordering what little power I had left into my hands. My skin tingled for a few seconds before the feeling faded away. Not having it would take some time to get used to.

    Dorian and I walked in silence. My eyes trailed over Bourbon Street, the tall townhouses with wrought iron balconies and colorful overhanging flowers. Businesses lined either side of the road, people filling the sidewalks. Dorian wrapped an arm around my shoulders to pull me out of the way of a passing crowd. When they had passed, he dropped his arm.

    ¡°Do you still think Holly is the one who hired the Veil?¡± I asked after a while.

    Dorian¡¯s jaw flexed, his lips a tight straight line. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t put it past her, but at this point it could also be the VC. It would save a helluva lot of time if I could just storm in and wipe them all out.¡±

    ¡°Why can¡¯t you?¡± I asked. ¡°Not that I want you to, just curious.¡±

    ¡°Breaking the rules has consequences. I¡¯m already paying the price of saving your life. I¡¯d hate to see what the Fates would do if I started killing people before they were destined to die.¡±

    I was trying really hard to not think of how I should be dead. It was my time to go. Had Dorian not stepped in I would be lying in a silk-lined coffin as my spirit-self watched over the grievers. He¡¯d given me a second chance at life and I was repaying him by running off with Aiden? Even I hated myself sometimes.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I said softly. ¡°But the punishment isn¡¯t really all that bad, and I appreciate what you did more than you know.¡±

    Dorian snorted, glancing down at me and then away. ¡°I do know how much you appreciate it. I¡¯ve spent millennia listening to dead saps beg me not to take their souls.¡± His mouth snapped shut and I noticed his fingers curled and uncurled as if agitated by something.

    ¡°As for the punishment,¡± he continued. ¡°It¡¯s not just lost sight on some random person. I care about you and now I have no clue what will happen to you. You could end up running off with Aiden and I¡¯d have no way of knowing if he drained you dry, unless I ran into your spirit.¡± He paused again. ¡°I need to get over it, over you. Imagine, Death caring for someone. It¡¯s ludicrous.¡±

    I was taken aback by his words. ¡°You¡¯re mad because you care about me?¡± It made me smile a little bit, not because I was happy to hear he cared¡ªI knew he did, but because he was pouting like a child about it. Just to mess with him I reached down for his hand, bringing it up so the palm was facing me. The motion caused us both to stop. Dorian looked down, confusion causing his brows to dip together.

    ¡°Circle, circle, dot, dot, now you have your cootie shot.¡± I circled a pattern with my fingertip on his palm. ¡°The spell is broken. You are now free to not give a shit about anything or anyone. Go forth, Mr. Grumpy, and visit the beds of willing females.¡± I smiled for good measure, releasing his hand. I began walking again, crossing my arms to keep my hands warm. I was smiling to myself when Dorian caught up with me.

    ¡°Hilarious,¡± he deadpanned. ¡°Hey, if this whole spirit walker thing doesn¡¯t work out, you can become a comedian. It¡¯s good to have a backup plan.¡±

 Page 30

    I was still laughing when we cut across the street.Advertisement

    ¡°Here we are.¡± Dorian pointed up to a round black sign hanging by chains. In fancy, white lettering it read: Marie Laveau¡¯s House of Voodoo. Three concrete steps led up to the front door, green shutters on either side. Dorian went through first and I followed closely behind him. The shop was small, dark and smelled like patchouli and other herbs. Various items lined the shelves: charms, voodoo dolls, candles and souvenirs. To the right was a glass countertop where the cashier stood. Dorian walked up to the man behind it and leaned over to whisper something in his ear. I picked up something that looked like a cross made out of twigs.

    ¡°Come on,¡± Dorian said turning and heading toward the back of the store. A woman with skin the color of silky milk chocolate greeted us. She wore a colorful, zigzag printed dress and her long hair fell in tiny braids around her shoulders. Her dark brown eyes regarded us with suspicion while her lips remained in a straight line. Though she looked roughly thirty-five, those brown eyes held wisdom beyond her years. There was something about her that made me feel as though I¡¯d done something wrong. Like the time my mother had caught me kissing a boy goodnight; the disappointment in her blue eyes hurt worse than the two week grounding.

    ¡°Thank you for seeing us, Kiah.¡± Dorian held out his hand. Kiah stared at it, her brow arching as she took a step back.

    ¡°Follow me,¡± she said, turning around and disappearing through a beaded curtain. Dorian leaned down and whispered, ¡°She knows what I am and does not trust me.¡± That surprised me. While every other supernatural creature was out of the closet, Dorian wasn¡¯t like us. Revealing that angels were real and roaming earth would cause a craze. I could almost hear the apocalyptic rants now. Maybe Kiah was the real deal and she had some mystical insight to allow her to see through Dorian¡¯s human disguise. It didn¡¯t surprise me that she was afraid of him, though he didn¡¯t steal souls for the fun of it.

    We stepped through the beaded curtain and into a small square room. Bookshelves lined all four walls, their shelves filled with glass jars full of spooky looking stuff. I could have sworn one had the body of dehydrated rat, but I didn¡¯t study it too closely. A round table rested in the center of the room, covered with a colorful cloth. A large white pillar candle sat in the middle of it, gnarled drips of wax down the sides.

    ¡°Sit,¡± Kiah ordered and Dorian and I took a seat. She had her back to us as she stood on her tiptoes to retrieve a long rectangular box. Sitting, she placed the box in front of her and lifted her gaze to me. I tried not to look away like I was guilty of something.

    ¡°Dis you den dat evil has clutched onto.¡± It wasn¡¯t a question. The drawl of her Cajun accent was beautiful yet made her words sound more intense.

    ¡°Yes,¡± I said, my voice barely above a whisper. I shot Dorian a worried glance and he braced my hand beneath the table, squeezing my fingers.

    ¡°And your boy tells me dat dis evil is strong. Dat a regular protection spell will not work. Da dagger I offer is not a gift, you hear me?¡±

    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡±

    ¡°I lend it to you and when you have vanquished your evil, you will bring it back. Do not wield it lightly. It is not to be trifled with.¡± Her skinny brow arched in warning as she lifted the lid of the wooden box, spinning the container around to face me. Resting on a bed of black velvet was the most beautiful¡ª and frightening¡ªdagger I¡¯d ever seen. Its double-edged blade¡ªall eight inches¡ªgleamed as if Kiah spent hours polishing it. An intricate, vine pattern was stamped into the steel. Strange markings that I recognized as rune symbols were etched into the silver hilt.

    Kiah lifted the dagger out of the box, holding it horizontally so that the pommel was facing us. A circular pattern, made out of what looked like diamonds and sapphires, created the shape of an eye.

    ¡°Dis da evil eye,¡± Kiah said, tapping a finger over it. ¡°When you strike, you strike da forehead. Evil lies within da mind and nowhere else. Da evil eye¡ª¡± She grabbed at the air, yanking her hand back and pulling air through her lips to make a sucking noise. ¡°Sucks da evil out, trapping it in dis here.¡± She tapped the bejeweled eye again.

    My stomach recoiled at the thought to stabbing someone in the head. I didn¡¯t even know if I was strong enough to get through the skull. What if I tried and it didn¡¯t penetrate the bone?

    ¡°She looks a little green,¡± Kiah said to Dorian. ¡°If you want to defeat dos demons you beddargit over yous soft stomach.¡± She placed the dagger back in the box, snapping the lid closed.

    Kiah stood and rummaged through some things on the shelves. Dorian¡¯s thumb rubbed circles over the top of my hand while he watched Kiah. I sucked in air through my nose and let it out slowly through my mouth, gaining courage as the shock wore off.

    ¡°You¡¯ll need dees too.¡± Kiah sat a small red, fabric pouch and a necklace with leather cording with a bronze pendant of a rune symbol on the table. ¡°Dis,¡± she said, picking up the pouch. ¡°Is a gris-gris. You know what dat is, girl?¡±

    I shook my head.

    ¡°It¡¯s a mixture to ensure success. Carry it in your left pocket. Dis¡ª¡± She picked the necklace up. ¡°Will give you strength. Keep both on you at all times, ya hear?¡±

    I nodded. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    The beaded curtain clanked and we all turned to see the man from the register pop his head in. ¡°Sorry to bother you, but your next appointment is here.¡±

    Kiah nodded at the man and Dorian and I stood. Dorian dug into his pocket, pulling out his wallet and laid a couple hundred on the table. ¡°I really appreciate you seeing us, Kiah. We will return the dagger after we¡¯re done with it. You have my word.¡± He gave her a respectful nod.

    She snatched the bills up, tucking them in a black box on the shelf. She retrieved a white canvas bag and slipped the dagger inside, handing it to me. ¡°Good luck, child,¡± she said. ¡°And you best start usin¡¯ that stuff now.¡± She nodded towards the fabric pouch and necklace still lying on the table. I slipped the sachet into my left pocket like she had instructed, and then slipped the necklace over my head. The cool metal of the bronze pendant rested between my breasts. I wasn¡¯t sure if the voodoo charms would work, but at this point I would try anything.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± I told her.

    Chapter Seventeen

    I tried calling Charles three times and each time I was directed to voicemail. I sat the phone down a little harder than I intended, running my hands through my hair.

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to worry about the council anymore,¡± I said more to myself than Dorian. He was sitting next to me, his legs spread in a comfortable pose as he watched the History channel. I had my legs curled up underneath me, my cat and a blanket covering my lap.

    ¡°We just need to find a way to take care of the rogues and then everything will be peachy. Eventually Holly will hang herself with the NAWC and they¡¯ll see her for the wicked witch she is.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like a plan,¡± Dorian said, though he didn¡¯t take his eyes off the television. ¡°But you must also find a way to handle the VC.¡±

    I frowned, looking down at Snowball as I petted her long inky fur. I hadn¡¯t found a solution to that particular problem. According to Aiden, the Vampire Council could not be killed. I imagined they were stronger than regular vampires, but I was sure they still had an Achilles¡¯ heel. Not that I could kill them if it were possible; that would cause chaos in the vampire world and bring a plethora of fanged after me.

    ¡°Unless your plan is to run¡­¡± Dorian¡¯s head lolled against the sofa so he could look at me. We considered each other for a few moments. I was surprised he hadn¡¯t tried to finish what we¡¯d started the other night. My fingers itched to brush his hair away from his forehead, my body to snuggle against his. I snapped my eyes away, staring straight ahead.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t decided.¡± I whispered the lie, but I knew he heard it. Last night while I was alone with my thoughts, I had decided. I was keeping it quiet until I talked to Aiden first. If I ran wouldn¡¯t it be easier on Dorian? He wouldn¡¯t be frustrated by not being able to see my fate, or have to put his life on hold to look after me. No, Aiden would be taking care of you. I thought. I was disgusted with myself. I was a coward whether I ran or stayed, protected behind the bodies of these capable men. That needed to end right here and now. I was powerful and I damn sure needed to start acting like it.

    ¡°Come on,¡± I said tugging Dorian¡¯s hand as I stood. He lifted himself up, a smirk on his face. His fingers curled around my hand with a firm grip.

    ¡°If you want to get frisky, we could do that right here.¡± He motioned to the sofa with his head.

    ¡°Hmm, I do want to get frisky,¡± I said with a smile. Dorian didn¡¯t waste any time in taking a step forward. I held my hand out, my palm against his chest. ¡°But with the dagger. Show me how to use it.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯ll show you how to use it.¡± That smirk turned devilish.

    ¡°Down boy,¡± I said releasing his hand and walking over to retrieve the dagger from the bag.

    Dorian walked around the couch, crossing his arms. ¡°It concerns me that you¡¯re not as hungry for me as I am for you. I¡¯m as anxious to tear your clothes off as a kid on Christmas.¡±

    What he didn¡¯t know was that I did want him as much as he did me. How many times had I studied the curve of muscle hiding beneath his t-shirts? The difference between us was that I thought about things before I did them while he dropped trou first and didn¡¯t bother with questions later.

    ¡°Maybe it has nothing to do with me at all,¡± I remarked. ¡°Maybe angels are just horny bastards hiding behind wings.¡±

    Dorian walked with purpose toward me. My fingers burned as I gripped the dagger¡¯s box tighter. When he was inches from me, he took the box from my hand and set it down. His hand curled around my nape as he leaned closer to my mouth. My breath halted, my lungs just as anxious as the rest of my body.

    ¡°This has everything to do with you, cupcake. You burn me from the inside out. Torturous tease.¡± His mouth was so close, his words low and seductively alluring me. His other hand gripped my hip, his fingers flexing against the barrier of my jeans. Instinctively, my tongue slipped out and rolled over my own lips. Though Dorian¡¯s eyes were orbs of clouds without pupils, I could tell he tracked the movement.

 Page 31

    ¡°Tell me,¡± he whispered, trailing his nose up my throat. ¡°What does he have that I¡¯m lacking?¡± He pressed a kiss to my jawline and my eyes slipped closed for a moment. ¡°Would it be so easy to leave me, Gwen?¡±Advertisement

    ¡°I-I¡¯m not¡­leaving,¡± I mumbled. I couldn¡¯t tell him that he was the reason why I was staying. It felt too serious and I wasn¡¯t ready for serious. But the thought of never seeing him again caused an unbearable strain of sadness. I thought about being with Aiden in some exotic country and how wonderful it¡¯d be, but Dorian would always be in the back of my mind, lingering for as long as my heart beat. He had woven his way into my life and crept into my heart. I couldn¡¯t offer him a relationship right now, but I could be in his life in one way or another. I just needed to be close to him.

    ¡°You¡¯re not leaving with him?¡± Dorian stood up straight, his disbelief written all over his face. His relief at me staying caused a frenzy of emotion to knot in my stomach. When was I going to stop seeing Dorian as nothing more than a man with a permanent hard-on? Those sorts of men preferred the woman to leave. I honestly believed that if I left, it would hurt Dorian. It took seeing his face now to believe all of his previous words.

    ¡°The loss is greater than the gain,¡± I told him.

    His lips turned up in a wide smile, and he shook his head while laughing to himself, just a breath of air through his nose but it was a beautiful sound.

    ¡°You¡¯d face the storm with me when there¡¯s a haven just waiting to accept you?¡± His words were so low I wasn¡¯t sure whether the question was for me or rhetorical.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go against everything I am to protect you.¡± He cradled my face in his hands, staring down at me. All of the jubilance left his face as he turned serious. ¡°You¡¯ll always be safe with me, Gwen.¡±

    I didn¡¯t need to hear his promise to know that it was true. He made me feel safe. I reached my hand up and clasped the one holding my face.

    ¡°I know, but I must also protect myself. Show me how to wield the dagger.¡±

    His mouth covered mine, his lips hard and possessive. An arm slid around my waist, and he tugged me up so that my feet were dangling in the air. His hair was silk against my fingertips as they glided through the long strands.

    ¡°I¡¯ve always had a boot camp fantasy,¡± Dorian said against my mouth.

    ¡°Forget it; I¡¯m not into role playing.¡±

    He pressed one last kiss to my lips and set me down. ¡°I¡¯m seriously considering reevaluating our relationship.¡±

    With a shrug, I bent down, picked up the dagger¡¯s box and headed down the hall.

    ¡°Bend your knees,¡± Dorian ordered. We had only been practicing for an hour, but already I could feel the sweat trickling down my back, my calves screaming in protest as I crouched into position. Imagine my surprise when Dorian revealed that he had a gym. No wonder he was in such good shape; he probably thought foreplay was letting the ladies watch him lift weights. I had to admit; the visual playing through my mind was enough to cause a sweet ache between my legs.

    ¡°Now throw it!¡±

    Flinging my arm forward, I launched the knife through the air and towards Eddie¡¯s head. The blade caught the glow of the overhead light, glinting like liquid silver as it sailed across the room. Eddie was standing with his arms crossed, a scowl on his face, not even flinching when the knife cut through his neck. The dagger passed through his misty body, clanging to the floor and spinning on its hilt.

    ¡°You need to aim higher.¡± Dorian spoke behind me, reaching for my arm and bending it back. ¡°For a man my height, this position will give you the correct trajectory.¡± I couldn¡¯t focus on anything except the coolness of his fingertips burning a trail down my arm. Giving myself a mental shake, I nodded and thought about the angle of my arm.

    ¡°Go get the knife; we¡¯ll try again.¡±

    I walked over and snatched the dagger from the floor, standing up and winking at Eddie. His grimace softened the tiniest bit before he realized he was being forced to act as my target against his will.

    ¡°We¡¯ve been at this for a while,¡± Eddie complained. ¡°That girl can¡¯t hit the broad side of a barn.¡±

    ¡°I did hit my target, just not in the right spot,¡± I said in defense. ¡°It¡¯s not as easy as Dorian is making it sound.¡± Kiah said that I had to stab the rogues in the forehead, and because Dorian didn¡¯t want me close to them, he thought standing at a distance and just throwing the blade would be efficient. What he didn¡¯t take into account was the fact that I was born with the coordination of cross-eyed monkey. No matter how much I bent my knees, angled my arm or grasped the blade, the dagger always sailed too low or veered off its mark. Still, I was stone-cold determined to nail the art of knife throwing.

    ¡°Here.¡± Dorian held out his hand for the blade. I placed the hilt into his awaiting palm, crossing my arms and readying myself for another lecture, or lesson as Dorian called his constant ramblings of trajectories, angles and grip strategies. But hadn¡¯t I asked for this?

    ¡°Watch my movements.¡± Just as he said it, the phone rang. Dorian released an annoyed huff, holding up one finger as he exited the gym to retrieve the ringing phone. Something about someone calling Dorian made me smile. It was just so bizarre that Death had friends who called to chat.

    ¡°So, what have you been up to, Eddie?¡± An iPod on a docking system filled the room with music, the bass of drums and guitars lending an amped up soundtrack to my training session.

    Eddie¡¯s eyes drifted to the open door, then back to my face. ¡°Dorian has me doing recon and tracking.¡±

    ¡°On the rogues? Have you found anything new out?¡±

    Eddie floated up and into a sitting position, his legs bent Indian style. ¡°They¡¯ve withdrawn from Flora. As soon as you left, they disappeared too. I¡¯ve had trouble tracking their whereabouts. I have my buddies keeping their eyes and ears open though.¡±

    I smiled at the thought of a gang of ghosts prowling the streets for information. My imagination cooked up a West Side Story-esque visual.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take that as good news,¡± I told him. ¡°The residents of Flora will be happy I took my trouble with me.¡± I really was happy the rogues were gone from my hometown. The thought of anyone getting hurt because of me made my stomach turn. I knew the hell that rogues could inflict. In no way would I want their wrath directed on anyone else.

    Footsteps sounded down the hallway, Dorian appearing in the doorway. He stretched his arm out toward me, handing me the phone. ¡°It¡¯s Fiona.¡±

    Confused, I grabbed the phone. ¡°Hello?¡±

    ¡°Gwen,¡± she said with a relieved breath. ¡°I¡¯ve been so worried. Holly fled the castle. No one has seen or heard from her in a day. The council is playing it off, but I can tell they¡¯re worried.¡±

    My fingers gripped the phone tighter with the disturbing news. That small arrogant voice in the back of my mind whispered, ¡°Serves them right for not taking me seriously.¡± But it wasn¡¯t the time for ¡°I-told-you-so¡¯s¡±

    ¡°What lie are they telling you guys?¡±

    ¡°Nothing at first,¡± Fiona said. ¡°I think they were hoping no one would notice, but I overheard them talking a couple hours ago. Charles took stage forty-five minutes ago and announced that Holly was on an errand for the NAWC. Of course everyone believes it, because they still don¡¯t know the story of why Holly was on parole from the council in the first place. Charles swore me to secrecy to keep order amongst our kind.¡±

    The news didn¡¯t surprise me like it should have. Holly jumping ship was in her character. Also, I knew when I went to trial it would be like hammering a nail with a wet noodle¡ªuseless. The witches in Moon were loyal to the NAWC council. In no way would they take the word of a witch who had consorted with vampires when she was ordered not to over that of an esteemed council member such as Holly. Hell, for all I knew she could have taken some of her loyal subjects with her to the dark side.

    ¡°What did you overhear Charles discussing with the others?¡±

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t hear everything,¡± Fiona said. ¡°But I heard your name, blame and over reaction. So put the pieces together and they either think you¡¯re to blame, they¡¯re overreacting or that Holly¡¯s on her way to kill you and they¡¯ll be blamed for not listening and getting the trial done.¡± Fiona¡¯s intake of breath hissed over the phone. ¡°I want to come and be with you. I¡¯ve gotten so much better with my spells and I would be able to help protect you. Ethan won¡¯t like it, but he¡¯ll just have to get over it.¡± The last part was said under her breath as if talking to herself.

    I smiled. ¡°I appreciate the offer, really, but if anything happened to you, your dad would kill me himself.¡±

    ¡°I know I appear to be a daddy¡¯s girl, but I¡¯m so much more than that, Gwen. And you know it. Just because we¡¯ve drifted the tiniest bit doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m going to let you take on the wrath of a psychotic witch alone.¡±

    My eyes blurred with unshed tears, though my smile had widened. Fiona¡¯s admission was just the pick me up I needed. It was nice that Aiden and Dorian wanted to protect me, but having the comfort of a girlfriend was nice.

    ¡°Maybe you can help me from Moon,¡± I said. ¡°My inside guy, or girl rather.¡±

    Fiona¡¯s short silence was enough for me to know she would rather hop on a plane and fly to New Orleans than stay in Moon. ¡°Fine, what did you have in mind?¡±

    ¡°Can you do a tracking spell to find Holly? I¡¯m sure the council will do one, but they won¡¯t share their findings with the rest of you guys. I need to know where she is going and what she¡¯s up to.¡±

    ¡°Easy peasy,¡± Fiona said with confidence. I could almost see her rolling her eyes and wishing for a challenge. ¡°Give me fifteen minutes.¡±

    I hung the phone up and turn to see both Dorian and Eddie were watching me.

    ¡°Holly¡¯s escape doesn¡¯t bode well,¡± Dorian said, his forehead creasing.

 Page 32

    ¡°Yeah, but didn¡¯t you kind of expect it?¡± I questioned. ¡°It¡¯s not like she was going to sit around waiting to be sentenced and removed from the council. Holly desires power; if she thought she would be kicked off the council then she¡¯s looking to get it somewhere else, somewhere darker.¡±Advertisement

    Growing up we had been taught to fear black magic and all that it entails. To us, those who used it were like the bogeymen of the supernatural world. Demons and things alike were to be feared, even by us. The allure of their promises of greatness was enough to tempt some to their side. What power-hungry fools like Holly didn¡¯t realize was that in stepping over that line, they lost their souls to something far worse.

    ¡°With Holly on the loose you¡¯re not to go anywhere by yourself,¡± Dorian ordered. ¡°Understand?¡±

    I shook my head in frustration. ¡°Just because you¡¯re nervous about not being able to see my destiny is no reason to treat me like an incompetent child,¡± I snapped. ¡°I¡¯ve gotten pretty good at sensing death on people and connecting with the spirits. If I happen to get into trouble, I will rely on those powers.¡±

    Dorian¡¯s eyes crinkled at the sides. ¡°This isn¡¯t a challenge to prove you know what you¡¯re doing, Gwen. Rogues aren¡¯t your everyday bad guys. Or have you forgotten how easily you could have died at Broomsticks? Where was all this knowledge of your powers then?¡±

    Damn, I hated when he made a point. ¡°I panicked,¡± I admitted. ¡°It won¡¯t happen again.¡±

    ¡°Am I done here?¡± Eddie asked, floating down and in-between us. Dorian waved his hand, a silent dismissal. Eddie¡¯s transparent form disappeared, leaving Dorian and me to scowl at each other once again.

    ¡°Gwen, this isn¡¯t a joke. You¡¯re lucky the one at the store wanted to take his time and enjoy the kill. If it were any other rogue you would have been too far gone for me to save you.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think I know that?¡± I growled. I wasn¡¯t going to let the reminder of Dorian saving my life tame the fire licking my insides. The irony of our conversation did not escape my notice. Hadn¡¯t I just got done treating Fiona like a helpless damsel?

    I ran my hands through my hair, losing some of my steam. ¡°Listen, I know how dangerous it is. I¡¯m more scared than I¡¯ve ever been, but¡­¡± I paused to take a breath. ¡°I can¡¯t keep having everyone else fight my battles. How am I supposed to evolve when you want to put me in a cage and throw away the key?¡± I held up the dagger. ¡°Why teach me to throw a knife when you¡¯re hell-bent on keeping me out of the line of fire?¡±

    The weak fragile girl inside me told me to shut the hell up and accept Dorian¡¯s protection, but there was something else within that was tired of relying on others to clean up my messes. I didn¡¯t just want to face Holly¡ªI needed to. I needed her to see that even though she had demon-possessed rogues and a few black magic tricks up her sleeve, I wouldn¡¯t cower and run. Never again would I second-guess my ability to protect myself.

    Dorian¡¯s hands fell on my shoulders, trailing a path up and down my arms. Tipping my chin, I looked up at the beautiful angel of Death. My fiery anger was doused as soon as he bent down and placed a whisper of a kiss on my lips.

    ¡°I care for you,¡± he breathed. ¡°And I will gladly put you in that cage before I ever allow harm to greet you.¡± A grin bent one side of his mouth up. I knew he was teasing about the cage, but the tone of his voice and set of his eyes made me wonder if just maybe there was a kernel of truth behind those words.

    Chapter Eighteen

    True to her word, Fiona called back fifteen minutes later. Since I was hellbent on going after Holly, Dorian made me continue practicing with the dagger. The weight of the blade was finally starting to feel comfortable in my hands. The hilt felt like it¡¯d been customized for my palm. And I had improved my throwing technique, fueled by my purpose.

    Now, I was sitting cross-legged on the gym floor cradling the phone against my shoulder while I held the dagger out in front of me. The evil-eye stared back at me, its iris encrusted in gleaming sapphires.

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t able to place her,¡± Fiona said defeated. I knew how excited she was about learning spells and proving useful. The fall in her voice spoke volumes of her disappointment.

    ¡°It was a long shot,¡± I consoled her. ¡°I¡¯m guessing she doesn¡¯t want to be found and has placed a blocking spell. Maybe that¡¯s why the council was worried, because they already tried tracking her.¡±

    ¡°If I was there I could make one for you too,¡± Fiona said. ¡°Or, I could read off the ingredients and walk you through it over the phone.¡± She sounded hopeful and it pained me to have to tell her that my magic was dwindling. The last time I used a large amount I had almost gone comatose.

    ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± I confessed.

    ¡°Sure you can,¡± Fiona replied. ¡°It¡¯s a simple spell. You¡¯ll just need an object to enchant and a few herbs. I¡¯m sure you could find them at one of those voodoo shops.¡±

    I frowned, wishing it were that easy. ¡°No, I don¡¯t think I physically can. Now that I¡¯m embracing my spirit walker side, my other side is fading. Already I can feel my magic waning.¡±

    There was a sharp intake of air. ¡°Seriously?¡±

    I nodded and then realized Fiona couldn¡¯t see me. ¡°Yeah. Bummer, huh?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d die if I lost my magic,¡± Fiona added.

    And I didn¡¯t doubt it; Fiona lived for magic. ¡°Maybe¡­¡± I began. ¡°Maybe I still can. I mean, all of my magic isn¡¯t gone. I can still feel a slight tingle beneath my skin. If it¡¯s a simple spell I may have enough to execute it.¡±

    ¡°What does being a spirit walker have to do with losing your magic?¡±

    ¡°From what I understand, Dorian said I cannot hold both magic¡¯s. Since I never used my spirit walker side before, other than helping the FPD out a few times, my witches¡¯ magic was the strongest current. Now, that I¡¯m focusing on my spirit walker magic, the other is fading.¡± I took a breath, trying to think of a more logical explanation. ¡°I suppose you could say I¡¯m just like any other witch: some specialize in potions while others excel at physical magic, but neither can do both, at least not well. My witch side specializes in death.¡±

    ¡°I think I understand,¡± Fiona said. ¡°It¡¯s like with me; I stunk at shooting magic from my hands, but spell casting comes easy to me.¡±

    ¡°Exactly,¡± I smiled. ¡°I can still try to the blocking spell. I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯ll help, or if I¡¯ll even have enough magic to execute it, but I¡¯ll wear every charm possible if it will help.¡±

    With a blocking spell Holly wouldn¡¯t be able to find me, which in turn meant the rogues wouldn¡¯t either. If I could have the upper hand in tracking her down, then the game would be in my favor. The trick was, how the hell would I crack her blocking spell?

    ¡°Okay, tell me what I¡¯ll need.¡± Standing, I placed the dagger back in the box and headed to the office in search of paper. As Fiona rambled off the instructions, I sat down and eyed the drawers of the desk. I¡¯m sure Dorian wouldn¡¯t mind if I looked if I had a good reason. Opening the top drawer, I shuffled things around but found nothing to scribble down the spell on. The second drawer gave resistance when I tugged on the brass handle. With a little more force, I was able to get it to open. A leather-bound journal was sticking halfway up, the cause of the struggle. Leather cording wrapped around the two-inch thick book, tied in a sloppy bow. The patina told me that it was old. Dorian keeps a journal?

    ¡°Did you get all that?¡± Fiona shocked me back to the now. I hadn¡¯t realized she was even talking.

    ¡°I was looking for a piece of paper,¡± I told her, eyeing the drawer I found an empty envelope and grabbed a pen. ¡°Okay, I¡¯m ready.¡±

    She ticked off the items and I scribbled them down.

    ¡°How long does it have to soak?¡± I asked, my eyes and curiosity going back to the journal. In as many millennia as Dorian had lived, I could only imagine what was written on those pages. Another cool thought were all the souls he must have met along the way. Did he escort anyone famous to the realm of the dead?

    I picked the journal up, cradling the phone against my shoulder. I eyed the door, listening for Dorian. I could hear him open and close a cabinet in the kitchen. Leaning back, I began to untie the bow. I knew it was wrong, but my curiosity got the better of me.

    ¡°Overnight, under the glow of a full moon.¡±

    I added that information to the list. ¡°When is the next full moon?¡±

    ¡°Tomorrow night.¡±

    Looked like my luck was turning around. I had expected to have to wait a week or longer. I tugged the bow loose and opened the cover of the journal.

    ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want me to fly down there?¡± The hopefulness of Fiona¡¯s voice tugged at my insides. She was really trying to be here for me.

    ¡°No, you stay in Moon. It¡¯s safer,¡± I told her, feeling like I was reprimanding an excited puppy. ¡°But I really appreciate your help, Fiona. And I miss you like crazy.¡±

    ¡°I miss you, too,¡± she admitted. ¡°Moon is boring without you.¡±

    That made me smile. ¡°Is Ethan dropping the ball already?¡± I joked.

    ¡°No, he and I are good,¡± Fiona said. ¡°But it¡¯d be nice to hang out with you too.¡±

    The first few pages in the journal were blank. A drawing of a bridge was on the fourth page. I studied the lines of the architecture and the details that went into it.

    ¡°Enough about me,¡± Fiona said.

    Dorian appeared in the doorway, leaning against the frame with crossed arms and a serious face. I fumbled, bolting upright in the chair and dropping both the phone and the journal.

    ¡°Find anything useful?¡± Dorian said.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± I told him. ¡°I was just curious.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Fiona questioned.

    ¡°I¡¯m talking to Dorian, just a minute.¡±

 Page 33

    Dorian stepped into the room, coming around the desk and bending down to retrieve the journal. He wrapped the leather cording around the book and held it at his side.Advertisement

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing worth reading in here.¡± He jiggled the book against his leg and then turned and left. Guilt was not a good feeling and mine was tying my insides into gnarled knots.

    ¡°Gwen?¡± Fiona said.

    ¡°I¡¯m here, sorry. Dorian came into the room.¡±

    ¡°So what is going on with Dorian and Aiden?¡±

    ¡°I honestly don¡¯t know,¡± I admitted. ¡°Aiden and I kissed¡­a lot. And Dorian and I sort of¡­almost¡ª¡±

    Fiona squealed so loud you¡¯d think she was competing to break my eardrum. ¡°You little hooker. Why am I just now hearing about it?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been busy,¡± I explained, smiling like a gossiping teenager.

    ¡°I knew that sly-talking hunk of angel would worm his way into your pants,¡± Fiona teased, and I laughed.

    ¡°He may have gotten them off, but we didn¡¯t seal the deal. Aiden and Lauren interrupted us.¡±

    ¡°Oooh, did Aiden and Dorian get in a fight? You know Aiden would have been able to sense and smell your desire. I bet that pissed him off.¡±

    I gave a shaky laugh, hating that my messed up love life was sounding like an episode of a supernatural Jerry Springer. But now that Fiona mentioned it, Aiden was holding his temper back when he and Lauren showed up. My cheeks heated as realization set in.

    ¡°And who¡¯s Lauren?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t tell you about Lauren?¡±

    ¡°Nope.¡± She made it sound like an accusation.

    ¡°She¡¯s a Barbie wannabe vampire Aiden hired as my bodyguard, and no, Aiden and Dorian did not fight.¡±

    I decided to keep Lauren¡¯s secret and not tell Fiona that she was a hybrid. I knew it was dangerous information. It wasn¡¯t so much that I didn¡¯t trust Fiona to keep it, but I knew she shared everything with Ethan and I trusted him about as much as I did Holly.

    ¡°Wow,¡± Fiona breathed. ¡°I¡¯ve missed so much. So what are you going to do about Dorian and Aiden?¡±

    That was a question that had been plaguing my mind since Death first walked into my life. Only now, the answer was clearer.

    ¡°Aiden¡¯s leaving and asked me to go with him, but I can¡¯t. As for Dorian¡­I¡¯m not ready for a relationship and I¡¯m not even sure he knows how to be in one. For now I¡¯ll enjoy his company and take it one day at a time.¡±

    ¡°Good for you,¡± Fiona said with a smile in her voice. ¡°Who says you have to be in a relationship to enjoy a man¡¯s company? I¡¯m liking the new bad ass open-minded you.¡±

    I snorted. ¡°Dork.¡±

    Two soft knocks sounded on the trim of the door. Dorian stood in the doorway, his face opposite of mine. His body was ridged, his lips a hard line. My amusement instantly faded as I sat up straighter.

    ¡°Hey, I have to go,¡± I told Fiona. ¡°But I¡¯ll call you tomorrow to let you know how the necklace went.¡±

    ¡°Okay, but promise me something.¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    ¡°Tonight you¡¯ll rip that man¡¯s clothes off and ride him until the sun comes up.¡±

    ¡°Fiona!¡±

    She laughed. ¡°Like I¡¯m twisting your arm. Talk to you later.¡±

    I pressed the END button and stood, coming around the desk. ¡°Hey, I¡¯m sorry about the journal. It wasn¡¯t my place to snoop.¡± Now that I was solely focused on Dorian, I could see the strain of his lips like he was fighting back some kind of amusement.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± he waved away my apology. ¡°But I would appreciate you respecting my privacy from now on.¡±

    I nodded. ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°Aiden¡¯s here by the way.¡±

    Suddenly all of the lightheartedness of my conversation with Fiona dropped like an anchor in my stomach. I hated disappointing people, especially those I loved. Aiden was not going to be happy when he heard what I had to say.

    I began forward, taking a step toward the door. Dorian braced his hands on either side of the doorframe, blocking my path. As he stared down at me, his lips loosened and formed his infamous smirk.

    ¡°What?¡± I asked after the awkwardness of his gaze began gnawing at my insides.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think a woman has ever gossiped about me, at least not within earshot.¡±

    I could feel heat creeping into my cheeks. ¡°Just because I was talking about you doesn¡¯t mean it was good gossip. Your enormous ego has deceived you. Again.¡±

    Dorian licked his lips, glancing away for a moment before returning that smoldering gaze my way again. Though his eyes were covered by his aviators, I could feel the heat of them on me like they had turned to pure steam. Not waiting for his reply, I ducked under his outstretched arm and headed down the hallway.

    ¡°I¡¯m curious,¡± Dorian said from behind me. I stopped, turning to face him and hear what had him so damn inquisitive. ¡°Do you plan to keep your promise to Fiona?¡±

    Stunned speechless, I stood unmoving as he stalked closer. How the hell had he heard what she had said? His confident walk and hungry presence made me feel like the smallest of prey ready to be devoured.

    ¡°Saddle up, cupcake, this bronco¡¯s ready to be ridden.¡± He passed me, heading to the living room, but his chuckles taunting me all the way down the hall.

    Aiden and Lauren were standing out on the rooftop patio. When I opened the French doors their eyes found me. Lauren was dressed in a pair of the tightest jeans I¡¯ve ever seen. How she was able to fight in something so restricting baffled me. Her long blonde hair was pulled into a high, taut ponytail and the cut of her sweater left little to the imagination. Could vampires get boob jobs or were those puppies real?

    My eyes flicked to Aiden. No matter what passed between us I would always be affected by his appearance. His raven hair was brushed back, a few unruly strands escaping and hanging over his forehead. Blue eyes the color of the cleanest water searched my face. How in the world was I going to watch him walk away? Aiden had been in my life for two years and after tonight it could be centuries before I saw him again, if at all. It was possible that after I delivered my decision he would hate me forever.

    ¡°Give us a minute,¡± he told Lauren.

    She nodded, sauntering across the patio and toward the French doors. As she passed, she winked and smiled. Only when the doors closed did Aiden move. He turned his back toward me, resting both hands on the railing as he stared at the street below. His gray wool pea coat fit him like a glove, having probably been tailor made. He was classically beautiful and sexy beyond belief. And I was about to push him away. I admit I was second-guessing my decision.

    ¡°You¡¯re staying,¡± Aiden said, his voice low and confounded.

    I joined him at the railing, hugging my arms to my chest. Of course he¡¯d know my decision before I uttered a word; we were bonded now.

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t easy to turn down such an offer,¡± I admitted. ¡°Even now I¡¯m debating if I made the right choice.¡±

    Aiden¡¯s head cocked to the side so that he could look at me. My heart broke at the defeated expression on his face. He may not be able to rip people¡¯s souls from their bodies like Dorian could, but I knew he would be able to keep me just as safe. If I left with him, he¡¯d do everything in his power to shield me from harm¡¯s way.

    ¡°It¡¯s not set in concrete, my Gwen. You still have time to say yes, to leave all of this behind and walk into the sunset with me; metaphorically of course.¡± He tried for a smile but it didn¡¯t reach his eyes. I thought I could literally feel my heart tremble.

    What could I say that would make my decision okay in his eyes? No words could weave a bandage to lessen the blow. I knew Aiden¡¯s heart had been set on whisking me away from the dangerous world I now found myself thrown in. I was on the battlefield against darkness, and he was offering to rescue me from it.

    ¡°Everything inside of me is telling me to go with you,¡± I admitted as tears blurred my vision. ¡°Life with you would be so easy, wonderful but¡­I cannot run. I have to stay and fight for the life I¡¯m not supposed to have.¡±

    Aiden¡¯s forehead creased. He didn¡¯t know that I was supposed to die that day at Broomsticks and that Dorian had gone against my destiny and restored my soul. I had spent the last couple days thinking that had it not been for the rebelliousness of Death, I¡¯d be taking up space in the Flora cemetery. I was in debt to a man I barely knew and heartbroken by another. My heart was being pulled in two different directions, straining under the pressure of wanting to please both men.

    ¡°What if you stayed?¡±

    Aiden stood up straight, reaching out to clasp my hands in front of our bodies. His thumb traced a back and forth pattern. ¡°I have to leave, my Gwen. I¡¯ve already hurt you once. If Aaron was to order me to drain you¡­and the transformation didn¡¯t work.¡± He looked away, anger contorting his features for a split second. When he looked back at me he said, ¡°I couldn¡¯t live with myself if I were the one responsible for ending your life. Being here, next to you is dangerous.¡±

    A tear slipped out of my eyes, trickling down my cheek.

    ¡°I told you the story of my family¡¯s tragic end. The La¡¯Rues see me as property to do with as they will. They¡¯ll order me to drain you just because they can, and if your body didn¡¯t accept the vampire virus you would die at my hands. Another person taken from me because of them.¡± He reached up and brushed away the tear. ¡°I won¡¯t allow them to take any more from me. I¡¯ll leave you for forever if it means they won¡¯t be able to use me against you.¡±

    ¡°We could fight... Isn¡¯t it worth it?¡±

    Aiden shook his head, just a slight movement, but it told me his mind was made up. ¡°It¡¯s too dangerous. They¡¯re the original six, Gwen. Their strength is immeasurable and without mercy.¡±

    Another tear slipped down my cheek and Aiden pulled me into his arms. I closed my eyes, absorbing the smell of him and the way the roughness of his coat felt against my skin. His arms were the softest steel around my body. Flashes of our time together played behind my eyelids, and the tears responded by falling quicker.

 Page 34

    I saw Aiden¡¯s face in the caf¨¦ when we first met, his blue eyes alight with mischievous curiosity. When he first smiled at me, I¡¯d smiled in return, unable to restrain my lips from mimicking his. The time when Micah broke up with me and I had gone for a walk and fallen asleep in Willow Park. Aiden¡¯s beautiful face greeted my puffy red eyes, offering a shoulder to lean on. Our first kiss, in his backyard. The way he had confessed how he felt, delivering words that could have been stolen from my own mind¡­Advertisement

    I leaned back up, clearing my face of tears and smiling at one of the few men who¡¯d been able to claim my heart.

    ¡°I don¡¯t blame you for the whole Ian and Brew thing,¡± I said through quivering lips. ¡°I needed you to know before you left¡­I still don¡¯t agree with your decisions, but I understand.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, my Gwen.¡± He leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to my forehead, his fingers gripping my shoulder. ¡°I never deserved you, but that won¡¯t stop me from always loving you.¡±

    When he turned and began walking away my body went into panic mode. It was tougher than I imagined watching him go. My feet itched to run after him, clutch his hand and follow him anywhere. I fisted my hands, my nails digging into my palms the tighter I squeezed. He wasn¡¯t just taking himself out of my life; he was taking a piece of me with him. I could already feel the hole where the piece should be, leaving my soul shaky and fragile. Tears continued to splash against my cheeks, my eyes pinned on his back. A golf ball sized lump lodged in my throat and the air I was breathed thinned making me unable to fill my lungs completely.

    ¡°Aiden¡­¡± I took a step forward, faltering to move further. He looked over his shoulder, but wouldn¡¯t make eye contact with me. I thought I saw a glimmer of moisture against his cheek.

    ¡°Where will you go?¡± I needed to know where he would be so I could visualize him in there, see him in my mind.

    ¡°They¡¯ll be expecting me to go home to Italy. So I cannot return there. It¡¯s between Norway and New Zealand; I haven¡¯t decided. Check the mail.¡±

    He began walking, stopping at the railing on the far side. I held my breath, clinging to hope that he¡¯d change his mind and stay. His body was still, his head tilted up as if looking to the stars for answers. And then he jumped.

    My feet thawed and I raced across the patio, hitting the short wall as my hands gripped the railing and my eyes searched the space below. Off in the distance I saw a silhouette walking down an empty street and I knew this moment in time would replay in my mind for many nights.

    ¡°I love you,¡± I whispered.

    Aiden turned, though he was at least three blocks away. He stopped in the middle of the street, the lamppost lighting his face. I couldn¡¯t make out his features but I imagined they were as miserable as mine.

    ¡°And I you, my Gwen.¡± I heard his voice as clear as if he were whispering it in my ear. It resounded in my mind, fading as he turned around and disappeared amongst the shadows.

    As soon as I lost sight of him my tears responded by falling freely down my cheeks; my heart too upset to race as quickly as my mind was. I hadn¡¯t heard any footsteps but flinched when hands fell on my shoulders. I whirled around, my eyes expecting to find Aiden returning. Instead, Lauren nodded toward me, a sad smile on her face.

    ¡°He¡¯s gone,¡± I said through a sob. ¡°He actually left.¡± Up until it happened I hadn¡¯t realized I didn¡¯t really expect him to leave. The shock was gut-wrenching.

    ¡°I know, sweetie,¡± Lauren said, wrapping her arms around me and offering any amount of comfort she could. I willingly accepted, reaching my arms around her and resting my head against her shoulder as I came to terms with what just happened.

    A shadow blocked out the light spilling from the French doors. I lifted my head from Lauren¡¯s shoulder and found Dorian¡¯s large frame occupying the space. We watched each other, unmoving and lost in this moment that was bound to throw both of our worlds of their axis. I couldn¡¯t pretend to know what Dorian was thinking, but I knew my breakdown wouldn¡¯t sit well with him. The magnetic pull we held for each other was undeniable, but we both knew it wasn¡¯t on the level of what I felt for Aiden.

    Maybe in time Dorian and I would get to that place, share something far more complex than raw attraction, but my heart wasn¡¯t vacant just yet.

    ¡°He left something for you,¡± Lauren said and I released her from my grip, taking one last look toward Dorian just as he walked away.

    Lauren removed something from the small of her back, producing a manila envelope. With shaky hands, I grabbed it, tracing a finger over my name in beautiful script. I looked up at Lauren, hugging the envelope to my chest.

    ¡°I¡¯ll give you some space, but if you want to talk just let me know.¡±

    I nodded, forcing a smile on my face. When she turned and walked away, I went to the railing and watched all of the people completely oblivious to my heartache. My eyes trailed up to the star-encrusted sky as a soft breeze brushed against the wetness of my cheeks. I made a silent promise to myself that I would do everything I could to take down Holly and take care of the VC. I¡¯d make my decision worth all the trouble it had caused.

    Chapter Nineteen

    My eyes fluttered open. I found myself back in the bedroom I first stayed in when I arrived in New Orleans. Sitting up, I rubbed a hand across my face, pushing my hair out of my eyes. I didn¡¯t remember going to bed. I spent the night on the patio just staring at the envelope Aiden left me and trying to find the courage to open it. Somewhere between my contemplations I must have dozed off.

    I reached over and turned on the bedside lamp. It was still dark which meant it wasn¡¯t morning yet. The soft glow illuminated just enough for me to see. The door was closed, a small sliver of light slipping beneath. Swinging my legs over the side of the bed, I gripped the mattress in both hands and took a moment for the last of my sleepiness to dissolve.

    The bed creaked when I stood. I was still dressed in my clothes from the day before, though my boots had been taken off. Cutting across the room, I opened the door and looked right and then left down the hallway. All of the doors were closed, except for the bathroom. I headed in that direction. Once inside, I gripped the edge of the sink and stared at my reflection. My eyes were cushioned by puffy bags and my skin looked paler than normal. My dark hair was disheveled and in serious need of a meeting with a brush, but I couldn¡¯t find the motivation to carry out the task. After going to the bathroom and washing my hands, I headed down the hall.

    As I neared the living room, soft music lingered on the air. Rounding the corner, my eyes searched for the source of the beautiful melody. A chorus of pianos, violins and cellos came together to form a dark alluring composition. The entire living room was dark except for the glow of the moon filtering through the sheer curtains. Still, the music carried on the air around me, filling my ears with a peaceful calm.

    Taking slow steps, I ventured further into the room. My eyes landed on everything, expecting to find someone with a radio on. When only furnishings and walls greeted me, I stopped in confusion. My eyelids grew heavy, seduced by the peaceful cadence of the orchestral music.

    Slowly, the French doors glided open, a soft breeze washing into the room and caressing my face. I squinted as I tried to understand how they released by themselves. The wind was timid, unable to force such heavy doors open.

    Not an ounce of fear resided within me. I was relaxed, albeit curious. The haunting lullaby resounded in my ears, lulling me like a newborn baby. It urged me forward, my feet moving on their own accord. I couldn¡¯t feel the pressure of my feet against the hardwood floors. Believing I was floating, I stared down at my feet and let out a bubbly laugh. Sure enough, my toes did not touch the floor. I was hovering a good inch, my body carried forward and ensnared by the enthralling notes.

    My hand reached out, my fingertips brushing the sheer curtains away. They danced in the wind like graceful ballerinas welcoming me. Stepping, or floating rather, onto the patio, my eyes found the silhouette of a man on the far side. I couldn¡¯t say what he looked like, either my eyes or the music were playing tricks on me. The outline of his body was that of a man, but when he turned to face me no discernible qualities appeared. His face was a collage of colors, weaving and dancing in a wave to the rhythm.

    He held his hand out and my body reacted, floating forward like it was controlled by the mystery standing in front of me. I clasped his offered palm and my skin filled with pins and needles as soon as I made contact. Still, fear eluded me. My head filled with fluffy, sleepy clouds. The man took a step to the right, keeping my hand held in the air between us. With a quick twirl, he spun me around and I giggled. The crescendo of the music grew louder, wrapping around my body as he twirled, dipped and glided with me across the patio. My cheeks stretched wide as the giddiness he caused consumed me.

    He stopped moving and brought his opened palm to his lips, blowing across his skin. A flutter of glittery musical notes floated out of his hand and danced in the space between us. My mouth agape, I stared in wonderment. The notes sprung up, dancing toward the night sky where they evaporated, leaving behind multi-colored glitter to rain down. I held out my hands, anxious to capture the shimmering confetti.

    ¡°You and I have much to talk about,¡± the figure said. Ignoring the glitter, I stared transfixed at the sound of his voice. It was definitely masculine, but more intoxicating than the music he used to lure me with. My entire body went slack, my eyelids struggling to keep focus on him.

    I tried to speak, to ask him who he was, but my lips wouldn¡¯t corporate with the signals my brain was sending. The figure placed a finger against my lips, making a hushing sound.

    ¡°Death resides against a gray backdrop. Travel through the deserted hills until you reach the top. Only when the music sings should you stop.¡±

    My eyes were fully closed now, mesmerized by sound of his voice. He released my hand, my arm dropping against my side in slow motion. The music faded from my head, taking with it some of the fogginess. And I opened my eyes. The man was standing in his original spot, his back turned toward me. Only, when he turned around this time, he was clear. He wore a long black robe, the hood obscuring his face from detection.

 Page 35

    ¡°Who are you?¡± The words felt funny against my lips.Advertisement

    ¡°Find me,¡± he replied, reaching up and snapping his fingers.

    I shot up in bed, panicked. Wait, why am I in bed again? My chest rose and fell heavily, my hands fumbling to find the bedside lamp. Clicking the switch, I hopped out of bed and paced the floor, stunned and confused. I was positive it hadn¡¯t been a dream, yet it was the only explanation. My brain fought to believe it¡¯d all been my sleeping-self¡¯s imagination.

    ¡°Gwen?¡±

    I jerked, my eyes flashing across the room. Dorian was leaning against the wall, his arms crossed. His sunglasses were resting atop his head, his eyes light and calm.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± I hadn¡¯t meant for the question to sound as harsh as it did. Whatever had just happened had shaken me to my core. Still, it was bizarre he was just hanging out in my room while I was sleeping. Plus, I¡¯m not a pretty sleeper. I tend to drool, snore sometimes and mange to turn my hair into something resembling what I suspect a person who¡¯s been shocked looks like.

    ¡°I was wondering the same thing,¡± Dorian responded, dodging my question. ¡°You hopped out of bed like it was filled with snakes.¡±

    ¡°I¡­uh.¡± I looked at the bed, and then down at myself. ¡°It was just a dream I guess.¡± Sitting on the edge of the mattress, I pulled my feet up and rested them on the bed frame. The riddle the man had recited flowed through my head. If it was just a dream then why did my subconscious tell me to take it seriously?

    Dorian walked over to my side of the room, stopping in front of me. I kept my eyes on the floor, my mind too occupied with trying to remember every last detail of the hallucination.

    ¡°Find me.¡±

    ¡°Tag, you¡¯re it,¡± Dorian said, reaching a hand out and tapping my arm. ¡°Worst game of hide-n-seek ever.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± I tugged my brain back to the present, looking up at him.

    ¡°You said ¡®find me¡¯.¡±

    ¡°Oh. Did I?¡± I hadn¡¯t realized I said it out loud. ¡°Nothing, never mind.¡± I absentmindedly waved the topic away.

    The mattress squeaked when Dorian sat down beside me, his feet spaced apart as he leaned over on his elbows.

    ¡°What is going on?¡± He cocked his head to the side to look at me. ¡°You¡¯re acting like you fell through the rabbit hole.¡±

    I scrubbed a hand over my face, hoping to erase some of the bewilderment filling my head. The dream had been something out of a fairytale, peculiar and absurd. I rolled my neck against my shoulders, trying to ease the tight muscles.

    ¡°It was so realistic, the dream. There was a man, or at least he sounded like a man. And¡­I don¡¯t know, he produced this music that turned my bones to cotton and my brain to mush. We danced on the patio and I floated. He told me to find him.¡± I looked over at Dorian. He was watching me like I¡¯d just told him Santa Claus had visited me.

    ¡°Sounds like a dream to me.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re probably right,¡± I agreed. ¡°It was just¡­so real.¡±

    Silence settled over the room, both of us retreating to our thoughts. After a while I turned back to Dorian and asked, ¡°So why are you in my room?¡±

    ¡°My room.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°This is my room,¡± Dorian explained. ¡°So technically I¡¯m where I¡¯m supposed to be.¡±

    This was the room Dorian put me in when I had first arrived. Now that I knew it was his personal room it felt different¡ªintimate. A sudden thought came to me, causing my upper lip to curl in disgust.

    ¡°I seriously hope you washed these sheets before you offered your bed to me.¡±

    Dorian chuckled, his smile soothing me a little bit. ¡°I don¡¯t bring women back to my place, Gwen. You¡¯re the first female to touch the sheets.¡±

    That was about as believable as my spiel about a bizarre man who controlled me with music.

    ¡°It¡¯s the truth,¡± Dorian said answering my unspoken accusation.

    A bit of aggravation snaked its way through my body. ¡°Stop avoiding the question. Why are you in here? This place has multiple bedrooms. You could have slept in one of them.¡±

    I could tell by the look on his face that it bothered him that I didn¡¯t want to share a bed. There had been so many mixed signals between us that I wouldn¡¯t blame him if he was angry with me. I¡¯d been enjoying his company, and kisses, yet pushing him away at the same time.

    ¡°I was thinking,¡± he said almost hesitantly. ¡°You were pretty upset after Aiden left.¡± He glanced at me. When I didn¡¯t argue the statement he continued. ¡°I never understood relationships. They seemed pointless and messy. But¡­the way you acted when he left,¡± he paused as if double checking whether the thoughts running through his head were correct or not. ¡°I think I understand now.¡±

    ¡°You do?¡± Again, I didn¡¯t mean it as harsh or skeptical as it sounded.

    He nodded, sitting up straight but staring ahead instead at me. ¡°I think I¡¯d feel the same way if you left. If I knew I¡¯d never see you again¡­it would hurt.¡±

    The last part came out sounding more like a question than a statement. And maybe it was, maybe he wasn¡¯t sure what being hurt felt like. I almost envied him for that. Then again, it was also sad. I watched him with amazement, wondering how he survived millennia without ever growing attached to anyone. I imagined it to be a very lonely existence.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry if seeing me like that upset you,¡± I told him. ¡°I know you and I sort of have a thing¡ª¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to apologize,¡± he interrupted. ¡°But I was jealous of the feeling. I sat here while you slept wondering what it¡¯d be like if you cared for me the way you do for him¡ª¡±

    ¡°Dorian¡­¡± I wanted to tell him I did care about him, but we both knew it wasn¡¯t on the same level he was talking about. I didn¡¯t love him. That¡¯s not to say I would never love him though.

    ¡°I will always care about Aiden,¡± I confessed. ¡°But there were too many obstacles in our way for it to work out. I know things between us have been¡­confusing, but I care about you too. Just on a different level.¡± I regretted saying the last part as soon as it was out of my mouth. If life had a rewind button the world would be a less angry place.

    ¡°I know,¡± Dorian said. ¡°And I think that¡¯s why it¡¯s better if we keep our relationship professional¡ªteacher and student.¡± He stood, keeping his back to me. His broad shoulders were stiff, his hands curled into tight fists. ¡°You¡¯re the first thing I¡¯ve wanted and not gotten.¡± His voice was incredulous like the idea was beyond his perception.

    ¡°If this is about sex,¡± I began. My lips snapped shut when he whirled around to face me. Dark angry thunderclouds filled his eyes, his mouth tugged into a livid scowl.

    ¡°That¡¯s not who I am with you,¡± he bit out. ¡°I thought you¡¯d see that by now. I¡¯m not just looking to explore what¡¯s beneath your panties. I want you, all of you.¡± He took a step forward. ¡°I want you to burn for me the way I do for you, for you to be consumed by the overwhelming pull I have toward you.¡± He shook his head as if what he was saying was completely ridiculous. ¡°I want to be the only man your eyes see. Just as you¡¯re the only woman mine take notice of.¡± A humorless smile spread across his lips, followed by an incredulous snort. ¡°After all this time you still only see me one way. I¡¯ll give you one thing; you never cease to surprise me.¡±

    When the door slammed I felt it all the way through my bones. I stood frozen, my eyes glued to the space he had disappeared. This wasn¡¯t the first time Dorian had mentioned caring about me, but his speech was different. It had substance¡ªmeaning. I¡¯d felt his words as if he¡¯d flung tangible items at me.

    Before I knew what I was doing, my feet had carried me toward the door and down the hall. Dorian was sitting on the couch, a bottle of scotch gripped in his hand. He poured the amber liquid into a chubby glass, setting the bottle down with a hard clink. He took a short drink, wiping his mouth and swaying the glass back and forth. The scotch sloshed against the side like a sea of liquid gold.

    ¡°Just go back to bed, Gwen.¡±

    Ignoring him, I walked around the sofa and just stood there. Everything I wanted to say was just waiting on the tip of my tongue, but the nervous breath filling my lungs were unable to push them out. I swallowed around the lump rising in my throat, flexing my fingers as I tried to get myself under control.

    ¡°How am I supposed to respond?¡± I mumbled to myself.

    ¡°Good night is customary.¡±

    At least Dorian hadn¡¯t lost his sarcastic sense of humor.

    ¡°We¡¯ve only known each other for a month.¡± I crossed my arms to hide my nervousness.

    Dorian took another drink, sparing me a brief glance. ¡°Your point?¡±

    ¡°People don¡¯t¡­it¡¯s not that long.¡± I didn¡¯t say what I wanted to, that people don¡¯t fall in love so quickly. And if they think that they do, then they don¡¯t realize what the word means. I needed to be careful about not using that tricky four letter word.

    ¡°I assume you¡¯re trying to make a point.¡± He leaned back against the sofa, resting his glass on his knee. His complete disregard for how tough this was on me was starting to piss me off. Sure he was angry, but did he have to be so flippant about it?

    ¡°The point is, we hardly know each other.¡±

    Dorian¡¯s head lifted to look at me again, his eyes studying me for one long moment. A cynical smirk fell across his lips before he shook his head and took another drink, dismissing me. ¡°Yet you allowed me to move in with you,¡± he commented. ¡°Tell me, what¡¯s the waiting period before one qualifies for that?¡±

    My body was shaking, filled with nervous anger. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be a jerk just because you didn¡¯t get your way.¡±

    Dorian scooted into a sitting position again, lifting that damned glass to his lips again. ¡°And you don¡¯t have to be so na?ve.¡±

 Page 36

    I took a deep breath to keep my temper under control. ¡°Says the man acting like a spoiled child.¡±Advertisement

    Another drink, this time empting the glass and reaching for a refill. ¡°Did you come out here to argue with me?¡±

    I eyed his glass, stepping forward and snapping it out of his hands. He glared while I took a drink. The alcohol left a fiery path as it slid down my throat. I coughed, bringing my hand to my mouth. What the hell was that stuff made out of¡ªacid?

    ¡°I came out here to have a rational discussion, to try and make you understand.¡±

    Dorian stood, walking over to me. I held my breath as he moved closer. My eyes moved from his and down to his mouth. A tremor ran through my body when he walked around and stood at my back. Every one of my muscles was strung tight, ready to snap like a rubber band.

    ¡°I do understand.¡± His breath was hot against my neck. ¡°You¡¯re punishing me for what Aiden did.¡± Dorian brushed my hair to the side, his mouth coming so close to my neck the anticipation to feel his lips on my skin was overwhelming. I waited.

    And waited some more.

    When I heard his retreating footsteps I wanted to scream. He walked into the kitchen, taking a new glass from the cabinet and filling it with another dark colored liquid. ¡°I get it; you¡¯re all for fooling around but at the first sign of commitment you tuck tail and run. Whatever you need to do to get over whatever it is you¡¯re going through.¡± He shrugged. ¡°But you¡¯ll have to do it with someone else. I¡¯m not your guy.¡±

    If words could crush a person, then his had just left me in a million pieces. I felt small and worthless¡ªcheap. I couldn¡¯t move, couldn¡¯t speak. All I could do was stare across the living room at the man who¡¯d just destroyed me. He kept his focus on his glass, unwilling to observe his destruction.

    Finally my body unfroze. I brought the glass in my hand to my lips and swallowed every last drop of the scorching scotch, welcoming the numbing burn. Setting the cup down, I headed toward the hallway but stopped before I reached it.

    ¡°You know, for someone who thinks he knows everything, you¡¯re unbelievably imprudent, and one of the biggest hypocrites I¡¯ve ever met.¡± I took a deep breath. ¡°The difference between you and me, Dorian, is that I cared for you. Can you say as much for the women you¡¯ve screwed?¡±

    He looked over, his anger fading and regret taking its place. I didn¡¯t wait to hear what else he had to say; I headed back to the bedroom ready to lose myself, and this conversation, to sleep.

    Chapter Twenty

    I stayed in bed almost all day. I know that wasn¡¯t courageous, but sometimes a girl needs some downtime. And after a good night¡¯s sleep and time to think about my argument with Dorian, I was fine. When harsh words are exchanged it always hurts a little but I was mature enough to not dwell. And what was the argument really over? Dorian wanted to commit to me. He may have gone about it the wrong way, but there were worse things. We had never sat down and discussed our feelings. Hell, up until a few days ago I wasn¡¯t even aware Dorian was capable of such things. And I wouldn¡¯t allow my pride to shove all of the blame onto him. I didn¡¯t exactly handle our bizarre relationship with grace either.

    Dragging myself out of bed, I grabbed a handful of clothes and headed to the bathroom. I¡¯d done enough sulking for a lifetime. And still had to deal with a group of rogues, the VC and a pissed off witch.

    After I showered and dressed, I made my way to the living room. Grabbing my boots, I sat down and slipped them on. It was just after five in the evening and I was starving. I¡¯d missed a lot of meals in the past week. My nerves made me lose my appetite, but it was slowly coming back.

    Dorian was nowhere to be found, and hadn¡¯t bothered me all day. And that was okay with me. We both needed some space; time to cool off and get back on track. I had forgotten my sole purpose was to track and take down Holly, instead of dealing with Aiden and Dorian. They were now both on the backburner, not to be visited until I figured out a way to handle Holly and the VC.

    The dagger¡¯s box was sitting on the bookshelf, looking harmless to those who didn¡¯t know better. Lifting the lid, I traced my fingertips over the cool steel and down and over the exquisite jewels. I curled my fingers around the hilt and tucked it into the safety of my jacket. If I was going out by myself then I sure as hell wasn¡¯t going unprotected.

    Once I was happy that the knife was secure, I closed the box and headed down the stairs. It was sunny again, the thunderstorms moving on. Bourbon Street was full like usual. The surrounding restaurants scented the air, causing my stomach to growl in response. Food would have to wait until after I visited the voodoo shop. As I headed down the tourist-filled street, my eyes landed on the surrounding people. Letting my power uncurl, I stretched it out, searching their souls for death. Each person came back clean, which wasn¡¯t surprising. Murder wasn¡¯t a common thing. Still, I released my spirit walker powers, connecting with each soul that passed me. After ten minutes of getting no response, the icy coldness of death struck me. It reacted to my power, weaving and curling around me like a frozen wisp. My eyes searched out the culprit, afraid I¡¯d find black eyes and a dagger tattoo. There were too many people, too many souls passing beside me to single out just one. I bit my lip, my eyes crinkling in concentration. It was getting stronger the more I walked, hitting my bones and consuming me like an avalanche. I stifled a shiver, reaching into my jacket with one hand. I curled my fingers around the dagger¡¯s handle, ready to strike should the guilty person be a rogue.

    My heart raced like a prized horse. My body tensed and readied to react. I moved through the crowded sidewalk like a wild woman, shoving and cutting people off. Their pissed-off comments didn¡¯t faze me. I caught site of the voodoo shop across the street, but needed to follow the pull of death. I had to find out who was producing such a strong signal. Whoever they were, they were a beacon to my spirit walker self. They had killed a lot of people. The blood of their victims stained their soul and called to me, alerting me to their heinous crimes.

    I shoved through the last throng of people and stopped, my eyes traveling this way and that, and landing on a man leaning against a brick wall. He wore a baseball cap, pulled low over his face to hide his identity. His head was turned slightly¡ªhis profile the most I could see. As the people passed by him I could tell his eyes tracked their movement. My fingers tightened around the hilt of my concealed dagger, itching to yank it from my jacket.

    I took a step forward, my body stuck in a frozen fury. Murderer, the spirit walker in me whispered accusingly. His victims called to me, begging for retribution. And I was ready to deliver it. Taking another step, my eyes glued to the man, I pulled my arm back to reveal the dagger. Just before I was able to strike, the man turned to look at me. He had known I was there all along, I could sense it. A valley of deep wrinkles lined his face, his blue eyes watching me with amusement.

    Something tugged at my subconscious, trying to lure my attention away from the man. I mentally shrugged it off, willing my eyes to stay on the murderer. A soft whisper of music filled my ears, its call beckoning me to focus on its sweet lullaby. My eyelids grew heavy, and I fought to keep them open. I took a step closer, my legs feeling heavier than they had just moments before. The man smiled deviously, his eyes seeming more and more familiar the longer I stared into them.

    Kill him! My subconscious screamed, but my body felt as if it were moving through quicksand. I fought with my muscles, ordering them to work properly. I gritted my teeth, as I struggled to overcome the music¡¯s influence. Its volume grew, filling my head and tempting me into submission. Still, I fought against it. My body was not my own. It didn¡¯t listen to the orders my brains was sending. Instead my muscles and bones shut down one by one, turning into cotton and grappling to hold my weight.

    The old man reached his arm out in front of himself, holding one finger up and swaying it back and forth as if conducting an orchestra only my ears could hear. He smiled wide, revealing twin rows of teeth. The music grew louder still, his finger waving in perfect synchronization. No one paid him any attention as he stood amongst the crowd and filled my body with the beautiful music. My arm reached out and I gripped a nearby support pole holding up the balcony above me. The symphony lulled me into extreme relaxation, and I was sure that if I didn¡¯t hold onto something I¡¯d float away.

    As the melody came to its crescendo, it slowly faded away. The man stepped so close to me I could smell the mint of his gum. His gray hair peeked out from beneath his baseball hat and the first three buttons on his shirt were undone. My eyes fell to something shiny lying against his chest¡ª a necklace on a tarnished chain. The pendent was framed in gold, but made of glass. Thin gold strips weaved a protective cage around the glass. The man shifted, and the red liquid kept within the glass pendent sloshed with his movement.

    I dragged my eyes away from the necklace and toward the man¡¯s face. His eyes held too much knowledge, watched me with too much familiarity.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± I managed to say.

    ¡°Find me,¡± he said with a smile and punctuated with a wink. And then he was gone, just vanished before my eyes.

    I blinked as clarity came rushing back to my mind. My body snapped back to my control and all of the noises of Bourbon Street filled my ears, so harsh compared to the beautiful sonata I¡¯d just been seduced by. Someone bumped into my shoulder as they passed by, throwing me a rude glare over their shoulder. I released the pole and stumbled back against the wall of a nearby bar to gather my composure.

    Take deep breaths. My inner voice consoled. I inhaled deep through my mouth and released through my nose, repeating the process a couple times. I was slowly beginning to feel like myself again. I leaned my head against the brick wall, staring up at the underneath of the balcony above me. Was that man the same one who¡¯d called my apartment? Was he looking to make some sort of deal, and if so, why? What was his role in the shit storm that surrounded me? I didn¡¯t like adding a new player to the game board; it lowered my odds of winning.

    I swept all of my questions back into the corners of my mind, ready to revisit them later. Pushing off the wall, I crossed the street to Marie Laveau¡¯s voodoo shop. I wasn¡¯t sure if they would have the ingredients I needed for the spell, but it was my only option right now. As far as I knew there wasn¡¯t a witches¡¯ shop around. Climbing the concrete steps, I stepped inside the small shop. I nodded at the man behind the counter and walked up to him.

 Page 37

    ¡°Hi.¡± I smiled. ¡°I was in here the other day with my¡­friend. And I was wondering if you stock these items?¡± I dug into my pocket and handed the man the envelope I¡¯d scribbled the spell on. He stared at me for a moment before grabbing the paper. His eyes scanned the text, flicking up to my face before going back to the list.Advertisement

    ¡°Carla,¡± he called across the room. ¡°Take the register.¡±

    I looked over my shoulder at Carla. She was of average height and wore a tie-dyed ruffled skirt that fell to the floor. Her curly brown hair was held back with a silver headband and her crow¡¯s feet were accentuated when she watched me with suspicion.

    ¡°Follow me.¡± The man motioned with his hand and headed toward the back of the store. Turning to follow the man helping me I flashed a smile and nodded a greeting to Carla as we passed. ¡°We don¡¯t carry a witch¡¯s cupboard here.¡± He whispered the word ¡®witches¡¯ ¡°But we offer blocking spells that work the same.¡±

    I was staring at the shelves and pointed toward a rack of necklaces. ¡°These?¡±

    The man followed the direction I pointed and shook his head. ¡°No, the stuff up front is more for fun than accuracy. We keep the real stuff in back. Spells are some serious business,¡± he laughed. ¡°Could you imagine if we allowed humans free range of them?¡±

    I laughed nervously because at Broomsticks I sold to supernaturals and humans. But the potions I sold were low key¡ªminor. I didn¡¯t see the harm in selling them and I hadn¡¯t had any complaints.

    We slipped through the beaded curtain and into the room I¡¯d been in with Dorian and Kiah.

    ¡°I¡¯m Matt by the way,¡± he said as he searched the shelves.

    ¡°Gwen,¡± I responded. ¡°Are you a witch?¡±

    He chuckled, looking at me over his shoulder. ¡°Nah, but my mother was and my sister is. The magic didn¡¯t choose me.¡±

    What was I supposed to say to that? ¡°Sorry.¡±

    ¡°I was jealous at first, but I¡¯m over it. Besides, I still feel connected to magic working here, ya know?¡±

    I nodded. ¡°Believe me, sometimes magic can be more trouble than it¡¯s worth.¡±

    ¡°I hear ya,¡± Matt agreed. ¡°Here we go.¡±

    A necklace dangled from his finger¡ªa diamond shaped stone on leather cording. Etched in the center of the stone was a horizontal oval with three lines across it. I took a couple steps to cross the room. Reaching out, I caught the pendent in my hand and studied it.

    ¡°It won¡¯t interfere with this one will it?¡± I tugged out the necklace Kiah had given me. So far the charm hadn¡¯t worked but I wasn¡¯t about to insult the workings of a voodoo practitioner. Then again, I hadn¡¯t had any run-ins with rogues since coming to New Orleans.

    ¡°Nah, if anything it will amplify the protection necklace and they¡¯ll strengthen each other.¡± Matt held the necklace in both hands and slipped it over my head, lifting my hair so the cord lay against my neck. His fingers brushed my skin, lingering a little too long.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± I said with a bit of discomfort.

    We made our way back up front. Matt went behind the counter and rang up the necklace. After paying him and thanking him one last time, I headed back out onto the street. I lifted the pendent, studying the stone and hoping it worked as well as the one Fiona wanted me to make. Chances were, my magic wouldn¡¯t have been strong enough to enchant my own anyway. And enchanted items were subjective at best. In order for the magic to work properly; the one possessing the item had to believe in it. It was the reason why I didn¡¯t mind selling these sorts of knick-knacks to humans. Still, I felt a bit of comfort with the two necklaces around my neck.

    I headed down the sidewalk in search of food. There were too many choices, every venue competing with the next to usher customers into their establishments. I wasn¡¯t looking for something crowded or loud. A nice peaceful restaurant was what I needed, a place to eat my food in peace and be alone with my thoughts. And I wasn¡¯t going to find it on Bourbon Street.

    I cut across the street, turning down Conti Street. The lively atmosphere that New Orleans offered was contagious. I found myself smiling as I walked down the sidewalk and watched the excited people. A red and blue sign featuring a smiling lobster caught my eye up ahead. I had the offhand thought that he shouldn¡¯t look so happy considering it was a seafood restaurant if Oceana was any indication.

    I passed a man sitting on an old milk crate playing a saxophone, a tip jar beside him. I dug a five-dollar bill out of my pocket, dropping it into the jar and smiling. He nodded his thanks, and I continued on my way.

    Oceana¡¯s front was made out of reddish brown brick. Thick white wood trim encased the red door, and music spilled out as someone stepped inside. I followed, my eyes falling over the place. It wasn¡¯t the small caf¨¦-style place I was looking for, but it smelled delicious and I could almost hear my stomach whining in anticipation.

    After waiting a good half an hour, I was finally sitting at a window seat and scanning a menu with excitement. Another twenty minutes and my seafood pasta arrived. I was pretty sure my stomach jumped for joy. I stabbed my fork into the medley, my entire body sagging in satisfaction. As I devoured my food, I watched the surrounding people. Some tables were full of big groups, friends out for a night together, families and couples. I tried to avoid the couple tables; they only depressed me, turning my smile upside down. Blah.

    Watching people through the window was safer than witnessing the couple across from me making out again. My foot tapped with the music playing over the speaker system while I tracked the crowd passing beside outside. One particularly got my attention. I took a drink of my water to wash down the food, leaning up so I could see better. The man was leaning against the wall of a business across the street, one leg bent up and arms crossed while another guy stood next to him. That wasn¡¯t what grabbed my attention; it was the flash of ink on the back of the second man¡¯s neck. I chewed on my straw, the food in my stomach turning into a concrete glob. Both guys were in deep conversation, all the while their eyes tracking each person. They could be drug dealers, thieves or innocent tourists, but I wasn¡¯t taking any chances.

    I swung around, searching the restaurant for my waiter. When I caught his eye, I waved my hand in the air as a cue I was ready for the check. Swinging around again, I checked on the strange men and all of the air rushed out of my lungs. The spot they had occupied was empty. Scooting closer to the window, I scanned this way and that way for them, hoping I would be able to spot them further down the sidewalk. They were gone.

    ¡°Here you go,¡± my waiter said, setting the check on the table. ¡°How was everything?¡±

    ¡°Good.¡± I smiled, scanning my total and digging some cash out. ¡°Keep the change.¡± I scooted out of the booth, reaching inside my jacket to make sure the dagger was still there.

    Outside again, I headed back the way I¡¯d come. The sky was now bathed in twilight, the hint of stars poking through the darkness. The streets were still as lively as ever, the glow of businesses¡¯ signs giving a false sense of security. Every couple of minutes I would peek over my shoulder to see if anyone was following me. Other than getting a few odd stares from those behind me, the men were still missing.

    I cut across the street for good measure, making sure to keep track of anyone doing the same. After ten minutes of uneventful walking I was beginning to relax, confident the two men hadn¡¯t been rogues and I was being paranoid for nothing.

    Unfortunately, right when I chose to let my guard down was when I was shoved from behind. Hard. I stumbled over my feet, landing on my ass in a dark alley between two businesses. I was only six feet away from the opening, but it might as well have been miles, because the silhouette of a man was blocking my path. I scrambled up, turning to run for the second opening, my feet beating against the uneven concrete. My mind reeled, my heart raced and hope filled me the closer I got. I could see the people walking past, unaware I was in trouble. My lungs wanted to scream for their attention, but if the man was a rogue then it was best to leave humans out of it.

    Eight feet separated me and my escape. I looked over my shoulder to see the man¡¯s progress, and was confused to see he wasn¡¯t running at all. His footsteps were unhurried as he advanced. The weirdness of this caused my own feet to falter. Was he just a man cutting across the alley to get to the other block? He hadn¡¯t spoken or made any threats still, I walked with haste to the opening.

    Right before I made it though, another man stepped into my path. He just stood there, watching me. I glanced at the other man and he stopped walking as well. Both exits were blocked, that bubble of hope squashed and my life in danger¡ª if the evil smiles on the men¡¯s faces were any indication.

    Chapter Twenty-One

    My fingers curled around the hilt of the dagger as I pulled it from my jacket. I tried to remember Dorian¡¯s lesson, and eased my grip to a looser hold. The first man started moving again, his steps still unhurried, while the second man stood guard at the other end of the alley.

    ¡°Well lookey what we have here.¡± The first man tilted his head. ¡°A spirit walker without her bodyguard.¡±

    Definitely not humans.

    ¡°What do you reckon the prize for killing this filly will be?¡±

    ¡°Killing the number one mark when the others couldn¡¯t?¡± The second man said. ¡°We¡¯ll be kicked up a few notches in the company, that¡¯s for damn sure.¡±

    Both men were absolutely giddy at the prospect of ending my life. What they didn¡¯t know, was that I felt the same way about ending theirs.

    ¡°You¡¯re pretty over confident,¡± I remarked. ¡°Sounds like you¡¯re compensating for something.¡±

    The first man stepped closer. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t spout off when you don¡¯t have your angel to back it up.¡±

    That was fine, I would allow them to keep underestimating me. If they thought I was helpless then I had the upper hand.

    ¡°I think I¡¯ll have a bite to eat before I kill you. Your heart is serenading me.¡± He closed his eyes and began making sounds to mimic the beating of my heart, keeping perfect pace with the slamming in my chest. Figures the two to pin me would be demonic vampires. While he reveled in the music of my heartbeat; I tried to connect with any surrounding spirits. New Orleans was full of them, but I couldn¡¯t sense any nearby. It looked like my knife was my only defense this time.

 Page 38

    ¡°C¡¯mon Roy,¡± the second man said. ¡°Kill her and get it over with.¡± He looked over his shoulder nervously.Advertisement

    Right when Roy opened his eyes, my arm shot up and I brought the knife toward his forehead. Roy heard the swoosh of air I had disturbed though and caught my wrist.

    Stay calm Gwen.

    Trying not to panic, I kicked my leg out and landed a hard blow to Roy¡¯s stomach. It was enough for him to release me, but it wouldn¡¯t do any damage.

    ¡°Hold her, Timmy,¡± Roy shouted.

    ¡°Timmy? Really, what are you twelve years old?¡±

    Timmy did not appreciate my comment. He growled, flashing a pair of very sharp fangs, appearing right in front of me. I admit, dealing with two vampires scared me. Their speed would make it hard to get the drop on them. The best I could do was try to slow them down enough to get away. If an opportunity arose in which I could kill them I would take it, but escaping them was first priority.

    I shot my arm out while Timmy was busy giving me the stink eye, and buried the dagger into his stomach, making a quick upward motion. He looked down at his slashed gut in surprise, his fingers going to the wound and coming away slick with blood.

    ¡°I changed my mind, Roy,¡± he said. ¡°We¡¯ll kill this bitch so slowly she¡¯ll be begging for death.¡±

    My veins filled with ice. Goosebumps pebbled my skin and my breath came out in puffs of smoke. The entire atmosphere changed from dangerous to deadly in a blink of an eye. Roy and Timmy looked at each other, then looked at me.

    ¡°Someone say my name?¡± Dorian¡¯s voice filtered through the alley. The air in my lungs thinned as I gasped. Fury consumed him, his body wound so tight his muscles strained against his skin. He wasn¡¯t wearing his leather jacket, or his sunglasses which I thought was odd. Dorian didn¡¯t go out without shielding his eyes from the world. His eyebrows were drawn together, his mouth pressed so tight it formed one line against his hard face.

    He walked down the alleyway, his footsteps the only sound. Both Timmy and Roy stood motionless, staring at Death as he neared them. The closer he got the colder the temperature fell. Ice began crystalizing on the brick walls. My teeth rattled against each other and my entire body convulsed against the sudden coldness. My breath clouded in front of me as I took shaky breaths.

    ¡°D-Dorian,¡± I stuttered before I stopped talking altogether. My teeth were clanging together too much and my bones shaking, causing my muscles to ache. He shot me a look just as angry as the one he gave Roy and Timmy. And I felt myself inwardly cringing from the eye of the storm brewing beneath his surface.

    Roy and Timmy took his distraction as a sign to run, but as fast as they were, Death was quicker. Dorian popped out of existence in front of me and appeared at the other end of the alley, blocking the rogue¡¯s escape. Roy skidded to a stop, but Timmy wasn¡¯t quick enough. He slammed right into Dorian¡¯s chest, stumbling back a couple feet.

    Dorian snatched the rogue¡¯s throat in his hand and lifted Timmy up off the urine stained ground. Timmy flailed in his grasp, his legs kicking out as strangled gurgles hissed from his mouth.

    ¡°Patience, Demon,¡± Dorian said, speaking in a calm tone. His voice was in complete contradiction to the volcano of rage emanating from his body. Roy took off in the other direction, heading toward the other exit. Dorian shoved his arm out, a simple gesture that didn¡¯t look all that powerful, but it forced Timmy¡¯s body all the way down the alley. My eyes followed his flying body until it smacked into Roy¡¯s back and they both crumpled to the ground.

    Dorian appeared right beside them in a flash. Fisting Roy¡¯s shirt, he hauled him up right when his fist descended. The sickening crack of fist meeting flesh was enough to make me quiver in revulsion. I stood frozen against the dumpster, staring as Dorian repeatedly introduced Roy¡¯s face to his hard punches.

    Timmy was up and racing toward the other end of the alley before I realized he¡¯d even moved. Dorian let go of Roy, his body crumpling to the ground. He shot his arm out and Timmy¡¯s entire body went still, caught in mid-run. I glanced at Dorian, worried I was about to witness another beating. What I saw caused my mouth to fall open in disbelief. On the wall just behind Dorian was the shadow of two large wings. I stared at them, then at Dorian. There were no wings coming out of his back. I blinked; convinced I was imagining the design on the wall. But the expanse of feathery wings still spanned the brick.

    Wisps of fog rose from Timmy¡¯s shirt. If I didn¡¯t know better I¡¯d think he was on fire. It didn¡¯t take long; the mist lifted out of his body, disappearing into the cold breeze. Timmy collapsed against the concrete, his body already starting to flake away.

    Dorian turned back to Roy, but not before flashing me a look that froze me from the inside out. He grabbed onto the remaining rogue, hauling him up and dragging him over to me. Both men stood in front of me, though Roy wasn¡¯t exactly standing on his own. Roy¡¯s dazed eyes stared at me. Blood streaked in thin rivulets down his mangled face. I pressed harder against the icy brick behind me, my stomach threatening to expel the food I had just eaten.

    ¡°Do you see her?¡± Dorian growled. When Roy didn¡¯t respond, he shook him a few times. Roy blinked like he was seeing me for the first time.

    ¡°If you, or any of your other brethren, ever even think about her I¡¯ll slay each and every one of you. It¡¯ll be you begging for end by the time I¡¯m done. Understand?¡± He shook him again and Roy mumbled something that sounded like ¡®yes¡¯.

    ¡°Now be a good little messenger and relay the message.¡± Dorian threw him away like a piece of trash he was done with. Roy stumbled, landing on his knees before scrambling up and staggering down the alley. He would heal, but he would also need blood to do so. I was trying very hard not to think about his future victim.

    The alley seemed like it was pressing in on me. Dorian¡¯s presence filled the air all around us, artic and pissed. My body was sore from trembling but growing numb. I couldn¡¯t feel my fingers or face anymore.

    Dorian looked up at me, his eyes still dark and rolling with hellish clouds. He watched me for what seemed like hours. I didn¡¯t dare speak or look away, afraid of what his reaction might be.

    He took a step back, hanging his head and taking a deep breath to calm himself. I waited, still shocked speechless by the chaos I had just seen. Water on the dumpster beside me began dripping. Dragging my eyes away from Dorian; I noticed the ice was melting. Like a vacuum had swept through the alleyway, the cold air rushed away.

    Dorian cleaned his bloody knuckles off on his jeans, sweeping his hair out of his eyes and looked at me again. His mouth turned down in the corners when he took a step forward and I flinched. It wasn¡¯t that I was so much afraid of Dorian, but I¡¯d never seen him so outraged before. It shocked me.

    He advanced toward me, stopping just in front of me. ¡°I scared you,¡± he stated, running his hands up and down my arms. ¡°You know what scares me?¡± With his forefinger he tipped my chin up so I¡¯d meet his eyes. ¡°The idea of a world without you.¡± He didn¡¯t wait for my reply, instead his mouth claimed mine¡ªhard and possessive. His tongue slipped between my lips, tasting and dancing with mine. He clasped my face in both hands and chased away the cold clinging to my bones. I wrapped my arms around his shoulders and held him tighter.

    When the kiss broke, his gaze caressed my face. ¡°What the hell were you thinking roaming the streets by yourself?¡±

    ¡°I had things to do, and I brought the dagger with me.¡±

    ¡°And how many did you kill?¡±

    ¡°None, you sort of interrupted before I had the chance.¡±

    Dorian¡¯s face was still hard. ¡°If you had a chance to kill them, then you should have done it swiftly. Biding your time with these creatures will only get you killed.¡± He lifted my arm and examined the blade that was still clutched in my hand. I had held onto it so hard and trembled so much that my fingers ached when he peeled them off the hilt.

    ¡°It has blood on it.¡±

    ¡°I stabbed one in the stomach.¡±

    A ghost of a smile passed across Dorian¡¯s face but vanished just as quickly. ¡°I believe it was the forehead Kiah told you to stab.¡±

    ¡°Tried,¡± I responded. ¡°The guy caught my hand before I could deliver the blow.¡±

    One eyebrow rose up and creased his forehead. ¡°That cage idea is looking better and better. Restraining you seems to be the only way of preventing you from doing something foolish.¡±

    The earlier elation Dorian¡¯s hot kiss stirred died out. Why did things have to be so hot and cold with him? One minute I yearned for him and the next I wanted to punch him in the face. He was so condescending sometimes, while others times he did just the right things to ignite my attention.

    ¡°I just want to go home.¡± I walked around him and headed for the opening.

    I hijacked Dorian¡¯s tub when we got back to his place. It was an old-style claw foot porcelain goddess. Dorian didn¡¯t own bubble bath (surprise, surprise) so I squeezed his body wash into the water and slipped beneath the bubbles that smelled like him.

    I rested my head against the curve of the tub and closed my eyes. A lot had happened today, but it was the strange old man that visited my mind that was occupying my thoughts. Who was he and why in the world did he want me to find him? And the music, even now if I concentrated hard enough I could hear the hint of piano in the back of my mind.

    The sound of the door opening and closing made me open my eyes. Dorian strolled through the bathroom like it was nothing. Though the bubbles were covering my bare bits; I wrapped my arms around my chest just in case.

    ¡°Um, hello?¡±

    ¡°Hey.¡± Dorian did a head nod and sat down on the toilet so that he was facing me. He leaned over, resting his elbows on his knees and just watched me.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°Want to tell me what happened today?¡±

    I shrugged. ¡°Not particularly.¡±

    ¡°Gwen,¡± he said in warning.

    I laid my head back down and closed my eyes again. ¡°I¡¯m trying to relax.¡± I inhaled a breath of Dorian-scented air. Using his soap for bubble bath might not have been a good idea.

 Page 39

    ¡°Are you still pissed about last night?¡±Advertisement

    I cracked an eye open. ¡°You mean when you were being the World¡¯s Biggest Prick? Nah, I¡¯m over it.¡±

    Dorian made a noise resembling a grumble. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± He made it sound like he was grinding glass between his teeth. Apologizing wasn¡¯t one of his strong suits, or any man¡¯s for that matter¡ªangels not the exception apparently.

    Grumbling myself, I opened my eyes again and knew until I addressed his questions, relaxation would not be mine. ¡°Listen, I¡¯ll discuss everything with you if you agree to one thing.¡± He waited, not giving his confirmation until he heard the stipulations.

    ¡°This,¡± I signaled between the two of us with my forefinger. ¡°stops.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    Among everything else, I had thought about Dorian a lot today and our strange dynamic. I was confident in my decision, even if saddened me.

    ¡°This,¡± I repeated. ¡°This bizarre thing between us. I thought it would be okay to have fun with you, but it¡¯s turned into a complicated mess. Are you my friend? My lover?¡±

    ¡°Well in order to qualify me as your lover we would have had to¡ª¡±

    I held up my hand to stop him. ¡°That¡¯s not the point. The point is, somewhere between ¡®just being friends¡¯, I bent my fingers to mimic quotation marks, ¡°we slipped off track and became friends with benefits.¡±

    ¡°Worst benefits ever. I haven¡¯t even gotten to fu¡ª¡±

    Again, I held my hand to cut him off. This conversation wasn¡¯t going at all the way I had planned it in my head.

    ¡°You need to stop kissing me, stop putting your hands on me. Understand? I appreciate your help with the rogues, but that¡¯s all you can do for me.¡±

    Man, that sounded a lot harsher once I said the words. By the look on Dorian¡¯s face he agreed. What he didn¡¯t know, was that staying away from him romantically was going to be just as hard for me as it was for him. Even now, I fantasized about him joining me in the tub. Dorian scented bubbles definitely a bad idea.

    He nodded awhile as he thought about something. ¡°Sorry, cupcake, no deal. I know what I want and I want you. I¡¯ll kiss you, caress you and tease you senseless until you get it through that thick skull of yours and admit you want me just as bad.¡± He stood up and my body tensed. Was the relentless teasing starting now?

    He bent down, resting his arm on the tub. ¡°You care too much what society thinks. That is why you haven¡¯t given in to what you want, isn¡¯t it? You¡¯re afraid of the whispers that will follow if people hear you¡¯re with me when just weeks before you were with Aiden?¡± He grabbed a washrag, submerged it into the water and then trailed it over my arms. ¡°You forget one very important thing.¡±

    ¡°What thing,¡± I whispered.

    ¡°I may not be able to see your future, but I can still sense your soul. I feel the craving within it whenever you look at me.Feel me. Kiss me. Don¡¯t pretend for one second I¡¯m in this alone. You can try to fool me with words and hard stares, but everything in here,¡± he tapped the space over my heart, ¡°contradicts everything you say and do.¡± He stood up, placing the washrag on the rim of the tub and walked to the door. ¡°Maybe for once you should listen to it instead of the voices of others.¡± And with those parting words, he left me alone with my thoughts. And boy were there a lot of them.

    Chapter Twenty-Two

    ¡°Who do you suppose he is?¡± Lauren asked. All three of us were sitting on the sofa. I¡¯d just got done telling them about the musical old man. Dorian sat extra close to me to assist in driving his point home.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I said. ¡°There¡¯s something very¡­odd about him though. I think he wants me to find him in the realm of the dead, so maybe he¡¯s a ghost. I mean, he¡¯d have to be right?¡±

    Dorian nodded. ¡°Or a demon. It could be another one of the Veil¡¯s tricks or Holly¡¯s or the VC¡¯s.¡± He looked over at me and snorted. ¡°It¡¯s nice to know I¡¯m not the only one you piss off.¡±

    Lauren and Dorian shared at laugh at my expense. I scowled at both of them. ¡°Harhar, jackasses. Now can we figure out a way to put an end to all of this so I can return to my life in Flora?¡± I gave each of them a pointed look. Their laughing ceased, but Lauren still smiled.

    ¡°Well, tracking down the Veil¡¯s headquarters is next to impossible,¡± Lauren said. ¡°I¡¯ve been working on uncovering their secret hideout and came up with nada. Your best bet to ending the chaos is to find and kill Holly.¡±

    ¡°Tempting, but she¡¯s flown the coop. Not even the NAWC can track her.¡± I thought for a minute but my mind kept wandering back to the old man. He was just too curious not to examine more closely. ¡°I need to go to the ghostly realm.¡±

    ¡°What for?¡± Dorian and Lauren asked in unison.

    ¡°To find the old man.¡± The riddle he recited the first night I met him was jumbled in my mind. I tried to discern anything from the hallucination or was it a dream? Whatever it had been¡­ All I could remember was something about a hill and music. Not exactly a road map to finding him, but I was confident that if I crossed over I would find my way.

    ¡°You want to willingly walk into what is most likely a trap?¡± Dorian¡¯s voice was incredulous. ¡°You hold her down while I bind her hands and feet,¡± he said to Lauren. The scary thing was, I didn¡¯t detect a hint of humor in his voice.

    ¡°I need to do this.¡± And I did, though I didn¡¯t know why. My encounter with the strange man pulled at the corners of my mind, whispering for attention.

    Find me¡­find me...find me¡­

    ¡°We¡¯ll check it out,¡± Dorian said surprising me.

    ¡°Really?¡± I said dubiously. I was going with or without him, but his company would me the trip more bearable.

    ¡°Yeah, me and Eddie will go tonight.¡±

    And there it was, my reason for my suspicion. ¡°I¡¯m the only one who knows how to find him. I¡¯m going.¡±

    ¡°So you tell me and I¡¯ll find him.¡± He shrugged as if it were just that simple.

    ¡°Maybe you misunderstood,¡± I snapped. ¡°I wasn¡¯t asking for permission.¡±

    We stared daggers at each other, neither one of us willing to back down. The thing was, I really did need Dorian. I still hadn¡¯t mastered the art of figuring out how to penetrate the realm of the dead.

    ¡°All right,¡± Dorian said with a huff.

    ¡°Again, I don¡¯t need your approval,¡± I told him. ¡°I was just letting you know my plans so you knew where I was.¡±

    A smirk bent his mouth up and I grinned in response, looking away.

    ¡°Okay, now that that¡¯s settled,¡± Lauren said. ¡°I¡¯ll head out, prowl the streets. You know, do what I do.¡±

    I smiled. ¡°Thank you, Lauren.¡±

    She nodded, standing and straightening her leather jacket. ¡°Maybe tonight one of them will talk. I¡¯ve been coming up with new torture ideas.¡± The smile lighting her face made me seriously question her sanity. It was obvious she enjoyed her job, maybe a little too much.

    ¡°Good luck with that.¡± I stood up too, staring down at Dorian. Lauren did a little wave and disappeared in a gust of rapid wind.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Dorian didn¡¯t budge. Instead, he sat in the same relaxed position, his arm propped up on the armrest, his legs spaced apart.

    ¡°Show me that you can step into the realm of the dead without my help.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Because it¡¯s not a joke, Gwen. If you step into the realm of the dead, then you need to be able to step back out. I don¡¯t like this whole thing so I want you prepared for anything.¡±

    My head bobbed up and down in an agreeing nod. ¡°Okay.¡±

    While I was in Moon, Holly¡¯s right hand man, Kye, had taught me how to navigate from our world to the ghosts, but I hadn¡¯t practiced since then. Call me crazy, but I didn¡¯t plan on going to the bleak dimension unless I absolutely had to. Running into a demon had scared me away from exploring.

    I closed my eyes, inhaling air through my nose and releasing it through my mouth. The realm sits adjacent to our world, a thin layer unseen by those around it. Death is always around us. It¡¯s just as natural as the sun and sky. And my ability to connect with it was the reason I could sense it against my skin even now. I envisioned the gloomy landscape, listened for the rustle of the ever-present breeze.

    ¡°You¡¯re taking too long,¡± Dorian complained.

    ¡°I need to concentrate,¡± I replied.

    ¡°You should be able to pop in and out just like I do. You shouldn¡¯t have to think about it so much.¡±

    I snapped my eyes open and glowered at Dorian. ¡°I¡¯m only as good as my teachings.¡±

    He released a heavy breath. ¡°Touch¨¦. I haven¡¯t helped very much, have I?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve been a little busy trying to take care of everything for me,¡± I agreed. It¡¯s what I had been trying to tell him the entire time. His motives were commendable, but by doing everything for me he¡¯d made me more vulnerable.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Since meeting you you¡¯ve thrown me off my axis. I¡¯ve never played the role of protector, and perhaps I went a little overboard with it.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t help the wide smile from forming on my lips. ¡°A little?¡± I teased.

    ¡°All right, smartass, prepared to be schooled.¡± He peeled himself off the sofa, taking leisurely steps around me. My eyes tracked his movement, my body tense for his reaction. He couldn¡¯t ¡®school¡¯ me like a normal teacher. He always had to lace his instructions with that deep sexy rasp while his hands distracted my thoughts from what I was supposed to be focusing on. The man was relentless!

    He stopped in front of me, a six-foot-four solid frame of sexiness. His t-shirt strained over the curve muscle in his arms and broad shoulders. I¡¯d seen just how strong those arms were and good they felt wrapped around my waist. The more I stared at him, the events of earlier tonight pushed their way through my thoughts. The man I was looking at was anything but. The muscles, clothes¡ªeverything¡ªwas a disguise. I had seen the shadow of wings against the bricks, seen the anger and felt the fury. A shiver, that had nothing to do with desire, caused my shoulders to shake.

 Page 40

    ¡°Dorian?¡± I said with hesitance. He tilted his head to the side, a motion for me to continue. ¡°I want to see your real form. The person beneath the man-suit.¡±Advertisement

    ¡°Man-suit?¡± There was no humor found on his face or words. While hunting Eddie in Massachusetts, he had explained that he could change identities, though he¡¯d remained with the same disguise since I met him. After he told me I thought about it and eventually let it go until tonight.

    ¡°I saw¡­wings?¡± I hadn¡¯t meant for it to come out as a question. When he told me he was an angel I just didn¡¯t associate that with the run of the mill angel.

    ¡°I¡¯m supposed to be teaching you,¡± he said, ignoring my question. ¡°Or did you change your mind about tracking down the musical old fart?¡± He rubbed his chin, his body tensing up. I found it very ironic that he kept telling me to embrace who I was, yet he seemed uncomfortable to show me what he is.

    ¡°I do want to find him,¡± I replied. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­in the alley¡­¡±

    He looked down at me, his jaw flinching. ¡°I lost control.¡±

    And he had. Dorian used his ability to vacuum souls when faced with confrontation, but tonight he had enjoyed beating the rogues, relished in taking his time with their punishment. And it was all because of me. The entire time he¡¯d pursued me, I held him at as much of a distance as I could stand. The realization that this beautiful man had fought so fiercely to protect me struck me to my core. Perhaps I had been a little too self-occupied to notice before, but I noticed now. Or I should say, I was finally acknowledging it.

    ¡°I never said thank you,¡± I said.

    ¡°No, you did not,¡± he agreed. ¡°You were too busy telling me to stay away from you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I have been a little overwhelmed by everything, but I am thankful. And not just for tonight¡ªfor everything.¡± I looked away. ¡°I¡¯m not always the best at putting my thoughts into words. They get jumbled and come out sounding mean.¡± I laughed nervously. ¡°I¡¯ll work on it.¡±

    ¡°You and I both,¡± Dorian said. ¡°Now let¡¯s take a trip to Ghostville.¡±

    ¡°Uh-huh, wings¡ªexplain.¡±

    He released an annoyed breath. ¡°Gwen.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to show me tonight if you don¡¯t want,¡± I told him. ¡°But¡­I did see them right? It wasn¡¯t just my eyes playing tricks on me?¡±

    He didn¡¯t respond right away. The room grew so quiet I was starting to regret ever asking. Maybe I¡¯d touched on subject he would rather avoid?

    ¡°Okay, so if I don¡¯t have to concentrate on jumping to the realm, then what do I do?¡± I was hoping steering the conversation back to work would cut through the awkwardness.

    ¡°Your eyes were seeing the truth,¡± he answered. ¡°Yes, I have wings, but not the kind you¡¯re thinking of. No frilly white cloud plumage.¡±

    I nodded. ¡°Okay.¡±

    ¡°Okay?¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t have to discuss it anymore, but thank you for confirming what I saw.¡±

    Dorian grinned. ¡°You¡¯re really taking this ¡®I¡¯ll work on it¡¯ stuff seriously, huh? Two ¡®thank-you¡¯s¡¯ in less than ten minutes? That¡¯s got to be some kind of record.¡±

    I laughed, reaching my hand out to slap his arm. He clasped my wrist in his hand and tugged me off balance so that I fell toward him. Those strong arms enclosed around my body, holding me prisoner.

    ¡°Someday I¡¯ll share all my secrets with you.¡±

    Our faces were so close I could feel his breath fan across my face. He dipped his head lower still, placing his mouth directly in front of mine.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to kiss you now.¡±

    ¡°I told you not to,¡± I breathed, my voice trembling right along with my body.

    ¡°You did and I told you I don¡¯t believe you.¡±

    My eyes fell on his full lips when he spoke, such a tantalizing seduction. I knew just how those lips felt against my own. The eruption of warmth they could cause. And they were just right there, waiting for me.

    ¡°No means no,¡± I smiled.

    ¡°Then tell me no.¡±

    I choked, hesitating too long. Dorian smiled victoriously and then his mouth was on mine, touching, tasting and spreading delightful tingles dancing up my legs. When his tongue slipped between my lips, I moaned. My arms went around his back, my fingers raking against his t-shirt. He released one arm from my waist and cradled the back of my head. He had been right, my soul did want this. My brain got in the way too many times, confusing everything. But when he kissed me like this, when our bodies connected, everything made sense. He was a platter full of food to my starving body, feeding and filling the ache I¡¯d been dismissing.

    We stumbled back, hands and lips unwilling to part from one another, and fell onto the sofa. Dorian situated me on top of his lap so that I was straddling him, only breaking away to lift my shirt over my head. As soon as it was off, his mouth was back on mine. He trailed his lips down the side of my cheek, to my neck and lower still. I arched back to give him better access. Soft lips trailed a delicious path down my collarbone to the swell of my breasts. The scruff of his stubble brushed against my skin, such an enticing contrast to the softness of his mouth. He dragged his nose up the valley of my cleavage, looking up at me. We stared at each other, our breathing heavy and our bodies still hungry for more.

    And that¡¯s when the phone rang. My eyes flicked to the nuisance. I so desperately wanted to ignore the insistent ringing, but there were only a few people who called Dorian¡¯s house.

    ¡°I have to answer it.¡± I hopped off his lap.

    Dorian grumbled. ¡°You¡¯re killing me, woman.¡±

    I snatched the phone off of the counter and said, ¡°Hello?¡±

    ¡°Gwen?¡± Fiona asked. ¡°Why are you out of breath?¡±

    Awkward silence.

    ¡°Oh my gosh! Were you and Dorian¡­And you answered the phone? I mean, I¡¯m happy you did. I have major news, but damn.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯d you need, Fiona?¡±

    ¡°Right, did you get the stuff to make the charm?¡±

    I looked down at the two necklaces hanging around my neck. ¡°No, the voodoo shop didn¡¯t stock things for witches spells. The man there sold me a necklace that is charmed to do the same thing though.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s hope it works because¡­¡±

    ¡°Because?¡± I could tell she was hesitating and it only caused my worry to amplify. There was only reason why she would comment about the necklace though.

    ¡°Penny called the castle. She had no clue how to get a hold of you. She said she called your cell but kept getting voicemail.¡±

    I closed my eyes and shook my head. I had forgotten to even call her after Dorian swooped in and whisked me to safety. And in our mad dash to leave my apartment and flee to New Orleans I hadn¡¯t grabbed my cell phone.

    ¡°Fiona, what is going on? Did something happen to Penny?¡±

    ¡°She went to your apartment. The door was open so she went inside. She said the place was ransacked and a message was written on the wall, in what looked like blood.¡±

    My veins turned to ice, my breath catching over the lump in my throat. Lauren had taken care of the rogues after Dorian and I fled, so who would have been in my apartment afterwards?

    ¡°What did it say?¡±

    Dorian was in front of me in an instant, having sensed my distress. I held up a finger in the universal sign to give me a minute. I couldn¡¯t replay the conversation until I had all the facts, and I was hoping what Fiona was about to tell me wasn¡¯t as bad as what my imagination had cooked up.

    ¡°It said you have twenty-four hours to save her, to follow the music,¡± Fiona took a ragged breath. ¡°Gwen, the picture of you and Rebekah was nailed on the wall against it by one of our kitchen knives.¡±

    All of the blood drained from my face. I stared ahead in a daze, her words bombarding my mind. Tears blurred my vision, splashing against my cheeks.

    ¡°Gwen?¡± Dorian¡¯s hands were on my shoulders.

    ¡°Gwen?¡± Fiona called from the phone.

    Slowly, my eyes lifted to meet Dorian¡¯s. Talking to Fiona, I said, ¡°When did Penny see this? How much time do I have left?¡±

    Oh god, was Rebekah already dead? Had they placed a clock in front of her so she could watch her time slipping away? Did she expect me to save her, only to be crushed to learn I hadn¡¯t?

    ¡°Penny called me this morning around ten,¡± Fiona said. ¡°I haven¡¯t been able to get a hold of her since.¡±

    My eyes widened, anger mixing with fear. ¡°Why are you just now calling and telling me then? My sister could be dead because you¡¯re just now getting around to telling me!¡±

    ¡°I tried, Gwen. I swear I did. No one answered all day. I was hoping you found out and was already on your way to her.¡±

    ¡°I have to go, I¡¯ll call you later.¡± I hung up, my mind too chaotic to think straight. I set the phone down and ran to retrieve my shirt and slipped it over my head.

    ¡°Gwen, calm down and tell me what¡¯s going on.¡±

    I stood up, headed over to the bookshelf where the dagger was resting and snatched it up.

    ¡°Gwen!¡± Dorian¡¯s voice boomed, demanding attention. His hands shot out and grabbed my shoulders to stop me. ¡°What the hell is happening?¡±

    I looked up at him with teary eyes. ¡°They have my sister.¡± I clicked away how many hours I had left to find her. ¡°And in roughly twelve hours they¡¯re going to kill her.¡±

    My mind was reeling. Every possible question slammed into me: Who has her? How am I supposed to find her? Will they stick to their word and give me a full twenty-four hours to find her? Have they hurt her already? She must be terrified.

    ¡°What else did Fiona say?¡±

    I blinked, focusing on Dorian. The key piece of information clicked into place. ¡°We have to go to the realm of the dead. It said to follow the music. The old man is connected somehow.¡±

    ¡°Then let¡¯s go.¡±

 Page 41

    Chapter Twenty-ThreeAdvertisement

    Dorian and I popped into the realm of the dead. It was overcast: thick, miserable clouds stood at a standstill above us. Spiny tree branches crawled toward the sky as if searching for sunlight that would never come. A soft breeze blew against my skin, icy cold and bitter. Our footsteps crunched against the barren ground and echoed off the rubble surrounding us. It was such a cheerless place; a broken down world within a world. I wondered how the spirits saw it. Surely their heaven wouldn¡¯t be so hellish. And those bound for hell, well, I couldn¡¯t imagine how much worse it could get.

    Dorian clasped my hand, his fingers squeezing mine in reassurance. Together we made our way across the dirt-covered stretch of land. The problem was, I had no clue what way to go. As we walked, I tried to think of the directions the man gave me.

    ¡°Are there any hills here?¡±

    We stopped walking. Dorian¡¯s head swiveled as he appraised the layout. Soft wails carried on the breeze and filled my ears. There were two possible culprits for the eerie moans: a sorrowful spirit or a demon, neither of which I had time to deal with. As Dorian thought about my question I studied the land with eyes like a hawk. Ghosts I could deal with, but I didn¡¯t want a demon sneaking up on me. Across the way, I spotted a misty figure, a man with his head hung and shoulders slumped. He dragged his feet against the ground as if taking another step was too much for him. His head lifted slowly, looking in our direction and his mouth dropped open. One of the most miserable sounding moans escaped his throat.

    ¡°Ignore him,¡± Dorian said.

    Easier said than done. His face was scrunched up as if in constant pain, his eyes big and pleading for escape from what ailed him. As much as I wanted to be the one to save him from his personal hell I knew I couldn¡¯t. Whatever he¡¯d done in his life, he was now paying for in the afterlife. No matter how much power I possessed, nothing could break his punishment.

    ¡°There¡¯s a forest of sorts north of here. There are hills there.¡± Dorian pointed in the direction, and if I squinted just right, I could make out dark gray mounds against the horizon.

    ¡°It¡¯s going to take forever to reach it.¡±

    ¡°Then I suggest we start running.¡±

    I don¡¯t know how long we had been running when I had to stop for a breather. I bent over, resting my hands on my knees and took a moment to catch my breath. Lifting my head, I looked in the direction we were heading. The mounds were more pronounced now, yet still too far away for my liking. Standing, I placed my hands on my hips. My chest rose and fell heavily. The air here wasn¡¯t as substantial as it was in the natural realm. My lungs fought to capture as much of it as they could, burning from the exertion.

    ¡°We¡¯ll save her, Gwen.¡±

    I looked over at Dorian. He wasn¡¯t even breathing hard.

    ¡°I see the doubt all over your face. If you start thinking you failed before you even start, then you will fail. Keep a strong mind.¡±

    My head bobbed in an agreeing nod. He was right, but keeping a strong mind wasn¡¯t as easy as flicking a switch. I knew what the VC and Holly were capable of and how fond they were of breaking the rules.

    ¡°I¡¯ll try,¡± I responded. ¡°I mean¡­I have to believe she¡¯s okay. I just can¡¯t accept anything less.¡±

    We started moving again, this time walking so I could catch my breath. I hated I was the weak link in our team. Had it not been for me, Dorian could have reached the forest in no time.

    ¡°Tell me about her.¡±

    I kept my eyes forward, focused on the hills I was so desperate to reach. My mind filled with memories of Rebekah. When worry began creeping in, I slapped it away, taking Dorian¡¯s advice. She¡¯ll be okay.

    ¡°She was six the last time I saw her,¡± I said. My eyes filled with tears, and I tried to hold them back as best as I could. ¡°It¡¯s sad to think I only knew her for so short of time, but I miss her every day. Every year when her birthday rolls around I send her a birthday card. I don¡¯t know if she receives it, or if my parents still live in the same house they did ten years ago.¡± A tear crawled down my right cheek. Rebekah¡¯s face filled my mind. ¡°She has raven hair like me and big green eyes,¡± I laughed softly. ¡°I use to compare them to Lifesavers because when she was excited or surprised they¡¯d get just as big.¡± My words fell from my lips as another thought tortured me. ¡°What if she doesn¡¯t even remember me? She was so young.¡±

    Dorian reached for my hand, stopping my steps. With the pad of his thumb, he brushed away the tears. ¡°That¡¯s impossible. I¡¯m sure she¡¯s wondered as much about you as you do her.¡±

    A few more tears fell, though I was smiling, lifted by his words. ¡°I hope so, and thank you for being so comforting.¡±

    Dorian grinned. ¡°That¡¯s three ¡®thank-you¡¯s¡¯ in less than a day. I¡¯m liking this new grateful Gwen.¡±

    I gave a shaky laugh. ¡°Shut up and just enjoy it while it lasts.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s the Gwen I know and lo¡­¡± Dorian cleared his throat, uncomfortable. ¡°Ready to run again?¡±

    I nodded, unable to speak. Was he saying he actually loved me or was he just going to use the well-known expression? I would worry about that later. Right now, I needed to reach those hills.

    I smiled lazily when we reached the hills. I was panting harder than before, the air searing my throat as my lungs inhaled. It would have been so much faster if we could have jumped into a shimmer and gained ground that way, but shimmers are used as exit zones. Now that we were standing in front of the tall ashy mounds, I wanted to jump up and down with my exhilaration.

    ¡°If¡­I live through¡­this I¡¯m¡­joining a gym.¡± Pain shot through my side and sweat collected along my forehead.

    ¡°I know another good workout,¡± Dorian winked.

    ¡°Come on, horndog, we have an old man to find.¡±

    The hills were mini mountains, steep and unforgiving. Leafless trees stood guard over the dirt mounds, clumps of them huddled together while others were spread out.

    ¡°How long do you think we¡¯ve been in here?¡± Time worked differently in the realm of the dead. We might have started out with twelve hours but we could be down to mere seconds. By my estimate, we had been here for at least two hours, but my estimate wasn¡¯t logical in this place.

    ¡°It¡¯s hard to say,¡± Dorian said. ¡°Maybe four or five hours.¡±

    If that was true, then our time had been cut almost in half. We began trekking up the first hill, both of us silent as we concentrated on our footing. Well, I concentrated on my footing, Dorian hadn¡¯t even broken a sweat yet. Curling my fingers around a thin trunk of a tree, I hoisted myself forward and placed my foot against the base to keep from slipping down. Step after step, huff after huff, I climbed and climbed and climbed some more.

    Something whispered on the wind, just a faint noise but I¡¯d caught it. I stopped, tilting my head to the side. ¡°Did you hear that?¡±

    Dorian stopped to listen, mimicking me and tilting his head. ¡°It sounds like the wind to me.¡±

    ¡°Or music,¡± I replied with a smile. We were getting close.

    ¡°He¡¯s just going to be waiting at the top?¡±

    We began climbing again. I clung to trees, using their strength to help lunge myself forward. ¡°Travel through the deserted hills until you reach the top. Only when the music sings should you stop,¡± I said, repeating what the man had told me. I had been trying to remember when his words suddenly popped into my head.

    ¡°Yeah, but if you¡¯re hearing music now, does that mean we should stop?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re just hearing the echo of it. It¡¯ll be strongest at the top.¡±

    ¡°Only you would be visited by a Dr. Seuss wannabe ghost,¡± Dorian said.

    We continued on our hike. I could now see the peak of the hill against the gray sky. Forty feet separated me from finding out how this all connected and saving Rebekah. The worry that had been pressing down on my chest was starting to lift. Answers were just ahead, and soon I would be reunited with my sister. That¡¯s what I focused on, seeing her again. My imagination concocted what she might look like today. She was still young, barely sixteen, but I knew she would be beautiful.

    A body passed in front of me, causing me to flinch back. Dorian¡¯s arm shot out to support my weight as I stumbled. I watched as a ghost passed our path, his focus straightforward. He dragged a thick rope behind him, its friction causing a rasping noise against the dirt. He was dressed in brown trousers, a white shirt and had a newsboy cap on his head.

    ¡°What is he doing?¡± I whispered to Dorian.

    ¡°Believe me, you don¡¯t want to find out.¡± He clasped my hand and tugged me forward. I moved along with him but looked over my shoulder, my curiosity too great. I couldn¡¯t help it, the sadness wafting off of him consumed me. The spirit walker within connected to his death, feeling its icy cold grip. Even in the afterlife he was miserable. It just wasn¡¯t fair.

    The boy stopped in front of a tree, lifting the rope up over his shoulder. Reaching his hands out, he reached up and began to climb a phantom ladder I couldn¡¯t see. His feet were supported by invisible rungs while he pulled himself up further. Once he was at the top, he shimmied out onto a thick branch. Taking the other end of the rope, he slipped it over his head and I realized it was a noose. My mouth dropped open, a scream caught in my throat. The boy stood up, balancing himself before jumping like he was doing a cannonball in a pool and not falling to his death. A sickening crack filled my ears and I flinched, squeezing my eyes tight and burying my head against Dorian¡¯s shoulder. I didn¡¯t want to see his swinging body. When I looked up again¡­he was gone. No rope, no body, just¡­gone.

    ¡°What the hell was that?¡±

    ¡°The punishment for his suicide. He relives the memory over and over.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s horrible.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the ¡®Powers that Be¡¯s¡¯ justice system.¡±

    I turned, shaking the vision from my head. Music flitted through the spiny branches, filling me with a sense of peace. It was just as beautiful as I remembered, dark and dramatic with hard piano cords and smooth violin undertones. As we drew closer, the music intensified, swarming around my body and cocooning me in its enchantment. I sagged against Dorian¡¯s body, happy he was there to catch me.

 Page 42

    ¡°Gwen?¡±Advertisement

    ¡°Do you hear it? It¡¯s so beautiful.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t hear anything.¡±

    How could he not hear it? It was everywhere, bouncing off the trees and dancing on the wind. It filled my ears and consumed by body.

    ¡°It¡¯s the most beautiful thing I¡¯ve ever heard.¡± My eyelids fluttered, fighting to stay open.

    We stepped through the trees and into a clearing. Dorian¡¯s arm wrapped around my shoulder and held me close. The scent of leather filled my nostrils and peace enveloped my body. I wanted to snuggle up against him and fall asleep, but there was something more important to do. What had I come here to do?

    My head drooped against Dorian¡¯s chest, my eyes straining to stay open. From this advantage point we could see in all angles. The barren land stretched on for forever.

    ¡°Gwen.¡± Dorian shook me, leaning over to look at my face. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    I moaned, hating that he was disrupting my relaxation. ¡°The music¡­so wonderful.¡±

    ¡°What music?¡± Dorian asked with aggravation. ¡°I don¡¯t hear anything.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± My head lolled to the side when I tried lifting it. The melody was stronger this time, causing me to lose almost all control. I wobbled on my legs and had to reach out to hold onto Dorian.

    Footsteps crunched against the ground. Dorian¡¯s squeezed me tighter, shifting to the side to shield me from whoever was approaching. The instruments began fading, drifting away on the breeze, stirring up dust around my feet.

    ¡°I knew you¡¯d make it,¡± a male voice said. A male voice with an English accent. My heartbeat sounded in my eardrums as I turned my head and looked into the eyes of my own personal boogeyman.

    ¡°¡¯Ello, little witch.¡±

    Chapter Twenty-Four

    ¡°That¡¯s not possible,¡± I breathed. My senses came rushing back, snapping into place and making me dizzy. Ian Despereaux was standing in front of me. Well, his sprit was. The old man flashed through my head. His eyes had been so familiar, and now I knew why.

    ¡°You don¡¯t look happy to see me,¡± Ian said. ¡°That hurts my feelings.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re dead,¡± I mumbled, looking up at Dorian. I don¡¯t know what I was thinking when he¡¯d said he had taken care of Ian¡¯s soul. Somewhere in my mind I thought meant he had destroyed it.

    ¡°Hence the see-through body,¡± Ian replied. ¡°Now, should we be on our way?¡±

    ¡°We?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re bound to this realm,¡± Dorian said. ¡°There¡¯s no leaving for you, but Gwen and I are out of here.¡± He grabbed my hand and said, ¡°Come on.¡±

    ¡°Wait,¡± I said, digging in my heels when Dorian tried to get me to follow him. ¡°How are you supposed to help me find my sister?¡±

    Ian cocked his head to the side, his eyes devilishly amused. ¡°That¡¯s right, dear ol¡¯ sis is counting on your success. It¡¯d be a shame to let her down.¡±

    ¡°All right, enough riddles,¡± Dorian snapped. ¡°You either tell us what we¡¯re supposed to do, or stay here and rot. We¡¯ll find Rebekah on our own.¡±

    Ian tsked, shaking his head from side to side leisurely. ¡°I¡¯m afraid we¡¯re on my terms, so it¡¯d be best if you remembered that, Death.¡±

    A gust of wind whipped across my face, stirring my hair. Ian took a step forward and reached out to brush the unruly strands away. Dorian¡¯s hand snapped forward, his fingers curling around Ian¡¯s wrist and solidifying his body before he could touch me.

    A smile bent Ian¡¯s mouth up. ¡°I see another man has fallen at your feet. I wonder what it is about you, little witch, that turns wise men to fools?¡±

    ¡°Cut the shit, Ian, and tell us what we¡¯re supposed to do.¡± Time was running out, or maybe that was his plan: wait until the last possible second before giving instructions so that he would get what he wanted, but I¡¯d still lose my sister.

    He took an exaggerated breath, his shoulders rising and falling dramatically. ¡°Oh, very well. First lover boy must lift the ban. As soon as I¡¯m on the other side of this hell hole, you¡¯ll get the next set of orders.¡±

    ¡°So you lured me here so we could spring you? That doesn¡¯t make sense, you were already out. You were the creepy old guy, right?¡±

    ¡°Not going to happen,¡± Dorian added. ¡°As soon as you¡¯re out, what¡¯s to keep you from vanishing?¡±

    Dorian had a point, as always. And we didn¡¯t have time to track down Ian¡¯s fleeing spirit when my sister¡¯s life was measured by the tick of the clock.

    ¡°Then Gwen¡¯s sister dies,¡± Ian said to Dorian. ¡°Would you really cause her such pain simply because you refuse to give me what I want?¡± Shifting his gaze to me, he said, ¡°My escape was temporary.¡±

    I looked to Dorian. He glared at Ian, and Ian smiled at both of us. I knew whatever he had planned couldn¡¯t be good; it never was where he was concerned. But our hands were tied, and he knew it. If Dorian refused to lift the ban so that Ian could escape the realm of the dead, then Rebekah died. And if he gave Ian what he wanted, then there was bound to be a whirlwind of chaos to follow. My memories flashed back to that night I¡¯d driven the stake through his heart. He smirked at me¡ªnot the natural expression of a dying man. I had celebrated a fake victory.

    I snorted. ¡°You had this entire thing planned from day one, didn¡¯t you?¡± Say what you will about Ian Despereaux, but the man was an evil genius. He had survived eight hundred plus years, until, that is, he met me.

    His only response to my question was a smug smile. ¡°Time is ticking away,¡± he said to Dorian. ¡°Tick, tick, tick¡­Little Rebekah¡¯s life is slipping.¡±

    ¡°How do we even know you have her?¡± I questioned. ¡°This whole thing could be a trick.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have the luxury of chancing it. You would never forgive yourself if you had the opportunity to save her and didn¡¯t.¡±

    Dorian leaned over and whispered, ¡°I can wade through truth and bullshit from spirits, Gwen. He¡¯s telling the truth.¡±

    I nodded, biting my lower lip to keep from crying. I¡¯d clung to hope that the entire thing was one big ruse, but somewhere out there Rebekah¡¯s life was in danger. And the only person capable of leading me to her was the one man I absolutely hated.

    ¡°Then we have to do it,¡± I told Dorian. ¡°We¡¯ve already been here way longer than we should.¡±

    ¡°We need to know where we¡¯re going,¡± Dorian said to Ian.

    The ghostly realm was a bizarre place. Within it lay what Dorian called ¡®shimmers¡¯. They were used as safe zones and transport areas. We could go in one to escape a demon, or pop through to another location using the existing energy fields in the natural dimension. And yes, it was as confusing as it sounds. Dorian hadn¡¯t taken the time to teach me a lot about it.

    ¡°Moon.¡±

    I knew I should have been surprised, but I wasn¡¯t.

    Without another word, Dorian held out a hand toward Ian. The dead vampire became a mist floating toward the angel of Death, the pieces separating to form one scattered mass of fog. As Ian¡¯s spirit drifted closer, it was vacuumed into Dorian¡¯s awaiting palm, just as he¡¯d absorbed my soul. When the last wisp was soaked up, Dorian grabbed my hand and together we began hiking down the hill, on a race to beat the clock.

    Once again I was looking up at the NAWC¡¯s castle. It was nightfall, the stars already glittering against the obsidian sky. Neither Dorian nor I uttered a word as we began up the cobblestone road, but I knew we were both wondering if we had made it in time. The closer we drew to the castle¡¯s front doors, the more I feared what I¡¯d find behind them. My heart thudded in my chest as adrenaline raced through my veins.

    Rebekah will be fine, I told myself. Everything is going to be okay. My pep talk did nothing to ease the knots in my stomach or the panic consuming me. Being in Moon could only mean one thing: the NAWC was just as dirty as Holly.

    When we reached the large, arched doorway Dorian and I stopped and stared at each other. Though I couldn¡¯t see his eyes, I knew they held the same emotion I was feeling¡ªdetermination. This was it, the final countdown. The curtain was rising, and the show was about to begin. My only question was, would I be there at the end to take a bow?

    The front doors opened of their own accord. Dorian tensed beside me, his arm stretching out in front of my chest for protection. Though tense, I had to smile at the gesture. My parents used to do the same thing when we were in the car and they had to slam on their breaks.

    Music spilled from the entryway, the same beautiful instrumental that I had heard two times before. We walked inside with caution. The piano melody was already affecting my focus. My steps became slower as if I was pushing through quicksand instead of air. My eyelids fluttered and my shoulders drooped. But Rebekah was here somewhere, waiting for me and terrified. That thought helped me shake off the sleepiness.

    The entryway was an enormous room. Its limestone walls stretched a good twenty feet high, while wrought-iron chandeliers hung from the ceiling. Hallways jutted in every direction, leading to various parts of the castle. Directly in front of the door was a wide staircase and toward the left was the ballroom. It was bland with its various shades of gray, reminding me of the realm of the dead. And just as desolate.

    ¡°Where is everyone?¡± I kept my voice low.

    ¡°They¡¯re in the ballroom, and it¡¯s not just the witches. There are vampires too,¡± Dorian said. ¡°I can feel the malice of their souls.¡±

    I reached my senses out, calling death to me. Sure enough, a frigid wave came the direction of the ballroom. I wasn¡¯t as good as Dorian; I couldn¡¯t tell you who was beyond the icy air, but I trusted his judgment.

    ¡°The NAWC is working with the VC?¡± I said more to myself than to Dorian. I really needed to stop being so surprised by the ruthlessness of these two governments.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but it doesn¡¯t look good.¡±

 Page 43

    We headed in that direction, stopping at the entrance. Sure enough, the VC was here. They sat in winged back chairs in the center of the room, facing the front. My eyes followed their line of sight, and I scowled. Sitting on the stage, in a throne-like chair, was the only other person I hated¡ªHolly. She was dressed in a long emerald gown. Her auburn hair was pinned up in a French twist. It looked like she was hosting some sort of bizarre dinner party, not expecting a fight. She beamed when she saw us, her white teeth gleaming in the flicker of candlelight. A black velvet curtain that hadn¡¯t been there before hung behind her chair. And that wasn¡¯t the only unusual thing; it seemed every resident of the castle was there too, lined up against the wall, hands clasped in front of their bodies and their heads down. I spotted Fiona, taking a step forward to rescue her. Dorian gripped my arm to stop me.Advertisement

    ¡°Don¡¯t be brash. That¡¯s what she¡¯s expecting. Keep a level head.¡±

    I nodded, fisting my hands and focusing on the bite of my nails digging into my palms.

    Hands seized us from behind, gripping onto our arms and shoving us further into the room. Dorian did not react to being held captive, so I followed his lead and allowed the two men lead us up to the stage.

    ¡°Ah, the guest of honor has arrived, and not a minute to spare.¡± Holly¡¯s arms were stretched out along the chair, her legs crossed. Her eyes blazed with her amusement. ¡°Shall we get started?¡± She nodded to one of the men behind us, and the one holding me released his grip and walked over to the wall. He grabbed a man, shoving him forward. The man, whom I didn¡¯t recognize as one of the witches¡¯ I¡¯d seen around Moon, stumbled forward. His hands were tied together, his clothes torn and dirty. Droplets of blood stained his shirt. When he looked up, I could see multiple abrasions marring his handsome face. A long gash ran from his eyebrow to the middle of his cheek as if a whip had sliced the flesh open, blood still trickling from it.

    As the sentry rough handled the man, Holly said, ¡°Do you like the music?¡±

    My eyes snapped to hers. I was not going to engage with her until I absolutely had to. I was struggling to fight off the effects of the music and keep a level head. Both required too much of my attention, and in a room full of sharks that was dangerous.

    ¡°It¡¯s so lovely and makes my subjects so manageable. I was a bit surprised to see it didn¡¯t consume you the way it did them.¡± She nodded in the direction of the witches¡¯ lined against the wall. ¡°Though you¡¯re not completely immune to it, are you?¡± She studied my eyes, my lax stance and smiled. Perhaps the NAWC wasn¡¯t dirty after all. They were just under a spell.

    The guard led the man up the stage steps, shoving and pushing unnecessarily. The man fell to his knees after losing his balance, and the guard wrapped a meaty hand around his nape to pull him to his feet again. Once they were situated up top, the man stood behind the prisoner and waited for further instruction.

    Holly took a couple steps down so that she was standing directly in front of me. Her head tilted to the side as she appraised me with a look that reminded me that of a snake sizing up its prey.

    ¡°Do you know what the most precious gift is?¡± she asked me.

    ¡°A life without psychopaths like you?¡±

    ¡°Time, my dear Gwen,¡± Holly said, turning to walk back up the steps. She stood beside the throne, draping an arm along the back. ¡°Weren¡¯t you racing against the clock to save your sister? Didn¡¯t you pray for just one more minute, one more second?¡±

    ¡°Speaking of my sister,¡± I said, ¡°where is she?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s safe¡­for now. Of course that depends on how well you follow orders. Ian?¡±

    I looked to Dorian as he spoke. ¡°He¡¯s safe¡­for now,¡± mimicking Holly¡¯s words. ¡°Show us Rebekah, and we¡¯ll see if he stays that way.¡±

    Holly smiled, unfazed by Dorian¡¯s subtle threat. She brought her gaze back to me. ¡°I admit that having Death on your side put a chink in my plan. Imagine my surprise when any rogue who dared to harm you came up against the ultimate weapon.¡± She pursed her lips. ¡°But, things have worked out much better than I expected.¡±

    ¡°Spare us the dramatics,¡± someone behind me said. I looked over my shoulder to see Pernis standing. ¡°Our time is precious. Let¡¯s get this over with.¡±

    ¡°Vampires,¡± Holly said. ¡°So self-absorbed, though you know all about that, don¡¯t you, Gwen?¡±

    I turned my attention toward the front again, sneering at Holly for bringing Aiden into the conversation.

    ¡°Holly,¡± Pernis warned.

    Holly clucked her tongue, sighing dramatically. ¡°All right, all right. It seems the VC is a bit impatient.¡± She turned and nodded toward the two guards standing beside the curtain. Together, they tugged thick ropes and the curtain opened halfway to reveal a stone altar. Holly held out a hand towards the stone and the guard holding the prisoner escorted the beaten man forward.

    The prisoner was tied atop the altar, his legs and arms bound by leather straps. He struggled, fighting to free himself and awarded with a backhanded slap across his face. I flinched as blood spilled from his mouth. Holly walked across the stage, reaching up and pulling a dagger concealed in her hair. The action caused her auburn hair to fall in waves against her shoulders. She moved around the altar, clasping the dagger in both hands and raising her arms above the man. His pleading sobs were cut short as Holly drove the blade into his heart. Miserable gurgles sounded from his throat, blood spraying on this face as he coughed. All the while, Holly stood over him, unfazed as she committed murder.

    Within seconds, the man stopped moving, the room growing silent except for the beating of my heartbeat reverberating against my eardrums.

    ¡°Release Ian,¡± Holly ordered.

    Dorian snorted. ¡°Release Rebekah.¡±

    Holly snarled, her eyes crinkling as she glared at Dorian. She held up her hand and bent her fingers, wiggling them to signal to one of the guards. Time slowed. My heart beat faster still as I watched the man disappear behind the curtain. Someone placed their hand in mine; I assumed it was Dorian, but all I could do was stare at that damned curtain. Seconds seemed like hours as I waited to see my sister.

    When the guard returned with a girl in his hands, I released the breath I¡¯d been holding. Tears blurred my eyes as she lifted her head and looked around with fear. She was beautiful and just how I remembered, only older. Her hair was more of a dark brown than black and stopped just past her shoulders. Red splotches dotted her cheeks and a fresh trail of moisture trailed down her face. Her eyes were wide orbs as they landed on the dead man.

    ¡°Rebekah,¡± I breathed, my feet trembling to rush to her side. Her gaze flicked to my face, and she stared at me as if trying to solve a puzzle. I knew her memory of me was in there, buried deep. I nodded at her to answer her silent questioning of who I was. My lower lip quivered as I tried to hold in the tears. She looked down again, not showing an ounce of recognition.

    ¡°Ugh, enough already,¡± Holly snapped. ¡°The girl for Ian.¡± As if to make a point, the guard standing beside Rebekah grabbed her, placing an arm around her chest and positioning a knife along her throat. Rebekah squealed, a fresh stream of tears coating her cheeks. I rushed forward, withdrawing my own dagger.

    ¡°One more step and my guard will bury his blade in your dear sweet sister¡¯s neck,¡± Holly shouted. I stumbled, my feet coming to an instant stop. As much as I wanted to kill the man holding Rebekah, I couldn¡¯t chance it. I glowered at Holly, not sure if I would rather kill her or the guard.

    ¡°I¡¯ll only ask one more time,¡± Holly said to Dorian.

    Without a word, he reached out his hand and mist instantly began pouring from his palm. It curled against the stone floor, climbing upward to the height of a man. The fog swirled around, coming together and taking shape.

    ¡°That was bloody awful,¡± Ian said, brushing off his clothes as though they were real. He turned toward the stage, a smile forming on his ghostly lips. Floating forward, he stopped in front of the dead man and stared down at him.

    ¡°You couldn¡¯t find someone taller?¡±

    ¡°Beggars can¡¯t be picky, Ian darling.¡± Holly remarked.

    No matter how long I lived, I would never understand their bizarre dynamic. The last time I¡¯d been around them they were trying to kill each other, and now they acted as if they were long lost friends. Trying to understand crazy people will only give you a headache.

    Ian¡¯s spirit floated upwards and reclined into a lying position. Slowly, his soul descended toward the dead man¡¯s body, disappearing. I watched with horror, the pieces finally clicking into place.

    ¡°You¡¯re bringing him back?¡± I asked with disbelief. When Holly ignored me, too fascinated to see what happened with the body, I looked at Dorian. ¡°Is that even possible?¡±

    A gentle nod was his only response. His focus was in my sister¡¯s direction. The face of the man guarding her was scrunched up in pain. Smoke rose from his pores, slowly crawling out of his body and disappearing. I took that as my cue to rescue Rebekah. I lunged forward, crossing the stage as fast as I could. Holly turned around just before I reached her. With a wave of her hand, my body went sailing through the air, where I landed in a heap at the bottom of the stairs.

    I grumbled, leaning up on my hands. A searing pain shot through my skull, and I blinked to clear the static from my eyes.

    ¡°Guard him,¡± Holly told her goons, pointing at the body Ian had disappeared into, before descending the stairs. Dorian got to me first though, reaching down and helping me up.

    ¡°I see the vampires aren¡¯t the only impatient ones.¡± Holly smiled. ¡°Does no one understand savoring the moment? Tonight is about celebrating.¡±

    ¡°Celebrating,¡± I said with acridity. ¡°What exactly is your end game? Bring Ian back and start the whole hybrid process over again?¡± Trying to figure those two out was like trying to put a square peg in a round hole.

    Holly laughed, her smile slimier than a bucket full of slugs. ¡°You¡¯re so narrow-minded, it¡¯s adorable.¡± She looked over her shoulder to check on Ian. The body lay still, and I hoped that meant his soul wasn¡¯t connecting.

 Page 44

    ¡°Ian is a means to an end.¡± She nodded toward the VC members. ¡°I give them what they want and they give me what I want. It¡¯s the beauty of business.¡±Advertisement

    ¡°And what do you want?¡±

    She held out her hands, palms up.

    ¡°The castle? Seems shortsighted if you ask me,¡± I shrugged. ¡°Besides, it¡¯s not theirs to give.¡±

    ¡°Ah, but power to attain it is. And I¡¯m after more than the property. By the time I¡¯m done I¡¯ll own the council and therefore the witches.¡±

    I thought for a minute, trying to figure out what sort of power the VC could offer that would give Holly the authority to reign supreme. And then it hit me.

    ¡°You guys own the Veil.¡± I looked at the vampire elders, snorting to myself for not figuring it out sooner. Of course vampires would be in charge of demons, and of course their government would be behind the operation of ruthless rogues. None of the elders argued or disputed my theory. The glint in Alana¡¯s eyes was all the proof I needed.

    ¡°So, by giving them Ian, they give you a demon to possess your body? All in the name of greed,¡± I snorted, my hatred for Holly growing stronger than before. ¡°You¡¯re pathetic.¡±

    Fire burned behind her bright green eyes. Before she could respond, Pernis stood, his attention on the stage. The man¡¯s body stirred, the leather slapping against the stone as he struggled.

    Pernis was on the stage in a blink of an eye, peering over Ian¡¯s new body. A slow smile spread across his lips making him look like the Cheshire cat. Ian screamed at the sight of him, a gut-wrenching howl that bounced off the stone walls. Right then and there I realized Ian hadn¡¯t been aware of Holly¡¯s plan. She had traded a man she once loved for a demon.

    When Pernis began undoing the binds, Holly gave the order to her guards. At once they attacked. In a matter of seconds, the remaining elders were up and out of their seats, a blur of motion. Screams filled the room as they tore through Holly¡¯s backup. All the while, Pernis removed Ian from the altar as if he didn¡¯t recognize the chaos around him.

    ¡°Nooo,¡± Ian screamed in a voice that didn¡¯t belong to him. His English accent was gone and replaced with that of the body he possessed. When the last guard was disarmed, the elders stopped. They stood across the stage, their clothes splashed with blood. Body parts littered the ground, but that was not what nauseated me. Rebekah was still up there, and Aaron was walking right for her.

    ¡°Please,¡± I screamed. ¡°Don¡¯t.¡±

    He ignored me, lifting my sister¡¯s hand and bringing it to his lips. Even from this distance I could see her shoulders shaking. Her eyes were wide and focusing on nothing. The bloodbath she¡¯d just seen was enough to send her into shock.

    I jumped into action, my body moving before my head could catch up. I dove for the dagger that had flown from my hand when Holly attacked me. Gripping the blade and angling my arm the way Dorian had shown me, I threw it with as much force as I could and watched as it sailed through the air and toward Aaron¡¯s chest.

    The blade was inches from his body, the anticipation killing me. Just before it sunk into his chest, he batted it away as though it was nothing but an annoying fly. My shoulders slumped, my heart jackhammering in my chest.

    Aaron held my sister¡¯s hand, coating her skin with blood, and guided her down the stairs. They stood in front of me. My last resort was connecting with the spirits, and the room was full of murderers. I clung to their energy, absorbing it quicker than ever before. My desperation to save Rebekah drove me over the edge. White bodies began popping up like daisies all around the room, their hunger for vengeance giving me power.

    Aaron glanced around the room. ¡°Impressive, but there¡¯s no need to call in the cavalry just yet. I only wish to return her to you.¡±

    My eyes widened, but I didn¡¯t lose focus of the spirits should it be a trick.

    ¡°Our only interest is in Ian,¡± Aaron said. ¡°Once Pernis gets an idea in his head, it¡¯s best to just go along with it.¡± At my suspicion, Aaron explained further. ¡°Pernis does not take being betrayed by his child lightly, and he does so love to punish.¡± Aaron held my sister¡¯s hand out to me. I wrapped my arms around her, holding on for dear life.

    Aaron walked over to Holly and her entire body froze with fear. It seemed her plan wasn¡¯t going as she had thought it would.

    ¡°You have been a thorn in my side,¡± Aaron said to her. ¡°So hungry for power you overlooked one very important thing.¡±

    ¡°What¡­thing?¡± Holly stammered.

    ¡°Never allow your ego to get so big you forget who you¡¯re dealing with.¡± Aaron clasped the necklace hanging from her neck and yanked it free. Holly¡¯s hands went to her throat, surprise all over her face. Aaron dropped the necklace to the floor and stomped on it. The music filing the room instantly faded.

    ¡°We had a deal,¡± she snarled.

    Aaron turned, leaving to join his sisters and brothers. As Holly lifted her arm to cast magic at him, he swung back around and hit her so hard she went flying into the nearby wall. Her body cracked against the stone, sliding down in a heap.

    ¡°I never liked that woman,¡± Aaron said, glaring at her unmoving body. When his eyes landed on me, I squeezed Rebekah tighter.

    ¡°My apologies for all the trouble.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand any of this¡­the bond¡­¡±

    Aaron held up a hand. ¡°Ian has a long life of being Pernis¡¯ blood slave as payment for his rise against us. It¡¯s a fate worse than death, believe me. He had plans for you too, had you not retrieved Ian¡¯s soul. Be grateful you¡¯ll never know what those plans were. As for the bond with Aiden,¡± he shrugged. ¡°It was a backup plan.¡± He turned to leave, but paused to say one last thing. ¡°Consider your debt paid in full.¡±

    So Aiden had been wrong¡ªthe VC didn¡¯t want to see if I could be turned into a hybrid. This entire thing was all in the name of punishing Ian. He¡¯d been so anxious to escape the realm of the dead, and now he was stuck as a human and Pernis¡¯ happy meal. Karma is a beautiful thing.

    The elders began to leave. Ian was slung over Pernis¡¯ shoulder, screaming and beating against his back.

    ¡°What about the bond with Aiden?¡± I called out.

    Aaron smiled. ¡°Are you asking for a favor, Ms. Sparks?¡±

    I shook my head quickly, remembering what asking for their help had gotten me into last time. ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re learning,¡± he winked.

    I watched the six council members disappear through the door, Ian¡¯s screams in their wake. I hugged my sister tighter, laughing and crying. Leaning away from her, I checked to make sure she was okay.

    ¡°Rebekah, can you hear me?¡± Her face was stark white, but she blinked a few times and focused on my face. ¡°I know you probably don¡¯t remember me, but I promise you¡¯re safe now.¡±

    ¡°Gwen,¡± she replied. ¡°You¡¯re my sister.¡±

    I nodded, fresh tears coating my cheeks. ¡°Yes, yes, I am. And I love you so much.¡±

    Chapter Twenty-Five

    ¡°That went a lot better than I expected,¡± I said, looking up at Dorian. ¡°You were kind of quiet through it all.¡±

    He nodded, his eyes still focused on the door the VC had disappeared through. ¡°I knew Rebekah would be alright. As soon as we entered the room I used my spidey senses and checked her death.¡± Dorian looked over at me. ¡°And no, I will not tell you.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to know,¡± I told him. ¡°Unless, it¡¯s in the near future and there is something I can do to stop it.¡±

    Dorian chuckled. ¡°Even then, I will not tell you. The universe has a plan for all of us. Going against it will throw Fate¡¯s design off balance.¡±

    I turned so that my sister couldn¡¯t hear what I was going to say. Leaning in and cupping a hand to my mouth I said, ¡°You saved me at Broomsticks. Where was your commitment to Fate¡¯s grand design then?¡±

    ¡°Everyone has an Achilles¡¯ heel.¡± He kept his voice low. ¡°You¡¯re mine.¡±

    I smiled and my eyes filled with tears. After everything, it all worked out and Dorian stood beside me the entire time. I rejoiced in Holly¡¯s death, Ian¡¯s imprisonment, my sister¡¯s safety and even the cocky, albeit sweet angel at my side. For once, the weight that had been pressing down on me lifted and I could breathe.

    ¡°Thank you¡­not for the comment, but¡­everything. I honestly would have been lost had it not been for you. I had all these assumptions of who you were and you proved me wrong at every turn. It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve been happy about being wrong.¡± I laughed shakily, still fighting the tears welling in my eyes.

    ¡°Gwen!¡± Fiona shouted across the ballroom.

    I was still holding onto my sister and staring at Dorian when her arms embraced me in a hug. Dorian nodded while I stared at him over her shoulder.

    ¡°I¡¯ll give you girls time to catch up.¡± He turned and walked across the room. Trust is a tricky thing. In order to fully give it to someone, you must first listen to your instincts; trust that little voice in the back of your head. Only then will you know if the person in question was worth the investment. I learned that Dorian was.

    When Fiona released me, I smiled at my sister. ¡°Fiona, this is my sister, Rebekah.¡±

    Fiona enveloped my sister in a hug and I laughed. Rebekah wrapped her arms around her after a while, a smile spreading across her face. Her dark hair fell in multiple layers against her pale face. She stood a little shorter than Fiona and I, maybe 5¡¯5¡±. The hoodie she wore bore the name of her school.

    ¡°It¡¯s so nice to finally meet you,¡± Fiona told her. ¡°Gwen has told me so much about you.¡±

    Rebekah¡¯s eyes found my face. She looked so young¡ªinnocent¡ªand because of me she¡¯d been involved with a murderous witch and vampires. I had to keep all the ¡°what-if¡± thoughts out of my mind. She was safe and I had a moment to reconnect with my sister.

    ¡°How would you like to stay in the castle tonight?¡± I asked.

 Page 45

    She swiveled her head, taking in the expansive ballroom, ¡°That would be so cool.¡±Advertisement

    ¡°Oh, we¡¯ll have a girl¡¯s night,¡± Fiona squealed. ¡°I can do your nails and hair and the kitchen is stocked with the best junk food.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s best just to go along with whatever she wants,¡± I told Rebekah. ¡°Are you okay?¡± I asked on a more serious note. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry all of this happened to you.¡±

    Her head bobbed up and down quickly. ¡°I¡¯m not hurt if that¡¯s what you mean. I know the supernatural exist, but this is the first time I¡¯ve encountered it. It¡¯s a lot to take in.¡± She took a nervous breath, tucking her hands under her armpits. ¡°Mom and dad¡­they don¡¯t talk about it, ya know?¡±

    I did in fact, but I wasn¡¯t going to allow my annoyance with my parents show. Rebekah needed me to remain calm. Just like there are towns strictly for otherworldly; there are also all human towns. My parents made sure to live in one of them. Now that I was older, I could see the benefits. But I also didn¡¯t believe in acting like something didn¡¯t exist simply because it made one uncomfortable. By shielding Rebekah from the monsters of the world, they were hurting her. Dorian once told me that knowledge was power, and he was right. If in the future my sister decided to move away, she would encounter a supernatural. It was almost impossible not to. Her lack of knowledge could get her killed.

    ¡°You¡¯ve never met one?¡± Fiona asked stunned.

    Rebekah shook her head, ¡°They¡¯re not allowed in our town. And my parents only allow me to go to ¡®human-only¡¯ towns,¡± she paused. ¡°It¡¯s probably best the vampire hypnotized them.¡±

    ¡°What vampire?¡±

    ¡°The boy,¡± Rebekah said, ¡°the one who you spoke to a little bit ago.¡±

    ¡°Aaron La¡¯Rue? He¡¯s the one who kidnapped you?¡±

    ¡°Yes. He pulled up in a car on my walk home from school. He introduced himself and said that it was important I come with him to save you.¡± She looked down at the floor, uncomfortable. ¡°I didn¡¯t get into the car, not right away. Then an odd sensation came over me, like I was in a dream. I got into his car and directed him toward our house.¡± Rebekah made eye contact with me again, ¡°He told me to wait in the car while he spoke with Mom and Dad. He was really nice considering¡­¡± A slight blush colored her cheeks.

    Fiona and I shared a worried glance. The last thing I needed was my little sister fantasizing about Aaron La¡¯rue. Sure, he looked seventeen but behind the mask of innocence was a monster waiting to sink his fangs into a vein. If it was the last thing I did, I¡¯d make sure it wasn¡¯t my sister¡¯s.

    ¡°So he put the whammy on our parents and then what?¡±

    Rebekah took a deep breath, ¡°We boarded his private jet and flew to Washington. The others were there too, but Aaron made sure none of them bothered me. When we landed, we headed here straightaway¡ª¡±

    ¡°Wait,¡± Fiona said. ¡°He hypnotized you so you would go with him, but not to forget about all this?¡±

    My sister¡¯s dark hair swayed around her head. ¡°No.¡±

    Fiona and I shared another, more concerned look. What was Aaron¡¯s game, or was I just overreacting? I hoped it was the latter.

    ¡°Okay,¡± I said. ¡°So, you guys head to the castle and then what?¡±

    ¡°I was put in a bedroom until you arrived.¡±

    ¡°No one hurt you? Holly didn¡¯t speak to you?¡±

    Rebekah shook her head again. ¡°I didn¡¯t meet Holly until just before you arrived. Aaron talked to me a little bit, but it was about basic stuff.¡±

    I considered my sister for a moment, and then looked at Fiona. ¡°You didn¡¯t see any of this?¡±

    ¡°Holly started playing that damn¡ªexcuse the language,¡± she said to my sister, ¡°music and we all fell into a zombie stupor.¡±

    ¡°Gwen,¡± someone said behind me. I turned to see Charles. Movement caught my peripheral and my eyes darted to the right. Holly¡¯s body was being loaded onto a cart with wheels.

    ¡°May I talk to you for a moment?¡±

    I looked at Charles and nodded, following him to the other side of the ballroom, after excusing myself from my sister and Fiona. Saggy bags lined the underneath of his gray eyes. We stopped in front of two other council members: Miranda and Patrick. I assumed the others were working on damage control. I nodded a greeting to the both of them.

    ¡°We wanted to voice our sincerest apologies,¡± Charles began. ¡°We all suspected Holly was capable of horrid things, but even this surpassed our expectations. Unfortunately, it¡¯s not uncommon in our positions. Some leaders will always crave more power. It¡¯s the curse of politics I suppose.¡± He tucked his hands into his trouser pockets. Soft wrinkles around his eyes and cheeks deepened when he frowned.

    ¡°To make amends for the trouble Holly caused and our disregard to the situation, we are granting you a severance¡ª¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not necessary,¡± I interrupted.

    ¡°It is,¡± Charles said in all seriousness. ¡°It is our jobs as your council to protect the witches. We not only failed in doing so, but also pushed the issue between you and Holly to the side. Because of her, multiple witches died at the hands of the vampires. When all of us were blind to her deceit, you saw the truth. We would also like you to consider filling the spot on the council.¡± Charles continued, ¡°We could benefit from your merit.¡±

    I glanced at Miranda and Patrick. They both nodded in agreement. My face slackened in surprise. Being asked to become part of the NAWC was one of the highest honors for our kind. None of the members were younger than two hundred and held wisdom I had yet to possess. At twenty-six, could I really stand over my peers and expect them to put their faith in me when half the time I didn¡¯t have faith in myself? I was still learning who I was and that was okay with me.

    ¡°I think we shocked the girl speechless,¡± Patrick commented.

    I smiled, my mouth falling open but hesitating to form words. ¡°I¡ªI am flattered, truly, but¡­I cannot accept. My place is in Flora.¡±

    Charles considered me for a moment, his mouth curving into a frown. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear that, Ms. Sparks. But perhaps you¡¯ll change your mind in the future. We won¡¯t always be around and we¡¯ll need capable witches to take our spots.¡±

    I nodded. ¡°Perhaps, but I¡¯m losing my witchy powers now that I am embracing my spirit walker side.¡±

    ¡°We suspected that might happen,¡± Charles said. ¡°But, you¡¯re still a witch, just a different kind. And you¡¯re always welcome here.¡±

    I smiled. ¡°Thank you for the offer, but it¡¯s not the right timing.¡±

    ¡°Well then,¡± Charles gave a small smile, ¡°just the severance for now.¡± He looked at Miranda. She held out her palm and whispered words my ears didn¡¯t catch. A rectangular piece of paper appeared in her hand and she gave it to me. It was a check made out to me. My eyes fell on the amount and my jaw dropped open. I looked up at Charles, Patrick and Miranda in turn with wide eyes.

    ¡°This amount cannot be correct.¡±

    ¡°I assure you it is,¡± Miranda smiled. Since she handled the NAWC¡¯s finances who was I to argue? I began to laugh, giddiness overwhelming me.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± I told them.

    Later that night Fiona, Rebekah and I were surrounded by a mountain of dessert platters and pizza boxes. I found out my sister was on her school¡¯s volleyball team, a grade A student and in love with someone named Chase Crawford. When I asked her if they were dating she burst out laughing. Her eyes glittered when she was amused. ¡°He¡¯s an actor,¡± she told me. When I asked if she was dating anyone out of Hollywood, she said our parents would not allow her to date. No surprise there.

    ¡°She has our song on here,¡± Fiona said, swiping through my sister¡¯s iPod. Since Aaron had nabbed her on her walk home from school, she had her book bag with her. She informed me she never went anywhere without her MP3 player.

    ¡°What song?¡±

    ¡°Toxic,¡± Fiona replied with an amused smile. ¡°When your sister was eighteen she and I made up a dance routine to this song,¡± she told Rebekah.

    ¡°I have no clue what she¡¯s talking about,¡± I said.

    ¡°Oh really?¡± Fiona countered, setting the iPod on the docking station and pressing play. The pop song filled the bedroom and she hopped up from the bed and walked to the middle of the room. She began to move her hips, arms and legs in a choreographed dance. Rebekah watched her with interest, laughing when Fiona forgot a step.

    ¡°Are you seriously going to make me do this alone all to save face in front of your little sister?¡±

    I looked at Rebekah, shaking my head but getting up to join Fiona. She restarted the song and we took our places. When the lyrics began, we both belted out the words and moved in timed precision. The dance was a little on the sexy side. I just hoped I wasn¡¯t scaring my sister.

    When we ended, she clapped and laughed. A second round of applause sounded from the doorway. We all looked over to see Dorian leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed and a grin on his face.

    ¡°Enjoy the show?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Very much.¡±

    I held my finger up to indicate I needed a minute to Fiona and Rebekah, and walked over to Dorian. We stepped out into the hall.

    ¡°So this is what women do on ¡®girl¡¯s nights¡¯?¡±

    I shrugged. ¡°Sometimes,¡± I said. ¡°Others we just drink and bitch about men. Both are equally fun.¡±

    ¡°I wanted to let you know I bought our plane tickets. Our flight is in two hours.¡±

    I looked over at my sister chatting with Fiona. I knew she had to go home at some point, but tonight was too soon for my liking.

    ¡°She has school, Gwen,¡± Dorian reminded me. ¡°Maybe you could talk your parents into allow you to visit sometime. Illinois isn¡¯t very far from Flora.¡±

    I nodded. ¡°Okay, thanks. We¡¯ll get ready.¡±

 Page 46

    Four hours later I was standing outside my old family home. It was just after one in the morning. The street was peaceful and just as I remembered it. Cookie-cutter houses lined either side of the street. Their lawns were pristine¡ªtrimmed to perfection. My parent¡¯s house was a split-foyer with gray siding and a concrete path leading to a wrap-around porch. Rebekah and I stood in the driveway while Dorian waited in our rented car.Advertisement

    ¡°They talk about you, you know?¡± My sister said. ¡°Mom and dad,¡± she supplied. ¡°I think they miss you.¡±

    I smiled to keep from crying. For ten years, I wondered if they regretted their decision to send me away. After not hearing from them, I assumed they didn¡¯t.

    ¡°Maybe they¡¯ll allow me to visit you sometime,¡± I said.

    ¡°I hope so.¡±

    ¡°Me too,¡± I embraced my sister in a tight hug. ¡°You have my address, phone number and email, right?¡±

    She nodded. ¡°Yes and you have mine.¡±

    ¡°I love you, Rebekah.¡±

    After another round of hugging, I watched my sister disappear into the house.

    Chapter Twenty-Six

    It was late when Dorian and I got back to Flora. He had been unusually quiet on the drive home, and I let him. My mind was full of thoughts of my own. When I unlocked the door to my apartment, we both stepped inside without saying a word to each other. Dorian shrugged out of his leather coat and I headed toward the bathroom.

    ¡°I¡¯m taking a shower,¡± I called over my shoulder.

    No response. Weird.

    I shut the door and began to strip off my clothes. I had been wearing them for two days now. Fiona offered some of hers, but there was no way I could squeeze into her size fours. I clasped the brush and ran it through my hair a couple of times to get the knots out before getting it wet. My naked body reflected back at me through the large mirror over the sink. A couple bruises dotted my shoulder and leg from where Holly had thrown me.

    I turned the water on and waited for it to warm up. I leaned against the wall, my eyes on the door. I thought about being in the tub at Dorian¡¯s house and the way he had trailed the washcloth over my skin. My imagination began to run wild. If I could go back in time and do things differently, I would have seduced him into joining me in his tub. Knowing Dorian¡­ It wouldn¡¯t have taken much. His strong hands would have roamed over my soft skin eliciting moans from my mouth. My tongue rolled over my lips before I bit the upper one softly. My fantasy continued to manifest itself behind my closed eyelids. I saw Dorian lifting his shirt over his head, exposing the hard muscle beneath. I itched to run my tongue over each valley and taste every inch of him. A strong ache built between my legs as I fantasized about where he¡¯d taste me. I used my hands, pretending they were his, and trailed a path up my stomach and to my breasts. My thighs pressed together and my head lolled to the side as I thought about his mouth on my erect nipples. An involuntary moan escaped my lips.

    I opened my eyes, worried Dorian had heard me. The bathroom was foggy with steam. Abandoning my daydream, I stepped into the tub. As the hot water poured over me, I imagined Dorian was in here with me. I wondered what the tile would feel like against my back so I turned and leaned against it. It was nice, but I imagined it would be better if Dorian was the one holding me against it. I would succumb to his dominance and let him claim my body the way he wanted to.

    I shook my head, snorting to myself. I was making up a fantasy when I could have the real thing. Dorian was just outside the bathroom door. I washed my hair and body in a rush, running the razor over my legs as quickly as I could without cutting myself. The entire time all I could think about was how stupid I¡¯d been where he was concerned. I let my emotions over Aiden get in the way of my feelings for Dorian. Well, now Aiden is gone and I have been denying what I want for too long. For all of his faults, Dorian stayed beside me when he could have just walked away. He¡¯d put up with my stubbornness, immaturity and whining. Now that I was thinking clearly, I wanted to make it up to him.

    I was smiling when I shut the water off and wrapped a towel around my body. My hand only hesitated on the door handle for a fraction of a second before I opened it. Fiona¡¯s bedroom door was open so that meant Dorian was probably in the living room. I paused in the hallway, wondering if I should change into some lingerie. I looked down, observing the towel. Though not made of skimpy lace, it was sexy too. It hit just below my butt and a good amount of cleavage showed against the tight hold. My wet hair was brushed back to expose my chest.

    No more thinking.

    I padded down the hall and rounded the corner to the living room. Dorian was lying back against the sofa, one leg on the floor. His eyes were closed and his sunglasses on the coffee table. Was he sleeping already? I didn¡¯t care; I would wake him up.

    The floor squeaked as I moved into the room. My body trembled with my anxiousness. I eyed his hands and a shiver jolted through my body at the thought of feeling them on my skin.

    ¡°Dorian,¡± I said softly.

    He didn¡¯t move.

    I moved closer to the sofa. Strands of hair fell against his face and the shadow of stubble lining his jaw enticed me further. I wanted to feel the scrape of it against my breasts. His lips were full: made for kissing. Without another thought, I bent over and placed my mouth over his, just a soft brush of lips.

    ¡°This better not be a dream,¡± he said opening one eye.

    ¡°Not a dream.¡±

    He sat up and I took a step back to give him a little bit of room. He stared up at me, a smile playing on his lips. There was something about the way he sat that turned me on. His legs were spaced far apart, his hands resting at his sides¡ªso inviting.

    ¡°What are you up to?¡±

    I smiled to myself. ¡°I was just thinking¡­we never got the opportunity to finish what we started in New Orleans.¡±

    His hand came up to rub the side of his jaw. ¡°Is that so?¡±

    Why isn¡¯t he ripping the towel off my body already?

    ¡°Hmm,¡± I said in agreement.

    ¡°Wasn¡¯t it you who told me that I needed to stop kissing and touching you?¡± He tilted his head to the side, no amusement on his face now.

    ¡°It was,¡± I agreed, ¡°but wasn¡¯t it you who said you did not agree to those terms?¡±

    ¡°Gwen,¡± he breathed heavily, ¡°I can¡¯t do this¡­this hot and cold shit. Either you want to be with me or you don¡¯t. There is no middle ground.¡±

    Crap, he was angry with me. I didn¡¯t blame him. In fact, I would have tossed me to the curb a long time ago. The point that he was still here was a testament to his character. I couldn¡¯t tell him that I was serious this time; I had to show him.

    I stepped between his legs and knelt down on my knees. I grinned when Dorian¡¯s eyebrows rose slightly. The clouds in his eyes sped up and twirled showing me he was anxious to see what I would do next... I brought my hands up to rest on his legs and lifted myself up so that I could reach his mouth.

    ¡°This is me wanting to be with you, Dorian,¡± I said against his mouth before I kissed him. I sucked on his bottom lip first and then ran my tongue over it. When he didn¡¯t return my kiss I leaned back and looked at his face. My stomach dropped at the thought of him turning me down. He was silent for so long I thought for sure some long speech was coming that would result in my humiliation. The earlier heat coursing through my veins turned to ice as seconds ticked by.

    ¡°Say something,¡± I finally snapped.

    ¡°Say it again,¡± he replied. His mouth opened slightly as his tongue rolled over his bottom lip. The rasp of his voice was dominant and hungry.

    ¡°I want you, Dorian.¡±

    ¡°How much do you want me?¡± A ghost of a smile teased his mouth and chased away my unease. Okay, so he wanted to make me work for it. I was up for the challenge.

    ¡°So much that my thighs tremble at the thought of having you.¡±

    He sucked in a deep breath and gripped the edge of the sofa tight. ¡°I¡¯m not convinced,¡± he lied, but I allowed it. I had turned him away so many times. I deserved a little payback.

    ¡°It¡¯s true,¡± I smiled. ¡°When I think about your hands¡­¡± I lifted one of them from the death grip he had on the couch and brought it toward my mouth.¡°On my body, the sweetest ache burns through me.¡± I kissed his forefinger, nipping the flesh softly before twirling my tongue around it. I kept eye contact with him the entire time, urging him to give in to me. When I took his entire finger into my mouth, a harsh intake of air hissed between his lips.

    ¡°And when I think about your lips,¡± I continued as I stood up in front of him, ¡°on my breasts¡­hmmm.¡± My hands roamed over the towel, coming up to said breasts. Dorian stared at me in awe. His mouth was slightly open. His chest rose and fell heavily and, if I wasn¡¯t mistaken, a bulge grew beneath the zipper of his jeans.

    ¡°Do you believe me now?¡±

    ¡°Perhaps,¡± he said, standing up. He towered over me, powerful and desirous. The air around him cooled a little bit and licked against my body. Goosebumps pebbled my heated skin. ¡°But I¡¯m warning you right now, there will be no distraction that will stop me from taking you hard and fast.¡±

    Holy shit. Heat pooled between my legs at the thought.

    ¡°Do you understand?¡± He tucked a finger beneath my chin and tipped my head up. ¡°No more running. No more excuses. No more thinking. If you say you want me then you better be prepared for what that means.¡±

    ¡°Understood,¡± my voice came out breathy. He was a lot better at seducing than I was. In a few short sentences, he was able to own me. I quivered like an excited puppy at the promise of his words.

    ¡°Good,¡± he said, ¡°now let¡¯s get rid of this pesky thing.¡± With a hard tug, he ripped away my towel and threw it across the room. It crashed against the pictures hanging on the wall and fell to the floor. The anticipation running through my body left me breathless.

    I stood before him naked, but he did not seize me. Instead, he tugged his t-shirt up and over his head, discarding it. I devoured him with my eyes; starting at his broad shoulders, to his strong chest and down to the ripples of his stomach. His jeans hung low on his hips. A path of dark hair started at his navel and disappeared beneath the hem of his boxer briefs.

 Page 47

    Still he did not reach for me. He walked behind me. I could feel his presence at my back, but I did not turn to see what he was doing.Advertisement

    Dorian placed his hands on my hips. His fingers squeezed as he tugged me against himself hard, but not painfully.

    ¡°There are just too many things I¡¯ve thought about doing to you,¡± he whispered in my ear. ¡°Decisions, decisions.¡±

    I smiled. ¡°Why not try them all?¡±

    ¡°Oh I plan too,¡± he said matter-of-factly. The scrape of his zipper lowering was like a dinner bell and I was starving. Dorian kicked off his jeans and they too went sailing across the room. He swiped my hair to the side, exposing my neck. I tilted my head to the side to give him better access. A moan vibrated out of my throat when he sidled against my back. His erection pressed against my backside. Even through the strain of cotton, it made an impression.

    Dorian sucked, licked and kissed my neck while his hand cupped my breasts. His fingers worked my nipple as his hips began to grind against my behind. My body sagged against his and I reached behind me to feel any amount of him I could. I just needed to touch his skin.

    In a flash, he was in front of me. I stared at him with hooded eyelids. He was temptation incarnate. He cupped my face and kissed me hard. His tongue twined with mine while his hands settled on my hips again. In one fluid motion, he hoisted me up. I wrapped my arms around his neck and my legs around his waist, and then we were moving. The bounce of his steps caused my nipples to brush against his chest with delightful friction.

    Dorian deposited me on my bed and I stretched out along my down comforter. He stood at the edge of the bed with a mischievous smirk on his lips. The caress of his eyes left heat in their wake. My body yearned for that burn, for him.

    Dorian shook his head slowly. ¡°You¡¯re not a witch or a spirit walker¡­.You¡¯re a temptress. That body is so soft but as dangerous as the edge of blade.¡± He crawled onto the bed, positioning himself between my legs. ¡°I wonder if you taste as tantalizing as you look?¡±

    My breath caught in my lungs as he leaned forward and licked a circle around my nipple. The suction of his mouth on the hard nub drove me wild. I arched my back, pressing more of myself against his lips. Dorian¡¯s hand slid down my stomach and I gasped when it slipped between my legs. With his fingers, he rubbed a circular pattern against the pink folds. I writhed under him as he picked up speed.

    Dorian slinked down my body, pressing kisses along my stomach until my thighs framed his head. Strands of his hair brushed against my leg and his breath was hot against my center. He watched me up the length of my body, his mouth hovering over my folds. I bit my lip, mentally pleading that he not waste any more time. He moved and I held my breath. Dorian kissed my inner thigh and I wanted to scream. He shifted his attention to the other leg, pressing more kisses until a whimper fell from my mouth.

    His eyes connected with mine and he smiled coyly. ¡°You don¡¯t devour dessert, you savor it. Let me savor you, cupcake.¡±

    Was it possible to orgasm from words? His words resounded through my mind and gave me such imagery that not only was he seducing my body, but my mind too. Talk about head games. Each mischievous glance and naughty smirk drew me further into his seduction.

    ¡°I can feel your legs trembling.¡± He spoke so close to my center that the heat of his mouth was a provocative tease. ¡°I wonder what would happen if I did this¡­¡± The pressure of his mouth pressed against me in a lingering kiss. An unbearably slow lick seared an upward path toward my clitoris and flicked. I fisted the cover in my hands as my body twisted. Dorian lifted my legs up so that they rested on his shoulders. His hands gripped my hips and moved my body against the rhythm of his tongue. Over and over he licked, probed and flicked the wet crease.

    Moans I didn¡¯t recognize as my own filled my bedroom. Heat rushed between my legs, building pressure the longer he drove me to the edge. Dizziness filled my head and my body writhed helplessly with each searing stroke of his tongue. Dorian added two fingers to the technique and increased the speed as his mouth and hand worked to send me over. A desperate need built until all that fell from my lips were whimpers. His thumb came up to rub circles around my clitoris and then the pressure broke free.

    Spikes of euphoria washed through my body. A delicious heat spread from my center. My legs tightened around his head as I lost myself in the rapture. My bones turned to jelly as the sensation warmed me from the inside out.

    Dorian slid up my body and claimed my mouth. The taste of me on his lips was sinfully erotic. I raked my nails up his back and through his hair and kissed him until I was dizzy again. He leaned back to look at me. The clouds in his eyes were so dark hardly any gray showed. I half expected to see lightening flash through them. He kissed me again, this time softer¡ªslower.

    At one point, he had removed his underwear, though I couldn¡¯t recall noticing it. Now, the head of his erection pressed against my folds. Slowly he moved his hips forward and I clutched onto his shoulders as he filled me. He didn¡¯t move at first, giving my body time to adjust to his size. I reached up and found his mouth again, slipping my tongue between his lips and kissing him unhurried.

    Dorian began to move his hips. He pushed forward and I arched from the pleasure of the fullness filling me. He withdrew slowly and thrust into me hard¡ª repeatedly. I raked my hands up his back, digging my nails into his skin when he started to pick up speed.

    Dorian¡¯s hands slipped underneath my body and cupped my behind. He yanked my hips against his, crashing our sexes with tantalizing harmony. I thrashed beneath him, pleasure coursing through every nerve ending. The friction of our bodies caused a desperate need that built with each thrust of his rhythmic hips. And when it seemed that pressure would break, Dorian stopped. Something resembling a whimper echoed from my throat.

    Dorian chuckled against my skin, and then slid off the bed. ¡°Come here.¡± His voice was primal and caused a thrill to shoot through me. I eased off the bed and he lifted me up. I wrapped my legs around his waist again and he slid me down onto his hardness. I gasped against his mouth, my body jerking against his as he thrust upward.

    Then he was walking again. We could have been going outside for all I cared. I wasn¡¯t going to let go of him until the needy pressure found its release. We ended up in the bathroom. Dorian set me down and turned me to face the mirror. My breath caught when I realized what he was going to do.

    ¡°I¡¯ve fantasized about taking you right here so many times,¡± he said against my shoulder. I couldn¡¯t speak or think. Dorian buried himself in me again and I clutched onto the sink counter to keep from collapsing. He began to move and my legs trembled beneath me. His arm wrapped around my stomach and helped me stand. I leaned against his hard frame and turned my head back to find his mouth. Our tongues twined as he delved into my folds deeper.

    ¡°Look,¡± he ordered, motioning with his head.

    I turned away from him and watched our sweaty bodies in the mirror. It was one of the most arousing experiences I had ever had. Dorian¡¯s muscular frame towered over me as he claimed my body. His fingers indented my hips and he pressed kisses to my shoulder. The softness of his hair against my heated skin caused goose bumps to erupt.

    We held each other¡¯s gazes through the mirror with raw unadulterated need for one another. The sweet ache reached its peak, quivering for absolution.

    ¡°Hmm¡­more,¡± I begged. My insides wound tight, ready to burst.

    Dorian¡¯s hand slipped down to my dark curls, his fingers forming a circular pattern to match the pace of his thrusts. I cried out, jerking against his body as a tidal wave of ecstasy ripped through my body. Whimpers tore from my lips as aftershocks vibrated my entire frame.

    Dorian picked up speed and I thought I would collapse. He held onto me, steadying my wobbly legs. I was riding the most delicious high, my head foggy and my body spent. Dorian groaned behind me and I found his eyes in the mirror again. He gritted his teeth, his fingers digging into my flesh as he gave into the need consuming him.

    ¡°Fuck!¡± He groaned. After a few seconds, he released his grip and spun me around. His hands framed my face and he kissed me softly before drawling me against his body and holding me against the slickness of his chest. I could feel the slam of my heart against my breasts as I regained my breath.

    Dorian leaned back to look at my face. ¡°My imagination failed me. That was¡­¡± he smiled, ¡°round one. I¡¯ll give you ten minutes to catch your breath. It¡¯s going to take all night to try all the things I¡¯ve imagined doing to you.¡±

    I grinned. ¡°That might be a little difficult.¡±

    Dorian arched a questioning brow.

    ¡°My legs don¡¯t seem to be working.¡± I looked down at said legs. Little spasms vibrated through my skin.

    ¡°Well then,¡± Dorian said. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll just have to hold you the entire time.¡±

    Sweat and sex infused the air. As I stared at Dorian¡¯s nakedness, deliriously sated, a wide smile grew across my face.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, isn¡¯t this about the time you grab your clothes and hit the road?¡± I teased.

    Dorian rested his hands on either side of my hips, pinning me. ¡°You¡¯re it,¡± he breathed, ¡°the exception to my every rule.¡± The amazement in his voice left me speechless. ¡°But don¡¯t for one second think I¡¯m trading in my motorcycle for a minivan. That¡¯s where I draw the line.¡±

    ¡°Deal,¡± I laughed and then paused. ¡°Wait, you can¡¯t¡­I mean angels can¡¯t impregnate women, right?¡± A burst of panic shot through my heart. All supernaturals were different. With Micah I¡¯d been on the pill, and Aiden couldn¡¯t get me pregnant so I stopped taking it. I hadn¡¯t expected to worry about that sort of thing any time soon.

    Dorian smiled. ¡°Yes, you are now carrying my spawn. We¡¯ll go to Lamaze classes and turn Fiona¡¯s room into a nursery. I¡¯m partial to sailboats if it¡¯s a boy and butterflies if it¡¯s a girl.¡±

    My mouth dropped open and my hand went to my stomach. Babies and I were like oil and water. In time, I could come around and want one, but that was in the distant, distant future¡ªif at all.

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    ¡°You are so gullible sometimes,¡± Dorian laughed. ¡°You¡¯re already picturing me as a father? The sex was that good, huh?¡±Advertisement

    I released the breath I hadn¡¯t realized I was holding and smacked his stomach. ¡°You are such an ass sometimes. So, you cannot get me pregnant, right?¡± I needed to hear him say it.

    ¡°I cannot.¡± He kissed the tip of my nose. ¡°Now, enough talk about babies. Your ten minutes are up and the next session takes place right over there.¡± He pointed toward the shower and I laughed to myself.

    ¡°For once, we agree on something.¡±

    It was late, or early, by the time Dorian and I made it to the bed to sleep. The morning sun was beginning to peak through the windows. My body was sated and spent. A tremble still ran through my legs and my skin was sticky with sweat. Dorian stretched out beside me, his arm bent above his head. Turning, I laid on my side and watched the rise and fall of his chest. With my pointer finger, I trailed a path down his chest. When I reached his stomach, I used all of my fingers to feel the ripple of muscles beneath my hand.

    ¡°How are you feeling?¡± Dorian asked, turning to look at me.

    I smiled without thought. ¡°Wiped out,¡± I laughed.

    Dorian caught my hand in his and brought it to his mouth, placing a kiss to my palm. ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant,¡± he said. ¡°No regrets?¡±

    I propped myself up on my elbow. ¡°None.¡±

    ¡°Good, because I¡¯d like to try my hand at this thing called wooing.¡±

    ¡°Wooing?¡± I said with amusement. ¡°Please don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re going all mushy on me?¡±

    Dorian snorted. ¡°I¡¯d do no such thing. But I would like to take you out on a date, see how that goes. I want to experience a night with you by my side as my¡­not friend.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t help it, I burst out laughing. It not only made me relieved that he hadn¡¯t said girlfriend, but also happy that he wanted to try something out of his comfort zone. I could probably count on one hand the amount of actual dates Dorian had had.

    ¡°As your ¡®not friend¡¯ what would we do?¡±

    ¡°What do people normally do on dates?¡±

    I shook my head. ¡°Uh-huh, I¡¯m not helping you out. I¡¯m too curious to see what you come up with on your own.¡±

    Dorian pulled me close and I laid my head on his chest as his arm encircled my back. He brushed his fingers against my skin. ¡°Okay, but you cannot bitch about my choice of activity then.¡±

    ¡°I promise.¡±

    Silence fell over the room. Dorian was either thinking about our date, or on the verge of falling asleep. My own eyelids were growing heavy. I listened to the calming thump of his heart and absorbed the warmth of our bodies pressed together. A million thoughts filled my head, all mundane compared to my previous worries. Holly and Ian were finally out of my life. I¡¯d met my sister after ten years and I was curled up beside Death. All in all, life was good¡­for now.

    Epilogue

    Two days later¡­.

    I smiled to myself as Fiona laid down two of a kind. She surprised me by coming home last night with her boyfriend in tow. We were sitting at my small kitchen table playing poker.

    I could feel Dorian¡¯s eyes on me and I smiled for a whole other reason. We had spent the past couple days more in the nude than clothed¡ªand he claimed there was still more he wanted to do to me. The man was relentless, and I loved it.

    ¡°Where do you want to go for dinner?¡± Fiona asked, lying down her cards.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t we just eat lunch?¡± I glanced at the clock.

    ¡°Yeah, five hours ago,¡± Fiona said. ¡°I vote for Chow.¡±

    ¡°Sounds good to me,¡± I told her. ¡°What about you guys?¡± I turned and asked Ethan and Dorian. Ethan still didn¡¯t care for me, but he was trying to for Fiona¡¯s sake. Maybe after spending some time with me without the threat of vampires and Holly he would change his mind.

    ¡°I¡¯m okay with anything,¡± Ethan responded.

    ¡°Fine with me,¡± Dorian replied.

    After dinner, Dorian and I stopped by Broomsticks. I called a contractor to fix my broken door, but it still had the plywood covering it. Dorian offered to pay since he demolished it.

    ¡°How do you make your money?¡± I asked him, thoroughly curious.

    ¡°Not everyone has someone to leave their fortunes to. When that happens my name magically appears on their wills.¡±

    ¡°You rob dead people?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not theft if there is no living family to claim their money. It would just go to the state.¡±

    I shook my head, a smile on my face. After checking on my shop, we headed down the sidewalk.

    ¡°New bakery?¡± Dorian nodded towards a brightly lit shop with a pink and brown glowing sign that had a picture of a cupcake with a glittering swirl rising from the top.

    ¡°Must be,¡± I said, eyeing the sign that read: Twisted Treats. ¡°That went up fast. I don¡¯t remember seeing it before.¡±

    Dorian wove his fingers through mine, ¡°Dessert for later?¡± His voice was sinfully suggestive.

    ¡°You know, eventually I will need to get some sleep,¡± I teased.

    ¡°Eventually, yes, but not tonight.¡± He tugged me across the street and toward the new bakery. Wire display shelves sat in front of the wall of windows. Each treat was decorated to perfection. When we stepped inside the tingle of magic prickled against my skin. A petite woman with sandy brown hair smiled at our entrance.

    ¡°Welcome to Twisted Treats,¡± she beamed. Her dress resembled something out of the fifties, with a high waistline, flowing skirt and v-neck bodice. The cherry print added to the retro look. She wiped down a glass case at the back of the store even though the entire place was pristine.

    ¡°Have a look around, everything is half-off for the grand opening.¡± Her smile was wide, a little too cheery for my liking.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± I told her.

    As we browsed, I wandered over to a wooden case with glass doors featuring various cupcakes. The frosting on each glittered with an unnatural glow. My eyes fell on the titles of the desserts: Forever Love, Karma, Still my Heart and many other bizarre names.

    ¡°What are these?¡± I asked as the woman stopped next to me. She tilted her head to the side. Her wide brown eyes held a glint of mischief.

    ¡°Those are special order. Perhaps you would like to try the Forever Love?¡± She signaled to Dorian with a sweep of her eyes and a knowing smiling.

    ¡°Forgive me for being blunt,¡± I said, ¡°but are you selling bewitched cupcakes?¡±

    A musical laugh flitted through her lips and she clasped her hands behind her back. ¡°Everybody needs a little help sometimes and what sort of witch would I be if I did not offer my services to ease their woes?¡±

    ¡°These particular spells are illegal though.¡±

    Her shoulders rose and fell as she took a deep breath, her lips puckering in a pout.

    ¡°Oh, poo! I do so hate troublemakers,¡± she said, bringing her fisted hand up and holding it out towards my face. Her fingers uncurled and revealed a white powder in her palm. Leaning forward, she sucked in a deep breath and blew the dust into my face. I choked, blinking and rubbing away the powder from my eyes.

    When the burn receded, I opened my eyes and was standing in the middle of a street. Houses and frost-covered trees dotted either side of the road. Small snowflakes fell gracefully with the wind, fluttering their way to the ground. I circled around, taking in my surroundings. Nothing looked familiar.

    ¡°Where am I?¡± I mumbled to myself. I scrubbed a hand over my face; running my fingers through my hair as I tried to remember how I ended up standing in the middle of the street. Headlights shone behind me, a honk pierced through the silent night. I jumped out of the way just before the driver reached me.

    I began walking, though I didn¡¯t know where I was going. I couldn¡¯t seem to remember where home was, or if I even had a home. Each time I tried to think of what I was doing before I ended up in the middle of the road, my mind hit a brick wall.

    Heavy footfalls beat against the pavement behind me. I peeked over my shoulder to see a large man running towards me. Fear raced through my veins and urged my feet to run. I took off, holding my purse to my chest as the man continued to chase me.

    ¡°Gwen!¡± He called, but I did not stop.

    I sprinted to the nearest house, panic causing my breaths to grow shallow. My fist pounded against the front door of the home while I watched the man getting closer over my shoulder.

    ¡°Help, please,¡± I called to the people behind the door. ¡°A man is chasing me.¡±

    Right when the door opened, the man caught up with me. I shrieked, whirling around and stumbling into the homeowner.

    ¡°What the heck is going on?¡± The woman snapped.

    ¡°This man¡­is trying to kill me,¡± I cried.

    Instantly the dead roses lining the home came alive, their thorny branches reaching towards the menacing man and wrapping around his legs and stopping him. His lips peeled back in a snarl as the thorns cut through his clothes.

    ¡°Holy shit,¡± I yelled, backing away from the homeowner. ¡°You¡¯re a¡­a¡­witch!¡±

    ¡°Actually I am an elf,¡± she said, eyeing me with worried interest.

    ¡°Gwen,¡± the man said, ¡°what the hell is wrong with you?¡±

    ¡°You know this man?¡± The lady asked.

    ¡°Of course she knows me,¡± the man snapped. ¡°My name is Dorian Hade and I¡¯m her, for lack of a better word, boyfriend.¡±

    My mouth dropped open and I shook my head in disagreement. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen you in my entire life.¡± He said boyfriend like it tasted bad on his tongue. A sure sign he was lying.

    The roses circled up the man¡¯s legs. ¡°Hey, watch the package,¡± he said, his hands going to cover his crotch.

    ¡°I¡¯m calling the police,¡± the lady said. ¡°They will be able to sort this all out.¡±

    ¡°Gwen, tell her you know me,¡± Dorian urged.

    I backed away from the both of them. ¡°You have me confused with someone else¡­I don¡¯t know who Gwen is. My name is¡­¡± I frowned, coming to another brick wall.

 Page 49

    The man¡¯s mouth dropped open, his face going slack. After a few seconds, he turned toward the homeowner and said, ¡°Call the police. Something is wrong with her.¡±Advertisement

    Panic surged through my beating heart and I began to take small steps backwards. It was the man who was delusional, not me. He probably had the cops in his pocket. My eyes fell to the lady and then to the vines she controlled. Wherever I was, all of the people were insane. I spun around and ran as far away from them as I could.