Chapter 4
Edwina
What the hell was I thinking? I shouldn’t have agreed to go with Hank. Having to face Kragen after all this time is bad enough, but returning to N’awlins puts me in Cash’s path. A place I don’t want to be. One thing’s for sure though: I can’t return the way I left. The last thing I need is trouble with the Falls Creek Council, too.
The door creaks open, and Beaumont, the Ancient vampire, stands on the other side. His bushy salt-and-pepper eyebrows shoot up. “What are you doing here, Edwina?”
“I need to see Luc. Is he in?”
“Wait in the study. I’ll get him.” Beaumont pushes the door shut and glides down the hall.
Stepping into the room, I’m instantly greeted with laughter. It stops and Kelsie and Victor look up.
“Edwina,” Victor says flatly.
“Victor.”
His mate glares at me.
“Calm down, Kelsie,” I tell the child. “I’m here to see Luc.”
“I’m here.” The low-pitched voice comes from the hallway. “Victor and Kelsie, give us some privacy.”
The succubus hybrid and I exchange deadly glances before Victor sweeps her out of the room.
Taking a seat in front of the fireplace, Luc points to the vacated wingback chair. He steeples his hands in front of his chest before speaking. “What do you want, Edwina?”
“I’m leaving town.”
Luc tilts his head to the side. “Is this permanent?”
“No. Kragen just needs my help.” Telling the head of Council about Hank would be a colossal mistake.
“We spoke recently. Kragen said he contacted you, but he didn’t think you’d come.” Luc reaches for the bottle of crimson on the table next to the chair. “Join me?”
“Yes, please,” I say. Luc always has the good stuff.
He passes me a goblet, and the fragrant beverage tickles my nose. “What changed your mind?”
A good lie will suffice. “Kragen has done a lot for me. I owe it to him.”
“No other reason?” Luc eyes me from over the rim of the glass.
I squirm. Why is it everyone thinks they know me so well?
“Because you’ve allowed everyone to know you.” Luc reads my thoughts before taking a sip. “Edwina, we go back too far to start keeping secrets now.”
“Ancient history, Lucas.” I try to focus on the life-giving fluid in my glass.
“Doesn’t mean I’ve stopped caring about what happens to you, my dear.”
“What do ya think ya know?” I drain the glass to keep from saying something stupid while reconstructing the shield around my thoughts.
“Before you shut me out, you were thinking about Hank. That’s an interesting turn of events. It’s my place to—”
“Warn me the relationship is forbidden?” I set the glass on the table. “Tell me, Luc. Who am I supposed to hook up with? The vampires in this coven stay away from me as if I have the plague. I can’t travel freely without reporting to ya. Am I to spend my eternity alone?”
Luc purses his lips. “Sounds like a personal problem. You can’t go around harming others and not have any repercussions.”
“Everyone I’ve harmed deserved it.” I won’t sit back and become fodder for everyone’s jokes. A spell or two cast in the right places would put a stop to the abuse.
“And it’s that attitude which ended our relationship, Edwina. You still have not learned to be submissive.”
I stand up. “If that’s the type of relationship ya have with Inés, more power to ya. I’m nobody’s sub.”
“You still don’t get it. Really a pity.” Luc shakes his head. “Be sure to report in when you return.”
I can’t get home fast enough. That high-and-mighty prick has a lot of damned nerve trying to tell me how to behave. I’m still amazed I ever found anything admirable in him.
You were desperate.
Not anymore!
Slamming the heavy door behind me, I stop in my tracks. Bloody meat smells, coming from my kitchen, hit my nose. My anger makes me blind sometimes. I failed to notice Hank’s car outside.
“Everything all right, Edwina?” He calls out from his spot in front of the gourmet stove. If it weren’t for Hank, none of my high-end appliances would be used.
“Yes. Nothing to worry about.”
He removes a large steak from the built-in grill and places it on a platter. “It’s quite rare. Want some?”
It’s times like this I wish I still ate food. I push past him and yank open the fridge door. Hank’s replenished my supply. My lips curl up when I notice a few bags of AB negative on the shelf. I grab a packet and rip off the cap. I down half the container before I realize Hank’s staring at me.
“What?” I ask and wipe my lips.
“Shall we start over?” Hank hands me a napkin before taking a seat at the island. He cuts into his steak and says, “Hi, Angel. How was your day?”
Using the napkin, I clean my mouth and chin. I take a deep breath. One…two…three…four… Exhale.
“Edwina?”
“I went to see Luc.”
“Why?”
“Whenever I leave town, I have to report to him. Part of my punishment.” I sit across from Hank.
“They’re still punishing you for going after Alexander?”
“Ridiculous, right? Anytime I leave they want to make sure I’m not on the hunt again.” I crush the empty vinyl bag in my hand. “Why are ya here?”
“Not yet, Angel.” Hank speaks around a mouthful of steak. “We need to finish this discussion first. What did Lucas say that pissed you off?”
Great. It’s something else Hank doesn’t know about me, and I’m not sure I want to divulge it all.
Do you want to lose him?
My mouth opens and closes before I spit out, “He said I didn’t know how to submit.”
“Wait just a fuck!” Hank drops the fork on the granite counter. “You don’t submit to anyone! Not me. Not him.” Pushing his plate aside, he stands. “I think I need to have a chat with Mr. Council Leader.”
I jump off the stool and rush to Hank’s side. “No! Ya don’t have to defend me. I’m good.”
Narrowing eyes gaze down at me. “Explain. No bullshit either, Edwina.”
I take a step backward. “Luc was the first.”
“The first what?” Hank bares his teeth.
Involuntarily, I take another step back as if the shadows could envelop and protect me. The words topple from my mouth. “The first being I was intimate with after Alexander turned me.”
Hank holds his head back and roars. The plate and silverware clatter on the counter. My feet refuse to move. I don’t know whether to be scared or ashamed. So I wait.
Time ebbs and flows as I wait for Hank to stop. As the noise dies down, he picks up his plate and shoves the rest of the meat into the trash. The dishes are placed haphazardly in the dishwasher, and he shoots me a venomous look before stepping out of the kitchen.
Slowly, I tiptoe behind him. “Hank? Say something.”
He whirls around. His hands fist while his eyes bulge. “Don’t you think you should have told me you were fucking the damned Council leader?”
I flinch. “It was decades ago. I met Lucas when I arrived in Paris. He was newly turned, too. We were desperate. Two souls looking for a little compassion.”
“The undead don’t have souls,” Hank growls and turns away from me.
I stand my ground unable to move toward him. His words shouldn’t hurt me, but they do. My throat aches as I say, “Be that as it may, it was short-lived. He told me my problem was I wouldn’t submit to him. Luc believed females had little worth. He still does.”
Hank’s hands clench and unclench repeatedly. “You. Do. Not. Submit. Ever. Understood?”
I shake my head, but he doesn’t notice. His back is still to me.
“Do you understand, Edwina?” he yells, facing me.
“Yes! Yes! I don’t submit ever to anyone.”
His chest heaves up and down. “That asshole doesn’t rule you. The BGS doesn’t rule you. Do whatever the fuck you want. Understood?”
Fear makes me say, “Yes.”
Hank swallows loudly. “As long as I’m by your side, you don’t worry about reporting to Luc Duquette ever again. It’s one of the things I had an issue with before I gave up the cluster for Sheila—females being forced to submit. Panther organization isn’t quite like that of the wolves. We don’t have alphas or betas, but we do have elders. They believe females shouldn’t have any influence over the cluster. I disagree.”
“That’s why ya gave it up?”
“Yeah. It left me on my own, but it was better than putting up with that bullshit. No one disrespects you, Angel. If you learn nothing while we’re together, remember that.”
My forehead furrows. “Did ya say we’re together?”
“Yeah.” A questioning expression crosses Hank’s face before he walks toward the double doors. “I guess I did.”
“Where are ya going?”
“I need some air. Be back in an hour.” The confusion dissipates and is replaced with a mischievous look. “And Edwina, this is the only time I’m gonna give you an order and expect you to follow it.”
Cocking my head to the side, I fold my arms over my chest. “And what would that be?”
“When I come back, I want your naked ass in the hot tub.” He faces me. “My beast needs some time to play.”
Damn. Never in all my years have I had a man, human or otherwise, stand up for me. Never has anyone cared enough to make sure I could stand up for myself. That shit is hot.
“Oh, and one more thing… If you can walk when I’m done, I’m taking you out tonight.”
My lips curl up. “Really? Now, where are ya taking me, cher?”
“Don’t know, and right now I don’t care. Just know your days of hiding out in this…” Hank sweeps his muscular arms out. “No more hiding from the world, Angel.”
“Ya finished, dawlin’?”
“I am.”
I glide over to him and wrap my arms around his neck. “Thank ya.”
Hank’s hands go to my hips. “For what? Being a lunatic?”
“No. For showing concern for me. I assure ya what happened with Luc was years ago. He left me. I didn’t see him again until I came to Falls Creek.”
The corners of Hank’s eyes crinkle up. Damn this man is handsome when he smiles at me like I’m a ray of sun. I could get used to this.
“Maybe ya can skip ya run? We take this upstairs?” I urge.
He kisses my forehead. “Naw, Angel. I need to run. If not, my beast will rip the shit out of your pretty little pussy. And we both don’t want that.”
Hank slips out the door, leaving me tingling with anticipation.