Chapter Nineteen
“I don’t get it.” Bride pointed the pizza she held at the television. “How does she control her dragon?”
Dani pulled her leg on the couch and hugged it while she turned her cell phone over in her hand. “Her three dragons.”
Dani stared at her phone. Ramsey had a social media profile, but he hadn’t done anything to update it. No posts. No information. His only picture was a profile one that looked as though it had been taken without his knowledge. He wore an old white t-shirt and striped pajama pants. His hair stuck up in different directions, and his face was scrunched together in a frown. She knew that look. He must’ve just woken up. Ramsey was always grouchy when he woke up. He would leave before the sun rose and come back looking as unhappy and grouchy as he did in the picture.
She ran her finger across her screen, imagining that she was taming his hair, putting it back into place. The only way she’d been able to change his mood was by dumping him in a hot shower then getting in with him. His grouchiness would quickly slide away, replaced by hot, sexy man.
“Huh?”
Dani finally looked up and pretended to follow along with the show that was on television. “She has three dragons, not one.”
Bride took another bite of her pizza. “So what’s to stop them from attacking her army? Like, how do the dragons know not to burn up the allies?”
Dani shrugged and rested her chin on her knee. “I don’t know. Maybe because the writers write it so that they don’t?”
“They should make this show more realistic,” Bride said with a mouth full of food.
Dani rolled her eyes. “Yeah, I wonder how they can make this fantasy show more realistic.” She went back to staring at her phone. Nadine had probably snapped Ramsey’s picture. She couldn’t imagine Marcos being that sneaky. Marcos would’ve probably found it beneath him or something. Too bad she hadn’t gotten a chance to meet Nadine. She was sure they would’ve become allies. It was for the better though. Not to have gotten too wrapped up in Ramsey’s life.
Because the break-up would’ve gone smoother? Dani snorted. She couldn’t have asked for a more amicable break-up. She told him to leave and he’d left.
Bride snapped her fingers. “Earth to Dani.”
Dani looked up again. “What?”
“I was asking you who that hot guy with the brooding look and dark hair was, but you were too busy drooling over Ramsey’s picture.”
Dani stuffed her phone in her bra. “I’m not drooling. His profile just popped up on my screen.”
Bride raised an eyebrow and chewed slowly. “See, I may not know much about this show, but I know how apps work.” She took another bite of her pizza. “You’re stalking.”
“Ugh.” Dani pulled her other leg up and buried her head between her knees. “I can’t get him out of my head.” She hadn’t spoken to him in weeks, and it was clear that she wasn’t going to get over him anytime soon. The only thing that time allotted her to do was wrack her brain about Ramsey and finish her thesis. How she could focus on that task she hadn’t a clue, but in a month, she would have her diploma in her hand.
“So call him.”
“He’s. Married.”
“And maybe they’re separated or going through a divorce or something. Call him and talk about it.”
“I already talked to him about it.” Her voice came out muffled.
“And when did you talk to him exactly?”
“It doesn’t matter.”
“No, really. I’m a little hazy on when this break-up went down. You said when you were in the hospital, but you made it sound like it happened after the cafeteria incident, but it happened before, right? Ramsey didn’t visit you in the hospital—which by the way is kind of a dick move.”
“He did visit me,” she mumbled. It was because of Ramsey that she was alive. But she didn’t tell Bride or anyone else that her vampire boyfriend had fed her his blood, allowing her to make a miraculous recovery. She’d walked out of the hospital three days later on her own leaving a dumbfounded surgical team scratching their heads.
“When?”
The doorbell rang. Dani sprang off the couch. “I’ll get it.” She didn’t need to answer any more questions about Ramsey or the “meltdown” which everyone thought she had.
Libby had beaten her there first, barking and growling. If Libby had weighed more than her thirteen pounds she would be a force to be reckoned with. But as it stood, Libby was all noise and no bite. “Move.” She nudged Libby with a foot and opened the door.
The last person she’d expected stood on her doorstep.
“Alex?”
His perfect mouth eased into a lazy smile. His teeth seemed vibrant and white. Gleaming. “Hello, beautiful.”
Dani frowned. He looked … different. His face was smoother, hair shinier, and his eyes were crisp and bright. An alarm sounded in her head, a slow rhythmic tone, warning of danger. “Wh-where have you been?”
She pushed Libby back with her foot. Libby barked and growled, snapping at Alex from behind her. “You were fired from work. You were a no call, no show for a week.”
He lifted a shoulder. “I don’t need that job anymore. I have bigger and better things that I’m in to now.”
She couldn’t put her finger on it. Something was terribly, terribly wrong. “Wh-what are you doing?”
“I came to see you.”
“Why?” She folded her arms. “Did you get the message that I left you, asking you to leave me alone?”
“Ah, the message.” He gave her a knowing wink. “I got it.”
Uneasiness crept around her. Something wasn’t right. He wasn’t right. “I don’t want company. I-I’m still recovering.” She touched her forehead. “You’ll have to go now.”
Alex took in a deep breath, closing his eyes briefly as he did. Then he erupted into violent coughs and gagged. “You reek of him. It’s pungent.”
She eased her hand around the doorknob and engaged the lock. “Who?”
“Ramsey,” he spat when he said the name. “I’m going to kill him for marking what’s mine.” Venom radiated off of him.
Her knees wobbled, and she eased closer to the side, pulling the door close to her back. “H-he didn’t mark me, a-and I’m not yours.” She couldn’t back down. She knew guys like Alex. He would walk all over her if she let him.
Alex sneered and threw a hand up. Dani jumped.
“He did!” Alex spit when he shouted. He leered at her. Dani held tight to the door, preparing to slam it in his face. “His scent is all over you. It’s coming out of your goddamn pores.” Alex cursed and turned in a tight circle, pawing at his head. “This won’t do. This just won’t do. How can I claim you if he already did?” Then Alex stopped and snapped his fingers. “Mistress will know what to do. She knows everything.”
“Mistress? Who are you talking about?” Her mind told her to slam the door in his face, barricade it and hide. But she stood there gripping the door frame. Her hands trembling.
“Angelina.”
Vampire.
Dani slammed the door and locked it.
Alex laughed, loud and hard from the other side. “Do you really think that will stop me?”
Dani stared at the door, shaking her head. No. No. No. No.
“Dani? Who is it?” Bride stood at the end of the hallway.
“Go hide, Bride.”
A scraping sounded on the door. More laughing. “Dani. Let me in,” Alex sang.
Libby barked and snarled at the door.
“Huh?” Bride asked.
Dani picked up Libby and took off down the hallway. She forced Libby into Bride’s arms. “Go out the back.”
Crash!
Both Dani and Bride jumped. Dani looked over her shoulder just in time to see the front door crack and splinter. “Go! Now!” She pushed Bride away.
Bride pushed back. “I’m not leaving you. What the hell is going on?”
Bam!
The front door split in two. One side hung on the hinges, and the other fell against the wall then slid to the floor. Dani could only hope that the piece of door that now blocked the hallway would give Bride enough time to scramble out the back window. Alex watched them from the other side. He glared at them from the slits of his eyes.
Wasn’t there some rule about a vampire not being able to enter the house unless she invited him?
Alex stepped inside and lifted a foot then slammed it down on the door, crushing it.
Scratch that myth.
Her stomach twisted in a massive knot. He was going to kill them.
“Who is he?” Bride asked, her voice rising to a hysterical level.
“Come to me,” Alex commanded.
“No. Get out of my house!” Libby barked and struggled against her, trying to get at Alex.
Alex frowned, confused. Then he stomped and pointed to a spot in front of him. “Dani, come to me. Now!”
Dani moved in front of Bride, shielding her. “Leave my house now, Alex!” She wanted to call the police, but what could they do? Alex was a vampire. They couldn’t do anything but get killed.
Alex balled his fists and let out a bloodcurdling scream. “Are you fucking kidding me! I finally have the ability to make anyone do whatever I tell them to, and it doesn’t work on you?”
Dani stared at him wide-eyed. He was losing his mind, and there was no way to get him out of her house. “Please, just leave, Alex.”
“You’re immune to my allure because he gave you his blood, marking you as his.”
Thank you for the blood, Ramsey.
Alex shook his head at a violent pace. “That’s okay. Angelina will figure this out for me.” He talked to himself. “I have to stick to her plan.”
“What do you want?” Dani asked. She found renewed strength. Ramsey had at least left her a parting gift. Alex wouldn’t be making her hurt herself anytime soon.
“I told you. I came for you. You’re mine now.” Alex sauntered down the hallway. “I wanted to make this easy. To come in here and enthrall you so that you would come with me willingly, but I guess I’ll have to do it the old-fashioned way. By force.” He threw back his head and chuckled. His vampire teeth were on full display. He was ready to feed. Pee dripped down her leg. “I like it a little rough anyway. This should be fun.”
Dani’s mind raced. Ramsey said not to run from predators. Should she fight? She glanced around for a weapon. Unless an empty pizza box could be MacGyvered into a sharp object they were so screwed.
“I’ll do whatever you want. Just let my sister go.”
“What the fuck?” Bride yelled over her shoulder. “You will not be doing anything this asshole wants.”
“Really?” Alex asked jokingly.
Dani put up her arms, blocking Bride from doing anything crazy. “Don’t listen to her. She doesn’t know anything.”
“Dani, it’s two against one. We can take this asshole.”
Sweet Jesus.
Alex smirked. “Throw the dog.”
“Wh—” Bride didn’t have enough time to get out the question before she tossed Libby to the side.
Dani whipped around and caught Libby mid-air. Bride glanced down, pulling her eyebrows together in confusion and focused on her outstretched hands. “Why did I do that?”
“Angelina promised me you. But I think that I might indulge and keep you both.”
Dani shook her head. She had to get her sister out of this. “Please, Alex,” she begged. “Please let her go. If it’s me you want then you can have me.”
Alex glared over Dani’s shoulder at Bride, who was still trying to figure out why she’d thrown Libby. Dani stepped to the side, blocking his view. “Please.”
He pulled his hungry gaze from Bride to look at Dani. His eyes roamed over her body, intrusive and needy. He violated her without removing a piece of clothing. “You didn’t want me before. Now you’re dying to be mine?”
She nodded. Anything to save Bride.
He threw his head back and laughed again. He sure was cracking himself up. “You only want me because I’m a vampire now. Look at you jonesing for me to take you.”
She nodded vehemently. “I do. Anything you say. I want it.”
“You know that I could get any woman that I want now.” He brought his hand up and picked at his nails. “I could’ve before, too, but for some reason, I always wanted you.” He blew at his fingers, pretending that they were having a normal conversation and he didn’t have murder in his eyes. “Maybe because when the other nurses were vying for my attention, you never gave me a second thought. You were something to be conquered.”
“I-I wasn’t in my right mind before.”
Bride pressed against her back. “Dani, what is he talking about?” she whispered.
His playful grin dropped and turned to something sinister. His teeth grew, stabbing him in his bottom lip. “I tried to give you the opportunity to get a sample of what you were missing, but you acted like I was bothering you.” He snorted and watched her like she was the crazy one. “Me! Bothering you! Can you imagine how that made me feel?”
She shook her head. “I’m so sorry about that.”
“And then your boyfriend came, thinking he was all better than me. Ha!” Alex clapped, a loud thunderous sound that made both her and Bride jump and Libby cower in her arms. “But now I’ll show him. I can’t wait to see the look on his face when he sees you following me around like the little bitch that you are.”
She continued to shake her head. “H-he won’t care. He’s married to Angelina.”
Alex pushed out his bottom lip, giving her a pitying look. “I know, baby, and Angelina wants him back. She’s an old as dirt vampire, and she needs my help to get Ramsey back.” He threw his arms out to the side. “Can you imagine? She needs me.”
“Why would you even associate yourself with someone like her?” Dani couldn’t help asking. The disgust rolled off her tongue.
“Why?” Alex leaned forward and laughed again. “Because she gets me and she appreciates who I am. I mean who I really am.” He poked out his chest. “I don’t have to pretend that I’m a good person in front of her. She knows that I used to steal narcotics from work and take them to the junkies and have them work off their payment.” He bit into his lip and thrust his hips out. “Or that I’ve been having sex with the coma patients at work.” He balled his fist and humped the air. “Do you know how much ass I’m going to get with my new abilities now?” Blood trickled down his chin.
“What new abilities?” Bride asked. “What’s all this talk about vampires? You sound crazy as fuck.”
Dani backed-up. “Bride, no—”
“Drop to your knees.”
Bride fell to her knees. Her bones cracked as they hit the floor. Bride’s face contorted and turned red. She opened her mouth wide and roared in pain.
“Shut up,” Alex said.
Bride immediately pinched her lips closed.
“Alex, please. Stop,” Dani begged. She hovered around Bride, wiping the tears from her cheeks.
Alex ignored her. “Come here.”
Bride crawled to him. Dani jumped in front of her, trying to block her way, but Bride fought to get around her.
“Alex, you don’t have to do this,” Dani cried, pushing Bride back. “I’ll go with you. Anywhere you want.”
Bride stopped in front of Alex’s crotch. Tears streamed from her eyes.
Dani tried to push her body in the small space between them. No. No. No. This cannot be happening.
Alex turned his glare to Dani. “I can make her suck me off right here if I want to.”
Dani’s vision clouded with tears. “Please,” she begged softly. “Don’t.”
“You’ll be mine?”
Dani nodded as tears fell down her face. “All yours. Only yours.”
“The moment I get tired of you I’ll come back for her.”
Dani clutched her hands together, begging. “You won’t get tired of me. I promise.”
“Let’s go.” He turned and strutted to the front entrance.
Dani helped Bride stand, then pressed Libby into her arms.
Bride heaved and cried. “Dani, I don’t know what the fuck is going on, but I can’t let you leave with him.”
Dani hugged Bride and kissed her on the cheek. “You have no choice. I love you.” She ran down the hall and stopped before stepping outside. “And tell Dad that I love him, too.”
Dani stepped over the threshold, into the cool night air and took Alex’s hand in hers.