Part Three
Tessa went to bed alone that night. Her mind reeled with thoughts of the Calder, her foster parent’s death, and the impending doom she could see on the horizon. Was she safe here? Or would the Calder find her here, killing her newfound family?
Family…
Kristian and Veronica had grown on her, their lives easily blending until Tessa could no longer see the seams. She thought of her life before, ever moving from place to place. She loved the open road, loved seeing the sun rise over mountains and forests. But, the Calder had been right behind her. Kristian had been right, she’d only been a few steps away from death on her own.
Tessa bit down on her lip, trying to chase away the thoughts that plagued her. Instead, she turned her mind to the kiss they’d shared on this very bed. She’d wanted so much more and the realization startled her. It hadn’t been his thought. That was her own.
Her feet moved of their own accord, pulling her from the guest suite bed. Despite being full of male vampires, the house was surprisingly quiet. She could hear their murmuring thoughts, but they were nowhere to be seen Tessa padded through the kitchen, wearing nothing more than one of Kristian’s oversized t-shirts. She crept into the pantry, closing the door gently behind her before turning to find the secret latch. It popped beneath her finger and the shelf swung open to reveal a dark stairwell.
She hesitated on the precipice, Veronica’s warning echoing through her. Was this a road that she was prepared to walk? Would it lead her on the path to becoming like him? She could feel the memory of his lips against hers, the press of his hands on her hips.
Finally, she swallowed hard and pushed the secret door closed. Maybe she wanted him physically, but she wasn’t ready to give more than that. Tessa turned around, letting herself out of the pantry, and came face to face with Veronica.
She froze to the spot.
The vampire sat on a stool at the granite counter, hunched over a coffee mug. Tessa knew that it wasn’t coffee. Veronica spared her a look before throwing back the contents of her mug. She pushed off the stool and sauntered over to where Tessa stood.
“Don’t drag him behind you. His heart has been put through the shredder enough times. If you break his heart and he… greets the sun, then I swear I will not stop until you’re dead. That said, I like you, Tessa. If you have the balls take Ally head on as a human, I think you fit right in.
“You need to make a decision. Either get out of here before he becomes too attached, or give it your all.” With her piece said, Veronica pushed past Tessa, quickly disappearing into the house.
In the early hours of the morning, Tessa rose from bed to get a glass of water. Her sleep had been fitful after her trek downstairs. Veronica’s words were at war with the desire she couldn’t hold back. She imagined laying him back against the black comforter, his ivory skin cool beneath her hands. In her mind, she imagined running her hands down his muscled thighs as her head dipped to kiss the skin above his groin. Would he groan at her touch? As she gulped down the water, she wasn’t sure when the last time was that water was this pleasing to her parched throat.
As she set her glass down in the sink, she saw that the secret door to Kristian’s apartment was open. Chewing her lip, she decided that she was lonely. Downstairs, Kristian sat on the leather couch, oversized mug in hand. For a moment, Tessa wondered if they drank from the opaque mugs so that she didn’t have to see their contents.
She moved to sit beside him on the plush couch, her bare thigh grazing his. A soft smile touched his lips as she leaned into him. She felt Kristian’s hand on her lower back, gently tracing her scars with his fingertips.
“A little of my blood would heal that, if you would allow me,” he said.
She looked at him over her shoulder, brushing back her hair.
“That wouldn’t…um…make me a vampire? Since you have drank from me already?”
“No, darling,” he said. “You would need to drink some of my blood for that to happen.”
“Well. I guess the movies got something right,” Tessa replied.
“Indeed,” Kristian said softly. “You haven’t answered my question.”
His fingertips still played against her skin, distracting her. “I don’t know. I have had them so long, I’ve sort of learned to live with them. I just don’t wear anything backless. Or bikinis, for that matter.”
“There are many things I will never understand. Cruelty to children in one of them. I abhorred it in my lifetime and I’m ashamed to see that it has not abated in the long years since I turned. Whatever could you have done to make them act in such a way means little. I can’t say that I am too worried about your foster parents being gone from the planet.”
“Part of me feels that way,” Tessa admitted. “Another part of me doesn’t. It’s a mixed bag of emotions. I mean, shouldn’t life be sacred?”
“What was your life like before, with your birth parents? Before they sent you away?” he asked.
Tessa sighed. She never talked about these things with anyone. Instinctively, she’d always known that one day, a man would want to be close enough to her to know about all the dark parts of her life. Perhaps she would even feel the need to tell him. But she’d only half believed it would ever happen. It was easier to imagine her life would always be on the road, no explanations required and no one to answer to. She should have known the safety of her nomadic existence couldn’t last forever. At least she knew Kristian would not judge her.
“I don’t have a lot of memories of my early childhood. I remember being small and feeling secure with my family. But those years between five and thirteen? Almost nothing.”
“But they were good to you?” Kristian asked. “Before they sent you away, they didn’t hurt you?”
“No, they never hit me or…punished me.”
Kristian paused for a moment, and Tessa felt the need to fill the uneasy silence. “I know it’s strange,” she said. “I really can’t explain to you why.”
“Will you let me heal you?” he asked again.
She nodded in agreement. Putting her glass down, she laid down on her stomach. He opened the drawer of his bedside table and took out a knife. She heard him sigh as he drew the blade against his own skin. In a few moments, she was aware of blood dripping onto her back. It felt oddly cool, but grew warm against her skin; there was a moment of discomfort as she felt her flesh tighten and shift.
“Come have a look,” he said.
They got up and went into the bathroom. Kristian wiped away the remainder of the blood from Tessa’s skin with a towel. She stared at her reflection. Something shifted inside of her.
“Thank you,” she said, tears threatening to fall.
He lifted her chin with the tip of his finger. “It’s nothing,” he said.
Tessa was the one to move first. She wrapped an arm around the back of his neck, rising on tiptoes to meet his lips. His kiss was ravenous, his fingers digging into her hips as he pulled her closer. This close, she could feel the length of his manhood as it grew in excitement. It pressed against her lower stomach, starting a fire in her core.
Kristian lifted her from the floor and she wrapped her legs around his waist. As he walked them toward the bed, his teeth nipped at the skin of her neck, never quite hard enough to break the skin. Unable to contain himself any longer, he dropped Tessa onto his bed. His eyes devoured her from head to toe, her skin tingling beneath her gaze.
He crawled atop her, his mouth devouring hers. She returned his kiss greedily, a clashing of teeth and tongue. Rolling over, she straddled his lap. He ripped through her tank top and bra as if they were made of paper. His cold, hard hands grasped her breasts, and she sucked in a sharp breath at the sensation, but then his warm mouth closed over her nipple, and she melted into the pleasure of his expert sucking and nibbling. She let her fingers grip his earth-toned hair, and she arched her back so she could rock against the erection beneath his jeans. He growled in response before tearing away the last bit of her clothing. Tessa reveled in the feel of his cold fingers across her skin, traveling south.
Kristian flipped them over, straddling her naked form. She reached for his belt, but he growled and pinned her hands above her head.
“Don’t move,” he instructed with a tone she had to obey.
She bit her lip, struggling against her desire to undress him and see him and feel him. He watched her, clearly enjoying the control. He pulled back and stood for a delicious moment, admiring her petite body. Then he unbuttoned his shirt, revealing his pale torso, toned and lean and narrow. Tessa wanted to push it off his shoulders, to run her hands down his chest. He unzipped his pants but did not remove them. Instead, he knelt in front of the bed and pulled her toward his parted lips. She felt anticipation tighten her.
“Oh god,” she said.
“No gods here. Now stop talking,” he ordered, then silenced her with his tongue.
Her back arched immediately, rising from the pleasure. He flicked and sucked and then, to her great pleasure, slipped two cold fingers inside of her. This sent her crashing into an orgasm so fierce, she failed to remain quiet. She cried out in pleasure, and he let her.
Damn anyone who overheard their lovemaking.
Then he was on top of her, completely and suddenly nude, and she could not help but break the rules and move her hands over him, exploring and pulling him closer. He very deliberately stilled her hands and forcibly moved them to their place above her head once again. Then, ever so slowly, he bent his head to her neck. Fear rippled through her body, teasing her pleasure immeasurably. But she heard very clearly in his mind, Trust me.
He kissed the flesh above her collarbone and then moved to the peak of her shoulder. She felt the tiniest sharp pain, as if he had pricked her with a needle. He drew back and watched the blood from his small bite pool and dribble toward her breast. Before it could hit the white comforter, he used his tongue to follow the trail back up her shoulder. He closed his lips around the tiny opening in her flesh. He sucked, but with the utmost control. She let him taste, barely allowing herself to breathe.
And then she felt just the tip of him. She groaned. He slowly entered her, but not all the way. She shuddered.
“Beg me,” he said.
“Please,” she whispered. And that was enough. He thrust hard into her. She moved to touch him, and when he did not instruct her to stop, she let her nails claw greedily over his back, pulling him closer still. He thrust into her again, and again, and again. His rhythm was so precise that she could feel herself build immediately. She shuddered and curled further around him. She came so hard, she could not even draw breath. He withdrew himself and forcibly turned her over so that her belly rested on the bed and her ass was in the air. He entered her from behind with no respite, but she did not want one. She would let this creature love her for eternity.
Once behind her, he thrust into her once, twice, three times before coming, producing a guttural growl of pleasure that reminded her of an animal. But he had claimed to be no such thing.
Tessa curled into his lean body, happiness filling her for the first time in a long while as she drifted back to sleep. She dreamed of a silver-haired woman with a red book, with pages that filled themselves with lines of familiar curving script.
“What’s the plan? I understand you already worked around improving house security, but are we expected to stay inside for the time being?” Kristian asked.
Tessa was gathered with Kristian, his sister, and the four guards in the kitchen. The ocean could be seen from this vantage point. Bright sunlight drifted into the windows, making the atmosphere seem light and peaceful, despite the dark reasons their gathering. It was easy for Tessa to forget they were under such careful watch when she and Kristian were downstairs in the basement apartment. Seeing all of these powerful vampires together brought home to her the seriousness of the threat they were under. The Calder were literally the thing that monsters feared.
Morgan was the first to speak up.
“No, we’re not suggesting you stay home all day. In fact, you are probably less of a target on the street because the witches won’t want to be seen in public, much less do anything to hurt you. We’re not taking any chances though. If you want to leave the house, one of us will shadow you. One guard will remain here at the house at all times, watching in shifts.”
“How long are we supposed to keep this up?” Veronica asked. “All of you living here?”
All the eyes in the room turned to her. It was obvious to Tessa her real problem was how long she was going to have to subsist under the same roof with her ex-lover. Veronica’s mind churned between thoughts of anger and lust, all of which was directed at Morgan.
“As long as it takes,” Morgan replied. “Until Ally gives us the call saying the threat has been averted.”
“Great,” Veronica hissed.
“If it helps, ma’am, we’ll be as nonintrusive as possible,” Ryan said. It was the first-time Tessa heard him speak in more than monosyllables. She was surprised by his lilting southern accent. “The goal is not to disrupt your life. Just make sure you continue to have one.”
“You guys are going to have to forgive me for asking, but I am new to all this. Exactly what kind of powers do these witches have?” Tessa asked.
Jared, the vampire with cocoa brown skin, brushed his goatee thoughtfully. “They can do many things. They can produce controlled bursts of fire through their palms. It’s how they killed the older couple you find yesterday.”
“They did that with their…?” Tessa couldn’t imagine. She had assumed Melissa and Jim were killed with some sort of magical implement. An image of a black-eyed woman popped into her mind—one of Jared’s memories. In the vision, the head rolled across the floor with a thump that made bile rise in his throat.
“You beheaded one?” Tessa asked. The face seemed oddly familiar to her.
“It’s the fastest and most effective way to kill them,” Jared replied. “Bloodletting will do the trick, as well as drowning, but both of those methods require greater risk because it means getting close to them. They practice all kinds of blood magic. We have the house warded against it, but with the Calder, one can’t make assumptions about what they are able to do. They’re constantly studying higher realms and different forms of magic, and so are we. Bullets won’t kill them, but it will slow them down. Anything which can make them hurt is good because their magic requires a certain amount of concentration. Break that, and you can buy yourself some time in a confrontation.”
“Good to know,” Tessa said, crossing her arms.
“I have things to do,” Veronica said. “I’m not staying home today.”
“Trevor will accompany you,” Morgan said quickly. He turned to Kristian. “You and Tessa are going out?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll drive you,” Morgan said. “I won’t let you out of my line of sight.”
For the past, several days, Tessa felt like a refugee—a well-cared for refugee in an immaculate beach house, but she felt odd because she still didn’t have any of her own things. She fled the city with Kristian and Veronica without getting a chance to pack a bag. All of her things had been destroyed. Tessa had gotten by with washing her jeans and wearing Kristian’s shirts.
“I’m sorry that we did not think to do this for you earlier. Things have been quite crazy with the Calder closing in upon us,” Kristian said.
They were walking together in the local mall. Kristian’s neatly tailored suit, probably high end designer, looked out of place. He draped an arm around her as they walked. Morgan was somewhere close by, but never within view.
“I might have been okay with borrowing some of Veronica’s old clothes,” Tessa rolled her eyes. “I could if she actually liked me.”
“She likes you. She’s overly protective of her big brother.”
“Maybe,” Tessa replied softly. “What if I am really the cause of the problem here, or they are just using me to get to you?”
“If that’s so, we face the threat together, as we’re doing now. Speaking of your things. I could hire someone to bring your car and trailer up, if you’d like. Once this is all over we may be able to salvage what was left of it.”
Tessa wasn’t sure. There hadn’t been very much in the trailer—a single place setting of dishes, a blanket, a few old books, and her clothes. She was wearing her favorite pashmina and sneakers on the day she left. The really precious things: her “crystal” ball, tarot cards, and old photographs of her parents were in her purse.
“It sounds like a big cost to have someone drive it across state for the sake of a few possessions.”
“Think about it,” Kristian said. “And let me know what you decide. The money is not an issue, and if you’re worried about me hiring anyone, think of it as giving someone a job for the day. I also want you to remember you can get whatever you like.”
They stopped at a lingerie store first. At first, Tessa felt strange with him hovering behind her, but slowly she relaxed. She led him over to a particularly scandalous bra. It was made of a soft, sheer material, with opaque hearts over where the nipple would be.
She could feel Kristian’s thoughts behind her. His attraction was overwhelming, a warmth suddenly blooming at her core. She smiled, and in an act of daring, added it to her basket. Of course, she had to find the matching panties, bending to search the rack so that her ass was in the air.
Images so clear she could almost feel them greeted her. He thought of grabbing onto her hips and pushing himself deep inside her. She wiggled her hips as she pulled out the right size panties. As she straightened, she turned to find his gaze devouring her. He smiled, knowing full well that she could see what was going through his mind.
Her face warmed. Was she doing this? Was she openly flirting with a vampire?
Yes.
And she was enjoying it.
“Do you plan on trying those on?” Kristian asked.
“Maybe later,” Tessa threw over her shoulder as she moved on. “When we’re back at the beach house.”
This time he fed her an image of...herself, wearing nothing more than the lingerie she had just picked out. She laid across the black, velvet blanket that lay across his bed. Words like want and need filled her.
It was hard to catch her breath. Her own desire was stronger than she’d ever felt before. Tessa looked over her shoulder at the vampire man she’d spent so much time with. She would disintegrate beneath the fire of his emerald gaze. Would sex be as fiery?
Was she brave enough to find out? Tessa added a floral bra and panty set to her basket before adding the harness style bra. It was edgy and reminded her of something Ally might wear.
From there they went to two different clothes stores; the first one was to supply her with basics—jeans, tanks, sweaters and the like. The second store was more trendy, specializing in dresses, jackets, and blouses with flowing, romantic lines. She even found a handmade poncho similar to her favorite pashmina. Tessa looked at the prices and raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. She couldn’t remember ever spending so much money on clothes.
Tessa was ready to take her new prized possessions and go home. As they passed one of the last few stores, she looked up and spotted a beautiful dress in a shop window; it was white with a red rose print, a V-neckline, and a hem just above the knee. It was backless.
“Do you like that?” Kristian asked.
“I’m good, I don’t need anything else.”
“Nonsense,” he said with a grin, and walked into the store. Tessa trailed behind him. He’d already reached the saleswoman, who was smiling at him and literally clutching her pearls. The store was empty of customers and she was obviously happy to assist a handsome, wealthy customer and his lady friend. Kristian could charm anyone with minimal effort. She wouldn’t be surprised if he didn’t even bother to use his vampire mojo.
“Would you like to try the dress on?” the saleswoman asked Tessa.
“Might as well.”
Tessa went back into the dressing room. There were four stalls. Choosing the stall nearest the outside door, she locked herself in and stripped down to her bra and panties. She took a moment to look at her back in the mirror. Her skin was smooth and unmarred by the thick scars she’d had at the small of her back since she was a teenager. Kristian might think healing her was a small gesture of affection but she doubted he understood how much it meant to her.
She pulled the dress over her head. She twirled, looking at herself in the mirror, front and back. Smoothing the fabric over her hips, she turned her back to the mirror, reaching for her handbag.
A woman was standing behind her.
Tessa had no time to scream as a hand was clapped down over her mouth. With her other hand, the woman held a firm grip on her neck.
A dark clad form took shape, the assailant’s face hidden beneath a dark hood. Tessa hit the woman’s arms with her fists, but she would not let go. The vice grip of her hand on Tessa’s throat only tightened. All she could see were the map of red veins in her attacker’s eyes.
“Your little vampires can’t save you from us. Say night night, vamp slut.”
“Why?” Tessa tried to say, but all that was expelled from her throat was a low hiss. Tessa eyed the boot sitting on the dressing room bench. If only she could reach it. Her tiny knife was in there. The edges of her vision were starting to darken. She let herself become a dead weight in her attacker’s arms, dropping a few inches. Tessa’s fingers brushed the edge of the boot. Finally, she had a grasp on the knife hilt.
The woman laughed, a soft little sound that pushed puffs of cold breath into Tessa’s face. “You’ll see soon.”
Vision turning dark, she brought the knife up. It slashed across the attacker’s arms. Rearing back, her attacker barked in pain.
The door of the dressing room was pulled open, and the pressure on Tessa’s neck was suddenly released.
“Oh, you think you’re funny,” Kristian said, pinning the hooded woman to the wall. Her feet dangled above the floor. “How about you play with someone your own size?” he growled.
Tessa sank to the floor of the dressing room. There was dark blood on the blade of the small knife in her hand. Startled, she threw it to the floor. Mustering what strength, she had, she ran out of the dressing room. The store’s inside lights were turned off, but she barely noticed. She ran for the front door, only to find it locked.
“Tessa,” Morgan said, pulling her behind him. “Are you okay?”
Tears sprang to her eyes. She wanted to scream that nothing was okay, and that she wanted no more to do with vampires ever again. She needed to run. She needed to escape. Instead, she swallowed despite the burning pain in her throat. “Yeah.”
From where they stood, she could see behind the sales counter. The young employees sat on a stool behind the register, eyes fixed and body still except for the gentle rise and fall of her chest.
“Is she okay?”
“Yes.” Morgan grinned. “Just a small bit of magic. She won’t even remember we were here.”
Kristian came out of the dressing room, hauling the woman with him. He’d pulled back her hoodie. She strained against him but she was no match for Kristian’s strength. Tessa’s mouth dropped. What she saw didn’t match up with what she expected. Her attacker was a tall, blue-eyed blonde, her greasy hair hanging limp at the sides of her pimpled face. She didn’t look like much older than a kid.
“Charley,” Morgan groaned. “We have to stop meeting like this, kid. Still working for the Calder these days?”
“Whoever pays my fee,” she snarled.
“That’s your problem?” Morgan said. “Your generation of demons has absolutely no scruples. Whatever happened to the days of fire and brimstone with you guys”
“I’m part of the new generation. Capitalism is where it’s at… So, what are you going to do to me?”
Tessa had never thought to ask about the attic in Kristian’s house. She knew that it had one, but it never occurred to her that there would be anything of interest there. It should have been filled with the kind of crap one would collect in two hundred years of life.
Of course, vampires had to find different uses for what would be an ordinary space inside anyone else’s home. It figures, Tessa thought.
The entire room held only two items: an intricately carved mahogany cabinet, and an antique electrocution chair.
The demon, Charley, was strapped into the chair. Fortunately for her, it was only being used to keep her bound. Tessa couldn’t see any wires connected to it, but the buzz of thoughts in the air around her were more than hostile enough. She didn’t want to see what was about to happen.
Morgan moved to open the cabinet doors, revealing a dangerous collection of knives, swords, and other gleaming implements. The tools of torture were within the demon’s line of vision.
All the vampires were gathered around. Tessa stood between Kristian and Veronica. The guards flanked the execution chair, all except for Morgan, who faced the demon.
“We have an interesting problem here,” Morgan said. “We send you back to the Calder, they’ll kill you. We keep you here, and eventually we’ll have to do the same thing.”
“Eventually?” she spat. “Or, I could snap these bindings and start snapping necks. I could begin with the human’s. It’s be easiest.”
Morgan leveled a glare at her that said he wasn’t scared in the least. It was hard to be afraid of something that looked like a teen that listed to too much My Chemical Romance. Tessa, on the other hand, reached to touch the bruises forming on her neck.
“Your life span depends on how forthcoming you are.”
“I’m not down for this torture shit. But there’s not an awful lot I can tell you.”
“Why did you come after Tessa?” Kristian asked. “How about we start there?”
“Look. You don’t like the witches, they don’t like you. I get that. And really, I couldn’t care less what the lot of you do to each other. I was told to scare some sense into her.”
“Your instructions weren’t to kill me?” Tessa asked. “Because it seemed like that’s what you wanted.”
“Okay, so I was a little rough, but you did cut me,” the demon pouted.
“Bitch, really?” Tessa yelled. Kristian grabbed her waist to keep her from pouncing.
A soft murmur of laughter moved among the guards. It only made Tessa angrier when she realized the vampires were amused. Kristian had the good sense not to show any reaction.
“I could have told you,” Veronica said drily. “She doesn’t lack spunk.”
“Alright, Charley,” Morgan said. “How’d they know where to find her?”
The demon sucked her teeth. “They’re using a seer.”
“Since when do they have one?” Kristian asked.
“Recently, I guess. But, I mean, I don’t really know. It’s not like these people are my friends. It’s a job. I’m like a pizza delivery man. I get orders and I get paid to deliver, only with murder instead of pizza.”
Kristian let go of Tessa’s waist, taking a few steps towards Charley. “They had a seer and nobody bothered to tell you that you’d get captured on this little mission of yours?”
“Well, she is low level,” Morgan grumbled. “Maybe they were just trying to do away with a loose end. Can’t have a demon knowing too much about their dealings. Why not throw her at the vampires?”
“I know what you’re trying to do,” Charley said, her voice already faltering. “I won’t believe a Satan Damned lie coming from your fanged mouths.
“Uh-huh. I’ll get back with you on that,” Morgan said.
“Tessa,” Kristian called.
She was in the basement apartment, sitting inside the kitchen. She looked up but didn’t respond when he spoke.
“We need to talk about what happened today,” he said.
“Really? Because I don’t think you want to hear what I have to say.”
“Maybe not, but things won’t get any better by pretending you were not shaken.”
Tessa laughed. She put her face in her hands.
“What’s funny?” Kristian asked.
“You!” Tessa laughed. “Shaken? How do you think that even approaches how I feel right now?”
“I’m doing the best I can,” Kristian said. “What more can I do?”
“That’s just the problem. I know you think you’re trying to protect me. I just got attacked by a demon. Something I didn’t know really existed a few hours ago. I led you right to my foster parent’s home when freaking witches were hunting you. This is…it’s not what I signed up for. I’m sorry, but I think I should go back to my life as it was.”
Something changed in Kristian’s eyes. “You’ve thought about this? You’re quite sure?”
“I have,” Tessa stood up. “I’m sorry. My life was simple before. It wasn’t perfect, but I was… well it wasn’t like this. It’s all too much.”
“After…whatever is about to happen, once the current threat is over, I won’t stop you if you still want to go. But if you’re willing to walk away from me, and what we could have together, you owe me an explanation.”
“Of what?” Tessa demanded, feeling the fire burning in her eyes.
“The Calder are always after vampires. But you seem to be a priority to them right now. Why is that?”
“Do you think I have any fucking idea? They weren’t behind me before I met you.”
Tessa moved towards the bedroom and Kristian followed her.
“I don’t believe that’s exactly true. Why is it that you live the way you do, Tessa? I understand why you did when you were a teen. There was always the possibility you could have been found by the authorities and returned to your family. Once you turned eighteen that was no longer a consideration.”
“Suddenly you don’t believe me anymore? You’re the one who found me, remember?”
“Of course,” he replied. “But maybe you haven’t been honest with me about all the reasons you live like a nomad,” he said, crossing his arms.
Tessa pretended not to pay attention. She reached into the dresser and pulled out another of his t-shirts and pulled a hairbrush from her purse.
He touched her arm. His grip was gentle, but she felt rooted to the spot. The intensity of his eyes would not allow her to look away from him.
“Have you ever been honest with yourself about what’s been going on in your life?” he asked.
There was a loud knock on the door. It was Veronica.
“Ally’s here,” she said. “You two might want to come upstairs.”
Tessa was only momentarily relieved to get out of finishing the conversation with Kristian. She knew he was angry, and she was too. I’ve made my decision, she told herself. Despite her sadness there was also a sense of relief. At least he knew she didn’t intend on sticking around. It wouldn’t be fair to let him think that she was going to be anything to him but a pleasant memory.
Provided they survived the next few hours.
When she and Kristian came upstairs to the living room, it was clear to her that the war party had been gathered. The grim faces of the guards and Ally’s presence let her know that the threat was close.
“I will be staying tonight,” Ally said. “Right now, we need to talk strategy.”
The hours ticked by slowly.
Tessa had to fight the urge to flee every second she stood in the open. Every now and again she pressed her fingernails into her palms, reminding herself this had to be done.
With the house, so still, she imagined she could hear every sound. The quiet ticking of the clock in the dining room, the sound of the ocean outside, her own trembling heart. Too many thoughts crowded her mind. The life she left behind on the road. The disillusionment she saw in Kristian’s eyes when she told him that she wanted to leave. The feelings she had for him were so clear. She only feared that being with him would cost her everything.
Tessa licked her lips. She took a deep breath.
The moment she first heard them, she was very aware of what they were.
The thoughts of vampires were the same as humans. Even the demon, Charley, had much the same rhythm of in her thoughts.
The witches were different. It wasn’t just the rhythm or speed of their thoughts. It was a cacophony of noise. Yet somehow, she was able to follow it.
She took her cell phone out and texted two words: Game on.
Tessa shoved the phone back into her pocket and waited. Somewhere in the house, Kristian’s phone would vibrate in response. She closed her eyes and started to count. In her left hand, she grasped her weapon, a long, curved machete.
Five…four…three…two…
The crash of glass made Tessa jump. She was on her feet and running within seconds. The windows shattered in every direction as she ran. The window at the top of the landing shattered, a figure with pale hair streaming around it appearing.
It was only when she reached the dining room that she turned and looked behind her.
Tessa could see the witches from where she stood. There were three. They hovered, floated in the air. With their black eyes and paper thin skin, she found them indistinguishable from each other. They were all at one beautiful and horrible with their sharp, dark features. She ducked just in time to avoid a flash of fire from one of them. A chair ignited in flame.
Kristian came down the hallway towards her, sword in hand.
“Go!” he yelled.
She ran past him, up to the second floor.
Tessa took a left and dodged into a bedroom. She slammed the door behind her. She heard scraping on the other side of the door, so loud it hurt her ears. Was the witch using her fingernails? The sound was like a bone being drawn against a chalkboard. The rooms on this floor had connecting doors, and she ran through several before finally stumbling through the last one.
Just as she reached it, she heard a blood curdling scream from the floor below.
She was met in the last room by Jared. “One down,” he muttered as he passed her. Tessa looked over her shoulder to see him swinging his own sword at a snarling witch.
When Tessa reached the third floor, she paused. There was an unnerving quiet. She pressed her back against the wall, raising her blade. She could do this, she could do this, the words repeating over and over in her head like a mantra.
And then she heard glass breaking again.
The witch came in through a bedroom window. Tessa kicked the door closed as the thing came at her. There was a sound like wind rushing forward, and then heat. Tessa watched in horror as the door disintegrated into flames. The witch emerged from the fire, black eyes fixed on her prey. Tessa fell to the floor, lifting an arm to protect herself against the flame.
“Incoming!” Ally screamed.
The witch bent close to her, only inches away. Tessa flattened herself against the wall just as Ally’s blade separated the creature’s head from her shoulders. Tessa felt the air of the blade’s movement. A lock of her hair fell to the floor.
“That was close!” Tessa screamed.
“You’re welcome,” Ally spat. “Get your ass up.”
Only one more, Tessa thought.
Veronica and Ryan waited in the attic, along with Charley. She had been freed from the chair and was waiting with her sword like the rest having been convinced that the witches were well and truly trying to kill her via vampires. The four of them were the last holdouts. The rest were all on the lower floors, fighting. The hope was that there were enough vampires to hold the witches off. The numbers were clearly stacked against the witches, but when fireballs were added the numbers got a bit hazy.
“I know you’re supposed to be on our side for the moment, but stay away from me,” Tessa hissed.
“Gladly,” Charley’s eyes narrowed.
Screaming and fighting was still audible from the floors below. Tessa closed her eyes and reached out to hear thoughts.
“How many of the Calder did you see?” Veronica asked.
“Four in all. I think two are dead.”
“They sent four?” Charley sighed. “Shit.”
“How is Kristian?” Veronica asked breathlessly.
There was a loud knock on the door. A masculine voice called Veronica’s name. She ran to the door, opened it, and launched herself into Morgan’s arms.
Kristian was still nowhere to be found. The sounds of fighting and scraping came from the first floor. Tessa darted forward without thinking. She flew down the stairs, following the cacophony of thoughts.
Kristian was staggering, the witches staying just out of the reach of his blade as they threw balls of fire at him. He was slowing down. The last ball nearly caught him in the leg. Tessa surged into the fray before anyone realized she was there, swinging her machete.
The witch’s head rolled to the floor with a wet thump. The other witch turned to Tessa, hissing from between her sharp teeth. Tessa’s breath caught in her throat. She froze to the spot.
The barely registered the flash of Kristian’s sword arching through the air before the second head met the floor.
As the witch’s body followed suit, Kristian stared at her with wide eyes.
“You saved me,” he whispered.
Tessa didn’t know what to say. It had all been gut instinct driving her. She didn’t know where Kristian was. She didn’t wait for anyone to tell her. She simply had to act. And, for that, she was grateful. Without words, she dropped her machete and flung herself into his arms.
“It’s a good damn thing our kind heal quickly,” Ally said. “How are you?”
Tessa and Ally stood on the back deck of the house, watching the grim bonfire on the beach below. The remains of the Calders were being piled up along with wood and bits of destroyed furniture. The sun was starting to come up, coloring the horizon in blue and red.
“I’m okay,” Tessa said. She was still shivering, but she told herself it was only because of the sea breeze. She had gone inside and retrieved her pashmina, a bit of comfort. Her fingers tugged at the edges of it.
“Are you going to be sticking around?” Ally asked.
“I don’t know yet,” Tessa lied.
Ally shrugged. “It would be a shame if you didn’t. We could use a gifted witch killer like yourself.”
Ally smirked and winked at her. She freaking winked.
Just that quickly, she was gone. Vampire speed was still something Tessa had not gotten used to. She turned her attention back to the beach. Morgan and Veronica were holding hands. Everyone had made it through the fight alive, if not unharmed. Even Charley was among them. The demon stood apart from the others, unsure of herself. Ally had admitted that she was a problem she had not figured out how to deal with, but it seemed that for the time being the demon was angry enough with the witches to fight on their side. Hopefully, in time she would loosen up and share what she knew on the Calder.
Kristian must have felt Tessa’s gaze on him. He looked up. Their eyes met and locked. Feeling a warmth spread through her, she turned away and went back into the house.
The first floor sustained the worst of the damage—singed furniture, busted windows, blood splattered on the living room walls. The basement apartment was untouched. No one would have ever guessed at the carnage which took place one floor above by looking around the suite of rooms.
She would miss it. This was the first real home she had lived in since she was a teen. It was the place where she experienced the first real love she had known since long before that.
Love. She bit her lip. She didn’t like to even think that word. It had been something which she had almost given up on completely.
She went in the bathroom. Her hair was a mess. She needed a good, hot bath. But she was so exhausted that it took all her energy just to brush her hair and wipe a cool cloth across her face. All through the fight, she had held herself together despite the fact that she was terrified. She held onto the counter to keep from falling when her knees buckled.
Tessa couldn’t be sure how long she stood there, half bent over the sink, head down, crying.
Until a pair of strong arms slipped around her.
Kristian didn’t say a word. Instead, he pulled her against his chest and held her. He let her cry against his shoulder, leaving a damp spot on his shirt. He held her and rocked her gently. He rained kisses on her face—her forehead, her eyelids, her flushed cheeks—and ran his hands up and down her back, soothing her.
“Tell me you won’t leave,” his whisper begged. “Darling, please.”
Tessa looked into his emerald green eyes and saw a depth of pain that shouldn’t be possible for a man whose heart no longer beat. This beautiful, complicated man was prepared to sacrifice his life to protect her. How could she turn away from the pleading in his eyes? He didn’t wait for her answer. Instead, he kissed her mouth.
He tasted like fire and soot, the ashes of their enemies. His cool lips parted against her own, drawing her tongue against his. He was bitter and sweet, his touch demanding her response. He stepped back from her, looking her in the eye.
“I love you,” he said.
“I love you too,” she said, taking a deep breath. “I won’t go.”
Kristian took her in his arms again, steering her back towards the bedroom. She felt her knees touch the back of the mattress, and then he was on top of her. His hands were everywhere, exploring every part of her that almost left his life. He pulled off her top, discarded her bra. His mouth sought the comfort of her neck and her breasts, where he kissed and sucked her. Tessa sighed, reaching to pull him closer to that sweet spot.
He got off the bed, quickly shedding his clothing. She sat looking up at him, and he smiled, running his cool, smooth hand over her cheek. The flecks of gold in his green eyes shined.
And then he was on her again. This time, she straddled him, bracing herself against his strong shoulders as she rode him. He sat up with her in his arms, one hand against the side of her neck, and bit her.
He had bitten her before. Usually, it was one gentle bite, and then he licked the blood away with his tongue, like drops of ice cream from a cone. This time, he drank from her as though she were the fountain of youth and he were a dying man. For a moment, she felt her head spin, and there was nothing but mindless animal pleasure, his fangs piercing her neck as his manhood moved inside her.
Kristian let go of her neck, licking her wound to heal the place where he penetrated her. He put her back down on the bed and he laid her on her side. She enjoyed every bit of his body, which he gave her again and again…
When Tessa woke, she was aware of the emptiness of the bed. Smiling, she stretched and got up. The scent of food called to her from the kitchen.
“You didn’t have to cook,” she feigned surprise. “But thank you.”
“You’ve had nothing since yesterday,” Kristian said, pushing a plate towards her. “Eat.”
He’d made her a full breakfast: cheese omelet, toast, and sausage. She took a bite of the meal and groaned. “Damn. That’s good.”
Kristian shrugged. “You need to keep your strength up.”
He took his travel mug from the refrigerator and took a long sip. They took their meal together in companionable silence. When she was done, he looked up at her with a serious expression. “We never finished our talk from before,” he said.
“If you want me to tell you this story,” she said, “you should probably get comfortable. Is it too early for wine?”
“Never,” he said, and grabbed a bottle from the cabinet.
Tessa sat down on the couch with her legs folded beneath her. Kristian sat across from her. As she began to speak, she felt his attention on her, his eyes on hers.
“There’s a lot to my own life I don’t understand. I don’t know why there are so many years of my childhood which I can’t remember. And it’s not like I had the money or the inclination to get therapy to find out. It occurred to me that maybe something traumatic happened before my parents died, but it doesn’t really make sense. I went through a lot of awful things when I lived with the Forresters, and I remember every moment of it. I have read that people react differently to bad things. And that sometimes people who forget large chunks of their memory never remember all of it.
“When I finally got old enough to leave, I was happy. I didn’t need much to live on. And you’re right, I did keep moving because I was a minor and I didn’t want anyone to know. I was a truant, after all. That alone was enough to get my ass busted. I didn’t think the Forresters cared enough to make a big deal about me being gone, but I knew child services would find out at some point, and then the authorities would do whatever they were supposed to when it came to a runaway teen.
“The plan was to get a part-time job that would give me money on paper as soon as I was eighteen and save up for an apartment. A cheap studio would have been fine. And of course, I would continue to tell fortunes. It was a scam, but it was money, and I wasn’t ashamed of it. I figured it was their loss for being stupid enough to fall for the game.”
Tessa paused, trying to gauge his reaction. He nodded to urge her to continue.
“Here’s the thing. I know it’s not exactly normal that I can read minds, but until recently, I never believed in the occult. To me, mind reading was just a fucked-up glitch. Maybe I use some portion of my brain other people don’t. But whatever.
“My eighteenth birthday came and went. I had a waitress job, and I was living in Florida at the time. It was a little backwater town not many people came through, and I found an apartment easily enough. It was small enough that people also knew I told fortunes. At that time I would invite people into my home for the readings as long as they didn’t look questionable. A lot of the people there were older, and I didn’t feel weird about inviting them up. You find the ones who have some pain behind them, a dead spouse, an argument with a child, something, and you reinforce what it is they want to hear. Give them some comfort, and they shell out the cash. I know it sounds horribly callous, but you wanted honesty.”
“There’s nothing you’ve done that would shock me,” Kristian replied. “Or make me not want to be with you.”
Tessa licked her lips.
“There was a woman. She had this long, silver hair, and I think on the day I met her, she had it in a ponytail down her back. She came up to the apartment for a reading. I noticed there was a presence about her, something different. She sat down across from me, and I remember a chill passed through me. For the first time, I heard nothing. I’ve never come across anyone who could block me from reading them.
“She smiled at me, and her eyes turned black. And then I heard a stream of thoughts. She was asking me about my life. And she told me that I didn’t know who I really was because I didn’t want to, but there was a way for me to know who I was. She called me a traitor. I got up and told that bitch she had to leave. She laughed at me, and she said we would meet again.”
“Did you?” Kristian asked.
“Not exactly. I still have nightmares about her every now and again. And she’s usually carrying a red book with my name on it. Once she gives sit to me, I can’t be rid of it. I shouldn’t be terrified of a book, but I am. Freaky, right?”
“I’ve heard stranger things,” he replied. “Though not anything this strange from a human.”
Tessa smiled. “You know how to make a girl feel better,” she teased. “Anyway, I packed up and I left town that night. I got on the road and never looked back. I made a practice of never staying in any one town for more than a few weeks. I frequented street fairs and any other local gatherings. I’d show up once or twice and be on my way again. Every once in a while, if I stayed in one place long enough, I would hear locals telling stories about vampires and shapeshifters, and other supernatural things. It scared me. So I just kept moving.”
“Do you think the woman with the silver hair has been behind you all of this time?”
“I don’t know,” Tessa said. “Do you think she’s a Calder?”
“Possibly. There are many things that have black eyes, not only witches,” Kristian said. “All sorts of demons and other creatures do. She could be a shapeshifter. Either way, she might be in league with the Calder. Or maybe she enlisted them to kill you. I’m curious that she didn’t harm you when she was alone in your apartment. Relieved she didn’t,” Kristian said, reaching out to touch her if only to reassure himself she was still there. “You may not have had a belief in the occult at that time but you did exactly the right thing—run and not look back.”
“Would the Calder do that? Take a job from someone else?”
“The Calder don’t do anything that doesn’t directly serve their purposes. They were on the move maybe a week or so before you and I met. Veronica and I had already been in contact with Ally about them. They’d happily take on a contract from someone else if they believed it would help them kill a few vampires in the process.”
“Shit,” Tessa sighed.
“It’s something we’ll have to find out.”
Tessa shrugged. “I’m not sure I want to know.”
The next few days were spent handling the massive repairs needed for the house. Kristian cleaned the blood spatter from the walls himself before allowing anyone to come out to complete the other work. They didn’t need to raise more alarm than needed. Every window on the bottom floor was gone. The vampires had done a good job of putting out several fires before they spread, but there were still spots of charred flooring or walls. One bedroom was missing its door, which had been reduced to ashes. Tessa noticed some strange stares and whispers between the workmen. She laughed. Did they think the house was occupied by a bunch of rowdy partiers? That was the most tame reasoning she could think up to explain the widespread damage.
Though all of the other guards left the morning after the four witches were killed, Morgan remained. He claimed he was sticking around for a bit to make sure there was no other threat. Morgan and Kristian were both in daily contact with Ally by phone. She informed them that the track had gone cold for her and the other trackers under her employ. It was like nothing she’d seen before. Usually, there were some rumblings in the underworld about the movement of the Calder, but so far, there was nothing. Charley had been working with her to turn over other demons, but so far, no luck.
One week after the attack, everything in the house had been repaired. New security systems were installed, and the house was protected with new warding spells. Tessa and Kristian sat together with Veronica and Morgan. The fire was roaring. The vampires drank their evening blood, while Tessa had a glass of red wine. She smiled to herself. It reminded her of being at the dinner table as a kid, drinking apple cider on New Year’s while the adults had champagne.
A memory, she thought. A childhood memory I didn’t have before.
“We can expect the Calder will want comeuppance for their four sisters who were killed. It might not be today or tomorrow. They are known for striking when one least expects it,” Morgan said. “This was an embarrassing defeat for them. I can’t remember the last time anyone killed four Calder during an attack. I’m sure they are off licking their wounds and plotting their revenge.”
“Great,” Tessa said. “We’ve been successful in pissing them off.”
“In a way it’s a good thing,” Kristian said. “It will keep them away for a while. If we had been less successful in fending off an attack, they would have been back already to finish the job.”
“My guess is if they were working with a seer before, they’re still under the Calder’s employ. Maybe they’ve received some advice.”
“Where does one find a seer?” Tessa asked. “I could use one.”
All eyes turned to her.
“Isn’t that ironic, given your profession?” Veronica said.
“My former profession. I don’t tell fortunes anymore,” she said haughtily. “I mean, really, if they’re trying to get the jump on us, I don’t see why we shouldn’t use their same tactics.”
“They’re not the easiest people to procure,” Kristian said. “But given enough time it could be done.”
“Ally won’t like that,” Morgan said.
“Baby, she doesn’t have to know everything,” Veronica said.
Morgan grinned despite himself. “Yeah. That’s true.”
Tessa and Kristian took that as their cue to give the newly reconciled couple some time alone. They went out to the back deck and watched the waves lap over the beach, the glow of moonlight on the ocean. They kissed. His mouth was salty sweet against hers.
Kristian’s arms went around her. “I don’t know exactly what comes next,” he whispered against her ear.
“It’s okay,” Tessa said, staring into his eyes. “We’ll handle it together.”