Amelia sat in an armchair, staring at the laptop. Without everyone there, she was going crazy with memories of her brief time with Yuri. There had been something between them. She was sure of it.
Where had it started? Was it the instant attraction she felt?
Stupid, stupid, stupid. She wanted to scream, to cry out. To hit something. She still felt some inkling of something more than attraction.
Was it love?
She didn’t think so. Definitely attraction, but as soon as she was away from him, she started doubting the connection they shared. Which made it all worse. He mindfucked her into wanting him.
And when Daloisha rose up, and Yuri’s eyes bled to red, fear, true fear rolled through her. But the first few times it had been gone so fast she thought perhaps she had imagined it.
She hadn’t.
Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath and willed all the longing out of her. Maybe she should have asked her mother to come by to visit. It might have helped to have someone there with her. Only, her mother, as much as Amelia loved her, she never felt she could confide in her.
No, she was more of a daddy’s girl. Sighing, she picked up her phone and brought up her father’s number. Mom had cried but had sounded truly relived she was alive, or whatever she was now that she was a vampire.
So stupid. She felt like an idiot. She’d fallen into those dark pools and his sexy accent and every bit of brains she had were washed out with lust.
She pressed talk and held her breath.
“Baby, are you okay?” Dad burst out the second the line clicked on.
“I’m an idiot.” She sighed and almost threw the phone as the realization sank in. Maybe Delilah was right, maybe a tattoo would have been the smart thing to do.
“You are not an idiot. The vampire didn’t fight fair.”
No, she woke up in a damned coffin and she still found herself falling for him. “I should have known better. I should have listened to Brent and the rest of the reporters, and not chased after a story I couldn’t possibly handle as a human.”
Dad sighed. “It’s not that simple, Amelia. You know that. Sometimes, we set goals that are too high, and you know what, you wrote the story, right? You cracked the case. You may have gotten too deep, and I’m sure you have plenty of memories from last night, but tell me something, have you learned anything?”
“That I’m a monster now.” She pulled her legs tighter to her chest.
“Am I a monster?” he asked.
She shook her head. “No, of course not.”
“You aren’t either. A demon forced you to do those things. And you have a couple people willing to do whatever they can to make sure you are well-adjusted. In fact, there’s another person you should maybe talk to. Perhaps Victoria could set your mind at ease.”
“Maybe,” she muttered. She’d really never spent time around Victoria. Or any of the vampires. She never had a reason to. She’d always felt more at home with the witches, shaman, and werewolves.
A pang throbbed through her. Even her mother was considering becoming a werewolf. Her sister and father were. And there she was, a blood sucking vampire.
“Hey, what’s going through your head?” Dad asked.
“Trying to remember why I shouldn’t feel bad. But honestly, with every mistake I made, I realize how stupid I was from the very beginning. Maybe I’m not cut out for journalism.”
“Stop right there, Amelia Joy Simons. You are more than cut out for journalism, and this is your calling. So what if you aren’t human anymore? Most of your family isn’t, and the last person will be something more soon.”
“I’m not a wolf,” she muttered.
He chuckled. “No, I suppose you aren’t, but there isn’t anything wrong with that. And just because you drink blood doesn’t mean you have to drink from the source. Unlike me, on the full moon I eat raw meat I tear apart with my claws and teeth. You have such a soft heart, I’m not sure how well you’d take that.”
“Maybe.” She sighed, staring at the screen. “I hear you came by to see me.”
“Yeah, wanted to be sure you were whole. Wasn’t sure you’d want to talk to me yet.”
“You get it better than Mom. She worries too much.”
“I worry too. I saw that video. I knew it wasn’t right. Look, it wasn’t you. That’s all that’s important.”
“Thanks, Dad.”
“No problem, baby. Just remember, if you need to talk, I’m here.”
“I will, thanks. Good night.”
“Night.”
She hung up before he could come up with something else to say. Something on the screen caught her attention.
* * * *
The vampires were locked into a lower basement at Headquarters in the Silver Council. Consuela still had power churning through her. She felt like a live wire too close to a body of water.
One wrong move and she might start welcoming things she’d avoided over the years. She turned to Robert, her hands trembling as she locked them together behind her back. “Are we done here?”
“Yes. Ready to go home?”
She nodded. “Please.”
“Are you all right?” Declan asked.
Robert looked interested in the answer.
“Will be. Sorry, I try to avoid blood from Others. Especially vampires.”
Declan’s brow pinched. “Why?”
Consuela looked into his eyes. “You’re the exception, cher rouge.”
“Why?”
She shook her head. “I think because of your nature, and my ability with the dead, it pushes my power to levels that are hard to control.”
Robert smiled. “You’ll control it. I’m sure this wasn’t the first time it’s happened.”
She nodded but didn’t say anything. This was the first time it happened while riding the power from her blood bound’s blood.
He touched them both and they appeared in the living room.
Amelia looked up, her mouth popped open. “I know where you should start looking.”
“Where?” Consuela asked.
“The homes of those who died that are tied to the game. Especially those who live alone. Any of them.”
“Why?” prompted Declan.
She stood up, holding the laptop out. She tapped at the screen. “There was a room filled with trophies from the victims. Things from their homes.” She blew up the picture and pointed. “That’s the cigar box Frank Sinatra owned, that went on auction for 1.5 million. Charlie Turow bought it. There was an article about how he idolized Frank Sinatra. Charlie was one of the first victims. The son of the Maxwell Turow, the oil mogul. I’m surprised that wasn’t more in the headlines, honestly.”
Robert nodded slowly. “We’ll compile a list, and tomorrow, you can help us narrow it down, if you’d be so kind.”
“Any way I can help, I will,” Amelia promised.
He dipped his head and was gone.
Declan touched Amelia’s shoulder. “Good work.”
She smiled. “It was the least I could do.” She rubbed at her neck. “I wasn’t sure when I should feed. I’m…uh, thirsty?” Her brow pinched.
Declan nodded to the kitchen. “Follow me.”
Amelia looked at Consuela, who gave her a soft smile. “Go on. And good night. I’m going to take a shower.”
“I’ll be there soon,” Declan promised.
He turned his attention to Amelia. “The early days, you’re thirstier. That fades quickly. Here’s the stash. Take it as you need it. We can always get more.”
Consuela closed the bedroom door and slipped into the bathroom, cranking the water on as she removed her clothes. She’d absorbed the blood that had soaked them. It was part of the reason she was amped up. Too much.
She stepped under the steaming water, wanting the feel of the vampire’s blood off her. Declan’s hand wrapped around her ribs as he pushed her hair to the side and trailed his lips over her neck. “Need you, dove.”
Consuela pressed her hands against the wall and pushed her ass back against his hard length. His hands skated up her ribs to cup her breasts. He pinched her nipples, rocking his length against her before pulling back and sliding his dick between her thighs, slipping against her wet heat.
Reaching down, she guided him into her, sliding her fingers over the vein under his dick. He groaned and pressed a hot kiss to her neck.
“Drink,” she whispered.
His fangs slid in as one hand glided down to her hip, holding her still as he rocked slowly, pushing deeper each thrust. Her magic seemed to stabilize. It didn’t fall, didn’t crash, just evened out.
He hummed against her flesh as he made love to her, rolling one nipple while pleasure coursed through her veins as he sipped at her blood.
Declan licked the wound, his magic flowing into her. Then he pulled out and spun her around, lifting her by the waist. She locked her legs around him as he pushed deep and took her mouth.
Slow, steady thrusts. She gripped his shoulders, undulating.
He held her ass, driving harder, guiding her hips at his pace.
She fell into ecstasy, bringing him with her.
No more worries. She had what she needed. He carried her to the counter and grabbed a towel to dry her body. “That what you needed?”
She trailed her fingers along his chest. “Exactly.”
“Don’t like you stressed out. I can feel it,” he admitted.
“Sorry. Haven’t been that close to losing control in a long time.”
“Anything I can do, you know I will.”
Smiling, she pressed her lips to his throat. “You already have.”