Tempt Me When the Sun Goes Down (Forged Bloodlines Book 9) Page 7

  She was his Sire. So what? Plenty of vamps left their Sires (sometimes in a show of violence), it was the way of the world. There was no reason he had to be tied to her hip any longer. Like he’d said, he wasn’t Ulrik anymore. Bishop had a full life with purpose and hopefully a chance at real love in his future if he had anything to say about it.

  So why then hadn’t he turned and left the moment his obligation to Jakob was fulfilled?

  Carys didn’t need him. Not that she needed any man to take care of her under normal circumstances, but Jakob would see to her education in modern times. In fact, he’d probably eat it up, having her dependent on him again. There was nothing stopping Bishop from going back to Rome, or even to San Francisco. But the moment Carys had turned those baby blues up at him asking if he’d be there when she woke, he’d gone and promised to be there and it’d felt like the right decision. Was that part compulsion or something more?

  Whatever the cause, it was too soon to drag Anja into it, especially with her dealing with her own mess. Bishop put his phone away without calling Anja. Instead, he set out to find Jakob, intending to have a few words in private while Carys slept. He found him in Carys’ room, fingers sifting through her golden hair as she slept curled up against his side. Again, he didn’t feel an iota of jealousy at seeing them together in bed.

  “Can I have a word with you?” Bishop asked, making sure to inject a note of respect into his voice for the Ellri’s benefit. Jakob let out a long sigh, carefully disentangling himself from Carys’ hold to join him out in the darkened hallway.

  “Surely you don’t begrudge me this first day with her,” Jakob scowled. “You may have your reunion tomorrow night after I’ve had a chance to more fully make it up to her.”

  “What? No, you go ahead.” Bishop didn’t even want to think about what Jakob had planned for making up. “As far as I’m concerned, you can have her.” Jakob’s brows shot up, but he held his tongue. “I’m done, Jakob. I’m out.” As soon as he said the words, he felt an enormous weight lifted from his shoulders, his words coming faster and lighter. “You wanted me to help you find her, and I did. I hope the two of you are very happy together, but leave me out of it.”

  Instead of being happy, Jakob’s scowl didn’t unfurl. “It will upset her to wake and find you gone.”

  “I don’t care. The sooner she gets used to the idea that she can’t dictate my life for me, the better. Carys is part of my past, my future is with Anja.”

  “I thought you wanted to forget about Anja. You bade me promise to compel your love for her away. I thought this was to prepare your heart to accept Carys again.”

  “I know I did,” Bishop said, a momentary flurry of panic seizing him at the thought of Jakob taking away that love now. “That was before I knew she’d split with Rob. Before I saw her…” and tasted her kiss again.

  Another furrow appeared on Jakob’s brow to join the rest. “What happened between the two of you when you sought Anja out in Chicago?”

  Something magical, and he’d gone and screwed it up by telling her the truth about Rob. “Nothing definitive, but she still has feelings for me, I felt it. Yes, things are murky right now, for both of us, but I sure as hell don’t need Carys complicating it any further. I need to make a clean break.”

  “Never mind that this clean break, as you call it, could conceivably destroy her fragile psyche? She puts on a brave face, but she is little more than scared girl right now, and the changes she’ll have to adapt to are dizzying.”

  “Oh, come on, Jakob, she’s playing you, straight and simple,” Bishop snorted in disgust. “What is it about her that makes you so blind to what you’d see in another woman in a heartbeat? You know what she’s capable of. You could drop Carys stark naked in the middle of the desert on Tattoine and she’d end up queen of the Hutts.”

  Jakob frowned. “I know of no such place.”

  “You obviously haven’t spent much time in Anja’s company.” Not that he’d been with her when he watched the science fiction films at her suggestion, but he’d enjoyed the lively debate they had over the Jedi code of honor afterwards.

  “Anja has no place in this debate. Carys is ill prepared for the challenges ahead. Do you know that she cried in my arms after you left? Said she’d ruined her chances with you by compelling you not to feel the bond you’d shared for fear of the curse.”

  Bishop wasn’t sure he could believe Carys’ tears or not, but since Jakob was the one to bring up the curse… “If you’re so worried about her well-being, then why not break the curse once and for all? It won’t make a difference for me, but it’ll sure as hell fix things for Rob and Anja.”

  “I thought you wanted to pursue Anja, not drive her into Rob’s arms.” Jakob’s lips pursed in confusion, and Bishop shrugged.

  “I think with the curse gone, Anja will be free to make her own decisions, free of guilt.”

  “And you think that decision will be you?”

  He thought back to that final kiss on the plane, the way she’d felt in his arms, the love he’d seen in her eyes. “I hope that it is.”

  Jakob stared back at him, his expression inscrutable. “In any case, I can’t help you with the curse.”

  “But if you’ll just…”

  “Enough!” he thundered, loud enough to rattle the old windows. “Sleep now, Ulrik. Tomorrow will be a busy day.”

  “Tomorrow I’ll be on my way,” Bishop started to say, but Jakob waved him off.

  “You’ll stay by her side until she allows you to depart, is that clear?”

  “Why do you even want me here? I thought you didn’t like how fond she was of me? With me gone, you’ve got a clear shot at her.”

  Jakob’s lips turned down, as though he’d tasted something bitter. “I dislike to see her in distress even more. If she finds it soothing to have you near, then you shall remain near.”

  “Fine,” Bishop glowered. If Jakob wanted to order him to stick around, he’d do it – up to a point. But that didn’t mean he had to suck up to Carys this time. “But do you think we could take this freak show to some place less remote? The sooner we can get her acclimated to this time, the sooner she’ll move on to some new interest and I can be on my way.”

  “Agreed,” Jakob nodded. “I have no desire to linger in this hateful place. We’ll leave for London at dusk.”

  * * *

  Carys was on board with the change of venue right from the start. When she wasn’t dripping crocodile tears, she spoke of endless hours spent entertaining Lodinn at the remote estate, only leaving the house a handful of times over the three hundred years she’d been held captive. Of course, he’d kept her in torpor for most of that time, ignorant of the day, month or year, and she had very little sense of what to expect from the modern world.

  Fearful of the car at first, Carys refused to climb into it without a push of compulsion from Jakob. She’d squealed in fright when Bishop started the motor, spending most of the first hour with her nose pressed against Jakob’s lapel. But once she began to grasp that it was perfectly safe and that they could cover great distances in a short time, she relaxed enough to enjoy the trip. Particularly when they told her where they were headed.

  “It’s been an age since I was last in Llundain,” she smiled. “Who is king now?”

  “It’s actually Queen Elizabeth on the throne,” Bishop replied, only to catch Carys’ scorn.

  “Surely not!”

  “Not that Queen Elizabeth,” Jakob chuckled. “Her descendant.”

  “I see, of course,” Carys said, covering her embarrassment behind her hand. “Well, I shall certainly look forward to visiting the city and all its many diversions.”

  “You don’t know that half of it,” Bishop muttered, wondering if taking her to such a big city to start with was a mistake. Maybe it would’ve been better to start with a small village first to acquaint her with some of the wonders of the modern age, but he wasn’t the one in charge of this train wreck. All he did was drive and ke
ep his mouth shut unless spoken to.

  The city was dazzling at night. After a leisurely drive through town (where Carys did little more than gape and cringe when she spotted something fearful, while Jakob droned on and on about progress), even Bishop felt dazed by the time they pulled up in front of the Savoy. Ushered up to the Royal Suite, Carys eased under the vintage charm that combined the best of Edwardian elegance with modern amenities.

  Jakob worked his magic while she took a long, hot bath. With the aid of a very hospitable concierge, soon all manner of packages began to arrive. Women’s cosmetics and toiletries, and a wide selection of clothing and shoes – even an array of jewelry, enough to tempt her fancy.

  Her reaction had been electric, squealing with delight over each new discovery, making Jakob’s chest puff bigger and bigger with pride at having pleased her. Bishop tried to stay out of it as much as possible, holed up in a corner of the suite with his laptop, offering the barest of nods when she modeled the clothing for him. After several costume changes, Carys settled on a red dress with a deep v-neck that hugged her curves and displayed a shocking amount ankle by her reckoning. Her lips stained to match, she pinned her hair up with a twist and declared herself ready to go.

  “Go where, my sweet?” Jakob asked, looking on indulgently.

  “It’s far too early to stay in for the night, and there are people out there bustling to and fro, I can see them from the window. I want to be out among them.”

  “Very well,” he agreed, offering his arm. “Ulrik?”

  Bishop didn’t bother to look up from his laptop. “You guys have fun, I think I’ll stay in and try to get some work done.”

  “It’s no fun if you don’t come with us, cariad,” she pouted, and his teeth ground together, putting his hand up before the order came from Jakob.

  “Fine, I’ll come too,” he said, pushing away from the table.

  “Lovely,” she beamed, waiting to take his arm as well before they left the suite. They remained linked like that all down the hallway until Bishop took the opportunity to break away to push the button for the elevator.

  “Where do you want to go?” he asked, wondering if he should have them bring the car around, or if she’d prefer to set out on foot. It was too early for her to need to feed after having Jakob’s powerful blood. Then again, that’d never stopped her from feeding before.

  “I hardly know,” she frowned prettily, blinking her eyes up at Jakob. “Where shall we go, minn hjärta?”

  The elevator door slid open, and a familiar blonde head caught Bishop’s attention. “Nell? What are you doing here?” he asked.

  Nelleke froze at the sight of them, her ruddy cheeks growing pale. Dressed in a pair of dark jeans and a black leather jacket over a navy turtleneck, she looked more suited to sneaking onto a secret compound than in the glitzy elevator. “I am…” She swallowed, licking her lips before she continued. “I have brought the spear of Odin to its rightful home and I am seeing some of the world.”

  Her nerves were strung tight as a bow, but for the life of him, Bishop couldn’t figure out why. “But what are you doing here?” he pressed, not believing in coincidences. Only the fact that her short hair hung free instead of being braided back for battle kept him from reaching for the comforting weight of his gun.

  “Anja is telling me of your quest,” she replied. “I think to offer my assistance, but I can see you are not needing my help.” Her gaze settled on Carys, studying her openly. Carys returned the stare, but must’ve decided that Nell posed no threat, physically or otherwise, as her expression didn’t change.

  “Yeah, that’s right. But how did you know we’d be here at the Savoy?” He hadn’t told anyone and they’d only made the reservation a few hours ago.

  “I am skilled in tracking,” she shrugged, her chin coming up. “This is why I am offering my services.”

  “Introduce us to your friend, Ulrik,” Carys smiled, taking hold of his arm again, staking her claim. “She seems very… capable.”

  “This is Nelleke, she works for Maeja,” Bishop replied with a polite smile. “May I introduce Carys, and... I forget, did the two of you meet before?” He looked to Jakob, who had an odd expression on his face.

  “I have not had the honor,” he said, sketching a half bow. “And how is Maeja?” Jakob asked gingerly, as if afraid to hear the answer.

  Nelleke managed a curtsy without looking out of place in her modern clothes when Jakob acknowledged her. “Maeja fares well, master. I will tell her you have asked after her, I am certain she will be pleased,” she replied politely.

  “And I am just as certain she will not, if I recall well her opinion of me,” Jakob chuckled.

  “Her loss is my gain,” Carys smiled up at Jakob, ratcheting her hold tighter, making it clear she’d staked her claim on the Ellri as well, in case Nell got any ideas.

  “And did Maeja not wish to see some of the world herself?”

  “No, master. My mistress is not one for travel. Perhaps some day, if properly motivated, but for now, the vale holds enough wonders for her.”

  “It has been an age since I roamed the hills of my childhood. I would see them again some day,” Jakob murmured, his eyes growing distant. “But I have no wish to cause her pain. We… did not part well.”

  “Yes, I am knowing this,” Nelleke said softly, her tone awfully glum to be speaking about nothing more than her employer’s love life, to Bishop’s way of thinking.

  “One can not make demands of an Ellri and hope to keep his heart,” Carys said smugly, drawing an amused chuckle from Jakob.

  “And when has that stopped you from using your feminine wiles to elicit such demands from me?”

  “I only ask for what you’re perfectly willing to give,” she replied with a coquettish smile.

  “So ah, where are you headed then, Nell? Up or down?” Bishop asked, stepping into the elevator. They’d been holding it long enough.

  “I…”

  “Oh, do come with us,” Carys suggested, turning the full power of her radiant smile on Nelleke. “I’ve been far too long without female companionship.”

  “I…” Nell looked to Jakob and then Bishop uneasily, as if she was afraid offending and didn’t know which decision would cause it.

  “You’re more than welcome if you’d like to tag along,” Bishop smiled, trying to ease her nerves. She’d be a welcome distraction for him, the better to have something else to focus on.

  “Yes, join us,” Jakob smiled magnanimously.

  “Come,” Carys insisted, dropping hold of both men to stand beside Nell, slipping her arm through hers. “It’ll be nice to have a woman to talk to again. I know we’re going to be fast friends.”

  Bishop couldn’t be sure, but he had a sneaking suspicion that there was some compulsion accompanying that last suggestion. Either way, Nelleke smiled back, her doubts fading away as the elevator doors slid shut and they started down to the lobby. The women chatted, Carys remarking over the speed with which the elevator descended and Nell patiently answering her questions. Maybe it’d be good for Carys to be around another woman after all? Especially one who was used to catering to an Ellri’s whims.

  As they stepped out onto the street, Jakob took Carys’ arm again, tucking her small hand into the crook of his elbow. “Where would you like to go, älskling?”

  Bishop recognized the old light of mischief that came into her eyes.

  “Surprise me.”

  Chapter Nine

  I know, I know, I’m a complete hypocrite. Here I’d sworn never to set foot into the feeder bar, Bird in Hand, ever again, but that’s exactly where we rolled up when Rob needed a quick fix. Lee had to wait outside, vamps only allowed inside, apart from employees. The old shifter wasn’t too pleased about it, but he didn’t offer much of an argument, for which I intended to reward him with the entire Clint Eastwood repertoire on Blu-ray as soon as we got home.

  Boy howdy, did I hate that place though. There was something about the girls (and
guys) dancing behind the glass partitions, knowing they were waiting around to be fed upon, that made me unbearably gloomy. I couldn’t think of a sadder profession – not only their bodies, but their minds invaded on a regular basis. It made me sick to my stomach to think about it.

  But I’d also grown a different perspective since Bishop had first taken me there. I was able to see the benefit of choosing the lesser of two evils, and what I needed for the moment was discretion – Bird in Hand had that in spades.

  I didn’t bother with the bar, leading Rob to the back where I offered up his wrist to have the chip scanned. “We’ll take number three,” I decided, going for the biggest guy they had, the better chance he had at sating Rob’s endless appetite.

  The vamp at the door scanned Rob’s wrist with a chirp, then held it out for my arm as well.

  “I’m not drinking, just watching,” I said, clamping my hand over my wrist.

  “That’s what they all say,” he said with a roll of the eyes. “Same charge.”

  “Fine,” I sighed, offering him my wrist, not feeling like arguing the point. In less than a minute, we stood in the small room marked number three, and I flipped the switch to turn the glass opaque.

  “Hi,” I smiled, nervous at meeting the feeder’s gaze, but he looked perfectly comfortable with the situation. He wore only a pair of boxer briefs, made out of a shiny gold material that reminded me of Mango from those old SNL sketches with Chris Kattan. This guy definitely filled them out better though; his body was not only toned, but tanned, which had to be hard to maintain with his hours.

  “It’s extra for the both of you,” he said equably.

  “Sure, no problem,” I replied, my smile growing more forced by the second. “Ah, what’s your name?”

  “Leroy,” he replied.

  “I’m Anja and this is Rob.” I turned to Rob so he could greet him as well, but he only fixed me with a look.

  “I don’t wanna take him to tea, Anja, I just need to feed.”

  “Oh, right,” I said with a sheepish grin. “Well, ah… go ahead then, get to it.”