Blood Lust (The Blood Sisters Book 1) (12 page)

Jessica
would only slap him, or worse, put him right through a window. Rekindling a
love affair with her? Duncan didn’t even know if that’s what he wanted but
being with her was exhilarating. Her spirit set him on fire. They
jived
together like a musical rhythm. All of
which was a moot point if they couldn’t keep Amanda safe.

“You
can’t keep running forever, Jess,” his voice was soft as he caressed her
shoulders.

“Like
you did, you mean? How you ran straight away from us? Never looked back?”

Duncan
closed his eyes to avoid the pain etched on her face and the reminder on his
heart. “It wasn’t like that…”

“I’m
a cold bitch, I know that. But Amanda…” Jessica’s eyes narrowed with the
conviction of a hundred arrows. “Amanda depended on you and you just left.
Never bothered to look us up?”

“Who
said I never looked you up?” Duncan whispered.

Jessica
sneered. “Pathetic answer. You broke her heart when you left and I’ll never forgive
you for that. No matter what even if she’s already forgiven you. I won’t.”
Jessica’s voice cracked as she said it.

Her
pain was evident. Duncan was sorry for that, but no apology would work. Did she
even believe in second chances anymore? Once maybe, but she seemed a lot harder
than when they parted. Calloused and rough, that’s who she needed to be to
survive. Duncan couldn’t blame her.

Jessica
walked away
from
the stairs. With the
night’s confrontation over, a wave of cold washed over Duncan. He stood in the
shadows, basking in the essence she left behind.

Leaving
them had been hard, but staying with them now? Duncan feared that was even
going to be harder.

“
Amanda! I need to see Amanda!”
Jessica
cried.

Amanda’s
voice was small, afraid. “
Jessie, help!
She hasn’t done anything wrong. Please let us go! Please!”

“I need my sister!”
Jessica
fought against her restrainers.
“They
want her dead! Please!”

With
a gasp of
breath,
Jessica sat up in the
bed. The nerves and panic from the dream still with her. She could still see
the police room, but as she blinked, it dissolved. Her shoulders stopped
shaking and Jessica saw where she really was.

 
She wasn’t twelve anymore. She wasn’t a
delinquent about to be forced into a straightjacket. No, she was a grown woman
and no one could hold her back. No one could keep her from doing what she knew
was right. Never again would she be controlled and encouraged to believe she
was crazy.

She
knew what was real. Regular people might turn a blind eye, and bully them, but
Jessica’s eyes were wide open.

Right
now what she saw was beautiful sunlight streaming
through
the bedroom window and beside her an empty spot where her
sister had lain the night against the blue satin sheets. Figured, Amanda was
always the morning person in the family.

Jessica
wanted to find her, but took the time to stretch her arms overhead, arch her
back and take in a deep breath. It felt good, so good that Jessica rifled
through her suitcase and changed into a fresh pair of blue jeans and a snug
green tank top.

Finishing
the outfit with a flannel shirt, Jessica trudged down the stairs, her hair
tucked behind her ears. The house was even more beautiful in daylight with its
brick trim and rustic wooden beams. The smell of burning wood caught her
attention, mingling with the mild scent of cinnamon wafting from the kitchen.

 
In the living room, a small fire smoldered
into ash and from the kitchen, Jessica caught the gentle roll of Amanda’s
laughter.

It
was feminine and soft just like her sister. Leaning over the kitchen table,
Amanda wore a paisley blue dress with one shoulder exposed, the type she often
wore. Her hair seemed to glow like yellow autumn leaves in the sunshine. Hands
clasped together, she said something Jessica couldn’t catch as Amanda swung her
bare feet under the table.

Fresh
and clean, as if she had just stepped from a warm bath.

Jessica
didn’t hear it because she was busy glaring at Duncan. He sat with her sister
over cups of coffee, appearing as two buddies catching up on the good times.
His smile was jovial as he recanted an amazing tale where he was the knight in
shining armor. Hardly the truth. If he was a knight, his armor would be scuffed
and devoid of shine.

Stiffening,
Jessica strolled past them and went straight to the coffee maker. There was
sugar laid out for her, but she liked black coffee best.

“Hey,
Jess!” Amanda straightened up and grinned. Her cheeks were rosy and her skin
held an illuminating glow. When was the last time she looked that healthy?
“Duncan made us oatmeal and he even has brown sugar.”

Jessica
poured her coffee and turned around to see a mountain of brown sugar in
Amanda’s bowl. Slowly she drew her lips together to blow on her coffee. “Seems
like you have enough on it for all of us.”

Delicately
Amanda stirred her oatmeal so the brown sugar swirled like molasses through the
steaming bowl. She tilted her head as she licked her spoon. “I need sugar just
like you need coffee.”

That
was true and Jessica didn’t hold it against her sister. It wasn’t Amanda’s
fault she was the way she was. Jessica made peace with it a long time ago, but
the way Duncan leaned across the table and leered at Amanda with that goofy
grin on his face…

Jessica
was pretty sure she wanted to hit him and she didn’t want to do something like
that in front of Amanda.

“Good
morning to you too,
sunshine
,” Duncan
said with a well-timed wink.

Jessica
sipped her coffee in an effort to control the rage stirring inside her chest.
She hated when he toyed with her like that. “I heard from Aunt Gwen. She’s on
her way.”

Amanda’s
smile brightened and she clasped her hands together. “I can’t wait. Finally,
things are coming together. Finally, maybe this thing can be over.”

Jessica
swallowed her hot coffee and turned her head from Amanda.
Over?
No, it would never be over. Not really. Not while there were
any demons left to hunt them, but this latest surge?

Maybe.

Duncan
crossed his arms and studied Jessica. Underneath the
table,
his long muscular legs stretched out in his jeans. “There’s
some oatmeal with your name on
it,
if you
say please.”

Jessica
raised an eyebrow. “I’m not hungry.”

Duncan
stared at her and Jessica stared right back. She didn’t blink, she just met
his,
glower
for
glower
. Maybe he wanted to throw down and fight. After her good
night’s sleep, Jessica felt up for it, refreshed as a daisy, and that daisy was
ready to rumble.

Amanda
cleared her throat and stood. She smoothed her skirt with a flourish. “I’m
going to go tidy my half of the suitcase and make the bed. Thanks for
breakfast, Duncan. It’s so
nice
to
see you again.” Amanda gazed at Jessica and Jessica threw her head back with a
roll of her eyes.

Subtle,
her sister. Maybe she was a better match for Duncan.

Duncan’s
grin was full on dimples. “Always a pleasure, Amanda. It’s clear who got the
charm in your family. You have it in spades.”

Amanda
stopped beside Jessica and talked softly. “I’ll be down in a few minutes. Give
you time for you to say whatever it is you don’t want me to hear.” Her stride
was like that of a dancer; soft, graceful, and elegant with a slight strut to
her steps.

 
Jessica kept her eye on her as Amanda climbed
the stairs. She wasn’t expecting to see Duncan and Amanda so chummy. As if they
just left off where the ball was dropped two years ago. Why was it so easy for
Amanda, while it was so hard for her? Why couldn’t Jessica have that power of
forgiveness and the ability just to let it all go?

Duncan
stared at Jessica while his leg bounced against the leg of his chair. “You
going to say something, or do I have to go first?”

Jessica
wasn’t thirsty for coffee anymore, which was a new one. She picked up her mug
and headed for the kitchen sink. “Stay away from her.” Her tone was plain,
simple. Jessica didn’t even sound angry even as she bit her lip and put the
full mug in the sink. Yeah, she felt
angry
but wasn’t about to let him see that.

“Jealous?
Of baby sis? C’mon, that’s not like you.” Duncan reached her in a few long
strides, even with her back to him, she could still feel him. He gripped the
counter on either side of her, trapping her from going anywhere without looking
at him.

So
she stared at his calloused hands. His knuckles were covered in bruises and had
strands of dark hair. “I’m not jealous. I won’t have you hurt her again.
Disappoint her. Help us, but don’t be so chummy. Don’t be friends.” Jessica
turned around and gazed into his dull blue eyes. The softness in them was a
place she once called home.

And
staring into them eroded her strength.

“Don’t
break her heart again,” Jessica said and swept her eyes away.

His
hand came up and stroked a tendril of her hair back. “Whose heart are we really
talking about here?”

“Mine?
Please.” She tried to roll her
eyes
but
didn’t quite make it.

“Want
me to apologize? Want me to say I’m sorry?” Duncan bent his knees to drop to
eye level. “I’m sorry,” his voice was soft and so sincere it made Jessica’s
insides tremble. “If I could do it all again…”

Jessica
sucked on the inside of her cheek. “Doesn’t change anything. Doesn’t fix what
happened and doesn’t change how I feel or what I think.”

Duncan
shook his head with a snort. “
I
know
why you have to be tough all the time, Jessica Blood. I know what’s at stake
and what you’re fighting,” Duncan’s eyebrows rose, “but you have to let someone
in. You can’t do this all alone.”

She
snorted. “And you think you should be that person? Trust you? Duncan Jasper and
his commitment
issue
?”

Please.

“I
don’t have commitment issues. I have demon issues.” Duncan stared her down, his
nose right against hers and it hurt to stare into his eyes. It hurt to feel the
longing in her heart, so full it might crack in two.

“We
would have fought with you. Whatever it was. We were a team. Family.” Jessica’s
lip threatened to quiver. She quelled it by pushing her jaw together, hard and
firm.

“Wasn’t
your job, darling. Put either of you in harm’s way over me? Nah that was never
going to happen.” Duncan’s voice hushed against her face and Jessica’s skin
trembled with more than desire. It trembled with urgency.

She
didn’t need protection. What she had needed then was him.
Him.
It never dawned on Jessica that he’d leave; not until he did.
She might never forgive the betrayal, of vulnerability.

“Maybe
it wasn’t just your decision. Maybe you have to stop treating us like we’re
damsels in distress,” Jessica said.

Duncan’s
laugh was husky; sexy. Even his eyes twinkled in a way that excited Jessica and
it was hard to ignore. “I’ve never once thought of you as a damsel, not even in
the very beginning, but I’d never put you in danger if I can help it.”

“Leaving
put us in danger. Amanda can’t fight, so it all fell onto my shoulders. Or
didn’t you think of that?” Jessica’s voice still held an edged of anger, but it
was hard to keep it there.

His
features sunk and his eyes flashed away, but he didn’t say anything right away.
Had he thought of that, but left anyway? So much for the hero.

“I’ll
apologize until I’m breathless for that.”

His
voice sounded sincere, but Jessica felt like she was sucker punched
nonetheless. “Aren’t you my stalwart hero?”

“A
damn gentleman,” Duncan teased, his lips closer to hers than ever.

Despite
what he said, despite his flaws Jessica wanted to touch his face and his hands
to be all over her body. Less than twelve hours they had been together and
already Jessica was having trouble fighting it.

He
was a
dirtbag
and Jessica wasn’t going to
fall for his tricks. Her heart
might
and
her body certainly would, but she’d stay in control.

So
she pulled herself away from the counter and pushed past him, but Duncan snagged
her arm and yanked her back. Jessica yelped as she fell against him. It was as
if time itself stopped as he leaned in to kiss her.

And
he did, his lips met hers, more than once.

His
kisses tried to subdue her. Snuff out her resistance to him. The smell of his
cologne was a lure and triggered memories of their time together. How Jessica
had depended on him and then, how he just left. No word, no note, he was just
gone one night, with the wind.

She
had thought he was in trouble. Searched for him, but there was no trail to
follow. Duncan had just left her. Walked away like so many others.

The
pain took shape in the center of her chest and threatened to tear her heart
asunder. So when Duncan’s tongue entered her mouth, and they did the familiar
dance, somewhere between love and lust, Jessica pushed him up against the
counter, her hands firmly on his hips.

And
then she bit his tongue.

“Ugh!”
Duncan screamed, and pushed her away, his hand firmly over his mouth. “Jessica
Blood!” A trail of crimson trickled out his hand as he rushed to turn on the
kitchen sink and grabbed paper towels from the counter.

“Let’s
get through this and go our separate ways. We were happier that way, right?”
Jessica stomped up the stairs and didn’t look back. She didn’t want to see if
there would be relief in his eyes or haunting sadness.

She
just didn’t want to know. She wasn’t sure which would be more painful. Didn’t
want to feel right then, all Jessica wanted to do was
fight
. It was the only thing she knew and the only thing she was
really good at.

“You
can’t keep running forever, you know. At some point, something’s got to give,
and if you don’t admit that soon, —your
tank’s
near
empty, Jessica.” Duncan yelled after her, but Jessica never turned
back.

He
was right, Jessica thought as she slid the bedroom door open. He was sure right
about that.

“Oh,
Jess.” Amanda shook her head from her spot, sitting crisscross on the bed, a
magazine in her lap.

Jessica
sat beside her and ignored what Amanda had said. “What’s that? Last year’s fashion?”