BloodlustandMetal (13 page)

“Oh God, Devon!” I screamed as I shattered.

He removed his clothes quickly as my eyes raked over each
carefully sculpted muscle. Then he reached into a drawer and grabbed a condom.

“You don’t need that with me,” I said. “I can’t carry
diseases or get pregnant.”

“One perk to fucking a vampire.” He grinned mischievously.

Then he grabbed the magnificent girth of his cock and teased
me with it.

“Now,” I begged. “Please.”

He played around my entrance some more. “How bad do you want
me?”

“This bad,” I said and pulled him into me.

He entered slowly, continuing the sweet assault on my
senses. I waited patiently, savoring the sensation as he filled me bit by bit.
Then I grabbed him as I wrapped my legs around him, pulling him in deeper.

“Fuck me, Devon.”

He impaled me so deeply I screamed out.

“You want it hard like this?”

“Yes!” I called when I recovered.

I wrapped my legs tighter around him as he filled me deeper
and harder again and again. Then I lifted my hips so my oversensitive clit
reached his cock. The intense pressure rocketed me to new heights and I clawed
him as I came again.

“Yes, Layla. Come all over me.” Then he rammed his throbbing
cock into me three more times before his head rolled back and he shot his
fluids deep into me.

After we recovered, Devon rolled beside me and held me
close. With my mind cleared and body sated, I finally fell asleep in his warm,
protective embrace.

After a few hours of sleep, Devon woke me to go to the bank.
My dreams were filled with delicious thoughts of him and I didn’t want them to
end. Waking up during daylight went contrary to my internal clock so I moved
sluggishly, until I remembered how this might be the last time I ever woke.

He had arranged for a specially equipped van that blocked
out all sunlight in the back. He got me into the car under an insulated tarp,
but I caught sight of daylight around us and it almost blinded me. Then he
drove to a bank branch that had an underground garage so we could enter through
the elevators.

A couple of hours later, we returned to the flat. I thought
it had been a waste of time. We had unlocked my account, but the five million
pounds was long gone. Devon was far more optimistic about it. He took the
printout of the account numbers where the money was transferred and sat at his
laptop as he set about tracking where the money had been dispersed. I tried to
follow along as he explained offshore accounts set up under what were most
likely fronts with fictional organizations, but all my questions slowed his
progress.

“Tell you what. Why don’t we each take a task, make us more
efficient,” he said. “I’ll focus on the accounts, you focus on figuring out
where the painting went.”

“How am I supposed to do that?”

“Start with art galleries in London. Ask questions. Follow
leads. Ask more questions.”

“All right, I’ll try, but I don’t know what I’m doing. This
is your forte, not mine.”

“You’ll be great. Besides, you can describe the painting
much better than I can. The details and so on.”

“I’m on it,” I said. It was better to do something
productive than to focus on what would happen tonight if we didn’t get Stefano
the answers he wanted.

Otherwise I’d spend my time remembering the hot sex with the
delicious shapeshifter beside me and fantasizing about spending my last few
hours in bed with him.

We spent the day tracking leads. I thought we weren’t
getting anywhere, but Devon was excited.

“Slow but steady progress,” he said.

“I can’t afford slow,” I said, hitting the armchair in
frustration. “I’m sorry,” I said, instantly regretting my outburst. “Thank you
for all you’ve done to help me. I appreciate it.”

The hours had passed too quickly and it was time to go back
to Stefano’s.

I had to make one more phone call before we left. Joey.

“Can I use the phone in your room?”

Joey

“Hello.”

“Joey, it’s me. Lay—I mean—Angelica.”

Hearing her voice triggered so many emotions, I didn’t know
where to begin.

“Angelica! Where are you? What happened? Are you all right?”

“I’m fine.”

“You disappeared. I’ve been worried sick about you! Where
have you been?”

“I’m sorry, but I don’t have much time.”

“I tried calling you. So many times. Left you a message. I
wanted to go to the police, but the guys said I was overreacting and that you
were probably fine.”

“I am fine, Joey. I’m sorry I worried you.”

“Worried me? I’ve been tormenting myself trying to figure
out where you were. The things I imagined—I don’t even want to remember all the
awful things. Why didn’t you call me back? Do you know what you put me
through?”

“I’m so sorry, Joey. I lost my phone. And it’s just been
so—so crazy. If I had time, I’d tell you everything. But a lot is going on
right now and I can’t explain it just yet.”

“What do you mean? Why not? Why can’t you tell me
something
?
Common courtesy, you know?”

“Joey, I know you worry about me and I know no matter how
many times I tell you not to, you still will. You have this protective streak
when it comes to me and I don’t know why. But I’m begging you this time not to
worry about me. I have some stuff to take care of that can’t wait. I’ll be out
of touch for a while.”

“You’re being so cryptic, Angelica. I wish you could just be
straight with me for once.”

“I wish I could too. But I can’t right now.”

“How long will you be gone?”

“I don’t know.”

“We have shows booked this weekend. Are you going to be
back?”

The silence on the other end of the phone indicated the
answer before she said it.

“I don’t know if I’ll be back. You might be better off
finding someone else to replace me.”

“Angelica, no!”

My emotional reaction revealed more about my feelings than
I’d wanted to make known.

“It’s not fair to make you wait while I figure all this shit
out. You guys should go on, find someone to fill in this weekend, or even one
of you can sing the songs.”

“What you’re asking me is too much. You’re not just finding
someone to replace you as a singer, you’re asking someone to replace
you
.That’s impossible.”

“Joey,” she pleaded. “Please don’t do this now.”

The terror of losing her was building up inside me, forcing
me to say things I’d buried in fear of never seeing her again.

“Why not? This might be the last time I ever speak to you.
And it’s not even in person, which sucks even more. Don’t you know I feel
something for you?”

“Of course, Joey. We’re bandmates. We’re friends. We spend
so much time together so it’s natural to care about each other.”

“I’m bandmates and friends with Mark and Rocco too. I don’t
feel for them what I feel for you.”

“No, Joey. Don’t do this.”

“Don’t deny your feeling, Angelica. I know there’s something
between us. You feel it too.”

“I care about you as a friend, but that’s all. That’s all it
could ever be between us. So please, whatever feelings you think you may have
for me, you have to forget about them.”

“You’re asking for the impossible.”

“I’m asking for the only possible option.” I heard her say
“one minute” to someone. “I have to go. Please take care of yourself. I’ll be
in touch when I can.”

“Angelica!” I called out.

She’d already hung up the phone.

“Fuck!” I yelled, slamming my phone down on the table.

Devon

“Who was that?” I asked when Layla returned to the living
room.

“Joey. The guitarist in my band.”

“Oh,” was all I said, not sure why her talking to him
bothered me.

“I knew he’d be freaking out worried about me and I had to
let him know I was okay.”

“What’s going on between you two?”

“Nothing. Why?”

“I’ve seen you flirt onstage.”

Layla sighed. “There is nothing more between Joey and me
than friendship and a relationship being in a band together. The act we have
onstage is just that—an act. The crowd responds to it so we have fun with it.”

“Is he aware of this?”

“Yes.”

“I get the impression he feels very protective of you. And
that it’s real for him. Or he wants you to be together.”

“He might. But I’ve explained how it can’t be. I need my
privacy and he needs to back off.

“Do you think he will?”

“I hope so.” Then she turned the conversation to me. “Why
are you asking me all these questions? Are you jealous?” She raised an eyebrow.

“No,” I said a bit too defensively. I looked at my watch.
“We need to go to Stefano’s,” I said, trying to hide the regret in my voice.

Her face dropped.

“Don’t give up on me yet, Layla. These things take time.
Look at how long it took me to track you down. We just need to convince Stefano
to give us more time.”

Her eyes focused on the floor as if she was resigned to her
fate. “He’s not a patient man.”

I tried to engage Layla in discussing the possibilities of
what happened with the painting. She remained quiet, however, and focused on
the scenery as the city transformed to the country.

Back inside Stefano’s imposing Tudor, I told him. “She
didn’t do it though. It wasn’t Layla who took the painting.”

“Oh really,” Stefano said with mock interest. “Let me guess,
she seduced you and got you to believe in her innocence prattle.”

Perhaps that was her intention initially. Perhaps Stefano
was right about her. But it didn’t change how I felt. I believed she was a pawn
in someone’s game and I wanted to save her. Too much of the evidence pointed at
her a little too tidily, making her the scapegoat.

“It’s the truth. She didn’t take the money.”

He looked unconvinced, but humored me by asking, “Then who
did?”

“I don’t know yet. We’re been tracking down leads all day.
We just need more time to see where they lead”

“Enough!” Stefano declared. “She’s had enough time to clear
her name by now if she was innocent.” Anger clearly boiled under the surface
over her supposed betrayal. “Forget this new plan of yours. The job was to
bring her here. You’ve done your job so you can leave.”

This was not going well. If it’s how he wanted to play, I’d
go along though. “Done. So pay me.”

Layla’s eyes widened in terror and Stefano gave me a
critical look. I kept my face impassive so as not to reveal anything.

“Wait here,” Stefano said to Layla. I followed him out the
great room, turning back to wink at Layla. “It will be okay,” I mouthed. Then I
followed him into the study. He took a manila envelope off the desk and handed
it to me. “You know the way out.” He nodded at the guards down the hall and
returned to the great room.

I hadn’t moved as I figured out my next move. The guards
were watching me, waiting.

“I forgot my bag,” I muttered and followed Stefano. He had
his hands around Layla’s neck and said, “Tell me now before I start removing
body parts, starting with those fangs.”

“Stefano, please,” she choked out.

Seeing her hurt was too much to bear. Without thinking, I lunged
at him, knocking Layla out of his grasp. Stefano focused on me, baring fangs,
but Layla jumped onto him. The three of us crashed into walls as we whirled
about.

“Stefano!” one of the bodyguards shouted.

Both Lee and Garrett were in the doorway. More bloody
vampires. They ran toward me, fangs bared and eyes flashing.

I escaped Stefano’s grasp as I leapt in their direction,
transforming into a lion in the middle of the air while my clothes shredded to
rags.

“Damn shifters!” one of them shouted.

The vampires were strong and quick, but I had more
experience. The battle was easily mine. With teeth bared, I knocked Garrett to
the floor and tore his throat out. While he grasped at the blood gushing out
like a fountain, I shifted back to human form to grab one of the swords hanging
on the wall. Whether the blade was sharp or decoration, I’d find out soon
enough. Lee ran to me and I sank the blade into his gut.

It wasn’t a fatal blow. Lee was able to keep moving and he
jumped on top of me, sinking his fangs into my neck. Pushing the revulsion
away, I reached down to grab the sword and pulled it out swiftly, using all my
strength to ram it against the back of his neck.

It didn’t cut all the way through, but injured him enough
that he released his hold on me. With his neck partially severed, he reached to
grasp it, screaming.

While his blood spilled onto the tiles of the great room, I
rushed to my feet, swung the sword with all my might and severed the rest of
his neck. His head fell to the floor with a thud.

When I turned back to check on Layla, I saw Stefano had
overpowered her. He had pinned her on the floor and his extended fangs
threatened to pierce her exposed neck. She fought against him, kicking and
punching, but he was an old and very powerful vampire so her blows were futile.
They both were distracted by the screaming and the scent of my blood.

However, Garrett was still moving. I assumed as a vampire
he’d recover and come after me if I didn’t administer a fatal blow. Taking the
sword, I plunged it into his heart.

Stefano hissed. “A lion shifter in England?”

“You knew what you hired.”

“I knew you were a shifter. I didn’t care what animal you
turned into.”

“Until now.”

He flew at me. Vampires were so fast humans couldn’t see
them move. I could barely see him myself but I had animal instincts to help my
reactions. I leapt in the direction he flew at me and transformed back into a
lion in midair.

Stefano might be powerful, but I outweighed him and was far
more muscular. We both had sharp teeth, but my claws were just as deadly. I
swiped at him with claws extended before his fangs sank into my flesh, blood
spurting from his chest cavity, as we both fell to the floor.