Bound to You, a Paranormal Romance (Book 3 of the Spellbound Series) (3 page)

I turned to face him; my lips curled back over my teeth as I grinded them, slowly. A gust of wind slowly swirled at his feet, his hand fell to his side and his body lifted off the ground. He, a mere immortal, had no right to touch me, let alone speak to me as though he were my equal. He said nothing, he did not even scream.

Circe appeared beside me before I had the chance to act on my thought. I couldn’t harm him in her presence.
Or could I?

“Oh, Hades, just tell him what Zeus said regarding Persephone; she might choose him.” Her soft voice sounded like a perfectly pitched song and her smile was heartfelt and inviting.
Who invited you, let alone asked for your opinion?
I calmed the wind and place him back on his feet, before sneering at him.

“Yes, she might,” Ben added. I rolled my eyes and proceeded to walk out the door with both Ben and Circe on my heels.

“You must understand, vampire.” I began before I stopped in the doorway of the bedroom that I
will
share with Antonia, someday. “Persephone is a goddess and things aren’t so simple.” I lowered my voice with the last words. Nothing with Persephone was simple. She was the most complicated goddess. Her mother followed behind her as a close second.

“So she’s free to kill Toni— is that what you are trying not to say?” I hated this vampire for putting the words into existence and for calling my Antonia by that stupid nickname.

“No. I’m not saying that Benjamin.” I lied but the very thought made me sick. I have to make it my mission to never let Persephone get an opportunity too close to my Antonia, again. Hopefully, the vampire will do the same.

“What
are
you saying then, spit it out.” His fist flinched as he fumed.

“My dear daughter where shall I find her,” Circe asked as if she didn’t start the argument between the Vampire and I.

I said nothing, as my tell-tale black smoke began to rise from the ground. I needed to have a little chat with my dear brother, Zeus. I don’t have to answer any of this idiot vampire’s questions.

“The vampire knows the details.” I said, with a wicked grin.

“You bastard, you better not go,” Ben yelled at me; but I casually smiled at him, delighted that my leaving was bothering him. This all seemed like a childish game, but it wasn’t. I needed to have the upper hand. And, I needed to have Antonia.

“Circe, would you mind sending me to San Francisco? I need to warn Antonia, and that is where you will find Dawn is as well,” he pleaded as I faded into the smoke.

My journey, after Mount Olympus, would be to visit my love, Antonia. I can’t let that vampire taint her mind against me, or worse, touch her again.

Three

Antonia

We both turned our heads to face the door and then looked at each other. I snapped my head over my shoulder toward the window. It was dark outside.

“Dawn, I know you’re home. Your car is in the garage.” A soft southern voice echoed in the hardwood floor hallway. I turned to look at Dawn, her brow furrowed and lip pouted out.

“Who is that?” I whispered, unsure if Dawn wanted to or was going to answer the door.

Dawn was seething.

Through her teeth she said, “Gimme me a sec,” just loud enough for the person at the door to hear. The usual rosiness that feathered Dawn’s face was now as red as a beet. Dawn moved toward the door before turning to give me a once over. She looked down at herself, shrieking in horror at our Greek goddess attire. We looked like we had walked out of a random Greek movie. I watched as she simply closed her eyes, my purple gown melted away, and my favorite jeans, that hugged me in all the right places, and a Rolling Stones t-shirt found their way onto my body. Her clothes also changed into some yoga pants and tank, a typical everyday outfit for Dawn.

Dawn rested her hand on the door, took a deep breath, and opened it.

“Amy!” I could hear the forced smile in her voice. Dawn didn’t talk much about her family, but I knew she had two sisters. She was so sketchy on the details about her life in Kentucky, probably because I always laughed at her “Little Miss” pageant life. I did remember hearing the name Amy before, though.

“Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes,” the brown haired woman said, eying me from the doorway, as Dawn enveloped her into a tight hug. I was intrigued by their reunion until the cool night breeze and salty bay wind blew Amy’s essence my way, creating a burning thirst in my throat.

“Dawn, are you going to introduce me to your company?” the girl whispered in Dawn’s ear. Either my hearing had improved or I had bionic hearing, courtesy of my new found vampire life.

Dawn slowly released the hold she had on her sister and turned to see me gawking at them I hoped saliva wasn’t dripping from the corner of my mouth; my thirst for blood was bordering on ravenous.

“Of course, where are my manners?” The melodic southern accent, that she could so meticulously hide, snuck out as she spoke.

I plastered a fake smile on my face to keep up with appearances. Silently I laughed inside, as the southern belle emerged from Dawn’s protected field.

“Amy, this is my friend, Toni. We work together at the hospital.”

I had momentarily forgotten about Dawn and I being doctors. The “new” lives we led as a witch and vampire just seemed to be more important than our employment.

“Toni, this is my sister, Amy.”

I saw her extended arms to hug me as she moved across the room. I had to pace myself not to move faster than the human eye could see. I casually strolled across to meet her and she pulled me into her arms, determined to squeeze me tight.

“Pleasure to meet you,” Amy said, almost in a whisper.

She was pleasant, beautiful and smelled absolutely delicious.

I quickly pulled back, not wanting to have her for dinner. I noticed the she and Dawn looked nothing alike. Amy’s brown hair was the color of coffee beans and her eyes were an almost hypnotizing green with orange around the pupil. I stood, holding her eye contact as her heart began to race, before Dawn stepped between us.

When Dawn asked if Amanda, her other sister

I assumed, was coming, it broke the trance between Amy and I. The pout on Dawn’s face showed me that she wasn’t happy. Whether about her other sister coming over or my eyeing her sister like dinner—I wasn’t sure.

Amy ignored Dawn’s question with a noncommittal sigh and made hers way on the couch. She sat, crossing her legs at the ankles before she finally answered.

“No, don’t get your feathers ruffled. I wouldn’t even be here if you would have answered your phone. You know Daddy worries about you, and my Momma thinks you will be an old maid here in the city of the gays and lesbians.” The sarcasm in her voice seemed to annoy Dawn, who let out an exaggerated breath and rolled her eyes before flopping down next to her sister on the couch.

“God, can’t I just go one day without someone calling and checking in? I mean, I am a grown woman.” Dawn huffed, folding her arms across her chest and falling back onto the couch.

“It’s been three days and Daddy thought you might have been mugged and dead. You should be glad it’s me and not him.” Amy teased. I had to keep my laughter to myself. Amy, the little big sister, was reprimanding Dawn with her southern sass.

I had never seen this quiet and intimidated side of Dawn. She was usually the drill sergeant who didn’t let her patients die; but now she was just a little girl trying to escape her overbearing parents.

Amy eyes lit up at the sight of Dawn’s cowering.

“In fact, let’s call Daddy so he can fuss at you himself.” Amy laughed as she pulled out an iPhone.

“Good, because I have a bone to pick with him.” Dawn fumed as Amy began dialing.

I moved toward the couch, knowing that I probably looked like a frozen statue, in awe at the sister’s interaction. I had sisters, once, and I missed that interaction from a sibling, even if it was arguing.

“Daddy, I’m here,” Amy said in the phone. The click of her tongue aroused my thoughts. I watched her lips as she ran her fingers through her dark locks. The sound of her scratching her scalp, paired with the flutters of her beating heart, created a melody in my ears. My body leaned forward as the carnal desire to drink began to take over.

“I should probably let you two catch up,” I said suddenly, to pull myself out of the moment. That and the fact the sound of their heartbeats was driving me mad. I would have loved to stay to see how this played out between Dawn and Amy, but feared I might kill them both.

“You don’t have to go; we still have so much to talk about.” Dawn was by my side poking out her bottom lip, holding my arm like a toddler.

“She is just at home with her
friend,
Toni.” I didn’t like the way Amy said
friend
. “No, it’s a girl, Daddy.” She finished eyeing me.

“There is always tomorrow.” I nodded with a giggle. “Plus, I’m starving.” I said almost inaudibly.

Dawn’s eyes widened as she nodded her head.

I eased towards the door as Amy’s eyebrows perked at my comment.

“Oh I am too. No, I’m not talking to you Daddy.” She paused, listening for a moment. “Toni. Dawn’s
friend
.” She met my gaze before laughed at something her father said. “Daddy, you are so funny. Okay, let me go. We’re going to grab something that won’t ruin the diet that Dawn should be on.” Another laugh. “Love you too Daddy. Bye.”

I clenched and unclenched my fist. Careful not to incite my anger. I just hated the way Amy talked about Dawn and hated even more how Dawn tolerated it.

She ended the call and turned to Dawn. “Come on, let’s get some food. I want to get to know Toni.”

How did she hear me?

Dawn’s usual glow and smile disappeared with her sister’s words.

“We can’t. Toni is on a special diet and I don’t like the food she eats.” She lied but she was right about the fact that I did eat differently and it might just be one of them, if they didn’t let me leave.

“Ah, come on Dawn. You are trying to keep your friend from me and I know it. You are such a mystery to all of us, Dawn. Even Daddy. You moved away after high school and barely ever come home. I jumped on the first plane here, when I heard you’d gone missing. Now lighten up. You’re alive, the rapist monster momma thought had gotten you didn’t, and now we can show this little city girlfriend of yours how us Southern girls get down.”

I wrapped my hand around my mouth holding in my giggles. No one and I mean no one, had ever talked to Dawn like that—not since I had known her. I was a bit shocked that Dawn seemed almost frightened by her sister’s words. Her wide eyes shot between Amy and me. But the girlfriend part is the one that tickled me the most. Amy had her suspicions about me when I walked in and she just confirmed it.

Dawn marched over to me and in a hushed voice asked, “Now what?”

I looked up and over at Amy who stood tapping one foot on the floor.

“You make a valid point, and believe me, I want to get to know you, too. I’d love to hear every story about Dawn and her pageant days, but I am kind of supposed to meet my boyfriend and I don’t want to be rude.” That was all a well-orchestrated lie and Dawn was going to owe me big time for even thinking about said “boyfriend”.

It all came rushing back to me. No matter how I try to avoid thinking about the two men in my life, they still seem to be there, waiting for me and my decision.

The “ah-ha” moment arrived on Amy’s face and she closed her eyes and nodded with a smile.

“Well, why didn’t you say so? Tomorrow, I will tell you everything I know.” She said with a wink.

“Great.” I smiled at Amy to confirm and at Dawn to take in her embarrassment, before I breezed out the door.

In the hallway, I leaned against the door gripping my neck. My thirst was getting stronger and I knew one thing that would quench it. Blood. I was new to this vampire thing and I was afraid a human would be the only way to satisfy my need.

I zipped out of the hallway, down the stairs and onto the street. I was determined to get far away from Dawn and her sister, even though I wasn’t sure Dawn would survive without using her magic on Amy.

The streets were a blur of green lights and darkness. I didn’t know the time or hell, even what day it was. Amy mentioned Dawn had been missing for three days; so had I been gone for four, maybe five? I wandered aimlessly in the streets until I found myself at Ben’s Pacific Heights house. I didn’t have a clue how I was going to get in, but I knew I would find what I needed in there: human blood.

I walked up to the front door, which I had never seen used. I thought about breaking the beautiful bay window that had a glorious view of the ocean and going in that way, but that might have caused a scene in the upscale neighborhood. My next thought was to turn the doorknob. I might be able to break the lock, but that was a stretch.

My hand touched the cool metal and I lightly turned it when the door opened. Here I had been thinking of committing the crime of breaking and entering and the front door was unlocked.

I eased into the dated living room and quickly closed the door behind me. I looked around the room and saw the pile of ash, a bed sheet, Kevin’s spell book, and a messenger bag. Kevin, his sad eyes and broken heart came to mind. Of all the people who were hurt, he shouldn’t have been one of them. Kevin loved me and took care of me while we hid from Hades; the only problem was I didn’t want to hide. It’s not his fault he thought he was protecting me.
I’d have to make it up to him one day.
The room looked tossed about, but none of that was really my concern. I needed to get to the kitchen.

In an instant, I was in front of the refrigerator with my hand on the stainless steel door. I pulled the door with more force than I expected but caught it before it swung around and hit the side. I searched desperately for the carafe that Ben kept blood in. Food filled the shelves and the sight of it turned my stomach. Either my eyes were playing tricks on me or it was gone. Panic set in. I slammed the door closed searching the room for a clue as to where the blood was stored. I eyed the white carafe in the sink.