Choices (The Forever series, Book Four) (14 page)

"You mean, you just drank his blood?" he asks, now
over-the-top concerned.

"Yes, and holy crap, was that a rush," I say
slightly breathless. I want more. Did he know what it would do to me? Did he
know I wouldn't be able to resist tasting it and know I would want more? And
the only way to get more is to drink from him. What is he playing at?

"Liv. Hang on a minute. What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that his blood is like some sort of
magickal elixir. Those few drops were strong enough to completely take away my
hunger."

He looks very interested now and goes to pick up the
blood-splattered rose.

"No!" I yell at him and he drops it, startled.

"What?"

"Don't. There's something crazy powerful going on here
and I don't want you anywhere near it," I say. I have to get rid of it. I
focus and click my fingers and the rose goes up in flames with a forceful
whoosh and we both step back alarmed at the size of the flames.

My phone buzzing draws my attention away from the fire as it
dies down, and I answer it on speaker, "Yes, Linc?"

"Why is there a naked Vampire sibling in your
bed?" he asks, just as bluntly.

Focusing my attention on the phone I frown. "What? Oh,
Seb. He wants to crash for a couple of days. CK is on one apparently. Initial
Vampire broodiness is quite affecting."

"Humph, well you could have told me. Scott is having a
slight freak out."

"Crap. Sorry, he only asked late last night and I
forgot to call you," I apologize. Well, “asked” is somewhat of an
overstatement. We were “told,” more like. "Just ignore him. I'm sure he
won't hang around."

"Fine," he sulks.

"Oh, by the way, Linc. Can you ask Scott to make
arrangements for a trip to Las Vegas on Thursday? Jet, hotel, etc."

"Vegas? Oh, are we going on a field trip to see the
Demon?"

"Yes. Get Scott to message me the details and to tell
CK as well."

"Sure, will do."

"Thanks, baby. I have to go. I'll see you in a couple
of days."

"Okay. Bye V.A."

"Bye." I hang up and turn my attentions to my
husband.

"So what are we going to do today?" I ask him.

"I don't think we should be going out with this Hunter
on the loose. I mean what kind of weirdo would follow you up here?"

"He does have stalker tendencies," I mutter, much
to Cole's concern. "I don't want him to ruin our time together. I am sick
to death of everyone trying to come between us!" I yell, suddenly very
irate. I am shaking with fury and I don't where the anger came from.

"Okay, baby. It's okay. No one is going to come in
between us. God knows they would have by now if we let them." He pulls me
to him and I relax in his arms. "Let me get you some blood, some human
blood, and you just try and calm down. You are shaking."

I nod dutifully and let him go and get me something to
drink. I down it in one gulp and feel a calm wash over me, followed by the need
to Hunt. Oh dear. Hunter's blood clearly was not made to be drunk by Vampires.
Arsehole, did he know it would do this to me? Pushing the urges aside, I calm
myself with great effort and gain control of myself. Cole is watching me warily
but it's all good now. I am just fine.

"I want to go out," I say again. "I want to
do some touristy things."

"Sure, okay. Like what?" he asks curiously.

"I don't know, you tell me. You live here," I say,
realizing that all the times that I have come up here we have never left the
hotel.

"I don't live here, Liv. I work here," Cole
corrects me in a huff.

"Same difference. You must know of some places."

He shrugs and thinks about it and then his face lights up.
"Oh I know exactly where we can go," he says. "You will love
it."

I smile at his delight, "Okay. Where?"

"Not telling. You can wait until we get there."

I sulk at him but he refuses to budge so I give up in the
end.

He goes off to shower and I say I will join him in a minute
as my phone rings again.

"Sebastian. What's up?"

"Livvie. The scent of you in your bed is driving me
crazy. I'm hot for you," he says slyly.

"Seb!" I snap at him. "Rules."

"Screw the rules. They aren't my rules. I am not used
to being denied," he sulks.

No, I bet you aren’t. "Well, get used to it."

"Hm, a challenge? I accept," he says offhandedly.
"I know you want to. I know you want to feel what it's like," he adds
softly.

I sigh. He's got me there. "Don't, Seb. I can't."

"You can though. We are Vampires, we don't live by
rules. Even those set by our sires."

"You would defy him?" I ask curiously.

"To be with you? Of course," he replies
seductively and I shiver slightly.

"Stop this," I say weakly and he knows he has me
where he wants me.

"Talk to him. Make him see reason. It's good for him
too, to have us both."

"I… I have to go. I'll talk to you later," I
stammer and hang up as he chuckles at me.

I sit down heavily on the sofa as I think back to when we
arrived back in L.A. after our trip to Sibiu. Cole was insistent we try the
sharing thing again just with Devon, but with the “no fucking” rule. I
convinced Devon, although he was reluctant at first. It went well for me and
for Cole but Devon was left unfulfilled. I snuck out after Cole fell asleep and
took him out to the pool where I showed him my appreciation, technically not
breaking any rules as we weren't in our bed and nor were we in the house.
Flimsy reasoning, but a necessity.

The second week was the same but by the third week I told
Cole what I was doing. He agreed grudgingly as he knew he would be pushing his
luck otherwise. By the eighth week Devon was staying for the whole show with
the tacit agreement of taking turns and Shifting. Everyone was happy with this
as everyone got what they wanted. I got my two boys and they each got their
sire, and so we carried on until I inevitably wanted more. At week eleven I
took control of the situation and I didn't Shift and took them both at the same
time and as their sire I have to say it was up there as one of the best nights
of my life. They both wholeheartedly agreed it was
the
best night of
their lives and so we carried on until Cole went to Toronto. With what little
time we have together, we both wanted it to be just ourselves, but now Devon is
back in L.A. anyway. So yes, I want to see what it’s like from a charge’s point
of view. Clearly it is special and even from the sire's side it is worthy of
note. So I wonder why CK won't engage. I know he joked about my husband's rules
when Sebastian first asked to join in but he isn't that generous. He clearly
doesn't want me anywhere near Sebastian in that way for his own selfish
reasons. Oh well. In just a few short months Cole has come a long way to
accepting our true Vampire nature so maybe it won't be all that long until he
sees the benefit of losing the rules and letting me off my leash. Once that
happens, no matter what my sire has to say about it, I will find out what all
the fuss is about. In the meantime, I will just sit on it.

I go and join Cole, very aroused by all these thoughts, and
give him a shower to remember for the rest of his long life.

I am thrilled with Cole’s mystery trip out: a beautiful
castle called
Casa Loma.
It is very touristy and right up my alley. Cole
was right, I do love it.

We try to wander around without drawing too much attention
to ourselves but Cole gets recognized almost immediately. I sigh as we are once
again pulled into the spotlight. I suppose I shouldn’t complain, but I do
prefer the quiet life.

After a few minutes we manage to sneak off to do our own
thing but we are closely followed. Maybe I am being paranoid, but I feel like
we’re being watched. I look back over my shoulder but there’s nothing. My first
thought goes to Nico but I don’t think he would be here in Canada while his
boss was back in New York. Plus, CK knows I would be furious with him for
spying on me while I am with Cole. My phone is buzzing in my pocket and I pull
it out. Blocked number. I ignore it, as I don’t answer if I don’t know who it
is. This is a private number and nobody should have it that isn’t already in my
Contacts list. It goes off again and I ignore it again. After the fifth time
and Cole’s annoyed look--as he no doubt thinks I am dodging the call because he
is there--I am about to switch it off, but decide to answer it instead.

“Who is this?” I snap and Cole’s eyes land on me with
interest.

“Finally, I was beginning to wonder if you would ever pick
up.”

“How did you get this number?” I ask, recognizing his
serious voice immediately.

“Oh, you’d be surprised the information I have on you, Mrs.
O’Dell. Nice to see you with your husband for a change,” Cade says. I growl at
him but he ignores me and carries on. “Did you like the gift I left for you?”
he asks slyly.

“Gift? What gift?” I say innocently and he chuckles.

“Now, now, don’t be coy. I know you couldn’t resist.”

“I don’t know what you are talking about.”

“There’s more where that came from. If you’re a bit nicer to
me I might let you have it straight from the source.”

“What game are you playing? Just make your move,” I dare
him.

“Oh no, I prefer to have you right where you are. You’ll be
seeing me. I have only just started with you. Enjoy your time with your
husband, Mrs. O’Dell. There isn’t much time left. Tick tock,” he says and hangs
up, leaving me worried by his threat. I step in front of Cole, protecting him,
as I am pretty sure the threat was against him and not me.

“Liv? Was that Cade?”

“Yes,” I say quietly. My phone goes off again, making me
jump, and the caller ID says “CK.”

“Are you okay?” he asks before I can say anything.

“Yes, I think so,” I reply.

“Think so?”

“Cade rang me. His closing statement rattled me,” I say in
French so that Cole won’t understand me. I don’t want to worry him. He grimaces
at me, knowing I have purposefully excluded him from the conversation but
instead of pulling away he comes closer, draping his arms around me and putting
his hands in the front pockets of my jeans. I smile at the action and snuggle
up against him.

“What did he say?” CK asks.

“He said to enjoy my time with my husband as there isn’t
much time left. I think the threat is against him, not me.”

“I see,” CK says thoughtfully. “Aefre, I want you to let me
know immediately if you see him again. Nico is looking for him, but he remains
elusive. It seems that he only turns up around you, and only then when he wants
you to see him. The man is so far underground it is a worry,” he pauses, “I
will have Nico send some of his team up to you. They can stay on to watch Cole
when you come back on Monday night.”

I scowl at the Monday night comment but leave it as he is
doing me--and us--a favor.

“
Merci
,” I say softly, as I know it is hard for him,
adding, “I am grateful.”

“It is of no consequence. I won’t let anything happen to
him. I don’t want you that way,” he says quietly. “You can make it up to me on
Tuesday,” he says then with a smile in his voice.

“Mm, indeed,” I mutter, wondering if I should tell him about
the bloody rose. Probably not. “I should go,” I say as Cole starts to nuzzle my
neck, causing my Dragon to ripple across my back and I inadvertently gasp in delight.

“Yes, well I shall see you soon,” CK grouses, clearly
unhappy with me now. “
Au revoir
.”

“
Au revoir, mon amour
,” I say, and he hangs up.

“Liv, my darling. What the fuck is going on?” Cole whispers
in my ear, as a crowd of onlookers gawk at our intimate pose.

“Cade is now causing me concern,” I say, needing to tell him
something. “CK is sending some people up here to watch over you after I leave
on Monday.”

“Monday? I thought you were going on Tuesday?”

“Change of plans,” I sigh and he frowns at me.

“He wants you first thing on Tuesday morning, doesn’t he,”
he says angrily.

“Six in the morning,” I answer shortly and I turn in his
arms. “Please be careful. I couldn’t bear it if something happened to you,” I
say desperately and he looks concerned at my tone.

“I’ll be fine. I’m more worried about you. This guy seems to
have an obsession with you. I’m pretty sure when you leave, he will too.”

“I hope you’re right,” I murmur as I tighten my arms around
him.

The mood has been somewhat soured by recent phone calls, so
we head back to the hotel soon after. I’m not really surprised to see a basket
of white roses outside the suite door.

“Yep, obsession about sums it up,” I mutter as I pick it up,
smelling the blood straight away. “Do me a favor and ring Devon,” I say,
opening the door.

“Liv…” he starts.

“Just tell him what’s going on and to watch his back, okay?”

He nods, “Of course.”

I wait and he looks at me, “Now?”

“Yes, now,” I say and move away from him to put the basket
on the table. Part of me wants to taste his blood again but my more sensible
side warns me it is a bad idea. I look at it intently, my fingers hovering over
the fully bloomed rose as Cole goes into the bedroom to ring Devon. I sigh that
it has come to this. I remember when he left me the last time. I was absolutely
devastated.

Calais, France, 1692 - Elizabeth/Mary

Devon and I left Versailles soon after the Constantine
encounter. Constantine asked me to come back to Italy with him to pick up where
we left off but I couldn’t. Not when I had Devon. He was furious with me that I
chose my charge over him but I didn’t see it that way. I was still hurting
after his betrayal and the ease at which he threw everything away and left me. 
He stormed back to Tuscany in a temper and Devon and I decided to return to
England for a while. Or at least I decided and Devon just agreed.

“I want to Shift,” I told him one night at the inn we are
staying at, waiting for the boat back to England.

“Why?” he asked in confusion.

“I want a change,” I said with a slight shrug.

“You don’t want to be Elizabeth anymore?” he asked sadly.

I shook my head, “I want to be me again.”

“You?”

“The real me. Shifting uses up more energy. I just want
to be able to be at ease.”

“You aren’t at ease? I can help with that,” he said with
a smile and moved closer.

“Devon.” I held my hand up and stood. He watched me as I
Shifted and his eyes went wide as he saw my natural form for the very first
time, so different from his sire.

“That’s what you really look like?” he asked in
disbelief.

Highly insulted I glared at him, “You don’t like what I
really look like?”

“I like you how I met you. This is not who I fell in love
with,” he said, gesturing at me.

“I am still me, Devon,” I said sadly.

He shook his head. “No. Not to me you aren’t. Turn back,”
he demanded.

My anger rose up at his disrespect and his lack of
enthusiasm for the real me. “Watch yourself,” I warned him and he glareed back
at me but remained silent. “I am staying this way for a time. If you don’t like
it, you don’t have to stay.”

He stared at me in horror as my words sank in. “You want
me to leave?” he asked quietly. “Is all of this so you can go back to your sire
unencumbered?”

“No. I’m not going back to him. I’m going to England,
like this. With you or without you,” I said, stubborn as a mule, resolute in my
decision.

“Then you will go without me,” he said, just as resolute,
and he too stood and started to get dressed.

Shocked that he was actually preparing to leave me, I
just stood there gaping at him.

“Goodbye Elizabeth,” he said as he reached the door,
adding, “Or whatever your name will be.” And with that he marched out of the
room, leaving me to stare after him, speechless. I knew that one day this would
happen. I had hoped it wouldn’t, but now that it was here I was angry with him.
How dare he leave me! How dare he leave me over that! I crawled back into bed
refusing to go after him, confident that he would return before morning, before
the ship set sail.

He didn’t come back. I waited all night and as I boarded
the ship he was still nowhere in sight. Heaving a sigh I found myself a quiet
corner to sit in knowing the sickness would start any time. “Whatever your name
will be,” had said. Well, what would my name be? Something suitably English,
but not Elizabeth. Emily? No, I didn’t look much like an Emily? Mary? I
supposed it was as good a name as any. The tears started to fall silently down
my face as I realized he wasn’t coming. He really had left me, my darling boy.
Would I ever see him again? I wondered as the first waves of sickness washed
over me.

“Liv?” Cole asks in concern.

I come back to the present, holding the bloody rose in my
hands, tears falling silently down my face at the memory.

“This is really affecting you, isn’t it? Devon being gone?
I’m sorry that I didn’t take it seriously.”

“It’s okay,” I sigh. “You can’t know what it feels like to
be abandoned. Is he okay?”

“Yes, he’s fine,” Cole says now with understanding.
“Everything will be okay. He will come back. I promise.”

“Has he said something?” I light up.

Cole nods hesitantly and says, “All he’s said is he needs
time but he will come back. Okay? Will you leave him to deal now?”

“Yes, I will.”

“Good. Put the rose down now, Liv. Whatever his blood does
to you, it isn’t good.”

I place the bloody rose back in the basket and hand it to
him. “Get rid of it.”

He nods and takes it away. He’s gone a few minutes so assume
he is taking it outside. I sit and await his return. Agitated in this
unfamiliar place, I get up and even though it is still afternoon I light my
candles, the old-fashioned way, gaining comfort from the small task.

But I need more reassurance, so I ring my sire. He answers
on the first ring.

“Everything okay?”

“No,” I say woefully.

“What is it, my love?”

“I am… ergh… I am still not doing very well after Lance… the
memories…” I trail off and there is silence.

I realize that he doesn’t know of my pain, as I couldn’t
tell him.

“Aefre, I’m sorry. I should have been here for you, knowing
what you went through.”

“I’m okay. I just needed to hear your voice.”

“Did you light your candles?”

“Yes.”

“Do you want me to come there?”

Yes, I think, but instead say, “No. I’m okay.”

“Does he know how much you are hurting? Cole? Does he know?”

“No.”

“Oh.”

“Devon does, but he left me,” I start crying again and
within seconds he is by my side holding me, crooning to me, pulling me under
his spell.

Cole walks back in a few moments later and sees me in tears
in my sire’s arms and his anger flares up. This is the first time they have
been in the same room together since Lance’s.

“She needs me,” CK says bluntly.

“No, she doesn’t,” Cole says just as bluntly. “You just make
her think she does.”

“You don’t know her. You don’t know what she needs.”

“She is my wife, mine. I know what she needs.”

“No, you don’t. She has told me you don’t know.”

“Constantine, Cole. Stop this. It’s not helping anyone.”

“You should leave. This is my time,” Cole says forcefully.

“I’m not going anywhere until she asks me to.”

“Please stop fighting,” I yell. “Constantine?”

“Yes, my sweet?” he says, eyes still on Cole.

“I’m okay. You should go,” I say quietly, turning him to
look at me.

He pulls me close and whispers into my ear, “If you want me,
I will be here.”

Want, not need.

“Keep them lit until you are calm again. He can’t hurt you,
not ever again,” CK says.

I nod as he kisses me lightly on the forehead. “I love you,”
he whispers quietly and Teleports back out.

“Why was he here?”

“I was upset. He came. It’s what he does,” I say
dismissively.

“I am here. You don’t need him.”

I cross over to him and pull him towards me.

“I love you,” I murmur. “I need you, I want you. Will you
just hold me?”

“Of course,” he says, completely placated by my words. “I
love you and need and want you,” I say again. He picks me up and carries me to
the bed and places me gently down and takes off my shoes. He crawls up next to
me and wraps his arms around me. I relax against him, content. I fall asleep as
he strokes my hair, utterly exhausted by recent events.

I awake suddenly from a bad dream. My heart is beating
rapidly. Dead. Everyone I love was dead. I was left alone with no one. Cade had
killed them. Killed them all to play with me.