Choices (The Forever series, Book Four) (18 page)

I watch hungrily, in both senses, as he approaches her and
she turns to face me. She closes her eyes against the sharpness of the bite but
soon the pleasure takes over. She is enjoying this far more than she should and
well, frankly, so am I.

He pulls back and licks her and she shivers as he releases
her shoulders. His eyes find mine and he is surprised to see how turned on I
am. He tilts his head in question and I smile seductively at him. He tears his
eyes away from mine and asks Dawn, “You okay?”

She nods and adjusts her neckline, completely flustered that
I have witnessed her sustaining my husband.

“Sorry to interrupt your weekend off but the studio sent
some changes for you to look at,” she says.

He looks annoyed but nods, “Sure.” She pulls a folder out of
her bag and hands it to him.

I’m a bit annoyed myself now, as I wanted this time for us.
Instead I say to Dawn, “How about we go downstairs and have a coffee?”

Surprised, she looks at me. “Uh, okay,” she says.

Cole crosses to me and says, “I won’t be long. I’ll join you
in a bit.”

I nod and he kisses me chastely in front of Dawn but I pull
him closer for a deeper kiss for a few moments, tasting her blood in his mouth.

Hm, now I am hungry.

Another knock at the door forces us apart and I answer it
again. A not-so-attractive man is hovering in the doorway. “Liv Nelson?” he
asks.

“It’s Liv O’Dell, but yes,” I correct him.

He frowns and says, “Mr. D’Arcangelo sent me.” He peers
around me at Cole and Dawn and says, “For, you know…” He taps his neck and I
get his meaning.

“Oh! Come in, please,” I say. He looks relieved that I know
what he is talking about as Cole grumbles about the use of my other name.
Sebastian is definitely right about one thing: CK is in denial. I have to smile
inwardly though that he sends me someone he knew I wouldn’t find attractive.

I lead him to the bedroom and he sits at the dresser as I
lean over him. Taking my fill, I release and lick him and retract my fangs.
“Thank you,” I say quietly and he nods.

I turn to see Cole watching mutinously from the door.

“He said he would take care of me… err… it,” I say, meaning
my twice-a-day feeds. “Although he is a day late,” I mutter more to myself and
he just glares at me.

“I will take care of you,” he says quietly after the man has
left.

“Don’t make a fuss. It’s his job,” I grouse. “Please try and
forgive him. I have. I need you to as well.”

“His job? And not likely.”

“As my sire,” I say impatiently. “Like it’s mine to take
care of you.” I look pointedly at Dawn who is trying her best not to eavesdrop.

“Fine,” he sighs. “I will be nicer, maybe.”

“Thank you,” I say and kiss him. “I will talk to him, too.
This animosity has to end. We’ll be back in L.A. soon – all of us. We need to
get back to where we were before…” I hesitate, “… Lincoln.”

He nods grimly, “I just want you to be happy.”

I kiss him again. “Come,” I say to Dawn. “Let’s leave him to
work.”

Dawn scrambles to me at my order and opens the door for me.
“Bye Cole,” she says twinkling at him, much to my amusement.

“See ya, Dawn,” he replies absently, already focused on his
papers and her face falls slightly.

A fairly awkward silence ensues as we step into the elevator
and I know she is wondering why I am asking her for coffee.  I don’t really
know myself. I don’t have any female friends. Well, in truth, I don’t have any
friends, unless you count Devon. It might be nice to give this a go. She’s nice
enough and as she is human there is no jealousy. Female Vampires are probably
worse than our male counterparts when it comes to territory. It’s probably why
I don’t seek out female company. Men are just easier to be around. Although my
group in a room together doesn’t usually end well, I think wryly.

“Do you like working for Cole?” I ask her, more out of
something to say than actual interest.

She nods enthusiastically, “Yes. He’s great. So easygoing.
Not like a lot of the other actors.”

I nod and smile, “Yes, he is.”

“He misses you when you aren’t here,” she blurts out and I
blink at her before exiting the elevator.

“I miss him too,” I say quietly.

We make our way to the hotel bar and order our drinks and
sit.

“How is Scott?” she asks innocently and I raise my brows at
her.

“He is fine. In New York with us now,” I say with a knowing
smile. “I will tell him you asked after him.”

She blushes but doesn’t answer as her phone rings and she
looks apologetic while saying, “Sorry, I need to get this.”

“No worries,” I say and take the opportunity to ring CK to
thank him for the Feeder.

“Yes, my sweet?” he answers on the first ring. “Everything
okay?”

“Perfect. Thank you for sending someone.”

“I told you I would take care of you and I will.”

“Yes, you did.”

“Nico has sent some of his team to you. They should be there
shortly.” The usual abrupt change of subject comes as expected.

“Oh. Shit. I forgot to tell you. He isn’t after Cole, he’s
after me.”

“How do you know?”

I launch into my tale of the nightly visit--in Italian--so
Dawn won’t understand.

“I see. So not only did you see him hours ago and fail to report
it to me, you are also basically telling me he tried to kill you?”

“Sorry,” I squeak. “I forgot. And no, not exactly kill me as
such,” I gulp. Perhaps I should have left that bit out.

“Well. In that case I am not going to let him get anywhere
near you again. Nico’s men will stay and they will be with you at all times.”

“Erm, not all times.”

“All times, Aefre.” he insists and hangs up on me. I stare
at the phone incredulously, but why it still surprises me that he does it, I
don’t know.

“Infuriating beast,” I mutter.

Dawn has finished her phone call and is staring at me in
awe, “You speak Italian?”

“Yes,” I say. “One of many.”

“Wow. Impressive. I would love to learn another language.”

“I could teach you if you like,” I say suddenly. Actually I
am a pretty good teacher. I taught Devon the five languages he knows. I wanted
to teach him more but he wasn’t overly interested, numbers being more his
thing.

“You would?” she asks.

“Sure, pick one.”

“French,” she says, not hesitating. “I know we won’t be here
much longer but it would be really helpful. And it’s kinda sexy,” she chuckles.

“That it is,” I murmur, my wayward thoughts drifting to
Sebastian.

We spend the next couple of hours on a beginner’s guide to
French and I end up having a really good time. Dawn is fun and cheerful and a
really good student.

Cole finds us huddled over a notebook on the table, pens in
hand, giggling like old friends.

“Hey,” he says.

“Hey baby,” I look up as he kisses me.

“You two look cozy. Whatcha doin'?” he asks as he plonks
himself down in a chair next to me.

“Liv is teaching me French,” Dawn says proudly. “She is an
excellent teacher.”

“Oh really?” Cole says, surprised.

“Why do you sound so surprised?” I ask, a bit affronted. “I
taught Devon.”

“I’m not surprised at your teaching ability. I know what a
good teacher you are,” he says with a slight leer at me and I giggle as Dawn
looks away.

“Well, I will let you two get back to your weekend,” she
says, putting her notes away.

“I’ll see you at the studio tomorrow. We can work on it some
more and I’ll have some notes for you to practice until I come back.”

She looks delighted, “That’s great. Thank you so much.”

“You’re welcome,” I say sincerely and she waves as she
disappears.

Cole is watching me with interest. “What are you doing?” he
asks suspiciously.

I frown at him, “Teaching Dawn French.”

“I mean apart from that.”

I sigh, “Trying to make a friend. I don’t have any.”

“You have all of us,” he says.

“It’s different,” I try to explain it to him and he nods.

“Well I won’t deny you a female friend. Just don’t let it
interfere with our time together. Your attentions are divided enough as it is.”

I glare at his ordering tone. “Yes, sir,” I say
sarcastically and he chuckles.

“Mm, I do like it when you call me that,” he murmurs,
leaning over to kiss me.

“Ms. Nelson?” a voice from above my head asks. I pull away
from Cole, who is looking mad as a snake at my other name again, knowing who is
responsible.

“It’s Mrs. O’Dell!” I snap and he just looks at me mildly.
Oh yeah, he belongs to Nico, no doubt.

“We’re here to watch you. Mr. D’Arcangelo sent us.”

No kidding.

“Fine, but don’t hover.”

“The boss said to stay next to you, ma’am.”

“Next to me? As in right next to me? I am sure you can watch
me from across the room.”

“No, we are to stay next to you,” he repeats.

I stand and he backs up. A little shorter than Nico but just
as wide, I glare up at him. His two buddies standing at his back shift their
eyes from him to me and back again.

“Well in that case,” I grab Cole’s hand, getting him to
stand, “I hope you like to watch because we are going upstairs to fuck for the
rest of the afternoon,” I say smartly and he looks faintly horrified by my
vulgar declaration. I march us to the elevator with a very amused Cole in tow
while Mr. Bodyguard--I didn’t get his name--looks concerned as he pulls out his
phone and follows us.

He hands it to me after he tells--I assume my control freak
sire--that I am refusing to be cooperative.

I grab it. “Yes?” I say sweetly.

“Don’t be a fool, Aefre. Let them do their job,” he
reprimands me.

“Oh I told him he could, as long as he likes to watch,” I
say to rile him up as I step into the elevator, with the four men following me
closely.

He draws in a sharp breath and replies coldly, “It doesn’t
normally bother you having people watch.”

“Well I’ll be sure to have him give you a full report after
we’re done.”

“Stop being childish, Aefre. It is not an attractive
quality.”

“Call off the guards then. They can stay but not right next
to me.”

“Fine, have it your way, but I am not amused by your
behavior.”

“I am not amused by yours,” I retort boldly.

“Aefre,” he warns.

I give in. “I’m sorry. You know I don’t like to be hovered
over,” I whine at him.

He sighs, “I need you safe, my love. Please.”

“Fine, but they stay outside. It’s non-negotiable.”

“Fine,” he says in a huff.

“Thank you,” I say and have the pleasure of hanging up on
him. I give the phone back to what’s-his-name and take Cole’s hand as we exit
the elevator and enter the suite, happily closing the door on the three irate
bodyguards.

We forget all about everyone else as we kiss and Cole runs
his hands up my arms and into my hair. I pull his t-shirt off and admire him,
planting little tiny kisses all the way down his chest. He picks me up and
carries me to the bedroom, placing me down gently and removing all of our
clothes and shoes. He grins down at me as I lose a few inches and whispers, “I
do love you in just your bare feet.”

“Mm, I am quite partial to having you tower over me. Makes
me feel safe and protected,” I murmur and he looks delighted with my words.

“I will always keep you safe,” he says before he kisses me
again. He sits on the bed and pulls me on top of him. “You first,” he says and
I smile and drop my fangs. Digging my claws into his shoulders, I lower my
mouth slowly to his neck and push his head to the side. “Oh baby,” he moans as
I bite down softly, drawing out the anticipation of the initial sharp sting. He
pushes his hand into my hair and increases the pressure, encouraging me to bite
harder. I oblige but still so slowly. The blood is seeping out of the puncture
wounds around my fangs and slowly rolling down his chest. He stirs beneath me
and it excites me that my bite, my harsh touch, arouses him so. He lifts my
hips and pushes himself inside me and it’s my turn to moan as I feel him enter
me. I am suckling slowly on him as I move over him and it is driving him to the
point of no return. I want to do this for him. Just think about him. He can
sort me out later. This moment right here is all about Cole, my husband that I
love, my charge that I would do almost anything for. I can feel our bond strong
and beautiful and I know he feels it too as he lets go with a soft grunt
thrusting deep inside me.

I release the bite and retract my fangs before I kiss him
deeply. I pull back and push him back to the bed and crawl over him to lick up
the blood that is now cooling and slightly sticky on his chest. Oh, he tastes
heavenly.

“Oh Liv,” he sighs as I bring my face back in line with his.
“Let me show you how much I love you. How much I want you.”

I shake my head. “I’m not done with you yet,” I say wickedly
and he is elated. I slowly kiss my way down his neck and across his shoulder,
all the way down his right arm to his fingertips, where I suck each one in turn
and graze his palm with my fangs causing a ripple to run through him. I drag my
fangs lightly over his wrist and up the sensitive inside of his arm. I kiss my
way across his chest and repeat the process on his left arm and he is about
ready to explode. “Liv, baby. That feels so good. I don’t know how much longer
I can hold out.”

Taking that as my cue I speed up my arduous torture of him
and drag my tongue down his chest, over his very well-defined stomach, lower
and lower until, fangs retracted, I take him in my mouth. He groans, “Oh yes,
baby.” I work my fingers and tongue over him relishing the taste of him on my
lips. He comes soon after in quick bursts down my throat. I swallow and he
whispers, “Christ, I love you. The things you do to me.”

“What else do you want me to do to you?” I say playfully
reveling in the role of pleasing him without getting anything in return. It is
exciting me beyond belief and I want more.

“I just want you to love me forever,” he says quietly.

I crawl up him and kiss him, “That, my love, is a done
deal.”

He smiles that gorgeous half smile that I love so much. “My
turn,” he says with a fiendish glint in his eye and I yelp in surprise as he
flips me over onto my back. I shriek in delight as he starts to tickle me and I
playfully try to fight him off, letting him best me as part of the game. Still
laughing, he pulls me up onto his lap, facing outwards. “I need to taste you,”
he says, suddenly serious, pushing my hair over my shoulder. His hands find my
breasts and his claws dig into the soft flesh as he bites down hard on me, his
urgency apparent. He drinks, long and hard, far past the point when he should
have stopped but I let him. Let him take what he wants. He drinks and drinks
and I start to feel a bit woozy but I let him carry on. My head falls back to
his shoulder and he releases the bite, apologies on his lips, “I’m sorry, baby.
I just couldn’t get enough of you.”

Still in a bit of a daze I smile slowly at him, “I know how
that feels.” I squirm on his lap and he inhales sharply, “Let me please you
now. I want to make you happy.”

“Just being with you makes me happy,” I say and he keens in
desperate need, nuzzling my neck and fondling my breasts until my nipples are
two aching points. He lifts me up and onto him and I push down, bringing his
wrist to my mouth. I drop my fangs and feed from him, my strength returning
again I speed up my movements and he rubs his fingers against my clit and I
throb around him in ecstasy. “Oh baby,” I say softly, “I love you.” And he
comes again, unable to stop himself at my words.

We collapse into a heap on the bed breathing heavily, the
exertion having taken its toll on Cole and me still feeling the after-effects
of a severe draining. It was the most surreal feeling, knowing I was being
drained but that my body was regenerating fast enough for it not to do me in.

“I wanted to know what it felt like,” Cole admits shyly.

“What what feels like?” I ask, still in a bit of a daze.

“Drinking past the limit. Drinking enough to kill.”

My fog forgotten I sit upright in horror, “Cole! What are
you saying?”

He rubs his hand over his face in agitation. “I don’t mean I
want to kill someone, I just wanted to know what it was like. That’s all. I get
these…urges sometimes. It’s nothing,” he says, looking away, probably wishing
he had never started this.

“Cole, baby. It’s natural to feel like that. The urge to
hunt and kill, it’s the most basic part of us. You are so strong. You have been
so controlled, even in the face of everything that has happened in the last
seven months. It’s any wonder you have managed so well, especially with me gone
so much. I am so proud of you and so much in love with you.”

He beams now at my praise but the shadow of my comment about
being gone flashes underneath.

“If it ever gets too much, just call me and I will be here
in a swirl of light, my love. I don’t want you to lose control and do something
you aren’t prepared for, something you will regret.”

“Prepared for…” he repeats. “That’s an odd choice of words.”

“Yes I suppose it is, but accurate nonetheless.”

He peers at me, “You think it is inevitable?”

I don’t answer him for a long time. I just stare into his
beautiful ever changing blue-grey eyes. “I’m afraid so,” I say eventually and
put my head on his chest to avoid the sad look in his eyes.

We lie in silence for a while and I start to drift off. I
hear Cole whisper so quietly to me, “I never, ever want to be apart from you. I
will never leave you. He will never have you.”

This jolts me awake and he shifts uncomfortably, only having
voiced his thought because he thought I was asleep.

I frown knowing I have to go again tomorrow. To what? This
back and forth life I have gotten myself into is confusing and someone always
ends up hurting when I go. I end up hurting too because of their pain and
Devon’s betrayal is still such a shock. Between spending two days with
Constantine and then the trip to Las Vegas, it is going to be Saturday before I
get back here again to see Cole. It also leaves no time for Lincoln, and while
he isn’t as needy as the Vampires tend to be, he still requires my undivided
attention some of the time.

I sigh and make a decision. About this week, anyway. I climb
off the bed, pulling on a robe and go to my phone. I ring CK, much to Cole’s
annoyance, but I shush him and he stops complaining.

It rings. And rings. And rings.

Hm, he must still be in a foul mood over our previous
conversation. Determined to be a pain in the arse, I leave it to ring until he
eventually answers it.

“What?” he snaps and I flinch.

“Is that any way to answer the phone?” I say sweetly and he
grumbles at me.

“I am pissed with you. You hung up on me,” he sulks and I
resist the urge to burst out laughing. Sulking is most amusing on him.

“You do it to me all the time,” I point out.

“Yes, well, I am your sire,” comes the huffy reply.

“And I am your Queen,” I retort and he snorts in amusement.

“I wondered how long it would take you to play that card.
What do you want me for?” He asks, and just like that his altered mood shift
catches me by surprise.

“All sorts of things,” I murmur to his delight.

“Don’t be a tease, my sweet. Remember how that turned out
last time? Specifically.”

Yes, I do remember. Most unfulfilling. “A proposal,” I say.

“I’m listening,” he says with interest.

“I would ideally like to go to Vegas sooner than Thursday
and wondered if we could have our two days there. A two birds, one stone kind
of deal.”

“Oh? A bird now, am I?” he asks rhetorically. “How does that
benefit me?” he asks all business-like now.

“I’m sure I can think of something,” I say dryly.

“Aefre. The terms are not for you to negotiate,” he says
sternly.

“Tough shit,” I snap. “We are revising the terms regardless,
in light of recent events anyway.”

“We are?” he interrupts my outburst.

“Yes,” I say, drawing it out like he is dense. “Don’t think
this arrangement is acceptable anymore. But more on that later. I propose we
take our two days in Vegas and you can get to do that thing you want.”

“And what thing would that be?” he asks innocently.

“You know what you want.”

“Hm, that I do. Fine, I accept your proposal,” he says as if
he had any choice.

“Good. I will ring Scott and he can bring everything
forward. See you on the jet at 6 AM Tuesday,” I say smartly and hang up on him
again. I email Scott to change our itinerary.

“What is that thing he can get to do?” Cole asks, sounding
like he doesn’t really want to know.

I lean over and whisper it in his ear and his eyes go wide.

“That’s a bit weird,” he says.

I shrug, “Not for him. I don’t mind, I have no issue with
it. But I didn’t tell you anything.” I smile.

“Your secret is safe with me,” he mimes, zipping up his
mouth. “Now come here. I want to make you forget about him.” And he does.

I am on my way to falling asleep again when I am disturbed
by a knocking on the door.

“I’ll get it. Go back to sleep, baby,” Cole whispers and I
let him go.

My Vampire hearing is on alert just in case of trouble.

“These were just sent up,” what’s-his-name says.

“Who brought it up?” Cole asks

“A bellboy.”

“Did he say who gave it to him?”

“No, there’s a card though.”

Silence as I assume Cole snatches the card out of what I
also assume is one of Cade’s bloody rose baskets. I get out of bed and pulling
my robe back on I join Cole at the door. He hands me a card with a grim look.
“Get rid of it,” he says to the bodyguard.

“Wait.” I stop him. I can smell the blood from here but it
isn’t his. I read the card: “A favor from a friend, Your Majesty. C.”

I look at Cole who looks like he is going to be sick and I'm
pretty sure I do too as I reach for the basket and scramble for the bloody rose
at the bottom. Splattered with blood with a tiny wooden stake pinned in the
middle, I sniff. Vampire blood. He bled a Vampire and then staked him or her. I
really do feel like I am going to hurl as I shove the basket back to Cole in
horror. He shoves it back to the bodyguard. “Burn it,” he says and closes the
door.

“What does he mean by a favor?” Cole muses. “Did he stake
someone who didn’t support you?”

“I don’t know. Does it matter? Either way, he killed a
Vampire to mess with me. Next time I see him, he’s dead. No more fucking about
with these games.” I am furious with myself for letting it get this far. I
should have ended this the first time I saw him at the coffee cart. “How could
I let this happen?” I ask.

“You couldn’t know,” Cole tries to reassure me.

“Yes, I should have. He’s a Hunter. It’s what he does.”

My phone rings and as expected it’s CK. He can tell my
anxiety from the other side of the world, so it must be bouncing off him just
down the global road in New York.

“What’s wrong?” he asks in that overly concerned way of his.

I explain what just happened and he sighs, “This is why I
need you safe, my love.”

“I know. I’ll behave. Is… is Sebastian okay?”

“’Bastian? He’s fine, why?”

“Just checking,” I murmur.

“Oh, don’t worry about him. He is a lot harder to take down
than he looks.”

“Hey!” I hear Sebastian object in the background and smile
in spite of myself.

“Okay, good. Erm, keep an eye on those two downstairs for
me,” I say hesitantly.

A long pause before he says, “Of course.”

“Thank you,” I whisper.

He grunts and hangs up on me. I shake my head at the phone.
Bet he feels mighty pleased with himself, infuriating beast.

“Let them three in,” I say gesturing to the door. “And find
out what their names are,” I add as I go back to bed. I’m exhausted and hungry
remembering only now that we sent the Feeder away before because we were busy.
I collapse on the bed, still reeling from the sheer nerve of that man, when
Cole reappears with a glass of blood and a glass of wine.

“Main guy is Tony. Guy on right is Phil and guy on left is
Ty,” he says handing me the glasses. “I told them to make themselves at home
and to get whatever they wanted.”

I nod. It’s the least we can do. We haven’t exactly been the
most gracious hosts so far.

Waking far too early on Monday morning, Cole is already up
and ready to go at 5 AM.

“You should have woken me sooner,” I say to him.