Crimson Groves (25 page)

My eyes instantly filled up with tears, but this would be a horrible place to cry, so I fought it with all I could.
Damn it!
How could I care so much about this man that I would burst into tears at the sound of those sweet words? I wanted to say those three precious words back to him, but I couldn’t say them. Not now, not here. I smiled at him. What else could I do?

“Hey Anna,” Stone called out as he came out from behind the bar. His smile vanished, face crumbled. “You must be her boy toy,” he smarted, looking at Tyler.

Staring daggers at Stone, Tyler replied, “And you must be that jackass she told me about.”

Stone glared back and his fangs burst out. In that moment my fears were confirmed. I heard Britney laughing and I looked over, daring her to continue. She rolled her eyes but got quiet.

Forgetting about her, I looked back at Tyler, then Stone, both still glaring at each other. Stone started snarling and then growling—deep, guttural sounds. His predator eyes drilled deeper and deeper as he staked Tyler out. But instead of backing down, Tyler jumped up, pushing the barstool behind him, holding his balled fists in front of him. Stone inched forward. He would pounce at any moment. I had to do something, now!

Throwing myself in front of Tyler and extending my arm out to keep Stone back, I shouted, “Enough of this crap. If you guys can’t get along, then I’m out of here!” I looked back at Tyler. “And you’re coming with me!”

Tyler inhaled deeply and stepped back. “You’re right. This is stupid.” He shook his head, eyes still locked on his enemy.

I looked back at Stone. “He wanted to meet you, not fight with you. If you’re not capable of being friendly with him, then we’re leaving!”

Stone concealed his fangs and relaxed just a little. “I’m sorry. I don’t have a problem with it as long as he stays out here.”

“Wait just a minute,” Tyler shouted, running his fingers through his hair.

Glancing back I said, “I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to come in the back room anyway. I won’t be long. Please, Ty, just wait out here for me?”

Britney gasped. “Oh goody for me!”

“Be quiet!” I yelled.

“Where you go, I go!” Tyler exclaimed.

“Like hell you will,” challenged Stone, eyes slanting back into a glare.

Here we go again,
I thought, wishing desperately that Tyler would just listen. Keeping my stance between the two males about to rip each other’s throats apart, I said, “Ty, I’ll be quick. I’m not particularly excited about you watching that anyway. Please. Please do this for me.”

A few tense moments passed as I waited for Tyler’s answer. Thankfully he nodded. “All right. I’ll do this for you. But you better be back fast or I’m coming back there!”

A wave of relief flushed over me. I told Tyler “Thank you” and then gave Britney a flat gaze. She jumped up out of her chair before I could even ask her. As we rounded the bar, I called out, “Stone, I’m trusting you to be an adult here and not mess with him.”

“Oh don’t you worry”—his voice was directly behind me—“I’m coming with you!”

I knew Tyler must have been using every bit of strength he had to refrain from following me, especially now that Stone was heading back too. And for that, I was extremely thankful. The thought of Tyler watching me eat was disturbing, and the more I thought about it, the more I realized I wasn’t ready for him to see that anyway. Despite his ability to “see” me eating in his visions, I was nowhere near prepared to willingly put on a show of it. Perhaps his patience on that would be demanded indefinitely.

The three of us entered the back room and found our places on the sofas. Britney on the left one, Stone and I on the right. As she unzipped her hoodie, revealing a hideous green-colored tank top, she demanded, “What the hell was that all about?”

Oh God, please shut her up.
In a flash, I was across the room and sitting next to her. As Britney crossed her arms over her chest, Stone started laughing. Rolling my eyes at him and then swinging them back to Britney, I asked, “Do you want to sit here and chitchat or do you want me to bite you?”

Britney’s eyes grew wide with delight, and an oversized smile spread across her face. “I want you to bite me,” she panted.

“And I don’t want to keep you waiting,” I replied smartly, then leaned down and plunged my enlarged canines into the plump vein inside her neck. She gasped. Moment’s later, pleasant moans escaped her mouth until she was finally silenced by the intense pleasure of my bite. A little while later, I was licking the last few drops from her skin.

After that, I got up and headed back over to Stone. He was giving me one of “those” looks. “Don’t say it,” I challenged.

“Don’t say what?” he replied, voice playful.

“You know what!”

“Like the fact he’s human and knows about us.”

Crap. He got me there. I hadn’t thought about that. But if he can have an arrangement with Quinn, then I should be able to have one with Tyler. “We have an arrangement,” I smarted. “And I don’t have much time, so perhaps we could talk about something of importance?”

He propped his feet on the table, keeping a watchful eye on me. “My dear sweet Abby. I would do anything for you. But you must know that guy is bad news, I can smell it.”

“Smelling is not your gift, so keep your opinion to yourself.”

“But I’m telling you, something is off, way off, with that human.”

“There is something special about him, but that is none of your business!” Oddly, I had sensed something strange about Tyler earlier. Maybe Stone noticed it too? Or maybe he could sense Tyler’s gift? I shook off the thought; thankful he wasn’t making the human thing an issue.

Stone chuckled and tilted his head to the side. “Fine. Mum’s the word, my love, but only if I can have a little taste?”

Of course he had to request that, didn’t he? I was beginning to believe I was supplying him all the blood he needed. I also noticed that once again, he had dressed up for me. His hair was styled similar to the way it was last night, and the dark jeans and black button-up shirt paired well together.

Shaking my head, I replied, “I don’t think that’s a good idea tonight. Unless, of course, you can now see the future and want to look into mine.”

“Perhaps I could tell you more about your new ability? That would be something worth hearing about.”

“Perhaps you’re right. But what I really need at the moment is complete control over my pyrokinesis. When I’m not pissed off, I have no problem with it, but I fear that if incited I’ll come apart like I did before.” I leaned forward and ran my fingers through my hair.

“Controlling it will take lots of practice,” he cautioned. “You can’t expect quick results with it, but I’m happy to help you anyway I can.”

“But I don’t have a lot of time! I need to be able to control it now! It’s my only chance!” I stood up and paced the area between the sofas and the door.

Stone watched me, his features sharp with concern. “You can’t do that, Abby! You can’t go after him! You’re not ready! Not even close!”

I shook my head, fighting the waterworks show that was seconds away from going off. Tormenting memories of my captivity pushed to the front of my mind. “But I have to! He has my friend and he’s using her to find me. If she doesn’t lead him to me, then what will he do to her? I can’t let anything bad happen to her!”

Stone got up and walked over to me. I stopped pacing, and he grabbed my shoulders and turned me around to face him. “You can’t go after him alone,” he murmured.

I couldn’t fight it any longer. Tears trailed down my cheeks. “That’s the only way I’m going. I’m not risking putting anyone else in danger.”

He shook me gently. “What if he overpowers you, if he gains control over your mind? Then no one will be able to stop him. He’ll force you to use your abilities for his victory over anyone who tries to stop him.” He pulled me into a caring embrace, whispering in my ear, “I don’t want that to happen to you. I care too much about you.”

Burrowing my face in his chest, I started crying harder. There was no doubt that he was concerned for me, but I couldn’t think about that right now. Dealing with Tyler would be challenge enough. I couldn’t handle arguing with either of them over something they obviously didn’t understand. Lily was my friend, not theirs. So to ensure my own safety, it was easy for them to feel she was dispensable. But I, on the other hand, felt the polar opposite. I couldn’t just sit back and let Bronx use her. I needed to do something. Lily needed me. If I could release the full potential of my new ability, I could easily take Bronx down.

But could I kill him if it came to it? He would never give up and just let me live without him. He’d made it very clear that I would be his eternal lover.
Eternal lover
…I cringed at the memory and the realization that his death was my only assurance for my afterlife. If Tyler or Stone were to help me, what would Bronx do to them? The guilt I’d feel if either of them was hurt would destroy me.

Even though the back room was barely lit by the overhead canned lights, suddenly in my mind, brightness shot through it. I hugged Stone tighter, hoping to conceal the glimmer of my thoughts. There could be no reading of my blood tonight.

My final decision to help Lily was made. And I’d be doing it alone.

17

Left

I WATCHED TYLER’S STEADY BREATHING as he slept peacefully on the sofa, still dressed in last night’s clothes. Exhaustion had taken him as soon as we’d arrived back home, just after four-thirty this morning. His head lay comfortably on the armrest. Occasionally I’d rub his feet, which were covered by white cotton socks. An e-mail had come in while we were out, and it was now weighing heavily on my mind. With the laptop set beside me on the other armrest, I skimmed over it for the sixth time:

Abby,

I really need to talk to you. Have you heard of the

donor club Ice? It’s in Lake Mary, about an hour

away from Clermont. Bronx has already looked for

you there so it should be a safe place for us to meet.

It’s really important.

I’ll be there tonight at midnight.

Lily

In my heart, I knew this message was written by Bronx. Frustrated, I shut the laptop, then lifted Tyler’s feet so I could get up. After gently returning them to the sofa, I flashed to his bedroom and shut the door behind me. The room was dark, but my eyes easily led me to the center of it. Dropping to the ground, I crossed my legs and sat Indian style, holding both hands out in front of me, palms up. The room around me went black as I closed my eyes and began to concentrate on my pyrokinesis.

Slowly, as the flow of oxygen penetrated my lungs, the vibrations of my heartbeat rattled inside my chest. Inhaling deep breaths, I focused on all the energy within me, instantly creating a rush of heat. It surged toward my awaiting hands—where I purposely directed it to go. My fingertips tingled. Hot shivers danced up and down my back. I concentrated harder, thinking more intently about my power, practicing the use and dominance
of it, not because of any fear of harming myself, but the towering fear that I would hurt or even kill someone I loved.

At the moment, feeling full control over my pyrokinesis, I opened my eyes and stared at the softball-sized glowing orb inside my cupped hands. Using all the mental power I could gather, I encouraged the round orb to float above my cradling hands and then circle around the room. It did as I commanded, lighting the area around it with vibrant shades of both fire and ice, casting shadows on the walls as it passed. Consistent bright orange illuminations and flashes of dazzling white beams pulsated with the sedate movement of the orb. After making its journey around the bedroom, it returned to my awaiting hands like a good little ball of fire.

Though my body felt weaker, my mind pushed harder, mediating, thinking, fighting to keep my focus solely on the fire. Using this gift drained me, slowly, like water emptying from a completely full bathtub. My strength was still there, just not as much as before. But there was still enough to keep practicing. I also had an incentive, a little extra motivation. I kind of liked the human traits I got while using my power. Okay, I liked it a lot. Unfortunately the reason that happened was still a mystery, but we were getting closer to uncovering it every time Stone drank from me.

I ordered the burning ball to circle around the room a few more times. As it traveled, I inhaled enormous breaths of warm air, filling my lungs with oxygen. Beads of sweat started filling my pores. The smoldering globe returned to me. Now it was time to push a little further with my capacity to control it. I still had my strength. There was still plenty of time. My mind homed in on Lily and what I could do to save her. Reminding myself that Bronx was using his mind control on her, I felt the orb grow bigger. My cupped hands opened up to allow its larger size, which was about as big as a basketball. Dwelling on my hatred for Bronx and my concern for Lily, I forced the ball to travel once again around the room. I could feel its desire to grow bigger, hotter, but I fought back, keeping my control over it.