Ensnared: A Vampire Blood Courtesans Romance (10 page)

CHAPTER FIFTEEN: Remy

I halted in front of the warehouse and eyed the
three closed doors.

A vampire has to be invited into another’s lair or private
home. But the warehouse was public; I didn’t sense the invisible barrier that
would’ve kept me out.

I rammed into the center door and knocked it to the floor
with a combination of magic and sheer vampire strength.

As I strode inside, I was dimly aware of three other men,
all vampires, but my vision narrowed in on Star—and Lorenzo.

The bastard had her—my woman, my Star—up against a black car
and was feeding from her like a beast. The scent of her blood filled the air
and her head hung limply to the side. Even from here I could see her skin was
sallow from loss of blood.

How long…how long…

A red haze filled my head. I growled and started across the
warehouse.

Lorenzo raised his head and looked at me, his mouth dripping
with Star’s blood. “
Get him
.”

The three other vampires emerged from the shadows, coming at
me from different directions.

With a start, I realized they were the three vampires who
had been at the Ricker Art Gallery that night. Either Charles Ricker was part
of this, or his coven had its own traitors.

Either way, these men were dead.

I growled. “You fools think even three of you are a match
for my strength?”

And then they were on me.

The first man flew through the air at me. I spun around and
aimed a kick at his chest, punching a hole in it. Blood spurted everywhere. As
he dropped to the floor, the second man jumped me. I met him full on. With a
twist of my body, I had him in a headlock. A second later, I ripped his head
off, the only sure way to kill a vampire.

The third man came at me. I willed my fingernails to
lengthen, plunged my hand into his chest and ripped out his heart. I threw it
across the warehouse and then grabbed him and tore off his head as well.

That left the man on the floor. The hole in his chest had
slowed him down, not killed him. He was already regenerating, but Lorenzo had dragged
Star to the back of the warehouse. As I looked up, covered with his thugs’
blood, he disappeared with her through a trapdoor in the floor.

My snarl ripped through the warehouse. I stomped another
hole in the man’s chest—I’d deal with him later—and launched myself into the
air.

The trapdoor closed in my face. I dug my nails into it and
tore it off. A rickety metal staircase yawned before me. I could see Lorenzo two
stories down, Star struggling weakly in his grasp. Another story below them was
a red door. It had all the signs of a vampire’s lair, perhaps one of the men
I’d killed.

Terror sliced through me. If it was a lair, I couldn’t enter
unless invited. Lorenzo would be free to feed from her while I raged outside,
powerless to stop him.

“
No
,” I roared.

Even with my preternatural speed, I couldn’t spare the time
it would take to run down the steps. I dove headfirst down the stairwell after
them.

Lorenzo was two steps from the red door when I landed in a
crouch in front of him.

He blanched and tossed Star aside. She somehow managed to
land on her feet. She wobbled and sank to the floor. The man had fucking
drained her.

My beast rose up in me. I growled and leapt for Lorenzo.

We grappled for several long moments. He was nearly my equal
in power, but I was fighting for not just my life, but Star’s. He managed to
get on top for a few seconds and then Star whimpered.

The hell with this.

I rose with Lorenzo still on me and swung him headfirst into
one of the steel pillars supporting the staircase.

His skull crumpled like an eggshell, but he merely snarled,
strong from feeding on Star, swiped the blood from his eyes and leapt at me
again. I grabbed him and turned, letting his momentum send him to the floor. He
landed on his stomach, me on his back. I slammed my knee into his spine. It
severed with an audible crack.

Lorenzo groaned. “No…”

I wrapped my arm around his head and tore it off.

It was over. The only sound in the stairwell was Star’s
jagged breath. I dropped Lorenzo’s head on the floor and went to her.

“My darling, my little love.” I took her in my arms and
crooned to her. “You are all right?” I patted her face, her body.

She nodded weakly against my shoulder. Then she let out a
sob. “Oh, God,” she rasped. “It hurt. His teeth…my throat—”

“He’s dead.”

Her breath shuddered in. She looked up at me with sunken
eyes. “Hurts…”

My heart constricted. Because this was all my fault. If I
hadn’t been so determined to have her at any cost, she’d still be safe in her
own world.

I cradled her closer. “I know,
ma mie
, I know. Here.”
I sank my fangs into my wrist and pressed it to her lips. “Drink. It will make
you better.”

She closed her eyes and turned her face away. Her pulse
stuttered, grew weaker.

Fear swamped me. “Drink.” I infused my voice with a strong
compulsion and nudged her mouth with my wrist.

She tried to keep her mouth shut, but she was too weak. I
managed to get a few drops into her and she swallowed thirstily. It wasn’t
much, but at least her heartbeat steadied.

I came to my feet and started back up the stairs, Star
cradled in my arms. “You’re all right now, my heart. No one’s going to hurt
you.”

Tears slipped down her face. “I thought he was going to—”

“Hush now.” I stroked her hair. “I’m sorry, so sorry. I
should’ve realized he’d have men watching me, even here in Baltimore.”

She briefly met my eyes and I gulped.

She knew
.

I probed the blood bond and she visibly cringed from me. Something
inside me broke at that. “Star?”

She closed her eyes. “I’m tired.”

“Yes, of course. I only want you to know you’re safe now. He
was the last one—and all three of his top men are dead, too. No one else will
dare challenge me after this.”

She gave a tiny nod.

We reached the top of the staircase and emerged into the
warehouse. Star’s chest heaved and her head fell to the side. For the first time
I saw the gash the bastard had ripped in her neck. His saliva had healed her as
he fed, else she would’ve bled out.

I growled low in my throat. If I could’ve killed Lorenzo a
second time, I would have.

Her pulse was erratic again. I fought down panic. “Here.” I brought
my wrist to her lips. “Drink some more.”

She shook her head. “Don’t—want.”

“Drink,” I said with all the power at my command. “I
promise, I won’t give you enough to change you.”

She gave a little sob, but I pressed my blood on her until
she sighed and gave in.

“That’s it,” I murmured as she took a few drops. “Take all
you need. Make yourself strong again.”

When she was done, she closed her eyes and rested her head
against my chest. I could feel her hurt and anger and distrust through the
bond, and it made my stomach clench.

I dug out my phone and called Malik. “I have Star. She’s alive,
but injured. Come immediately.” I gave him the address and then walked with her
to the front of the warehouse to wait.

Star had fallen into a healing sleep, my magical blood
working to heal her. I pressed a kiss to the top of her head and stared out
into the night.

I’d thought my heart was too old and cold to break. I was
wrong.

Because I’d fallen in love with the young, fragile human in
my arms.

And she had every reason to hate me.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN: Star

When we got back to the hotel, Remy urged some juice
and crackers on me, and then tried to get me to go to bed, but I was covered
with blood and desperate to be clean.

 “I want a shower,” I said fretfully.

He nodded and carried me straight to the bathroom, where he
shucked his clothes and then, after helping me undress, took me into the shower.
He had to hold me up because my legs were like wet noodles. With his other
hand, he picked up a washcloth and gently scrubbed the blood away.

As I watched the rust-colored water disappear down the
drain, I began to shiver uncontrollably. Remy swung me into arms again and,
taking me back to bed, spooned himself around me and did something that made his
body a mini-furnace.

I stiffened, but I was too weak to fight him. Heat seeped
into me and I relaxed again. I wanted to snuggle up against him, but I couldn’t
forget how he’d tricked me into this whole thing.

I was so tired though. Finally, I turned over and laid my
head on his chest. Because I needed to be held, and even knowing what Remy had
done, he felt like home.

And God, I hated myself for that.

He murmured something against my hair and gathered me
carefully into his arms.

Gradually the shivers stopped, and I fell into a deep sleep.

When I woke up, Remy had left the bed and was talking to Malik
in hushed French. I didn’t understand what they were saying, but I heard my
name.

And damn if Malik didn’t sound concerned.

Then Remy noticed I was up. He gave me some more juice and
crackers, and then helped me to the bathroom, and then tucked me back into bed
again and sat on a nearby chair.

Malik approached the bed on the other side. I looked at him
through slit lids, half-expecting him to smirk at me. The man had made no
secret of the fact that he’d love to get rid of me.

But all he did was touch my shoulder. “Get better,
mademoiselle
.
I want you to know I’m sorry for my part in this—what happened at Oakley’s, I
mean.”

I jerked my chin. Because after all, he’d only acted on
Remy’s orders.

“Next time,” I rasped, “I’ll take you out myself. See if I
don’t.”

The man actually smiled—and his face didn’t crack. “I know
you will. But I promise there will not be a next time.” He leaned closer and
whispered, “You are good for him.”

How about that? I’d finally been accepted. Guess you had to nearly
get killed for the man to trust you. I rolled my eyes and fell back asleep.

For the next couple of days, I spent most of the time
sleeping, but whenever I awoke, Remy was there, urging me to eat and drink.

Then suddenly, my eyes popped open and I was wide awake. I
touched my neck and was surprised to find the gash almost healed. I tried
stretching next, and when nothing hurt, pushed myself to sitting.

There was a movement on the bed next to me. I turned to see
Remy, his eyes glowing faintly in the gloom.

“Good afternoon, Star.”

“It’s afternoon? What day?”

He told me and I realized I’d been in bed for almost two
days.

Remy got out of bed and turned on a light before pulling up
a chair next to me. “You are better?”

“Yeah—but I need a shower.”

His gaze ran over me. “Will you be all right?”

“I think so. Yeah.”

“Good. That is good.”

There was an awkward pause. “Okay,” I said, “let’s try
this.” I swung my feet to the floor. I sat there a minute to make sure, but the
dizziness that had affected me for the past couple of days was gone, although
my throat felt like sandpaper. I swallowed dryly.

Remy was right there with a glass of orange juice. “Here.
This will nourish you.”

I nodded and took a sip. The juice was fresh squeezed with a
mint garnish on top. It tasted like nectar of the gods. I drank thirstily, not
stopping until the glass was drained.

Remy took the glass from me. “Some more, perhaps?”

“No, thanks.”

He went to help me rise, but I shrank back. “I can do it.”

“Of course.” Something flickered at the back of his eyes.
Something that looked like hurt.

But I was damned if I was going to feel bad.

He inclined his head. “I’ll order you something to eat while
you’re in the shower.”

“Thank you,” I said and headed for the bathroom. I was
starving and my body still ached in multiple spots, but compared to two nights
ago, I felt amazingly good. Remy’s magical blood had done the trick.

I took my time in the shower, washing my hair and scrubbing
my body multiple times, especially my neck. I didn’t want a single cell of
Lorenzo on me. When I finally felt clean, I just stood there, letting the hot
water wash over me.

When I was finished, I pulled on a red silk button-up shirt
and a pair of jeans. I needed clothes for this talk.

Remy was waiting for me in the sitting room. He had switched
on a couple of lights and put on a short black bathrobe. As I entered the room,
he came to his feet.

“You look better,
ma petite
. Not so pale. For a while
there, I was worried…”

“I’m tougher than I look.”

He nodded gravely. “I know you are.”

I scrutinized him in turn. For a vampire, he didn’t look so
good. He was gaunt and hollow-eyed, his skin whiter than I’d ever seen it.

My heart twisted. I scowled and jerked my gaze from his face.

“Sit, please.” He indicated a small table which held another
glass of juice, a covered plate and a single perfect sunflower in a green glass
vase. “We will talk, I promise. But first, you need to eat.”

I hesitated, but he was right. I felt much better, but I
knew I needed to eat some solid food. Magical cure or not, Lorenzo had about
sucked me dry. I needed to replace the blood I’d lost.

I took a seat at the table and removed the silver cover.
He’d ordered me Eggs Chesapeake, a variation on Eggs Benedict made with crab
meat instead of Canadian bacon. The first time I’d ordered it from room
service, Remy had chuckled, saying Marylanders would put crab on anything. But
after that, he made sure I had it whenever I wanted.

I bit my lip. So the man was being nice—ordering my favorite
brunch, getting me another sunflower. That didn’t mean he wasn’t a manipulative
S.O.B. But I couldn’t resist running a finger down one of the sunflower’s
bright yellow petals.

Remy poured himself a glass of wine, took the seat across
from me and watched as I ate my way through most of the eggs and a side of hash
browns. He did his best to start a conversation, but when I only replied in
short syllables, he stopped talking and watched me eat.

I can usually enjoy my food under any circumstances, but
that meal tasted like chopped-up cardboard. At last I was finished. I set down
the fork and knife, wiped my mouth and stood up.

Remy came to his feet at the same time. Before I could
speak, he scraped a hand over his wavy black hair. “You know, don’t you?”

I crossed my arms over my chest. “That you arranged all of
this? Made it look like I stole from Oakley so that I’d have to become your
whore?”

He winced. “I wouldn’t call you that, but
oui
.” His
gaze was watchful. I could tell he wasn’t sure how to handle me.
Good.

“You’re a low-down, dirty snake,” I said in even tones. “I
don’t know how you sleep at night—or the day. Whatever.”

He briefly closed his eyes. “I never meant for them to hurt
you. When I saw those marks on your face, I was furious. They paid for that, I
promise you—Oakley and Antoine both. And Malik as well—he should’ve made it
clear that you were not to be hurt.”

“And that makes it all right?” My voice rose. “You think
that beating on someone can make this better? I thought they were going to kill
me, Remy. And then to save myself, I sold my body to a fucking stranger. So no,
that doesn’t make it right. Not at all.”

He opened his mouth and then shut it again. “You are correct.
I was wrong and I must beg your pardon. I—” He spread his hands. “I believed I
was helping you—you needed the money—but that is not an excuse. Please, forgive
me.”

I blinked. I hadn’t expected an apology—not from Remy de la
Lune. But it was too little, too late.

My mouth twisted. “I trusted you. When you gave Oakley that
money, I thought you were
nice
. Sure, you were getting something out of
it, but a hundred and fifty thousand dollars is a hell of a lot of money to pay
for anything. But”—my voice broke—“but you aren’t any different from my dad.”

His chin jerked up as if I’d struck him. “Star—”

I fisted my hands. “Don’t say a word. Not one fucking word.
You may not smack women around, but you moved me around like some kind of
effing pawn.”

He regarded me a long moment. “You are correct. All I can
say is that I regret it, very much.”

Tears squeezed from my eyes. I swiped them away. “Well, I
don’t forgive you.”

He inclined his head. “Very well.” He went to his desk and got
his copy of our contract. “You are free to go,” he said as he handed it to me.
“It’s void. Tear it to pieces. Burn it—whatever you wish.”

I unfolded it and looked at his signature. In the shower,
this is what I’d decided—I’d demand Remy tear up the contract, and then I’d tell
the sneaky son of a bitch to eat my dust. But now I felt strangely hollow
inside.

I crumpled the contract in my hand. “I didn’t read the effing
thing, you know. You could’ve told me I had to tap dance naked in a bar and I
would’ve believed you.”

He snorted. “Like hell.”

Our eyes met and his flashed the intense silver-blue that
meant his vampire was to the fore. I waited for him to grab me and tell me I
wasn’t going anywhere, but he shoved his hands into the pockets of his robe and
jerked his head at the door.

“Go then. You already have the money. I deposited another
hundred thousand to reimburse you for your troubles.”

I gritted my teeth. “For God’s sake, Remy, I don’t want your
damn money. I want—” I blew out a breath. “The hell with this. I’m going.”

I was almost at the door when he said, “I saw that painting
you did.”

“Yeah?” I said without looking at him.

“It’s good—very good. If you wish, I will send it to an art
dealer I know in New York. I’m sure she will be happy to show it.”

“Not Charles Ricker?”

“He is…indisposed at the moment. Some of his coven was
involved in your kidnapping, and the whole coven is currently under house
arrest while we sort out who knew what.”

“I see. Well, thank you, but I can handle it myself. Just
send it to my apartment.”

“Of course.”

Suddenly he was right behind me. I could smell his familiar
earthy spice. I inhaled shakily. I had the bad feeling I’d never forget it.

Remy’s hands hovered over my shoulders but he brought them
back down without touching me. “May I ask you something?”

I shook my head no, but he spoke anyway. “In your painting? Was
that me—and you?”

I shut my eyes. “Yes.”

“That is how you see me.”

I shrugged.

“I can be that man, Star. I would like another chance. I
don’t deserve it, but—”

“No, you don’t.” But I turned to face him.

He was so beautiful, even haggard as he was. A beautiful,
sexy beast that could make my whole body heat with one hot, dark look. My
fingers itched to touch his stubbled jaw. I curled them into my palm.

“Before you go,” he said, “I almost forgot. Your father—my
men found him.”

I stilled. “And?”

“He’s dead, Star.”

“Dead?” I shook my head. “No. I don’t believe it.”

“It’s true. Two of my best men confirmed it. He went back to
the Philippines and got into a bar fight. Someone stabbed him. He died over a
year ago.”

I dragged a trembling hand over my face. “Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.”

“Star?” Remy held out his arms. “Forgive me for telling you
this way, but I wanted you to know.”

I dropped the contract and walked into his hard chest. His
arms closed around me and he held me tightly as I cried all over his silk robe.

“It’s okay,
ma petite
,” he murmured. “It’s okay. He
was
un
fils de pute
, but he was your
father.”

I shook my head against his chest. It didn’t seem possible.
Tommy Salazar had been the monster under the bed ever since I could remember.

I inhaled jaggedly. “You don’t understand. I’m not crying
because he was my father. I’m crying because I’m relieved. I’m fucking relieved
that he’s dead. That my own father is dead.” I looked up at him. “What does
that make me?”

He cupped my face. “A survivor, Star. You’re a survivor. And
don’t you dare feel guilty about that. That man, he doesn’t deserve it. He was
never a father to you.”

“Maybe you’re right. I don’t know.” I pushed against his
chest and he released me. “I need to clean up,” I muttered and went into the
bathroom to blow my nose and wash my face.

When I was done, I stood there for a long time, hands on the
counter, tears dripping down my face.

I hadn’t lied. I was relieved that my father was dead. But I
was also so sad, and I didn’t even know why. Maybe because I was mourning the
father I should have had, not the one I did have.

When I was done, I felt empty inside—but cleansed, as well.
I would never remember my father with love, or even affection, but maybe I
could stop hating him. Someday.

Remy knocked on the door. “Star? You are okay?”

“Yeah.” I splashed some more water on my face and emerged
from the bathroom.

Remy was waiting in the sitting room. He had picked up the
contract and smoothed it out. As he handed it to me, he said, “I want you to
know that the blood bond—after you walk out of here, I’ll never use it on you. This
I promise. Although you will live a longer life than normal—you’re not a
vampire, but with as much blood as you’ve drunk from me, you’ve gained a touch
of my immortality. You will stay young a long, long time.”