In Blood and Worth Loving 2: Lost Without You (20 page)

“Where are you?”

“Desiree and I are spending the weekend with a friend.”

“Oh? Is that why I haven’t been able to reach you all weekend?” She hadn’t once thought to check for missed calls. “Yes.”

“Who drove?”

“She did.”

“Great. Where are you? I’ll come pick you up.”

She felt a sudden chill. Swinging around, she saw Jay standing in the room, staring at her. From the look on his face, she suspected he’d probably heard every word Michael had said. “I can’t talk now. I’ll call you later.”

“What? Cay—”

“Later.” She ended the call and put her phone on the dresser after turning off the ringer.

Jayvyn walked across the room to stare down at her. “He’d better not bring his ass here.” She moistened her lips. He projected an air of menace that frightened her. What should she do? Agree with him? Remain silent? She decided on a compromise. “He doesn’t know where I am. Besides, I came with Desiree and I’ll leave with her later today.”

He shook his head and stroked her cheek. “I’ll take you home tomorrow morning.”

“I can’t spend the night. I have to work tomorrow.” She turned away.

He caught her arm and turned her back to face him. “Haven’t I made myself clear, Cayenne? You’re spending the night with me. I’ll take you home tomorrow morning early enough for you to shower and dress for work.”

“I don’t want to stay the night.”

He leaned down to brush his cool lips against her neck. “I don’t recall asking what you wanted.” She jerked away from him. “And I don’t recall asking you to take charge of my life, Jayvyn!” He laughed and swept her into his arms. “But that’s exactly what I’m going to do, sweet.” She pressed against his shoulders. “Let me go.”

He lifted his head to smile down at her. “Of course—just after hell freezes over.”

“Is this your idea of a consensual relationship, Jayvyn? You dictate and I obey? Is that what you want?”

“It’s what’s going to happen.” He bared his incisors. “I’m tired of playing games with you. All that’s gotten me is grief and you’re trying to have your damned cake and eating it too. You can’t have us both, Cayenne. Is that clear enough for you?”

She shoved at his shoulders. “What if I choose him?”

His eyes glowed. “Then I’d have to kill his ass, wouldn’t I?” She stared up at him. “You’re serious!”

“Damn straight I am. I’ll kill him and not lose a moment’s sleep over it.” She sucked in a breath. “He’s never done anything to you!”

“He’s in my way, Cayenne!”

She jerked away from him, her heart racing with fear. “You can’t just kill someone just because you think he has something you want!”

“Who the hell is going to stop me?”

“Oh, God! What are you?”

He bared his teeth. “If you dare call me a parasite again—”

“What? You’ll kill me?”

“I’ll lose control and take what you’ve been denying me. So don’t push me.” She pressed a hand against her neck. “Don’t you push me and make me call Adrian, who I’m sure is a vampire too!” She sucked in a breath. “And of course wouldn’t that make Conner one as well? Is there anyone in this house who isn’t a damned bloodsucker?”

“I’m not.”

She swung around. Kristopher Macarik stood in the open bedroom door.

Jayvyn spun around to face him. “Get out, Macarik!” His voice throbbed with menace.

To her relief, Macarik shook his head and slowly advanced into the room with his arm extended to her. “Come with me, Cayenne.”

with me, Cayenne.”

She rushed across the room to him.

He put an arm around her.

Jayvyn stormed across the room to face his friend. “Take your hands off her, Macarik or so help me—” To her surprise, Macarik shoved Jayvyn away. “You’re out of control. You’re scaring her and about to threaten me. Before you do, you should know that I’m not going to forgive another lapse from you, Redwolfe. If our friendship means anything to you, allow me to take her home while you go do what you need to get yourself back under control.”

“You’re not taking her any damned place, Macarik. Now step away from her and get the fuck out of my sight!”

“Or?”

At the clear challenge in Macarik’s voice, Cayenne shuddered. Was Jayvyn was out of control enough to assault his friend?

“Or I’ll—”

“He offered good advice, Minninnewah. I suggest you take it.” A wave of relief washed over Cayenne as Adrian stalked into the room. Like Jayvyn, his eyes glowed and he’d bared his incisors. He glanced at her and softened his expression before he stroked her cheek. “This isn’t as bad as it looks, honey. You’re in no danger and his feelings for you haven’t changed. In fact, it’s because he has such intense feelings for you that this is happening.” He nodded to Macarik. “Take her home.” She looked at Jayvyn who stood a few feet away, staring at her. He looked dangerous and out of control. “I can’t leave without Desiree.”

“She, Conner, and Rayna are out riding with friends. I give you my word that she’s safe.” He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed her fingers. “I know it might not look it at the moment, but he’s a good man.” A good man who would kill because someone was in his way?

He squeezed her hand. “No one has been harmed.”

She gasped, aware that he’d read her mind.

“Sorry, honey. I just want to reassure you.” He kissed her fingers again before he released her hand. “Please don’t hold this against him.”

She looked at Jayvyn again.

He bared his incisors at her. “I meant what I said. I’ll kill him.”

“The hell you will!” Adrian walked between them. He was taller and a little more muscular than Jayvyn. He stood facing her, blocking her view of Jayvyn’s angry gaze. “Go with Macarik. The next time you see Jayvyn, hopefully, he will have regained control. Trust me?”

Why in the hell should she trust a vampire? Her instincts told her it was okay to do so. She nodded and allowed Macarik to walk her out of the suite.

As she and Macarik sat in his car in the oval in front of the house, Adrian brought down her suitcase. After putting it in the trunk, he leaned into the open passenger window to speak to her. “Things look dark now, but they’ll get better. Just bear with him, honey.”

“Not if he kills my ex.”

“We’ll do our best to try to ensure that doesn’t happen.”

“But?”

“But he’s a vampire in blood and very resourceful. I can’t guarantee he won’t kill him. All I can do is promise I’ll do my best to try to ensure it doesn’t happen.”

That was small comfort, she thought as Macarik started the engine and drove away. She was thankful he didn’t attempt to engage her in conversation during the drive. She was dismayed at what she’d set in motion. The man she loved could end up dead because she’d been foolish enough to entice a vampire.

At her house, when she would have thanked him and gone inside, he caught her hand. “I think we need to talk.” She shook her head.

“You must have some questions or fears I can help allay.”

“Okay. Fine! Make a nuisance of yourself if you want.”

He arched a brow.

Realizing she was taking her fears out on the wrong person, she sighed. “I’m sorry. You’ve been nothing but kind to me. Would you like to come in and have a late breakfast?” kind to me. Would you like to come in and have a late breakfast?”

“Thanks. I would.”

He sat in the kitchen while she scrambled eggs, made breakfast sausage, toast and coffee. They ate at the kitchen table. Rather, he ate. She found she’d lost her appetite.

He picked up his coffee cup and took several sips before he spoke. “I’m sure this is a little unsettling time for you, but you should know that he’s waited a long time to meet you.”

“Has he?”

He nodded. “After his wife died, he thought he’d never have any real substantive feelings for a woman again.”

“His traveling woman?”

“That’s strictly sex. He has no finer feelings for her. You are a very different story. You, he’s in love with.”

“Then why hasn’t he ever told me that?”

“Are you sure he hasn’t?”

“I think I’d remember if he’d said
I love you.
”

“Even if he said it in Tsalagi? When he’s overwhelmed with emotion, which I admit isn’t often, he reverts to Tsalagi. Do you speak or understand it?”

“No.”

“Now I’m not swearing he’s actually said it, but I wouldn’t discount his having done it—given how I know he feels about you.”

“Adrian said something about blood.”

“They’ll tell you they don’t believe in love,” he said.

“They don’t? Don’t they have any feelings for Rayna?”

“Of course they do. I meant romantic love. Clearly, they love Rayna and each other, but they insist vampires don’t ‘do’ romantic love. That doesn’t mean they don’t fall hard—as Conner appears to be falling for your friend and as Jayvyn’s fallen for you. “When they meet a woman who they consider their prefect mate, they call her their blood.

So they talk of being or falling in blood instead of love.”

“Are you saying he’ll never tell me he loves me?”

“Oh, don’t look so dismayed. They assure me that being in blood is a much more intense and powerful emotion than love for them. At the moment, he is what is known as heels over head in either love or blood with you.”

“I doubt that.”

“Why?”

“Because he practically forced me to have sex and then he implied if I didn’t give him permission to drink my blood soon, he’d take it by force.”

He sighed. “I’m not going to try to make excuses for him. I’m just trying to explain what he feels and how it’s driving his actions. Once he’s sure of you, the smooth-talking guy you fell for will return.”

“I don’t recall saying I’d fallen for him.”

“Has he subverted your will?”

“No!”

“Are you afraid of him?”

“Not enough to matter.”

“Then you’ve fallen for him.”

“Excuse me? How do you arrive at that conclusion?”

“How else can you explain your willingly spending the night with a man who’s behaved the way he has?” She blushed and looked away.

He reached out to touch her hand. “He really is a good man.”

“Is he even a man?”

He narrowed his gaze. “Let me remind you, he and I are friends. So please don’t call him a parasite to me.” She sighed. “I don’t consider him a parasite.”

“I wish you’d tell him that. It would mean a lot to him—even if he doesn’t admit it.” She shook her head. “If he kills Michael…will he kill him?”

He sighed. “I’d take him at his word about that if I were you.”

“Oh, God!” She pressed her lips together. “Should I warn Michael?”

“I honestly don’t know what to tell you about that. If he’s likely to respond by confronting Jayvyn, then no because he’ll surely kill him then.”

because he’ll surely kill him then.”

She glanced down at her untouched coffee. “What if I call the police?”

“Don’t do that.”

She looked up. “Why not? You expect me to just sit back and let him kill the man I love?”

“Can you honestly say you still love him?”

She recoiled. “If you’re thinking I’m in love with Jayvyn—”

“That’s exactly what I’m thinking.”

“I love Michael.”

“So you spent the night allowing Jayvyn to fuck you because you love another man? Or are you going to say he forced you?”

Embarrassed and angry, she swung her hand up.

He caught her wrist before her palm could touch his face. “Clearly, I’ve worn out my welcome.” He kissed her palm and rose. “I’ll see myself out.”

“Bastard!”

He turned and walked back to look down at her. “I’m sorry. That was uncalled for but he’s my friend and I’m a little worried about him and what he might do.”

She nodded. “What should I do if he contacts me?”

“Adrian and Conner will keep as close an eye on him as possible. I think if he contacts you, it’ll be safe to see him. If it’s not, one of them will show up to intercept him—not that you’re in any danger.”

“Is it safe for me to contact him?”

“Give him several days before you do. He needs to work out some of his aggression.”

“And how is he going to do that?”

“I don’t think you want to know.”

“Is that your way of telling me he’ll be sleeping with other women?”

“Yes and you should probably be thankful for that. It won’t mean a damned thing to him and it will help relieve some of his tension. So by the time you see him again, he’ll be better able to cope with what falling for you is doing to him.”

She stared up at him.

“There’s a lot going on now, but I’m absolutely certain that he loves you. I hope you love him too or things are going to get very messy. If you have any concerns, call Adrian or Conner. I’d suggest you call me, but he’d just wipe the floor up with me and I’ve already been there and done that. If he gets out of hand, he needs someone capable of slapping his happy ass around—like one of them. They’ll be ready and willing to help in any way they can. Don’t be afraid to call them if you need to. If you just want to talk, call me.” He took a card from his wallet and placed it on the table.

“Are you sure Desiree is all right?”

“I’m positive. Conner is still in control of himself. When he gets to the point where he’s not, Adrian will be there to ensure he doesn’t do anything he can’t undo. Don’t worry, honey. She’s in no danger from him.” He caressed her cheek and walked out of the kitchen.

Cayenne remained at the table, uncertain what if anything she should do or say to put Michael on guard. What would she do if Jayvyn actually killed him? What should she say to Desiree about Conner? Oh, God, what a mess she’d managed to get herself into.

After half an hour of weighing the pros and cons, she called Desiree. “Where are you?” she asked, hoping she sounded normal.

“We’re at the Grayhawks. We’re going to have dinner here.”

“You and Conner?”

“Me and Rayna. Conner was here earlier, but Adrian called and he returned home.”

“Is everything okay with you and him, Desi?”

“They’re the same. We spent the night together in his suite in separate beds. Honestly, I’m not sure what the hell he wants. It seems he just wants my company.”

“He did kiss you in front of everyone.”