Infamous: (A Bad Boy Romantic Suspense) (25 page)

“You’re very predictable, Ed. I don’t think you’ve voted in favor of a human since I started this council,” Alexis said. I looked at them curiously. I had assumed Alexis was the youngest of the group. I clearly didn’t know anything about vampire aging, that much was clear. Of course, you could just say I didn’t really know anything about vampires other than what I’d seen in films. Which was proving to be dodgy at best.

“Times have changed, Edward. We don’t kill when it’s unnecessary,” Vana said. I wanted to be relieved, but something in her voice made me think there was a pretty big “but” about to be dropped.

“But. A human who is immune to the abilities that have kept us safe and secret all this time? She can’t be allowed to simply walk out of here.” Vana kept her eyes on me as she said it. My stomach dropped and my legs felt weak. I wanted to run.

“And there are those two vampires to consider. While they were clearly wrong and will be disciplined, they must know there is a human out there with, at the very least, a coincidental lack of responsiveness. That will make her a target,” Edward added.

“We have enough to contend with, with the current situation here in Paris and the…difficulties on the coast. We don’t need a rogue human wandering around, tempting some of our more…unsavory elements with her…charms. We don’t need the chaos.” Vana again, sounding almost sorry. Almost.

“Oh, please. A little chaos is good for us. As for our internal problems, they’ll sort themselves out eventually. One family or another on top, it never matters in the end. If there’s one thing we all know quite well, it’s that we have all the time in the world. Events will play out as they usually do,” Alexis said.

“Then how do we solve this? We can’t alter her mind, but some of us are reluctant to do what, to my mind, is necessary.” Edward again, never quite saying he wanted to see my entrails decorating the place but, you know, I could read between the lines. I started to prepare myself for a futile attempt at escape. I knew Dimitri liked me but I had no idea if he’d try to intervene.

“If I may, I think I have a suggestion that might serve all of our concerns. And keep Emma, as she said, alive.” I turned my head to look at Robert, shocked.

“I volunteer to be her guardian. I can watch over her until such time as you, the council, feel it is safe to let her continue on with her life,” he said.

“How generous of you, Lord Ellory,” said Dimitri, arms folded. He sounded tense. Personally, I was glad anyone had a solution that wasn’t, you know, like a
final
solution. “I’m sure Emma will be beside herself with gratitude.”

“Oh, I won’t be doing so alone. I don’t expect you to let such a charming companion out of your sight so soon. We can watch over her together.”

“Do you think that’s wise, Lord Ellory? You and Baron Blackstone have a rather long history of animosity. Can you overlook your past? And why would you want to?” Vana asked.

“What she means is, what’s so special about this human that you would volunteer to help her? She’s nothing to you. And she’s only a temporary something for Dimitri here.” This barb came from Alexis, who I kind of wanted to throttle. Everyone was back to talking about me and not
to
me.

“Call it a whim. I’m allowed one every three hundred years or so,” he said.

Great. So I was a temporary fling for one vampire, some kind of “whim” for another, and an annoying curiosity to their council. I didn’t really like what I’d heard about vampire family troubles and it seemed like Robert and Dimitri had something close to a feud going on. But what choice did I have? This seemed to be the theme of my life going forward from here. My total lack of realistic choices.

I sat in the chair while the details were worked out. Alexis kept looking at me with a small, knowing smile I found deeply unsettling. Whatever their agenda was, it wasn’t good. At least with Edward I knew he wanted me dead. It was awful, but honest. Vana seemed somewhere in the middle. She didn’t necessarily want me dead; that would require some sort of deep feeling about me or humans. Mostly she seemed to want a solution that didn’t require her to have to put in much effort.

Robert and Dimitri chatted with the council and I grew tired. The council eventually got up to leave and Alexis threw me a conspiratorial wink. Great. Maybe they were on my side? Or at least not against me? I was pretty exhausted from trying to figure out vampire psychology. My head began to pound and my tailbone began to ache.

“I think it’s time we escorted the lady home,” Robert said quietly. He was close to me, I hadn’t heard him move. I looked around and realized it was just the three of us. Dimitri was standing just a little behind Robert, looking at me with genuine concern.

“Are you alright, Emma?” he asked, putting out his hand. I took it gratefully.

“No. But at the moment I can’t really think about any of it. I just want to go to sleep.” I stood and swayed a little on my feet. They both steadied me.

“My car is outside. Let’s go.”

I let them lead me away, not paying attention to where we were going. From the corner of my eye I thought I saw a tall, yellow-eyed figure in gray again, but it was gone too fast for me to be sure.

This world I’d almost literally stumbled into was getting stranger all the time.

I sat, naked, on the chair again. My skin was prickling; the air was too hot this time. I could feel the sweat dripping down my neck. Around me I could feel the sweep of delicate fabric against my arms, legs, face. I kept my arms wrapped around my breasts, legs drawn up to my chest. I looked around but all I could I see was rolling, falling, draping gray.

Then a hand was on my neck, warm and reassuring. It stroked along the nape, then down my exposed spine.

Another hand on my breastbone, lightly caressing along the skin. I closed my eyes. I didn’t want to see who was touching me. I just wanted to feel.

Fingertips along my cheekbones, whispering lightly over my lips, running through my hair. I tilted my head, and lips were against my neck, nipping at the sensitive spot below my ear. I shivered.

Another pair of lips kissed down my spine, along each vertebra.

My arms were gently peeled away from my breasts so they could be cupped. Thumbs circled the nipples, rubbing the tips, gently massaging their fullness.

I leaned back in the chair and spread my legs. I kept my eyes shut. Two pairs of hands loved my body from head to toe, patiently touching, gently exploring. They kneaded my round belly, stroked up my thighs, cupped then moved away from my vulva.

My legs were gently moved up, exposing me to the air. I tensed.

The most delicate, fluttery kisses suddenly descended on my outer lips. I arched, wanting more. The lips were spread firmly, then those quick, excruciating kisses again. Tongues roved around my clit, teasing, tantalizing.

One tongue moved down to stroke around my opening. The other finally claimed my bud, fully, sipping, then sucking, then stroking around and around. The circles played with my flesh until that’s all that I was.

Fingers slid inside and I gasped, clenching. I grabbed the sides of the chair to ground myself, spiraling out on waves of sensation.

Tension built, coiling low. I stayed still, allowing the sensations to kill me slowly, never reaching for them, letting them happen, letting go.

And then I soared, climaxing high and hard, back arched, crying out. The hands kept me steady or I might have fallen off the chair.

I was lifted from the chair into strong arms. I still kept my eyes closed as I was lowered onto a lap. I felt an erection against my leg and grasped it with a hand, hearing a gasp. I came up only long enough to position it before lowing myself onto the excited flesh, enveloping it with myself.

We rocked, this stranger and I. I arched back, held in his arms, kissed by another. I felt suspended by rooted, full and secure.

I came again, clit throbbing, muscles working, body tight.

Lips against my neck again but this time with teeth. I felt sharp points against my throat as I rocked against the still-hard cock inside me. Danger. The rush of fear.

The teeth broke skin, a pinch, then…bliss.

I felt blood well up, spill down my neck, over my breasts. I could taste the metallic sweetness of it, sense the joy that taste created, the satisfaction it contained for my biter. They were feeding off of me, from me, of me. It was heady.

There was a dissolving in this sex, in being consumed.

I was falling. Fading. But I loved it.

I awoke in the car sometime later, face plastered against the seat. Robert was reading, a thick tome in hand, a pair of silver spectacles on his face. Dimitri was fiddling with his phone, the screen casting a gentle cool light over his features. It was a perfect snapshot of the differences between them. Old world and new, urbane elegance and modern beauty. I watched them for a while, feeling rumpled and out of place. Feeling vulnerable, really.

“Sleep well?” Robert asked, looking up with a smile. The kind of smile that said he knew exactly what I’d been dreaming about.

“Passably.” My voice sounded like I’d been gargling with gravel. I was still wearing his jacket, and while the polite thing would have been to offer it back to him, I didn’t have anything else to wear. I still had on the fancy gown from Dimitri and was really missing my worn flannel pj’s from back home.

“Your things are being sent along behind us, don’t worry,” said Dimitri, not looking up from his phone.

“Is there anything else I can wear in the meantime? I feel overdressed for a getaway,” I said, wondering how everyone in this car knew what I was thinking. Or dreaming. It didn’t seem fair. Did I have “was having an erotic dream” and “feeling uncomfortable in my fancy dress” written on my forehead? Would that even fit on my forehead? Not the point.

“I keep some spare clothes under the seat for emergencies. They’ll be too big for you but more comfortable than evening attire,” Dimitri offered, looking up. He wasn’t his usual carefree, jovial self. I thought maybe he was annoyed about being a joint guardian. Probably cramped his style.

I reached under the seat next to me and pulled out a gray t-shirt that felt like it was made of softness. It was paired with stretchy black sweatpants that seemed to be made out of some incredibly luxurious fabric I would never afford in my lifetime. I looked at the two of them, thought about asking them to turn around, then decided I didn’t care. I unzipped the back of the dress, slid down the top, and popped the t-shirt on. Since Dimitri was slimly built it wasn’t as voluminous as men’s shirts usually were, but it still hung off me a bit. I filled out the top quite well, though.

I pushed the rest of the dress off, leaving me in my underwear for a minute. I caught Dimitri looking, but Robert seemed engrossed in his book. I slid the pants on and sighed, feeling far more comfortable. I was also really happy all of a sudden that I’d worn flats. Not only were they comfortable but they actually still matched the change in outfits. I wrapped myself back in Robert’s jacket and sat back. At least this way I felt like I could face whatever without feeling like I was stuck in a prom dress.

“So. Where are we going? No one bothered to tell me,” I said, trying to fill the slightly awkward silence.

“We’re going to my estate in Venice,” said Robert, closing the book. I tried to make out the title but the book was too worn.

“Ah, Venice,” I said. They both blinked at me. “
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
? One of the greatest films ever made? Some of it takes place, you know, in Venice?” I sighed. “It’s unfortunate that all my pop culture references are lost on you two. They’re terribly clever.”

“I’ve been busy,” Robert deadpanned.

“So what’s your excuse?” I asked Dimitri.

“Uhm, I have a social life?” He waved his phone at me.

“People go to the movies because it is a social activity, you know.” I crossed my arms. “We can’t all be jet-setting undead barons.”

“More’s the pity.”

“I’m not sure the world can handle more than one of you, Dimitri.” Robert was smiling, enjoying Dimitri’s discomfort. He didn’t like me poking fun in front of his rival, clearly.

“I suppose you’re too classy or something for the movies.” I turned on Robert. I needed to get my frustrations out, so making two vampires feel pop-culturally inadequate seemed like the best way to go about it. I mean, I couldn’t hit them. I couldn’t get out of this situation. Yelling seemed pointless. So I fell back on snark. A low weapon, maybe. But it was making me feel better.

“I’ve seen many films,” he said. “The last one was quite recent. I believe it was called…
Star Wars
? Intriguing idea. Bit overwrought.”

I stared. “That movie is, like, nearly forty years old,” I said. He nodded.

“As I said, very recent.”

“I think we have exceptionally different ideas about what counts as recent. That movie has been out nearly twice as long as I’ve been alive.” The two vampires stared at me as though it had never occurred to them that, when you didn’t have unlimited time, forty years could be quite substantial.

“For us, forty years is a bit like…not the blink of an eye, but maybe a day. Fondly remembered,” Robert said. He looked over at Dimitri, who shrugged.

“Don’t look at me. I haven’t paid attention to what decade it is since the American Civil War. Seemed pointless. Except for the gadgets.” He wiggled his phone at us and then went back to doing whatever it was he was doing on it. I didn’t really want to know. Either it was important vampire business, sexting with some other girl he’d met, or he was faking us both out and playing games. I somehow felt that finding out a sexy vampire played Candy Crush would lessen the mystery. And not in a good way.

“You two don’t seem to really get along. Is there some family feud I’m in the middle of?” I asked, meaning to sound casual and sarcastic. However, both men started and suddenly looked grave and serious.

“Yes, there is. How did you know?” Dimitri asked, phone forgotten. Robert was watching us both, mouth tight.

“Er, lucky guess? It just seemed to…fit,” I offered. Me and my big mouth, I thought. Just had to keep poking the bear. Or vampires. Whatever.

“Our families have never gotten along. We have very different philosophies,” Dimitri said, sitting back and looking at Robert with a condescending smile. “Can’t remember how any of it started anymore. You?” Robert said nothing but his mouth compressed even further.

“Probably a girl,” I muttered, then realized I had spoken out loud something I should definitely have kept to myself. Again. And looked up into two unpleasantly shocked faces.

“That is uncanny,” said Robert. “Are you sure she’s completely human?”

“Look, I didn’t mean to…it’s just that it’s the first thing that…I mean, it makes sense, two ridiculously handsome vampires who just happen to hate each other? Of course there was a girl,” I finished lamely. I was really wishing that my brain would stop my mouth from saying whatever popped into it so much. I was going to get myself in, well, more serious trouble than I already was at some point. Saying the wrong thing to vampires didn’t seem like a particularly good way to stay uneaten. Then something struck me about what Lord Ellory had just said.

“Wait, what do you mean, ‘completely human’? Are there…other things besides vampires out there?” I was suddenly very awake and very curious. And remembering the gray-shrouded figure with the yellow eyes.

“Er, Robert, maybe now isn’t the best time,” Dimitri started. Robert held up a hand. To my surprise, Dimitri didn’t protest.

“The simple answer is: yes. There are other things besides vampires and humans in the world.” He was watching me carefully. I waited for an elaboration. And kept waiting.

“That’s all you’re going to tell me? Wow. I thought I’d earned a little more trust.”

“It’s not that. It’s just…the less you know, the safer you are,” Dimitri said, smiling apologetically.

That was when I promptly lost my proverbial shit.

“Safer? SAFER? In case you hadn’t noticed, my life is completely up shit’s creek right now because I accidentally found out vampires exist. I’m being dragged all over Europe by one complete stranger and another almost stranger, had to sit in front of a truly scary council of things that could and probably would eat me in a heartbeat…and you think I’ll be SAFER if I don’t know about all the OTHER things out there?” I was shouting. Robert winced, clearly at my lack of decorum.

“And you! You sit there like this is all some big inconvenience to you! Like you just got saddled with an annoying problem instead of a human being with feelings.” He blinked at me, surprised.

“I…don’t precisely mind looking after you,” he said quietly. I opened and closed my mouth at that like a fish.

“Yeah, that much is obvious.” Dimitri’s voice was dripping with venom.

“What?” Now I was confused.

“Emma, our dear Lord Ellory over here is interested in you. In a carnal way. Probably because I am.” He waved a hand dismissively.

“Oh, thanks very much,” I spat out. “Nothing like being told you’re appealing because you’re with another dude.”

“Dimitri, you were an ass when I met you and have continued to be an ass for hundreds of years. It’s amazing to me that you haven’t managed to grow up at all,” Robert said, flushing slightly.

“Yeah? Well, you’re still a pompous, classist, elitist. Being around you is about as much fun as being staked,” Dimitri bit out.

I watched both men spar like that for a good ten minutes. It was like some weird verbal ping-pong game neither could quite win. They kept lobbing insults, bombarding each other with painful secrets, past indiscretions, and even a few of what sounded like vampire versions of “Your mama!” It was fascinating on one level. And it definitely passed the time on an otherwise long and uneventful ride.

Mostly I listened because, inadvertently, they were revealing a LOT about vampire culture and their own histories. They seemed to have forgotten I was there in the heat of being as shitty as possible to one another.

From what I could gather by reading through the hostile lines, Robert and Dimitri’s “houses” had had issues with each other for longer than either of them had been undead. Some ancient feud no one could really remember the roots of, which meant it was unlikely to ever be rectified. Once something is that ingrained, it seems like the cycle can just never be broken. Everyone is too invested.

That aside, apparently these two had actually liked one another way back when. Which seemed impossible to me, but I guess there’s no hatred like that of old friends gone awry. Which made me a little sad. They were kind of the vampire Odd Couple, which would have been fun to see in action.

“…Juliana was never yours, Robert. Everyone knew that. She was wild and that’s why you loved her.”

“Yes, and it’s why you loved her too. It wasn’t her wildness that was the problem. Nor her…disinterest in monogamy. It was your wildness, your recklessness, that was always a problem. And it killed her.”

Uh-oh. Things were starting to get very real up in this car. I listened intently, making sure I didn’t disturb them during what sounded like a pretty big reveal.

“Oh, fuck you, Robert. I couldn’t have stopped her from seeing that human and you know it. And I had no way of knowing what was going to happen. We all thought the witch-hunting mobs were well outside the city.” Dimitri was angry, pale face flushed. I realized it was pretty weird that vampires could blush. I mean…how? With what circulation?

“You didn’t look out for her. You promised me you would. Juliana was always too trusting, too lost in the moment. She never took care, was never discreet or subtle. That mob had her up and burning before any of us could do a thing. In the middle of the city, Dimitri. They burned her and her laugh died forever.” Robert’s voice shook. It was the most emotion I had heard from him so far and it was surprising.

“I know. You think I don’t know? I was there, too. I was just as helpless to do anything.” Dimitri’s hands were in fists and he was looking away, out the window, into dark nothing.

They both stopped then, finally. There didn’t seem much more to say. Their mutual hate made a bit more sense now, but not based in something either of them could have done anything about. I didn’t know this Juliana, but it sounded like she was kind of lady who did what she wanted and the fallout could get messy. Wasn’t she her own person? That weird possessive male thing seemed to have poisoned them both out of a good friendship. And from what they’d said about Juliana, I rather thought she’d be disappointed in them for that.

I started to drift off to sleep again, the silence lulling me towards unconsciousness. I had questions but I guessed they could wait. They’d have to. I was too tired to think anymore.

This time I didn’t dream.

When I woke up I had no absolutely no idea where I was. I seemed to be drowning in covers that were incredibly soft and warm. I fought my way out and looked around.

I was in a ridiculously huge bedroom with high cathedral ceilings and black and gold furniture, and in the middle of an enormous four-poster bed that could have fit at least four other people. I was wearing oversized pajamas, also in black. I pushed my hair out of my eyes along with the gunk from sleep. I didn’t remember being brought in here at all.

Vaguely I remembered that we were supposed to be at Robert’s home in Venice so he and Dimitri could watch out for me. I still wasn’t really clear on why anyone bothered. The council meeting had been so strange, full of subtext and hidden agendas. I knew there were a ton of behind-the-scenes political nuances going on I wasn’t aware of. And I was still pretty convinced that Alexis was up to something.

I sat on the edge of the bed and collected myself. I was still adjusting, although I thought I was doing pretty well, all things considered. Not many people could deal with what I had the past few days and not run around screaming. I was a bit proud of myself for keeping it together.