NightFall: Book One: Bloodlust Is the Cure for the Immortal Soul (33 page)

Van reached out to touch her but she flinched away from him. She backed up but her back hit the door.

Van cursed himself.
He had scared her.
“I would never hurt you, Simone.”

Simone shook her head fiercely. “You lie. So what you said up there was not hurting me?
I don’t
believe you.”
She turned once again and reached for the door handle.

Van still held the door shut. Instead of letting her go, Simone felt his bare chest on her back.
Heat infused her
. She was still angry with him but, by God, she still wanted him. He still had that power over her. She could’ve kicked herself when she leaned into him.
She felt his arousal on her backside.

Van leaned his head into her neck. He breathed in her scent. “Don’t
leave,”
he
said,
his voice thick with passion. She felt his hand reach down and lift her dress. He caressed her bottom before moving his hand to her hip, and slowly reaching around and touching the soft curls at the apex of her thighs. He took his knee and opened her legs wider. Simone could feel his stiff manhood nudge at her opening. He grabbed h
er hands and held her
palms
to the door.

“Don’t leave me.” H
is warm
breath fanned
her neck before entering her hard and fast. Simone let her head fall back onto Van’s should
er. She could feel his teeth at
her throat. He drew in a little skin and sucked gently but not biting her. In the
aroused
state she
was in, she wouldn’t have cared
.

He pushed up into her. Simone let out a gasp. Her palms flattened on the door as her head fell forward. She pushed her bottom into Van, letting him take all he wanted. Van ran a hand down Simone’s face, slipping a finger into her mouth. She sucked at his finger as he rode her hard. Simone could feel his breath coming in short pants on the nape of her neck. He took his finger out of her mouth and brought it down and touched the very core of her pleasure. He worked her, petted her.

Simone could barely catch her breath. He pushed her hard up against the door. He wrapped his arms tightly around her waist. She could feel him coil tighter inside her.

Simone could hardly t
ake it, it was so good.
“Mmmmm.
Oh,
Van.
Y
-y
es.
Oh, yes
ss
.”

“You….feel…so good, Simone.”
Van ground out as he jerked inside her. He felt Simone tighten around him, milking him to the ultimate finish.

They both cried out as Van exploded inside her.
Simone let her head fall back onto Van’s shoulder, trying to catch her breath.

Van turned her around and held her close in his arms. They just held each other for a long time.

They found their way back to the bed and Simone rested there until Van had to take his leave to res
t before the sun peaked on the horizon
. He kissed her softly good-bye, promising that they would talk at length tonight, when he awoke.
Simone quietly tip-toed out of the house and made her way home.

*

Davis Brant had gotten of
f
the plane in Paris half an hour ago and hailed a cab to take him to the Skys’ residence. He needed to talk to Simone and the best way was to talk to her face to face. He had to warn her; tell her everything before this debacle went any further.
It had gone
too far in his eyes as it was.
He had done enough harm to her already.
He should have never even entertained thoughts of telling her
to do these vampire stories and then trying to sweeten the pot with a bribe of giving Simone her own office and the go ahead to continue these kinds of articles on a regular basis. He wouldn’t blame her if she completely disowned him and quit the paper.

It was entirely his fault.

The cab came to a halt near the Skys’ driveway. Davis paid the driver, adding a generous tip and stepping out into the fragrant night air. He spied a singular person walking toward the Skys’ home.
A female.
Davis squinted. It was Simone!

Simone looked up and her eyes went wide at the sight of Davis right in front of her.

“You
?
What are you doing here?” Her tone spoke of pain and anger.

Simone looked at Mr. Davis Brant like she was seeing him for the first time. It hurt. It was physically painful to know what she now knew about him.

“Hello, Simone.” Davis’ eyes silently pleaded for Simone to forgive him. But the look on her face didn’t look promising.

“How could you?” Simone shook her head, her eyes filled with pain. Her brows knitted. “You said I was like a daughter to you. You would treat your daughter like this? Why?
Why did you deceive me, you…..you…..” Her throat closed off before she could finish. She swallowed.

“You used to call me Mr. Brant.”
His voice was overly friendly and his smile was forced.

Simone crossed her arms and glared. “I only save t
hat for the people I respect,”
she deadpanned. Tears threatened to shed, but to her amazement, she held them at bay. It would only give him leverage against her. She couldn’t afford to back down. Not after what he did.

“Please.” Mr. Brant reached for her.

Simone stepped away from his touch. “No. You used me. You had me unknowingly using my friends. They’re like my family. Do you realize what you’ve done?
!
”
she
asked incredulously.

Mr. Brant sighed. “I know that now. But I’m afraid it might be too late. The wheels have been set in motion and I don’t know how to stop it. I can’t take back what I’ve done to you, Simone. I wish I could,
b
elieve me. I had no idea that
your stories were going to be used this way. Not until it was too late.”

Simone gritted her teeth. “But after you figured out what was going on, you still emailed me asking-no, telling-me that I had to go on with more of these stories
. You even
told me over
the phone when I called you,”
she stated hotly.

Mr. Brant’s slight smile turned into panic. “Simone, please, please
tell
me you didn’t mention any of this to the others. I’m afraid for you.”

“I can take care of myself,”
Simone snapped. “As a matter of fact, I told Van everything. He knows I’m the reporter. We had a fight
about it
but everything’s
okay now. I told him that I wasn’t going to write any more stories.” She fixed him with a hard stare. “And I won’t. I will not be a pawn in this sick game.”

Mr. Brant shook his head vigorously.
“Oh, Simone.
I wish you hadn’t said anything.” He looked around as if he were afraid of being spied on. “It was a risk for me to come here and make contact with you. I was warned never to tell you anything and to never let on that I had any idea what was going on. If he finds out
that I came here and warned you, he’ll kill me. But I had to do something
.
Maybe, in some way, my death will make up fo
r the wrong I’ve done to you,”
his voice cracked with emotion.
“I don’t know if I can ever rebuild your trust.” His words felt like a knife had twisted in his heart.

Simone finally put a hand on his shoulder. “Just because you have betrayed me doesn’t mean I want you to die. Who is this man who threatened you?”

Mr. Brant nervously licked his lips. “You interviewed him not long ago.”

Simone’s hand dropped like a stone. “Mr. Hobbs? That poor excuse for a man threatened
you
? He doesn’t seem to have it in him.”

Mr. Brant snorted. “Believe me, he does. He has powerful connections. Oh, he might not do the dirty work himself but I’m sure he will find some goon who will.” He grabbed her shoulders. “Simone, take yourself a
nd your friends far away. Hide…..
do something. Just get out. Please. Do this for me even if you never do anything for me again. This is all I ask from you. If Mr. Hobbs knows that you know
anything
, he made it crystal clear of what he would do to you and your friends.
I don’t want to see you hurt in any way.”
He
dared to
open
his arms to her.

Simone gave in and hugged Mr. Brant, thinking that this may be the last time she would ever see him again.

*

Zane paced the floor of his home. He was in a murderous mood tonight. Raven was the target of his blatant contempt. Oh, how he wanted to kill her. How he wanted to wrap his hands around her throat and watch the very last breath escape her body, her eyes closing in defeat. This hatred put him in a bind, however. He needed her to do the spying but from what he’s seen tonight, Raven would no longer be used to spy on Saldivar. That meant she would probably not lurk in the shadows to watch Indea, Van and Simone given they were all linked to Saldivar.

He had to do something. He could threaten her, but she was in cohoots with the one he hated most.
He was powerful but he did consider the fact that it would be three against one.

He heard Raven step through the door. He did not let on that he knew anything
about her visit to her brother.
Until she stated talking.

“
Bonsoi
r,
Father.” Raven went to the bar and poured herself a goblet of the red liquid. “
Comment a
llez
-vous
?
How are you?”

She
baited him purposely. He was going to
remedy that.
Right now.
“
Viens
.
Come on
.”

Raven barely downed her drink before Zane grabbed her arm harshly. “Ouch.
Ou?
Where? What’s going on, Zane?” She tried to pull away but Zane’s grip was like a vice. She struggled just the same.

“Never
you mind
,
you ungrateful, no good half breed
.” He pulled her out of the house
,
and in a blurred rush, ran to the e
dge of the forest where the ocean
met the mountains.

Panic rose bitterly in Raven’s throat. “What are you going to do, Zane?” What could she do if he did decide to really hurt her? He was too strong, too old and too
wise. She felt
perfect
do
om lay heavily across her chest. She could not breathe. Her heart echoed loudly in her chest.

Zane pushed Raven to the edge of the cliff where the water beat harshly on the jagged rocks below. He put his mouth to her ear and with a d
eep menacing whisper, he said,
“
C’est
votre tour
.
It’s your turn. I have grown tired of you, Raven. You do not please me as a daughter and you have failed me as a spy. You are worthle
ss. Do you hear me? Worthless!
I no longer ne
ed you. You are nothing to me. You
were always nothing in my eyes. You are too human. You don’t deserve to live,
half breed.” His menacing words
spoke volumes.