Soul Seducer (23 page)

She lowered her lids over her eyes so he couldn’t see the lie in them. “No. Of course not. I wouldn’t take that chance.”

“Promise?”

She nodded. She wanted to confront him about her mother, but she wasn’t sure she’d believe whatever he told her. She’d grown to trust him to a degree, but there were too many things she didn’t know about him. Too many things she’d learned that frightened her. Her gaze slid to the clock. Seven-fifteen. There wasn’t time for a lengthy discussion about what he had or hadn’t done twenty-seven years ago.

“Would you like a drink?” she asked, trying to make the offer sound casual. “I have beer, wine...scotch.”

“No, thank you. I won’t keep you from your evening plans. I need to get back to Cassie. She requires a little more training than we realized.” He grinned. “That stunt with the photo almost cost her an extra hundred years, but Samuel decided to go easy on her since she’s still in her probationary period.”

“Samuel?”

“The one I told you about. The gatekeeper who oversees reapers.”

“Ah. Yes.” She chewed on her lower lip, her mind working on a way to keep him here. She would
not
try seducing him as Gaylen suggested. She didn’t have the stomach to make love to him, then screw him over. “Listen, I’m feeling a little creeped out tonight. You know, the whole thing with Wilton, not to mention everything else that’s happened lately. Can you please stay and have just one drink? I really don’t want to be alone right now.”

Her heart constricted at the pleased expression that came over his face.

“Of course I’ll stay with you, Audra. I can spare a few minutes.”

“Thank you,” she said, barely able to get the words out. “I’ll get that drink.”

Her feet moved like they were mired in quicksand as she went into the kitchen.
He likes scotch
, Gaylen had said. She’d gotten the inside scoop on how to carry out the plan that would debilitate Dimitri.

You can’t be doing this. You can’t seriously be doing this.
The refrain beat over and over in her mind. Not only what she was doing to Dimitri, but the chance she was taking with her own life. Had she actually agreed to let a depraved, vengeance-seeking reaper take her breath?

He wouldn’t kill her. She had to believe that. Had to believe he was sincere when he vowed not to. He’d sworn on his dead wife. If there was any emotion at all in Gaylen, she’d seen it when he spoke of Louisa, the woman Dimitri had wanted so badly he’d stolen her from Gaylen. His
slave
. Dimitri had owned slaves, had cruelly snatched a wife from her husband, simply to satisfy his own lusts. She shuddered. What kind of horrible things must he have done, both as a human and a reaper? How could she have feelings for him?

Because, as she’d proven time and time again, when it came to men, her judgment sucked.

She opened wine for herself, and the scotch for Dimitri, then poured a liberal amount of Rohypnol into Dimitri’s glass, stirring until it dissolved in the amber liquid. Gaylen had acquired the date rape drug for her. She didn’t know how. Didn’t want to know.

It would take a lot of the drug to affect Dimitri, much more than it would a human. And she didn’t have to worry about overdosing and killing him. He was already dead.

When she returned to the living room, Dimitri stood and took the scotch from her. He tipped it to her wine glass and they both drank.

“Are you going to be okay, Audra? I can stay for a while. I have duties I must tend to, but I’ll stay as long as I can. I want you to feel safe.”

I want you to feel safe
...Would he still want that when this was all over? Unlikely. He would probably reap her himself when he learned what she’d done.

“I’ll be fine. I just wanted a little company so the evening didn’t seem so lonely.”

He narrowed his eyes, searching her face as if looking for the meaning behind her words. Did he think she was asking him to make love to her again? Would that be such a bad thing?

Yes. Considering he was about to pass out from the drugs she’d given him, it would most definitely be a bad thing.

Wait. She studied him.
Was
he about to pass out from the drugs? He appeared perfectly fine. Perfectly in control. The copper wire was coiled and waiting in the front hall closet, but if the drugs didn’t start to work soon, it would be useless. What then? Would Gaylen go after Sadie? If Audra couldn’t carry out the plan, would he immediately go on a soul-reaping rampage?

Her pulse sped up in fear. Maybe she hadn’t given Dimitri enough. Maybe she would have to coax him into turning human after all—even if it meant trying to seduce him—and drug him in his human state. By the time he woke, he’d be back in reaper form, and the copper would then be effective.

If he turned human, though, he’d be at Gaylen’s mercy. A drugged, human Dimitri would be vulnerable enough for Gaylen to finally exact his revenge. Murder Dimitri and doom him to an eternity of torture...

“Ahhh...” A groan from Dimitri caused her to jerk her eyes to his. He swayed, his lids closing while he fought to stay upright. “What the...”

His body went limp, and he dropped face first onto the couch.

It had worked. He was out. Now all she had to do was bind him in copper. Yep. That was
all
she had to do. Nothing to it.

Quickly, she retrieved the roll of copper wire from the closet, waiting for Gaylen to show. She was beginning to think he wouldn’t...hoping he wouldn’t...when he appeared.

“Good work,” he said gleefully. “I’ll make a villain out of you yet.”

“Just shut up and help me. Let’s get this over with.”

Gaylen shot her a grin and went over to Dimitri, rolling him onto his back. “I’ll lift him while you wrap.”

The copper was stiff, not as malleable as she’d hoped, but she worked until she managed to wind it round and round Dimitri’s body. It was odd, she couldn’t touch him, feel him as a solid presence, but she was able to slip the copper beneath and around his body.

Regret and indecision pounded at her with each wrap she made. What if this went wrong? What if Dimitri somehow died? What if Gaylen killed her?

Nothing to be done about it now. She’d gone too far to back out. Hoping for the best was all she had left.

“So, are you going to turn human or not?” Audra asked irritably once they were finished.

“Not yet. I can only stay human for a thousand breaths. While I’m anxious to enjoy what you have to offer, I want it to last as long as possible. And, I want Dimitri to be awake for every delicious second. We’ll wait.”

Audra tightened her lips and crossed her arms. What had she gotten herself into? Dimitri would be furious. Once this was all over with, she might be wishing Gaylen had killed her.

A groan sounded from the couch. Dimitri blinked his eyes open. “What the hell?” He looked first to his bindings then up to Gaylen and Audra. “What the fuck’s going on?”

Gaylen’s face spread into a wide smile. “Your little girlfriend here did me a favor. She slipped you a mickey.”

Dimitri turned to Audra. The look of betrayal in his eyes stole her breath more than Gaylen ever could. “You did this?” His voice broke. “Why?”

“I’m sorry,” she whispered.

“It was my idea, really,” Gaylen said, nearly preening. “I wanted to partake of Audra’s sweet breath, but I knew you’d use the opportunity to kill me. This way, I can enjoy her without worrying about that pesky little detail.”

“You agreed?” Dimitri said to Audra. “You’re going to let him take your breath? Are you insane? He’ll kill you.”

“I had to. He said he’d hurt Sadie. It was the only way.”

“And what’s to stop him from hurting Sadie once you’re dead?” Dimitri’s bewilderment morphed into rage. “What in God’s name were you thinking?” He shook his head, seemingly the only party of his body he could move. He let it drop back to the couch. “Fuck.”

“He won’t kill me. He swore on Louisa.”

“I won’t,” Gaylen said. “I want to enjoy this for a long time to come. Besides, I’m not completely insane. I know what you’d do if I hurt her. I just want to sample her. Be a sport and watch. You might learn a thing or two.”

“No!” Dimitri shouted.

Gaylen smiled, then his human transformation began. Audra wasn’t sure how she knew, but there was a subtle difference. Although reapers appeared solid, they had sort of an otherworldly appearance she wasn’t even aware of until she compared them to their human form. She couldn’t put her finger on it, but there was a difference.

“It’ll be okay,” she told Dimitri, but she wasn’t sure she believed it.

“You don’t understand. He’ll lose control. Even if he doesn’t mean to kill you, he won’t want to stop. Let me loose Audra. It’s not too late.”

She thought of how fragile Sadie was. How ruthless Gaylen was. “I’m sorry. I can’t.”

Dimitri’s jaw clenched and his eyes smoldered with fury.

“Ignore him,” Gaylen said. “This is about you and me.”

Gaylen stared down at her as though she were the last filet mignon on a banquet table laden with brussel sprouts. He reached a hand out and brushed it along her cheek. She shuddered, swallowing back revulsion.

Slowly, he began to circle her. “My God. I can’t believe it. I’m really here with you. Human. I can do whatever I want.”

“Just get this over with.”

“Oh no, sweetheart. I have maybe an hour. More if I breathe slowly. I’m going to savor this as long as I can.”

He stopped circling, his back to Dimitri, and moved closer to her. He ran his hands up and down her arms. “I can’t believe I’m really touching you.” He tipped his head forward and rubbed his lips along the skin of her neck.

Nausea rose in her throat. His hands were smooth and dry, eliciting none of the pleasure Dimitri’s touch did. Human or reaper, Dimitri made her go weak in the knees with just a look. Gaylen made her want to hurl.

“Stop!” Dimitri shouted. “Stop this now. Audra, you can’t do this. Let me go.”

Audra couldn’t look at him. She would weaken and do as he asked. And Sadie might die.

She lifted her face to stare into Gaylen’s eyes.

“Tell me, Dimitri,” Gaylen taunted. “Have you touched her like this? Been this close to her while human? It’s better than you can imagine. Her skin is so smooth, so warm.” Dimitri let out a howl of rage, and Gaylen laughed. “You’re beautiful,” he whispered. He leaned forward and sniffed her hair. “You smell so...delicious. Open your mouth for me.” She didn’t comply. His voice lowered huskily. “Open for me, Audra.”

She glanced at the clock. What time had this started? Not long after eight, she believed. Only five minutes had passed. He had an hour or more? Dear God, she couldn’t do this. Panic set in and she backed up a step. His grip tightened on her arms and he shook her.

“I said, open your mouth. I can make this hurt a lot worse than it has to.”

Audra squeezed her eyes shut and opened her mouth. She felt Gaylen move closer, felt the heat from him. She opened her eyes, and he was right there, his mouth hovering centimeters from hers.

He breathed in deeply, closing his eyes, moaning in ecstasy. “Yeeessssss.” He let the word out on a sigh.

Over his shoulder, she met Dimitri’s eyes. They’d turned a deep, dark, sapphire. He scowled at her, pain etched across his features.

“You can’t do this,” he moaned. “You’ve got to stop it now.”

Gaylen let a breath out, sighing in satisfaction. “Maybe she’s enjoying it, my friend. Maybe she wants me to touch her...to taste her.”

A knock sounded on the door, and Audra’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Who’s that?” Gaylen barked. “You were expecting someone?”

Audra shook her head. “No. No one. I have no idea.”

“Ignore it.”

“Audra?” Shane shouted from the other side of the door. “Are you in there?”

“Answer him,” Gaylen said. “Tell him to go away.”

“I can’t tell him that. He’ll know something’s wrong. I would never do that.”

“Then just don’t answer.”

She nodded. Shane banged more loudly. “I’m worried about you,” he shouted. “I wanted to check on you after all that happened with Starkley.”

She didn’t respond.

“Audra! I see your car outside. If you don’t answer, I’ll break the door down.”

“Answer,” Gaylen bit out. “Tell him you’re okay, but he can’t come in.”

“I’m okay, Shane,” Audra called out, her voice shaky.

“Can I come in?”

“I’m sorry. I’m in the middle of something.”

Silence for a moment. Shane was a cop. He wouldn’t go away that easily. With the men who’d attacked her still free, he’d worry that someone might be holding her hostage. In a sense, that was the truth.

“Okay, then. I’ll head out. Give me a call later.”

He was lying. Audra knew it, and when she looked at Gaylen, she could see he knew it too. Shane would probably circle the house, look for another way in, one that would take whoever might be holding her by surprise. Too much had happened lately for him to be put off that easily.