Soul Seducer (27 page)

~*~

Veronica strode across the living room, agitatedly throwing her hands up in the air. “The bitch. He’s so besotted with her, he can’t even think like a reaper anymore. Stupid fool nearly got himself killed to save her.”

Gaylen strolled to the bar and poured a drink. “Yes, but he didn’t. He turned back to reaper form before he could die. The white knight to the rescue, safe and sound.”

“We have to get rid of her. I can’t rest until she’s dead. And not in the fun, live-forever way we are. Dead and out of the picture.” She turned to him, her eyes wide with frenzy. “You can take her. You can reap her, and she’ll be bound to you forever.”

“That’s been my plan all along.”

“I want in.”

“I don’t need a partner, thanks away.” He brought the glass to his lips and drained it.

“You owe me.” She stormed over and slapped the glass from his hand. It skittered across the carpet, then thunked against the far wall. “You owe me, dammit.”

“What the fuck are you doing?” Gaylen grabbed another glass and filled it. “Calm down. What do you mean I owe you?”

“Because, you son of a bitch, you’re the one who got me into this mess in the first place. Fifty years ago, when you sucked the life from me.”

~*~

The newspapers carried the story about Joel’s and Scott’s deaths. Speculation was that the nephew had attacked Scott because Scott killed his aunt. How they both ended up dead was something the police were investigating. Audra felt guilty that she couldn’t go to Shane…solve the mystery for him, but there was no way she could come clean about what happened that night. She tried to put it out of her mind.

For now, she needed to focus on the awards ceremony Jaxon had invited her to. Pride filled her heart as she watched from the audience while Jaxon walked onto the stage.

She’d almost forgotten about agreeing to accompany him to the event. In spite of all that had happened lately, she was glad she had come. Seeing him win the award was almost enough to take her mind off all the bad stuff. He was handsome and beaming in a white tuxedo with a black, silk shirt and tie as he accepted the award.

“This night wouldn’t have been possible,” he said into the mic. “Most of my successes, large or small, would not have been possible without the love of one special person. My best friend, the love of my life, Audra Grayson.”

Applause exploded in the room. Those who knew them were probably wondering why, if she was the love of his life, they were divorced. They couldn’t know he hadn’t meant it in a romantic way. Jaxon did love her completely, just as she loved him. Finally, her love for him was no longer romantic, but it was deep and lasting. He was really her only family.

When he returned to the table, he leaned forward and placed a kiss on her cheek. Pulling back, he stared into her face. “You’re crying.” He laughed. “What’s wrong?”

“I’m just so happy for you. And what you said, that was beautiful. Thank you.”

He pulled her to him for a tight hug. “No. Thank you.”

After the ceremonies were over, and seemingly everyone in the room had approached them to offer their congratulations, it was finally time to leave.

Audra was glad they’d valet parked when she stepped out of the Wyandotte mansion to find rain pouring from the evening sky. Jaxon slipped an arm around her and pulled her under the awning. “Don’t want your pretty dress ruined. You look gorgeous.”

She looked down at her ruby red floor-length dress. She’d been a little self-conscious about the way it hugged her body, the way it dipped low in the front, revealing more cleavage than she was accustomed to showing, but Jaxon’s approval made her less self-conscious. He had an impeccable sense of style, and his compliment wasn’t based on sexual attraction. Maybe she looked okay after all.

Jaxon’s Lexus pulled up to the curb, and the valet got out, handing over the keys.

“Come on,” Jaxon shouted above the noise of the rain. “We’ll make a run for it.”

He took her hand and was pulling her to the car when a roar sounded above the clattering rain. Audra looked up, her eyes widening in terror as a dark-colored car jumped the curb, careening directly toward her. Before she had time to do more than scream, Jaxon shoved her out of the path of the vehicle.

She flew to the sidewalk, landing with a bone-jarring thump. Through the downpour, she looked up to see what had become of Jaxon and the car. Her heart leapt to her throat. Icy fingers trailed down her spine. The car sped away, but Jaxon lay still on the sidewalk.

“Jaxon!” she screamed. She scrambled to her feet, nearly tripping over the hem of her gown. Stumbling over to him, she dropped to her knees. “Jaxon, please!”

He lay on his back, eyes squeezed shut, grimacing.
Thank God.
He was alive.

“Jaxon, hang in there. I’m getting help.”

He opened his eyes, staring dazedly around. For the first time, she noticed that the liquid on the cement next to his head wasn’t all rain. It was a deep, rusty color. Blood.
Oh, God.

“Help!” she screamed at the crowd that gathered. She tore off a piece of material from the hemline of her dress and pressed it to Jaxon’s head. “Call 9-1-1.” In the panic that ensued, she wasn’t sure anyone had heard at first. Then a man called out, “They’re on their way.”

Looking up, she spotted Dimitri standing next to Jaxon.

Relief swept through her. “Oh, thank God. Dimitri, help me, please. He’s hurt.”

She wasn’t sure why she asked, wasn’t sure what he could do. She was a nurse and was doing all she could until the ambulance arrived. But she was desperate, panicky, she needed to know something, someone was helping.

“I’m sorry, Audra.”

“Don’t be sorry. He’s not dead. Just fucking help me.” She held the cloth tight to Jaxon’s head and touched his face with her free hand. “Look at me. Hang in there. You’ll be okay. Help is coming.”

“Audra?” Jaxon panted. “Who are you talking to?”

“Don’t worry about it. Just hold on. We’re getting help—”

He nodded, then his face clenched. His eyes rolled back and his features relaxed. His body went limp. His gaze stared up at the sky, and rain poured into his eyes.

But it didn’t matter now.

He couldn’t feel the rain. Couldn’t feel anything anymore.

A sob tore from her chest as a crushing weight settled into her bones. “No, Jaxon. No!” she wailed.

She looked around wildly, her gaze falling on Dimitri. “Help him. You have to help him. You can save him.”

But he ignored her. He stood, arms outstretched, focusing on something only he could see. Then he crooked his hands, beckoning.

~*~

Audra had ridden in the ambulance with Jaxon to the hospital. They didn’t turn on their sirens. There was no need.

She stayed with him until the morgue took him, stroking his hand, thanking him for being her friend, for always having her back. Apologizing for not having his.

By the time she left the hospital, dawn was approaching. She stepped outside just as the sun broke through the murkiness of the night. An array of orange, purple and pinks melded into a glowing ray as the sun crested over the downtown buildings. So gorgeous. How could something so beautiful still exist in a world without Jaxon?

The agonizing, ripping hole in her gut had closed for the moment. Now all she felt was numb. And fury. Dimitri had taken him. Damn him to hell. He’d taken Jaxon.

She let herself into the house, too drained to be surprised to find Dimitri waiting for her.

She tossed her keys onto the end table and lifted her chin to stare at him. “There’s no one here to take except me. Unless you’re here to do that, get the fuck out.”

“I had to see you.”

“I don’t want to see you. I don’t ever want to see you again.”

“I had to make sure you’re okay.”

“I’m not. Now you’ve seen. Get out. You bring nothing but death and destruction. I want you out of my life.”

“Something has to be done about Gaylen. Things are escalating, and it’s got to end.”

“This had nothing to do with Gaylen. It was an accident.”

He didn’t respond, just stared at her, jaw clenched, arms crossed over his chest.

She peered suspiciously at him. “Wasn’t it? How could Gaylen be involved? You’re the one who took Jaxon. They haven’t found the driver of the car. Whoever it was didn’t even stick around to make sure he was okay,” she spat out.

“She couldn’t.”

“She?” Audra realized she never heard what had happened after she and Jaxon had left. She didn’t know if the driver was okay, what made them do what they’d done, if they’d been drunk or what. Apparently, Dimitri did know. “Who was she? Is she all right?”

“She’s fine. Not long after the accident, she transformed.”

Audra stared up at him, eyes widening. “Transformed? Oh my God. Veronica!”

“I’m sure she and Gaylen planned it. I swear, I’m going to do something to stop him. I can’t let him keep hurting you. I promise, I’ll take care of this.”

She didn’t answer. Her mind was clicking on a plan. The only way to destroy Gaylen was for him to turn human. She’d have to figure out a way to make that happen. Then kill him.

“Something has to be done all right,” she said. “But you don’t need to do it. You’ve tried for nearly three-hundred years. Where has that gotten you?”

He flinched, but didn’t defend himself. “You can’t do anything, Audra. There’s no way you can stop Gaylen. You can’t even try. It’s too dangerous.”

“I can’t let anyone else I love die.”

“Neither can I.” His voice lowered and he stepped closer. “I can’t let
you
die, Audra.”

It took a moment for the words to sink in. When they did, she wasn’t sure he meant what she thought he meant. She looked up at him. “What?” she whispered.

His eyes glistened with emotion. “I love you.”

She curled her lips into a bitter smile. “
Now
you tell me that you love me? You just took my best friend from me, and you want to declare your love? Great timing, Dimitri. Don’t say it after we’ve made love. Wait until you’ve rippled my soul to shreds.”

“I told you I was sorry. I had no choice. It’s who I am. It’s what I do. I don’t know what you want from me, Audra. I can’t die for you, I’m already dead.”

Her heart cried out for her to forgive him, to tell him that she loved him, too. But she couldn’t erase the image of Jaxon’s broken, bloody body. Or, of Dimitri reaching out to take him away.

“What I want,” she bit out. “Is for you to leave me alone. Forget you ever knew me.”

He barked a humorless laugh and shook his head. “Wish I could do that, Audra. But dying would be easier.”

~*~

Audra lay in bed, but sleep eluded her. She couldn’t quell the screaming in her mind, the anguish in her heart.

Gaylen had to be destroyed. She’d have to figure out a way to tempt him to turn human. In order to do that, she had to pretend to give him what he wanted, which was to reap her. Of course, she’d have to be in jeopardy for him to reap her. A plan was formulating, she just wasn’t sure of all the details. It would take a little bit of acting, a lot of subterfuge, and a hell of a lot of luck.

The opportunity to put her plan in motion presented itself sooner than she expected. She roused herself out of bed and went into the kitchen for a bottle of water. She was closing the refrigerator when Gaylen appeared.

Supernatural beings materializing unexpectedly in front of her no longer scared her. Just showed what constant exposure to terror and tragedy could do.

She sighed. “What are you doing here?”

“I wondered if, now, after what happened to your friend, you’d be ready to cut a deal.”

“You had nothing to do with it. Dimitri took Jaxon.”

Gaylen smiled. “Yes. But I made him ripe for the taking. Veronica was there at my bidding.”

Sick realization would through Audra’s soul. Just as Dimitri suspected. Gaylen—and that bitch, Veronica—were the reason Jaxon had been in jeopardy.

Gaylen moved closer. “Do you get me? No one is safe. Not unless you make it stop. I swear to you, the little girl is next. And she won’t be as much work. Not with that heart thing she’s developed.”

Audra took a deep breath. She couldn’t cope with this right now—but she had to find a way to stop him. “Okay. I can’t fight any longer. Can’t let anyone else die. So, in order to allow you to reap me, I need to be in jeopardy, right? And Dimitri needs to be out of the way.”

“Correct.”

“What if you turn human? You could harm me, then reap me, right?”

“No. That won’t work. If I turn human and harm you, then I won’t be in reaper form to take you. You’ll have to harm yourself.”

Nausea tightened in her throat. She’d hoped Gaylen would agree to turn human, that she could take him out, and that would be that. She should have known it wouldn’t be that easy.

She’d have to adjust the plan just a bit. Bottom line, she had to coax Gaylen into turning human. She couldn’t allow him to remain in the safety of his reaper form and just
take
her. No way.