Tell Me What Is Priceless (Siren Publishing Classic) (12 page)

“I wouldn’t have given it to you if I was worried about it. I just don’t want you to treat it as a ten-dollar trinket. Do you want to learn how to use it? You can be like your main character and wear it on your leg.”

“That would be somewhat difficult unless you know some magic to make it invisible. I don’t think it would look good strapped over the top of a pair of leggings.”

“I was thinking more of under a pair of leather jeans on your ankle. The only thing is that if you pull a weapon, you need to know how to use it.”

“Thank you. I would like to learn how to use a knife. I have to admit, though, if I need protection, I prefer my .45. I have a permit to carry, and I do know how to use it.”

“I should have guessed. Kale said that you cracked him in the nuts.”

Blaze giggled in embarrassment. “I suppose I did. More precisely, I kneed him because he had me pinned down to the bed. I don’t want to talk about Kale. I’m still angry about what he did to me.”

“My brother doesn’t always use his brain. I think he was born without one on occasion. In reality, I don’t want to talk about him either. I would rather talk about you rocking my world.”

The door rattled, and Zar groaned, giving her a quick kiss before he went to open it. Kale threw him a saucy smile. “Oh, what a shame, she still has her clothing on. Jake is here.”

“Thanks,” Zar said as he headed around the vault door. Blaze walked by Kale, her grin exaggerated to relay sarcasm.

Kale winced and put a hand lightly to her shoulder. Blaze spun on him and snarled, “Keep your hands off me.”

“I just wanted to say that I’m sorry, Blaze. I can be a real jerk, but I was just watching out for Zar. He is a brilliant man, but he has shit luck with women. I saw you sitting naked on the sofa and assumed that you were one of the money-hungry, unfaithful lookers that he seems to attract. I’ve an obsession to keep him from getting hurt again. Angelica did enough damage. Anyway, I’m sure that Zar told you what I’m known for doing, and I’m sorry that I did it to you. It was nothing personal.”

“You try to rape me and then say it was not personal?”

“I didn’t try to rape you. I was bullshitting you, and my dick remained in my pants, didn’t it?”

“You had me pinned down on the bed, and you were drooling on me. You were...asking me to fuck you. Well, the answer is still no. I suppose maybe you are right, you didn’t actually do anything but force me into a kiss. You gave me the impression that you were going to rape me. Look, Kale, I like Zar. I really like Zar. I think the scar is sexy, and I will deal with whatever his injury brings between us. No matter how much you look like him, you are not Zar. So just leave me alone, please?”

“Fine with me, Blaze.” His eyes seemed to darken in warning. “Don’t hurt my brother.”

“She is not going to hurt me, Kale,” Zar said. “Could you let her out of the safe? As a matter of fact, as long as you are here, when is the last time you had an HIV test, brother?”

“A while ago, before I got serious with Jenny,” replied Kale as he stepped to the side to allow Blaze to pass.

Zar put his arm around Blaze, giving Kale a glance that caused her to raise her eyebrows at him. He smiled and whispered, “You made the angels sing. I’m gloating.”

Blaze turned a vibrant shade of red and hung her head. Zar smiled and steered her out into the living room. “Blaze, this is Dr. Jacob F. Tine. Jake, this is Bell Zeal, otherwise known as Blaze. I would like you to see her at some point and talk to her about the headaches she gets.”

Jake offered his hand and then kissed her knuckles. “I’ll be happy to do so. Just call me when you want to come in. Have you been treated for them in the past?”

“Yes, I have. They are muscular headaches due to nerve damage in my left shoulder. There is nothing that can be done about them, and I’m allergic to most of the painkillers I’ve tried. They have me on Demerol, but it makes me sleep for days, so I don’t take it.”

“It is also far too addictive. If you want to come in and talk to me about it, I often have alternate suggestions for those who can afford them. Some things work well, but are too expensive for the general market. Where is my payment, Zar?”

Zar handed him the knife as if it was causing him physical pain to do so. “This is highway robbery for a simple test. While you are here, you might as well give Kale one, too. I paid for it.”

Jake grinned at the elegant vintage knife and stuck it in his briefcase. “Next, I want the Queen’s Dragon.”

“Too late, Jake. I just gave it to Blaze.”

Jake glared at her and said, “Oh really? You must be something really special, Blaze. That knife has been in his collection forever. I know. I have been trying to get it from him. Anyway,” he said, pulling three packets from his case, “This is the latest in HIV testing. It’s 100% accurate if you have not been with a partner in the last year. If you test negative, then you require no further tests. It’s 99.9% effective if you have not been with anyone for six months. If it has been less than last six months, you should be retested. If you think that you need to be tested for anything else, I will have to send it to the lab. Blaze?”

“I suppose I’m safe. My last partner was my husband of twenty years. He didn’t have the stamina to have sex with me, much less anyone else.”

Zar snickered, and she glared at him. He kissed her and said, “I didn’t say anything. I just like the way you worded that.”

Jake asked, “Zar?”

“In all honesty, Jake, it has been well over a year since I was with a woman, and even then I used protection.”

“Considering how bad you were over the last seven or eight months, that doesn’t surprise me. Blaze does know, doesn’t she?” he asked.

“Yes, she knows. My hip went last night while she was here. Too much helping on the job, followed by too much hog, and topped off by too much Blaze. Although I have to say that Blaze was by far the most enjoyable element.”

“Ow,” Zar said as he jumped, rubbing the back of his head. “What did you slap me for, Blaze?”

Jake chuckled and turned to Kale. “Well?”

“Six months, huh? I don’t know, Jake. I was with Jenny, but she was a virgin so I guess I don’t have to worry about her. I think. I’m not sure. I got real wasted on a few occasions. There could have been others.”

“Kale, how old is Jenny?” asked Zar.

“Seventeen,” he replied with a grimace as if preparing himself to be reprimanded. “Oh, don’t look at me that way. She was very mature for her age. How old is Blaze? She looks our age unless you look at the back of her knees. Thirty-year-old women don’t usually have varicose veins that bad.”

“She is forty-one, Kale, and you had no problem with the idea of fucking her,” Zar retorted, glaring at Kale as he waited for an explanation. The front door slammed, and Zar spun to find Blaze missing.

Jake said, “You had better go get her. That was a really stupid thing to say, and she is furious.”

“I don’t need this shit today, Kale.” Painfully pushing himself to his feet, Zar headed to the door. Blaze was standing on the small semiclosed-in porch, looking out at the downpour of rain falling from the sky. “Oh, Blaze, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. I’m mad at Kale, and that was a thoughtless comment. I didn’t mean it the way it sounded.”

“I’m not sure how you meant it or how it sounded. It just sounded like a slap in the face. Should there be a problem fucking me because I’m forty-one? Or is the problem with the gruesome veins in the backs of my knees?”

“Neither. It was the expression on Kale’s face. It put me on the defensive, and I said something stupid. Kale has always been very good at goading me into things. He is jealous, believe it or not. Kale doesn’t say he is sorry or wrong to anyone. When he apologized to you, I knew that he wanted you. It irks me like you would not believe. I was blessed with the business sense and the talent to make money. Kale was blessed with the gift of always knowing what to say. He has always gotten the girls that I wanted. Same old fairy tale shit of the bad boy gets the good girls. I’ve already told you, I don’t care that you are older than me. Your legs look a lot better than mine, and if you want, yours can be repaired. Mine cannot. Please come back inside. It’s killing me to stand out in this dampness.”

“Shit!” Blaze said, turning to him. “I don’t want Kale. I want you. I don’t want him to be between us, and he is. He is your blood, and I understand that, but don’t take your anger out on me. I’m here because you said that you wanted me here, but sometimes I feel like you want me to leave. That comment made me feel as if you were ashamed of being with me. I don’t need that kind of head trip, Zar.”

He closed his eyes, lowering his gaze as he blew out a long breath. “Blaze, you are beautiful and alive. Why would I be ashamed of you? Ten years is not that much, and more importantly, you don’t act old. You are mature, but you still have the ability to be silly and young. I will fill you in a little secret about your legs. I couldn’t care less. If I’m facing you, I’m looking at your eyes. They are expressive, and your smile shines in them. When I’m behind you, I’m looking at your ass. You have a great ass. Can we go back inside so Jake can get to his daughter’s party?”

“Am I going to have problems with Kale?”

“No, because right after Jake and Peter are gone, so are we. Kale needs to be gone by the time I get back from New York. I can’t risk having him here if he is accused of murder. It will hurt me enough that he is my brother. I certainly can’t be responsible for harboring him. I’m going to get you something clean to wear, and we are going out to dinner. I want to meet your dogs, and then we will figure it out from there. Just promise me something. We have all heard or read the tale of the woman who fucks the twin brother and falls in love with him. Promise me that you won’t do that to me.”

“I can’t remember the authors or titles, but I’ve read a few of those myself. Are we now playing a game between us of who is the most insecure?”

“Point noted. Promise me?”

“I promise. I will not sleep with or fall in love with Kale. Let’s go back in and get tested. I want this over with.”

Zar turned to the door and then hesitated. “Talk to Jake about your legs. I’ll pay for it. If it bothers you that much, then you should have it fixed. What good is money if you can’t spend it on something worthwhile? I can’t heal myself, but you have the option if you want it.”

“I know I do. I have considered it, but I’m not sure if it’s worth it. Maybe I’ll talk to Jake about it, but I can pay for the surgery myself. I’m not interested in your money. I have my own.”

“I know that. I’m not trying to purchase you,” he said with a grin.

Blaze leaned in and kissed him. “I’m priceless, and I’m not for sale.”

Jake was sitting on the sofa talking to Kale when they came back in. He smiled at Blaze and asked, “Everything all right?”

“We have established that I’m an asshole,” replied Zar. “Let’s get this done so you can get home.”

“Fine with me. Blaze, you should really come in and see me. I know a surgeon who works miracles with severe varicose veins. It’s an outpatient thing, and if you want, Zar can go with you. He zaps the veins with a small laser and collapses them so they fade out in a few weeks. It’s relatively painless and only somewhat expensive. He can even write up the bill so your insurance will cover some of it. Think about it.”

“I will,” she said, sitting down in the chair. “Can we do this test thing and get it over with?”

Jake lifted the packet off the table and ripped it open. He took her hand, poking a small hole in her finger and squeezing it so it would bleed. He used solution from a small bottle to force her blood onto a test strip and then pushed it aside. “Your turn, Zar. Kale already tested negative.”

Zar sat down next to Blaze and held out his hand. Jake repeated the test and looked at his watch. “Now we wait five minutes. So tell me, Blaze, how did you get him to give you the dragon queen?”

“I didn’t. I asked him if he would sell it to me. I collect medieval items and dragons. I write fantasy, and the two go together. Zar knows that, and he gave me the knife. It can stay here until I have something safe to put it in.”

“That is a good idea. You are a writer, huh? Struggling or successful?”

“I’m relatively successful. My husband had quite a bit of life insurance, and I was left fairly well off. Between that and the books, I live very comfortably. I’m not after Zar’s money if that is what you are probing me to find out.”

“Am I that transparent? I have to work on that fault. I’m glad to hear you say that, though. I hope you mean it.”

“I do, Jake.”

“Good, now let’s take a look at these tests. Zar’s is negative,” he said and then hesitated, glancing at Blaze’s again before pushing the tests to the side. “I don’t know how to say this, Blaze. Yours is positive. I’m sorry.”

“What?” she asked in shock. “How can it be positive? I haven’t been with anyone since David. I haven’t been sick. No way. Do it again.”

“Blaze, some people have HIV for years and never get sick from it. Was David ever tested?” asked Zar.

“I don’t know. He had so many tests after the accident, and received so much blood...” Blaze let her voice trail off in thought.

“I’m sorry, I don’t know what to say. I can only go by the test results. You could live a long life, and show no symptoms. You are welcome to go to your own doctor and have the test redone. I only brought three with me. The test is quite accurate, and honestly, considering who you are, you might want to keep this under wraps. Unless you get sick, I wouldn’t tell anyone you have HIV. Zar knows the price for my silence, and Zar, be very careful. You know that the shots you take bring down your immune system. Be careful of exchanging fluids with her after you give yourself a shot. In all honesty, I don’t think I recommend the two of you remaining together. It’s too dangerous for Zar.”