Unbound (24 page)

This was an interesting development. What could it mean? Who was the vamp? Maybe the woman was a donor or an employee, like Nathan had been. Then there was the last name on the mailbox. It can’t be coincidence that she left the Vaughn estate and drove to a home with the same name displayed on a mailbox. This quaint little home isn’t what you would expect a member of the Vaughn family to live in. This information was worth the drive. Nathan would wait her out and get to the bottom of this mystery. The Master would have to forgive him after he returned with this valuable nugget and possibly the girl.

Relaxing back into his seat, he ripped open a bag of chips and popped the top off of an ice-cold beer, then another. Before he knew it, the twelve pack and chips were gone, and the peaceful night sounds of the quiet neighborhood lulled him to sleep.

He woke and stretched, trying to return circulation to stiff limbs. The mid-morning sun shone brightly through the windshield. Damn it! He’d slept all night and half the morning. Nathan checked his side view mirror and cursed.

The bitch had left. Her car was gone. She must have snuck out while he was sleeping. He’d let her get away again. Shit!

* * *

Griffin and Cayden snapped out of Dani’s trance confused at first, and then pissed off. They began searching for her immediately. She had just been there. Then she disappeared. JR was playing in the entry hall when he heard his dad calling for someone.

“Who ya looking for, Daddy?” JR asked with a grin.

“I’m looking for Danielle, the girl that came in with Cayden. Have you seen her?” Griffin ruffled his son’s hair.

“Do you mean the really pretty girl that looks like you, Daddy?” JR managed to look away from his game.

Cayden and Griffin looked at each other. Griffin thought what he saw in Danielle had been his imagination. He looked at Cayden for a reaction.

“It’s probably just the hair, Mr. Vaughn.” Cayden didn’t know what else to say. She really did look like him and JR.

“Yes, that girl,
” Griffin sighed. “Did you see her?”

“She left a little while ago. I walked to the door with her. I like her. She’s pretty and she smells really good. Will she be back?” JR returned his attention to the game.

“Hopefully she will be back very soon.” Griffin ran into the study and grabbed the phone to call the gatehouse. She couldn’t have gotten far. When the guard answered, Griffin said, “Stop the girl that’s on the way out. She needs to come back to the house.”

“I’m sorry, Mr. Vaughn. A girl left about fifteen minutes ago. Is there another girl on the way out?” the guard asked.

“No, n
ever mind.” Griffin hung up the phone and went back into the hall shaking his head. He was irritated but impressed.

“She left fifteen minutes ago. I can’t believe she was able to use her power on me, an adult vampire. I thought it was funny when she did it to you but I figured it was because you’re young. I have been shielding my mind for thirty-some years.” Griffin had this intense feeling of foreboding he couldn’t comprehend. He had become a very hard-edged man after the loss of his first family. He didn’t take to new people, and he only really cared for his immediate family. As soon as he was sure the girl was gone, something began to turn in his gut. He knew it was his duty to look after the talented girl in this dangerous time, especially since she had no family, but it was more than that. He felt the need to protect her, to shelter her. The last time he had this feeling was a long time ago, in a dark alley when those eyes stared up at him from that same petite frame. That must be what was tweaking his nerves. Those eyes had reminded him of a lost dream.

“What do you mean, when she did it to me?” Cayden didn’t see the humor.

“How exactly did you think you ended up sitting on the floor facing the wrong direction in my office?” Griffin was smiling in spite of himself.

“She did that to me? Damn, I should have known. I saw her do it before.” Cayden scratched his head. “What should I do now? Do you want me to go check the school?”

“No, she said she was going to an appointment several hours away. Do you have any idea where she was going?” Griffin asked.

“She didn’t tell me, but I am going to search for her. I assume that you want her to be protected now.” Cayden hoped he wanted her under constant guard.

“I think it’s very dangerous for her out there alone. It’s also dangerous for us if she ends up in enemy hands. She was able to enthrall both of us at once, and hold it for fifteen minutes. She has telekinesis and telepathy. If there really is someone after talented youth, she would be the grand prize to them.” Griffin scowled and tried to beat back the anxiety tightening his chest.

“I would like to be her protector, Mr. Vaughn. She’s a friend of mine and I won’t stand out in her circle. It will be more comfortable for her to
have me nearby than a stranger,” Cayden explained
.

“That’s right. Your father called me earlier and requested I put you on the job if necessary. Congratulations on your entrance into the warrior class. I know your father is very proud. You’ll be a fine warrior, maybe even a Wrath one day. I always defer to Gage’s judgment in these cases. I just hope you can keep up with her, but first things first. We’re going to need to find her. You will need to practice guarding your mind. She could be slippery.” Griffin was still in disbelief at how easy it was for her to walk out and disappear without a trace.

* * *

It was a long ride home. Dani worried about Cayden and Griffin. She hoped they weren’t still frozen in the study. She pulled up to the curb and fished out her cell to call Cayden. She understood the reason behind them wanting to protect her, but she wouldn’t be hiding while they dealt with the situation. She wasn’t a part of their world, and had no plans on joining the black-eyed freak fan club.

“Hello?” Cayden answered.

“Hey Cayden, its Dani, are you guys okay?” she asked sheepishly. She was waiting for him to yell at her but he didn’t. He was kind, even playful.

“Yeah, that’s a neat trick you played on us. We’re fine, but I wish you had waited for me. I could have gone with you, wherever you needed to go. When will you be back?”

“Sunday afternoon. I’m sorry about what I did, but I have some very personal issues that couldn’t wait. Mr. Vaughn is very kind to want to protect me, but I’m really not one of his people.”

“Why do you keep saying that? He explained to me that you were raised outside of our society, but you’re still one of us and we protect our own. I can help you adjust to our way of life. Things will probably be much easier for you once you learn to let us help you. Rea
lly Dani, you know I’m a friend,
” He reasoned.

Dani chuckled, “I may be putting that theory to the test very soon. We’ll see how accepting you really are, eventually. I gotta go, but I’ll call you when I get back into town.”

“You know you’re cryptic and crazy, right?” he joked.

“Yes, I am, but would you have me any other way?” What was that? Flirting?

“I’d be willing to give it a go.” They both laughed. “I’m serious, girl. You can trust me. I’ll protect you and your very personal issues that make you feel the need to manipulate others.”

“Thanks, Cayden. I guess maybe we could be friends,” she said in a teasing tone. “I’ll call you when I get home.” She hung up before he asked where she was.

Now to the reason for her long drive south. Her mom had some explaining to do and she wouldn’t be dancing around the truth anymore. Dani needed to know exactly what and who she would be dealing with. There was a black BMW parked out front, so she figured their guest was already there. She thought she’d have until tomorrow to grill her mom privately, but maybe she’d get more answers if she were on the spot.

Dani slammed the door behind her so Tessa would know she was pissed. She never slammed a door or yelled in her life. So this seemed like a good time to start.

“Mother, where are you?” she bellowed.

She stalked into the living room
where a man stood to greet her.
“Soleil?” he asked.

She had no idea who he was or what a Soleil was so she kept walking.

“Mom, who is the weird guy in the living room, and what is a Soleil?” Tessa was in the kitchen making tea. She refused to turn around and look at Dani.

“Would you like a cup of tea?” She was stalling.

“Yes, I would like some tea with a side of,
‘
What the hell is going on!’
” This attitude was out of character for Dani, and not polite for a stranger to witness, but she’d had enough. The man was now standing in the doorway.

“Maybe we should sit down and your mother and I can calmly explain the situation to you, Soleil.” He was smooth and irritating.

“Who are you and what is a Soleil?” Dani snapped. Tessa shot him a look of pure displeasure. He had upset her.

“I’m Mason, your Godfather, and I am sorry for calling you out of name. That has been your name in my mind since you were born and it seems I’m having trouble adjusting to your new name. Maybe I should say your real name,” he explained. He was handsome and his voice had a calming effect when she allowed it.

Dani looked at her mom. “Are you trying to tell me even my name is a lie? I can’t believe this shit!” She threw her keys across the room and went back into the living room to plop down in a chair with her head hanging off one arm and legs over the other. Taking deep breaths, she calmed herself and stared at the ceiling, waiting for them to join her.

“I didn’t think you’d be here until tomorrow,” she told the man in a much more civil tone.

“It seems we have some very serious problems at home. I need to get back tonight,” he explained.

“I guess you’re talking about the crazy vampire snatcher?” she asked sharply.

He and Tessa looked at each other. “Yes, that’s the problem I’m speaking of. Why don’t we start with you telling us what you already know, and we’ll fill in the blanks for you, Soleil. I mean, Danielle. I’m sorry.”

“So that is my real name? Why was it changed, and why didn’t you change our last name, too?” she asked Tessa.

“That’s the name your father gave you. It is a unique name so I changed it in order to make you harder to find, but I had trouble letting go of my married name.
I was only trying to protect
you.” Tessa was defensive and the name was the least of her worries, so she let it go.

“Alright then, I will tell you what I have figured out the hard way, since nobody thought I needed to know.” She paused to gather her thoughts.

“I believe that my father is a vampire. You guys fell in love and made a half-breed love child that was a secret. His family found out somehow and didn’t want to be embarrassed, so they tried to cover it up. I’m not sure if they wanted me or not, but they surely didn’t want you.” She pointed at Tessa. “You let them believe we both died so they wouldn’t kill us, or whatever. Griffin believed we were dead
,
too. So he married that snooty bitch he lives with and started a new family.” When she said his name, Tessa cringed.

“I guess I was a normal kid until I came of age. Griffin explained to me that it is not unusual for abilities to be unknown until then. I guess when my abilities made an appearance, so did my need for blood. I am a secret demi-vamp with more power than any known vampire. He wants me protected because my
awesome
power might fall into the wrong hands and put his people in danger. Does that about sum it up?” she finished sarcastically. By the looks on their faces, she’d just told them something they didn’t know. Good, at least she wasn’t the only one in the dark.

“Did your father recognize you?” Tessa asked slowly.

“I don’t think so. He looked at me really hard. My eyes caught him off guard, and he made a comment about my vanilla lavender scent, so it’s probably just a matter of time. I thought his wife would pass out when she saw me. I look just like him and their son.”

“Sweetheart, you have no idea how sorry I am you had to find out this way. I really did believe that you were mostly human and this wouldn’t be a problem.” Tessa and Mason went into an explanation of the events that led to them hiding from her father. Her mother cried through most of it, which made Dani feel like a heel for yelling at her. She didn’t blame her for running after he agreed to remarry, or bond as they say, less than a day after hearing of their deaths. What a slap in the face. Dani could feel her sorrow from across the room. She still loved him. It made Dani furious with him and his family, all over again.

“So many things make sense now. You never dated or married. The necklace and the story you told me. The lack of any family and your unwillingness to talk about my father is understandable. I just wish I would have known before I started to think I was going crazy. I really did think I was insane when I started to dream about biting people and liking it.” It was a weak apology, but an apology nonetheless.

“Tell me about the power you were referring to. Griffin said you’re unusual?” Mason prompted.

“Yes, he was impressed and said I need to be under
Council
protection until the kidnapper is found.” Tessa looked at Mason obviously confused.