Creature of Habit (Book 3) (16 page)

“Does he drink from you? Even now? The blood of an immortal must be exquisite. No wonder he’s so possessive.” She sniffed my neck.

Calvin watched the whole scene with interest and even the girl had peeked her head back into the room. I moved to leave but Rebecca grabbed my arm. I fought back, tugging it away. With my fledgling strength I easily got away.

“Don’t touch me,” I said in a low voice. “Or you’ll find out exactly how possessive Grant Palmer really is.”

She hissed low and I pushed past her, rushing down the stairs. At the bottom I calmed myself, doing what I could to steady my heart and anger. Passing Amy and the remaining woman at the entrance of the living room, I made eye contact with Grant who stood quietly.

“Oh good,” he said, stepping toward me. “I was just coming to check on you. Abraham and I have finished our talk. You ready?”

“Sure you don’t want to stay over for the night?” Abraham asked, just as Rebecca stepped into the doorway.

“Ms. Chase seems eager to get back on the road, Papa,” she said, her name for him giving me chills. We needed to get out of there. Fast.

“I’m ready when you are,” I said, inching toward the door. “Thank you for the hospitality—and the refreshments.”

Abraham stood and walked us to the door. “Sorry I couldn’t give you more details on Amy’s attacker. Never saw or heard of him again. I’ll let you know if I hear anything else.”

“Thank you,” Grant replied. The two men shook hands.

“Give Miles my regards.”

“We will.”

The door shut behind us and I reached for Grant’s hand. “What happened?” he asked before we reached the top step.

“Nothing. I’ll tell you later, but God, that place is a freak show.”

Chapter 27

Grant

It was fully dark as we drove past the gate and off the property. Amelia’s hands clenched in her lap. I stopped at the first deserted four-way stop and asked, “Seriously, what got you so spooked? Your heart is racing!”

A flash passed the side of the car and we both looked up. In the headlights stood Amy, hair sticking out from her once tidy braids. She held her hands up.

“Amy?” Amelia asked, opening the door. I looked around for anyone else from the farm, but the night was quiet and still.

“I wanted to stop you before you left.”

“Did you remember something helpful?” I asked, walking to the front of the car. The lights brightened the whole intersection, casting us in a shadowy glow.

Amelia stood near the car and waited—hesitant for some reason.

“There’s more about what happened that night. Something Abraham doesn’t know.” She twisted her hands and looked at the two of us. “It didn’t end that night.”

“What didn’t end?” I asked.

“Him. The ’transient’ or whatever you called him. He’s come again. He’ll corner me when I’m alone. Walking the property or working in the garden. He’ll come to my room through the window and he makes me…” Her voice wavered.

“What does he do?” Amelia asked the question I was too stunned to verbalize.

The girl stares at the ground. “He gets in my head. Says things… horrible things. He’ll make me do things to him, or worse, for him.”

“Like what?” She bit her lip and didn’t answer Amelia. From the set of her shoulders, I don’t think she planned to. Amelia stepped forward and said, “What are you telling us, Amy?”

“If Emmanuel hurt someone you know, or transitioned him, odds are he hasn’t left him in peace.”

“You think he comes back to his victims?” I asked, frowning at the thought—at the implication.

“I know he does. He’s a sick fuck who can’t let go.”

“Why don’t you stop him? Why haven’t you told Abraham?” Amelia asked, her voice rising.

“Because Emmanuel will kill them all.”

“Is that what he tells you?”

“I know he will. There’s no doubt in my mind,” she said with conviction. “He does this thing—has an ability. He gets in your head. Like deep in your head. He can see your mind as well as pick up on nearly anyone else. He finds your weak spots and exploits them.”

“What are yours?” Amelia asked.

Amy didn’t answer the question, but she said, “So your friend? The one you’re looking for? I’d place bets that he’s protecting you—or someone else.”

I glanced at Amelia and found her already looking at me. Amy’s story wasn’t the answer we were looking for, but certainly part of the puzzle.

“Did you say his name was Emmanuel?” She nodded. “Anything else?”

“He’s dangerous. Be careful.”

“Thank you,” I said, giving her a grateful look.

Amelia moved to open her car door but stopped short of getting in. She paused and asked, “If you’re so afraid, why are you telling us?”

The girl swallowed and looked even younger than before. “Because someone needs to kill the bastard, and I think God may have sent you here to do it.”

~*~

“So Emmanuel has a thing for sex-workers, specifically.”

I glanced at Amelia and tried to follow. “Specifically how?”

“The boarding house is a brothel.”

“A brothel.”

“Yes. Rebecca gave me the grand tour after my stop at the bathroom,” she said. “Did you not smell the human?”

“Vaguely. I thought maybe they were there, you know, as food. I wasn’t there to cause trouble.”

“So you would have let an unsuspecting human become dinner?” Her question was sharp.

“I’ve staked out the area in North Carolina. That’s my territory to protect. Every vampire within five hundred miles knows it. But out here? I don’t get to meddle in other people’s affairs. Just like they don’t get to meddle in mine.”

She crossed her legs and tapped a finger on the window, thinking.

“Will you tell me more about the house—brothel? What did Rebecca say?”

“Just that people stopped there because they were lonely. The humans are working there—giving their blood, their bodies. Amy must have done that at one point too, when Emmanuel got her.”

I nodded. “You may be right. Sebastian’s mother was a prostitute. Amy was, too. But the story about him coming back for her…”

Amelia looked at me quickly then turned her face toward the window. “Do you think?”

“I hope not, but I have no real way to know. Ryan must not know, or any of the others. But that doesn’t mean Emmanuel hasn’t been making contact.”

The thought chilled the both of us and we were quiet the rest of the way home. I counted the trees passing by and lost my thoughts to the taillights of other cars. We pushed over the Appalachians until we got to the steep driveway on Black Mountain. The house was quiet and empty when we arrived. From the scattered objects around the rooms, I assumed they’d gone hunting.

“Are you hungry?” I asked Amelia, leaving her bag on the floor by the entry. She’d been quiet since we’d left Amy, in her long, awkward dress, on the road.

“Well, yes.” She looked around the house as if seeing it for the first time.

Of course. She was always hungry, for either food or sex. I was happy to provide either. Or both.

“Would you like to go out? Dawn will hit soon—there’s time.”

Her eyes lingered on the hallway, down to where the basement door led below. Ignoring me she walked in that direction, stopping at the newly sanded floor and freshly painted door. Her fingers touched the knob.

“I’ve never been so scared,” she said, when I stood behind her.

“You were brave.”

“Twice now I’ve had to face evil in its purest forms. Twice it’s beaten me.” She’s thinking of Sasha. Of Caleb.

“You were strong then. You’re invincible now.” I wrap my arms around her stomach, holding her tight.

“We’ll stop him, right?” she asks, her voice hard.

“Emmanuel? Yes.”

“I don’t want evil existing out there like that. Not in the same world we live in.”

She turned in my arms and I pressed her back against the door. I laid my palm next to her head and leveled my eyes to hers. “Eradicating evil is what I do, Amelia. I’ll find him.”

Her head tilted and I saw the faint ring of blue around her dark irises. She tugged a hand on my belt. “
We’ll
find him. It’s what we do.”

I nodded and kissed her, sealing that promise of our future. I needed my girl strong. I needed her steady. But most of all, I needed her by my side. Always.

Chapter 28

Amelia

The knock on the bedroom door was quick and steady.

Grant left the bed, T-shirt covering his pelvis, giving me a solid view of his firm behind and the sleek muscles running down his back. He opened the door a crack.

“What?”

“We have visitors.” I heard Genevieve say.  “Downstairs. Now.”

I stretched on the bed, naked, and felt the scratchy sheets on my skin. “Sounds important.”

The door closed and he quickly tugged on pants before tossing my discarded dress on the bed. “It is.”

“Who’s here? The Queen?” I laughed because I’ve never seen him flustered about a visitor.

“Close enough.” He ran a hand through his hair. “The Council.”

“Oh shit.”

“Right.” He stepped over and helped me straighten my collar. “There’s nothing to be afraid of. I’m sure it’s just Sebastian. God, I hope he didn’t do anything else.”

“Will you tell them what Amy said?” I ask, twisting my hair behind my neck.

“Tell them nothing,” he said, firmly. Bossy. I raised an eyebrow at the tone and he sighed. “I’d hide you up here if I could. They’ll have questions about your… difference. About the transition. They’re nosy, controlling bastards.”

I snorted. “So the standard vampire?”

“Times ten.” He grabbed my hand. “Just follow my lead. And the others.”

“You sound a little dramatic, Grant.”

He pressed his lips to mine, his fingers to my neck. “I’m mostly just pissed they took
me
away from
you
, while we were in the middle of
that
.” His head inclines toward the bed. He wanted to distract me from his panic. Or at least the closest I’ve seen Grant Palmer come to panicking anyway.

“Rude.”

“Exactly.” He tugged me to the door, but stopped short of the threshold. “I love you, Amelia.”

I nodded and squeezed his hand, wondering why he felt the need to say that right at that exact moment.  It wasn’t until we reached the main floor that I understood. The man was intimidating enough. Tall and imposing. Regal almost, but the woman… Her presence made me suck in an unnecessary breath. I kept my eyes on the way her eyes watched Grant and I understood.

The Council was here and things were about to get complicated.

~*~

His name was Xavier. Hers was Noor. I got the explicit feeling everyone in the room was acquainted except for me. By their reactions though, you wouldn’t think I was even present.  Grant seemed to be the one they wanted to talk to, so I did as he said, I followed his suggestion and attempted to blend into the tasteful background of the main hall.

Ryan hadn’t returned yet and Olivia and Elijah were off somewhere. Genevieve and Miles sat on either side of Grant at the expansive dining room table. I spied on the group from my position against the wall, calming my heart to the slowest point possible and watched their reflections in the floor to ceiling mirror mounted on the wall.

“It seems you are busy again with another rogue vampire. Is this becoming a specialty of yours?” Xavier focused his attention on Grant.

“I certainly hope not.”

“This time though, it’s a member of your own coven.” The man looked at Miles. “Can you explain the bloodshed?”

Miles’ demeanor hadn’t changed by the imposing nature of their guests. “From what we’ve gathered, Sebastian seems to be seeking out vampires that freely, and carelessly, sire fledglings.”

“Sloppy, but not against council policy,” Xavier replied. The woman next to him had not spoken at all, but her eyes revealed deep interest. “What is his motivation?”

“When I find him I’ll ask,” Grant replied. His curtness earned him a glare from Genevieve, who looked more flustered than I knew she could even become. He sighed. “We’re dealing with significant fallout from the Caleb situation. We’ll handle it. As a family.”

“Do you have a timeline on retrieval?”

“We should know something soon,” Miles said calmly. “We’ve put a great deal of time into this, and we’re waiting on our scouts to return. Maybe you’d like to stay and see how Grant conducts an operation like this.”

From my spot, I saw the distinct twitch of Grant’s jaw. “I don’t think that’s necessary.”

Sharp metal clanged together from the bracelets on Noor’s arm. She clasped her hands together and said, “We could spare one day. It will appease our superiors.” Her eyes never left Grant. “I’m intrigued at what you do here, Mr. Palmer, with your particular desire to civilize our kind.”

Although I sat quietly, her interest in Grant, my mate, kicked my temper into gear. Which normally wouldn’t be an issue—except for the pesky issue of my traitorous, tell-tale heart.

Xavier’s eyes slid in my direction. “Who’s out there?”

Grant wasted no time and was by my side in an instant. “I’d like to introduce you both to Amelia Chase. She’s a new member of our coven.”

“Hello,” I said, stepping into the room, keeping my voice even.

“From your report,” Xavier asked Miles.

Wait, I was part of a report?

“About Caleb,” the bald man assured me. “I mentioned your involvement.”

For as much as Noor ignored me, Xavier’s eyes had remained glued to me since the minute he realized I was in the room. “Come here,” he declared, waving me in his direction.

Grant nodded and I walked to the table. Xavier gestured me closer. His handsome face tilted in interest and his hand reached for mine. My instinct was to run, but Genevieve flashed me a dire look, so I allowed him to take it.

His hand was smooth, soft, as though there wasn’t a line etched in his palm. His skin was dark, nearly black with his palms a fleshy pink. His touch was gentle and I felt a slight thrill as he stroked my inner wrist, feeling for the thrum of blood.

“How is this possible?”

“It’s her gift, from what we can tell.” A lie. From Miles. The blood amulet grew warm against my chest. “We’re studying it now. Devoting as much time as we can to learning more.”

“I’d hardly call that a gift,” Noor muttered.

“Fascinating.” Xavier held my arm forward. Noor looked at it like she was being offered road-kill. “Aren’t you the least bit curious? I’ve never seen anything like it.”

“I sense many things about Ms. Chase.” She pushed her chair back and said, “Genevieve, if we’re staying here I’ll need suitable accommodations.”

“Yes, of course.”

“Mr. Palmer, I’ll be expecting a full run through of your plans by the end of the day.”

He nodded, jaw tight.

She exited the room with Genevieve following closely behind her. Miles and Xavier exchanged a look and began discussing business—
her
further. A moment later, Grant and I stood in the kitchen staring at one another across the wide, marble island.

“What the hell was that about?” I asked. If I was human, I’d need a drink.

“Mind games.” He waved a hand as though it was trivial. From the look on my face he must have realized quickly I didn’t agree. “She finds my chosen profession interesting.”

I blinked.  “I see. Are you going to meet with her?”

“Yes.” The intuitive feeling in the pit of my stomach didn’t like that idea at all. Grant seemed to sense my displeasure. “I’ll update her on Sebastian. We’ll be gone by morning anyway. These people like to meddle—they have no interest in getting their hands dirty with the real work.”

“Will you tell her about Emmanuel?”

He thought for a moment. “I’m not sure yet.”

Grant leaned over the island and caught my hands in his. “We’ll leave soon, catch Ryan on the way back if he hasn’t returned.”

“Okay.”

“We’ll find Emmanuel first,” he promised, even though he couldn’t be sure. We both felt it was important to get there before Sebastian. Life or death important.