Deadly Sin (Cassandra Farbanks) (17 page)

“I swear,” CJ said to his companion, “this bird is mocking me.” I craned my head in their direction and wished I had a brow to arch.

Nah! You don’t say
. I waited till the young man climbed up onto the ladder, trying to reach me before flying over to the one in front. They both stared after me as I settled down on that one.

“We have to get it out before any of the patrons come in,” said CJ walking down the upper level to me. I ignored him and looked for a route to the back of the club where the bedrooms were.

“I don’t care as long as I don’t have to clean up any of its business.” I grumbled and wished I could be enough bird to just drop one on his head, but my morals rallied against the idea. I stayed out of reach while they set up the ladder again and watched the door to the back. The kid nearly yanked one of my tail feathers out grabbing for me, so I turned and smashed the end of my beak into his hand. He recoiled and I tasted blood.

“Vicious. We should call animal control.”

“Jareth won’t like having to open late. Try again.” The young man cradled his hand to his chest.

“No bloody way. You do it. I’m going to first aid my hand.” I felt a tiny thrill of satisfaction watching the kid trudge off like he’d been mortally wounded. CJ wobbled getting up onto the ladder. I heard the sound of a door creak open and voices from the space beyond.

“I tell you I smell blood.” CJ made a grab for me but I hopped off, soaring down over the head of two of the youngest vamps in Jareth’s Kiss.

“Watch out!” called CJ too late. The vampires both threw themselves to the floor and actually looked surprised. I soared down the corridor, turning and twisting. I took the passages that would lead to Aram’s room while shouts behind me demanded that CJ pursue me. I was lucky to find Aram’s door held open by Jareth while Aram sat on the edge of his bed lacing his boots. This was a part of the behind the scenes that humans never got to see. I floated passed Jareth, landing on the middle of the bed on its dais. Both vampires stared at me astonished. Their eyes wide and lips parted slightly, which was about as shocked as six hundred year old vampires could look. I fluffed my feathers and regarded Aram.

He was still so handsome. Dreams of him hardly did him justice. The brown curls fell around his face and over his ears with just enough natural red highlights to let you know his hair didn’t come out of a bottle. Yes, vampires can dye their hair too. His eyes were that compelling, clear hazel that reminded me of things lurking in the woods.

“What is it? How did it get in here?” asked Jareth, pushing the door closed so I couldn’t fly back out again. It was alright. I had no intention of leaving. Aram blinked at me.

“A bird, I think. Such a magnificent creature, that word hardly does it justice.” I wanted to smile at Aram who always had such a honeyed tongue. I sat trying to think human.

“It looks like it might be trying to lay an egg,” said Jareth somewhat amused as he took a step – human slow – closer to the bed. I squawked at him. I was doing my best damn it.

“Be careful brother, you might offend her.” I looked at Aram whose eyes locked with mine. Did he know it was me? Or had it just been the egg comment that made him call me a girl? I was distracted when Jareth launched himself onto the bed to grab me. I went tumbling back, smashing into Aram who moved vampire-quick to the other side. His arms encircled me and I thought very clearly, I need my arms. I need hands to choke the pair of them before they hurt me.

I felt heat course through my body and things started to move and shift inside me. I felt feathers melt away as my arms grew out. I pressed my naked, humanoid body against Aram’s, using his as cover for my modesty. I wrapped my arms around his neck.

“Andra?” I nodded at the sound of his familiar shortening of my name, inhaling the rich scent of his cologne. Under him I was safe and relaxed.

CJ burst through the door at that moment brandishing a blanket like a net. He looked at us; me pressed naked against Aram and Jareth crawling up from behind the bed, and flushed crimson.

“I’m very sorry sirs, ma’am, ‘scuse me.” He quickly back peddled out the door. I burst out laughing. The brothers were both silent until I ran down.

“Cassandra, pet,” said Aram stroking my face. “What has happened here?” I sniffed and wiped at my eyes, letting my breathing steady so I could speak.

“Clothes first, explanations after. I’d like for Jareth to not be staring at my ass.” Aram looked over my shoulder at his brother. I turned my head to see Jareth shrug unashamed.

“I have some lingerie I had made for you, in the closet,” he said smiling. I was glad to once again have an eyebrow to arch.

“Have we had the conversation about you not pushing your luck or not?” Aram’s smile made things inside me go squishy. He pulled his poet shirt over his head and helped me push my arms up through the sleeves so that it dropped down over my body like a linen curtain veiling my flesh.

“Now will you explain?” asked Jareth with his serious lord of the vampire’s voice. I puffed out my breath.

“I had a situation that required me to shape shift. Something that is pretty much completely new to me. I came some place I knew I would be safe.” My stomach growled loudly and I wrapped my arms over it; I was so very hungry. Aram and Jareth exchanged a look.

“If you are truly new to this then you will need sustenance and rest.” I smiled at Jareth.

“The house special?”

“Of course, I will return shortly.” I turned to Aram who smiled broadly at me as Jareth left. I smacked the heel of my hand against his chest.

“What are you so smug for?”

“You came here because you feel safe, because I make you feel safe. I take my compliments where I can, pet.” I wrapped my arms around him and held tightly. He stroked my back and the dam broke. I cried hot, wet tears dribbling down the skin of his chest. Aram lifted me into his arms, crawled into the bed and cradled me in his lap. He stroked my hair.

“Something more has happened. What is it?”

“I met him, my stalker. He tried to get me. I was so scared I couldn’t focus. I couldn’t fight and ran away.” Aram kissed the top of my head sweetly.

“You are not a coward, pet. You did what you had to, to keep yourself safe from this man.” I looked up at him and shook my head.

“But he’s a murderer, a bad guy. I’m supposed to bring him in.” Aram gave me a very serious look.

“No Andra, you are not the police. It is their job to bring him to justice if he is one of their own. You have not been trained to deal with this. You cannot be expected to cope – not with someone who wants your death. Survival instincts rule you there but with a man who seeks to undo your virtue.” I smiled a little up at him.

“Someone needs to tell him my virtue’s already been forfeited.” Aram ran a finger down my cheek, my throat and along the line of the V in his shirt I wore.

“If it were not for the ridiculous sounds your stomach is making I would be very tempted to replay that event.” As if on cue, my stomach growled again and I laughed softly against his throat. I wriggled close to him getting comfortable.

“The wriggling doesn’t help, pet,” he said ruefully. I blinked up at him, one big, long blink. “You are exhausted.” I was. I could feel it seeping into every muscle I had used, dragging me down.

“I flew a really long way and I’m new to this particular power.”

Jareth returned brandishing a plate. I practically pounced on the food. I was ravenous. The house specialty – the only thing either of my vampires knew how to cook–a grilled cheese sandwich, except this time Jareth stuffed a slice of ham under the cheese. I looked at him questioningly but didn’t stop eating.

“You need as much protein as possible and the staff kitchen does not stock steak.” I smiled, swallowed and kissed his cheek. Jareth blinked at me. I’d surprised him twice in one night.

“Thank you.” I ate every last bite of the sandwich and even cleaned the crumbs from my plate. I stretched and gave into a yawn. Aram pulled back the cover and patted the sheet-covered mattress beneath. I climbed in gratefully and snuggled down doing the cold bed shuffle. Jareth tactfully took my empty plate and left us alone. Aram turned on the bedside lamp so there would be a little glow. He knew that sometimes waking up in a pitch black, windowless room creeped me out. He leaned over me, his mouth hovering just over mine. I could feel his breath on my skin.

“May I?”

“Please.” My voice sounded a little weak but I didn’t care. Aram had proven to me that I could let myself be soft around him. He pressed his mouth over mine and a thrill shot through me from my head to my toes, almost enough to wake me up again. He smiled as I tried not yawning in his face.

“Sleep well, pet,” he said. He was suddenly at the light switch by the door, plunging the room into darkness save for the small beacon of the bedside lamp.

“Do you have your?” He tapped his clavicle and I pulled the locket up so that the chain winked at him in the dark.

“Aram,” I said as he was exiting, “lock the door.”

* * * *

I woke when I heard the lock click and then click again. I couldn’t see anything as I peered around with the lamp at my back.

“Who’s there?”

“It’s just me, pet.” Aram’s reassuring voice came from the blackness. I relaxed and scooted over in the bed. I couldn’t see him, but I knew he was smiling when he spoke again.

“You will permit me to share with you?”

“Yeah, but no funny business.”

“Define funny business please?” I gave a martyred sigh and rolled on my side.

“Just cuddling, no groping and no sex. Clear enough?”

“Crystal, pet.” I closed my eyes again and listened as the sheets were lifted and Aram climbed in behind me. His arms wrapped around me, pulling me back against him. The shirt I wore rode up a little and I gasped at the feel of him. I turned my face to look at him. His eyes were hooded.

“Aram, you’re naked!” He gave me a ‘cat with the cream’ smile.

“You did not stipulate clothing. I am within the rules,” he said with a very wicked grin on his face. I grumbled half-hearted.

“In the future, I reserve the right to make addendums.”

“Duly noted, pet. It is near dawn. Sleep.” I closed my eyes and wriggled back against him. He groaned and I chuckled under my breath.

“Good night then.”

“Sweet dreams.”

Chapter Thirteen

The sound of rain outside woke me. The gentle cascading sound of water drops fell down in the back courtyard. A pale arm was flung possessively over my body. I smiled slightly and looked behind me. Aram was still down for the day. His lovely face composed in a mask of sleep. His lips slightly pursed, pressed against the line of my neck. I lifted his arm feeling how cold and unyielding it was. I bit my lip trying not to let my brain
ick
me out. A relationship with a vampire had varying moments of
ick
that occurred when you let your brain think too hard. I made myself think of the good. Despite the shaky uncertainty of entering back into a relationship, Aram provided me with sanctuary. He kept his hands to himself even if blood pressure and my nearness meant a certain degree of intimate contact while we slept.

I scooted to the edge of the bed, throwing my legs over and putting my feet on the cold floor. I winced, curled my toes and stretched. I felt a little bone in my left shoulder click. It did now, after I dislocated it. It was just a small thing I had to live with. I pulled myself up and let the hem of Aram’s shirt fall back into place from where it had ridden up. I looked around the room lit only by the soft glow of the lamp. I could make out the outline of doors on either side of the barren fireplace. There was always something a little sad to me about a hearth without a blazing fire in it. Vampires didn’t go into their day sleep with an open flame in the room, for obvious reasons. I tiptoed even though I knew I could sound a marching band through the room and it still wouldn’t raise him. The antique clock on the mantel said it was 3:00 p.m. In the darkness I could hardly see the soft blue that made up its contours, but the gold trim sparkled around the top, the face and on the four clawed feet. It was a very pretty little clock, French I thought, and I liked it. It chimed softly to announce the hour. I looked back to the bed, reassured Aram still lay as he had, motionless before I slipped in through the door to the left.

Fumbling along the wall, I eventually traced the outline of a switch and flicked it with my fingers. The room burst in a flash of illumination. I turned my head to the floor, holding my gaze down till the light no longer burned.

Aram’s closet was lined with rolling racks of clothes, some garments centuries old and some styles of certain time periods. He had a little, round couch in the middle and a full-length mirror that reflected my appearance. Aram always liked when I wore just his shirt. It let the long line of my tanned legs show stark against the white. My skin had never really been pale. An unknown quality made it a creamy, light tan color, lightly bronzed as if I spent an hour on the tanning bed every morning.

I focused on the dresser next to the only rack in the room that contained clothes for a woman. I took a moment to examine the outfits, mostly formal wear, long dresses, all designer, and all my size. My heart twitched. Aram had these made for me. Part of me wished I would someday wear them and see the pleased look on his face. Aram said he had some lingerie made for me. I hoped to God that meant panties. I pulled open drawers. I can’t describe the amount of silk and sheer lace that stocked the drawers. Some of the ensembles were darn right racy and could hardly be called underwear. I managed to find a butterfly lace thong that would have to do. I was a little top heavy to go without a bra, but all I could find were little vests. The silk of it was cold against my skin but it covered the essentials from view through the shirt. I had little choice as my personal tastes leaned more towards cotton and practical. I stared at myself in the mirror. I looked like some sort of underwear model. Shaking my head, I pulled the shirt back on and started looking for some pants. Aram had slender legs so his trousers weren’t too baggy on me. I found some black dress pants. I tucked the shirt into them and tied a scarf through the belt loops to draw into my slimmer waist. I was dressed. I wiggled my toes. I couldn’t wear Aram’s shoes. His feet are bigger than mine and it appears he hasn’t manufactured footwear for me, yet. I chuckled at the thought of outrageous needle heels and leather. I did, however, find a pair of thong sandals I had to clench my toes around tightly to keep from shooting off my feet. It would be enough while I found a way to get back into my apartment.