Fanged Fury (The Adventures of Sydney Sedrick Book 3) (15 page)

Strong arms wrapped around my waist. The impending path of gravel-embedded flesh with a possible concussion from my head bouncing on the pavement like a basketball was redirected with the swiftness from the vampire’s, or half-vampire, half-demon’s, quick thinking.

Daire flipped me in the air like a pancake. He caught me up in his arms with the grace of someone who seemed to have executed that same move a hundred times. He leaned his face close to mine, placing a soft kiss on my lips.

“You have a habit of falling like an angel right into my arms, Sydney. Have you ever heard of fate?” A devilish smirk lined those fabulous lips.

I squared my fist before punching him in the chest. “Put me down, right now.”

Struggling against his grasp, I jumped away from him the second my heels touched the ground. His comment about fate didn’t pass by me without notice. According to Kieran, Daire was all about fate.

“Sydney, what is wrong with you?” Genuine concern showed in his furrowed brow.

Taking a few steps away, I put my hands up to ward him off. “I don’t know, but the reaction I’m having to you keeps getting stronger. Daire, I can’t let that happen. I have to go.”

I stepped sideways to walk away. His hand clasped around my bicep, stopping me mid-stride.

“You can’t just walk away. We’ll figure out what’s happening to you, together.” He firmly planted me against his body, making the sense of urgency to be taken flare to a peak. I groaned against his chest, taking the lapel of his suit between my fingers. I reveled in the sensation while rubbing the fabric against my cheek. Inhaling the scent of his cologne, I memorized the smell of him.

He grabbed my arms and pushed me away.

Confused, I gazed at him with disappointment.

“Thought you said you wanted me, Daire.” I put a sensual purr to the tone of my words. I was done fighting the attraction between us. I wanted to feel his naked body against my burning flesh, just like in my dream. Our dream.

“Sydney, snap out of it.”

I saw an inner conflict warring behind Daire’s eyes. He placed his hands on his hips, separating the opening of his jacket.

The movement directed my gaze to his midsection. “Are your abs just as cut in real life as they were in the dream we shared? I think you should let me see for myself.”

I sauntered toward him, swaying my hips purposefully with each step. Two could play at that game.

Daire blinked out of my view into nothingness. I was alone, or so I thought.

“Sydney,” Daire called from behind me,  a harshness in his voice. “Stay where you are. If you continue to come at me, I won’t be held accountable for my actions.”

Turning around with slow, deliberate steps on the graveled pave, I peered up at him from under a heavy lidded gaze. “My sweet, I want you to taste me like you were going to in my dream. I’ve thought of nothing else except you and me together since we shared that moment.”

I licked my lips, making him watch me, waiting for a response.

Daire’s chest heaved at a faster rate.

Good. I was getting to him.

He’d break soon, then I’d get what I wanted.

“I’m leaving, Sydney. You’re going to the bar to meet your sister as planned. I need to figure out what the hell is going on.” He stood close to the end of the mansion, yet I could hear him as clear as if he’d been whispering in my ear.

I let out a whimper of disappointment. My lip pushed out in a pout. “I thought you wanted me. You said you’d have me, did you not?”

“Don’t tempt me, Selected.” Daire’s using my station and not my name felt like a cold slap in the face. “I won’t forget this. I won’t let you, either. Once we have whatever spell has been cast upon you reversed, we’ll see how you feel about my taking you.”

Throwing my head back, laughing whole-heartedly, I said, “You silly vampire, you’re not the only man on the planet. There’re lots more willing participants where you came from.”

Under his breath, he said, “No, there’s not a lot like me where I come from.”

The sorrow in his voice shook me, forcing me from focusing on my mission to get my way. Nodding, I said, “You’re right, I need to leave.”

Taking my keys from my little black purse, compliments of Kieran, of course, I got into my car without another word.

Once I no longer could smell Daire’s scent, my head began to clear. My cheeks burned with embarrassment. I was so ashamed I wanted to cry, but I couldn’t. Selecteds didn’t cry in the heat of the moment. They figured out how to fix the problem, then they’d cry after the fact if they so needed.

I pounded my fist on the steering wheel to help get my mind back on task.

The music was loud. Bass from the six-foot speakers upstairs surrounding the DJ station thumped through the floor to the main dining area of the club. The lighting soothed my aching senses. I appreciated Max’s decorators; they weren’t big on bright light.

The glowing candle flames dancing on each of the white tablecloth-covered tables provided the perfect amount of illumination. I went straight up to the bar and the bartender handed me a bottle of beer. I guessed I should reevaluate the frequency of my partying with Brianna at the club since the bartender knew what I wanted before I even asked.

I smiled at the lean-bodied man in acknowledgement of his gesture as I gave him an extra dollar tip before leaving. Lifting my eyes upward, I decided to hit the ladies’ room on the first floor before heading up. The girls that used the one-stall bathroom never did their business fast enough in my bladder’s opinion.

The walls of the hallway were covered in dark gray bricks. I trailed my finger along the cold stone as I made my way to the bathroom. The door in front of me opened and my sister, Brianna, walked out.

With red, swollen eyes.

My heart sped up. I surveyed the rest of her to make sure there were no claw marks or vampire fang bites anywhere on her skin.

With a fresh sob, Brianna turned once she spotted me then went back in from where she had come. Trotting the rest of the length of the hallway, I whipped open the door.

“Brianna?” My sweet little sister sat on the bench in the bathroom that was used as a sitting area for those who had to wait to use the stall, or for their buzz to wear off.

She lifted her eyes. “Yeah, hi.” Her lips pursed together in an attempt to staunch her urge to cry.

I sat on the seat, enfolding her in my arms. “Brianna,” I said while rocking her in my arms. My instinctual motion to comfort her gave me pause. Our mother used to do the same thing when I’d come home crying because a boy had broken my heart or I didn’t get the solo in choir I’d practiced for weeks on. The tears for how my mother had changed for the worse would have to be shed another time. My sister needed me at that moment. I didn’t intend to let her down.

Brianna dabbed the inner parts of her eyes to stop her trademark brown eyeliner from running. “I don’t get it, Sydney. Michael and Blake just told me Uncle Morris is making them both stay put. Michael isn’t allowed to come home with me to Chicago this weekend. He doesn’t know when he can, either.” Flinging her hands up, she let them fall to slap against her thighs in a show of despair.

Gently giving her another squeeze, I stood in front of her with my hand held out. “We’re not going to spend the evening in this bathroom any longer, Brie. Get up. Spend the time you have with Michael.” That’s when I remembered something she said. “You said Blake and Michael told you about Morris. Are you saying Blake is here, at Max’s?”

Smiling mischievously, she nodded, making her long red curls bounce around her shoulders. “Yes, Syd, Blake is here waiting to see you. We mentioned meeting you and Blake said he needed to get out of the house, so he decided to tag along.”

Grabbing her arm, I made her look me in the eye. “Why were you so upset about Michael not going home with you to Chicago?”

Brianna was deeply in love with the guy, but a weekend away wasn’t means to throw an all out sob fest.

She shrugged. “I worry at every moment he will one day decide I’m not who he wants to be with. Women are everywhere; temptation is all around us. Michael is a hot guy. Women just don’t care anymore about guys being in relationships. I don’t know what my problem was. Sometimes I get insecure about how he feels about me, that’s all.”

I eyed her suspiciously. Brianna’s swift change in tune made me question what was going on, but I decided to leave the interrogation for another time. I stood in the bathroom at Max’s, where alcohol was aplenty. I intended to take advantage of the facility’s offerings to drown the sexual tension coiling around the essence of my soul into submission.

“Well, sister of mine, it’s time to get my drink on, so let’s go. I’m already behind.” I left the bathroom, once again trailing my fingertips along the gray stone walls in the hall as I headed straight for the bar. The bartender had another bottle of beer uncapped by the time I set the empty one on the bar.

Brianna laughed behind me. She hadn’t seen me get good and drunk in a while, but that’s what was about to happen. Raising the cold bottle to my lips, my arms prickled with a heat that indicated a pack wolf was near, no, make that a few pack wolves.

The heat from the one approaching intensified. I refused to turn around in acknowledgement. Taking another healthy swig from the bottle, I chugged until nothing remained but foam at the bottom.

“Sydney.” Blake’s deep voice raised the hair along my neck. A cool shiver ran through my body. So much for using alcohol to tamp down my lusty appetite, dang it all.

The bartender handed me another bottle of beer. I welcomed the feel of the cool glass against my palm. I turned with brows raised, imitating surprise.

“Blake, what brings you here?” I raised the bottle intending to achieve my goal of full-blown intoxication. It didn’t matter how much I’d have to consume, I was determined.

He traced his fingers along my jaw. Tendrils of a heat traveled down the front of my body, curling around my breasts. My nipples began to tingle.

Blake smiled as his eyes turned an amber-bronze color. He took in an appreciative inhalation, testing the air. I shoved him away. “Blake, knock it off.”

My third bottle of beer was soon empty so I turned for another.

Blake didn’t move from behind me. I contemplated how long I could pretend to ignore him. Warm fingertips traced my neck, brushing my hair aside. Before I could move, warm lips touched my bare skin. The sensation made me shudder with need.

I blew out a sigh and groaned. My body reacted before my brain had a say in the matter. I leaned my head to the side, giving Blake a larger area to caress with his mouth. He leaned against my backside, pressing me into the bar. I inhaled a quick breath at the touch of his hand curling around the front of my body, below the counter of the bar. His ministrations were blocked from view. I wasn’t quite sure I’d care if the customers could see the erotic display.

A male’s voice broke us from our affections. “Sydney, do you always act in such ways? For surely I’ll take my place next in line.”

Blake turned with an angry growl, his chest puffing. He was readying his body for a fight.

Daire was certain to give him a good one.

The sight of the vampire-demon raked my body with a fresh dousing of desire. Taking a step forward, I placed myself between Daire and Blake. Max’s nightclub was not the place for them to be fighting. I like being able to relish in the bass-heavy music while dancing my cares away. I wasn’t going to let their egos get us kicked out.

“Both of you take it outside, right now.” I jabbed them both in the chest with my index fingers. Neither of them budged, of course, but they got my point.

“Sydney, this blood-sucker insults you and you’re going to take it?” Blake all but spit out his words in disgust.

I narrowed my eyes at Blake. “Yes, he can insult me all he wants. He’s my new vampire bodyguard assigned by Kieran.” Turning to Daire, I said, “And you would do well with getting along with each other because it seems like I’m stuck with both of you.”

“Sydney, I believe it a good time for us to take our leave. A Knight in the area detected a few rogues running about. I’d have you safe in your bed this night.” Daire’s eyes were covered by dark sunglasses, but as he spoke, he lowered his head just enough for the glowing red orbs to peer over the frame in a show to intimidate Blake.

I let out a laugh. Making the wolf afraid of anything was near impossible. I scanned the area to see who was near to ensure we weren’t overheard.

“Daire, this is Blake, the heir to the local werewolf pack. Neither of you”—I looked at both of them in turn—“have the right to tell me what to do. Now, I’m going to say goodbye to my sister, then I’m going home. Alone.”

Stomping away in high-heeled boots wasn’t an easy feat, but I succeeded, or so my alcohol-spiked mind thought. I trotted up the stairs, knowing Blake and Daire continued to glare at each other while I went to find my sister.

Brianna and Michael were on the dance floor off to the side. Sighing heavily with relief that I wasn’t going to have to elbow my way through the crowd of dancers to find them, I managed to easily maneuver my way to my sister’s side. “Brianna, I’m leaving. I’ll see you at home.”

Brianna turned with obvious reluctance at having to disengage from Michael. “Okay, I’ll see you later at Aunt Judith’s.”

She smiled, dismissing me, and faced her partner. Michael gave me a nod before snuggling back into the crick of Brianna’s neck. If he weren’t a werewolf, I’d have to say my sister found a keeper. He may still be a keeper, but that depended on if she accepted his dual-natured way of life.

Shrugging, I shook my head. After descending the stairs to the first floor, I realized how much the beer had affected my balance. The heel of my boot caught on the bottom stair. If I hadn’t had a hand on the railing, I would have done an embarrassing nosedive into the wooden floor of the bar, with many onlookers to increase my shame. I gripped the railing when the falling sensation hit but was able to keep myself upright.

Going over to the bar, I handed my keys to Blake. I was irritated that my night of fun with Brianna had to be cut short because Daire and Blake couldn’t behave, forcing me to leave Max’s because I didn’t want them to cause a scene.