INTO THE FIRE (Forbidden Love) (3 page)

Rebel’s jaw was throbbing. He felt a bit light headed, a little dizzy. What happened? He sat up and uncrossed his eyes and looked into the faces of his leader and Brea. They were both wearing an amused expression. Slowly, rubbing his jaw, Rebel stood up.

“What the fuck?” he asked.

“I should be asking you the same thing,” Angel reprimanded. Rebel noticed that all of his brothers had gathered around. Sebastian, Angel’s second in command, was sitting on the couch with his mate, Jessica. Gage, the bass player and communications expert, and Antonio, guitar and explosives expert, were each leaning against an arm of the couch. Jacque, drummer and scientist, was sitting in the chair. All of them wore the same, expectant but amused faces.

Then Rebel remembered. Leigh had been there. She saw him. She decked him. Hard. And he had lied and told Angel that while he was watching out for a stalker, he had seen nothing. Of course he hadn’t. He
was
the stalker. But he didn’t mean any harm. He only wanted to see her. He knew it was only a matter of time before he would have to face the music, he just hadn’t figured on it being like this. Now his whole family had gathered around and was waiting for an explanation.

“I guess I have some explaining to do,” Rebel said.

“I’d say so,” Angel replied. “You were the one watching her.”

“Yes,” he admitted. “I didn’t say anything because I knew what you guys would say.”

“Why were you following her?” Angel asked.

“You don’t know?” Rebel asked. “I couldn’t seem to help myself. The first time I saw her I knew. She is meant to be mine. But I couldn’t approach her. I just couldn’t.”

“And we thought Angel went about it all screwed up,” Jessica, Sebastian’s wife, offered. She tossed her blonde hair over her shoulder and Rebel watched as Sebastian zeroed in on her neck with his eyes. It was the way with mates. He didn’t look at her with typical vampire hunger, but with love, adoration, and lust. Something Rebel didn’t know he even wanted until the night he saw Leigh.

“I know I have gone about this all wrong,” Rebel answered. “I don’t think she likes me much.”

“Ya think?” Brea snapped. “Hell, she laid you out as if you were nothing more than a human!”

“That’s right,” Angel offered. “You must know that she is not human.”

“Yeah,” Rebel answered, still rubbing his sore jaw. “I knew there was something, but I couldn’t decide what. Did she by any chance tell you?”

“No, in fact, she was adamant that it was none of our concern.”

“I just want to know how she knocked you out,” Gage laughed. “It’s been too long since someone put you in your place.”

“Shut up,” Rebel snapped.

“I tend to agree,” Antonio said.

“Me too,” Jacque mused. “She must really be something.”

“Well, she isn’t going to be easy,” Brea said. “I’d bet she is already looking for a new apartment to get away from you.” She shook her head. “Haven’t you guys learned anything?”

Rebel guessed not. Jacque had missed the opportunity to claim his mate not too long ago. Frankie was a witch and a friend of Jessica’s. He had kept his feelings for her to himself. When he finally decided to claim her, she had split L.A. for greener pastures. Literally. She had picked herself up and moved to some little town in Indiana. Far away from Jacque. Instead of following her, Jacque stayed behind, alone and grieving. Luckily for him, they had not mated. He wouldn’t have survived the separation otherwise.

Sebastian had tried to deny the bond between himself and Jessica. As fate would have it, she had no problem going after what she wanted. She had tortured him for weeks until he finally quit the stubborn routine and claimed her.

And Angel, well, that was the real kicker. He had claimed Brea without telling her about it first. She was so angry and hurt by his actions that she left him. For weeks Angel laid in bed, starving to death without her. But Brea was a good woman, and she forgave him. Now they were married and had a daughter together.

So after seeing the mistakes his brothers made with their mates, what did Rebel do? The exact worse thing he could have done. He stalked the one woman in the world who was meant to be his. He knew it on a primitive level. It was something his body and soul recognized and compelled him to be near her. So what if his choices had been deemed stalking?

“Rebel? Are you listening,
Mon Ami
?” Angel asked for the second time. Actually, he hadn’t been listening.

“Yeah, sure,” he answered, shaking himself out of his personal thoughts.

“What did I say?”

“Um,”

“That’s what I thought.” Angel shook his head. “Pay attention, because I won’t say this again. I believe you when you say she is your mate. But, you have created a problem. By following her you have spooked her. Right now she wants nothing to do with you.”

“I know, but I will convince her,” Rebel interrupted.

Angel held up one hand in a stop motion. “No, my friend. Not now. As Clan Leader, I must do my job. We have laws that must be obeyed. She has made a formal request for a restraining order against you. You are my brother and I adore you, but I’m afraid that I must request that you refrain from any contact with Leigh Harmond. At least until I can convince her that you are not insane. Or a danger to her.”

“You can’t be fucking serious,” Rebel snapped. His eyes were lit up with anger. “She is my mate. I have to see her.”

“I know this. But for now, we must honor her request.”

“Fuck that.”

“Please, do not force my hand,” Angel pleaded with him.

“No, I won’t stay away. She’s mine!”

Rebel continued to rage and curse. Angel did not argue with his friend. Instead, he did the only thing he could do. He had rules to enforce, and he was going to do it. No matter how much it hurt. No matter how much his insides screamed against taking such action against one he loved so dearly. It was an unthinkable action against one he trusted so much, but it had to be done. Rebel was out of control, and no one could guarantee his actions would be congruent with Angel’s orders. Ignoring the lance of pain that speared his heart, Angel let his power gather and flow from his mind into Rebel’s. Within seconds the fuming vampire went down to the floor in an unconscious heap. Then Angel did something that he had never in his three hundred years imagined he would have to do.

“Sebastian,” Angel said, “Restrain him.”

FOUR

Four hours on the road did nothing to calm Leigh’s nerves. She saw Merrick’s face in every car that passed, on every street corner she drove by. At first, she had driven in several directions. Any direction. She didn’t want to leave a clear path that would lead Merrick to her.

Why did that stupid blood sucker have to walk into her life, anyway? She was no one. Nothing special. There were far more beautiful girls out there that would love to hook up with Rebel. Why did he have to call attention to Leigh?

Of course, Leigh knew that she was, in fact, something special. But he didn’t know that. No one did. The only soul on Earth who knew about her was Merrick. And she was going to do any and everything possible to make sure he never found her.

Just because they were of the same species didn’t mean she was his. Far from it. He was obsessive and rude and unstable. The last time they had been together had been with him vehemently insisting that they belonged together while Leigh had been shackled to the wall in his home.

Oh, he had tried to seem accommodating. He had even insisted that he wouldn’t take her until she was ready for him. Until she was ready to accept him as her mate. Unfortunately for Merrick, Leigh wasn’t inclined to feel that way about him.

She hated him.

Leigh had spent years as his prisoner; waiting for the opportunity to escape. When the time came, she left without a backward glance.

She had always found peace wherever she lived, even if it wasn’t for more than a couple of years. She had always felt safe. Even since she had moved to L.A. she had felt safe. It felt like a place she could sit a spell.

Now, thanks to the president of the idiot counsel, she was on the run again. She had barely stopped to empty her bank account before skipping town. Her nest egg was nowhere near as large as it usually was when she started over, but it would have to do. It was all she had.

But she could make it, if she were careful with her spending. She could hole up in a cheap motel for a day or two while she looked for a job. If she couldn’t find one, well, she would move on to the next town.

A traitorous part of her mind idly wondered if Rebel would be able, or even willing to offer her protection against Merrick. Would he even still want her if he knew what she was?

It was a moot point because no one could protect her. Not even herself. Merrick’s powers were ancient and no one could best him. At anything. All she could do was run and hide.

Leigh hated that she had been reduced to nothing more than a sniveling coward. It seemed that way for far too long. And it also seemed that was the kind of man she would attract. A spineless coward who didn’t have the balls to talk to her face to face.

Not that she would have said more than two words to him anyway.

On one hand, Leigh was disappointed that stalker boy never approached her. If she were perfectly honest with herself, she couldn’t be certain that if given the opportunity, she wouldn’t throw herself on him. Tackle his stupid ass to the ground and lick that long and lean body from head to toe. And yes, she would include the toes. She would bind his wrists and ankles, spread-eagle, of course, and blindfold him so that he would have no control and no way to see where the torture would come from next.

And on some level, she knew, he would love it.

So would she.

And so it was the other hand where she was glad he had kept a distance. If she stayed away, there was no chance of forming any kind of bond with the moron. Bonds were dangerous. They kept a person tied to one place. A sense of false security. All it takes is one slip. Just use her power once, and all would be over. She would have to run, again. Like she was doing now. She could never risk it with another person. Not even a vampire. Especially not a famous one.

“This is a fucking outrage! Let me the fuck out of here! I swear when I get out of this bed I’m gonna rip some fucking heads off!”

Rebel fought against his restraints without any progress. The chains were thick and strong, the mind spell put on them was impenetrable. Damn Angel and his fucking mind powers. Even though Rebel knew that Angel had planted the suggestion in his mind that the chains were unbreakable, the knowledge didn’t help to loosen them any at all.

“Come on guys,” he yelled into the air. He tested the chains again, even though he knew it would be useless. He also knew that the entire house could hear his ranting, and he knew that everyone was ignoring him. For his own good. Yeah, right.

Rebel pulled air into his lungs and forced himself to calm down. Yelling and screaming would get him nowhere. But then again, neither would anything else. Angel was an honorable man and he would stick to his decision. Rebel would remain shackled to his own bed until he was reasonable. And it had to be for real. Angel would know immediately if Rebel planned on seeking out Leigh. There would be no pulling the wool over his Leader’s eyes.

Leigh. What a beautiful name. It belonged to a beautiful creature. Whatever she was. Wherever she was. Rebel knew by the position of the moon that she would be in her apartment by now, probably snuggling up with a good book before going to bed for the rest of the night.

He wondered if she was wearing the silk robe he had seen on her so many times. Was she drinking hot tea as she liked to do at night? Or was she drinking something with a little more kick?

Probably something stronger, he decided. She had a rough day. After all, it’s not every day that a woman realizes that her stalker is a famous musician. Even more rare for her to deny him.

That stung, that denial. Rebel was no where near the ladies’ man that Jacque was, but still, he had never been refused by a female that he wanted before. Rejection was a new feeling for him. He didn’t like it. Not one bit.

That was ok, though. He had all the time in the world to make her see things his way. That was all he could do at this point. Bide his time and wait for the opportunity to strike.

Angel walked into the parlor to meet the man who had shown up, unannounced, on the doorstep. Usually guests weren’t seen without prior notice, but Gage insisted that this was one man Angel wanted to see.

Angel dismissed his men to the other room, knowing they would all stay close by. He was surprised when he first saw the visitor. His auburn hair was cut at blunt angles around his shoulders, his features were stark and noble. His eyes were a pale amethyst. Unusual, but not unheard of. But the thing that was the most disturbing was his scent.

He smelled of aftershave and spice. But there was no denying the subtle smoke undertones. A scent that was very similar to the one that was in this very house earlier. Leigh’s scent.

“Hello,” Angel said as he walked further into the room, extending his hand. “I am Angel Knight. What can I do for you, Mr…ah...”

“Keller,” the man replied, taking Angel’s hand in a firm shake. “I know who you are.”

“Yes, well, unfortunately, most folks do. So what brings you to my home?”

“I am looking for someone. Someone I think you know.” The man ran his fingers through his hair. “Her name is Leigh Harmond. I believe she was here today.”

Yeah so what? But how would he have known that Leigh had been there? Was this man watching her? What did he want with her? Angel sent out mental feelers, only to be met with the same brick wall he encountered with Leigh. To make things even more intriguing, Angel could feel the heat radiating off the man. Just like Leigh.

“I have met Miss Harmond, yes,” Angel replied. “Unfortunately, I can not give any information about her.” Angel studied the man’s face for any hint of emotion. He showed none.

“I’m afraid that I must find her,” he said. “It is most urgent that I speak with her.”