Let Him In (Let Him Trilogy) (24 page)

Her delicate scent. Inviting warmth. Tantalizing softness. He could remember only how good each had felt, and it created an ache within him that was not physical but mental. He knew that would change, however, in her presence, and he yearned to experience it again, to breathe her in, wrap himself around her, bury himself deep inside her.

The witch’s spell is upon you. It is not real.

“A witch you say?” Zane laughed long and deep. “And it felt pretty goddamn real to me, Blodbad, let me tell you.”

She is a powerful sorceress whose only desire is to destroy you. Your will is weak, you will not be able to resist. You must flee this place at once, before it is too late.

“You know,” Zane said, grinning, “with your imagination we could write horror novels that would outsell Stephen King.”

This situation is anything but humorous, my child. Your life is in grave danger. You must heed my warning—
 

Zane put up a mental block when he heard the door open, which also opened his eyes. He remained stretched out on the bed with his legs crossed at the ankles and his hands clasped behind his head. “Afternoon, Samuel.”

His brother’s brows furrowed when his eyes met Zane’s. “What are you doing in my room?” 

Zane flicked his gaze between the two windows being pelted by raindrops the size of blood droplets. “You really should have a car, Samuel. A bike in this weather—”

“We both know if I wrecked it wouldn’t hurt me,” his brother said as he tossed his backpack on the floor.”

“You always have been blind to the bigger picture, Samuel.” Zane expelled a long breath as he sat up. “Would it not raise suspicions if you were to walk away unscathed from a crash that should have taken your life?”

Samuel grabbed a shirt from the pile of clothes on the floor, used it to towel-dry his dripping wet hair. “I don’t want a car,” he said, kicking off his boots. “And I don’t want company.”

Zane cocked his head to one side as he stood up. “Bad day, brother?” 

Samuel peeled off his socks, tossed them and the shirt on the floor. “I need a shower,” he said in a hoarse voice as he turned toward the door.

“Samuel.” With a deep sigh his brother glanced over his shoulder.  It was only then Zane noticed the red-tinged tears in the boy’s eyes. “Something happened today.”

Samuel shook his head.

“Then why are you on the verge of crying?”

When his brother did not answer, Zane took a step closer. “You can talk to me, Samuel.”

His mouth opened, but he did not speak, a deep crease forming across his forehead as his gaze left Zane’s for a spot on the floor. He shook his head, slapped his hands over his face as a loud sob burst out. “I...I did or s-said s-something wrong,” he stuttered, “b-but I don’t know what it w-was.”

Zane moved swiftly across the room to stand in front of his brother. He put both hands on Samuel’s shoulders, guided him over to the bed, gently pushed him down on it. “Tell me exactly what happened.”

Samuel’s hands dropped onto his lap as he shook his head again, his expression one of confusion and fear. “We ate lunch together and was just talking.”

“About?”

“Ken and Barbie—I mean Heather and Clark.”

Zane’s heart picked up speed. He cleared his throat. “What about them?”

Samuel took a deep breath, released it fast. “Lacey told me that Heather and Clark broke up. That she saw Heather the night she left for California. That they argued and then Heather left with some guy. And then—”

“Who?”

Samuel blinked. “Huh?”

“With whom did Heather leave?”

“I don’t know. Just some guy, Lacey said.”

“Just some guy.”

“Yeah.”

“Go on,” Zane bit out through clenched teeth.

Samuel leaned forward, his brows furrowing. “You okay?”

“Fine. Go on.”

“You don’t look—”

“I am feeling a bit peckish is all,” Zane said, forcing a smile. “Please, go on.”

“And then I put my hand—” Samuel’s eyes widened. “That’s it! That’s what I did wrong!” The corners of his mouth curled down. “No, no—I said I was sorry and she seemed to accept my apology.” He scratched his head. “And then I was playing with my food and she said...and then I said...and then she said—”

“Samuel, I am not a goddamn mind reader.”

With rapid blinks his brother reared back. “Maybe you better go get something to drink.”

“Not until you finish.”

Samuel slowly stood up, took a step back. Zane shot up off the bed, grabbed his brother by his arms. “What happened next, Samuel?”

“She said something about her parents and then ran off!”

“That is it?”

“Yes!”

Zane released Samuel, dragged a hand down his face as he turned away. “What did she say?”

“Huh?”

Zane whirled around with his hands clenched. “What did she say about her parents, Samuel?”

His brother’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Why are you so interested in Lacey?”

Zane inhaled deeply, exhaled slowly.

Calm.

The.

Fuck.

Down.

“I am interested in you, Samuel, not the girl.”

“Then why all the questions about her?”

“I was only trying to help you figure out why she reacted the way she did. I hate seeing you this upset.” Zane forced a smile. “Now, tell me what she said...
please
. I want to help.”

Samuel’s stiffened spine arched as he slumped forward. “Only that her mom left when she was thirteen.”

“And then what happened?”

“That’s the weird part—she jumped out of her chair looking like I do in those dreams where I’m standing naked in front of the whole school and then just ran away.”

Zane nodded. “I believe I understand.”

“You do? Tell me!”

“Did you not sense the emotion in her blood during this interaction?”

Frowning, Samuel blinked a few times. “I didn’t think to do that...I was sort of distracted, you know?”

Zane tsked. “You must use the gifts you have been given, brother.”

“Okay, okay,” Samuel whined, stamping his foot, “now pleeeease tell me what you think!”

“Lacey’s reaction immediately following disclosure of intimate knowledge is self-explanatory, Samuel,” Zane said, thankful for his brother’s lack of people reading skills.

Samuel’s dark brows knitted together. “Could you say that again in English?”

Zane expelled a harsh breath. “She was shocked and horrified by the fact that she had revealed something so personal.”

Samuel’s eyes darted back and forth as he digested this information.

“Apparently she feels comfortable with you, brother,” Zane said, sliding his hands into the pockets of his slacks and then balling them into fists.

“Yeah,” his brother whispered, his face brightening a little more with each slow nod. “Yeah!”

Zane cleared his dry throat as it tightened. “I apologize, Samuel, but I really must feed now.”

“Sure, yeah, okay,” his brother said to Zane’s retreating back. “Oh—and thanks!”

Zane growled low in his throat as he stormed down the hall and to his bedroom, headbutting the door after closing it.

“Problems, mon frère?”

Zane whirled around to find his sister laying on her stomach on his bed, one eyebrow arched high. “Off limits means you fucking stay out,” he snarled, taking a step forward. “This is my goddamn room.”

“Technically,” she said, holding his gaze as she rolled over, “it belongs to the ancient-looking self-help writer we borrowed the house from.”

“Alexis,” he growled through clenched teeth, “you are four seconds away from literally having your ass thrown out of here.”

Arching her back, Alexis slowly ran her hands up her stomach and over her breasts. The sight of his sister’s nipples behind her sheer, red bra brought with it the memory of Lacey’s straining against the damp fabric of her white tank top. Zane licked his lips at the thought of flicking his tongue over one of the girl’s small, stiff peaks and then biting it...hard.

Alexis slipped a hand inside her sheer panties as she parted her legs. Zane growled low in his throat as he imagined it was Lacey laying naked on his bed, shapely thighs spread wide, her pussy dripping with need, her soft voice begging for his cock. Which he would deny her...

For as long as he could.

“You look hungry, le grand frère,” Alexis cooed.

Yanked from his fantasy, Zane gnashed his teeth. “Three seconds now.”

Thrusting her slicked red bottom lip out, Alexis swung her bare legs around so that she was sitting on the edge of the bed. “Aren’t you happy to see me?”

“...two... ”

With a sharp expulsion of breath, Alexis shot up off the bed. “If you’re worried about her, don’t be,” she snapped, her inch-long fingernails sinking into the flesh of her hips. “The problem has been taken care of.”

Zane went rigid. His heartbeat quickened as he stared wide-eyed and open-mouthed at his sister. “The girl is not a threat anymore,” Alexis continued, “so you can just fucking relax, all right?”

Zane lunged. Grabbing his sister by the upper arms, he jerked her forward. “What did you do?!”  

Brows furrowing, Alexis opened her mouth but remained silent.

“Goddamn it!” Zane shook her so hard the red sequined clip holding her hair up popped off. “Do not make me torture it out of you!”

“I did exactly what you wanted me to!” Alexis shrieked, eyes widening. “I convinced everyone that she is alive and well and living in California!”

“Heather,” Zane breathed, dragging a hand down his face. “You’re talking about Heather.”

The ‘Duh!’ that remained unspoken was clear upon Alexis’ face. “Unless you had another accident while I was gone.” Her eyes narrowed fractionally. “Speaking of which, exactly what did happen during my absence? I come back after only four days and find strangers instead of my brothers.”

“You spent way too much time soaking up the sun, Alexis,” Zane grumbled as he opened the door. “Your brain is fried.”

“You would know all about that, wouldn’t you, Zane?” Alexis’ top lip curled back as she folded her arms over her chest. “Blodbad told me about your little problem.”

Fury exploded inside Zane like a nuclear bomb. He seized Alexis by her long black hair and then slung her out of the room. She flew across the hallway, hit the wall with a startled gasp, dropped to the floor. Before she could make a move to stand he was kneeling in front of and over her with his hand around her throat. She grabbed his wrist as he growled, “What problem?”

“Your loyalty and affection is now with another,” she breathed.

Panic seized control of Zane’s lungs, making it a damn good thing that he did not actually need the organs. “And who might this individual be?”

“A human female is all Blodbad said.”

“Why did He tell you this?”

Alexis shook her head. “I don’t know.”

Zane snarled, the saliva dripping from the tips of his fangs landing on his sister’s chin. “Liar.”

He yanked Alexis up and then charged down the hall with her dangling from the end of his outstretched arm. “No!” She began thrashing her legs as he carried her down the stairs. “I’m telling you the truth, I swear!”

Zane yanked open the basement door. “You underestimate my intelligence, sister, if you expect me to believe He volunteered information without a reason.”

“Los Angeles,” she all but screamed as Zane started down the stairs. “I was thinking about how much I wished I could live there and Blodbad told me to go and I said I couldn’t leave you and Sammy and that’s when He said what I told you!”

Zane came to an abrupt stop halfway to The Room, turning his gaze from the steel door to Alexis’ wide eyes. “My loyalty and affection was tied to a human female,” he repeated.

Alexis nodded. “And Sammy’s.”

Zane’s hand twitched involuntarily, allowing Alexis to slip from his grasp. She sprinted over to and then hurdled the bar, disappearing behind the four foot high counter.

A couple seconds later a small section of shiny black hair appeared, followed by a forehead and then a pair of wide, ice blue eyes. “You’re not going to lock me up, are you?”

Zane could only stare at his sister as a rapid succession of questions and emotions fired inside his brain and body, most of which were concerning and directed toward his creator. Blodbad had warned that the girl could not be harmed, and yet He was risking unleashing Alexis’ territorial wrath upon her, which would destroy them both. What the fuck did He think He was doing?

I am protecting you, my child, and am willing to sacrifice your sibling in order to do so.

Zane started at the deep, booming voice inside his head, jumping back a good foot. He collected himself immediately and had his hands around Alexis’s throat before she could react. “Samuel,” he bellowed, “hurry!”