Caitlin frowned at him, asking wryly, “Do you blame me?”
“No, can’t say I do. If you need anything tomorrow before we’re up, Damien’s mate, Abrielle will be around. I heard her tell Damien she would be coming home early from her bookstore. Not only is she human, she’s known us for twenty years and can tell you anything you want to know. Don’t,” he warned her in a harder tone, “go into work without us.”
Caitlin bristled at his domineering order, but, damn it, her pussy really liked it when they used that hard, demanding tone with her. Her first response was to snap back at him, informing him she did as she pleased, when she pleased, but she was tired and confused, and her body wasn’t cooperating in helping her exert her independence. A lot of space and a little perspective was all she needed to take back control of her life, both of which could be accomplished after a few hours of much needed sleep.
Without making any promises, she answered, “I’ll see you sometime tomorrow, then.”
They both nodded and left without a word, closing the door behind them. Belatedly she realized she hadn’t thanked them for coming to her rescue, but the more she thought about it, the more she decided her attack had been their fault anyway. Those rogues, as they called them, had targeted only her tonight, surrounding her, ignoring the others completely. Ever since Jon and Luc had entered her bar last Monday, her well-ordered, happy life had been turned upside down. Had it really been only four days? It seemed much longer, felt like she had known them for months instead of days, and that familiarity didn’t sit well with her.
Shoving aside thoughts and emotions she couldn’t do anything about right now, she looked around the bedroom that was bigger than her entire apartment. Dark teal carpet matched the teal and beige comforter spread over a massive, king size bed. She didn’t know much about antiques, but she knew old and well preserved when she saw it. The intricate scrolling on the ash four posters was something out of the Civil War era, making her wonder for the first time how old these men really were. Just the idea that they might have been alive in the eighteen sixties was more than she wanted to contemplate after the night she just had and had her crossing to the door that led into the largest, most decadent bathroom she has ever seen.
The corner whirlpool bathtub was a temptation she was powerless to resist and it took her only moments to start the water and strip out of the peasant skirt and blouse she had worn for her tour. Sinking down into the blessed heat, she laid her head back on the cushioned rest, closed her eyes and let the soothing warmth and the distant sounds of the storm lull her into shoving all her concerns aside until tomorrow.
It was midafternoon when she woke confused and disoriented at the strange surroundings until she remembered the night before. Glancing at the bedside clock, she saw she had only an hour to get to the bar before it opened at five, then remembered Jon and Luc’s order to wait for them before leaving. Used to being on her own, answerable to no one, she immediately resented the restrictions they had put on her despite knowing it was done for her safety. Getting up, she quickly dressed in the same skirt and blouse she had on last night and went downstairs intent on getting to work on time one way or another.
She had just reached the foyer when the front door opened and two women walked in, presumably the two who were a lot more familiar with the men, vampires, of this household than she was. “Are one of you Abrielle?” she asked curtly, without preamble. She didn’t have time, and definitely wasn’t in the mood for niceties.
“I’m Abby.” Abby held out her hand, noting the other woman’s pinched mouth and turbulent grey eyes. The twins’ mate wasn’t happy. “You must be Caitlin. Jon and Luc told me about you. This is Grace, Jacob’s mate.”
Caitlin nodded toward the shorter blonde then asked out of guilt and genuine concern, “How is Jacob? Is he going to be okay?”
“Yes, thankfully. If you’ll give me thirty minutes to shower and check on him, I’d love to visit with you. You look about as happy as I was when I wasn’t given much of a choice about being brought here.”
“Thanks,” Caitlin replied. She didn’t want to like either woman, but right now couldn’t find a reason not to. “But I don’t have time to linger. I have to get into work. Maybe tomorrow? The Down and Dirty is closed on Sundays.”
“Down and Dirty?” Abby thought it sounded more like a sex club than a bar, but since she didn’t frequent bars or sex clubs, especially those renowned establishments on Bourbon Street, what did she know?
“Yeah,” Caitlin answered with a smile. “The previous owner, and my guardian during my rebellious teens, never would tell me the story behind the name. Tonight’s margarita night and I’ll fix you one on the house if I can talk you into giving me a lift into town.”
“Sure, why not,” Abby readily agreed much to Caitlin’s surprise and Grace’s frown. “I’ve got nothing else planned right now and the guys won’t be up for another two hours, at least.” She knew Damien would be pissed, not to mention Jon and Luc, but despite how close she and Damien had become, she still hadn’t managed to scale the last hurdle in sealing their relationship. His refusal to bond with her fully by taking her blood not only hurt, it pissed her off that he didn’t trust her enough to give her a reason why. He loved her, wanted her as his mate in every way but the one that mattered most. Hearing from Grace this morning that she and Jacob had crossed that barrier was like pouring salt on an open wound, and going to a bar and having fun with a new friend was a good way to lick her pain.
“Uh, Abby, I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Grace put in wondering what on earth Abrielle was thinking. They both knew, as Caitlin now did, how dangerous rogues could be, not to mention how angry their mates were going to be.
“We’ll be fine. We’ll stay inside the club until the guys arrive, which should be only moments after they rise and find us gone. Besides, it was Jon and Luc who asked me to spend some time with Caitlin, tell her what she needed to know. What better way than over drinks?”
“That’s what I’ve always thought. And I have a feeling I’m going to need a really stiff drink to hear what I already know I don’t want to hear.”
Grace headed upstairs as they left, not wanting to be in their shoes when the guys caught up with them. But as she entered Jacob’s darkened bedroom, glad that the lowered shades worked so well in keeping out the harmful sun’s rays, she quickly shoved aside her worry over the other two’s actions. Tonight she intended to make up for lost time with Jacob, meant to reassure him she was here to stay, if he’d still have her. She was happy to see him sleeping peacefully, his chest rising with each breath instead of lying still as death. The sheet was wrapped around his hips, leaving his muscled chest and arms bare and a tempting sight that had her itching to crawl back into that bed with him and wake him again like she did last night.
Turning, she q
uietly went into the bathroom and shut the door before she could give in to the never ending lust she was beginning to crave instead of dread.
Jacob awoke to a voracious hunger, not only for blood to refuel his depleted body, but for his mate. Flinging back the covers, he rose, glad that Grace had the foresight to close the blackout blinds on the windows. He usually didn’t wake this early, but his body’s demands weren’t going to wait another few hours, especially not after having a taste of what had been denied to him for so long.
Along with the vivid memory of Grace’s pale, nude body sitting astride his, her breasts swaying as she lifted slowly off his impaled cock, her pussy a welcome haven of wet heat, came uncontrollable anger. What the hell had she been thinking, he raged silently as the sound of the shower turning off had him propelling out of bed. He had sacrificed everything for her, had been prepared to trade his life for her freedom, giving her what she has wanted ever since Mason snatched her off the street. Her life back. If she had left him alone, let him go to his Maker like he had planned, as soon as the brethren rid the world of Isabelle and her evil minions, Grace would have been able to pick up her life again, without him, just like she wanted.
Slamming open the bathroom door, moist steam hit him in the face, but it was the sight of Grace stepping out of the shower wearing nothing but a towel that had him sweating bullets. His reaction to her was just as swift, just as strong and just as impossible to ignore as every other time, the difference this time being he had no intention of ignoring it.
“Why?” he rasped as he stepped toward her, his stiff erection leading the way.
He looked angry, and aroused, Grace thought fleetingly as her body flooded with warmth that had nothing to do with the long hot shower she had just taken. Her breasts swelled, her nipples quickly losing their heat induced softness while her pussy moistened in anticipation of feeling all that rigid hardness filling her again.
“Why what?” she whispered as she licked her lips, forcing her eyes to remain on his angry face.
Her look accompanied by her fearless stance was his undoing. In a voice soft as steel, he taunted, “You blew it, Grace. You could’ve been free of me, eventually gone back to your life. But it’s too late now. Didn’t your mother ever warn you about letting sleeping dogs lie?”
His voice was silky smooth, but the look in his slowly reddening green eyes was full of roiling turmoil. Her mate wasn’t happy that she had thwarted his plans to sacrifice himself for her. She held her head up as he stopped in front of her, his size making the large bathroom suddenly seem much smaller, much…cozier. She didn’t say anything, preferring to show him instead of tell him that she wasn’t backing away this time.