Chapter 4
Chapter
Four
LYSANDRO
After six months of showing up to Velvet Vein every Saturday night, I no longer felt quite so conspicuous. Unfortunately, that also meant more of my kind seemed to think it was okay to smile and nod.
To humor Damien, and for Benji’s safety, I played nice—to a degree. If there was another place—that didn’t include Benji’s home or mine—that we could go to spend time together, then I’d make the change, but that felt like too much.
Crossing the threshold, the steady thump of Benji’s heartbeat drew my attention. He rose from what had become our table, giving Rafe a little wave as he moved toward the bathroom hallway. The human had such a little bladder, which I found endlessly amusing once he owned up to it.
Stopping at the bar—because I made a habit of doing that now—I asked Rafe, “How are you doing?”
He flashed his cute, endearing grin my direction. “Can’t complain. How was your week?”
“Long,” I admitted, much to the shock of the few vampires in our vicinity. They saw me as a cold, quiet ancient being, unaware of just how normal a life I had back in Willowhope.
Rafe handed me a bottle of water. “He’s sticking to H?O tonight.”
Slipping my hand into my pocket, I pulled out a wad of bills that I brought specifically for him and passed it across the counter with a, “Thank you.”
He looked down at it, then leaned toward me and whispered, “You don’t have to tip me so much every week, you know?”
It was cute, if not dangerous, that after working here so long, he didn’t think that the predators around him couldn’t hear his whisper-soft voice.
I knew Damien paid his employees well, and the immortal amongst us had quadruple what the one-percenters thought made them so superior, so we were normally generous with our cash since to us, it was disposable, but there was no question that this man would make triple the money as a donor.
“Put it in your pocket, Rafe,” I said in a tone that brooked no argument. He complied with a smile, and I continued toward the table.
I was a little surprised that Benji hadn’t returned yet, so I opened myself up enough to hear into the restrooms. From the hallway, I heard the elevated beat of his heart, like he’d been running, and then a pained whimper. The water bottle slipped from my fingers as I blurred in his direction.
Taking the scene in at once, I saw a beast of a vampire angled over Benji’s body like they were lovers sneaking a tryst in the shadows. The bloodsucker had one hand pressed over Benji’s mouth, while his other hand wandered, grappling at my human’s—
I ripped him off before I had another thought, closing one arm around the assailant’s neck and squeezing hard enough to block any attempt to speak, while reaching out with my hand to cup Benji’s wet cheek. His eyes were wide with terror as large tears spilled down his face.
“Are you alright?” I tried controlling the hiss in my voice, but my monster was too close to the surface. I barely had enough restraint to make sure he wasn’t injured before executing my prey.
Benji reached up, clutching at my wrist with both hands. “I…I think I am now, but…” He hiccupped, trying to catch his breath. “He said that…that he wanted a taste of what made me so special that Mr. Moreaux had disappeared and you’d emerged from hiding after centuries.”
My anger burned hotter. Maybe Damien had been right in warning me that Benji appeared to be my consort whether I’d claimed him or not. That put him in danger—a danger more lethal than how his presence affected my heart.
The body in my hands thrashed, using all his considerable strength trying to pry my arm away and escape me. “You know who I am,” I growled with a hiss. “You’re a child compared to me. You won’t get away unless I choose to let you go. Here’s a hint; I won’t.”
Returning my attention to Benji, I said, “Go to the bar and sit with Rafe until I return.”
“I don’t want to leave you.”
I pressed a quick, hard kiss to his lips. “I promised Damien that I’d never take the life of another within these walls, so I need to step outside. You don’t need to see this.” Then I pushed him back toward the open archway leading back into the bar.
Once he was gone, I finally let my beast come out to play. The piece of shit had at least six inches on me in height, and another fifty pounds in weight—which was nothing. Hauling him off his feet, I used his head to push open the metal door leading to the back gated area behind Velvet Vein.
I heard the door open behind me, which didn’t surprise me. There was no way that little episode had escaped vampiric hearing, which meant either Ronan, Damien, or both had come. “Don’t tell me to let him go,” I said softly, vibrating with rage.
“I would never,” Damien answered, sounding pissed off, too.
But his anger was nothing compared to mine. Spinning the attacker to face me, I pinned him with an arm across his chest up against the gate. I didn’t recognize his face, but I knew the vile scent of his Maker. It would be a pleasure to rid this world of one of my brother’s children.
“What made you think it was a good idea to attack what’s mine?”
This one had been turned in his early thirties. His eyes swirled like black and gray clouds before a storm. His face pinched with petulant rage—much like his Master’s always had when he’d been confronted for his numerous wrongs. It figured he’d produced an even dumber version of himself.
He merely hissed, showing me his fangs like I was supposed to be impressed or scared, like I didn’t have my own. Shaking him like a rag doll, I demanded, “Was this your idea or did someone put you up to it?”
The fucker had the nerve to smirk, and I was done. Leaning back to give myself room, I slashed my claws across his neck, halfway severing it. Blood splattered across my face and chest, coating my hand, and I smiled in grim satisfaction.
“What do you want us to do with him?” Damien asked as I dropped the limp body to the ground.
I stepped back again. “Sweep up his ashes,” I said, pulling out a matchbook to give the appearance of aid, even as I let all of the fury and rage of this beast daring to touch my Benji flare bright up through my body.
Lighting the match, I willed the air to take the spark and burn hotter, brighter as I tossed it onto the corpse that would never get a chance to heal.
A flame burst forth as if it was from the pits of Hell, obliterating the vampire in mere seconds. Damien stepped up with a fire extinguisher, spraying until there was nothing left but foam and ash.
I practically purred with satisfaction.
“Well, that was one way to handle it,” Damien said wryly.
“And you’d have done differently if it was one of yours?” I asked, side-eyeing him.
He chuckled low and deep. “Of course not.”
Soft hands touched my back, and I froze. “Benji, you shouldn’t be out here.”
He pressed his quivering body against mine, laying his cheek between my shoulder blades. He shouldn’t be out here witnessing this horror. The last thing I ever wanted was for him to see this side of my nature. “I had to be where you are. I didn’t feel safe away from you.”
As I glanced down at my crimson hands and blood and gore-soaked front, I grimaced. I couldn’t turn around until he went inside. I didn’t want him to see me this way.
Damien clasped my shoulder. “You can get cleaned up in my office. I’ll put out some extra clothes that you can wear home.” His gaze moved back to Benji. “If you’re worried about Benji, don’t be. He came outside with me and Ronan. He saw…well, he saw everything.”
He saw it all? Everything? So now he’d seen who I really was?
Who I tried so hard not to be. This was why I stayed away from my kind.
This was why I didn’t form attachments. It was too dangerous.
You never knew what lived inside of someone’s heart, what ruled their soul, and that meant people got hurt. Benji was hurt.
Licking my lips, I scowled at the taste of the other’s rancid blood.
What the hell had he been feeding on? It didn’t matter.
He was gone, and Benji was okay. But would I be able to keep him safe if he stayed here in the city?
How many more were out there, tracking the time that I’d spent with this young man?
How much security would I have to hire to monitor his every move?
I bit back a growl. Like hell would I purposely allow other men to follow Benji. I’d rather cut out their eyes than let them gaze upon him night and day when not even I got that honor. There was only one solution. I’d have to take him home with me.