Chapter 25
Damon
The evening of our quarterly coven meeting, dread settled in my gut like a stone.
Our attendance was required, and while I understood why we couldn’t bring Star along—not until she could pass as a pre-existing vampire—I didn’t like the idea of her remaining behind on her own.
Unfortunately, our third made it clear she had no interest in closing up shop and locking herself away in the nest, waiting for us to return. Even more unfortunate was that Max was eternally incapable of denying either of his “pets” anything we wanted.
I wish he could resist…
Just this once.
For as protective as he was, Max believed in autonomy above all else—at least, outside of the bedroom.
When I suggested Star would be vulnerable here by herself, Max pointed out that our girl had been a vampire for close to a month, and had proven herself the “natural” predator he predicted her to be.
Unlike me, who threw up the first time I tasted blood that wasn’t filtered through Max…
“You don’t think the cops will come here, do you?” I murmured low enough so only Max could hear me across the Sizzling Discourse counter.
Star might have picked up on our conversation if she hadn’t been busy chatting with a customer beside my new fashion line rack.
She’d noticed I was eternally incapable of selling my creations—of talking about them at all—so had made it her personal mission to push the product on everyone who crossed our threshold.
The free Star Baby eyeshadow with every purchase surely helps seal the deal.
Max made a dismissive sound—no doubt aimed at law-abiding humans—but kept his gaze fixed on the pages of his new book.
The Vampire Lestat.
Released on All Hallows’ Eve.
“Even if the chief of police and the officers originally assigned to Heather’s missing persons case somehow manage to shake off my compulsion, no one will come here looking for a waste-of-space Valley Girl with more enemies than friends.
” He sighed, as if guessing my next question.
“Because, yes, I also wiped their memories of Star’s police report and retrieved her impounded car from the tow yard.
It’s been repainted and traded in for a different model, which is currently parked in the mall garage for when we need it.
Oh, and all security footage has been erased. ”
It was my turn to sigh. Even with Max meticulously covering our tracks, I couldn’t help worrying about our happiness being ripped away from us at any moment.
Old habits die hard.
It probably wasn’t helping that Star had approached me earlier with a deck of tarot cards she’d innocently bought at a metaphysical shop on the opposite end of the mall. When I hadn’t immediately replied, she’d cheerfully, and obliviously, offered to be the one to pick a card for us.
I should have stopped her.
I should have burned the entire deck.
The only card I knew the meaning for was the Two of Cups, and I had done my best not to think about it since the day we fled Opalite. Regardless, when Star drew The Tower, a cold chill swept down my body, like a premonition from beyond the grave.
Even upright, its message was ominous: Chaos, upheaval, a sudden change in circumstances—all things I’d also done my best to avoid since the last time my life was turned on its head.
The worst part was that there was no good reason for my paranoia.
Max had made Heather disappear over a month ago and not a single person had investigated her connection with Star.
That doesn’t mean someone won’t come out of the woodwork someday.
“What about old acquaintances,” I continued, apparently determined to pester this man until the end of time. “Mutual friends who knew of Star’s fallout with Heather over—”
“Bodacious Babes?” Max cut in, as patient as ever with my ever-present anxiety.
“Funny story… I made a phone call to Lone Pine Mall’s management, and apparently, Heather’s little kiosk has been closed for at least a couple months before she showed up in our store.
Which means it didn’t take her long after Star left to run the business into the ground all by her untalented self. ”
Well… that explains the vendetta.
I would’ve liked to say I didn’t understand such an all-consuming need for retribution, but I would be lying. If I could somehow travel back through time and catch Pearl’s murderer before they laid a finger on her, well… I’d give up anything to bring them to justice.
Almost anything…
My gaze drifted from Max to Star again as my stomach churned.
Perhaps it was something I ate.
Drank…
I knew full well my concern was partially fueled by my ongoing belief that I deserved everything negative that happened to me. Thanks to this incredibly hard-to-shake mindset, it only made sense that my current good fortune was a proverbial tower poised to crumble.
Star would try to encourage me to think differently, and Max would simply try to replace the pain with pleasure, but neither of them fully understood.
Blood literally stained my hands prior to becoming a vampire, and while I’d come a long way with handling my remaining guilt over Pearl’s death, there was only so much I could expect forgiveness for, being what I was.
For what I chose to become.
“I still can’t believe you buried Heather alive,” I muttered under my breath before shooting Max an exasperated, yet loving, look. “Why not simply take her head and add another mark to your tally?”
My eternal companion gave me a look I assumed was supposed to make me hush. Unfortunately for him, our feisty third had emboldened me to make him talk about his past.
He did say he wants us to work on our communication!
I had managed to pry bits of personal information out of Max over the years prior to meeting Star.
Several decades ago—after a particularly filthy roll in the coffin—I’d traced my fingers along the tattoo curving over his pectoral to his shoulder, taking advantage of his fucked-out state to feed my curiosity.
“What does this one mean?” I’d dared to ask, even if I hadn’t expected him to answer at the time.
“It chronicled my journey to headhunting for my tribe…” As soon as the words were spoken he’d frozen before flashing me a cocky grin—which was how I knew it was the truth. “So you’d better watch that pretty head of yours.”
The joy I’d felt in that moment had been nearly overwhelming, and I’d rewarded him for sharing a piece of himself with another, filthier round.
“Does Star know how you disposed of that vile creature?” I teased, back in the present, highly invested in his reply.
Is he letting her see the real him?
Max set aside his book and leaned across the counter, whispering conspiratorially. “She does. She knows I buried Heather alive, and only then released her from sleep.” He briefly closed his eyes and dreamily sighed. “I wish you’d both been there to hear our enemy’s screams…”
My lip curled in amusement. “So no pretending to be a gentleman this time?”
“Hot tip, Damon.” Star suddenly appeared at my side, reminding me she now possessed vampiric stealth. “This one will tell you anything when you’re riding his dick.”
Max howled with laughter. “Oh, he is well aware. Now…” He reached across the counter and grabbed her hand so he could shamelessly kiss her knuckles. “How much trouble will you be getting into while we’re gone?”
My stomach dropped again and Star sharply glanced at me. “You’re worried.”
“He’s always worried.” Max dropped her hand so he could wave his dismissively.
“But our coven leader is nothing to worry about. I’ve met plenty of vampires like Vlad in my travels—little more than corpses full of hot air.
They all believe the titles they held while living mean others still need to obey their rule after death. ”
Star smirked. “Eat the rich, huh?”
I rolled my eyes. “We’re rich, you know.”
She scoffed and poked me in the ribs. “Then why are you living in a shopping mall?”
Good question.
Max chuckled. “A fresh start is actually something I’d like to discuss with both of you once we get back from this hellish obligation.” He glanced at his limited-edition Kiki Picasso Swatch watch before sighing heavily. “But it looks like it’s time to go.”
My anxiety threatened to boil over as I turned to Star. “Page us if you need to, and lock up the store if anyone gives you bad vibes, okay?”
Please.
She smiled reassuringly, cupping my face and delivering a soft kiss.
“I promise, I will crank up my natural-born, suspicious bitchiness to level eleven. That customer who just left is coming back with her friends in ten for makeovers, and I want to practice a new technique. If it’s slow after that, I’ll lock up. ”
“Thank you,” I murmured, briefly dropping my forehead against hers, breathing in her comforting scent until Max grabbed my hand to gently pull me away.
Ten minutes later, he and I strolled through the doors of a nearby 24-hour Christian bookstore and headed for the emergency exit stairwell in the back.
Our last coven leader had secured this basement space as the last place anyone would look for creatures who supposedly burst into flames at the sight of a crucifix.
With a smirk, Max flicked the tiny silver cross dangling from one of my ears. “Did you wear this to piss off Vlad or turn me on?”
I shot him a sidelong glance. “A little of both. I don’t like how he talks to you.”
“Ahhh, there’s our defiant, yet always so casually dressed excuse for a vampire!” Vlad cheerfully called out as we entered the boardroom, eyeing Max’s Hawaiian shirt with enough vitriol to make me want to wear one to the next coven meeting.
Case in point.
It wasn’t just because I’d designed this shirt myself. My mate had always seemed most comfortable in bold patterns and color—even if he humored me with black—and knowing where he was born, I assumed tropical prints reminded him of home.
Which is probably why Vlad is zeroing in on that aspect of his appearance…