Chapter 16
“Xavier,” I say when he starts to walk forward again. “Wait. Something isn’t right.”
He moves closer to me, putting both hands on my shoulders. All night, he has walked on the street-side of the sidewalk, something chivalrous in a mundane way that didn’t go unnoticed. And right now, he’s being just as protective, looking around for the danger he can step in front of.
“What are you sensing, Wren?”
I turn my head, moving in the direction of the energy. Then I see them, and my heart skips a beat.
“Hunters,” I whisper.
“Hunters?” he echoes, slowly drawing his fangs.
My god, he looks terrifying. There’s a calmness to him that is almost unsettling.
His ability to control himself and not crash out the way the public thinks all vampires do makes him all the more dangerous.
And there is something so horrifyingly beautiful in the way he’s looking at me. “Ones you know?”
“I’ve come across them a time or two.”
“And?” He steps in closer, fangs flashing in the overhead light from the buildings around us.
“Let’s just say not all hunters were happy when the higher ups in the Order said to leave vampires alone.
And those guys…” I raise my eyebrows. “Those guys are hateful assholes. They’re racist on a normal level and then again on a supernatural level.
Werewolves and witches are on the same level as vampires and demons. ”
“Ouch,” Xavier says, seeming unfazed. He’s used to being the Big Bad Wolf, the scariest thing in the room. And he is.
But the rest of the vampires inside this building…they’re sitting ducks if these hunters are planning something.
“I’m being serious,” I chide. “Hunters like that have always hated me and waited their whole life for me to mess up, to put one toe out of line so they would be cleared to kill me.”
Xavier’s eyes narrow and he bristles. “Have they ever hurt you?”
“They never had the chance. I lived and died by the book.”
“You walked on eggshells.”
“Yeah, I guess.” I shrug. “What other choice did I have? Besides, I’m not a bad person. Witches don’t get their powers from selling their soul. We’re literally born this way, and according to Lady Gaga, God makes no mistakes.”
Xavier runs his hands down my arms. “I’m not quite sure I’m following here. There are hunters across the street who don’t like you.”
“Right.”
“And we shouldn’t go inside because?”
“They’re planning something.”
“How do you know?”
I shake my head. “I just have a feeling. When I get feelings like this, I’m usually right.”
“Okay.” He holds my gaze for a moment as he considers my words. Then he pulls out his phone and makes a call. “Theo,” he says into the phone once his brother answers. “It seems we may have an issue at the convention center. Hunters.”
He pauses and then says something in Spanish, talking too fast for me to tell what he’s saying. A few seconds later, he ends the call. “Theo will be joining us momentarily. Does that make you feel better?”
“Maybe? I…I can’t explain it and I know I sound crazy.”
“Wren.” He puts his phone back in his pocket and brushes my hair back. “You do not sound crazy. You sound like divination is a gift you’ve had to suppress.”
“That…that actually makes sense,” I say, once again shocked by something he said—in a good way.
Though now isn’t the time to get into how shit I was given for having Tarot cards.
“I have this feeling they know a lot of vampires are going to be in this building tonight and they’re going to do something. ”
Xavier turns his head ever so slightly, listening to something. “They’re watching us now,” he tells me. “Taking photos.”
“Of course.” I roll my eyes.
“This event tonight is being put on by the VC and most of the attendees are young vampires, turned within the last decade.”
“Young vampires have a harder time controlling themselves.”
“Exactly what I was thinking. They are up to no good.” He takes my hands in his again and makes a move to continue walking. “Whatever they have planned, let them do it.”
“Wait, what?” I hurry to take a step so I can keep up the pace.
“They’re not the only ones waiting for someone to mess up.”
“What do you mean?”
“This contract we have with the Order? I’m done with it.”
“But what about being given a perfect specimen or whatever?” I ask.
He turns his head, looking at me. “I don’t need some demon hunting organization to find a good woman.”
“Right. You can hold any Instagram model spellbound,” I say.
“No,” he says shortly. “I have never had to coerce a woman into coming home with me.”
“Okay, I agree with you there,” I murmur because I’m sure he has no problem getting women at all.
He’s attractive, rich, and a vampire. Especially lately, there are people lining up to at least “try out” being what is so endearingly called a vamp tramp.
“But you just do it to make them want to pop out babies.”
He slows and eyes me curiously. “That’s what you think?”
“Yeah,” I say, eyes wide. “You have some sort of weird breeding kink.”
The corners of his lips twitch up with amusement. “Continuing our line biologically is unorthodox, I suppose, but is it really?”
“Look, I get wanting to keep it in the family, but the way you go about it is wrong.”
“What do you think we should do instead?”
I hate that he keeps throwing things back at me, making me answer. “I don’t know. Let Devon find someone he actually cares about and who cares about him.”
“He can. Later.”
“You’re never going to ever turn him, are you?” I ask, coming to a sudden halt.
“That’s not for you to worry about.”
“Seriously?” I scoff. “That’s my future baby daddy you’re talking about.”
Xavier tips his head, reminding me of a dog who just heard the word ball. “I-I don’t know if you’re joking or not.”
“I don’t either,” I confess. “The last few days have really pushed me toward a mental breakdown. But if you’re not going to turn him, stop telling him that.
There’s nothing more cruel than promising someone they’ll be part of the family when you have no intention of making that happen.
Trust me, I know how bad it hurts. And if family is really that important to you, you wouldn’t do that to your brother, no matter how distantly related he actually is. ”
Xavier considers my words and then nods. “We need to get inside. The event has already begun, but I do like to make an entrance. You’re the guest of honor tonight.”
Resisting the urge to turn around, I just grit my teeth, thinking about the hunters. Part of me wants to just let them do whatever as well, so I can catch them and then…well, I don’t know. Yell at them? Beat them up? Curse them to become sexually attracted to an inanimate object of my choosing?
“Theo will be here soon,” Xavier reminds me. “I will not let anything happen to you, Wren.”
“I know,” I tell him. But it’s not me I’m worried about.
* * *
Xavier wasn’t kidding when he said I was the guest of honor.
We’ve been here for only twenty minutes so far and I haven’t had a chance to breathe without someone coming up to me.
I don’t know much about politics in general, so I just smile and fake my way through being introduced to various politicians, human and vampire alike.
There’s a divide between the two, reminding me of a middle school dance when the boys and girls stand on separate sides of the room.
And in this case, the humans are on the side with the buffet and open bar.
The energy in this room is a little chaotic, and it’s a good mix of sheer terror, regret, excitement, and boredom from the humans.
My cheeks hurt from smiling, and I’ve thanked countless people for congratulating me on my marriage.
Over a dozen women have gushed over my ridiculously large diamond ring, and I’ve said the same line over and over about how lucky I am to have met Xavier and had such a whirlwind romance that led to our marriage so soon.
I duck away to use the bathroom and return to find Xavier talking to one of the local VC reps. I go to the buffet table. Though I’m not hungry, I can’t resist a table of high-end, free food.
“I used to love those,” a woman says as I pick up a mini cheesecake topped with fresh berries.
“How long have you been a vampire?” I ask and then shovel the whole thing in my mouth.
“My one-year anniversary is in two weeks.” She smiles, fangs already drawn.
“Cool. I think?” I say with my mouth full. I hold up my hand, letting her know I’ll talk once I’m done chewing. “It’s one of those things I’m not sure how to respond to,” I tell her honestly a few seconds later. “Like, is this a good thing?”
“In my case, yes. I wanted to be a vampire. I felt like I was meant to be something greater than human since I was just a kid. Not that you’re not great or anything,” she quickly backpedals.
“I like being average,” I say simply and pick up another cheesecake. “And eating dessert.”
She smiles again, flashing her fangs. “Okay, I just gotta ask, how did you meet Xavier Malus?”
Now I’m smiling. “I was his favorite stripper at the club he frequents. None of the other girls were brave enough to give him a lap dance, ya know, because he’s a vampire.”
“O-oh. Well, good for you.”
I take a bite of the little cheesecake and just nod. “Yeah. Paid off.” I wiggle the fingers on my left hand as Xavier speeds over.
“My wife is quite the jokester,” he says, hand landing on the small of my back. It’s all for looks and to keep up the ruse that we’re in love, I know. Yet, his touch does something to me—again.
Dammit.
“So you didn’t meet at a strip club?”
“Are you saying I look like a stripper?” I ask.
“What? I…no…y-you said…” she stutters.
“I’m kidding,” I say and then turn, looking at Xavier. “We met through family. My father did business with him.”
“And I knew as soon as I saw her,” Xavier continues. “That she was the most magnificent woman I’ve ever met.” He says it in such a way I almost believe him.
“Awww, you guys look so good together.”
“Thanks,” I say, beaming. “I can’t wait to see what our kids will look like!”
The young vampire gives me a look, flicking her eyes from me to Xavier and back again. “Y-yeah.”
“My love,” Xavier starts, letting his hand sink a little lower on my back. “There is someone I’d like you to meet.”
“Nice talking to you,” I tell the young vamp and take Xavier’s hand.
“Having fun?” he asks softly as we walk across the room.
“I’m trying to stay entertained. Are you going to tell me to stop making shit up?”
“Actually, you should tell everyone here a different story. Keep things interesting. Or maybe they’ll think you’re insane.”
“Both.” I bob my head up and down and then Xavier and I laugh. “I deal with hard things in a, uh, weird way, I guess. Dark humor.” I shrug. “Could be worse, I guess.”
“Yeah. Could be.”
“What other hard things have you dealt with?” He opens French doors leading to a balcony. I’m about to say something sassy back, assuming he’s making a dick joke by saying “hard things” but his face is serious.
“How much time do you have?” I let out a breath and walk to the railing. We’re in a high rise building and the balcony gives a pretty view of downtown Charlotte. “You summarized it earlier. I’m a witch raised by demon hunters. And up until like right now, I thought they saved me.”
“Would it change how you see yourself to learn the truth?”
“You say that like you know the truth.”
He crosses the balcony, stopping just inches from me. “I think you do too.”
Inhaling, I look away. “Do you ever think about how life didn’t turn out the way you thought, but if all those horrible things hadn’t happened, you wouldn’t be the person you are?
Maybe it would be a good thing. Or maybe…
maybe it wouldn’t. Maybe your heart had to get broken a few times so it could be put back together just the right way.
And maybe some of those pieces were crushed beyond repair because they weren’t supposed to be in your heart to begin with.
Maybe the universe did it for you because you weren’t capable of reaching down and ripping it out yourself.
It had to take total devastation to get rid of the rotten parts, but we get so used to things, even things that hurt, that removing the festering wounds feels empty and like something is missing.
And on some level you know it’s bad, but every time the wind blows through that emptiness, you’ll do anything to feel whole. ”
Tears prick the corners of my eyes at the end of my ramble and Xavier gently reaches up and wipes one away before it has time to fall.
My heart is in my throat and I want nothing more than for him to pull me close and kiss me—again.
I want the world to fade and all my thoughts to be consumed with how good he can make me feel, and how I can take care of him in return.
But suddenly he turns, looking back inside, right before someone screams.