Chapter 32
“Gods, you two really know how to ruin a good night.” Tannis is clearly annoyed, which is better than being angry.
We make it back inside the manor, but not without some colorful commentary on our extracurriculars ruining the interior of their car.
There were enough ears around to make it embarrassing, which I suspect was the point of the spectacle they made.
There’s no better teacher than a moment of humiliation in front of strangers to knock home the point.
I’ll probably never explore car sex again because of them.
“It wasn’t on purpose,” Gray says as we head upstairs. I need a shower and a change of clothes stat.
“I heard the witch set you on fire.” Tannis pauses on the steps, their sharp gaze focused on Gray. “Lucky you to make it out alive.”
Gray tugs on my hand, signaling me to keep going. I’m starting to feel more tired than dizzy now.
“Millie saved my life.”
Tannis quirks a questioning brow. “Is that so, darling?”
I nod. “Yup.”
“And how did you manage to accomplish such an impressive feat?” They stop at the top of the stairs and swivel around to face us down. I’m moving so slowly that even Gray picks up on the sluggish steps I’m taking. He picks me up before my knees give out.
“Easy.” I manage a small laugh. “I socked her in the jaw.”
In truth, I’m not sure where my fist landed, only that I hit her hard enough to knock her back and break her focus. Tannis claps, seemingly impressed. I feel a little pride at knowing I’ve earned a round of applause from Gray’s cousin. I don’t imagine that’s an easy thing to do.
“Well done.” Tannis nods approvingly. “Now, do you know where the witches fled to?”
Gray shakes his head. “Once the fire was out, she and her sister left. We have no idea where they went.”
“I can always sneak a peek at the security footage for a license plate number.” Tannis crosses their arms, tapping at their chin. My stomach drops, fear implanting itself firmly in my gut.
“Nate said you wouldn’t do anything.” I hear the panic in my voice as I speak.
There’s a long pause before Tannis responds.
“Your friend attacked my cousin,” they deadpan. “I might not make any moves as of yet, but there will be consequences to their actions in the nearing future.”
“What about the guy who tried to bite her?” I argue, suddenly angry.
“It’s been dealt with.” Tannis says coldly. I flinch at the implication.
“Will you let Millie handle this?” Gray interrupts. “I don’t think Jill would have done it if she knew what was going on in the first place. She made assumptions and reacted according to her instincts. You would do the same.”
“Of course I would,” Tannis agrees. “But then I would also expect there to be consequences, cousin. Witches are unforgiving creatures, and so are vampires. It’s in our nature to be ruthless.”
I push away from Gray’s chest and he sets me down, though close enough to still lend me support.
“Fuck your bullshit.” I stab a finger at Tannis and hold their gaze with an unyielding will. “I’m going to handle this myself, got it? Jill is my friend, which means she’s my responsibility.”
“And you want to do it alone?” Tannis asks.
“Alone, yes.”
I know it isn’t what Gray wants to hear, but my answer satisfies Tannis. They throw up their hands in mock defense and back away.
“Fine, fine. Talk to your witch friend, and see if you can’t smooth things over.” Their cross again, though the earlier reluctance to hear me out is now gone.
“Thanks,” I add, a little sheepish. My confidence is waning, overpowered by exhaustion.
I need a few solid hours of sleep before I try to meet up with Dax.
It’s eating me up inside not knowing yet if he knows everything now, too.
I worry he may be hiding something the way Jill was hiding herself.
We’ve all got too many secrets at this point to go on much longer without knowing the truth.
Gray steers me away as Tannis leaves, bound for another destination.
“I’m thinking of a hot bath, dry clothes, and then bed,” he muses aloud.
“Can we have a snack, too?” My stomach grumbles, aching with a hunger I didn’t notice until now. Admittedly, I’ll probably need more than a snack. After his feeding earlier, I’ll need a three course meal and a milkshake.
“Does that mean I should call for a cheeseburger and fries?”
“Actually, yes, you should.” I elbow his side playfully. I’m delighted by his offer. “Do that, and my thigh is all yours.”
Gray’s laugh is so deep, so full, that when he scoops me up and throws me over his shoulder, I can’t help but join him.
For all that happened tonight, and earlier this evening, I’m just glad he’s in a good mood.
My hope is that when I sneak out while he’s still sleeping, he won’t be too mad at me for leaving.
Turns out, sneaking out of a vampire stronghold is a hell of a lot easier than I thought it would be.
At four in the afternoon, Gray is still dead to the world.
He doesn’t budge when my alarm goes off, and when I climb out of bed, he doesn’t even twitch at the weight shift.
Once I’m dressed, I hurry out of the room and head for the kitchen.
In my haste to leave, I scratch out a quick message on scrap paper and leave it behind, just in case.
My car is easy to find in the garage; it’s parked between a Nissan and a Bugatti and sticks out like a sore thumb. I run over to it and climb inside, finding the keys in the visor. The engine revs to life, its familiar sound invoking a sense of comfort. I missed driving my own car.
The garage door opens as I throw it in reverse. Too easy.
A sliver of regret, like an unremovable splinter, remains in my chest after I’m gone.
I know I should have told him what I planned to do and where I meant to go, but I don’t want to risk Gray’s life again.
If Dax really wants to see me, and I’m right about it involving Jill, then it’ll be easier on my own.
At least, that’s what I tell myself as I make it back home.
A quick change of clothes, and one fresh pair of underwear later, I’m back in my car and ready to face whatever awaits me at String Theory.
ME: On my way.
DAX: See you soon.
Nerves are on high alert the whole drive over, and they don’t show any signs of stopping.
Coming to the club before it’s open usually meant something else, and the last time I was here, it was the night after I found Gray.
The lot is empty as I pull in, which is strange for the time.
It’s already after five, and there’s no sign of anyone.
The hell?
The club is eerily silent as I make my way inside.
No music, no voices, no movement—it’s as if the very air is holding its breath.
I pad down the hall to Dax’s office and give it a light knock.
It creaks open, and I peek my head inside.
Before I can even make out a shape or a face, or utter a quick ‘hello,’ I’m shoved hard from behind and fall forward into the room.
It catches me so off balance that I can’t do anything to stop myself from going down and colliding with the floor.
“Ouch! What the fuck?” I cry out, wincing at the throbbing in my knees.
“For being such a messy slut, you don’t spend nearly enough time on your knees, I see.”
My head snaps up at the sound of Dante’s voice.
Ever since our first encounter, his presence has haunted the back of my mind.
Hearing the same cold, sharp tone he used against me just moments before tearing into my wrist spikes heat along my skin like a rash from a bad reaction.
Panic rises in my throat as I glance around the room.
He’s at Dax’s desk, peering down at me from his stolen seat.
“Where’s Dax?” I bite out. There’s movement behind me as the office door shuts.
“Alive and well.” Dante smiles. “Though, he might be on the mend this morning with a wicked hangover.”
“Then how did you…?”
“I might have taken his phone.” In the blink of an eye, Dante is crouched before me. He waves a phone in front of my face. “It’s incredible what a few shots of tequila will do to a man. A little liquor and some sleight of hand goes a long way.”
“You did what?” I almost can’t believe it. He isn’t just waving Dax’s phone around, he’s full-on gloating about it.
“Don’t look at me like that. Your friend made it very easy.” Dante ignores me and goes on. “All I had to do was set him up with a few drinks, make nice, and listen to his wailing about women. Having met you myself, I can confidently say that he has terrible taste.”
“You’re a prick,” I seethe.
The smile on his face falters as his hand connects with my face. It’s like getting hit with a two-by-four. Pain blooms in my cheek as tears sting my eyes. That really fucking hurt.
“For the way you two talk… maybe you do deserve each other,” he says, anger lacing his tone, “but I hate the idea of anyone playing with my things.”
When Dante stands, I feel myself lifted, too.
Someone has their hands under my arms, supporting all of my weight.
Still, I don’t turn back to see. Whoever they are, they’re tall and they’re strong.
Probably another vampire. Julian, maybe, or one of the others he had with him at the club the first night.
“Gray doesn’t want you,” I say, ignoring the pain in my jaw as I speak.
“That means nothing,” Dante snaps, grabbing my face with one hand as he forces me to look at him. “Gray is more important to our world than you can possibly imagine. I’ve waited too long for him to give him up to some back-alley stripper with boobs bigger than her brain.”
My nostrils flare at his words.
“Yeah, well, he never complained about my brains when his head was buried between my big boobs, you fucking asshat.”