“I remember her well. She was never fond of women like you. She thought all girls should be taught to behave like ladies, never to talk back or give attitude.”
“That’s a joke. She wasn’t acting like much of a lady when she was spreading her legs for you with her husband at home none the wiser.”
“I hope you told her that.”
“I did, actually.” Roman laughed, thoroughly entertained by the idea. I tried to direct the conversation back to the matter at hand. “So, can you help me?”
He stood from his desk and walked to the chair I was sitting in, perching himself on the armrest. His long, cleanly manicured fingers trailed from the top of my head, down my hair, and along my spine slowly. I bristled at his touch but suffered through it, not wanting to offend him and his incestuous ways, even if they did creep me the eff out.
“I’ll look into it,” he said in a silky voice.
“And when will I hear from you again?”
“I will come to you when the time is right. You have my word. Sleep well, Tegan.”
And with that, I fell from the dream and into another one. When I woke up the next morning, Ethan’s hard body was wrapped around mine. I remembered the conversation I had with my grandfather vividly. All I could do was hope that he held true to his word.
7.
Finn
It was three in the morning by the time I got back to the hotel, where I tended to my injuries, stripped down to my boxers, and climbed into bed beside a sleeping Alora. As soon as I closed my eyes, it was lights out. When I woke up, Alora’s side of the bed was empty, but I could hear her moving around inside the bathroom.
I got up and walked to the door before knocking on it. “Hey, Goldy, you okay in there?” I called.
“Um, yes,” she answered hesitantly. “I’m just getting dressed.”
“Need any help?” I asked automatically, only to realise she might interpret that the wrong way.
“Nope. I’ve got it under control, but thanks.”
“Call if you need me. I’m going to make a start packing up our things.”
I stuffed the rest of the clothes I bought her into a bag and gathered the remainder of my belongings. Somewhere along the way, the bathroom door opened, and the clean smell of the soap streamed out. I inhaled it deeply and continued what I was doing.
“We’re going back to my house today. I’ll make up a room for you, and you can stay as long as you need,” I told her as I continued to pack.
“You don’t have to do that if you don’t have space for me,” she said, and I turned to face her, my tone serious.
“I’ve got the space,” I replied firmly, thinking of Tegan’s vacant room. Something hollow stirred in my gut. She was with Cristescu now. I saw it in the way they looked at each other, and especially the way he looked at her—all reverent and possessive like he wanted to make her his queen or something.
Once I was done getting ready, I went to let the others know we’d be leaving soon. After I left Cristescu’s place last night, I hightailed it back to the DOH compound, where I’d left the van stocked up with weapons and ammo. I found it in the exact place I’d left it and drove straight back to the hotel. The vampire who’d been lying on the ground with half her head blown off was gone. The only evidence of her presence was a circle of dark blood on the ground and a smeared line where she presumably crawled away.
Once everybody was loaded up into the van I drove out of the hotel and back onto the motorway. I certainly wouldn’t miss the place. In my head, I was figuring out where everyone was going to stay. Ira could have his room at my place. Delilah would likely return to Cristescu’s. Alvie and Gabe could either stay in the RV or go back to Gabe’s place, and Alora could stay in Tegan’s old room.
“So, when are you heading to your bro’s place?” I asked Delilah on the drive.
She shrugged. “I’m actually thinking of staying in the house across from yours. Ira can sleep there, too.”
I bet he could. I shot him a look in my overhead mirror, but he didn’t argue with Delilah. Guess they’d gotten used to each other’s company at the hotel.
“You sure Cristescu’s going to be okay with that?” I went on. “He seemed eager to have you back under his roof when I spoke to him.”
Delilah let out a humph of annoyance. “He’s not getting me back in that house again. The whole time Whitfield was in power he hardly let me go anywhere by myself because there was too much hostility towards dhampirs. I’m keeping hold of my freedom this time around.”
“If that’s what you want,” I said with a shrug.
Twenty minutes later, I pulled up outside my house. In the end, it was only me and Alora staying at my place because Ira silently took Delilah up on her offer. I didn’t blame the fella. The redheaded dhampir was hot, and he’d been through a twenty-five-year dry spell. I wasn’t sure if it was a love match between those two, but it was certainly a sex match.
I unpacked all the weapons and ammo from the van and hauled them inside the house. I’d just unloaded the last box and shoved it under the stairs when I noticed Alora hovering by the kitchen door.
“Can I make you some tea?” she asked, fidgeting. She looked like she was feeling kind of out of place and wanted something to do. “I’ve been getting used to the layout of your kitchen, so I think I know where everything is now.”
Man, she was cute. There was a smile in my voice when I answered, “Sure, tea sounds perfect. I’m going to put my feet up in the living room for a while.”
“I’ll bring it in to you, then,” she said and turned back into the kitchen, her hand sliding along the wall as she felt her way about.
I turned on the television and flicked through the stations, listening to her potter with the kettle and cups. Half of me was waiting to hear something shatter as she dropped it, but that didn’t happen. A few minutes later, she entered the room holding a steaming mug in her hand and wearing a triumphant expression. Something in my chest stirred at seeing her so proud of making a simple cup of tea.
“Where are you?” she asked.
“Over here,” I said, and she followed the sound of my voice. When she was standing before me, I took the mug from her hand and sipped.
“Ah, powerful cup of tea, Goldy. Thanks.”
She tugged on the hem of her T-shirt and bit her full bottom lip. “Why do you call me that?”
“Goldy?” I questioned, and she nodded. “It’s because of your eyes.”
She wrinkled her nose. “They’re hazel.”
“They’re gold,” I disagreed. “And they’re fucking gorgeous.”
She blushed and hurried back out to the kitchen. I chuckled. A minute later, she came back in with her own cup and took a seat beside me on the couch. We drank in silence for a bit while a soap opera played on the television.
“How old are you?” I asked her. Despite the fact I’d invited her to stay at my house, I still knew next to nothing about her.
“Twenty-three,” she replied. “I was only twenty-one when Ridley abducted me.”
Just a kid, I thought to myself. I was practically a decade older than her. Given the amount of time I’d spent ogling her chest and arse, I felt like a bit of a dirty old bastard right then.