Vicious In Love - D.D. Dass (book club suggestions txt) 📗

on the trail, wondering unconsciously, why others mainly hunted females.

She huffed, making her way into the street that overlooked the city, just beyond the forests. Vince’s Lincoln was already there, his pale figure pacing until he spotted her. In a second, he was by her side, his speed too quick for her eyes to follow until her body was crushed against his, the sweet scent smothering her…But in a good way. Nothing like Frostbites.  

Forcing a smile, she hugged his lean body closer because she’d missed him. Even if it was only a friendly way, he was still her best-friend.

“Fuck, Beth, I missed you. Why the hell haven’t you been answering my calls?”  Sorry, been busy obsessing over a male that hates me!

She blinked harshly, her smile turning watery.

If only anyone understood.

∞∞∞

There is was again. As Ian exited the jarred cells his skin crawled. Impatiently, he traced to the spot where the scent swirled, still fresh. Involuntarily, he stepped closer to the wall, breathing coming deeper –the fragrance, so embedded into his mind, was stronger with time, striking his ribs like a wrecking ball.  

And like an idiot, he found himself sliding to the ground, the cords of his sanity lost in his jumbled thoughts and images flashed over his vision. His demons hissed in his ears, but with another inhale, they were silenced by the –her scent.

Had she been sitting right here? Probably, he thought angry at himself for not bothering to look down.

Typical freakin’ Vamp.

But how in the hell had she even managed to stay so quiet? She was only human, for fuck’s sake. She shouldn’t have even known about this hellhole in the first place.

He saw red at the idea of her being anywhere near the pernicious jarred chambers. She could have been harmed. The cavers were packed with others, either chained or drugged until proven useless, and then they were jarred. But they were still dangerous.

Ian snarled under his breath, shutting his eyes. When he opened them again he was standing outside her door. The sight made him sigh, running a hand through his hair in agitation. He didn’t even have to think about it anymore, the female intoxicated his mind.

He’d been in her bedroom before. And as bad as it –his fixation was becoming, he still managed to go through every bloody day giving her the cold shoulder. But just that. He still paid her more attention than any other being. He still watched her wantonly, watched her bow-tie lips curve into a smile that lit her face and had that feeling settle in his bones. He still listened to her airy laugh whenever some idiot made a stupid remark but she was kind enough to make sure they didn’t feel bad. He still noticed her care for young of the ramai…And worse, he still wondered where she was whenever she missed training or why she didn’t associate with other males and females. Point blank: he was engrossed with her.

And as they days kept going, the frustrating attraction only added to the plethora of attributes that made him want her. But as he ignored her, she ignored him. That alone lit the flames of his fury easier than any words. Ian knew he would’ve lost his resolve if she was a silent sleeper. The very first night he’d visited (he used that term lightly) her, she spoke his name five times and five times the sound toyed with his emotions…Albeit now, hearing it on her lips was becoming rare.

The night before last, the name Vince had been reoccurring and it made another awful feeling pack onto his shoulders. He’d never been jealous of anything, but hell, he was going to find out exactly who this Vince was.

The only excuse for this possessiveness: her blood. The only comfort that another, that Vince, wasn’t feeding from her was that he’d checked her throat. It wasn’t as if he could have stopped himself if he even tried. He didn’t have that much willpower when it came to Beth, because each night he ended up knelt at her bedside running his fingertips over the soft flesh of her neck…Fortunately for them both, it remained untouched.

Ian’s head fell forward to the metal doorframe; hand tight around the handle as he fought the dominated need to enter the citrus-scented hell.

The hell was with him? He thought despite already knowing. He couldn’t be pinning after some brat, especially not his best-friends daughter. Never her. She was forbidden delights.

“Yeah,” he muttered bitterly. “Right.” Then he tried the door once, careful not to twist the knob too hard and break it. It was locked and –patience damned, he traced into the darkened room. It was empty.

Straight up she’d been in that cave. It didn’t particularly come as a shock. No, he was extremely pissed, confused, and damn him, concerned. The others were out in high numbers, scattered about New York, hunting. And she was out there with them, out of his reach or security of any kind.

Why!? Why the hell did he care? He was mental, fucked up, still trying to get papa’s approval, yet he was worried about one little girl?

He was more screwed than he’d initially thought. Funny that.

From his pocket, his phones vibrated. He whipped it out, answering curtly, “Derik.”

A low, evil chuckle echoed through the line and he stopped dead, spine stiffening. Well, whattyaknow?

“Tired of hiding yet?” he questioned, voice empty despite the different tactics he was going through in order to torment the peice of shit. How many females’ lives had he taken in the past two weeks? It was time their lost were avenged.

“Have you missed me so much? I hadn’t thought so with your little obsession wandering about...” New obsession?  Ah, hell, it was her. The heel of his palm pressed over his eyes. He was growing tired of this game. There was no possible way for the other to know about Beth…Ian didn’t so much as risk glancing at her.

This other was toying with his head. How the bastard succeeded.

“Obsession?” There was another laugh and he tensed further, fist tightening as the feeling to go to her got stronger. But he was helpless. And it was wrong, all damned wrong.

“I’d thought she was quite plain, Payne. Expected somethin’ more…” a brief pause and Ian lifted his fist to strike something in substitute for the other. “Bein’ quite honest, I expected a blonde. All the others have been, and so beautiful too.”

Ian yearned for the others disgusting black blood.

“Don’t touch her,” he maintained the empty tone, concealing just how much he was feeling, though just barely.

“Now I realize,” the other continued as if he hadn’t spoken. “She is actually a tempting prize…The way her hips sway or that hair, so very dark and thick…It would please me greatly to hear her scream in terror, to have her fight me.” Fucking try it.  

“No kiddin’?” he traced into his own bedroom, snatching weapons from his closet. “She will be avenged,” he lied easily. He would not have to avenge her because there was no way in hell she’d be taken.

“Come now Payne.  Second daughter to Aeluis. I know you’re aware of who I speak of. You, of all demons would notice the splendor in her.” Indeed, he would.

“Why the hell would I care?” He willed himself to answer himself, but there it was again, the denial. She was his best-friend –fathers, or the closest he’d had to a father, daughter. How could he not care?

“Don’t you? I’d love to continue this…but, the raven-haired beauty is on the move, and I wouldn’t wanna miss her. Keep in touch, Payne.”

The line went dead. 

∞∞∞

Beth shivered from under her brother’s heavy sweater, inhaling Vincent’s sweet scent from where it caught in the cotton as she made her way through the city-streets beside her only female friend, Magda.

The awkward silence lingered as a reminder that it wouldn’t be the same anymore. Their friendship was completely altered.

Tears blurred her vision, as she watched a human male with his woman laugh at something she’d said. It was so very normal. Beth wished life could be that easy.

“Beth?”  Ripping her gaze from the couples departing backs, she looked up into a pair of wide, shimmering green eyes. Magda was a tall woman, even at eighteen, she was six foot, but she was slim, a body made for models, with a sharp face, tan skin set off by black hair the same shade as Beth’s.

She smiled a little, stuffing her numb hands into her pockets to keep the cold from nipping at her fingertips next. It was cold this time of November in New York, light flakes of snow already have begun falling.

“Yeah?” she mumbled; her voice cracking vulnerably as she swallowed the lump in her throat.

“I’m so sorry…” Pain assaulted her, and she gritted her teeth, listening to her conscious, and letting go. She wanted to let go of the anger, the pain, and betrayal to just let it all melt in the snow. She couldn’t lose Magda, no matter how many stabs in the back it cost her.

 “Why?” She needed to know.

“I don’t know, Elizabeth. I was so...angry at you because you wouldn’t stop talking about how much was going to change when you became a –a Vampire…And Vince was so hurt…It just…happened.”

I loved him, he was mine. She wanted to scream it, to just…snap, but instead she breathed in a sharp breath, allowing the last of her tears to fall before she gave a wide smile. It took all her strength to forgive…but she couldn’t forget.

Just then, a thought came from nowhere: just don’t feel. She wondered how Ian managed to do it…Beth had always been (overly) emotional and couldn’t comprehend how anyone just shut out feelings. How had this childhood gone? Had he even had one?

She shook herself, “But that’s the thing Magda! It will be different. We’ll be enemies.” That was just the way it was.

“We won’t! Beth, believe it or not, we all love you. Specially Vince,” she thought she heard jealously in her friends tone, but Magda just continued. “Leech or not.” She loved her second family, too. No matter what the Law said, they would never be considered her enemy.

Trying to lighten the mood, she teased, “Hey! I won’t be sucking anybody but my males’ blood.”  Magda smile flirtatiously.

“Oh, so you’ve already moved on huh? Who’s the lucky bloodsucker?” Beth snorted, trying the block the name that popped into mind. Ian was not hers. And would never be. It couldn’t work, they were so different.  But when had she ever been a sore loser? There was tons of fish is the sea.

But you only want this one, her conscious reminded.

“Nobody,” Beth paused, shooting a glance at the human, partially hidden by the nightclub’s shadows. But she could feel him eyeing her. “Yet.”  

“Gross, please tell me you’re not looking at him?” Magda gestured discreetly at the human. “He’s human.” Beth rolled her eyes.

“So ‘m I! Besides, human’s aren’t my type…You know, with the need for royal blood, Blood Bonds and all.”  

All was silent for a while, but at least it wasn’t awkward anymore, just testing. “I missed you, Beth…Don’t –Please don’t drop us like that again. Are we –,” she hemmed. “Are we good?” Beth threw her arms around her friend’s thin waist, smiling when she immediately hugged back.

“We’re great Magdalene, and we always will be.” It was the truth. 

~~

-o-

Three hours later, Beth finally left Magda at the hunters hidden entrance, insisting she could walk back alone since it wasn’t a far ways…But really, she just needed to clear her cluttered thoughts.

The snow fell in clumps now, soaking her beanie as she trudged through the deserted streets. She probably should have let Vince drive her back, she admitted ten minutes into the walk. It was freezing and she was being watched, the deathly intensity of that stare burning into her back, making her shiver in unease.

Her steps were stealthily quiet and large as she breathed a relived sigh, entering the forests