Dimitri (Immortals of New Orleans, Book 6) (26 page)

“Oui, I’m pleased that we understand each other,” Léopold commented blithely.

“Oh fine, already. But it won’t be me….Lacey, there.” She pointed to the female in the cotton-candy-colored outfit. “She’ll do it.”

Léopold raised a questioning eyebrow at Lady Charlotte.

“What? You can’t possibly expect me to give
my
blood to a wolf. You do what you want,” she began. A look of disgust crossed her face. “That’s right, I know about you saving the Alpha’s mate. And now with this ‘brother’ nonsense. Your prerogative, I suppose, but I for one am not in the business of donating my body to dogs. This isn’t an animal shelter I’m running.”

“Lacey is acceptable, no?” Léopold looked to Dimitri, who nodded in response.

“The witch said as long as it’s given freely, it’ll work.”

“Now wait a damn minute,” Lacey interrupted. The pink stretchy fabric strained to cover her breasts as she rose to meet Léopold’s gaze. “If Charlotte needs me to do this, I’ll do it. But I think it’s only fair that I get something in return.”

“If it’s money you want, no problem,” Dimitri said. A silent understanding passed between him and Léopold.

“I want a dance…maybe even a taste of that hot wolf blood you have pumping through those muscles of yours.”

“No,” both Dimitri and Gillian said at the same time. Gillian stared at Lacey, challenging her to lay one undead finger on him.

“What? Is it wrong to want something for my trouble?”

“Lacey, I don’t think that’s a good idea. Gillian’s my mate.”

“So what? She’s already marked up like a chalkboard. Have you marked him back?” she challenged.

“No,” Gillian bit out, hostility in her voice.

“Well, that’s your own fault. You snooze you lose, pussy.”

“No. Just no.” Gillian stood up, looking to Jake, Léopold and Dimitri.

“Well then, I just may not feel in a giving mood tonight. Charlotte said I had to give you my blood, but she didn’t say when.”

Furious, Gillian’s canines descended and out of embarrassment, she covered her mouth with her hands. Emotion swirled inside her like a hurricane, and she tried to compose herself. She’d never shifted in front of strangers; it seemed bad form to do so out of jealousy. Turning her head, she took a deep breath, her teeth returning to normal. Dimitri rose to look at her but she held up a hand, indicating she was okay.

“Jesus Christ, Charlotte. Are you really going to let her get away with this?” Dimitri yelled.

“I’m hardly responsible for Lacey’s small demand. Seems quite reasonable given your history. You didn’t mind letting her taste you the last time you were here. In fact, I recall you did all sorts of things. Perhaps you’ll be more careful where you decide to wag your tail in the future.”

Gillian’s head swung toward Dimitri, her eyes wide. He’d slept with Lacey too? She told herself it shouldn’t matter. He had been single and dating; he’d lived a long time. He’d been with many women. But still, the knowledge of his indiscretions cut deep.

“Léopold?” Dimitri looked to his friend for assistance.

“Sorry, mon ami. You know that our blood is a gift. It would be no effort to force her, but that defeats your need.”

“It must be given freely,” Gillian repeated. Thoughts of Dimitri with Ilsbeth and Lacey forced her to bite her lip, hoping the pain would distract her from her anger. Her eyes narrowed on the blonde vampire who fluffed her hair with a snide smile.

“Gillian, no,” Dimitri started to say.

“It’s all right. Desperation comes in all forms. Apparently, she hasn’t gotten over you either,” Gillian noted. “She’s right. You aren’t marked. Although, judging by the women I’ve met today, I clearly misjudged things.”

“You know it was before you…we hadn’t met.” Dimitri sought to assuage her anguish over the situation but it was of no use.

The air thickened as reticence set in, Lacey’s demand bringing them to a crossroads. Jake shrugged at Dimitri and began silently counting the tin tiles on the ceiling. Léopold laughed, aware that his friend had his dick caught in a trap. For all the chaff Dimitri had given him over the past weeks, he found it slightly amusing.

“We’re all grownups,” Gillian stated, breaking the silence. Her lungs felt as if they were collapsing as she spoke. She fingered the pleats of her dress, her brow knitted in anger. Gillian took a deep breath, telling herself that it was time to put on her big girl panties and suck it up. Regardless of what happened between her and Dimitri, she wasn’t about to put his wolf further in danger.

“Please, Gilly. Let’s go talk in private,” Dimitri pleaded. He reached for her but she drew back her hands, wrapping her arms around her waist.

“No. We don’t have time to waste. Let’s get to it.” Gillian’s lips pursed. Her fury bubbled at the surface but she contained it. “One dance.”

“See there, that wasn’t terribly difficult,” Lacey drawled. She held out her palm to Dimitri; her other hand rested on her cocked hip.

Dimitri turned to Gillian, taking her in his arms. She feigned resistance, but soon gave into him as he cupped her cheek.

“This means nothing, okay?” He brought her close and whispered in her ear. “Remember today at the piano…I meant every word I said. Forever.”

Gillian’s heart melted as she lifted her gaze to meet his. She nodded, tears brimming in her eyes. Unable to respond, her words choked in her throat. He leaned in to capture her lips, and she accepted his searing kiss, running her hands up his back. Barely aware of their audience, she sought to possess him, reminding him that he belonged to her. As they reluctantly parted, Gillian and Dimitri rested their foreheads against each other’s, their eyes locked in understanding.

“Jake,” Dimitri called, still focused on Gillian. “Take Gilly. Do not let her out of your sight. I’ll be gone two minutes.” He turned to Lacey. “I’ll get the blood and we’re out of here. Leo, keep watch, would ya?”

“Oui,” Léopold said. He glanced at Lady Charlotte. “We have business to discuss. I’m not going anywhere.”

“Let’s go,” Dimitri commanded, reaching for Lacey’s hand. She laughed and gave Gillian a triumphant smile as they headed to the dance floor.

“You wanna dance? I promise not to step on your toes,” Jake joked.

“Okay,” Gillian replied, her voice shaky. She gave him a small grin, but never took her eyes off her mate. As Dimitri took Lacey into his arms, Gillian thought she’d be sick.

“Hey, you know he’s only doing this for the blood, right? She’s nothing.” Jake took Gillian’s hand.

“I gave him permission, didn’t I? I’m not as fragile as I look,” Gillian commented.

Jake laughed and placed his hand around her waist, taking her palm with the other. “Oh believe me, sugar, I’ve seen you in action. Fragile isn’t exactly the word I’d use to describe you.”

“Thanks…I think.” She relaxed into the sway of the music, stealing glances at Dimitri, who wore a pained expression.

“It’s a compliment. I like a woman who can take care of herself.” He spun her around as a sultry song began to play. “You’re good for Dimitri.”

“How so?”

“He’s been lonely. I think after Logan and Leo, he realized he’s been by himself a long time. Take that trip to California, for example. Sometimes we all need to take a little walkabout…get our thoughts together.”

“Didn’t exactly turn out how he planned.”

“No, it turned out better.” Jake smiled and drew her closer.

“How so? He almost died.”

“Yeah, there’s that. But there’s times when…well, death is always there, even when you’re immortal. Life’s a calculated risk. You weigh the danger. When possible, avoid things that might kill you. It’s rare but even wolves die…vamps too. Bottom line is that Dimitri didn’t die out in San Diego. He found you.”

“And you?”

“And me what?”

“Do you feel alone?” Gillian looked up at Jake. Muscular and clean cut, he looked as if he belonged on a professional baseball team.

“I’m content,” he whispered in her ear.

“I’ve always been alone,” she confessed. “But Dimitri…he makes me feel…”

“He’s your mate. He’ll make you feel things you never thought possible.”

“Yes. But more than that, he makes me want to be with others…to find my wolf. Being tiger is everything to me…was everything.”

“And now?”

“I don’t know. None of it seems to matter. I just want to be free of Chaz. I want Dimitri to be well…so we can be together.”

“And if you lose your tiger? Become wolf?”

“I’d mourn her, but I’m in a different head space than I was a week ago. I can’t go on fighting Alphas who want me for my gift. It’s futile, especially when I’ve found Dimitri.” Gillian bit her tongue. She’d said too much. She hadn’t even told Dimitri about how the mating would affect him and here she was blabbing her secret to Jake.

“Your gift?”

“It’s nothing,” she lied.

“Nothing, huh?” he questioned, not believing a word she said.

Gillian leaned her head against Jake’s chest. Regretting her words, she said nothing more as she glared at the woman who touched her mate. Sharp fangs descended from the vampire’s ruby-red lips, poising to strike Dimitri’s shoulder. As the vampire tore open Dimitri’s shirt, Gillian’s tiger attempted to shift.

This is the most fucked up shit I’ve gotten myself in in a while
, Dimitri thought to himself. Sure, he’d had sex with Lacey.
One goddamned fucking time.
He didn’t have a mate when he’d done it. As a matter of fact, he’d been going through a dry spell and had only been at Mordez to help Léopold. It was that night he’d met Lacey. One drink led to a dance and one dance led to a hot quickie on the corner of the dance floor. It had meant nothing to him or her.

Women
, he mused. His entire life he’d been clear with every single woman he’d ever been with that he couldn’t commit. He’d refused to date them exclusively, because inevitably it led to feelings. Feelings led to bruised hearts and worse, damaged egos. He’d never been in love, not even once in over a hundred years. He’d been careful to mostly have sex with only wolves, because at least they knew the score. Each and every wolf knew that the universe had selected a special person just for them. Most females from his pack understood and reciprocated his philosophy on dating. They knew that it was just a matter of time, give or take a century or two, before they met their mate. Committing to someone else led to disaster.

He’d told the witch. He’d told the vampire. Decades of having sex and it was never an issue…until now. Why fate had to go and kick him in the balls, he didn’t know. He was true-blue honest, easygoing, would give a stranger the shirt off his back. But today had been one of the worst days ever. Sure it’d started off well enough. Making love to Gillian had been a dream. But the day had taken a nosedive, first with Ilsbeth, and now with Lacey.

Seeing the crushing look of disappointment in Gillian’s eyes had nearly killed him. He’d never meant to hurt her. But nor would he lie. The past was the past. Gillian was his future; one that would be built on trust, not deceit. If Lacey wanted a dance to inflict some kind of sick punishment on him, he’d let her have one dance, but she wouldn’t have his blood.

When he got home, he planned on explaining everything to Gillian. If the cards hadn’t been stacked against him with the whole ‘tiger hybrid’ snafu, they sure as hell were now that she knew he’d slept with both the witch and vampire. He was acutely aware that no matter his desire to mate, Gillian had to choose him…choose their mating. He’d grovel if he had to, but he’d damn well get things straightened out.

The sickening sweet scent of vanilla drifted into his nostrils, causing him to cough. Disgusted, he continued to move to the music, Lacey’s fingernails digging into his pecs. He glanced to Gillian whose blank expression told him she’d had enough. It made him sick that he was the cause of her pain. Although he’d imagined the pleasure of sharing his mate with another, watching Jake take Gillian in his arms in order to calm her crushed his heart.

He heard Lacey say something to him, and in his peripheral vision, the gleam of white pointy fangs flashed. Snatching her arm out of thin air, he held her still.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” he yelled, astonished that she’d try to bite him.

“I told you that I wanted a taste. You didn’t say anything, ergo, you said yes. Seriously, Dimitri. Are you so stuck on that hybrid that you don’t want to have sex? I can’t even get a little bite? It’s fucking ridiculous,” Lacey ranted. ‘Even if you managed to mark her, that kind of mating is unheard of…a wolf and a tiger. How long have you even known her?”

“Are you crazy? She’s my mate. I get you’re a vamp, but don’t play dumb. You see she’s marked, and you asked to touch me. I told you flat out when we first met that I couldn’t commit. I’m a wolf. Not a human. Not a witch. Not a vampire. I’m a goddamned wolf. You know what that means. But you still play games?” Dimitri saw Jake holding Gillian back; she’d tried to come for him, no doubt. Her eyes were a fierce shade of gold, her claws extended. Screaming, she attempted to yank free of Jake’s restraint.

“I was just having fun is all. You wolves are so sensitive. What is it? Maybe you haven’t gotten your kibbles tonight. Hungry?” she taunted.