Cherry Creek (29 page)

Rebellion unfurls in my gut. “Call me whatever you want, but that doesn't make me yours. Not where it matters the most.”

Khristos smiles slightly, but it’s downright chilling. “I see you've inherited my stubbornness.”

“You have nothing to do with it.”

“We'll see.”

I rise to my feet. “I think I've had enough. It's late,” I say simply as I turn and walk out of his office without a backward glance.

As I make my way up to my room, I don't know what to wrap my mind around first. The fact that Khristos runs and escort service, or the fact that he's a cold-blooded killer. Or how about the fact that he's my father? It's just so much to take in, and I feel my temples beginning to pound.

When I come upon my closed bedroom door, I see the light is on from beneath the crack at the bottom. Had I left it on? I cautiously turn the knob and open the door.

Trace looks up from where he'd been peering out my balcony door window. His eyes take in my expression, and he begins to walk over. I close the door behind me and practically fling myself at him as I wrap my arms tightly around his waist. My face presses against his chest, and I struggle for composure.

Trace holds me close, and I feel him kiss the top of my head. “I knew you'd react like this.”

I fight back the urge to cry. It won’t do anything but give me a headache, and it’ll fix absolutely nothing. “I don't know what to think,” I mumble against his shirt. “How do I come to terms with it all? I mean, demons want to kill me because of my uncle—I mean, my
father.
He also told me he runs an organization of assassins. Not only that, I find out he sells prostitutes, too!” I feel myself getting angry. I pull back and look up at Trace. “What the hell am I supposed to do with all this information? I'm still struggling with the fact that I'm a succubus. Now, I have a father that wants to control me.” Bitterness rises from within the depths of my soul as I realize just how little control I have over my circumstances. “He doesn't know me,” I seethe. “He knows nothing about who I am or what makes me the person I am today. All he cares about is labeling me and controlling me. I can see it in his eyes, Trace. He—” My rant is cut short as Trace's mouth crashes down on mine.

For a second, I do absolutely nothing as his lips dance across mine, demanding a response. The anger I'd felt moments ago fades immediately as I part my lips and give him access to delve inside. He strokes my tongue with his own, and I let my hands roam over his shoulders. His fingers tangle in my hair as he holds my head in place, kissing me with a passion that has my lower belly tightening. There's a part of me that wants to lose myself in him. To experience the pleasure I know he can give me. But there's just been too much upheaval to contend with tonight. I don't know how my brain can still function, but common sense has me ending the kiss and pulling away. Trace reluctantly lets me go, his chest rising and falling as he stares at me with heated eyes.

I lick my damp lips, and his eyes drop to focus on them before lifting to meet my own. “We can't,” I say softly.

Frustration shines in his eyes. “I know,” he says with a sigh. “I just wanted to comfort you.” Then, he hesitates and looks at me searchingly. “You know it's more, don't you? This thing between us.”

“It can't be more.” It kills me to say it, but it's the truth. “You have to feed from other women. Neither of us can commit,” I tell him as my heart aches. “All we can ever be is friends.”

He takes a step toward me, his eyes growing determined. “We can make it work if you just try, Livvy. Sorcha and Khristos have been together on and off for a century. It
can
work.”

“Yeah, it works if I turn a blind eye to the fact that you will be sleeping with other people. How often do you feed, Trace?” I ask bitterly.

“Once a week,” he admits reluctantly. “But it's just feeding, Livvy. That's all it is,” he insists.

“No. It's more.”

“Not to me.”

“To me it is,” I say firmly.

Disappointment crosses his face. “I thought with you being part succubus, you'd understand. You're the first I've ever wanted to try something real with.”

I give him a pained look. “All you can ever be to me is a friend. If I gave you more, you'd break me every time you go to someone else.”

“But they would mean nothing to me,” he insists as he shifts where he stands, like he’s fighting the urge to touch me.

“Not to me,” I say quietly.

Trace falls silent as he reaches up and runs a hand through his hair. “I get it.” His eyes meet mine with a hint of resignation. “I want to be friends, if you'll have me.”

“I'd like that. I could really use a friend right about now,” I say as I rub my arms. My conversation with Khristos still has me feeling chilled to the bone.

Trace’s eyes drop as he scans my body. “How are you feeling? You were in bad shape when we arrived. Things were pretty hectic.”

I glance down at my healing legs, then I press a hand to my still tender abdomen. I look at him questioningly. “I thought I would heal slowly. Was that considered slow?”

He shakes his head. “No, that was fast. We gave you some of Marko's blood to speed up the healing process because of the severity of your injuries.”

“Marko's blood?” I squeak out. “Why?”

He hesitates. “He's a vampire,” he offers lightly.

I put my hand to my head. “A vampire,” I mutter. I drank vampire blood.
That is so gross.

***

It’s three hours later, and I am still wide awake as I lie in bed. How can anyone sleep with everything that’s been unearthed tonight? Evidently, the rest of the estate inhabitants can, because the mansion is eerily silent. At least now I know everything. I think. So help me, if there are any more secrets that involve me, I might just do some killing of my own.

As I stare up at the darkened ceiling in my room, I swallow hard, knowing my future is no longer my own. Instinct has me wanting to run, but logically, it’ll never happen. Khristos will be on high-alert for a while, and I’m sure I’ll be watched closely. There’s also the fact that he runs an assassination for hire business. He will find me wherever I go. There is not a rock in the world that I could hide under, not with his resources. Also, thanks to Khristos, his enemies are now my own. If I step one foot out of Cherry Creek, I’ll be hunted down like a fleeing deer running from a hunter’s arrow.

From here on out, I need to be smart and think before I act. Acting rashly will only make me look weaker, and let’s face it, if I want any sort of control over my life, I have to make it happen.

It’s time to make a place for myself in the Deveroux family, because running is no longer an option. They won’t be leaving me in the dark anymore when it comes to pertinent information. And I will fight against Khristos’s urge to control me.

I am Livvy Vauss, not Livia Deveroux.

This life is
mine.

Dear Reader,

I never truly understood how important book reviews are to an author until I became an author myself. They help offer more insight about the book for those that haven’t yet made up their minds if they’d like to purchase it. If you have a few minutes to spare before you move on to the next novel on your Kindle or reading device, please consider going to Amazon.com and writing a review. Thank you in advance to those of you who will choose to share your thoughts with other readers. As a self-published author, it is very much appreciated!! Also, whether you leave a review or not, thank you for purchasing this book. You, the reader, are the reason I continue to write.

Sincerely,

Dani Matthews

The second book in Cherry Creek series
The Demon Within
is now
available at amazon.com. To find out more about upcoming novels, you can visit me at www.Facebook.com/DaniMatthews,author

Table of Contents

Prologue

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen