Legacy of Blood (19 page)

Tears filled my eyes; the pain in my heart becoming too much.  “I really hurt him, Trey.  I never wanted to hurt him.”

“I know, honey,” he whispered, his brow furrowed with sorrow.  “I know.  He seems to be doing a little better today, though, if that helps.”

“You talked to him?” I asked in surprise.

“Just got off the phone,” Trey nodded.  “I told him you were doing a lot better and that you two would talk when he got home in a couple of weeks.”

“Does he hate me?”

“Sugar, he loves you,” he sighed, slinging one arm around my neck and pulling me to him for a hug.  “He’s just hurting.  Jameson tends to fall hard and fast when he’s in a relationship.  As we all know, it takes a little time to get over love.”

“Let’s go,” Aoife called from the foyer.  “Train’s leaving boys!”

“Do you want to ride with Trey to work today so you can finish your talk?” Pádraig asked with an understanding smile.

“No, it’s okay.  You two love birds go ahead.  I’ll catch a ride with someone else.”

 Trey kissed my cheek, hooked his arm through mine and walked me to the door.

Archer was standing there and when his eyes met mine, he smiled sexily.  “I still can’t get over how incredible you look.”

I bit my bottom lip at his complement and allowed him to pull me to his side.  Vampire pheromones may not work on me now that I was one, but damn if Archer didn’t smell amazing.  His cologne mixed with all things Archer, and the fact he was all mine, sent my lower abdomen tightening with desire.  He was in top form tonight too in his designer business suit and Prada dress shoes.

“You look pretty good yourself,” I leaned into him as I slipped my hand under his jacket and wrapped my arm around his trim waist.  “I love this suit.”

“What’s wrong, baby?” he asked, lifting my chin to meet his eyes.  “You look like you’ve been crying.”

I nodded my head and sighed.  I couldn’t hide anything from Archer but more importantly, I didn’t want to.  Something in me had changed when I turned; maybe it was the blood bond or the fact we were dating now, but I suddenly wanted to tell Archer everything that was bothering me.

“After you left my room, I checked my phone for the first time in over a week.  I had a bunch of text messages and voicemails from Jameson.”

Archer sighed and pulled me tighter to him.  “Are you okay?”

I shook my head and rested my cheek against his chest.  “I hurt him really bad, Archer.  I made a lot of mistakes last week and I wish I could take most of them back.”

“Only most of them?” his chest rumbled.

“Yeah, only most of them,” I replied cryptically as I pulled away.  I loved Jameson but I didn’t regret breaking up with him.  He deserved so much more than I could give him.  Holding on to him would have been selfish and only done more damage to him in the end.  I was in love with Archer and I had been for a while.  Jameson deserved to have the sole attention of some lucky woman who would cherish him for the bright, brilliant, and amazing person that he was.  I couldn’t give that to him if I was in love with someone else too.

Archer took out the Lamborghini keys from his pocket and dangled them in between us.  “I can’t stand to see you upset, so I’ll let you drive the Aventador if you smile for me, gorgeous.”

I laughed and gave him a genuine smile as I snatched the keys from his hand and stood on tip-toes to kiss him.  “You know just how to make a girl feel better,” I smiled against his lips before pulling away.  “Race you to the car.”

Once at work, Archer brought me in through the front entrance to avoid the dancers.  He said he knew my control was better than most newborns, but he didn’t want to take a chance of one of them hugging me and me deciding that would be the perfect time for a snack.

“Come spend some time with me before you start your shift,” Archer said as he grabbed my hand and led me to the stairs. 

“Okay,” I smiled, “but only for a bit.  I don’t want my boss catching on that I’m dating a co-worker.”

“Well, for a girl as hot as you,” Archer laughed, “I think your boss would make an exception.”

I laughed and gently shoulder bumped him as I followed him up to the second floor.

“I’m going to be moving you to the VIP bar for a while,” Archer said once we reached the top.  “Aoife will be taking over the first floor bar with Hunter and I’ll be appointing Brian and Eden to supervise the dancers.  I can’t have you working around humans right now and I definitely don’t want you down on the first floor where something could happen to you.  Amun is hell bent on getting his hands on you and I don’t trust him not to find a way in here or send someone else to grab you.  With you on the second floor, you’ll be surrounded by guards and of course I’ll be here to watch you.”

“Okay,” I nodded.  “Whatever you think is best.  Has Ruarc called you about the game plan yet?” I asked as we started to climb his private stairwell up to his third floor office.  “I’ve got seven days to somehow find Amun and kill him before he starts killing my family and friends.”

“
An Dilis
are meeting us here after the club closes tonight.  Ruarc has a plan he wants to run by you.”

When we reached Archer’s apartment, I flashed to the bed and plopped myself down on top of it.  “I hope it’s a good one,” I sighed as I crossed my legs and laid back.  “We’re going to need a freakin’ miracle to find him.”

Archer took off his jacket and came to stand in front of me.  “He wants you and I refuse to lose you to that bastard.”  He uncrossed my legs and gently separated my knees; the action sending a thrill through me.  “We’ll find him and then we’ll kill him, Skye.  I promise.”  Archer leaned over me, wrapped one arm around the small of my back and lifted me, moving us to the center of the bed. 

“I don’t want you anywhere near him, Archer,” I whispered, wrapping one leg around his waist and looking up into his eyes.  I put my hand on his cheek and softly traced his bottom lip with the pad on my thumb.  “You almost died last time.  I couldn’t handle it if something happened to you again.”

“Nothing is going to happen to me,
Cion
,” Archer whispered against my finger but I shushed him by placing two fingers to both lips before he could say more.

“I’m not taking the chance, honey.  The way I see it, I’m a hell of a lot harder to kill than you guys. 
An Dilis
have a right to fight by my side because it’s their job; protecting Day Walkers from assholes like him.  But you?  Honey, your job is to be there for the rest of our family and to protect them.  They need you safe.”

“I need you safe,” he argued, nipping at my fingers as he hitched my other leg around his waist and ran his fingers softly up my outer thigh.

I trembled at his touch and tried to stay focused on the conversation.  “I’ll have the whole Army at my back, baby.  I’ll be in the best hands possible for the job, don’t you think?”

He ended the discussion with a slow and devastatingly delicious kiss.  I sighed at the little growl he made in the back of his throat and pulled him further down against me until our bodies were flush together.  His hand kneaded my hip as the other slid up my ribs toward my breast and I moaned when he ran his thumb over my sensitive nipple.

“Do you know how many nights I dreamed about having you in this exact position?”

“Well, I’m here now.”  I kissed my way down his chin, across his strong jaw to whisper in his ear, “What are you going to do with me?”

Archer groaned as I nipped and licked his neck.  His scent mixed with his slow pulsing heartbeat and the sexual tension made me suddenly hungry.  My fangs slid out with a
snick
and both Archer and I stopped moving against each other.

“Oops,” I whispered as he leaned back and I covered my mouth.  “You’re making me hungry.”

Archer smiled as he gazed down at me.  “You want me to call a feeder for you, baby?”

“Mmm-hm,” I moaned at the thought of a hot meal.  “Would you mind?  I think I should eat as soon as possible so I can finish what we started later on tonight with no interruptions.”

His eyes flashed with desire and he leaned down to give me one last kiss, being mindful of my fangs.

“I got you something,” he said as he pulled me up to sit beside him.  He reached into his pants pocket and took out a small, white contact lens case.  “I didn’t know if you wanted to explain your white irises to people, because they might ask, so I got you these to wear during your shifts if you wanted them.”

“Oh,” I said in surprise as I took the tiny case and unscrewed the left container.  “They’re hazel.”

“Yeah.  The choice is yours though, babe.  Wear them if you want or don’t, it doesn’t matter to me.  You could always tell other humans that you’re wearing white-out lenses.  Those are popular around the club.  I can almost guarantee another vampire will certainly ask about your eyes.  They will be able to tell you aren’t wearing contacts.”

I replaced the lid on the contacts and handed them back to Archer.  “Screw it.  Let them ask,” I smiled and then quoted Lady Gaga.  “I was born this way, baby.  I’m not going to hide or be ashamed of who I am now.”

“That’s my girl,” Archer smiled and wrapped his arms around my neck.  “I think you are sexy just the way you are.”

I winked at him and lightly kissed his lips.  “You’re great, you know it?  Thank you for the gift anyway.”  Amun’s ring suddenly came to mind.  Archer told Ruarc that he had left it here at the club in his office.  “Speaking of gifts,” I started carefully, “Do you think I can see the ring Amun left for me?”

Archer’s face immediately frowned and he sighed as he stood up.  “I don’t know if that’s such a good idea, Skye.  Maybe we should wait for Ruarc.”

“Honey,” I tsked as I stood and turned on the charm.  I was really curious about it and had to see what all the fuss was about.  “You act as if it’s going to bite me.  Just let me see what it looks like.  I won’t even touch it if you don’t want me to.”

Archer growled unhappily and led me into his office.  I watched as he crouched behind his desk and punched the code to the safe.  When he turned back around, he had a small black velvet pouch in his hand.  He turned the bag upside down on the desk and I heard a piece of metal hit the surface. 

As he moved his hand I saw a shining gold band with a dazzling big, blood red Garnet stone in the center.  I bent down and looked closely at it.  There were markings of some kind surrounding the band; the engraving was even done on the inside.  I had never seen anything like it before.  “It’s beautiful,” I whispered as my fingers inched out to touch it.

“Don’t,” Archer’s sharp bark stopped me and I blinked and looked up at him.

“It’s just a piece of jewelry,” I sighed. 

“Things aren’t always what they seem,” he said quietly as he eyed the ring.  “I don’t want to take a chance with your safety.  I’d rather you didn’t touch it until we met with Ruarc.”

I pursed my lips, a bit unhappy, as I stood back up.  “That’s silly, but alright.  Whatever you say, honey.”

We heard someone open the stairwell door and start climbing the stairs.  Lochlan’s head popped up onto the landing a few seconds later and he gave me a goofy smile.  “Sorry ta interrupt ya’ two, bu’ I’m gonna steal ya’ girl ‘ere an’ put ‘er ta work,” he wagged his eyebrows at me, his Irish accent heavy.  He knew how much I liked it and he would slather it on extra thick whenever he was feeling particularly flirtatious. 
Ah, at least some things haven’t changed.

“I’ll talk to you later, boss man,” I winked at Archer over my shoulder as I headed out.  “Let me know when it’s time to eat; I’m hungry.”

I saw him smile as he pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and hit a number on speed dial.  Hopefully I wouldn’t have to wait long for a feeder to arrive. 

I wasted no time getting behind the VIP bar and starting prep work.  I learned quickly we not only sold liquor, but bagged blood too. 
So that’s what was in all those red plastic Solo cups I saw everyone drinking from up here
.

Prep work was really easy for VIP/PVIP.  Garnishes were only used when a human guest of a vampire ordered a drink.  Day Walkers took liquor straight up 99% of the time and Dark Ones only drank blood.  Lochlan showed me a hidden panel next to the cooler that housed all the ‘house blood’.  Special requests and rare blood types were kept in the safe under the bar.  I had seen that one before when Archer had me fix drinks the first time I met
An Dilis
.  I also learned Gunnar stocked fresh blood daily in our refrigerator at home as well as here at the club.  When I asked who Gunnar was to Archer, since he was human and not vampire like us, Lochlan shook his head and gave me a quick, “No’ my story ta tell.”  I guess I’d have to ask Archer one of these days.

Lochlan also taught me some terminology the vampires used when ordering.  An order for ‘House Special on the Rocks’ was unheated blood, straight out of the bag; orders for ‘House Special Straight Up’ meant blood that had been warmed in the microwave before being served.  Anyone asking for the ‘House Special with a Twist’ wanted a shot of their preferred liquor poured into the blood before it was served either warm or cold, whichever they asked for.  Plain liquor orders went by the same rules as they did normally.