Stone Passions Trilogy (16 page)

“Like I said,” Vaughn looked away. “There wasn’t a lot of talking at all.”

“I am finding that very difficult to believe since in the last few minutes you have made several rather startling statements,” Armand ground out. “First of all, I erased the memory of the wrong girl; second, she is under the protection of a powerful wizard or sorcerer, you’re not sure which; and now this. The few words you exchanged were pretty significant.”

Moistening his lips with his tongue, Vaughn swallowed self-consciously, “And she saw me in my gargoyle form this morning.”

Armand opened his mouth to scream but he was so furious no sound came out. Vaughn held up his hand to stem whatever admonishments Armand was trying to spew. “I’m pretty sure she believed she was still dreaming because she said, ‘Goodnight, Vaughn, love you.’”

“She called you by name?” Armand managed to say through a constricted throat. “While you were a fucking gargoyle? Jesus Christ, this just keeps getting better and better! Why don’t you just invite her to the roof while we’re changing, erase all doubt from her mind!”

“It’s not as bad as it sounds,” Vaughn protested. If he could hold her in his arms he would know it was going to be all right. But being here, not having her near, he wasn’t so sure. Swallowing against the uncertainty in his throat, he murmured, “I am willing to give up my nights to keep her safe. To keep all of us safe.”

“No, I will not allow it,” Armand adamantly refused. Forcefully shaking his head no, he walked across the room to the bar. Grabbing the amaretto, he poured himself a glass and took a long drink, letting the alcohol warm his blood as he closed his eyes, “You’re not going to make that sacrifice, Vaughn, not for a human, not for any human.”

“It’s my decision to make,” Vaughn protested.

“No,” Armand said with finality. Looking at Vaughn, then Rhys, then back at Vaughn, he said, “There will be no more talk about giving up your nights, either one of you. I am going to get dressed and hunt down this wizard. Don’t make things worse.”

Armand left the room, leaving Rhys and Vaughn to stare at one another. Rhys smiled crookedly, “Well, that went well.”

“Better than I expected,” Vaughn admitted, falling back onto the couch and letting out the breath he had been holding. It was difficult to shake the feelings of guilt that took hold during that brief conversation. He was an idiot but he couldn’t give her up. Looking at Rhys, he asked, “Do you think I’m being a fool?”

“Hell, yeah,” Rhys grinned, sitting down on the couch across from him and crossing his long legs. “But I saw her today and I think being a fool is the only way to go.”

Vaughn narrowed his eyes at his younger brother, “Don’t get any ideas….”

Rhys held up his hands in surrender, laughing, “I’m not, at least not about Melanie.”

“That’s all right then,” Vaughn smiled slightly. “Did you find out anything about how she got a room here?”

Rhys shook his head no, “Nobody I talked to knows anything.”

Vaughn let out a long sigh, “Or one of them is lying. Unfortunately we can’t go about accusing our guests of lying. Some of them might not take it so well.”

“True,” Rhys chuckled. Wiping the humor from his face, he leaned forward and clasped his hands between his knees. “Do you think we should go after Armand, maybe ask him if he wants our help? He’s pretty upset.”

“I know.” And that bothered Vaughn. He remembered the time when Armand had sacrificed his nights for some human and he remembered how it had turned out. He didn’t want to be a painful reminder of that time in Armand’s life but his brother had to know that Vaughn was going to keep the option open. Hopefully, he wasn’t going to have to resort to giving up his nights. After all, Melanie had the protection of a powerful wizard. Yet if it came down to it, he knew he would not hesitate. He would protect her no matter what the cost.

Rhys studied Vaughn, the serious look so foreign to his usual expression Vaughn stiffened. “What is it, Rhys?”

“I want you to be careful, Vaughn,” Rhys said softly, eerily echoing his own thoughts. “I remember what Armand went through and that girl didn’t have nearly the power over him that Melanie seems to have over you. What if you’re wrong about her?”

Vaughn did not want to think about that possibility. The suffering Armand endured would be nothing compared to what Vaughn would suffer if Melanie proved fickle. Meeting Rhys’s eyes, he lifted his shoulders and let them drop. “I hope I’m not wrong.”

The corner of Rhys’s mouth lifted up in a half smile. “I think that is what we all hope. You know Armand just wants what is best for us.”

“I know,” Vaughn grinned. “But he is such a pain in the ass about it. Do you have any idea how thrilled I was when I learned he seduced the wrong girl?”

Rhys laughed out loud, “I can imagine. I’m sure there was a great deal of relief as well. I know I wouldn’t want that bastard seducing the girl I was fucking. In truth, I’m surprised any girl looks at either one of us with Armand around.”

Vaughn smiled in spite of himself, “I just thank the gods that Melanie saw me first.”

Armand leaned against the door of his room, listening to his brothers talking about him. He had to get his emotions back under control before he did anything rash. Melanie wasn’t the same as Katrina and Vaughn had to be allowed to make his own mistakes even if she was. If Vaughn gave up his nights for the girl and Melanie didn’t accept his gift it would be devastating but Vaughn would survive.

Armand’s gut clenched at the thought and he curled his hands into fists, squeezing the blood from his fingers. He wouldn’t allow his brother to get hurt, not if he could prevent it from happening at all.

When he seduced the name of Melanie’s protector from her, he would find the loophole that would allow a memory spell to be cast. If he could extract her from his brother’s life now, before it was too late, then maybe Vaughn’s suffering wouldn’t be so severe. Because if she was allowed to keep interfering, keep twisting Vaughn around her little finger, there was going to be no salvation for him.

Determined, Armand left his room, avoiding his brothers as he made his way down the hall. He didn’t want his brother knowing what he had to do, knowing Vaughn would kill him. In time, Vaughn would forgive him. It might take a few years but eventually, Vaughn would forgive him. He prayed he wasn’t going to make things worse even if the thought of losing his brother to a… human was unthinkable. 

Chapter Eight

Jenna left around five and immediately after, Melanie hopped into the shower to get cleaned up. She wanted to look her best when she knocked on Vaughn’s door that evening to ask if he wanted to go out and grab a bite to eat, maybe see a movie or something, anything, just so long as they could spend some time together, with their clothes on. As much as she loved having sex with the man, she was desperate to learn everything there was to know about him.

With a towel wrapped around her sun-kissed body, Melanie stood in front of the mirror, unable to wipe the foolish grin from her face. Humming to herself, she brushed out her long hair. She was loath to leave the humid warmth of her bathroom but she had to get dressed and all of her clothes were in the bedroom.

She planned on wearing the outfit she purchased a few weeks ago when she was out with Vanessa and Frankie: a sexy, strappy red dress that hugged her curves. Before New Year’s she would never have dreamed of wearing something so daring but meeting Vaughn changed everything. Now, she knew she was desirable, at least to one über-sexy man, and really, one was all she wanted. With one last giddy smile to her reflection, she opened the door.

“How did you get an apartment here?” Armand’s deep voice resonated from the entry of her apartment, making Melanie nearly jump out of her skin.

Looking over her bare shoulder, she saw him leaning against the door, looking dark and brooding, his arms crossed over his broad chest. His eyes flashed green fire and the absurd thought that his eyes were the same color as the stone in her necklace popped into her head. She also realized he really had pretty eyes, or at least they would be if they weren’t practically slaying her where she stood.

Plus, he was standing inside her apartment and she hadn’t invited him in. And with only a towel wrapped around her body, a towel that barely covered her ass, she felt exposed. Folding her arms over her own chest, mirroring his belligerent pose and hoping her towel didn’t fall, she asked, “How did
you
get in here?”

“Key,” he growled, pushing off the door and stalking closer, his huge body moving with predatory grace. He seemed so much larger when he was in her small apartment, so much more… daunting. But she still had that feeling that beneath his hard exterior was a nice, squishy center. Granted, right now it was really, really hard to imagine it, especially with the way he loomed, but it was there. He was trying to intimidate her by his sheer size and if he kept looming it might actually work. “Answer my question. How did you get an apartment here?”

Figuring it wouldn’t hurt to answer his questions, she opened her mouth to answer but nothing came out. Her brows pulled together and her lips pursed as she tried to remember. It was less than a week ago, only she had no memory of how she actually came to live there. Oh, crap! Someone messed with her memories after all. Helplessly, she looked at Armand. “It’s the strangest thing… I’m not sure.”

Armand’s eyes slid close for a moment as a muscle pulsed in his clenched jaw and Melanie took a step away from him. Anger, no fury, emanated off him in waves. His wrath was a sight to behold but she didn’t know why he would be angry with her. She hadn’t done anything. Clutching the towel to her chest, she took a step forward and put a hand on his arm, “Armand?”

Without warning, he tackled her, pushing her onto the bed and following her down until his body covered hers. Alarmed, she pressed her hands against his solid chest, the weight of him crushing her. With little effort, he grabbed her wrists in one hand and lifted them above her head, bringing his body even closer. She could see his pulse fluttering madly in the strong column of his throat, hear the harsh rasp of his breath. His gaze burned into hers, “Tell me, damn you.”

“I told you,” she said softly, her heart pounding in her chest as the heat from his body burned through the thin material of her towel. Up close and this personal, he was bigger than he had been just a few moments before and impossibly more beautiful. His body completely covered hers and she knew that there wasn’t an ounce of fat on his muscled frame. It was as if he was hewn from stone. He was extraordinarily attractive with his short black hair standing on end, his jade green eyes moving over her face, his sculpted lips pursed in anger.

His nostrils flared as he pushed her further into the bed but his voice was low and seductive as he purred, “Tell me.”

“I. Don’t. Remember,” she repeated, twisting her body and trying to push him off. It was as effective as a butterfly batting its wings against a windshield. Meeting his eyes, she scowled, “Unlike you, someone was successful in altering my memories.”

The growl that emanated from the back of his throat was low and threatening. But she didn’t fear him and she didn’t struggle. His eyes were no longer cold as they glared at her and she felt the coiled power that he held so tightly inside start to unwind. A bead of sweat rolled down the hollow of his cheek as he held himself about her. Yet he didn’t move, he only stared at her and looked for something, she just wasn’t sure what.

Her gaze moved over the taut features of his beautiful face, the anguish in his green eyes. But then something changed as he gave her a look that smoldered and he let his lips curl into a devastating, knowing, smile. She had to suck in her breath at the instantaneous affect it had on her, She felt the power of that smile in her toes and her body responded to the heated promise in his gaze but she refused to acknowledge her attraction.

“I can make you want me,” he crooned, bringing his hand up and brushing a strand of damp hair from her face.

She wasn’t prepared for this new attack and she shook her head no, not taking her eyes from his, “No, you can’t.”