“We were just talking, weren’t we, child?” Her mocking tone didn’t quite conceal the nervous tremor in her voice.
“Don’t look at Ava, look at me. This is the last time I’ll tell you, Gina. Leave. Ava. Alone.”
“What will you do if I don’t?” she snickered.
“It’s not me you need to worry about.” The dark humour in Salem’s voice made me frown. My frown deepened when he stepped aside, clearing my path to Gina. He cast me a quick glance. “Go ahead, Ava.”
I knew then what he was doing. In his own weird way, Salem was apologising. Was making a statement that he did trust in my ability to take care of myself, and that he could and would step aside when I needed him to. I almost laughed at the soppy ‘How sweet is that?’ look on Alora’s face. You’d think he’d proposed marriage or something.
I slipped off the stool, my eyes fixed on Gina. “You sure you want to do this?”
She smirked and braced herself, inviting me forward with a flick of her fingers. “Let’s dance.”
I snorted. “Who says that?” Then I punched her breast. As she yowled – there was no other word for the noise that came out of her mouth – and folded over slightly in pain, I dealt her a blow to the jaw…and down she went. Unconscious before she even hit the floor. Well that was disappointing. “Huh. I was kind of hoping for a decent fight.”
“Yeah, me too.” Jude twirled her knife on her finger as she stared down at Gina. “Would it be terribly bad to carve something creative on her forehead?”
Alora regarded Jude with a smile. “You know, Chico’s good for you.”
Jude blinked. “Why do you say that?”
“He’s taught you to think before you act. A few months ago, you might have already scrawled ‘I am a hoebag’ into her flesh.”
Imani’s face lit up. “That would be amazing!”
“But immoral – she’s out cold,” said Alora, the voice of reason for once.
Imani shrugged. “So?”
Leaving the girls to explore the ethics of carving into an unconscious woman, I turned to Salem. “Most people just say ‘sorry’. But handing over your ex for painful handling was so much better.”
His mouth curved as he pulled me close. “So we’re okay?” Concern and uncertainty clouded his eyes. It was odd seeing such a confident male feel unsure. But the fact was that he wasn’t any better at relationships than I was.
“We’re okay…providing you can agree on us being a team.”
He inhaled deeply. “Being a team would be good.” He engulfed my hand in his. “Home.”
No sooner had he shut the front door of the apartment behind us than he was on me. But he wasn’t rough. His hands moved over me gently and slowly while his mouth sipped at mine. Still, though, there was desperation and intensity in every purposeful touch and in every sensual flick of his tongue.
He teased me in bed for what could have been hours before finally thrusting inside me. He kept the pace slow yet intense, his eyes locked with mine the entire time. He was reassuring himself that everything was fine, reconnecting in the only way that someone as unromantic as Salem would know how to do.
Afterwards, he curled himself around me, his hold tighter than usual, and fell asleep with his face almost buried in my hair. I smiled. We’d be okay. All was good.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
(Ava)
All was not good. Not when I had the Dynamic Dumb-assed Duo standing in front of me.
This evening’s training had taken place in the arena and, like always, it had been gruelling but invaluable. Everyone had been seriously determined to work hard and do well, since Giles had only one final night after this to contact Sam and Jared. If he didn’t, we’d be paying him a visit at his club, which wouldn’t at all be friendly.
After the training session, Sam and Jared congratulated us all on our progress before ordering us to go wind down and mentally prepare ourselves for the upcoming battle. But I sensed it was more than that. She wanted quality time with Jared, conscious that it was possible that one of them could be terribly hurt in a battle. Just the same, I wanted that time with Salem, and I was more than happy to have it.
The female squad was sent out of the arena first, since Sam and Jared wished to have a short private chat with the guys. That was when I’d found Will and Blythe waiting outside, which kind of shit on my good mood. The fact that they were glaring daggers at me indicated it was me they had come to see, not Salem. That was actually a relief, because I really was pissed at Will’s insistence on taking out all his envy and spite on Salem.
Conscious that Salem would soon follow me outside, I figured it was best to get it over with. I spoke in a flat voice. “Can I help you? Please say no.” The girls gathered around me, snickering at the duo.
Blythe shook her head at me, as if she was marvelling over something. “You don’t feel even an ounce of shame or remorse for what you did last night, do you?”
“Ah, we’re discussing Gina.”
“We’re discussing how you attacked her,” spat Will.
I tilted my head. “‘Attacked’ is such a strong word.”
“But fitting,” he insisted, “since you punched her hard enough to render her unconscious. Maybe you can explain to me why you believe this to be acceptable.”
“Sure. Got any crayons?”
Stiffening, Will drew to his full height. “We’ll see how amusing you find this when I’ve spoken to the Grand High Pair about your behaviour.”
I double-blinked in surprise at what he seemed to think was a threat that should have me quivering. I must have missed something. “You want to complain to Sam and Jared?”
Imani leaned into me. “Where’s he going with this? I truly fail to understand exactly what he thinks that will achieve.” So it wasn’t just me, then.
Will sniffed at Imani. “I’m sure they have strict rules on their legion members using their skills outside of training or battle.” His narrow-eyed gaze switched back to me. “You shall face the consequences.”
I had to wonder if he honestly believed there would be any consequences. It was quite probable that he simply wanted to do something – anything – that would incense Salem. He had nothing better to do? How sad. “You know, I’m pretty sure they sell lives in one of the stores over there. I suggest you buy one and butt out of Salem’s.”
Blythe looked like she truly wanted to gut me. “Do not think that angering us will make us walk away. We will not tolerate what you did to Gina.”
“What Gina did to herself, you mean. She was warned several times to keep her distance from me. She chose to not only harass me twice, but to try and cause shit between me and Salem. I have witnesses to confirm that, if you’re interested. The fact is that she brought this situation on herself. And I’m sure she’s very aware of that, which is why she isn’t standing with you. She knows that if anyone will be facing consequences, it will be her.”
That was when I heard Sam, Jared, and the guys all filing out of the arena. I didn’t move my eyes from the duo, though. The crowd must have parted to allow Sam and Salem to come through, because they were suddenly flanking me.
“What’s going on?” demanded Salem, his arm brushing mine.
“Is there a problem here?” Sam’s voice was cold.
Will lifted his chin as he addressed Sam. “Your squad member assaulted my vampire.”
Sam studied Blythe from head to toe. “She looks fine to me.”
Will appeared to be grinding his teeth. “I’m referring to Gina. She” – he stabbed his finger in my direction, earning himself a growl from Salem – “attacked her in a bar last night.”
“Is that true, Ava?” Jared asked from behind me.
“Yep. And I’ll do it again if she doesn’t back off.”
“Gina provoked her on two separate occasions,” interjected Alora, “spouting petty little insults, and saying stuff like Salem will soon leave Ava, and that Gina could easily have him under her thrall because he secretly wa
nts her.”
Salem snorted at that, clutching my hand in his.
“She was trying to make Ava doubt Salem,” deduced Sam.
“Yes.” Alora smiled as she then added, “Gina even said she could have Jared under her thrall, if she wanted.” Jared actually laughed at that.
Sam’s expression hardened as her brow arched. “She did, did she?” There was a promise of repercussions in her voice.
“Gina would never say such a thing,” Blythe declared, resolute.
“Oh, but that was exactly what she said,” contradicted Alora, still smiling – taking utter joy in stirring some shit.
Maya spoke then. “She even invited Ava to fight with her in the bar – said something pathetic like ‘let’s dance’.”
“All things considered,” began Jude, “I’m honestly confused about why Gina thought she wouldn’t get hurt at some point.”
Cassie nodded. “Personally, I think Gina’s lucky that all Ava did was knock her out.”
After a brief moment of silence, Sam shrugged at Will. “Sounds to me, then, that Gina knew exactly what she was risking by provoking Ava again and again.”
Will’s eyes bulged. “You will let this go unpunished?”
“Taking Gina’s ‘let’s dance’ comment into account, it’s clear that she didn’t protest to the duel; she actually welcomed it,” stated Jared. “We won’t punish Ava for the fact that she won.”
A flush crept up Will’s neck and face. “She should not be allowed to use her abilities outside of the legion! She is exploiting her training!”
The chuckle that came out of Sam was empty of humour. She looked at Will with pity. “Oh, Will…Don’t you get it? Every single member of this legion is trained to destroy their opponents with minimal effort. If Ava had truly wanted to cause Gina any major harm, your vampire would be recovering – very, very slowly – in the infirmary right now. So enough with the dramatics, all right.”
With that, Sam walked away. The others followed, casting very unfriendly glances at Will and Blythe, until only Salem and I remained.
Clearly irate, Will glared at Salem. “You find it perfectly acceptable that she – someone you have known for only a short length of time – attacked a member of your own line? A member who you have known for so much longer, who you have been intimate with, who helped you learn the control you have?”
“Even if I didn’t find it acceptable, my loyalty lies with Ava. Not with my line.”
That made me smile. It made Blythe gasp in horror and a dose of shock. Shock? Um…why? Will might be Salem’s Sire, but loyalty had to be earned. If Will had ever truly earned it, Salem would never have left to join the legion.
Shaking his head in what seemed to be both disappointment and anger, Will claimed, “You have changed, Salem. I never thought I’d see the day –”
“Night,” I corrected.
“– that you betrayed me and your line so wholeheartedly. To leave us to become a member of the legion was bad enough. But to side with someone outside your own line, someone who attacked –”
“I was there, Will,” Salem interrupted. “Or did Gina not tell you that? I was at the bar last night, I witnessed her bait Ava. I warned her away from Ava yet again. But she stayed. She wanted a fight, and she got one.”
“But I don’t think any of that matters to you,” I said to Will. “Not really. I don’t think you honestly care about what happened to Gina. You saw an excuse to confront me, to cause shit, and you took it.”
“How could you let this child come between us, Salem? How could you turn from me this way?” Will’s face was so red by that point that Blythe was starting to look worried. “I am your Sire.”
Salem sighed. “Yeah, you keep saying that. What’s your point?”
I raised my hand high, like I was a kid in a classroom. Well, if they were going to call me a child, I’d give them one. “Ooh, I know, I know!”
Salem’s mouth twitched. “Then share it with the class.”
“Well, at first I thought his problem was that he felt you owed him your obedience and respect. But it’s not.” I looked at Will. “Having authority over people makes you feel good, doesn’t it? It’s a way for you to feel superior to them. The fact that you’ve lost what authority you had over Salem was bad enough. But he also has more than you’ve ever had. And you just can’t stand that.”
Will didn’t respond.
“I’d say that I can’t understand why you won’t just put all your personal issues aside and make the most out of the new life you now have here. But I do understand why. I’ve met hypercompetitive people before. They measure themselves against others, against what others have. They never admit defeat, and they’ll do anything to win.
“You feel like you come up short compared to Salem; it’s something that eats at your pride. And the only way it’ll all feel balanced again – the only way you can help maintain your self-worth – is if you either get what he has…or you make him lose it. You tried the first, but it didn’t work. So now you’re hoping to try the latter. You knew that if everybody turned against me tonight for attacking Gina, Salem would then turn against them. Again, though, your plan failed.” I smiled. “Bet that rankles.”
Blythe tried to pull her mate away. “Let’s leave them both with their own idiocy.”
He shook her off as an ugly smirk darkened his features. “If only Ava knew the entire truth about you, Salem. I sincerely doubt she would have such adoration for you if she did. That’s right, I looked into your past. I know it all.”
“Actually, I doubt that you do.” Salem shrugged. “Not that it matters. Ava knows everything. You have nothing to hold over my head, Will. No authority over me. If I were you, I’d let all this go. I’d make some attempt to live peacefully here. For your mate’s sake, if nothing else. Or things could get very, very bad for you.”
“Is that a threat?” Will sniggered. “You cannot touch me, Salem. I made an agreement with Sam and Jared. Information for –”
“Residence here,” finished Salem. “But no one said you’d live long.”
As the implication hit Will, his expression was almost comical.
“It’s true that they won’t banish you from the island without good cause. They don’t go back on their word. But that doesn’t mean you’re untouchable while you’re here.” Salem tugged on my hand. “Come on, baby.”
I happily let him lead me away, leaning into him. I wasn’t prepared to allow the duo to steal any more of my quality time with Salem.
We hadn’t been home for more than twenty seconds when Salem quite expectedly brought up the subject I didn’t want to discuss. “You didn’t tell me that Gina had confronted you a few nights ago.”
Retrieving a cola-flavoured NST out of the fridge, I confirmed, “Nope.”
“Why?”
I shrugged, unscrewing the lid off my bottle. “It wasn’t important.”
“Repeat that.” His voice was low, vibrated with annoyance.
“It wasn’t important.”
He advanced on me, arms folded. “It wasn’t important that she said things to hurt you?”
As the NST eased the small tickle of thirst in the back of my throat, I sighed. “I didn’t want to spend our time together talking about her. That would have been like letting her in our bed with us.”
His face scrunched up in revulsion. “Nothing would be like letting her in our bed.”
Major eye roll. “You know what I mean. I didn’t want us to spend our time talking about her or the poison she gets a kick out of spewing.”
He grunted, appearing dissatisfied with my response.
“She was probably hoping I’d take it out on you and that, like Sam said, I’d doubt you.”
“Gina was wrong in everything she said. Tell me you know that.”
“I know.” He’d have been castrated by now if I thought differently.
He grunted again. “Good.”
“What did Sam and Jared want to talk to you and t
he guys in private about?”
“They were warning us one more time not to turn all overprotective with your squad tomorrow night; reminding us that we’re supposed to watch your backs, not try to shield you and become distracted. What are you doing?”
I dialled a familiar number using my cell phone. “Calling for pizza.”
“Pizza?”
“And some wedges and stuff.” Knowing what Salem liked, I quickly placed our order and ended the call with a satisfied sigh. “Tonight we’re going to relax, eat junk, and have some alone time.”
Heat flared in his eyes; he’d no doubt interpreted ‘alone time’ to mean ‘sex’. Typical male. “Sounds good.”
“First, I have to change. Reuben tore my jeans during training, the fucker.”
“He’s still sour that you bruised his ego.” Now that Salem had gotten past his annoyance over my spar with Reuben, he was nothing but proud of the fact that I’d won.
By the time the food arrived, I’d slid into a red dress – one that was casual yet racy – that Fletcher had chosen for me. Salem had reacted just as Fletcher predicted: he’d tried to rip it off. Only once I’d promised he could remove it later was he happy to settle on the balcony. We placed all the boxes on the glass table, and each claimed a deck chair.
It was when we were almost done eating that Salem said, “You never told me how you became a vampire.”
Sitting cross-legged, I swallowed down my last wedge before responding. “My Sire, Victor, wanted to create himself a sizeable nest, so he went around attacking humans, leaving them for dead, and then ‘saving’ them. He Turned Cristiano and me on the same night, but it took us a while to realise he’d also been the one who attacked us.”
“How did you adjust to being immortal?”
“After I got a hold on my bloodlust, I took well to this life. It felt like a fresh start. And I had a cool gift, so that went a long way into making me happy with being a vampire. Cristiano…he had a harder time adjusting.”
Salem claimed the last slice of pizza, the asshole. “Why?”