Author: catstark

From The Grey House:

The woman wore a silver chain with a large red stone. The stone was set in silver backing and had silver markings on it. To a casual observer, the markings probably looked like a random design. Natalia had seen a large picture of it in the Slayer journals and knew better. The one she found in the book was the one Vincent worn. That one had a fleur-de-lis that wrapped to the edge of the stone. This one had a paw prints behind a silver fleur-de-lis. Natalia had a vague idea what the design meant but as the red stone was the exact color of the necklace Vincent wore, Natalia could surmise only one thing. The woman worked for Vincent.

For Valentine’s Day, I share with you the beginning of a story called Bitter Sweets. Yes, it’s a long beginning. I have no idea when I’ll finish it, but here you are:

Bitter Sweets

Carrie smiled as the bell dinged over her new bookstore. It was the grand opening, eight in the morning and someone was already here. She looked up and smiled at the man walking through the door.

“Hi! Welcome to Page Turner. How can I help you today?”

The man smiled. His dark eyes were made kind by his smile. He had the start of laugh lines at the corners and it made him rather handsome. “Hi! I’m Gary. I own the apothecary next door. I wanted to welcome you to the neighborhood.”

He walked toward the counter and held out his hand. Carrie took his hand and shook it. He gave a warm, firm handshake that promised of friendship. “Hi, Gary. I’m Carrie.”

They both laughed a little at the rhyme. Carrie let his hand go and motioned to the store at large as she spoke.

“You probably have to get to work, but feel free to look around. We have an apothecary section in back. Not as big as some places, most people don’t bring those books to used books stores.”

“That’s true.” He smiled again. “I have an hour before I open. I saw you working on this place for the past few days and wanted to come early to check it out.”

“That’s sweet! Thank you. I have no idea if I opened too early or if a used book store is something that’s needed in this area.”

He gave her a look that conveyed a lot. “We need a bookstore. There are never enough books.”

She blushed. “I say that all the time.” She giggled. “It’s actually why I decided to open a used books store. I had so many books, I had nowhere to put them. I figured if I opened a bookstore, I would have more space for them and would be able to read things I’d never heard of.”

“But you have to sell them.”

She shrugged. “I’m ok with that. It means the person that buys the book was supposed to find it.”

Gary smiled, and it showed how much he liked that statement. He held his hand to take hers again. When she laid her hand in his, he covered her hand with the other. “That is beautiful.”

“Thank you.”

He smiled again, as did she. After a moment of looking at each other and smiling at each other, Gary let go of her hand. “I’m going to look around.”

“Ok. Let me know if you need anything, and there is coffee behind me. Nothing fancy, just coffee, sugar and cream.”

“Thanks.”

They smiled again, and he walked away, toward the back of the store. Carrie smiled to herself as she straightened somethings behind the counter. She was glad the owner of the apothecary was a nice person. She had worried about her neighbors when she found the place. To one side was an apothecary, to the other was a bakery. Carrie knew it was best to have good neighbors in all situations.

“Hey.”

She looked to her right as Gary came back, a book in hand. “Find something?”

He had a slight frown on his face. “I did. You’re right, it’s not big section, but this caught my eye almost right away.” He placed the book down on the counter in front of her. It was an old tome, leather bound with yellow pages. “Do you know where this came from?”

She touched the book, almost caressing it. She loved old books. “Not sure. I have a habit of picking up old books like this. I love the way they look. This might have been my dad’s though. He was a librarian. When the library converted to digital, he rescued a lot of books.”

“Rescued?

Carried looked up to Gary, her hand still on the old tome. “He wasn’t sure what they were doing with the physical books. He tried to find out, but his superiors wouldn’t tell him. He followed one of the trucks one night and lost it. They were using magic to hide their actions.”

Gary frowned. “Why would they do that?”

“I don’t know.” She closed her eyes as she came to her senses. “I probably shouldn’t have said any of that.” She looked back to Gary and saw a warm, trusting smile. “You won’t say anything though, will you?”

“I don’t see the point.” He looked around the empty bookstore before nodding to himself. “Look, I’d like to talk about this more, but maybe not here. Maybe we can have dinner and talk more?”

“I’d like that.”

“Great!” He looked down at the book and she did as well. “How much for the book?”

She paused for a moment. “Why were you surprised it was here?”

“The Apothecary’s Journal is not as simple as the title makes it seem. It has some rather dangerous spells and potions. Not something that should be laying around.”

Carrie nodded, then opened the cover, and a looked at a few of the first pages. “It wasn’t a library book. There isn’t one of those old envelopes. I must have picked it up somewhere.” She smiled. “And now it’s yours.”

“How much?”

She looked at him and smiled. Her mother had been a natural mage, which meant she could do certain things without spells and potions. Carrie inherited some of that and could tell when someone was a good person. Gary was a good person. She could trust him. Carrie smiled and slid the book closer to Gary.

“Take it, it’s yours. There’s no price on it and I really don’t remember buying it.”

He frowned slightly. “It’s your first day, your first sale and you’re giving away the book?” He gave a slight smirk. “Are you going to do that to everyone?”

She laughed. “No, but you seem to know what you’re talking about.”

He raised an eyebrow. “If I pick another book, will you charge me for it?”

Carrie laughed again. “Yes. I know I need to actually sell things.”

Gary smiled, held up a finger and walked to the back of the store. He returned a moment later with two books. He placed them on the counter and stared at Carrie. The books were not as old, but they were rather good books on apothecary.

“I’m surprised you don’t already have these.” She opened the cover found the price and rang it up on the register.

“I do, but my niece is taking classes. She needs them.”

“Ah. How old is your niece?” She moved the book out of the way and opened the second one. She rang that up.

“Laura is 14, going on 100. She is terribly bright and doesn’t let anyone forget that.”

“Sounds like a handful.”

“A bit, but she’s my favorite.”

“Plan on having any of your own?” She finished ringing up the books.

“I don’t know.” He looked uncomfortable with the subject and she let it drop.

She gave him a friendly smile before turning back to the register. “That’ll be $30 for the books. Do you need a bag?”

Gary dug out his wallet. “No, not going very far.”

Wallet in hand, he gave her his credit card. She rang everything up and had him sign the screen.

“Print or emailed receipt?”

“Email.”

She showed him where to enter his email and tried not to stare at him. She liked the way he looked. His dark hair was greying at the temples. She liked that a lot. He looked to her when he was done.

“What time do you close?”

“Six. I might come back after dinner, but we’ll see.”

“I close at seven. Come over when you’re ready.”

“Ok. See you later and thank you for the sale.”

He gave her another smile. “You’re very welcome. I’m glad we’re neighbors.”

“Me, too.”

Gary smiled again then left. Carrie smiled as the bell over the door chimed. Her first day was shaping up to be rather nice.

                                                            *****

“Hello.”

The smile in his voice made Carrie smile. She heard the bell chime from across the room but hadn’t bothered getting up. This was her second week, and things were going well with the store and with Gary. He came by every day, at least once a day and they had lunch or dinner every day as well. She looked up from the floor as he spoke.

“How are you?”

“Good.” He sat on the floor next to her, avoiding the books she had yet to put away. “How are sales?”

“Great! I didn’t realize how much people love books in this town. I thought since it’s smaller, that I wouldn’t do quite as well.”

“We value education here. It’s why I didn’t move away when I decided to open the store. I almost did, as there is another apothecary, but it’s worked out. He and I sell mostly the same things, but we each have our specialties.”

“I grew up in Chicago. Everyone always said the education level was best in big cities, but that isn’t proving true. There are high school students coming in here to buy books not on their reading list. It’s quite refreshing. I worked at a used book store for a while in the city.” She shook her head. “Younger kids didn’t usually come in.”

Gary shrugged. “We make sure everyone here has a quality education. Smart, informed citizens make for a better city.”

“True.”

He gazed at her as she put another book away. He liked the way her blond hair fell out of the bun at almost every opportunity. He wanted to see her hair down, but they were taking things slow. He had his reasons; she had hers. Carrie looked over at him and smiled.

“Did you have lunch yet?”

“No. That’s why I came over.”

“I have a lunch date with the woman who runs the consignment store across the street. We’re going to grab sandwiches and eat in the park.”

“Cris is a good person. If you haven’t talked to her much, she’s a hoot.”

“Do you talk to all the shop owners?”

“Yep.”

“What about the baker?”

“John? Not sure. He keeps to himself. Doesn’t seem like a bad guy. Why?”

“He stopped in and said ‘hi’ last week but seemed a little flustered.”

“That’s John.” He sighed. “I’m hungry, though. If you’re busy, I could come back later? Maybe we can grab dinner?”

She smiled. “I would like that a lot.”

Gary smiled again, thought about kissing her cheek, but smiled again and got up. They both had their own reasons to go slow, and he wasn’t going to push it. When he stood, Carrie did as well. She placed her hand on his chest.

“See you around seven?”

He covered her hand with his. “Yes. Maybe we can go to that Indian place on 5^th?”

She frowned. “Can’t. I’m allergic to ginger, turmeric, cardamom. Really anything in the Zingiberaceaefamily.”

“That’s very important to know.”

“Yes. How about Italian?”

“There’s an Italian place down the block.”

“Sounds good.” She smiled and removed her hand.

Gary smiled again and left, his heart pounding in his chest. He felt like a teenager whenever he was around her, even though his teen years were a long time ago.

                                                            *****

The door chimed above the door. Carrie turned to greet her customer as she smiled. “Hello, John. How are you?”

He blushed slightly as he clutched at a small plastic container. “Good. You?”

“Fine. I’m almost closed for the day. Is there anything in particular you were looking for?”

“No, just wanted to give you a treat. I hope that’s ok?” He held up the container.

“Thank you, John! That’s so sweet.” She walked toward her counter as he placed the container on it. “What is it?”

“Mint chocolate chip brownie.”

“Oh,” she tried not to sound disappointed, “thank you.”

He smiled, not having heard the change in her tone of voice. “Let me know how it is, ok?”

“Sure. I’ll have it later.”

John smiled again and looked around. “How’s business?”

“It’s been really good. I like the people around here.”

“It’s a good town.” He looked at her with a slight smile on his face. “Well, enjoy the brownie. I’ll see you next time.”

“Bye, John. See you later.”

He waved and left. Carrie looked at her watch, noticed the time and went to the door. She locked up, flipped the ‘Open’ sign to ‘Closed’ and went to the counter. She looked at the plastic container and frowned. She loved chocolate and loved brownies. She even liked mint every once in a while, but didn’t like mint in pastries. Carrie picked up the container, took it to the back and tossed the brownie. She washed the container in the restroom sink, dried it and put it back on the front counter. She would give it back to him tomorrow.

                                                            *****

The bell chimed above the door, but Carrie didn’t move or call out. She was with a customer. The shop was busy, and she liked that. Most of the time, when someone came in, they bought a book. It was her one-month anniversary and things were going well. She had money set aside for rent, utilities and other things that would last her for three years. Therefore, she didn’t have to worry about customers as much, but it was nice to be in the black.

Things were going well with Gary, too. He understood that she wanted time and let her lead. She wanted to take things to the next step, but it was complicated. She hadn’t told him why and wasn’t ready. He wasn’t ready to delve into his past either. They left their past alone and concentrated on getting to know everything else.

“Carrie? I’m sorry to interrupt.”

She turned and saw John. Carrie nodded and looked to her customer, who was a regular. “Give me just a moment, Emily.”

“Sure, sure.”

Carrie looked to John. “How can I help you?”

He handed her a plastic container. “I don’t have a lot of time, but I wanted to give you this.”

“John, you don’t have to do that.” He had been in the shop almost every day this month, always with a treat.

“I know. I like sharing with my friends.”

She smiled and took the container. “What is it?”

“Peanut butter bars with chocolate and peanut butter topping.”

She smiled and took the container. Carrie didn’t like lying to John, but he never brought her anything she liked. She didn’t want to hurt his feelings. He seemed to be making things specifically for her. She had been in his shop. The things he brought her were never for sale in the bakery.

“Thank you, John. That’s very nice of you.”

He gave what looked like a little bow. “You’re welcome. I have to go. I’ll see you later.”

He turned and left. Carrie went to her register and put the container down and went back to her customer.

                                                            *****

“Hey.”

Carrie looked to Gary as he walked in. “Hi.”

“I thought you were going to come by when you were done?”

“I’m not done. Mrs. Dowtree is in the back, trying to find one last book for her class.” Carrie indicated the pile of books on the counter next to her register.

Gary’s eyes went wide. There were about thirty books waiting to be rung up. “Wow.”

“Gifts for her students for summer. She’s finding the perfect book for each of her students. She’s amazing. I wish I had an English teacher like that.”

“She was my teacher. I forgot that she did that. I still have my book. It was the first apothecary book I read.”

“Nice. She came in here after lunch. When closing time came, I let her know the time and told her to finish at her leisure. I should have told you, but I didn’t know it would take this long.”

“It’s fine. I could get us some take out?”

She smiled. “That would be great! But let me pay. I want to get food for Mrs. Dowtree, too.”

“I was already thinking about doing that. I’ll pay. I’ll be back.”

“Ok.”

She smiled and watched him leave. He was back within half an hour, but Mrs. Dowtree was not done. Gary set the bags down on the counter and Carrie went to lock the door. She flipped the sign and smiled to Gary.

“Let me tell Mrs. Dowtree.”

“Sure.”

She went to the back and let Mrs. Dowtree know there was food and led the older woman back to the front.

“Have you found what you’re looking for?”

Gary had fetched chairs from various parts of the store. Though it was a small store, Carrie had various chair set up to allow customers to sit and read. She felt it was important.

“I haven’t. This one is a hard one. She pretends to like certain things to be popular but loves to read and is very intelligent. I want to find something that fits her, but I wasn’t sure what.”

“My sister was like that. Maybe we can look more after eating?” Carrie suggested.

“I would appreciate your help.” She smiled and looked to Gary. “And, how are you?”

“Good, ma’am. Thank you.”

Mrs. Dowtree looked to both of them and smiled but said nothing. They handed out food, ate and talked of nothing. Once they were done, the three went back to looking for the perfect book. Carrie finally found a book on fashion from the 1800’s.

“Hmmm.” Mrs. Dowtree didn’t seem convinced.

“It’s educational with the guise of being about something a popular girl would love. I’m pretty sure my sister had something like this. She really liked it.”

Mrs. Dowtree nodded. “All right. I guess that’s it.”

“Great! Let’s get you rung up.” She looked to Gary. “Mind helping me bag everything up? It’ll go quicker and then we can take everything to Mrs. Dowtree’s car.”

“It would be my pleasure.”

“Thank you.”

“Yes. Thank you, Gary.”

“You’re welcome, Mrs. Dowtree. Let’s get everything taken care of.”

Carrie rung her up faster than Gary thought possible and he placed the books carefully in the bags. Carrie tried not to be too happy about the sale. It was her biggest yet. Thirty books with the lowest amount at $10. The highest was $30, but Mrs. Dowtree didn’t even pause as she handed over her credit card. Carrie finished the sale and Gary took the paper bags to Mrs. Dowtree’s car, which was parked right in front of the shop. Once everything was taken care of, Gary came back in the store.

“Nice haul.”

“It was.”

Gary saw her blush and changed subjects. “What’s in the container?”

“Oh.” She frowned. “John’s been giving me treats almost every day since I opened. It’s sweet of him, but I wish he wouldn’t.”

Gary frowned, concerned. “Why not?”

She sighed. “I don’t like what he’s been bringing me. This for instance. It’s a lemon bar with strawberry cream frosting.”

“Sounds good.”

“I don’t like lemon and strawberry combinations. That’s the thing. He keeps giving me desserts that are combinations of things I like separately but not together. Like mint chocolate chip brownies, or peanut butter bars. I like mint, I like chocolate, but not together. I haven’t been eating anything.”

Gary frowned. “Are all the desserts combinations?”

“Yeah, why?”

He looked like he didn’t want to say anything. He pursed his lips and nodded. “Carrie, you can tell how a person is, can’t you?”

“What?” No one ever picked up on that.

“You’re a natural mage, right?”

She blushed. “Yeah.”

“Why are you embarrassed about that? Never mind. That’s a story for another time. You knew I was a good person, right?”

“Yeah, but I don’t need to be a natural mage to know that. I knew when you decided to buy books.”

He grinned, but let it go. “What do you think about John?”

“He’s quiet, but I don’t know. He’s in and out of here too quickly.”

Gary reached forward and placed his hands on her shoulders. “No. Think about it. Take your time and tell me what you really think about him.”

She seemed to shrink back into herself, as if afraid of what she could do. “The last time I did that, someone got hurt. I don’t like trying to use my abilities, Gary.”

He struggled for a moment, then decided to ask. “Tell me about it.”

“Let’s go someplace more comfortable. My apartment is upstairs.”

“All right. I’ll help you close up completely.”

“Thank you.”

It didn’t take long. About a half an hour later, they were in her living room, sitting on the couch, glasses of wine on the coffee table in front of them. They were facing each other, but not touching.

“Tell me.”

“This is a hard story for me to tell.”

“I get that. I have a few of my own. Take your time.”

She sighed. “The last time I used my abilities, really tried to use them, my sister…my sister died.”

He frowned. “What are your abilities?”

“I can tell someone’s intentions. I can see what they plan on if I really try. I can sometimes read their minds. That’s all.”

“How did that hurt your sister?”

“She was dating someone and asked me to read him. I did.” She closed her eyes. “He was a dark one.” She placed her hands over her face. “Gods, he was scary.” She looked to Gary. “I told her to stay away from him. She broke it off, and he didn’t like that. He… he killed her. His defense was that if he couldn’t have her, no one else would either.” She looked away and sighed. “That was five years ago. I haven’t willingly tried to use my abilities since then. Some of it comes naturally, like knowing when someone is nice, but if I can’t read someone I don’t try. At first, I didn’t even want to use the subconscious abilities either but had to come to turns with the fact that I can’t turn them off rather quickly.”

“Carrie…”

“I know all the arguments. I’ve been in therapy a few different times, but it doesn’t help. He might have killed her even if I didn’t read him. I helped stop a murderer and an abuser. He’s done this before. No one knew it though. I’ve heard all the arguments and it doesn’t help.”

Gary reached out and caressed her cheek. She closed her eyes at the soft touch. “Carrie, you can’t blame yourself, and if you don’t try to read John, you’ll never know what he’s really up to.”

“It doesn’t matter. I’ve never eaten any of the pastries.”

“But if he’s doing something he shouldn’t be, the authorities need to know.”

She frowned. “You suspect something.”

“He came to my shop the week before you opened and purchased Thermasin.”

“What’s Thermasin?”

“The active ingredient used in love potions.”

She was quiet for a moment as she processed the information. “But that’s dark magic. That’s illegal.” She frowned. “Why do you sell it?”

“When used in moderation with other herbs, it’s a rather good pain killer.”

She frowned. “Oh.”

“Don’t try it unless perscribed. It’s also a mild hallucinogen.”

“Ok. But if I haven’t eaten any of the items, why does it matter?”

He looked down and took a deep breath. Gary didn’t want to scare her, but he needed her to see what might happen. “If he’s willing to use a love potion, and he sees that it’s not working, we need to know how far he’s willing to go.”

She inhaled sharply and stood. Carrie started to pace. “I… that wasn’t nice.”

Gary stood and went to her. He stood in front of Carrie, placed his hands on her shoulders and looked her in the eye. “Carrie, the truth is rarely nice. But that’s not the point. I don’t want him to hurt you and I can help stop him. Please read him. Please look into his thoughts and find out if he’s using the desserts to hide a love potion.”

She needed time to think and asked the only thing she could think of. “Why do you think he’s using it? You grew concerned once I told you about the type of desserts. Why?”

“Thermasin has a particular taste. If it’s placed into food, it has to be mixed. If it’s put it into chocolate chip cookies, there’s an odd aftertaste. The mint would mask that aftertaste. Same with the lemon bars. Lemon bars with lemon frosting has one taste. Add the strawberry cream frosting, there’s enough of a difference that it masks the Thermasin.”

Carrie moved away from Gary and at back down on the couch. “Ok.” She took a deep breath. “I’ve had bad dreams since the day he first offered me treats.”

Gary moved to the couch and sat beside her. “Carrie…”

She took his hand. “Just don’t leave me tonight, Gary. I’m going to need some comfort.”

“Ok.”

Carrie looked to him and saw nothing but the desire to help her. She gave a brave smile and took deep, calming breaths. She closed her eyes and concentrated. Though she had not done this in five years, it came easily. It was like riding a bike. She never forgot how to use her abilities, she only chose not to. She took a few more deep breaths and thought of John.

Once she was centered, his mind open to her. He could not tell she was seeking him out, as long as she was careful. Carrie read his surface thoughts and saw it. He was wondering why the love potion wasn’t working on her. She pulled out of his mind and opened her eyes. She looked to Gary and their eyes connected easily. As soon as they were connected she read his mind. She wasn’t trying to, but that was a side effect of her abilities. If she used it to read one person, she might accidentally read the person she first saw upon opening her eyes.

Pain clouded her vision. She gasped as her hand went to her mouth. “Gary, I’m so sorry.”

Tears welled up in his eyes. He looked away. “I didn’t know if I could hide that. I’m sorry you saw it.”

“No, Gary. Don’t be sorry. Loss is never easy. When my mom lost my dad, she was beside herself. She followed him less than six months later.”

He hung his head. “When my wife died, I thought about taking my own life. I didn’t want to live without her.”

“How long were you together?”

“Nineteen years.” He gave a harsh laugh. “Not long enough.”

She caressed his cheek. “I can’t imagine what you’re going through.” She paused but when he didn’t say anything, she continued. “Loss is loss and even though I don’t know what you’re going through, I know what loss and grief doesn’t get better. You just get used to it.”

“I know.” He looked into her eyes. “She died four years ago. The hardest thing for me right now is that I love her, but I think I’m starting to fall in love with another woman.”

Carrie’s eyes grew wide. Her abilities were still open, and she knew he was talking about her. “Gary…”

“I want to be with you, Carrie. Each morning, I wake up thinking about you. You’re the last thing I think about at night, too. I’m not sure I’m ready, but I don’t know if I’ll ever be ready.”

“I wake up thinking about you, too.” She blushed. “At night I fall asleep thinking about being in bed with you.”

He gave a genuine smile but stopped himself from pulling her into his arms. “We need to take care of John, first. Do you still have the dessert he gave you?”

She shook her head. “All ready threw it away.”

“Can’t use that then.” He sighed and wondered what to do.

“Gary, he gives me a new dessert every day.”

“Right.”

“We can’t do anything until tomorrow.”

“No, we can’t.”

She gave him a careful look. “Do you want to spend the night?”

He could feel his heart pounding in his chest. “I do.”

She smiled and bit her lip. “Good.”

Carrie stood and held her hand out to Gary. He took it and stood. Carrie led the way to her bedroom, holding Gary’s hand the entire time.

                                                            *****

The next morning, Carrie was rather nervous. She wasn’t sure she wanted John to come in. She distracted herself by thinking of Gary. Any time she did, she blushed. He was a kind and gentle lover. She closed her eyes. They were going to be together tonight, too. The door chimed, and she opened her eyes. Carrie smiled, and tried to make it stick. John was headed her way with a plastic container.

“Hi, John.”

“Carrie. Always a pleasure.”

“What do you have this time?”

He smiled. “A special treat.”

“Oh?”

“Carrot cake with ginger frosting.” He held up his other hand. “And I have two forks. We can eat it right now.”

Carrie shook her head. “No, we can’t. I’m allergic to ginger, John. I can’t eat that.”

His face fell. “Oh, wow. I’m sorry.”

“That’s all right. Thank you though.”

“Sure.” He turned to leave.

“John?”

He stopped and turned around. “Yes?”

She took a breath. “I’m a natural mage, John. Are you trying to use a love potion on me?”

His eyes went wide, and he stood stock still for a moment.

“John?”

He bolted from the store. In his haste, he ran into the door. He dropped the forks and container, ripped the door open and ran to his shop. She ran to the container, grabbed it and ran out as well. She went to Gary’s shop and ran to him. He was with a customer, but she charged over to him and didn’t try to be pleasant.

“John gave this to me. It has ginger on it. I asked him if he was using a love potion on me and he ran out. He dropped the container.”

Gary nodded as he reached for the phone. “I’m calling the authorities.”

Outside, they heard a car starting up. Carrie ran to the front window and saw John speeding away. “Shit.”

Carrie went back to Gary. His customer was nowhere to be seen. “He’s gone.”

“Not surprised. Why did you ask him if he was using a potion?”

“I wanted to be wrong about him.”

He nodded. “I can understand that. You want people to be good, don’t you?”

“Yeah.”

Gary nodded again. “The authorities will be here shortly. Do you want to close up your shop?”

“I should.”

He smiled. “I’ll come with you.”

“Thanks.”

He smiled again then came around the counter and slipped his arm through hers. They went to her shop and closed it for the day. Done, they went to his shop to await the authorities.

                                                            *****

The Officers of Unauthorized Black Magic arrived an hour later. Both were older gentlemen, who smiled upon entering the apothecary. Gary greeted them kindly and brought them to Carrie, who was sitting in the back of the store, resting. She kept going over all her encounters with John, as if trying to figure out why he wanted to use a love spell on her. She smiled to the officers when they arrived.

“Hello.”

One stepped forward as he brought out his tablet. “Hello. I’m Officer Brown and this is Officer McNara. You called in the unauthorized use of Black Magic?”

“Yes.” She took the container off the nearby table and showed it to the officers. “I’m a natural mage. The baker to the left of my bookstore was trying to feed me a love potion in the treats he made me. This is the last one he made.”

Officer Brown took the container and handed it to McNara, who left with it. “We have test equipment in the van. He’ll be able to tell if there’s anything in it in a few minutes. I need your fingerprint for the record.”

She nodded, stepped forward and placed her thumb on the screen. It read her print then made a noise. Officer Brown made a face and looked to the screen once he took the tablet back.

“Oh.” He looked to Carrie. “My last partner and I worked on your sister’s case.”

She looked at his face and gave an oddly sad smile. “I remember you.”

“I’m sorry for your loss, but I’m glad I can help you again.”

“What are you doing here? We’re a little far from the big city.”

“Couple years ago, I switched precincts. The north part of the city is small enough, we cover this city and two others further North as well.”

She frowned as the city was more than two hours away. Carrie was about to ask how he had gotten her so fast, but he answered before she could ask.

“We have teleport points.”

“Ah.” She smiled. “I suppose you want to ask the questions now.”

“I need to yes. When did you start to suspect he was trying to use a love potion on you?”

Carrie sat down and indicated another chair to Officer Brown. He sat down and waited, poised to write things down in his tablet. “I didn’t suspect anything until I told Gary what types of desserts John brought me. Gary told me that Thermasin has to be masked with conflicting flavors or the person ingesting it can tell it’s there.”

Officer Brown looked to Carrie. “And who sold him the Thermasin.”

“Gary did.”

“I’ll be questioning him later. What happened after you found out all this?”

“I found this out last night. Today, John brought over the dessert I gave you.” She looked down. “I wanted to be wrong about him. I told him I was a natural mage and asked him if he was trying to use a love potion on me. He ran out of the store after dropping the dessert.”

“How long has he been bringing you desserts?”

“Since a week after I opened.”

“And you never ate anything?”

“I never liked anything he brought to me. I don’t like mint in my chocolate brownies or strawberry cream on my lemon bars. Everything he brought to me was a mixture I didn’t care for.”

“What did you do with all of it?”

“Threw it away.”

“He never became suspicious?”

“Not until today when he brought the dessert over with two forks.”

“Is it something you would have eaten?”

She shook her head. “Carrot cake with ginger frosting. I’m allergic to ginger.”

He nodded, but stopped his questions as Officer McNara came back in. “It’s positive for Thermasin. It’s a powerful dose.”

Carrie hung her head.

“Don’t think that way.” Officer Brown’s voice was stern.

Carrie looked up at him. “What?”

“I’m a natural mage, too. I can read what you’re thinking. It’s not your fault. Just like your sister’s boyfriend being an asshole isn’t your fault. Stop thinking that.” His voice was that of a father giving advice.

Carrie shook her head and looked away. “I can’t help it.”

“I’m going to give you a few minutes and go talk to Gary. Officer McNara will stay with you for the moment, ok?”

She nodded and watched as he left. McNara came over and sat by her. He gave her a grandfatherly smile. “Nothing to worry about dear.”

She felt calmed and gave a gentle frown. “Are you a natural mage too?”

“Most of us Officers of Unauthorized Black Magic are. It helps in finding the truth.”

Carrie nodded. “Makes sense

From The Grey House:

The wolves had been here last night to scout, learned the layout, found out how many exits and how many people lived in the cabin. It was a large cabin with two floors. There was no garage; two trucks were parked behind the cabin. The scouts reported seeing three people walking around the house. This number included Natalia; she had apparently gained some freedom after her trip to The Red Thread. Tonight, there was double the number expected. Vincent made his plans based on the smaller number, but had no choice except to proceed. Most of the new people arrived two hours before Vincent and his men. There was no time to call for backup. Vincent knew what his people were capable of and stayed the course.

From The Grey House:

Mierka, honestly worried, knelt in front of him, placing her hand on his knee. “Vincent? Are you truly, all right?”

He paused, giving her a blank look. “For the past two nights, I woke from a dream of her with the wrong woman’s scent all about me. I’m told I can’t have her until she is healed, which is far longer then I care to wait. You could exhaust me each night until she is healed, and I wouldn’t be satisfied. I have felt like this before and understand the dangers. Since no woman but Natalia will gratify me, I will do what I have to.” Vincent paused, a familiar look on his face. “There are humans downstairs, correct?”

“Yes.” She sat on the bed to slip on her jeans, socks and shoes.

“Good. I’m rather hungry. Bring one up here.”

From The Grey House:

Natalia sat huddled, wishing she could go to The Hook Up and get some food. She was hungry. The events of the evening had not allowed for nourishment, and the blood loss was adding to her already aching head. She started to breathe deep, trying hard to control the pounding. Part of the headache eased when, about 20 minutes later, Rebecca and the guy with the large backpack came out of The Hook Up. She watched as they climbed into the maroon minivan then watched it drive out of sight. Another similar van appeared at the nearby corner moments later.

A tall black man exited right before the van took off. He loitered at the corner for a moment before crossing the street and heading in her direction. She shivered, trying to look afraid. As he came closer, it was no longer hard to pretend. The mild smile on his face only served to intensify his odd features. There were three pink scars running down the left side of his face. The middle scar went from his eyebrow, through his milky white eye, to his jaw line. It looked like a dog, or a wolf, had clawed him.

The Word is Delete, but that word does not exist in my novel. So instead, I’m sharing a deleted scene. The following chapter does not exist in The Grey House any more. (It is unedited):

The Library

            Joseph led Natalia to the library. He did it quickly and without speaking to her. She had wanted to stay and watch, so he had had to grab her and pull her along. The stubborn girl had fought until she looked at his face. She had been easy to lead at that point.

            When he opened the doors, she gasped. The room was as large as the ballroom. The walls were filled with books. Some were new; some were older than any she had ever seen. Joseph led her inside, said something she missed, and left. Natalia didn’t care. She was dreaming. She had to be. After a moment, she walked to the wall opposite her and ran her hand along the spine of a book. The title and author were engraved on the spine, but she couldn’t read the language. She wondered if Vincent could, and wondered if he would translate for her. A shudder ran through her at the thought.

            The door opened behind her and she pivoted. Vincent was leaning against the closed door, staring at her. She stared back, letting her eyes wander over his body. He was wearing a beautiful black suit with a dark red shirt. It fit him very well. She shifted and leaned back against the shelves. She wondered what he thought about the deep red silk dress she was wearing.

            Vincent had wanted her way from the party for her own safety. After the spectacle, he still had not known how he felt. As he stood leaning against the door watching her, he still did not know. She shifted and the dress clung to her even more. He redirected his blood flow and tried to relax, not wanting to act before thinking things through completely.

“Did you like my present?”

“You’ve made enemies.”

“Is that really a problem?” She raised her right hand and slowly ran it through her black hair. She slowly lowered her hand caressing her own jaw line, neck and the neckline of her dress. She looked down for a moment and when she looked up he was right in front of her. He stepped forward pressing her lightly against the shelves.

“Hello, Vincent. You look wonderful tonight.” Her soft voice drew him closer.

“As do you.” He placed his left hand against the books by her head. His right hand went to her left hip. It rested there for a moment, then started wandering up and down the side of her torso. A growl escaped him, and he pressed against her more firmly. He could feel her heartbeat and her heat. He could smell her blood through the delicate citrus perfume she was wearing. Growling softly he brought his lips to her ear, moved slowly down her neck until he reached her jugular. He growled louder then bit very softly with his human teeth. He did not break the skin, but she reacted nevertheless.

Natalia’s heart beat very hard in her chest. Her breath came faster. She held it, tried to calm her heart. She could feel the flat teeth on her neck; knew his fangs were not exposed. But the thought of ending up like her mother freighted her beyond reckoning. As Vincent continued to nibble and nip she repeated a calming mantra in her head. She sighed when he started kissing the skin along the neckline of her dress.

When his lips were at her opposite shoulder, he used his teeth to ease the silk down her arm a little. He kissed his way up her arm then down her neckline again. One hand went to the small of her back and the other to the back of her neck. He pulled her closer as his lips traveled back up to her neck then to her wonderful full lips. He felt her hands on his back and in his hair. He pulled back a little to look in her face. Her face was awash with desire. She was his. He gave her a wicked smile then crushed her to him and kissed her deeply.

Natalia tried to wrap her legs around Vincent, but her dress was too tight. A frustrated sigh escaped her as her hands untangled themselves from Vincent’s hair and suit jacket. She reached down to raise her dress but Vincent stopped her hands. With another wicked smile he stepped back. His hands traveled down her sides to the tops of her thighs. With two fingers he walked her dress up her legs. She returned the smile and hissed with pleasure when he let the dress fall again.

Leaving his hands at the top of either thigh, Vincent knelt in front of her. He ran his hands down her legs, smoothing out the skirt. He leaned in and gave her inner thigh a nip. As he pulled away, he breathed her in. Her pleasantly sharp scent made him desire her fully and he let himself feel it. With the silk between his hands and her legs, he stood slowly, gathering her dress at her waist. Gripping her a little more firmly, he lifted her onto the lowest shelf. It came out a little further than the rest and made a great seat.

Vincent was between her legs pushing her roughly against the books. She was pretty well trapped. She was at his mercy. Natalia bit her lip as his hands traveled up and down her legs. She moved to kiss him, but he pulled back. An impish look was on his face. She looked at him inquisitively and squealed when he snapped the strap of the garter belt holding up her stockings.

“What other surprises are you hiding for me under that lovely dress?”

Her smile turned impish and mirrored Vincent’s own. Her hands went to his shirt button at his neck. She started unbuttoning his shirt. “What fun is there in telling?”

Using his shirt she pulled him to her again and kissed his neck. She nibbled a little, then bit him, hard. His fingers dug into her thighs, so she used more force. His right hand snaked up her body to entwine in her black hair at the back of her head. His fingers tightened in her hair and he yanked her head away from his neck. She gave a cry as her teeth snapped together from the force and she nearly bit her tongue.

“That would be far more affective if you had the right equipment.” His voice, usually deep, was rough, thick with thought of her blood in his mouth and his in hers. He bared his teeth, leaned in close enough to stare right in her eyes. “Is that what you want?”

Natalia caressed his neck, trailing her hand down into his shirt. She managed to unbutton one more button. “Do you really believe I would do all this, just to become a vampire?”

“Then why?”

The door banged open behind them, and Edwin started to bellow. “Where the hell are you hiding that bitch?”

Vincent’s head dropped to rest between Natalia’s breasts. He took a deep breath and hissed the air out between clenched teeth. Natalia stared at Edwin over Vincent’s back, plotting.

Vincent raised his head, looked Natalia in the eye. The desire was still there, waiting like a cat at a mouse hole. He grabbed her, kissed her hard, let her go and turned around. His hair was a mess, his shirt was half open, and he nearly staggered from his own desire, but he looked a hell of a lot better than his Captain. Probably felt better too.

“Edwin.” His voice betrayed his impatience.

Edwin was halfway to them when he finally realized whom Vincent was with. “She’s yours?”

“Not yet.” Vincent crossed his arms wishing to be rid of the twit.

“She is not welcomed in my city. She is not allowed in this house. She has caused the death of two of my men. I demand her death, and yours if you continue to shelter here.”

Vincent drew himself to his full height. Anger rolled off him in waves. Natalia could feel it. She wondered how Edwin did not. He was three feet from Vincent. A plan hatched in her mind and she smiled, waiting for an opportunity.

“First, this house is not in your city. Secondly, since this is my house, my rules are law. Thirdly, the men she killed deserved to die. They were ill trained in the art of fighting, and therefore unfit to keep you safe. You should thank her for pointing out the shortcomings of your guards. Lastly,” Vincent was standing in front of Edwin, towering over him. “If you ever threaten my life in my own home again, I will end your life in the most painful way possible.”

Edwin took a step back, shocked. Vincent had been in the area for twenty years and had never once openly defied his Captain. Inwardly Vincent cursed Natalia. She was going to be the death of him. From behind him, she spoke.

“Edwin, love, don’t be upset.” Her voice was melodious and sexy. Vincent brought one hand to his face to hide the smile. Maybe she wasn’t his angel of death.

Edwin’s head moved forward and tilted to the side slowly. He looked like a chicken doing an odd dance. “Who do you think you are? Don’t address me as if you know me.”

Vincent caught movement out of the corner of his eye. He turned. Natalia was ignoring him completely. She had gotten off the shelf and was walking toward Edwin, her hand at her neck twirling her necklace. He had barely noticed she was wearing it. Now it was rather evident. His eyes narrowed as he watched the light bouncing off the silver. There was far more reflection then the dim light in the room could cast. He wondered again if it could be magic. Another piece to fit into the puzzle.

“But Edwin,” Natalia’s voice was soothing, loving. Vincent marveled at her acting abilities. Edwin looked confused. “I want to know you. I did all this for you. I’ve known of you for a long time, and I’ve wanted to be with you from the beginning.”

It wasn’t working. Natalia could sense it. She wasn’t saying the right things in the right way. She quickly thought back to the club, the only other time she’d seen him. The girl. He had been with a child. She hid her contempt and used her speculation. Her movements turned awkward, like a young lady pretending to be a woman. Her lower lip started to quiver, and her eyes watered, like she was about to cry.

“But I really want to be with you Edwin.”

Vincent watched her transformation. She seemed to drop ten years. Her mannerism and expression jarred with her dress. Vincent, put off by the conflicting images, looked toward Edwin, and almost attacked him. Instead, he stepped back to watch the spectacle.

Edwin looked her up and down, wondering why he had missed it. She was so young. He stepped forward wanting a better look at her. The light around her neck was distracting him.

Natalia twirled the necklace slower, pitching her voice higher. “I need you Edwin. I really just want you to protect me. Can you protect me Edwin?”

Natalia sashayed her way to him and watched as he swayed. His eyes rolled back in his head. Natalia reached her free hand out to steady him. She told him to hold himself up and he did, even stood a little taller. She needed to test him. “Tell Vincent you’re sorry.”

“…zsorry…”

“Good. Now give me your hand.” He held out his hand and she took it. She led him to the couch and sat him down. She told him to sleep; he leaned back and completely relaxed. He even started snoring.

Natalia crossed one arm and placed her other elbow on it. Her hand went to her face. A shudder passed through her. Vincent came up behind her and held her from behind.

“That was amazing.”

“That was horrifying.” She pulled away, walked behind the couch. “What do you want to tell him?”

Vincent stood regarding the sleeping Edwin and the beautiful woman who now stood behind him. He tried to think of what to tell Edwin, what to program him with, but all he could think of was that shudder. Why had her actions affected her so deeply? He was disgusted by Edwin’s preference toward the young, but with Natalia, it had seemed more personal. He let it go and added yet another piece to the puzzle that was her.

Vincent looked around the room trying to find some inspiration. Noticing the doors were still open, he strode over, closed and locked them. He went to Natalia, pulling her away from the couch.

“Tell him: he came into the library because he heard people talking. He thought it was me. As he came closer to the couple, yelling, he realized his mistake. He decided to stay and watch them, but they left and he stayed. After we leave, he should go out to the party and take one of the humans he brought and take his fill.”

“Will that kill the human?”

Vincent thought for a moment. If Edwin had been feeding regularly, the human would not be killed, but if he had been following his own decree, it would indeed kill the human. Vincent wondered if he actually cared. This was an opportunity to reveal Edwin for the kind of Captain he really was. In the face of defacing a liar and questionable leader, did one human life matter?

“It might.” Vincent waited for a reaction. Natalia stepped away from him her brow creased in a frown.

“I can’t…”

Vincent, frustrated by her actions, questions and doubt, moved. Before Natalia could react, she was trapped between the wall and him, again. Before it had been exciting. Now she was a little bit frightened.

“Listen very closely. You have stumbled onto a very different society. If you don’t, or can’t, understand that, I suggest you leave right now for another city. I am,” he pressed closer and his voice became seductive, “more than willing to entertain you. To allow you to use me for as long as you want, if that is still your desire.” He pulled back a little. “But remember this, just because you are human, does not mean that I am going to change the way I am. I have been around for two hundred and seventy seven years. I have had many encounters with numerous slayers. I know how to keep myself and those around me alive and happy, including humans. I am trying to discredit Edwin in order to dethrone him. And if that means that a few creatures must die in order for me to save thousands more, then I will allow it. Do you have a problem with that?”

Natalia closed her eyes. She had been warned it might be like this. Humans did not belong in this fight. She could walk away. He had given her the opportunity. Her mother’s limp form came swimming into her minds eye, and she heard Donavon’s laughter. Anger swelled from the pit of her heart and she shuddered. She couldn’t let it go. Her mother had deserved so much better. And Vincent was right. She had seen it in the articles she had read. Unsolved crimes were at a rise. Countless bodies had been found floating in the bay, reason of death: unknown. She didn’t know if Vincent would be better for the city, but from the slayers journal’s she could venture a guess that he would be. She looked up at him, tried to feel seductive, and couldn’t. She settled on sounding agreeable.

“I don’t have a problem. Shall we proceed?”

Vincent nodded and let her go. He watched as she walked to Edwin and gave him his instructions. At the end, she said a word he didn’t understand, but had heard her say earlier. She backed up from the couch.

“He’ll wake up in a minute.” She paused, looked at Vincent. “What happens now?”

Vincent strode over, offered her his arm. “We go someplace more private.”

She took his arm and they walked to the door. He unlocked it and held the door open for her. He led her quickly up the stairs to his private sitting room. He could hear Morgan in the ballroom demanding his presence. Vincent chuckled to himself. As is he would lower himself to being called out. Joseph would handle the situation until a programmed Edwin showed up and rattled things. He wished he could be there to see it; he would have to settle for watching the tape tomorrow.

When they reached the door to his sitting room, he typed in the code on the keypad, not bothering to hide it from Natalia. She watched and memorized the number. If he was going to show her, she was going to remember. He opened the door and led her inside.

There was a leather couch and two leather chairs. An antique desk and chair set sat in the corner near a window. There were several glass cases with ceramic pieces from all over the world. Some looked ancient, some looked as if they had been picked from a store shelf hours ago. Natalia walked over to one and looked inside. By each piece was a small plaque listing where the piece had been obtained and when. Most had an artists name on it as well.

“These are beautiful.”

He gave a non-committal grunt, watching her from the desk. He was leaning against the edge, arms crossed. He was very curious about her, and needed more information from her, but his foremost thought was how to get her back into her flirtatious mood. He preferred it to this brooding beast.

She turned toward him, noticed his posture and used the couch to adopt a similar lean. “So what now?”

“I try and get you out of your mood.”

“I just ordered the death of a human.” She scowled angrily. “Sorry if that doesn’t turn me on.”

He smiled, amused by his own thoughts. “Killing a human doesn’t turn me on either. But drinking their blood does.”

She started shaking. “This was a mistake. I can’t do this. I can’t cause someone’s death and then forget about it.”

“You didn’t cause their death. I did.” He refrained from mentioning the slayer and the two vampires she had killed less than an hour ago. He could use it later.

“But he was under my control.”

Vincent started to pace. “As far as I understand it, a person will not do anything under hypnosis, they wouldn’t do normally do.”

“True, but how does that help in this situation? I’ve read a lot of old newspapers; I keep up with the current ones. Edwin is a killer. If he’s hungry enough, he’ll suck her dry.”

“The human he chooses he would have chosen anyway. He probably had his victim picked out two weeks ago. That is how he is. That is why I wish to be rid of him.”

“So why didn’t you just kill him?” Angry now, she slammed her hands into the couch. His superior tone and pacing was starting to get to her.

“Because if I kill him there WILL be a war, and many creatures, especially humans, will die.” He was beside her in a heartbeat. “And I am not willing to take a bloodied throne.”

“So you let him kill.” Her voice was almost too soft to hear.

“If I must.” He reached out and caressed her cheek with his fingers. “Now, shall we leave this talk for another time, or do you wish to continue to aggravate me?”

She crossed one arm and brought the other hand to her face. Vincent was probably right. Edwin had had his victim picked out, but that was a hard thing to come to terms with. Had she not been here tonight, the human would have died. Their fate was the same, with or without her. She crossed her arms and frowned. She could have died tonight if not for Vincent’s intervention. It could have been her on the menu.

Natalia did not want to dismiss the human’s death, nor did she really want to dwell on it. She had a mission and Vincent was the only one who could help her achieve her goal. She could leave everything behind, all the rage, and revenge but she would still have the knowledge. She would still see movements in the shadows. She would have to leave California, possibly the United States. Or, she could stay; perhaps prevent some of the deaths that Edwin might cause.

Vincent watched all these thoughts swim across her face. He had her again. It was a fine game they played; sometimes he was in control, sometimes she. This could prove very entertaining. He watched as she made a decision and, wanting to help, leaned in to nuzzle her neck. She almost pulled away then pressed herself against him. Not wasting a moment, he picked her up like a groom with his new bride and carried her to the bedroom. Once through the door, he put her down to close and lock the door. She was not allowed to see the code.

Natalia began to move toward the king size canopy bed but he intercepted her and pressed her against the wall. Her breathing became heavy so he pressed a little harder. She groaned softly.

“I have been thinking about trapping you against a wall since our first encounter.” He leaned in, kissed her hard. “What about you?”

Her hands slid around to his back. “The thought had crossed my mind.” She paused, then “I will never tell him to kill again.”

He laughed against her throat. “You are rather naïve, aren’t you? You have placed yourself in the middle of a secret war. You will probably cause more deaths then the ones you’ve already caused.”

Natalia tried to pull away, but she was trapped between two walls. With his great strength, he was able to hold her easily. She started to protest, but he stopped her.

“Natalia. Stop and listen. I will ask you this only once so think carefully before you answer: Do you wish my protection?” He was caressing her arms, which were still around his neck.

It took Natalia a moment to consider the question. It was what she had thought she wanted, but now that she was here, she was not too sure. She thought of the past four years and how hard it had been to simply survive. How nice it would have been to be able to talk to someone. She looked at the vampire in front of her. From what she had read, she knew he was capable of hurting and harming, just as easily as he could help. The thought of giving herself over to him completely made her heart pound.

She needed the help, and he had what she needed: unlimited resources. She hung her head, then decided. She looked him straight in the eye, unabashed determination shining through. “Yes, I wish your protection.”

“What are you willing to exchange?” He asked this through a wicked smile. He had moved her arms to the wall, holding her wrists with his cool, strong fingers.

Without batting an eye she replied, “The only thing I have. Myself.”

“And do you give of yourself willingly?” He was pressed firmly against her, holding her arms up, crossing them.

“Is that important?” Her voice was revealing her desire. He grinned. He enjoyed these games.

“I prefer my woman willing. Much more fun that way.” He was holding her wrists together with one hand. The other had trailed down her arm to her side.

“What am I getting myself into Vincent Legris?” Her voice was soft, seductive.

He bared his human teeth in a sinful grin. Just when he thought she was predictable. “And how do you know my real name?”

She craned her neck, reaching for a kiss. He gave her a deep, passionate one. When he pulled away, she was breathless. There was a mischievous twinkle in her eye. “You’ll learn that tomorrow night.”

“Actually,” he stepped away from her and crossed his arms. Her arms were still above her head, and she couldn’t lower them. Looking up, she saw she had manacles on her wrists.  “I think you’ll tell me now.”

He was all business now, and Natalia felt betrayed and rather confused. “What are you going to do to me?”

Before he answered, Vincent turned his back, slipped off his jacket, walked to a closet and hung up the suit jacket. He then loosened his blood red tie and put it away as well. Next, he brought a chair to within five feet of Natalia, sat down and took off his shoes. He examined them, frowned and put them aside for polishing. Once he was more comfortable, he sat in the wooden chair and leaned back, interlocked his fingers and placed his hands behind his head. He had taken his time. It had been nearly five minutes and Natalia had an angry/hurt look on her face.

“What am I going to do to you? As much as you let me. As for why I have captured you and chained you to my wall…” He got up from the chair and walked over to stand no more than five inches from her. “You had me trapped once before and found out a lot about me. I thought to return the favor.”

“You seemed to have something else on your mind not five minutes ago.”

“Oh, we’ll get to that.”

“Not if I say no.” Her fear was melting away; duplicity was taking over. Her legs were free; she could knee him again.

“True.” His hands went to her waist, squeezed gently. He smiled when he realized what it was she was wearing under her dress. There was a subtle shift about him. “But do you really want to?”

He was standing with his legs closed, but Natalia thought she could easily bring them apart. She gazed up at him, hiding her true emotions. “I haven’t decided yet.”

“…mmm…” He was trying to decide how best to get her dress off. The zipper was in back, and he couldn’t slip the straps off her arms. “Understand this, if you repeat your performance from my club, I will be forced to shackle your feet.” He looked her in the eye allowing her to see his desire. “And that would only make me more determined to have you say yes.”

Without thinking, Natalia kicked her right foot out to the side, encountering heavy metal. Vincent was pressed hard against her before she realized her mistake. A devious smile broke across his face. He reached down and slowly pulled the dress up over her legs.

“And if I never say yes?”

He reached a hand up and tapped the manacle. “Because I don’t trust you, you’ll stay shackled for the night.”

“That’s blackmail.”

“Yes. Yes it is.” His impish smile was back. “But this is my home, and I will do as I please, especially with someone who has asked for my protection.”

She looked steadily at him. “You said you preferred your woman willing.”

“I do.”

“Then why do you have me chained to your wall?”

Vincent’s smile stayed. “Your are chained to my wall for three reasons. One: I do not trust you. Two: as payback for what you did to Anthony and myself at my club. Three: I have questions I want answers too.”

“I’m sure you could find out yourself, seeing as how you already know more than most.”

“I know what, when, where, how. I don’t know why.”

Her arms were getting tired. She looked away from him. “What does that matter?”

He placed a hand under her chin lightly lifting her head so he could look her in the eye. “I have seen much and learned much about the woman who wishes to share my bed and use my resources. I believe she has far more to offer than her body. I want to know what caused her to come to my club and throw herself at my feet. I am giving you a chance to convince me you have more to give than what you say you do.” He moved back to the chair, brought it closer to Natalia, turned it around and sat backwards in it. He crossed his arms on the back and looked at her. “Convince me.”

From The Grey House:

Mierka and Joseph finished barricading the windows, saying little. The two met during the French Revolution. She had been an exceptional spy for the Revolutionaries. Vincent and Joseph allied themselves with the nobles; the vampires enjoyed fueling the ignorance of the wealthy and deepening the Revolution. The two friends never encouraged wars between humans and HellSpawn but took great pleasure in stoking the fires of human wars. It was easier to hide bodies during wars.

From The Grey House:

“Nope. He’s too tough for that.” She snickered. “You’re not still after my man, are you?”

Natalia shook her head as she continued to unbutton her shirt. “Charlie and I were done a long time ago. I think about him and worry about him. Since I was the one who demanded he stay out of my life, I didn’t know if I should get in touch with him.”

“I trust Charlie not to do anything stupid with his ex around, but I don’t know you well enough to trust you. If there’s ever a problem, I’ll blame you and we’ll settle things like the warriors we are.”

From The Grey House:

Carlos took the glass willingly, swirling the dark liquid, warming it. He looked up at the big vampire looming above him and raised the glass in a toast. They clinked glasses and Carlos downed his drink, while Vincent sipped at his.

A shudder passed through Carlos as liquid fire rushed down to his stomach. The shudder passed and he placed the glass on the desk. “You shouldn’t have wasted your good brandy on me tonight.”

Vincent swirled the liquid and took a sip. “Did you enjoy it?”

“Yes.” “Then it wasn’t wasted.”

From The Grey House:

Anthony was standing by a new vampire. Vincent searched for her name and remembered when he heard her laugh. Kari. He liked her well enough but was not sure where her loyalties lie. Anthony turned from her, saw Vincent watching and came toward him. Before he arrived, Vincent flagged down a waiter and asked for two glasses of his private stock. The waiter, a long-time employee, bowed and went off to do as he was told.

Anthony arrived before the waiter returned, so Vincent made light talk. When two goblets were presented to him, Vincent smiled and thanked the man, slipping him three twenties. Vincent believed strongly in rewarding loyalty.

Anthony smirked at the gesture, clinking goblets with his leader. “You pay them more than anyone else. Why tip them for wine?”

“It’s not wine.” Vincent stated between sips. The liquid held no sustenance; the taste was all he wanted.