“I’m warning you now that if it turns out the dress is slutty, I’ll slash up all your designer clothes.”
He gasped. “You wouldn’t.”
“Oh I would.”
“Now that’s just bitchy.”
I gave him a bright, totally unapologetic smile.
Returning to his seat, he asked, “So…have you decided what to give Jared as a Binding gift yet?”
I groaned. “Don’t remind me.” The tricky thing was that it was tradition for the couple to make each other’s gift. I could just about make a sandwich. Sure, I’d thought about cheating, but then I’d feel like shit when Jared gave me his hand-made gift.
“You’ll think of something.”
I wouldn’t bet on that.
“I’m so excited about all the entertainment for this week. I’ve seen the schedule, and it’s fab. Are you looking forward to the ceremony?”
“Yes. And no. I mean, I’m happy that I’m Binding with Jared, but I’m not looking forward to being the centre of attention. I’m not impressed that I have to spend a week away from training the squad just to have time with snooty Master Vampires.”
“They’re going to test you, luv,” he warned in a grave yet sympathetic voice. “You know that, right?”
“I know. Jared told me.” It hadn’t exactly come as a surprise. They would want to know that when the day came that I ruled alongside Jared, I was capable of protecting them, and that I was someone they could trust, respect, and follow. “I’ll try not to kill any of them.”
Fletcher cocked his head. “It’s not just that that’s bothering you though, is it?”
Again, he was right. It wasn’t that I had my doubts about Binding with Jared. It was that I couldn’t help worrying that he might back out. I had a number of reasons to worry about that. None of which I could talk about right then, because I felt that familiar pull. I felt him.
Turning, I spotted Jared talking to one of the other commanders further along the corridor, just as I’d known I would. As if he felt that same pull, his gaze found mine and he flashed me one of his devilish smirks.
“Why does he only smile at you like that?” griped Fletcher. “Then again, if he did smile at me like that, I’d probably blush like a virgin. Don’t you just love his Californian accent − especially when it’s spoken in that deep voice of his?”
I did actually, and as he liked my British accent, it worked out nicely.
Having exchanged a few more words with the commander, Jared was then striding purposely toward me. He walked like a man who knew what he wanted and would make no bones about trying to get it. He owned every step, filled the space around him with just his air of self-assurance.
“That bloke is a walking, talking advertisement for sex,” commented Fletcher, sighing in appreciation. I had to agree. Jared’s tall, perfectly defined body promised gratification. And delivered it.
Finally up close, he snaked his arms around my waist and dabbed a lingering kiss on my mouth. “Hey baby, I spoke to Antonio on my cell. Apparently, he was going to call me and arrange for me to meet with him, so I told him I’d be bringing you along.” Most likely in response to my sigh, he gave me a pointed look. “You promised me you’d talk to him.”
“And I will.”
“Then let’s go.” I gasped when he lightly bit my earlobe before whispering, “If we didn’t have this meeting, I’d drag you into our office and f**k you on my desk.”
“You’ve done that twice already this week.”
“Never gets old.”
Fletcher was tidying the papers on his desk, totally listening to every word.
“Want to go swimming later? I have this fantasy of f**king you in the pool.”
It was kind of intriguing, but I never ever gave Jared a ‘yes’. Teasing him was too much fun. “Maybe.”
Shaking his head at my teasing, he gave me another lingering kiss before simply nodding at our personal assistant and teleporting us to Antonio’s mansion − the main building of The Hollow. Situated on an off-the-map Caribbean island, The Hollow was much like a gated community, and was surrounded by tropical rainforests. Inside were stores, bars, a club, and plenty of housing for all those vampires and humans who lived there. In the centre was a man-made beach for the residents to use, but there was a private beach for Antonio, his staff, and the legion to use. I most liked the mansion’s private pool which was shaped like a bat with outstretched wings.
As usual, the meeting was taking place in one of Antonio’s conference rooms. The only people seated at the long table were Antonio, his Advisor Luther, and his tracker Sebastian.
“Ah…Sam, Jared,” said Antonio with a smile. His personal guards stood behind him as usual, while his two pit-bulls flanked him. “Come sit down.” Before meeting him, I had expected him to have a very imposing, suffocating presence. But there was something very reassuring about this particular Keja vampire.
Having sat down and exchanged smiles and nods with everyone – and having given the dogs a brief stroke – I raised a brow at Antonio. “Are we early or is this supposed to be a private meeting?”
“Private. It is not work-related. I have some news for you, Jared.” Antonio looked both sympathetic and hesitant. “Your mother…she passed away just last night. I believe the funeral will be taking place in a few days if you wish to make a discreet appearance and—”
“No.”
The one word response took me totally by surprise. Not simply because he didn’t wish to attend his mother’s funeral, but because it had been so hard and resolute.
Antonio released a long breath. “I thought not. However, I felt it better to give you the option.”
“How do you know she died?” I asked, suspecting Antonio had kept tabs on the woman but not understanding why he’d bother.
“As you know, a person must disappear when they have been Turned. Their family often reports them missing, and there are investigations and searches. In such cases, it is imperative to monitor the families and ensure that the investigations fail. The secret of our existence has to be preserved.”
“Jared’s parents didn’t stop searching for him and Evan” – Jared’s twin brother who was also a vampire – “all these years?” I frowned at the look he gave Jared. Again, it was sympathetic. Why be sympathetic about the idea that his parents hadn’t given up on finding him and his brother?