A Little Wicked (The Bewitching Hour Book #4)(41)
“Fear doesn’t serve much of a purpose.” He pulled out a fork and started to pile the food into his mouth.
“What are you?” she asked. Sam had been chomping at the bit to find out the truth about him. Now that Claire was never going to see Sam again and she probably would never have a better chance to find out, she might as well ask. It wasn’t as though he could get upset at her for asking ballsy questions. She deserved at least this.
“I’m somewhat like you.” He kept eating.
“You’re not a soul sucker,” she accused.
“I’m one of a kind.”
Okay, so he didn’t want to give her a straight answer. She could deal with that. She’d gotten something. One of a kind. A lot of people would use that as a compliment, but Claire knew better than anyone it was more of a curse than anything.
It was lonely. It was isolating. And obviously whatever made him one of a kind was important enough to be kept a secret even from someone who was about to die. “Claudia likes you,” said Claire. “That has to be a plus.”
He didn’t say anything, but he stared off into space with an intense look of... pain? She realized she was wrong. Whatever it was that bonded him and Claudia and made him so loyal, it wasn’t a good thing. At least not to him.
“I’ll leave you alone.” Claire backed up and walked away.
She went back to the living room of the posh apartment and fell into the couch. It was gorgeous and a bright white, but not nearly as comfortable as the couch at Dante’s. She pulled the pillow close to her chest and squeezed her eyes shut. He’d be better off without her.
And that’s the thought she repeated over and over as she waited for Claudia to come back.
Sam and Derek were almost back to her apartment when the cars arrived. Sam’s first thought was that Abigail was coming to finish off Claire, but when the backseat of the first car opened and the handsome man stepped out, she was faced with the sinking realization of what was really happening.
She could feel Derek stiffen next to her and reach into his jacket pocket, but she put a hand on his arm to signal that he didn’t need to draw his weapon. Yet. “Phillip,” she said, the tension evident in her voice. “What are you doing here?”
He looked her over dispassionately as the other car doors opened. There were four cars in total, and each was packed full of sentries. Except it was becoming apparent that these weren’t Claudia’s men. Mainly because each was looking at Sam with the kind of disdain she would expect from people hanging around Phillip Carpenter.
“I’m here for the soul sucker.” He looked to the building. “She’s at your old place, right?”
She didn’t want to think about where he was getting his information from. Sam moved to stand in front of the entryway, and without even thinking, the flames came to her and her hands ignited, ready to go at any sentry who came at her. “If you want to get through this door, you’re going to have to go through me.”
Derek probably had no idea what the hell was happening, but the second she caught on fire, he pulled out his handgun and moved to stand as close as he could without being burned by the fire.
Phillip’s eyes widened when he saw the fire. He was the one she was paying attention to. He might have twelve guys with him as backup, but Phillip was a high-ranking member of the families, and if he wanted something done, it normally got done.
And as far as he knew, Sam had no control over her power. The fact that she stood in front of him like this would be a shock. It had better be enough of a shock to get him to turn the hell around, though.
“Let me pass,” said Phillip, a not-so-subtle hint of warning to his voice. Phillip was used to people doing what he said. Even if he wasn’t strong enough to get humans to do whatever he wanted, his good looks and money went a long way. He was just under six feet, but he had his hair gelled up and back to give him another inch or so of height. His well-trimmed brown goatee was in style, and he looked as though he could’ve walked off a fashion magazine. He and Sam were the same age and had been in the same classes all through school.
Even though her family had been in control the entire time, Phillip had never missed an opportunity to remind her how much of a disappointment she must be to her lineage.
And now he was living his dream. Her family was crumbling and here he was, surrounded by the men who used to work for her grandmother. Claudia had sent most of the sentries away once she found out they might be influenced by the darkness. Phillip obviously didn’t share that fear. But what had he said to them to get them to follow him? It didn’t matter now. She wasn’t going to let him through.
“Come on, Samantha. I know you’re a spoiled brat, but you didn’t honestly think you could keep a soul sucker as a pet without facing consequences, did you?”
“She has me as a pet too.” Derek pointed his Glock right at Phillip. “And I bite.”
Phillip snorted at the threat and waved a hand at Derek. Sam could only assume he meant to toss Derek aside like a ragdoll, but the charm she’d given him so long ago still worked against lesser magic. “What....”
“I’m not kidding around, Phillip. You need to leave or we’re going to make you leave.” She wasn’t about to tell him what was protecting Derek. Let him be afraid. She felt strong and she knew she was stronger than all of the sentries individually, but all together? That might be more than even she and Derek could face.