Wicked Soul (Ancient Blood #1)(61)
I decided not to stick around to listen to them bicker. The less Roy had to deal with Warin’s prick of a brother, the better. It was really the least I could do for the many hours he’d spent freezing his ass off in front of my apartment building.
It didn’t take long to pull my curlers out and finger-comb my now wavy hair to ensure the curls sat just right. A quick dose of hairspray later, I grabbed my black clutch housing my cell phone, emergency cash, lipstick, and keys and rushed out the door to save Roy from my newly appointed chauffeur.
It looked like I was just in time. When I stepped out of the door, I was greeted by the sight of Roy standing with both fists clenched, glare leveled at the vampire. Aleric was casually leaning against the Porsche, both hands in his suit pockets, but from the calculating look in his eyes and the cruel hint of a smirk on his lips, I could tell he’d been needling my bodyguard.
Pretty brave, if you asked me. Aleric might have been a vampire and all, but even though he was very tall and obviously well-built underneath his expensive suit, Roy had at least half a foot and a good hundred pounds on him.
“All right, I’m ready. Let’s go,” I said as I walked down the stairs and patted Roy’s arm. “Thanks again .Go home and get warm—I’ll undoubtedly see you tomorrow, yeah?”
Roy rumbled a gruff agreement, not taking his narrowed eyes off Aleric.
“Great, get your ass in the car, snack,” Aleric said, apparently not the least bothered by Roy’s death-glare.
“I think I preferred ‘mouse,’” I said as I opened the car door and slipped into the passenger seat. The buttery leather embraced me in just the right way, and I allowed myself a moment to enjoy the luxury of it all. If only my family could see me now, dressed in the finest silk and sitting in a car that cost more than my mum’s and aunts’ houses combined.
But then again, the whole vampire thing would probably put a dampener on their rampant envy.
Aleric slid into the driver seat and set the car in gear, pulling out from the curb so fast I was thrown back in the seat from sheer g-force.
“Holy crap, some of us are still alive here!” I yelped as I grabbed for my seatbelt.
Aleric snorted. “So driving scares you, but walking into a vampire nest teaming with Ancients? That’s fine?”
“Your driving scares me. There’s a difference,” I snipped. “Why are you my chauffeur, anyway? Why couldn’t Roy drive me? No offense, but he’s about a thousand times nicer to be around.”
The vampire’s lips pulled up in a small smile. “I volunteered. You see, I think it’s about time I get to know my brother’s new pet, before he shows you off to the rest of them.” He turned his head halfway, letting those disturbingly icy eyes rest on me. The predatory glean in them made a cold shiver make its way down my spine.
I pushed the primitive note of fear down and rolled my eyes demonstratively. “Why, because you think I’m a witch? What’s the theory then, have I’ve enthralled your brother with my magic devil vagina?”
Another amused snort. “You’re funnier than the last one, I’ll give you that.”
I frowned, not prepared for the stab of jealousy behind my ribs from his blasé comment. “Which ‘last one’?”
“I’ve talked to Warin about you. He’s my blood-brother, he hides nothing from me. Imagine my surprise when he told me, in complete seriousness, that he not only spends his nights with a pitiful human… but he’s also not fucking you. What I would love to know is what you do to keep his attention so thoroughly, without even so much as spreading your thighs.”
“Why didn’t you just ask him, if he really tells you everything?” I asked, arching an eyebrow at the auburn-haired vampire’s profile.
“See, that’s the curious part. I don’t think even he knows.”
“Maybe that’s because there’s no mystery here,” I said. “We like spending time together, that’s it. No great conspiracy, no magic. I’m sure if you weren’t a massive prick, people might like hanging out with you too.”
“Cute.” Aleric smiled that creepy, cold smile of his as he leveled me with a stare that had my pulse pick up speed. “But then let me leave you with this small… let’s call it warning: If I get a whiff of the faintest drop of magic from you… if I hear even a rumor that you are working with whoever is trying to cause trouble in his territory… you will wish Warin let those skinwalkers eat you alive.”
19
The rest of the car ride to Warin’s house was pretty damn quiet.
Aleric seemed content now that he’d said what he wanted, and I was trying to pretend like I wasn’t struggling to keep my sandwich down. I hadn’t really worried about Warin’s rude brother before, despite his abrasive manners. As scary as was, I knew Warin would never have let him around me if he was a danger in any way… but that was before his little warning.
I had no doubt he meant every word.
Nor that, should he ever find out the truth about the dormant magic inside of me, not even Warin would be able to protect me from him. If he’d even want to.
“Since Warin insists on keeping your mind free, I suppose I better explain that even though you can deny his requests tonight, you would be wise not to,” my chauffeur finally said, breaking the silence. The houses in the neighborhood we were traveling through were beginning to look mighty grand, and I guessed we were nearing Warin’s place. I hadn’t been there since that night in August, and I hadn’t exactly had the presence of mind to look out for road names then.