Belonging (7 page)

“Yes, okay.” Analise calmed slightly. They were quiet as the doctor checked her pupils and the tender bump on her head. He then asked a bunch of questions.

Did she have a headache?
Yes
.

Did she remember hitting her head?
No.

Were her ears ringing?
Slightly.

Was she tired?
Um, yes. It was probably close to eleven by now, right?

Was she confused?
Did letting a stranger feel her up count? Good, she’d used her inside voice. Her outside voice replied no, she wasn’t confused.

Did she know what caused her to black out?
No way in hell was she admitting the truth to that question, what with Mr. I-Have-The-Biggest-Ego-Ever sitting right next to her, so she stuck with the lie she’d told earlier. Yep, locked knees.

Finally, he took her blood pressure. Which was high. Go figure. Was it anger or lust fueled? Probably both. The second time was closer to normal.

“So, what’s the conclusion, doc?” Damian asked, breaking the silence.

“I’m sorry, Analise, but you do have a slight concussion. Your pupils are not responding as quickly as they should. You’ll need someone to stay with you for the next twenty-four hours at least, waking you every couple of hours this evening to ensure you don’t have any issues doing so.”

She looked at Damian, who had a big smirk upturning his full, sexy lips. With great surprise, she suddenly realized she hadn’t cringed
once
at his multiple touches.
Huh?

Well…
shit
.

C
hapter
10

Xavier

“Come in,” he barked when someone knocked.

In walked a tall, lanky human male wearing a white lab coat. Next to Marcus, he was the smartest scientist Xavier owned. And now, the only other one to know of his genetic deficiency. That was one of the reasons this search was taking so fucking long. Discretion was essential.

“What the fuck do you want, Philip?”

“Sire, I believe we may have found your daughter. Or who we think is your daughter. Of course, we can’t be sure until there is DNA testing. Her name is Analise Aster.”

A malevolent smile crossed his scarred face.

“Really? And where is this female?”

“She’s working at a newly opened club in Milwaukee called the Dragonfly. Just started there two nights ago. Sings a couple nights a week and waitresses as well.”

“And she’s the same female as the Eau Claire baby?”

“Yes, sire. She’s the same one.”

“Any word on the others?”

The human paled. Xavier detested being disappointed and that was all his servants had done lately…disappoint. “Not yet, sire. I’m following another lead, but so far it hasn’t panned out.”

“Keep fucking working on it. I want every last one of my children found and brought to me. Do you understand?”

“Yes, my lord. Of course.” Purplish bags framed the doctor’s eyes. Looked like he hadn’t slept in a month. Oh well.

“That will be all.”

“Yes, sire.” He scurried as fast as he could out the door, leaving Xavier alone.

“
Geoffrey, in my office. Now.”

Within seconds, his lieutenant stood in front of him, at the ready.

“How may I serve you, my lord?” Such a loyal servant.

“I need you to go to a club called Dragonfly in Milwaukee and find a singer named Analise Aster. I don’t know what she looks like, but it shouldn’t be too hard to track her down. Bring her to me, by force if necessary. But do not harm her. You hurt a single hair follicle on her head and I’ll gut you. Do you understand?”

“Of course, my lord.” Geoffrey nodded in respect and disappeared.

“Analise Aster. It’s time to meet your daddy,” he whispered.

C
hapter
11

Damian

She didn’t have a concussion at all, but there was no way in hell he was letting her out of his sight and the concussion story was just the excuse he needed to stay by her side.

“Thanks, Doc.”

“My pleasure, my—” He stopped just short of using his title, finally getting the gist of the look on Damian’s face. He wasn’t quite ready to let his Moira know who he was yet.

He could not get her taste out of his mouth, or off his mind. He needed to savor every single creamy inch of her body. What would it be like to sink his cock into her warmth? What would it be like to sink his teeth into her tender flesh? Nirvana, no doubt. How would she look bound to his bed? Like a goddess, guaranteed. He hadn’t ejaculated prematurely since he’d been a teenager, but at the first taste of her he was ready to come in his pants. He could still feel the warmth of her perfect breast in his palm. His body tingled where hers had been pressed against his. The smell of her arousal caused his incisors to drop. She wanted him. She was made for him.
Only him
.

He’d been insanely jealous when she’d mentioned Dev. The thought of her wanting to fuck Dev made him shake with fury. He was quite sure his kitten was up to something and it hadn’t better be that. He would find out, though. If she knew about Dev, then she most certainly knew Dev was vampire. That may actually work in his favor, since his nature shouldn’t surprise her. He could avoid a similar fiasco between Dev and Kate when she accidentally found out he was a vampire.

In a dare of sorts, he’d let his eyes glow with desire, but she hadn’t mentioned it so neither would he. He was anxious to see how she was going to play this little charade.

“Let’s get your stuff, kitten. You’re coming home with me.” She had an incredulous look on her exquisite face. He wanted to wipe it off with another earth shattering, soul-sucking kiss.

“Ah, I didn’t fall hard enough to knock my common sense loose. I don’t even know you. I am certainly not going anywhere with you. For all I know, you could be a serial killer.”

That fucking karma bitch
. This was payback for his playboy ways. Of course his Moira was as stubborn as the day was long. Kitten was an apt nickname. And his kitten hadn’t come declawed.

“You heard the doctor. You need round-the-clock monitoring for twenty-four hours. And you already told us you don’t have anyone at home. Since I am responsible for this club in Dev’s absence, it is my duty to make sure you are cared for. We look after our own here.”
Guilt her?
No shame in that.

“I’m not going home with you. I’ll just sleep here tonight then. This couch will be perfectly fine. There are plenty of people who can come in and check on me.”

Christ almighty. She was going to test every last ounce of his nonexistent patience. He was going to be forced to use the “P” word again.

“Analise, please. You can’t get a good night’s rest here. This part of the club stays open well into the night.”

“I won’t get a good night’s rest anyway, no matter where I’m sleeping if I’m being awakened every hour,” she countered.

Damn. Point kitten.

He absolutely did not want her sleeping here, but he knew he would never get her back to the estate without using force and he really didn’t want to do that. He didn’t know much about her yet, but he could tell she was leery of people. He wanted her to trust him and flashing her against her will to an unknown location wouldn’t exactly boost him very high on her trust-o-meter scale.

“Fine. I’ll accompany you to your place.” He’d post Marco and T outside the door for extra security. He was taking no chances with his future mate.

She looked down, hands twisting in her lap. Anxiety and embarrassment pelted him. He gently lifted her chin with his finger. “What’s wrong, Analise?”

“I…I don’t really have a place, exactly. I’m staying in a motel. Just temporarily.”

“A motel?” There was a definite story here and he aimed to uncover it.

“Yes. And it’s a small room with just one bed.” His cock went stone hard.
Just one bed, you say?
Nothing wrong with this scenario. Nothing. At. All.

“Okay.” He was in.

“No. Not okay. I just told you I’m not spending the night with a stranger.” Her defiance demanded punishment. And
Jesus
, how he wanted to punish her.

“Well, that’s not exactly what you said, kitten. You said you wouldn’t go
home
with me. Not that you wouldn’t spend the night with me.” He inwardly grinned, fearing repercussions if he let it show. That
was
exactly what she’d said.

“Well, then let me make this perfectly clear,
Damian
. I will not spend the night with you here, there or anywhere. I will not sleep in the same bed or the same room with you. Is that clear enough?” Indignation
and
Dr. Seuss references? Damn that made him hot. His mate was a spitfire. And it was beginning to grow on him quite quickly. Nothing turned him on more than a good verbal sparring.

A light bulb went off. Yes…it could work. She would be safe and protected, yet still under his roof.

“Okay. Fair enough. I have a neutral place that I think will suit us both. You can get a good night’s rest—
in private
—and I will still be able to look in on you to make sure you’re okay. It’s a win-win, kitten.”

If her sigh was any louder, she might blow a lung. “I have asked you
repeatedly
to stop calling me kitten. I hate it.” She
soooo
didn’t. His kitten wasn’t a very good liar.

“Can’t make any promises.” He could, he would just break them and he didn’t want to break a promise to his mate. Ever. “I’m sure you must be exhausted and still sporting a headache.” He stood, reaching his hand out to her.

She looked back and forth between his hand and face, indecision written all over her.

“You don’t have a choice, ki—Analise. I will not let you spend the evening alone with a concussion. You can trust me.”

“I don’t trust anyone.”

He smiled softly at her, holding her gaze so she would see his truth. “Well, I’ll just have to remedy that now, won’t I?” He heard her breath catch. His poor kitten was buttoned up tighter than Fort Knox. She was broken and he would fix her. No matter what, or how long it took.

After several more moments, she tentatively put her hand in his. It was a start.

Watching her fine rounded ass, he ushered her up the back staircase leading outside. A hand to the small of her back, they re-entered from the main entrance. For at least the time being, he wanted to avoid the questions seeing the underground portion of Dragonfly would provoke, so he took the long way around.

“I didn’t realize there was a basement to this club.”
Ohhhh, kitten
. Liars didn’t go unpunished and he was quite looking forward to doling it out. If she knew of Dev, she absolutely knew the secrets of Dragonfly.

“It’s private. Members only. But I’d be happy to show you another time if you’re interested.”

He was curious how she’d react to the goings on of club activities. He would love to grind against her sexy body on the dance floor, her pussy getting wet and ready for him as they danced erotically.

She grabbed her purse from the employee lounge, and stood looking at him. “I need some clothes. I didn’t bring a change with me.”

“Don’t worry, kitten. I’m sure we can find something suitable for you to wear.” Her birthday suit would do, but if she insisted on clothing, he was sure he could rustle up something from the shelter or from Kate’s closet if necessary. Although that was a life-endangering proposition, entering the closet of Dev’s mate without permission.

Fury lit up her face.

“Listen, asshole. I’m not going back to your fuck pad and wearing leftovers from the whores who have come before me. I want
my
clothes.”

He tried to hold it in. He really did, but he couldn’t help it. Before he knew it, he was doubled over with laughter as she stood gaping at him.

“I’m serious!” she screeched. Literally, screeched. It hurt his ears.

“I’m not taking you to my fuck pad, Analise, and I would certainly never put you in whore’s clothing. You are much too virtuous for that. If you want your own clothing, we’ll stop at your motel and get whatever you need.”

“I’m far from virtuous, but thank you. I would like that.”
Far from virtuous?
He intended to dig into that a bit more.

He accompanied her to the Economy Lodge—the
Economy Lodge
for fuck’s sake—and waited inside her roach-infested room as she silently packed an overnight bag. He didn’t see the roaches, but he knew the fuckers were hiding somewhere. There was no way in hell she was returning to this place. Over his dead body. He’d send Marco to retrieve the rest of her things later, paying any outstanding bill. She was feisty and would fight him on it, no doubt. But he would win. He always won.

They rode in companionable silence during the thirty-five minutes to Dev’s estate, the soft sounds of
Coldplay
in the background. Analise rested her head on the limousine window, closing her mesmerizing eyes. She surprised him by not making snide comments about the limo, her only give away were crooked eyebrows. She wore her expressions on her sleeve, for which he was grateful. She certainly held everything else close to the vest. Maybe the fight had been bled out of her for the evening. He could only hope.

“Marco, return to that hovel and get the remainder of her things. Bring them to me at Dev’s. If she owes anything on the room, take care of it.”

“Yes, my lord.”

They came to a silent stop outside the shelter portion of Dev’s mansion. He thought her asleep when her eyes suddenly popped open, taking in everything. The house was relatively dark, not revealing the expansiveness of either it or the grounds, but she must have gotten the gist as her eyes snapped to his.

“You live here?”

How much to reveal?

“No. This is a home of a friend. There are several empty rooms on this side of the mansion, which is used as a women’s shelter of sorts. Long story, better told on a different day when it’s not so late and you don’t have a head injury.”