Courting the Darkness (3 page)

Desiree looked away, tears streaming down her cheeks.

Jason laughed. “Tears don’t help the wicked. You won’t get away this time. I’ll see to it personally,” he sneered. “You might have gotten away from my daddy fifty years ago, but you won’t outsmart me.”

She turned her head, closing her eyes, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of seeing her suffer.

“Trying to ignore me, witch? It won’t do you any good… Have it your way.”

* * *

Sean arrived back at the warehouse from his trip to Desiree’s apartment. He did not want to be the one baring the news of Desiree’s disappearance to Drake.

He stormed inside with Desiree’s bags; all eyes turned to stare at him. Ignoring his comrades, he headed toward Drake’s chamber, bracing himself for the expected confrontation.

“Enter,” Drake bellowed before he could knock. “The girl better be with you.”

Sean entered Drake's chamber with Desiree’s bags in tow. “She’s gone, sire. I have her bags. It appears she was going to come back.” Drake narrowed his eyes, his anger apparent, as Sean hastily continued. “I caught her scent, and it was mixed with that witch hunter, Jason Hargrove. I don’t think she went willingly.”

C
HAPTER THREE

Mica Sinclair stormed into the warehouse, itching to show Drake how displeased he was with this so-called summons. Just because they were friends didn’t mean that he could order him around like some lackey. He had, after all, helped him overthrow the prior king, putting him into his current realm of power. He plopped moodily onto the overstuffed couch, raking his fingers through his thick black hair in frustration. Sean refused to tell him anything other than Drake commanded his presence.

He looked up as Sean came out of Drake’s chambers, approaching him with caution. “Drake will see you now.” He turned to walk away, then stopped as if changing his mind. “I suggest if you want to keep your head, you may want to check your temper at the door. Drake is in a foul mood.”

Mica lifted an eyebrow, smiling wickedly, his fangs growing and protruding over his bottom lip. “I’m sure his mood’s no fouler than mine. By the way, keep your advice to yourself. I do as I please.”

Sean shrugged, dismissive. “It’s your head.” His eyes sparkled, smiling in challenge. “Please, do as you please. I would love to see your head roll.”

His eyes flashed in anger and he stood to his full six-foot-seven height, looking down at Sean. Clenching his fist, he pounded it into his hand to show his strength. “I just bet you would, wouldn’t you?”

Sean backed away and made a hasty retreat.

Mica watched him slink away. “Coward.” He turned, storming toward Drake’s chambers.

Drake nodded at Mica when entered the room. “Are you still trying to intimidate my bodyguard?” he remarked dryly, taking his seat in his chair. Looking up, he motioned for Mica to sit as well.

Drake glared back in challenge. He had given Mica his immortality from human to vampire three hundred years prior, during the vampire wars in England. Mica had further proved his friendship a hundred years ago by helping him overthrow his predecessor, making him king. “Don’t test my friendship. I am still king.” Picking up his hand, he waived it, dismissive. “We are too much alike. I don’t take well to orders either. The only difference between us is I like to command, and you don’t.” His eyes sparkled. “I have need of your special talent.”

Rolling his eyes, he laughed. “Who’s pissed you off now?” As a human, Mica had acquired excellent tracking skills. With his transition, his tracking skills had become unsurpassed. Drake never called upon Mica unless he wanted someone dead.

Sitting up straight in his seat, his curiosity tweaked. He looked Drake in the eyes in anticipation, speaking in a low tone. “Just what precious item did he steal that you will go to such great lengths to get back?”

“I acquired her last night. I let her go home to get her things, and Hargrove grabbed her from her apartment.” Scowling, he pounded his fist on the arm of his chair. “I want her back.”

He studied Drake’s dark mood. “I can see that.” He paused in thought. “Does she have some special talents in bed? I’m sure there are other females out there that aren’t as much trouble as a witch.”

He waved his hand at him in denial. “I don’t want her back for my bed. She’s a beautiful woman, but a little thin for my taste.”

Mica splayed his hands. “Then what’s so special about her that I have to chase this witch hunter clear across the country?” He crossed his arms over his chest again. “Because you know he’ll be heading for Salem to collect his bounty. It’s a lot of trouble for a simple tussle in bed.”

“I don’t understand.” Mica shook his head in disbelief. “Witches are a dime a dozen. Why this one? Why don’t you just go get another?”

He glared back at Drake, still not convinced. “Okay, for the sake of argument, she’s not an old hag,” he grunted, dismissive. “You’re immortal; why do you need an anti-aging spell?”

Drake chuckled. “I don’t.” Mica rolled his eyes. “I figured if she is powerful enough to give herself immortality, then she might be able to conjure a spell for us.”

Mica raised his eyebrows, looking at Drake suspiciously. “What need do
we
have for magic?”

“She has agreed to try to conjure a spell so that we can go out in the light of day again.” His smile grew. “I want to walk in the sun.”

“She didn’t come to me. I summoned her. I really didn’t give her much of a choice.” He smiled. “She doesn’t like orders much either.”

Mica smiled back, standing up. “Ah, a challenge then.”

Drake laughed. “You just make sure you bring her back to me in one piece.” Rising from his chair, he reached over, slapping Mica on the back. “You will need to hurry. The judges will set the execution date, and they won’t wait long.”

Mica sighed in resignation. “I’ll leave for Salem tonight then.”

“Take your shape-shifter friend Caleb with you. Take the Express Van. Caleb can drive in the daytime while you hide out in the back.” Drake tossed him a cell phone. “Call me when you have her back; I’m on speed dial.”

Mica looked at the tiny phone in his hand in disgust. “You know I hate these things.” He looked back up at Drake. “I prefer my privacy.”

Drake barked with laughter. “Humor me.”

Mica inclined his head. “I think I humor you enough already.”

“Point taken.” He gestured toward the door. “Just take the phone and use it. Call me with your report. Sean has the keys to the Express Van. Tell him I said to give them to you.”

Mica smiled in anticipation. “I look forward to it.”

“Hey, go easy on my bodyguard.” He shook his head and placed his hand on his friend’s shoulder. “I know you’re itching for a fight. Save it for Hargrove. Never mind, I’ll get the keys from Sean.” Looking over at Mica again, he laughed. “You’re a lot of trouble. Do you know that?”

Mica shrugged. “It’s a gift.”

Drake rolled his eyes, leaving the room to retrieve the keys from Sean. He came back into the room, tossing the keys to Mica. “Call me.”

CHAPTER FOUR

Caleb Jenkins sat kicked back, lounging in his recliner watching the local evening news. He balled up a piece of paper, and threw it at the television screen. “People are idiots. I don’t know why I even bother watching the news,” he grunted in disgust. Taking the remote, he turned off the flat screen in frustration, throwing the remote back on the coffee table. He was bored out of his mind.

His lack of patience and his obsessive compulsive tendencies left him exiled from his pack. He had made the mistake of becoming obsessed with the alpha’s intended mate. He didn’t know what came over him. When he found a woman that intrigued him, he obsessed about conquering her until she was finally his. Usually, once that happened, he’d lose interest. He had tried to explain that to the alpha, but he didn’t find any humor in that explanation. He barely made it out of there alive. He wouldn’t have if it hadn’t been for Mica coming to his rescue. Now, that friendship between a shifter and a vampire was an oddity in itself.

Caleb was born a shape-shifter. He had the ability to shift at will into just about any animal he chose. Although not immortal, his kind aged very slowly, generally living to be close to a thousand years before succumbing to old age. Caleb was still fairly young at age three hundred and fifty. He and Mica met when Mica was still a human and they lived in England. Mica was drinking in an ale house with his buddy Drake who was also human at that time. In a drunken stupor, someone had started a brawl. Mica wound up fighting side by side with him, loving the fight just as much as he did. They formed a fast friendship, watching out for one another and sharing the attentions of the ladies.

Caleb never really liked Drake. He had the opinion that he was too arrogant and full of himself. At the time they met, Mica had no knowledge that Caleb was a shifter. It was kept secret until a particularly nasty fight where Caleb shifted into a panther to defeat a mob of burly men. Although Mica had been shocked at his secret, he remained his unbiased friend. So, naturally, when the vampire wars descended on the streets of England, Drake had been turned and he ultimately turned Mica. Caleb remained his unbiased friend as well. They had been friends for a hundred years when the incident with his alpha took place.

Once, Mica rescued him from certain death by killing the alpha. They took a ship to the Colonies, because as long as he remained on English soil, he would never be safe from the wrath of his pack.

Standing, he walked toward the door, grabbing his jacket along the way. “Maybe Mica will want to go out. Anything’s better than sitting around here listening to that garbage.”

There was a knock on his door before he could reach it. Throwing open the door, he saw Mica standing on his front porch. “Hey, buddy! I was just going to go out to find you.” He slapped Mica on the back. “The walls are caving in on me here. I need some action.”

He walked past Caleb, sitting down on his couch. He gestured for his friend to sit as well. “We have to drive to Salem and rescue a witch.”

The smile left Caleb’s face. Sitting down, he shook his head. “So what did this witch do to piss Drake off?”

Mica laughed. “I said we had to rescue the witch.” Leaning forward, he placed his elbows on his knees. “Drake wants her back. Jason Hargrove grabbed her this morning, and they’re going to burn her.”

Caleb splayed his hands, and shrugged. “So, why does Drake care?”