The Sacrifice (24 page)

“
What?”
she shrieks. “He’s had you a whole month and he
still
hasn’t claimed you?”

“Keep it down,” I say, feeling annoyed. “I told you, I’m not
telling you anything else until you give me the information you got whoring
around the vampire community.”

Lexy grumbles some at that but she finally starts to talk. “Okay,
get this—apparently Aiden James has a tragedy in his past. A
mysterious
tragedy,”
she continues, nodding when I lean forward to look at her. “It was like a
hundred years ago or something but apparently when he was first made a vampire,
he fell in love with a witch. Only back then, that wasn’t done.”

“Back when the supernatural community didn’t mix,” I murmur.

Lexy nods again. “Exactly. Anyway, apparently he was crazy for her
but she died.”

“How?” I want to know. “
How
did she die?”

Lexy shrugs. “None of the vampires I, uh,
talked
with
seemed to know. Some people say he killed her—maybe by accident. You know,
taking too much blood?”

I shiver and nod. It’s not unknown for a newly made vampire to get
a little too enthusiastic about feeding. Deaths happen from time to time, which
is why you’re actually safer with an older, more powerful vamp than a brand new
one, fresh out of the coffin. I’m not wild about the idea that the man I’m with
may have killed a previous lover but Aiden always seems so controlled around
me. That could never happen now…right?

“Go on,” I tell Lexy, trying to push away my feelings of unease.

“Not everybody thinks it was Aiden’s fault she died,” my cousin
says. “Some say she killed herself—maybe she couldn’t deal with the whole
vamp/witch interracial thing. Anyway, whatever the reason, when she took a dirt
nap, he went a little bit crazy. He went to ground for years and years and just
refused to have anything to do with anyone. Then, about fourteen years ago he
finally came back to the land of the living—well, in a manner of speaking,
anyway.”

“Fourteen years? Are you sure?” I ask, frowning.

“Yeah, why?”

“No reason,” I murmur. It wouldn’t be a significant number except
it’s been almost exactly that amount of time since my mother died in the fire
that left me an orphan. In fact, the anniversary of her death is coming up in
less than a month.

“So anyway,” Lexy continues, “He had gone to ground for so long I
don’t think anyone really believed he would come back.”

“Right,” I say, getting back on track. The vampires’ ability to
hide themselves away from the rest of the world in a dark box and basically
starve themselves to death without actually dying is unique in the supernatural
community. It’s kind of like a bear hibernating through the winter, only vamps
can go for years, even decades or centuries in their dormant condition until
something happens to wake them from their long rest. “So what brought him
back?” I ask Lexy.

She shrugs. “Again, no one knows. But when he
did
come
back, he abjured his own kind.”

“What?” This makes no sense at all. Why would Aiden swear off
other vampires? The fanged set is usually very close knit—why put himself
outside of the group and its protection?

“It’s true,” Lexy avers. “They say he lived like a human.
Apparently he made all these investments before he went to ground and when he
came back into the light, he was a multi-gazillionaire. So he started his own
company, built this massive, weird glass house, and pretty much did his own
thing. Until the Council stepped in, that is.”

“The Vampire Council?” I ask, raising my eyebrows at her.

Slowly, she nods. This dark, mysterious ruling body has been the
subject of much speculation among the rest of the supernatural community. It’s
said to be made up of some of the oldest and most powerful vampires in history.
It’s also said that no one individual, vampire or otherwise, is strong enough
to stand against it. The Council chooses the Sovereign, who acts as a visible
figurehead—probably so they can retain their anonymity.

“So what does the Vamp Council have to do with Aiden—aside from
choosing him to be Sovereign, I mean,” I say.

“That’s the thing—they didn’t just choose him. They
forced
him
to be Sovereign.” Lexy’s eyes widen. “Several of the vamps I talked to said
they heard he didn’t want to be. But they made him—something to do with his
bloodline or something. And they didn’t give him much time either—apparently he
didn’t even know he was going to be Sovereign until two days before the
Sacrifice Ceremony.”

I purse my lips in concentration.
Hmm. That would certainly
explain how rushed and irritated he was the first time he came in the shop.
They gave him next to no time to prepare and he knew he had to choose a Sacrifice
so he resorted to that old spell in Farrow’s.
But why was he so concerned
about finding just the right woman? A man in his position had the wealth and
power to have anyone he wanted. Why didn’t he just pick the prettiest or most
powerful witch out of the crowd and not worry about it?

I remember him telling me that he wanted me the first minute he
saw me and my cheeks get hot. Was I just a choice of convenience? Did he make a
snap decision to have me the minute he met me because he liked the way I looked?
Or maybe the power he claims I have bottled up inside me drew him to me.

“You’re awfully quiet over there,” Lexy says. “Whatcha thinking
of—whips and chains?”

“No.” I look down at my champagne glass, feeling suddenly sober.
“I was just wondering why Aiden chose
me
.”

“Because you’re a sexy goddess. And don’t give me that look.” Lexy
reaches around the table to give me a one armed hug. “You’re gorgeous, Emma—you
just don’t give yourself any credit. Did it ever occur to you that he might
really have the hots for you? There is such a thing as love at first sight, you
know.”

“Not with vampires,” I say. “They’re so cold and stand-offish.”
Although that description doesn’t match Aiden at all. Well, unless he’s angry
or disappointed with me, as he is now.

“He’s probably just cold because he needs to learn how to love
again.” Lexy gets a dreamy look in her eyes. “He lost the only woman he ever
cared about when Katherine died and now you’ve reawakened feelings in him he
thought had died with her.”

“Will you please try to sound less like a trashy romance novel?” I
ask in exasperation. “Katherine—was that the name of the witch he loved? And
possibly…”

“Killed. Yup.” Lexy nods, her red hair bouncing. “I couldn’t get
her last name out of anyone—lost in the mists of time, I suppose.”

“I wonder if she’s the one that copy of
Farrow’s
belonged
to,” I mutter to myself.

“What?” Lexy asks. “Why would you have a copy of a beginner spell
book here?”

I tell her all about the mysterious book, the tingling in my
fingertips when I touched it, as well as the way I actually lit two candles by
magic—although I’m not sure how I did it or if I can ever do it again.

When I’m finished, Lexy looks at me with wide eyes. “Emma, that’s
wonderful.
Amazing!”
she breathes. “You finally did magic!
”
She leans over to
give me a tight, ecstatic hug and then frowns. “Why in the Goddess’s name
didn’t you tell me before?”

“I felt weird discussing it over Aiden’s private phone line,” I
confess, pulling away. “And besides, I kept hoping I’d be able to do it again
so I could report that I’m finally not a dud anymore. But I’ve tried and tried
and so far…” I shrug. “Nothing.”

“If you did it once, you can do it again,” Lexy says with utter
certainty. “What exactly were you doing differently when you managed the first
time?”

“Uh, well…” I’ve already told her so much, I guess it can’t hurt
to tell a little more. “Aiden was touching me. Actually, we were touching each
other. And, well…” I can feel my cheeks getting hot. “When we were finished,
the candles were lit.”

“Sex Magic,” Lexy breathes. “That’s amazing, Emma. Who knew a
vampire would be the one to finally break down the barriers and let your magic
out?”

I frown because her words are similar to what Aiden said. “What
makes you think I have barriers holding it back? With most duds, they just have
no magic at all.”

Lexy shakes her head. “But you’re not a dud—this
proves
it.
Besides, when we were kids, I remember hearing your mom talking to my mom one
night. Your mom said you were going to be the most powerful witch of your
generation—she said she was already seeing signs of your power leaking out
around the edges.”

“But that’s impossible,” I say blankly. “My mother died when I was
only eight—way before I hit puberty. And I don’t remember ever having any
powers back then. I
couldn’t
have.”

“I dunno.” Lexy shrugs. “I’m just telling you what I heard. I
never said anything about it before because, well, I didn’t want to hurt your
feelings.”

“Thanks,” I say dryly but I know she means well. And truthfully,
knowing I was a massive disappointment to my mother’s expectations would have
been pretty hard to bear growing up.

“You’re welcome.” She gives me a smile. “And just wait and see,
you’re going to have magic yet. All you need to do is practice while you and
Aiden are getting your kink on.”

“Right,” I murmur. “It should be totally possible to concentrate
on working a complicated spell while I’m tied down, being sexually tortured.”

This, of course, brings on a whole new barrage of questions that I
would rather not answer since the champagne seems to have worn off. But
Lexy—being Lexy—is like a bloodhound on the scent. She won’t give up until she
gets every last kinky detail. We spend the rest of her visit talking about the
ins and outs of being a vampire’s submissive sex slave and the time just flies.

The next time I glance up at the clock, it’s almost four
forty-five. “Oh my Goddess.” I scramble out of my chair. “You have to
leave—Aiden is going to be here in fifteen minutes.”

Lexy pouts. “I thought you said it was okay with him for me to
come by? Why can’t I stay and meet him?”

“He said it was okay as long as I kept on the harness,” I say. I’m
already on my feet and tugging at her arm, trying to get her up and out of the
house. “But I took it off. He’s already pissed at me for disobeying him last
night—I don’t need him to be even angrier.”

Lexy frowns and crosses her arms. “And what happens when he gets
mad? Does he beat you? Because there are limits, Emma, even for the Sacrifice
Laws.”

“No, it’s that he
doesn’t
beat me,” I say, thinking of last
night. “He doesn’t whip me or kiss me or tuck me in or anything. He just gets
all cold and withdrawn.” Just thinking of the look on Aiden’s face last night
makes my chest tight. I really,
really
don’t want to go through that
again.

Lexy looks thoughtful. “Hmm. An emotionally withholding vampire.
Now what you have to do is—”

“What I have to do get you out of here so I can put that stupid
harness back on before he gets home. Which is going to be in…” I glance at the
clock. “Ten minutes. Hurry up, Lexy—move your ass!”

“Well you don’t have to be rude about it,” she huffs, but at least
she’s moving now. I shoo her out of the house with multiple promises of more
get togethers and lunches by the pool. But despite my attempt to hurry, I still
only have five minutes to get back into the harness and try to look normal by
the time she finally drives off.

Feeling like Cinderella at five ‘til midnight, I rush for the
bedroom, stripping off my clothes as I go. Why do I keep doing this to myself?
Next time Lexy comes over I’ll set the alarm on my phone and get rid of her a
whole hour before Aiden gets home. That is, if there
is
a next time. If
he catches me without the harness on and I let on that I took it off because I
didn’t want to wear it in front of my cousin, he might ban her from the house.

My thoughts are chaotic and my hands are trembling as I finally
manage to get free of my clothing and start strapping the harness back on. The
loop around my right thigh goes surprisingly well, the thin leather strap
folding into place around my flesh as though it was made for me. I insert the
vibrator—making sure it’s all the way off first—and then go to work on the
second strap.

And this is where I run into trouble. The strap is stiff and it
doesn’t want to fasten. I push and wiggle, trying to get it threaded through
the tiny silver buckle but it doesn’t want to budge. A quick glance at the
grandfather clock says it’s one minute until five. I still haven’t heard the
crunch of tires on the shell driveway but Aiden could be here at any minute.

In desperation, I return my attention to the stubborn strap. I
have managed to feed the thin leather through the silver buckle but now it
won’t come out the other side. Cursing under my breath, I give a mighty
yank…and hear a sharp
pop.
With dread I open my hand to see that one
entire side of the strap has torn off and is lying like a dead snake in my palm.

I stand there for a minute, just looking at it.
Oh my Goddess,
what have I done? What have I done?
Panic rises in my throat but I push it
back down. Grimly, I examine the damage. Maybe I can tie the leather straps
back together and then…