Authors: Parker Blue
Try Me (8 page)
As the three of them finished their discussion, I glanced around the room. Elegant, classy, and kind of minimal but comfy. Lots of wood and warm colors. I liked this style, too, and it was way different from Gwen's. I frowned. Figuring out what I really liked might be harder than it looked.
"I think that's it,” Micah said, and printed out two copies of the list. He gave one to me, saying, “Here's who we remember being at the club that afternoon."
I glanced at the list. “Where should I start? Do you have anyone you suspect of stealing the books?"
Micah shook his head. “No, if there was, I wouldn't have let them in the Underground. So, you can start anywhere. Shade will help. Ramirez suggested you two team up as partners—you can train each other."
I got how I'd help Shade, but . . . “How will he help me?"
"He can help you with control."
"With Lola?” How could he do that? He was just as susceptible as any other man . . . except Micah, of course.
"Yes,” Micah said. “I promised I'd help you learn to manage . . . Lola, but first we have to make sure your inner demon isn't hungry. It's best to start sated, not empty. When was the last time you fed?"
Fed? I hated that word, hated the way it made me sound like a bloodsucking vampire. “Uh, last night. I lost it a bit."
"If you do as I've suggested and feed gradually, you won't have that problem. You'll be in total control."
"I know,” I muttered, feeling a little embarrassed in front of Shade. And Lola had perked up in the shadow demon's presence, which meant it was still too dangerous to be around him.
SHE'S NOT TOTALLY SATISFIED, Fang drawled, making it clear he was speaking to everyone in the room.
Tattletale.
But he ignored me as Micah said, “Okay, we'll help you satisfy your inner demon under safe conditions. You can feed on Shade."
Whoa. No way. I liked him.
THAT'S THE POINT, BABE.
I glared at Fang, but was glad he hadn't shared those thoughts with everyone. “I can't."
"It's okay,” Micah said gently. “He volunteered."
"Really,” Shade said softly, “I don't mind.” He took my hand, grounding himself in this reality, in me, so that he no longer flickered through a dozen different dimensions. Because of that, I could see the shadow demon's features, though they were still partially hidden by his ever-present hood. Just as I remembered, he had shaggy blond hair, piercing blue eyes, and the face of an angel.
Lola wanted him. So did I, for that matter, but that was dangerous. For him, not me.
"Would it be easier if you could see me, or not?” Shade asked.
I gazed into his face, but the guy wasn't accustomed to having people see his expressions, so he wasn't used to having to hide his feelings. As a result, his face was too expressive, almost painfully so. Emotions paraded so clearly across his face that it was as if he'd written them there. Admiration, longing, hope . . . and that was before Lola reached out for him.
His seeming innocence took my breath away. I released his hand. “Not, I think.” It would feel too much like taking advantage.
He nodded, and Fang growled in my mind, BE NICE. HE'S MY FRIEND.
I am being nice. Would you rather Lola stripped him bare?
Fang harrumphed but didn't say anything more.
"Okay,” Micah said. “Why don't the two of you sit down and relax? And Fang, if you could refrain from distracting them?"
YOU GOT IT, PAL. Fang settled down next to me and laid his head on his paws.
We parked in Micah's comfortable chairs and I glanced at Shade, seeing nothing but the swirling dark ribbons of light where his skin should have been. Weirdly, it made me feel better that I couldn't see his face. But at least I knew he didn't mind this, that he actually looked forward to it.
"Relax,” Micah reminded me. “Let loose of that hold on yourself, just a little, and reach out for Shade."
Lola was straining to get at the juicy tidbit that was Shade, so I tried to do as Micah said. But it didn't quite work that way. Instead of coming out as a trickle, the dam burst and Lola surged out and lunged for Shade, sending greedy tentacles of pure lust whipping into him.
He gasped.
No—that wasn't what I wanted to do!
I tried to pull back, but Micah said, “No, let it go. Go with it, don't fight it."
I forced myself to do as he said, and amazingly, he was right. Now that I wasn't trying to rein Lola in, she was content to slow down, explore Shade and all his reactions.
My God, this was so different from before. I didn't feel like a puppet master or that he was my slave. Instead, I felt Shade react to Lola, felt the heat rise in his blood, the longing for me. He clenched the arms of his chair tight and his breathing intensified. The energy Lola craved rose within him and flowed steadily into the demon inside me, filling her, satisfying her totally.
Wow—I was enjoying this as much as he was. Was this normal? It kind of felt like watching an X-rated movie. I wasn't sure whether to be embarrassed or excited. I was definitely squirmy.
"You're doing fine, Val,” Micah said soothingly. “Now, release him, slowly."
It was a whole lot easier to do than I expected, since Lola was thoroughly pleased now. She gave one last caress to his second chakra of sensuality and Shade shuddered. Lola withdrew, happy and content.
WAS IT GOOD FOR YOU, TOO? Fang drawled. BET SHADE WANTS A CIGARETTE RIGHT ABOUT NOW.
Shut up. I felt mortified enough without his help. “I'm so sorry, Shade. Are you okay?"
He shook his head. “Quite well, thank you,” he said, though his voice sounded a little shaky. He released his death hold on the arms of the chairs, though, so I guess that was a good sign.
"You did fine,” Micah said encouragingly. “With a little practice, you should be able to control it as well as I can. I bet you won't lack for volunteers, will she, Shade?"
"Definitely not,” Shade said in a breathy voice.
I felt my neck turn hot. I wasn't used to this kind of attention.
"Okay,” Micah said decisively. “Now that you're sated, let's try another exercise to help you control the lust demon inside you.” He glanced at Shade and Fang and gestured to the door. “If you two wouldn't mind waiting outside? She needs as few distractions as possible."
They left, and Micah set a tall candle on the table in front of me and lit it.
"What's that for?"
"It's to help you find control."
"How?” Though I really wanted to learn how to control my demon, I still felt a little weird about what I'd done to Shade. Not that he seemed to mind, but I would like to manage the intensity better, so I wouldn't embarrass him in the future. How could a candle possibly help with that?
Micah dimmed the lights. “Stare into the flame."
I rolled my eyes at him. “You're kidding, right? Do you really think that will help?"
"I really do. And how do you know it won't unless you try it?"
"Okay, okay.” I stared into the flame, thinking about bailing, but I'd stupidly agreed to do as Micah asked. And why was that again? Oh yeah, because it was supposed to help me with my so-called “gift.” Though how staring into a small bit of fire would help control Lola, I had no idea.
"Try,” Micah insisted, as if he'd read my mind. “Blank your mind and think of nothing."
I sighed and did as he said. But thinking of nothing was like trying not to think of a pink elephant. All you'd get was rosy pachyderms cavorting around in your head.
"Watch the flame,” he said softly. “And go to a place inside you, a still quiet place where no one can reach you . . . not me, not Dan, not your mother, not even Lola."
Now there was an attractive thought. But was there such a place? I'd tried finding it before, but was too easily distracted. Now, though, now that I'd fed on Shade, Lola had receded far into the background. I searched deeper . . . and deeper still. Somewhere, in the quiet of my soul, I found a tiny spot that seemed isolated, calm . . . whole.
I slipped into it and just drifted there, drinking in the incredible beauty of aloneness, of feeling safe, protected, and very much at peace.
Sometime later, I heard Micah's voice as if from far away. “Val? Val, are you okay?"
I blinked and reluctantly withdrew from the safe place. As I focused on the candle, I realized it had burned down quite a bit while I visited Never Never Land. Clearing my suddenly clogged throat, I said, “Yeah, I'm okay. Really okay.” I'd been in some Zen-like fugue or something.
I gave him a sheepish grin. “Guess you were right. Not a sign of Lola anywhere. But I'm not sure how it will help. It's not like I can carry a candle with me and ask every guy to wait while I stare into a flame and make like a yogi."
"I don't expect you to. Practice this alone until you can go to your space easily, and you'll eventually be able to slip into it whenever you want. It'll take time, but don't worry, I'll help and so will Shade. He'll let you know when to reel it in. That way you can search for the thief together while you teach him to hunt vampires."
I nodded. It made sense, and if it helped, I was willing to try it. But first I had to get over being squeamish about using Shade like that. “Did you talk to Ramirez about Shade joining the Special Crimes Unit?"
"Not yet. Two reasons. First, I'm not sure how he'll feel about interacting with the rest of the SCU. He has a built-in advantage, but I don't know if he's willing to use it."
Yeah, the boogie man factor could be a help in distracting the bad guys, but the good guys . . . not so much. “And second?"
"Second, he'll only be able to help you if he can keep from losing his temper. If not, you'll have to help control him because—"
A knock came at the door and Tessa peeked her head in. “Big problem, boss. One of your watchers at the downtown blood bank called in. Some vamps are going crazy and killing people. They need help."
Fear thrilled through me. My God, it was broad daylight. They'd never been this bold before. “I'm on it.” Fang bounded into the room, looking ready for anything. But I wasn't so sure about Shade, who'd followed the hellhound in. “You up for this?” I asked him.
He nodded sharply. “Gotta learn sometime. Let's go."
Shade had his own motorcycle, a sweet blue Ducati that was practically a piece of art. He quickly pulled on gloves, leathers, and a black helmet with a dark-tinted visor. No wonder he rode a bike—he looked quite normal with all of his skin hidden.
I tried to help Fang with his goggles, but he said, NO TIME. LET'S ROCK AND ROLL, BABE.
Ooookay. I saw Micah jump into his car somewhere behind us but we left him in a nanosecond as we took off. We weaved in and out of traffic, Shade having no problem keeping up with me. I normally wouldn't take the risk—it was the other drivers I was worried about, not me—but the fact that vamps were attacking during the daytime scared the crap out of me. What did it mean? Nothing good, I was sure.
We arrived together at the blood bank. Fang jumped off and Shade did, too, not bothering to take off any of his gear as he headed for the door.
Not good. He wasn't trained. I swung off the bike and caught up to him at the hotel-turned-blood-bank. Grabbing his arm, I said, “Stay out of the way. You don't know how to deal with them yet."
"I can help,” Shade insisted. “If only as a healer."
No time to argue. “Okay, but don't fight. I don't want to have to worry about protecting you.” Or having him lose his temper, though come to think of it, Micah had never actually explained why.
"Got it,” he said.
I opened the door to a madhouse. Normally, the waiting area was quiet, with people patiently waiting their turn to donate. But now, there was total mayhem. There were about a dozen people in the room, most of them screaming as blood stained the white tiled floors. Talk about sensory overload. I had to pause to assess the situation.
One vamp was down and staked, and two more were causing major problems as people tried either to shield them or kill them. The rivalry made sense. If the vampires had gone crazy and someone had tried to stop them by staking a bloodsucker or two, now the suckees were trying to protect the other vamps. Vampires tend to enthrall their willing meal tickets.
My eyes swiveled as a handsome and familiar form stepped into view. Good God, Dan was here. How'd he get here so fast? He was off-duty; he worked nights, like me. He, along with a demon who must be one of Micah's informants, were trying to flank a female vamp over by the cookies and orange juice without stepping on the humans passed out and bleeding on the floor.
In another group near me, I saw someone—Nicole—trying to get hysterical humans out the door.
"Help her,” I told Shade.
On the other side of the lobby, a male vamp was crouched down on the floor, mad-eyed and glaring like a cornered animal, his fangs sunk into the neck of a limp teen girl.
Fang me! The girl was one of the blood bank's fresh-faced human volunteers, Brittany. I was shocked into immobility, shocked that I knew both the victim and the vamp. The vamp was Lorenzo—the one who had invited Dan and me to play in his fantasy woodland bower at the blood bank. What the hell was the matter with him?
Fury shone through his eyes as he held her like a broken doll. Her arms and legs splayed awkwardly, and blood dripped down her neck as he continued to suck.
"Lorenzo, stop!” I yelled. I was afraid to approach too closely, sick at the thought that he might tear her throat out. Brittany thought the New Blood Movement was all noble and courageous. Wonder what she thought now . . .
If she could think. Was she even still alive?
Lorenzo scrabbled back into a corner with his prize, like a lion guarding its prey.
"Wait, Lorenzo,” I pleaded, following cautiously. “Think about what you're doing.” He was supposed to be one of the good guys. “You don't want this. Alejandro wouldn't like it."
THERE'S NO REASONING WITH HIM, Fang said. LORENZO'S NOT HOME ANYMORE.
"What do you mean?"
HE'S STARK, STARING BONKERS. A WHOLE SIX PACK SHY OF A CASE.