Indebted: The Premonition Series (40 page)

“Brennus,” I sigh, trying to sound aloof, but feeling my heartbeat pounding in my chest.

“Why will ye na tell me?” he asks, his mouth inches from mine. “I know dat ye love me. I can feel it when ye look at me now. I can see how yer eyes follow me.”

“Maybe I’m making sure that the scary monster in the room isn’t in a bad mood,” I reply, taking the flower from his hand and touching the petals lightly with my fingertips.

“Ye lie. Why?” he asks, lifting my chin to look in my eyes.

“Go to the South Tower. The wans will line up to tell you how much they love you,” I say, surprised and disconcerted to hear jealousy in my tone.

“’Tis meaningless, Genevieve. Dat is intoxication and lust,” he explains with a darkness growing in his eyes. His thumb traces my jaw, but my jealousy has softened his eyes, making him look satisfied.

“I don’t want to love you,” I whisper honestly, pulling my chin back and looking down, seeing that I have crushed the silky petals in my hand.

“Dat does na change da fact dat ye do,” he replies with a sultry smile.

“How can I possibly describe what I feel for you, Brennus?” I ask, shaking my head and feeling the painful ache inside of me. “This isn’t like the love I have felt before. Whatever it is, it’s painful. If this is love, then I love you the way creatures like us ought to be loved—secretly and unwillingly, within the dark shadow between my heart and my soul.”

“’Tis how it starts,
mo chroí
. ’Twas like dat for me, in da caves,” Brennus replies, his arms encircling me again. “’Tis da kind of love ye want ta destroy, but it grows inta something much, much more powerful den ye can imagine, if ye let it.”

“I don’t want it to grow,” I reply, looking away from him again. “It will only bring me pain.”

“’Twill only if ye resist it,” he breathes against my cheek. “Let me teach ye about da pleasure within dat pain,” he says, stroking my arms. “Let me hear ye cry out jus for me.”

“Brennus,” I say exasperatedly, “I don’t want pleasure. I want to smash something,” I say, frustrated by the tumult of emotions within me. A shiver passes through me, fearing that I won’t be able to stop him if he wants to follow through with that thought.

“Ye have so much ta learn, ye have no idea,” Brennus groans. “Soon, I will show ye whah I’m saying.”

“Seeing is easier than saying?” I ask ruefully, looking up at him and trying to make light of it all.

“’Tis,” Brennus agrees with a reluctant smile. “I jus have ta keep in mind dat ye are an eternal being, so dere is time for all da tings I want ta teach ye.” I lower my eyes from his, trying not to let him see that he may not be right about that.

“There are some things that she doesn’t need to learn from ya,” Russell says, while strolling right through the rose bushes like a ghost. “Roses?” Russell scoffs. “Don’t ya think that’s a little cliché? She’s more of a Bird of Paradise—somethin’ exotic and unexpected.”

“Russell!” I gasp, feeling my face flush, while wondering how much of our conversation he overheard. I know I’m seeing his clone, but I can smell his clean scent and see his smart-ass smirk that I know is his “game face.” I want to run to him, but I know I can’t do that.

“If you want to teach her somethin’, you should take her to the South Tower. But, I can see why ya wouldn’t want her to learn ‘bout what goes on there, right?” Russell asks Brennus, but his eyes are on me. He is making sure that I’m okay and his concern for me is enough to shake me up a little. “You should see it, Red, it’s like a strip club without the money…oh, and of course, all the women are strung out and bleedin’.”

I feel myself go pale.
Why do I keep forgetting that they kill people?
I wonder to myself, feeling the line between right and wrong move again and distort.

“Da other. I knew dat I should have killed ye, but I tought maybe ye had more sense dan ye do,” Brennus says, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand, then he shrugs, like it’s of little consequence. “’Tis time I made ye a priority again. I should know better dan ta na follow tru wi’ da killing.”

“And I should’ve known better than to come here without an air freshener, but here we all are, together again,” Russell agrees, looking around at the interior of the Knight’s Bar and the beautiful rosette windows.

Brennus’ arms encircle me again, pulling me into his embrace. Nuzzling my neck, Brennus says to Russell, “Ye are na really here, are ye? If ye were, I doubt ye would be saying much right now and we both know dat. So, ye should tell her whahever ’tis ye came here ta say. We have plans dat do na include ye.”

“I’m here to see you, vampire,” Russell sneers, watching Brennus’ fingers trace a line up my arm, caressing me and causing a shiver to pass through me at his cool touch. “Yer place in India has been infiltrated by the Fallen. That is where all y’all were headed next, right?” Russell asks rhetorically.

Brennus pauses, his eyebrows drawing together. “Why are ye telling me dis?” he asks, not letting me go, but no longer kissing my neck either.

“’Cuz ya have my girl,” Russell replies with his hands balled in fists while he watches Brennus touch me.

“She’s na yer girl,” Brennus says.

“Naw, she’s not yer girl, stalker,” Russell counters. “Yer a pretender. Ya pretend to be good—to be her family, but yer nothin’ more than a vampire and she needs to wake up and see that.” Turning to me, Russell barks, “Wake up, Red,” making me jump a little at the anger in his tone.

“She is awake. Whah do ye want from her? Ye want her ta kill herself for ye, is dat it?” Brennus counters, his fangs engaging as he lets go of me and walks with stealthy grace around Russell’s clone, looking for a way to hurt him. “She already tried dat, remember? Ye want ta see her die for ye? She can na stay wi’ ye. Ye will get her killed—or worse.”

“Naw, that’s what yer gonna do,” Russell replies. “The Fallen have been all ‘round this place, watchin’ all y’all.”

“Dat is na surprising. So, ye have been killing dem off for us?” Brennus stops circling Russell, coming to stand in front of him. “We’re able ta protect her from dem. We do na need ye ta do it for us.”

“Now it’s yer turn to wake up, Dracula,” Russell says between his teeth. “They want her.”

“Den let dem come and try ta take her. Dere is no reason ye should have all da fun,” Brennus replies, sniffing the air around Russell. He is processing all of the attributes of Russell’s clone, trying to find a weakness.

“She’s not a pawn,” Russell says with menace, leaning towards Brennus.

“Tell dat ta da
aingeals
wi’ ye. Dey would like nuting better dan ta use her ta bring da Fallen ta dem ta heat up deir war,” he says with an ironic twist of his lips, smiling at Russell and showing him his wicked fangs.

“Yer wrong. We’re gonna protect her when we get her back,” Russell argues sharply.

“Ye try ta take her and dere will be no place for ye ta hide from me,” Brennus says with deathly calm.

“Who’s hidin’? We don’t have to hide anymore. She fixed that when she went to Dominion. Y’all actually helped, too.” Russell replies with a smug smile, crossing his arms in front of his chest with a look of pure satisfaction. “When ya blew the crap out of Dominion, they got on board with whatever Reed wants—an army of angels. They think she’s a gift from God now…so, thanks.”

“So ye’re here ta convince me ta let her come back ta ye,” Brennus asks incredulously.

“Naw, I’m not stupid. I know ya will never willingly let her go,” Russell says sullenly. “I’m here to ask ya not to be a complete idiot with the Fallen. Don’t take chances with her life. Casimir is too powerful to take on alone—we’ll help you, if it comes down to her life.”

“So, ye’re da olive branch?” Brennus asks with a skeptical look.

“Naw, I’m the guy that’s gonna whoop yer ass if you let anythin’ happen to her,” Russell replies, pointing his finger in Brennus’ face.

“Ye sound like someone wi’ a plan,” Brennus remarks, not flinching at all at having Russell’s clone so near to him. “Are ye really so confident dat da soldier ye captured from here can be persuaded inta biting her?” he asks with a speculative look. “Ye should really reconsider dat move. Leif knows dat da moment he does so is one of his last moments. Either ye will kill him or we will. He may well refuse ta do it. Den, whah will ye do? Will ye bring her back ta me?” he asks, raising his eyebrow.

Russell’s eyes widen minutely, enough to let me know that he’s surprised that Brennus knows what they have planned. He glances at me, maybe wondering if I told Brennus the plan. A stab of pain hits me at Russell’s distrust of me. “He’ll bite her, ‘cuz he knows that we will kill him quickly after he does. And anyway, all he needs to do is see her and he will be beggin’ us to taste her. You know I’m right,” he says, looking back to Brennus. “You can imagine the torment it would be for him not to, ‘cuz he has the same look on his face when I talk ‘bout her that ya did in the caves when I took her from ya last time—pure agony.”

“I still owe ye for dat,” Brennus says, his jaw clenching.

“C’mon and find me then, what’re ya waitin’ for? All y’all keep countin’ me out and I can’t understand why that is. You see how powerful she is becomin’. I’m just like her and soon I’m gonna be yer worst nightmare,” Russell says, grinning as he watches Brennus’ brows pull together in a scowl.

Brennus loses his scowl after a few moments, while retracting his fangs. His face changes to mirror Russell’s grin. “I tink dat I can see why she likes ye. Ye really are amusing, but ’tis easy ta be tough when ye’re na really here. Da next time ye want ta parley wi’ me, come in person, like ye did da last time. Ye will get more respect dat way,” Brennus says patiently. “Goodbye, da other.”

Lifting his finger, Brennus touches it to Russell’s clone, making him disappear instantly. Brennus stares at his finger for a moment, and then he smiles before he turns back to me. It‘s taking everything in me not to show any emotion over Russell leaving. I know I chose to stay, but that decision is haunting me now.

“Ach, I give him points for style. I really like dose clones. I wonder if I could replicate someting like dat wi’ a spell?” he says, looking amused by what just happened with Russell.

“You’re not mad that they are here?” I ask in shock, seeing the amusement on Brennus’ face, while trying to figure out Reed’s strategy for sending Russell now.

“’Tis na unexpected. I know dat dey are here from time ta time, checking on ye.” Brennus replies.

“Will you let them help us, if we need it?” I ask, allowing him to take my arm as he uses his magic to shrink the rose bushes into nothingness.

“I will do anyting dat keeps ye from being harmed,” Brennus replies, leading me out of the Knight’s Bar. “But, one day, ye will na need a security blanket because ye will be very powerful. Whah will ye do den?” he asks as we stroll together down the corridor towards the North Tower.

I exhale a breath slowly, not really believing that a day like that will ever come. “I don’t know. I’m so used to being afraid all the time, I have no idea what I’ll do if that all goes away.”

“Ye hide yer fear well,” Brennus replies, frowning and squeezing my arm.

“Do I?” I ask with a grimace.

“Ye do. ’Tis one of da tings I admire da most about ye. ’Tis dat, and da fact dat ye are able ta act even when ye’re filled wi’ fear,” he smiles. “Ye faced down an Ifrit wi’ little more den yer bare hands. Ye canna teach dat kind of courage. Ye either have it or ye do na.”

“You know what I like about you?” I ask, seeing the light enter his eyes as he shakes his head.

“I like the way that you tell me things, like we’re equals—partners. I like that you include me in the strategy meetings and don’t try to shut me out, like I’m not strong enough to handle what’s happening,” I reply.

“We are partners. Ye’re me queen,” Brennus replies. A flush stains my cheeks partly from the embarrassment of the title, but the other part of me is flattered by the way he sees me as someone able to make decisions and contribute to the mission.

As we near the North Tower, a couple of fellas approach Brennus. I recognize one as being Cavan. Cavan gives me a tentative look, and then he leans to Brennus, whispering something in his ear. I hear the word “wans.” Brennus scowls at him, and then he casts a glance at me and says, “
Mo chroí
, dere is someting I have ta take care of before we go ta da North Tower. I want ye ta stay here wi’ Cavan while I attend ta it. Ye can wait in da alcove over dere. I’ll be right back for ye.”

Brennus escorts me to the alcove where there is a small settee beneath the windows. I ask, “What is it?”

“Nuting but a headache, me sweet. ’Twill only take me a moment,” he replies, before kissing me on the cheek. To Cavan, he says, “She stays here and no one nears her until I come back.” Cavan nods and Brennus is gone in a fraction of a second.

I step back out into the hallway and pace in front of the alcove, wondering what is going on. Cavan walks down the long corridor and guards one end, while a fella that I don’t know is guarding the other end. I hear voices coming towards Cavan’s end, so I turn to see him intercept three young women from wandering towards me.

Reaching Cavan, the women ask him with sultry voices, “Where is my king? Where is Brennus? I want him—he’s been away too long.” They are dopey, walking around with little more on than silk robes.

“Ye know ye are na ta be out here. Go back ta da South Tower. ’Tis where ye will find him,” Cavan says in a chiding tone, touching each of their cheeks and trying to direct them back towards the South Tower. A chill runs through me watching Cavan herd the young ladies away from me.

I glance in the other direction; the other fella is having a similar problem. A flock of females is attempting to come down the hall in search of Brennus. Goose bumps rise on my arms seeing them all.
Am I becoming one of them?
I wonder.
Am I blind to what he is?
Just as that thought hits me, fluttering in my abdomen rapidly overtakes any other thought.

Black, armor-clad arms encircle me, instantly lifting me off the floor and pulling me back into the alcove that shrouds us from being seen by the fellas at either end of the hall. A soft gasp escapes me as I turn to face Reed. I manage to put my arms weakly around Reed’s neck and press my lips to his before I go completely limp. His charcoal-gray wings frame him, making him look like the most powerful being in existence.