The Mark (Interracial Paranormal Romance) (Toil and Trouble) (15 page)

As annoying as her mother was, her words spoke to me. In my line of work, I always heard that spouses felt guilt because they hoped for death. A car accident, a stroke, an alien invasion....anything earth shattering that would set them free. It was nice to finally see someone who had a regret that didn't involve a prenuptial agreement or not getting married at all.

Arrissa's face was serene as she flashed her mom a sad smile. "It’s okay, Mom. I know you loved me in your own way." Her eyes went to Riley. "Any more questions?"

Riley shook his head.

"Good," Arrissa said gently. "Now I'd like to speak with the necromancer. Alone."

Chapter Nineteen

The One he Chose

I shuffled uncomfortably, shoving my hands in my pocket. It was just me and the ghost.

"Maybe you should say something to veil our conversation," Arrissa said, crossing her arms. "If I know my mother, she has her ear glued to the door."

I held my hand out and murmured a spell.

She closed her eyes, inhaling deeply. "As a were, I was no stranger to magic. The things my body could do beneath a full moon..." She shivered. "This'll probably come as a shock, but that's what I miss the most. Running wild and free. The hunt. The feel of flesh between my teeth. Not my husband. And most certainly not my mother."

So that's why she wanted them out. I was to play shrink. "I think you missed out on a chance to really give them a piece of your mind. I mean, you're dead. What can they do to you now?"

She laughed, a lyrical thing that made her face brighten like the candles beside the circle. "Apparently, I have to play referee even in death. And I'm still chained to the will of a man that hates me."

I looked at her in shock. "Hates?"

"Yes, Jade," Arrissa said her face going cold. "Hates."

I swallowed as she uttered my name, feeling the bite of some of her own hate she had tucked away. Focused on me. "I don't believe we've met. And I certainly don't name drop with a ghost."

"We haven't met officially," she agreed. "But I know you. Riley made certain of it."

My throat went dry. "Riley talked about me?"

"Not at first," she replied. "I mean, I knew he was dating someone when he imprinted on me. That he...loved someone else." She tucked a blonde tendril behind her ear. "With our bond, he couldn't keep it from me."

I was shaky on were culture, but from what I'd read, werewolves mated through bloodlines. Unions are usually predesigned, the strong with the strong and the weak with the weak, but it's not sealed until a male were imprints on his mate. It happens on the were's eighteenth birthday...the summer Riley disappeared.

"Riley made his choice," I said evenly. "He chose you."

Arrissa snorted, a foreign sound for someone so prim and proper. "Riley didn't have a choice. His grandfather promised mine that our bloodlines would combine. It was his duty to imprint me, not his choice."

"He could’ve said no," I said stubbornly.

"Silly witch," Arrissa sighed. "His father would have banished him from the pack without hesitation. A lone wolf, no matter how strong, just doesn't last in the wild."

I gulped. "So he stayed. And imprinted you and you guys lived happily ever after."

"Hardly," she snapped. "He performed his duties, he lied with me and his family provided for me and mine. But there was no happily ever after for me. His heart belonged to you."

I shook my head, trying to shake away images of him. His dopey smile. His strong, firm hands.

"Whenever I confronted him about you, he tried to shrug it off and tuck it away. You were just some girl that he cared about. So much so that he had a pack in NY check up on you every now and then. He played his role as well as he could. Until you came back to North Carolina." She set her eyes on me, pain coursing through her face. "When his father got sick a few months ago, he gave him a choice. If he didn't want this life, to be the Alpha and lead the pack, he could walk away. With his father's blessing."

I pulled out a chair and sat down. I had no idea what any of this had to do with me. So Riley held a torch for me and made his pretty wife jealous. Why the private conversation? What did she have to gain?

"So once he got wind of his long lost love's relocation, " she continued, "he told me that he was leaving. He was starting all over."

"But that's not the kicker," she murmured. "You know what changed everything for me? Him finding out about you and that fanger. That his dream of riding off with you into the sunset was just that—a fantasy. His face-" She turned away, clearing her throat. "I knew then, that even if he stayed, he was dead to me. I realized that the past several years of my life were a waste. Five years, Jade. Instead of finally letting you go and trying to build something fresh with me, he just pushed me further away."

I winced as another wave of disdain washed over me. "Look, Arrissa-"

"That's why I did it," she said with a resigned look on her face. "I paid off the doctor and the coroner and got them to say my death was due to complications from my surgery. My whole marriage was built on a lie, what was one more?"

"Oh Arrissa," I whispered. "You didn't."

"I drew a bath in my clawfoot tub, in the house I'd dreamed about since I was a child." she said quietly. "I washed down the position I craved, the omega of the pack with a glass of wine and a bottle full of pills."

So the truth reared its ugly head. All these years I’d been jealous of the beautiful girl in the picture--the happy, carefree American dream from the clipping who got her happily ever after with my guy. Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought that she would have spent the last five years in love with a guy who didn’t reciprocate. I was sorry for her--for the obvious pain she must have felt, married to someone who loathed her existence.

I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. A year and a half ago this knowledge would have changed everything. It would have changed me. But a lot of things can happen in a year and a half. Jack happened.

"I don't know what you want me to do with this information." I said hoarsely. "Me and Riley, it was a long time ago. I'm with someone now. Jack."

She raised an eyebrow. "A vampire. I have more honor and decency in my pinky toe than he does in his whole body."

I shot a brow back at her. "I hope we can agree that your...prejudice as far as vampires go kind of handicaps you in this matter."

She waved a pale hand at me. "Don't be silly. I'm sure you've thought of it dozens of times. He's evil. You can't stay with him without turning evil yourself."

"You're trying to hook me up with your husband? The guy that treated you like shit because he wasn't man enough to follow his heart instead of his pride?"

She smoothed the front of her thin shift she wore. "Ri isn't a perfect man. But...he cared about me in his own way. He loves you, necromancer."

"He's the reason you committed suicide," I said incredulously. "How could you want anything for him but pain, suffering, and misery?"

She looked at me then, with no contempt or disdain behind her eyes. "The only crime Riley Carpenter committed against me was not loving me back."

"Arrissa-"

She held up her hand, silencing me. "I've said my piece. Now, can you send me back to the All? I was having the best latte ever with Sylvia Plath."

Chapter Twenty

Just a Kiss

My mind was going in a million directions as I stood outside of Riley's compound. Just having him beside me sent waves of nostalgia coursing over my body. I could remember our wheelchair race at Pitt Memorial, followed by summarily being banned from said hospital. I could remember riding in his Blazer with the wind blowing through my body, not wanting the night to end.

But it was coming to a close. It was a little past four am and I'd held up my end. Riley had been cleared of any foul playing in Arrissa's death and I was headed home, where the Watchers were probably waiting to cart me off to Trial.

"I could ask you what she said," Riley said, turning to face me. "But I won't."

"Good," I said, forcing myself to look toward the lot where one of the wolves marched to grab a car to take me home. "It's none of your business."

"Now I'm intrigued," he said with a smirk.

"Let me know how that works out for you," I said, taking another step away. I could feel white hot heat rushing to my face. I didn't want to give him the satisfaction of knowing that he still had that effect on me.

"I'm sorry again," he offered. "About the whole kidnapping thing."

"Well you wouldn't be Ri if you weren't running around inconveniencing people," I said, shaking my head. I breathed a silent sigh of relief as the Lincoln Towncar pulled up beside us. "Trunk or backseat?"

"Very funny," he chuckled. He turned to look at me, his ebony eyes making me want to melt into a puddle. "It was really good to see you, Jay."

"Stop looking at me like that," I hissed, shoving him.

"Like what?" he asked innocently.

"Like you want to kiss me," I said, forcing my gaze downward to the gravel. "Like you've wanted to kiss me all these years."

He tilted my chin up, his lips quivering. I knew it was coming-and I didn't stop him. His mouth was warm and inviting, like coming home after a long vacation. His fingers were in my hair, drawing me closer as we kissed deeper, loud, ferocious smacks that made me feel sixteen again. All the emotions I thought I’d buried so deep to dull the hurt came rushing back to the surface. What we had was a living, breathing thing and I forgot myself, letting out a moan as I ground my pelvis against him, feeling his erection pulse through his jeans.

The loud blare of the horn snapped us back to reality and I pulled away from him, my face hot with embarrassment.

"Jade-"

"Gotta go," I said, sliding in the car and pulling it closed behind me. "Go!" I barked at the were behind the wheel. "Drive!" He put the car in motion and we moved forward, circling the driveway. I said a little prayer of thanks to the Gods that the windows were tinted pitch black. If I would have turned around and saw him staring at the limo with longing, I might've done something really dumb like roll out of a moving car.

What the hell was wrong with me? I had a boyfriend. A helluva good one even, despite his dietary requirements. Who was just as good a kisser, if not better. A boyfriend that had been bopped on the head by his maker so my ex-bf, whom I hadn't seen in years, could pretty much blackmail me into necromancing for him. It was all overwhelming…and to top it off, the were was a fan of scream metal and now I couldn’t even hear myself think.

I screamed as our car tilted forward like a pin on a needle, tires screeching. The were was fumbling with his seatbelt, his true nature rippling beneath his skin. Great. I was going to be stuck, in a mangled car, with a were that was clearly not my biggest fan.

But the car stopped with a thud, and after a series of expletives and snarls, the were shut off the engine.

The smoke from the burning rubber dissipated and I smiled when I saw a familiar face. Jack was standing in front of the car, releasing it to the ground.

He marched over to the driver door and pulled out the guy by his throat. I watched in awe as the were struggled like a ragdoll, even though he was twice Jack's size.