Vampire Trouble (12 page)

Shane flinched. It was like a kick in the gut, and he stared at Olivia and Doug with shock.

“Hang on.” Doug held up one hand and wrapped his other arm around his mate. “It's not what you're thinking. We're not banishing you or anything.”

“Funny, that's exactly how it feels.”

“Shane,” Olivia began, “you and Maya are now the second vamp couple to discover that you are bloodmates. In a couple of days, every leader in the supernatural community is meeting in Geneva, Switzerland.” The lines in her face deepened and her hands rested protectively on her stomach. “There's already nervousness, uneasiness about what being bloodmates will mean for our race and for the rest of the world. What do you think will happen when they hear about yet
another
pairing? For all we know, Maya could get pregnant too.”

Shane must have made a face because Doug laughed out loud before quickly recovering. “Shit, I didn't think you could get any paler, but you looked like you were going to faint for a second.”

“I thought it was Doug's angel bloodline that allowed you to get pregnant.” Shane folded his arms over his chest and tried to act like he wasn't terrified at the idea of Maya getting pregnant. “As you know, I am not descended from that lineage.”

“That's what we
suspect
.” Olivia shrugged. “The truth is that we just don't know. I don't even know when the baby will arrive. I feel like my stomach grew visibly bigger over the past few days, and I can't stop craving human food. We're all flying blind on this. The entire bloodmate thing comes with a giant question mark. One pairing was weird enough, but now with you two…”

“Add that to what happened with Horace,” Doug chimed in, “and that uneasiness can get ugly real quick. People, regardless of whatever supernatural whammy they possess, can be panicky assholes. When I was a cop, I saw it all the time. Nobody knows what the long-term ramifications are of being bloodmates, and that unknown element is making people uncomfortable.”

“I will leave immediately.” Shane nodded grimly because they were absolutely right. “But I'm taking Maya with me.”

“Agreed. We'll tell everyone that you and Maya ran off, and as far as we're concerned, you simply vanished.” Olivia elbowed Doug who quickly pulled out his phone and began to type something on the keypad with the ease of a human familiar with technology. Shane had a phone so he could communicate when needed, but he hated it. “Doug is going to send you an address for a safe house in Louisiana. Lottie Fogg is an old friend of mine. She's a gypsy woman who lives in the bayou. She's helped me out in the past, and she's good at being
discreet
.”

“A gypsy?”

Shane was more than a little surprised. The gypsies existed off the grid of both the human and supernatural worlds and were known for their unwillingness to get involved in any society other than their own. Shane had tangled with a gypsy or two in his time, and he knew they were not individuals to mess with. Their magic was ancient and powerful and capable of bone-chilling darkness.

The bottom line: Don't fuck with a gypsy.

“The gypsies are unreliable nomads who care for nothing other than themselves and their own kind. I find it difficult to believe there is one who would be willing to help us.”

“Well, believe it, and if you know what's good for you, you'll keep your opinion about gypsies to yourself. Lottie isn't exactly a fan of the vamps—or any other supernaturals, for that matter—but she is my friend.”

“Of course.” Shane bowed his head in an apologetic gesture. “I apologize if I seemed ungrateful, but this is
surprising
.”

“Yeah,” Olivia said with a laugh. “I'm full of those. Keep in mind it also means it's unlikely that anyone, wolf or vampire, would go looking for you at a gypsy's house. You and Maya can hide out there for a bit while we smooth things over with the wolves. This will also give the two of you time to…work things out.”

“There.” Doug stuck the phone back in his pocket, and a second later, the one in Shane's pocket buzzed. “I sent Lottie's address to you. While you have Maya's undivided attention down there in the bayou, might I suggest some fight training? Something tells me she's going to need it.”

“I was thinking the same thing.” Shane nodded. “If it's alright with you, Olivia, I'd like to pay Xavier a visit before we leave and get Maya fitted for some weapons.”

“Done.” Olivia took Doug's hand and headed toward the door. “You should head out before nightfall. Take the tunnels to the outskirts of the city until sundown, and then if you fly all night, you can make it there before sunrise. Let me know when you get there.”

“I will.” Shane watched the czars and marveled at their comfort level with one another. They acted like they'd been together for centuries, as opposed to months. “Olivia?”

“Yes?”

“Be careful. I suspect that Rat is more involved with the wolves than he is letting on. In fact, the more I think about it, the more I think this visit wasn't a surprise to him at all. He can't be trusted.”

Olivia smiled and laughed.

“What's so funny?” Shane asked, feeling a tad annoyed at the czar's reaction.

“You know that his real name is Fred and that Rat is his nickname, right?”

“Yes.”

“Well”—she grinned, showing her bright, white fangs—“I'm the one who gave him the nickname.”

When Maya woke up, still not quite sure that the incident with Horace had been real, her sisters told her she was being sent away. Maya could barely look them in the eyes and wondered if she'd ever be able to again. Trixie and Sadie were helping her pack a duffel bag in silence. Though neither of them had said more than a few words to her, Maya was relatively certain they were telepathing to one another.

Standing in only her bra and panties, she picked up the sentry uniform that Olivia sent over and tears pricked the back of her eyes. The tears fell silently as she rubbed the smooth, protective fabric between her fingers. This was the clothing of a vampire warrior, a sentry, the elite of all vampires. Maya knew she had no business wearing it, so she wasn't sure why Olivia sent it over. Olivia must have been furious with her because she didn't even come to say good-bye.

Not that Maya could blame her.

Maya knew her actions had been stupid, selfish, thoughtless, and childish, and she wouldn't blame Olivia—let alone Shane—if they never spoke to her again. Maya swiped at the tears and turned her back on her sisters, who had averted their eyes.
They
must
hate
me
too
, she thought.

They
don't hate you, youngling.
Shane's voice, gentle but firm, entered her mind like a caress.
Quite
the
contrary, but please hurry up.

You're still speaking to me?
Maya asked with a sideways glance at her sisters.

It
would
seem
so
. Silence lingered for a moment before Shane continued.
We
must
leave
right
away. I am waiting for you in the living room…the very pink living room. I do hope that when we acquire a home of our own, after this nonsense has passed, you will not insist on bathing the entire space in shades of bubble gum.

Maya stilled and nibbled her lower lip. Their own apartment? Together? A home with him? The idea wasn't unpleasant but it was…unexpected.
I'll be out in just a minute
, she responded quietly.

She pulled on the leather-Lycra catsuit and slipped on the knee-high black boots that went with it. She made quick work of slicking her blond hair back into a tight ponytail, and when she turned around to face her sisters, they gaped at her in stunned silence. She adjusted her necklace with the gesture that never failed to reassure her and nestled the stone against her chest.

“What is it?” Maya asked in a barely audible voice. “It looks ridiculous on me, doesn't it? I probably look like Dominatrix Barbie, and I know I don't deserve to wear this but—”

“That's not it,” Trixie said with a wide grin. “It actually looks so right on you, it's scary.”

“The only one who thinks you're unworthy of this, or anything else, is you.” Sadie grabbed the black duffel bag and closed the distance between them. “You're not the first one to fuck up, and you won't be the last.”

“I don't know what happened.” Maya looked down at her hands clasped tightly in front of her, and shame washed over her. “Horace made that comment about Shane keeping me on a leash, and then the next thing I knew, I was in the limo with him. But that wasn't the worst part.”

“Go on.” Sadie tossed the bag on the bed and Trixie moved in next to her, eager to hear the rest. “Keep talking.”

“I'm glad Olivia is sending me away.” Maya looked at her sisters through wide, frightened eyes. “My body or my gut—something deep inside me—was pulling me to Horace and the rest of the wolves,” she whispered. “It scares the hell out of me. My head and my heart were screaming to get away, but…it was like a magnetic pull that I could feel right here.” Maya made a fist and held it over her stomach. “When I was in that suite with them, my senses went on overload or something and I passed out.”

“Did you tell Shane this yet?” Trixie asked. “Or Olivia?”

Maya shook her head. “She hates me and I don't blame her. That's why she's sending me away. She can't stand the sight of me.”

“I never thought you were a dumb blond,” Trixie said.

“Trixie,” Sadie warned.

“No, seriously. She thinks Olivia hates her?” Trixie swatted Maya playfully on the side of the head. “Hello? Anybody home? Shit, Maya. Olivia is sending you away for your own safety, not just because of the fight with Horace, but also because of the whole bloodmate thing.”

“You know?” It was like a punch in the gut. “He told you?”

“Well, we figured it out once we realized you couldn't telepath with us anymore, but then Shane told Olivia and Doug.”

“How do you feel about it?” Sadie asked. She picked the bag up off the bed and handed it to Maya. “I know Olivia's a little worried about how the supernaturals will react to another bloodmate couple. I don't think anyone's bothered to ask you or Shane how you guys feel about it.”

Before Maya could answer her, an impatient knock at the door interrupted them. It was just as well because Maya had no idea how she felt about it, other than confused.

“We have to go, Maya.” Shane's voice boomed from the other side. “The sun has been up for over an hour, and we still need to go see Xavier.”

“She's coming, Quesada,” Trixie barked. “Keep your fangs on.”

Maya slung the bag over her shoulder just as her sisters gathered her up in a big, weepy hug. Even Trixie shed a tear, but Maya didn't point it out because her sister would only deny it. They each gave her a quick kiss on the cheek, and when she opened the bedroom door, Shane was there, impatiently waiting. Once again dressed in the black, leather sentry gear, he looked like the fiercest warrior she'd ever seen and some of her fear ebbed. If nothing else, Maya knew she was safe with Shane.

He gestured toward the open front door, and staring into those dark, hypnotic eyes, Maya realized her world had changed forever. Walking side by side with Shane, she wondered if she'd be able to change with it.

They flew through the tunnels beneath the city streets as quickly as possible, and even though the dank, smelly conditions in the sewer tunnels grossed her out, she refrained from complaining. How could she possibly complain after everything that had happened? Maya flicked a glance at Shane whisking along beside her, and guilt swamped her. He was being forced to leave the job he loved because of her. He wouldn't even have been in the situation with Horace if she hadn't been such a stubborn ass and gone with the werewolves.

This entire stupid mess was her fault.

His jaw was set and his fiercely intense gaze remained focused on the path ahead of them. Maya fought the urge to cry and turned her attention on the tunnels ahead, vowing to make it better. Somehow, some way she was going to make things right and straighten this mess out. No one had to tell Maya how fucked up she was, and nobody wanted her to get her shit together more than she herself. She was tired of being afraid.

They skidded to a halt at the entrance of the Presidium, and she silently followed Shane through the secret doorway and into the brightly lit hallway. He pressed his thumb to the flat panel by the enormous wooden door and it swung open, immediately allowing them access to the stone hallways of the Presidium's underground facility.

When Maya glanced up at the iron light fixtures that dangled from the ceilings between massive stone archways, she couldn't help but feel like she'd stepped back in time. The intricate network of hallways and rooms that sat beneath The Cloisters and Fort Tryon Park had been there for centuries and made Maya feel small.

She stole a quick glance at Shane when they rounded a corner, and a smile played at her lips. He towered over her by almost a foot, even with the heels on her boots, making her look small standing next to him. Her gaze skimmed over his tall, muscular form and lingered on his profile. He had a strong, square jaw, a perfectly straight nose, and a generous mouth with firm lips that curved into a lopsided smile. Maya's eyes flicked to his, and she gasped when she realized he had caught her ogling him.

“Wait until you see the new setup in the lab,” Shane said with nod of his head. “Xavier recently had some new doors installed with a security camera, so chances are he's going to make me buzz into the room.”

“I've never been in his lab before.” Maya looked away and kept walking, feeling embarrassed for staring at him so blatantly.

“Really?” Shane stopped when they reached a set of shiny steel doors and shot Maya a look of surprise. He clasped his hands in front of himself and looked her up and down. “I didn't realize you haven't visited the armory or the labs before. Looking at you in that sentry uniform, it's no wonder I find it hard to believe… It suits you.”

“That's what Trixie and Sadie said.” Maya adjusted the duffel bag on her shoulder and shrugged. “But wearing it makes me feel like a fraud.”

“Why?” Shane stepped closer and leveled a serious stare at her. “Why does it make you feel like a fraud, Maya?”

“Because I'm no warrior or badass ninja like you or Olivia. Okay?” Her voice rose, reflecting her frustration with her own inadequacies. “I'm just some dumb bartender who's nice to look at. I'm not a fighter.”

“Well, you are partially correct.”

“Which part?” Maya asked warily.

“You are indeed lovely to look at, but contrary to what you think, that's not the only gift you have to offer. You suffer from the misguided perception that your value lies only in your appearance, and that could not be further from the truth. You are a fighter, Maya, and buried beneath that gorgeous exterior is a strong, powerful warrior waiting to be released. Although,
there
is
one person you beat up every day, and it needs to stop.”

“Who?” Maya asked with genuine confusion.

Shane leaned in and whispered, “Yourself.”

Holding her stare, he stepped back and rang the buzzer along the side of the stainless steel doors. It was unsettling to have someone see her so clearly, perhaps even more clearly than she saw herself, and it was far more unnerving to have him point it out. She clutched the strap of the bag as though her life depended on it and said nothing. Maya faced the door just before it swished open and revealed Xavier's massive laboratory.

She let out a sound of pure awe and followed Shane into a cavernous space alive with motion, sounds, and lights. The far wall was stainless steel, much like the front doors, and the ceilings had to be fifteen feet high. All kinds of antique weapons dangled from the ceiling, some of which looked positively ancient. There were swords, daggers, muskets, spears, a scythe, and even a few that looked like torture devices.

Several lab tables each held different experiments. Beakers and tubes ran this way and that, and the concoctions inside looked like everything from liquid ultraviolet to some kind of witch's brew. Maya had met Xavier and spoken with him once or twice, but she'd never seen where he worked. The place was out-of-this-world cool and full of moving parts, which made her afraid to touch anything. With her luck, she'd blow the place up.

“Welcome, my friends,” Xavier shouted from the stool he stood on. Pushing his reading glasses up the bridge of his nose, he pressed a button on the remote control in his hand and the doors swished shut behind them. “I have been expecting you.”

He flew across the room and landed in front of Shane and Maya with an enormous grin. His shock of white hair stood out in about a thousand directions, and the clothes and lab coat he wore were equally disheveled. Xavier was a dwarf with a huge personality, and he always seemed to fill the room with his boundless energy.

“It's been a while since I've seen you, Maya.” Xavier reached up and offered his hand, which Maya promptly shook. He looked her up and down with a nod of approval. “Olivia told me you would be coming by to stock up on weapons, but I didn't realize you were training to be a sentry.”

“I'm not, not really,” Maya said nervously as he released her hand.

“Yes, she is.” Shane leaned down and shook Xavier's hand, but he didn't miss the surprised look on Maya's face. “By the time I'm done with Maya, she'll be able to tangle with the best of them. Sentry or not.”

“I may not be able to show you how to fight,” Xavier said with a wink, “but I can give you some outstanding weapons. I have a new gun that's so easy to use, even a youngling like yourself will feel like a pro in no time.”

A fluttering noise from above captured Maya's attention, and she looked up to see where it was coming from. All she could see were the dangling weapons. A few of them wobbled as though something or someone had flown past. Looking toward the ceiling, Xavier chuckled and stuck his hands in the pockets of his lab coat.

“We have guests,” Xavier called. “You should come out and say hello.”

The fluttering noise echoed through the room, but Maya still couldn't pinpoint the location. Xavier was a bit eccentric, and part of her wondered if he was shouting at nothing at all.

“Come on.” He waved them toward the back of the room. “I have some items set aside for you, Shane, but I thought you'd like to select certain things yourself, like the ammo.”

“Thank you.” Shane followed Xavier and motioned for Maya to do the same. Hands clasped behind his back, Shane glanced briefly at the ceiling before stopping in front of the back wall. “Has Bella been paying you more visits?”

“Who's Bella?” Maya asked, looking warily toward the ceiling.

“She's a friend,” Xavier said with a sly smile. “But she's shy. Probably for the best anyway. She only speaks Romanian. I've been working on teaching her English, but so far I can't get her to say much. Usually she just hangs around and smiles at me while I work.”