Wolf Dream (16 page)

My heart raced at the memory. “Shut up. You don’t know anything about that.”

He raised a brow. “I don’t? Hmm, I suppose it could’ve been another Meadow who came to me to make a deal after years of being unable to break the spell Bry made. How do you think Victor found you? Jarak? Just one day they wind up in the small pit-hole town of Elko and mysteriously find you? I guess it could happen, but it didn’t.” He handed me the stick he just readied. I took it cautiously.

He reached up on the wall for another one in the rack and repeated the process of getting it ready. “You see, I have magic too. It’s a bit different than yours, but still magic.”

“Dark magic,” I whispered.

“It’s still magic. Besides, I can do things you can’t with yours. For example, I can exchange a soul to be my slave for eternity in return for something they want. Like Meadow, she asked to break free of Bry so she could return to her beloved Nicholas. So, I made it happen, but she never said how she wanted
her freedom. However, my favorite deal right now has to be the one Nicholas just made with me.” He looked over at me and smiled.

“What did he want in exchange for his soul?” It came out barely
audible, but I knew he heard because he chortled a little.

“You. He wanted you dead.
Among a couple other things.” He walked around to the corner of the table. “Do you want to break?”

“Huh?” I had a hard time wr
apping my head around everything that was going on and I didn’t have time to register what he was asking.

“Pool, the balls, do you
want to break?” He motioned with his stick to the balls racked in the triangle.

“Really? You want to play pool, while you are talking about how you are gonna kill me
, because some craphead made a deal with you? Are you insane?”

“Okay, I’ll take that as a no.” He removed the triangle and set it aside. Expertly, he positioned his stick and struck the white ball, breaking the colors all over the felt. He looked up with his eyes at me. “See, it’s not hard.”

I placed my hand on my hip. This was officially the worst dream ever. He stood up and walked around the table to me. “Stripes or solids? I’ll let you choose.”

“You’re unbelievable. If I play, will you answer my questions?”

“I think that’s a great deal.” He gave me another grin and turned around.

“Oh
no, not a deal, just a question. I’m not making any deals with you.”

“Not yet
, anyway. Now, strips or solids?”

I looked at table. I
wasn’t exactly sure how to play, but the balls with stripes looked like more fun. I’d seen it done in the movies. It couldn’t be all that hard. “Stripes.”

He
raised a brow. “Really? Okay.” He let out a long breath.

“Why? What’
s wrong with stripes?”

“Nothing, just thought you were a solid kind of girl, not one to like two different colors.”

He was really getting under my skin and he knew it. “Okay, so what do I do?”

He laughed. “Well, that explains why you picked stripes.”

“It doesn’t explain anything. Just tell me what to do already so I can get outa here.”

He explained the whole game of pool then directed me to the easiest striped ball to get in the pocket before taking a step back. I hit the white ball
but it struck a stupid solid and knocked mine out of the way. “Okay, so while you beat me at pool, why don’t you finish telling me about Nicholas and his deal. How are you gonna kill me? Do I even have a way to fight it?”

He tipped his head side to side
, examining the table. “Well, I haven’t decided the how yet. After seeing you with the Vengars and Horrors, I’m not sure I want to kill you. As I said before,” he paused to take his shot, sending his ball straight into the corner pocket, “I might have to rethink my deal with Nicholas. But it all depends on you.”

Never before did I think I’d have to even contemplate making a deal with the devil, but here I was, playing pool
with him and discussing deals. I let out an exasperated breath as I watched him sink another ball.  “What do I have to do?”

He glanced up
, never taking his eyes off me, and shot a ball without looking at the table, sinking yet another one. “Are you wanting to make a deal?”

I swallowed
, trying to find the right words. I didn’t need him to misconstrue what I said. “I am only willing to listen to what you have in mind.”

He stood up straight. “Okay, why don’t you take a shot while I talk.”

I stared at the table, looking at all the striped balls. None of them looked like they could find their way to a pocket.

“Esmerelda, the reason Nicholas wants you dead is because you have more power than he does. Even with his pretend crossbreed army, which by the way I think is a load of crap, he will never have what you have…
Unless you’re dead. He asked me to kill you and hand over your powers to him. Because let’s face it, he’s power hungry but not very smart. I mean, how many times has he tried to kill you, yet he failed each time. He drags things out and likes to pretend that he’s all so evil, but really he’s just a worthless warlock. I have a hundred of him in my world. All of them think they are better than the others, they all think they can do better, they all think I will choose them for the next task.” He sighed and stared off into the flames still licking the fireplace walls.

I pretended not to notice his unusual quietness and proceeded to shoot a ball. I hit mine but it missed the pocket by about an inch. At least it wasn’t his this time
. I was improving.

“What I don’t have is someone like you. If I am the one who takes your life I can bring it to my world, but it wouldn’t be the same as if you came willingly.”

My breathing hitched and I kept my head down. I couldn’t look at him. I was afraid of what he said.

“I have a better deal. What if I kill Nicholas, keeping your family and your world safe, and in return I won’t kill you, but you come live with me. Together, we can have everything. Your powers with mine would be amazing
together.”

I jerked my head up to see him staring at me. The red in his eyes danced in rhythm to the flames. “Davin, I can’t.” My mouth was open but no other words came out.

“I’ll tell you what, why don’t you sleep on it. I’ll keep my offer open. If you change your mind just call for me.”

“I want to wake up now,” I said as my eyes began to blur with tears. I was angry, angrier than I had ever been before. Either I was to die and end up his slave, or I choose to end everything with Nicholas and leave Ian forever. My heart broke thinking that either way I was screwed.

He nodded sadly. “Okay. I’ll see you soon.” He placed his fingertips together and the room became black.

I sat up in bed gasping for air. Ian was instantly awake and sitting up next to me.
Tears streamed down my face.

“
Shhh…it’s okay, whatever it is, it’s okay,” Ian tried to comfort me, but he didn’t know what was wrong. He pulled me close, wrapping his arms around me.

My face rested against his chest as I cried. “Ian, I don’t know what to do.”

“It’s okay. Tell me about it. We can figure it out together.”

Chapter
Fourteen

A Hunting We Will Go

Esmerelda

Okay, so telling Ian probably wasn’t my best
decision. All he did now was pace the hotel room. Ailaina knew something was amiss and was in our room within minutes of me telling Ian about Davin.

“I’m gonna kill him. I’m gonna kill him,” Ian kept repeating as he wore out the already thin carpet. “If he’s dead
, then the Death Keeper won’t have to keep his deal.”

“I don’t know.” I hung my head as I sat on the bed and pet Luna’s head. She and Dregan came about the same time as Ailaina. Her head rested in my lap as she tried her best to comfort me.

“I hate that I can’t help you in your dreams,” she said as she let out another whimper.

“I know,” I whispered.

“How long do we have before he, um, before he either kills you or makes you choose?” Ailaina sat across from me on the other bed.

Ian threw his hands in the air. “Really? You’re her Seer, can’t you see? Really, what help are you if you can’t even do your job?”

“Ian,” I chastised. “Ailaina, don’t listen to him, he’s just frustrated.”

“It’s not my fault she can’t hear the truth. Seriously, Es, she needs to do her job. I know you haven’t been around many Seers but they’re supposed to help.”

“Ian, that’s enough. She’s my best friend and you have no right to talk to her that way.”

Ailaina stood up. “He’s right. I haven’t been doing my job. Ever since I was taken, I’ve been too scared to let myself see anything.”

I felt an unfamiliar heightened sense of protectiveness, but over whom I wasn’t sure. It filled my body like a warm liquid poured through my veins. I looked away, staring at the floor, then the ceiling, waiting for the awkward feeling to subside.

“You okay?” Ian asked.

I nodded. “Yeah, just a little hot in here.”

Ian huffed before walking over to the
thermostat and turned it on high. I continued to look up at the ceiling, waiting for the cool air to help. Maybe it was the confrontation that overwhelmed me and made me sick. I didn’t know what else to say that could help. No matter what I said to either of them I was going to be wrong.

“You’re not wrong, they are just worried,”
Dregan said from across the room as he sat and watched Ian pace. “We all are. I think we need to do what Ian says. Nicholas needs to die, and then there won’t be a deal for Davin to keep.”

Ian returned to pacing. I knew he heard Dregan, the same as I had. Luna pushed her head against me while in my lap.
“It’s the bond. Don’t worry, soon you’ll be used to feeling more than just me.”

I looked down at her and Ian stopped walking. “What do you mean, the bond?”

She sat up a little. “Well, if I must explain how you two sealed a guardian companionship, then you shouldn’t have done it in the first place.”

My mouth fell open and Ian ran his hands through his already disheveled hair, letting it fall back over
his forehead.

“I forgot that part. I guess with everything happening, I just didn’t think.”

Ailaina looked at both of us. “Would either of you care to explain? I can’t hear the wolves, remember.”

I felt heat creep into my cheeks and I looked down at Luna. “We, uh, Ian and I, uh, you know…” I shrugged.

Ailaina waved her hands in a crisscross in front of her. “You know, any other time I would love to talk to you about that, but I just can’t with him in the room.”

I laughed. “Good, cause I don’t want to either.” I knew that later she’d make me dive into details, but right now wasn’t the time with him only three feet away from us. There were some things girlfriends just didn’t do in the same room as their boyfriends. “Anyway, it means that we’re bonded and that means that not only can I hear Dregan, but I can feel him as well now. I ju
st feel warm and queasy, overrun with emotions.”

Ian dropped his hands to his sides. “I didn’t think either. I’m sorry
, Es. I hope you don’t regret it. I mean, you know, about…” He tipped his head.

I held my hand up. “Stop. Ian, I could never regret anything with you.”

Oh my gosh. It all made sense now. Earlier, before I fell asleep, I was overwhelmed with so many emotions, that must have been me bonding with Ian. My heart leapt in happiness, like I just confirmed finding my soul mate.

Ian glanced at me with his eyes glossed over. “I felt it, right after…you know.”

Ailaina stood up. “Okay, well, I think I need to leave you two alone cause this is getting a little too sappy for me, and I have no one to suck face with when I leave this room, so I don’t wanna hear it.” She gave me a secret grin and wink with her back to Ian and mouthed ‘later’ to me.

I had to stifle a giggle as she turned to leave. All I heard was the click of the door to know that she was gone.
             

I looked up at Ian
, who stopped pacing. “What do you think?”

He walked over to me and dropped to his knees
, nestling himself between my legs. “I think I am one lucky man to be with someone like you for eternity.”

I wrapped my arms around his neck. “You don’t regret it? I mean, I might die soon.”

“No, I don’t regret it and you won’t die. I never bonded with anyone before cause I never wanted to fall in love with anyone but you. You’ve had my heart for so long.”

I could feel him shake slightly, but more importantly, I could feel everything he wanted to say but couldn’t.
“I know. Ian, I love you.”

He tipped his head up and gazed into my eyes.
“I love you too. Es, I can’t lose you. He will die before your time is up, I promise.”

I leaned my head so I rested against Ian’s
forehead. “What scares me the most right now, is that he wouldn’t even tell me how I would die. He said he hadn’t thought of how, but I think he just didn’t want to tell me.”

He took a deep breath
. “Don’t worry about it, cause it’s not gonna happen. Did you forget who you’re dating? I’m like the king vampire hunter here.”

I stifled a small laugh.
Our small moment of affirmation of love was over, but I still felt it radiate from him, enveloping me—all of me. “Well, Master King Vampire Hunter, what is your plan?”

“My plan is to get you dressed and ready, we’re going hunting.”

I sat up straight and cocked my head. “Hunting? In Spain?”

“
Yup, now conjure up some black sexy clothes to wear.”

I laughed. “
Black sexy clothes, huh.”

He slapped my thigh playfully as he stood. “Yes, we’re talking skintight leathers
, baby.”

“Yeah, that’s not gonna happen.”

“A guy can dream right?”

Ugh, boys.

I got dressed in my new sexy black clothes—minus the leather—and looked at myself in the mirror. It was so hard to believe I was nineteen and worried that I would die before I turned twenty. I ran my fingers through my long red tresses and magicked a little makeup. I wasn’t sure who we would be hunting, but if it stopped my death sentence, then I was all for it.

“Hey, Princess, you almost done in there? We’re not going to the opera
, you know.”

I groaned at Ian’s impatient attitude. “Seriously
, dude, I’m coming.”

“Alright, just saying you don’t have to primp.”

I opened the door hard, letting it hit the wall. It was hard to be mad at him while my heart raced to keep up with my hormones. He was clad all in black as usual, but the way he looked at me in his jeans and T-shirt, leaning against the dresser with his arms folded, made my mouth water. His eyes roamed over my matching attire, lingering longer at my curves.

“Do I look okay?” I asked. Maybe he was hesitant because I wasn’t pulling the bad girl look off as well as he hoped.

“Damn, girl, this is why you’re mine.”

I laughed. “Okay, but seriously, I feel strange wearing all black, like I’m supposed to blend in with the shadows or something.”

“Exactly. You don’t want to be seen while hunting. It could mean the difference between the death of another or killing yourself. And we both are trying to avoid the latter.”

A knock on our door averted my attention. I turned and opened it, letting Ailaina in. She smiled widely as she sat on a bed. “I’ve got it. I totally saw everythin
g. Wait, why are you all matchy-matchy? You two really need to take some time apart.”

Ian and I both laughed. “She’s wearing black cause we’re going hunting.”

Ailaina scrunched her brows. “Okayyyy. Why does she need black? Is it like camo or something?”

“Yeah, sort of. Ian thinks I can blend into the shadows this way.”

“Alright, well, you two have fun with that. Jeesh, whatever happened to dinner and movie for a date? Hunting vampires is so, um, you know, it’s never been in the top ten on my list of fun things to do on a date.”

Ian wrapped his arm around my shoulders. “That’s cause you’ve never dated anyone like me.”

“Thank God,” she said dramatically.

I figured I better break them up before it became an all
-out pissing match. “So, what did you see?”

She stuck her tongue out at Ian and I shot him a look that told him to zip it. “Well, I saw this Davin guy, you didn’t tell me he was
freakin hot by the way, and he was in a room with a huge fireplace. I’m not sure where he was at, I didn’t recognize it. But anyway, he was alone and thinking about you. Not a creepy kind of stalkerish way, just thinking. He seemed really lonely though. He saw me. It was strange, but so neat. We talked and talked.”

“Okay, Ailaina, I get it
. What was he thinking?” Ian interrupted.

“I was getting there, jeesh. He doesn’t want to kill you but he has to as long as Nicholas is alive. Which is what Ian suggested we do, I know, but
even if Nicholas dies, Davin still wants you, Es, but not for the reasons you think. I know how to fix it, but I can’t tell you right now. You’re just gonna have to trust me, and when the time is right, you’ll know.”

“Trust you?” It’s not that I didn’t trust her, I just wanted all the answers right now.

“Yes. Trust me. Please.”

“Hey, I think as long as we can kill Nicholas, we can do anything. I trust you.” Ian grabbed his leather jacket and pulled it on. “You didn’t tell us a timeframe. How long do we have before he has to kill her?”

“Not long. Maybe two weeks, maybe a little more.”

I gasped. I expected a lot longer. I couldn’t die in two
weeks; I had so much to live for.

“Hey, Princess, it’s okay, remember. You’re with the Hunting King.” He gave me a wink.

Ailaina groaned out loud and I chewed on my lip. I was tired and my days were numbered. I would see how tonight went and then make a decision. If we couldn’t find Nicholas, then maybe my best bet would be to make a deal with Davin.

I snatched up my jacket from the end of the bed as I stood. “Okay, I’m ready.” I spun around to Ailaina. “Are you coming with us?”

She gave me a coy smile. “No, I kinda wanted to see if I could see anything else, you know, with Davin. I told him I’d be back to talk more.”