Four Centuries (Damned and Cursed Book 7) (25 page)

Victoria shook her head in disgust and dismay as she joined him in the living room.
 
Zoey followed suit, sitting next to her, across from Jack.

A disturbing thought struck her that she couldn't keep to herself.

"You…said no, right?"

"Of course I said no.
 
What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Hey, just checking.
 
I thought maybe you two did it doggy-style."

Zoey tried to hold in a chuckle, but didn't quite manage.
 
She lowered her head and kept her eyes to herself.

"How long have you been waiting to use that joke?"

"Oh, a long time.
 
Her name's Marie, right?
 
When are you bringing her over here?"

"Over here?
 
To Baltimore?
 
I don't think so.
 
She'd probably catch mange as soon as she stepped off the plane.
 
On the way over here, a hooker tried to hit me up for a hundred bucks.
 
Said it would be the night of my life.
 
I talked her down to seventy-five.
 
Then I told her I was just kidding, to go get a real job.
 
Damn, I love Baltimore.
 
The look on her face was a work of art."
 
He reached for his phone.
 
"I took a picture, if you want to see."

"No, Jack," Victoria said, holding her head in her hands.
 
"I don't want to see."
 
She put a hand on Zoey's shoulder.
 
"I'm not sure if you noticed my house-guest.
 
This is Zoey."

He still wouldn't look at her.

"Oh yeah, I noticed.
 
I've just been ignoring her.
 
Since when did you start taking in strays?"

Zoey's eyes lit up with raw emotion.
 
She glanced at Victoria in shock before casting an evil glare to Jack.

"Who the fuck are you calling a stray?"

"Ah, another genius."
 
He gave her his attention for the first time.
 
"There are three people here.
 
I'm not talking about myself or Victoria.
 
Can you work the rest out for yourself?"

Zoey frowned at Victoria.

"
Who
is this?"

"Zoey, this is Jack.
 
I've known him a long time, and consider him my brother."

"Is he
always
an asshole?"

Victoria didn't want to lie, so instead chose to say nothing.
 
Jack's lip merely twitched in a semblance of a smile.

"So, a fourteen-year-old vampire," Jack mused.
 
"I bet that has to be rough."

"I just turned
eighteen
.
 
I'll bet it's rough for you to look into a mirror."

He raised his eyebrows at Victoria.
 
"How exactly do you take her for a walk?
 
She probably chews through the leash."

Zoey rose to her feet, balling her fists.

"Let's see how jokey you are when I break your nose."

"Enough!" Victoria said, rising to her feet.
 
"Jack, will you behave?"

Despite her irritated exterior, Victoria struggled to hold in laughter.
 
Jack suffered from a curse that prevented him from dying or sleeping.
 
It was only recently that he was able to enjoy a night's sleep, thanks to a magical artifact from Kevin.
 
Another seeming side effect of his curse was the uncanny ability to crawl under a person's skin.

That was perhaps exactly what Zoey needed.
 
There was no other person alive that was able to take Zoey's mind off her troubles than Jack Kursed.
 
Maybe a dose of him would change her outlook.

"Are you hungry?" Victoria said, more to diffuse the tension in the living room than any concern about Jack's appetite.
 
"I can cook you up something."

He waved her offer aside.
 
"Not a bad idea, but I'll cook my own food.
 
You can't even walk in the daylight.
 
Like I'm going to trust you around a stove."

Victoria let out a tiny smile.
 
Jack's powers of perception never ceased to amaze her.
 
In the few minutes since he'd arrived, he picked out that Zoey was a vampire.
 
He also determined that Victoria hadn't shared the world of magic with Zoey, and that Victoria still had her own secrets.

Jack led the way to the kitchen.
 
Zoey lagged behind, and grabbed Victoria's arm for a private conversation.

"Victoria, seriously," Zoey said.
 
"Who is this dickhead?"

"Jack can be a pain, I know.
 
But once you get on his good side…."
 
She couldn't follow that thought to its logical conclusion.
 
"Actually, it doesn't get much better."

"And how do you get on his good side?"

"I really don't know."

Victoria continued on to the kitchen, with Zoey sighing behind her.
 
Jack already had a chicken breast in olive oil on the stove.
 
He was cutting broccoli as he prepared the steamer, making himself right at home.

"It's a shame the only thing you two can choke down is blood," Jack said.
 
"You haven't lived until you've had food prepared by my hand."

Victoria rolled her eyes at Zoey.
 
"Oh, if only we had the honor."

"Remember when you actually tried chicken that one time?
 
Winnipeg, in 1898.
 
I thought you would be sick forever.
 
You threw up some shit scientists are still trying to figure out."

"Don't remind me."
 
She shivered at the memory.

"You were in Winnipeg in 1898?" Zoey asked.
 
"And you ate chicken?"

"I'd lost a bet," Victoria said.
 
"Another life lesson for you.
 
Don't make bets involving mortal food."

"Wait a sec."
 
Zoey looked back and forth between the older beings.
 
"Jack, are you old?
 
You were alive in 1898?"

"I was.
 
And your thoughts on
old
will change sooner than you think."

"But you're not a vampire?"
 
She looked at Victoria.
 
"What is he?"

Jack didn't bother turning around.

"What I
am
is my business."

"Okay, jeez.
 
Sorry."

Jack grabbed the spare key in the drawer to the refrigerator of blood.
 
He poured two glasses and set them on the table.

"Here you ladies go," he said.
 
"I'm not eating alone.
 
A little baby glass for you, Stray.
 
We can't have you pissing in the crib."

Zoey scowled, but accepted the glass.
 
"Thanks, asshole.
 
My name is Zoey."

Jack sat across from them and tore into his chicken and broccoli.
 
He was quiet as he ate, not feeling the need to fill the room with idle chatter.
 
Zoey drank her blood in peace, only casting Jack the occasional irritated glance.

"I do have some bad news," Jack said, near the end of his meal.

"What's that?"

"Tiffany wants to come for a visit."

"That's great news.
 
I miss her."

Jack laughed.
 
"Ah, you think so?
 
Wait until the visit is over.
 
She'll fall in love with this place and invite all her friends."

"She
has
friends?
 
I was a little worried about her there, for a while."

He shook his head sadly.
 
"Everyone
loves
Tiffany.
 
Which means everyone loves coming over to my damn house."

Zoey leaned closer to Victoria.
 
"People actually let him watch their kids?"

Jack didn't snap back, and that could only be progress in Victoria's mind.
 
His lip simply curled into a half-smile as he nodded.

"Believe me, I wonder the same thing," he said.
 
"Mortal parents aren't the brightest, that's for sure."

Victoria's phone rang.
 
Jack took his empty plate to the sink as she checked the caller ID.
 
She was surprised to see it was Tony.
 
She hadn't spoken to him since she visited before her trip to India.

"Tony?" she said. "How are—?"

"Victoria.
 
I need you to get to the club.
 
Now."

The call went dead.

She stared at the phone in disbelief, and slowly began to worry.
 
The urgency, the panic in Tony's voice was obvious.

"What's up?" Jack asked.

"I have to go."

"Ah, and I was just getting comfortable."

"Is everything okay?" Zoey asked.

"I don't know.
 
That was a friend of mine.
 
He needs my help."

"I'm almost done washing up," Jack said.
 
"And I'll be on my way."

"You should come with me.
 
It's been a while since we've spent time together."

"Can't.
 
My plane's all ready to go, and my pilot's waiting."

"
Your
pilot?" Zoey said.
 
"You own a plane?"

Jack ignored her.

"I shouldn't have even stopped here, but couldn't pass through without visiting family."

"I'm going to a strip club."

"Hmmm.
 
Maybe I can the delay the flight a little longer."

Zoey rolled her eyes and scoffed.
 
"Typical guy.
 
Pig."

"I can see female body parts whenever I want," Jack explained.
 
"I just like to remind the dancers what shitty career paths they've chosen."

"I'll bet you do."

"Let's go," Victoria said.
 
"Tony didn't sound right.
 
Zoey—"

"I'll pass," she said.
 
"I don't want to go to a strip club."

"You'd probably die from jealousy," Jack said.
 
"You should make a stop soon, though, to see what your future holds.
 
Maybe take some notes."

"Screw you."

Victoria wasn't going to invite her, so the result was the same regardless.
 
She nodded while grabbing her phone and purse.

"Okay.
 
Ready, Jack?"

"Yeah.
 
Stray can tuck herself in without you, right?"

"Goodbye, Jack," Zoey said.
 
Her voice dripped with ice and sarcasm.
 
"I just can't wait to meet you again.
 
Next time, bring…what's her name?
 
Tiffany?
 
Bring her down.
 
I could use a little snack."

Victoria froze in place and clenched her eyes shut.
 
She was already in the hallway, half way to the front door.
 
Jack was behind her in the kitchen doorway.
 
She turned and saw that look.
 
She pleaded with her eyes for Jack to let it go.

But Jack simply wasn't capable.

He turned and leaned in the doorway.
 
Crossing his arms, he did nothing but stare at Zoey.
 
He didn't utter a word.
 
Victoria was afraid to imagine the dark thoughts swimming through his mind.

"Oh, you can dish it out, but not take it?" Zoey said.

Jack said nothing.
 
Thirty seconds passed before she began squirming in her chair.

"What's your problem?" she asked.
 
"You think I'm cute?
 
Like what you see?
 
I'm a little young for you."

Still nothing.
 
All it took was those dark eyes of his and another two minutes before Zoey's tone had changed.

"Y-You know I'm not serious, right?" she said, her voice shaking.
 
"I didn't mean anything by it.
 
I was just trying to piss you off."

Finally, he spoke.

"What a strange goal.
 
Well, congratulations.
 
You've succeeded.
 
Now, let's talk about your reward."

Zoey flinched as Jack simply stepped back into the kitchen.
 
He sat next to her and turned her chair toward him.
 
Zoey couldn't look away, her face etched with fear.

"I'm actually going to give you some advice," he said.
 
"On how to stay alive.
 
First thing, always listen to Victoria.
 
She won't steer you wrong."

"I…like Victoria," Zoey said.

Jack's tone grew darker.

"Now, here's another thing.
 
Don't ever talk about my daughter.
 
Ever.
 
If you do—"

"I swear—"

"Don't.
 
Interrupt me.
 
You're going to meet her one day, I'm sure.
 
If you even
look
at her like she's a lollipop, I'm going to mount your head on a pike, as a warning for any future strays Victoria takes in.
 
You understand?"

Zoey was afraid to speak.
 
She'd brought her legs onto the chair and was hugging her knees without even realizing.
 
All she could do was nod her head.

Jack left without another word.
 
He joined Victoria in the hallway, and the pair left the house together.
 
She shook her head in frustration as she pressed the remote for the garage door.