Mixed Blessing (Mixed Blessing Mystery, Book 1) (36 page)

But, for now, I will let her choose.

It's hunger that woke me. I was having a beautiful dream, warm under the clean and crisp sheets, safe snuggled within my linen cocoon, enjoying the sunlight in my vision as it bathed my skin. Slow waves rolling over the sand, the lapping sound reaching my ears, but mingled with the squawk of nearby sea gulls. I rolled over to tan my front and that's when the hunger hit me.

My fangs flicked out and down, a growl emitted from the back of my throat.... and it all came crashing back in.

My Dark Shadow told me. I think everything that transpired, while she was in charge, but I can't be sure. I do know my Sire got away. And I now know why he was killing off the premarket research group. I also know he staked me with my own stake, but I didn't meet the final death.

And, I know Samson and Jett turned up to save the day, and that she was not happy with their interruption, because it distracted her. Enough for my Sire to escape.

I was on the same page as her with that one. She’d been so close, a few seconds later and he would have been dust, the rest of the test group would be safe and then I could concentrate on getting Stu off the charges. Or bust him out of prison.

But not now. Xavier was free. And I was hungry.

I sat up in the bed, vaguely aware I was wearing my t-shirt and undies, but little else. I looked around the room and took in the luxurious surroundings. Plush, bold, masculine furnishings in red and black and white. Large, dark stained, wooden sleigh bed, matching side tables, and a coffee table in the corner in the same style. Cream walls with expensive art, I recognised some of the artists' work. Comfortable armchairs over by the coffee table, next to a fireplace. The fire was burning brightly in the hearth.

This was not my apartment. This was definitely not one of the chambers for Jett's line at
Sensations
, but although I had never stepped inside it before, I knew exactly where this room was. It was next to Jett's office, on his side of the building.

Oh Lord, I was sleeping, half naked, in the Master of the City's bed. I groaned aloud.

The door opened and I immediately pulled the sheets up over my bare legs as Jett prowled into the room. His blue eyes flicked up to mine and he smiled. It seemed secretive. Hmm.

"You're awake, kitten."

"So it would appear." I held his gaze for a second, then asked, "How did I get here?"

"I brought you here," he replied simply and began walking closer to the bed. I forced myself not to move back towards the headboard.

By the time he was sitting down beside me, my heart had all but beat itself right out of my chest. That was the heart and chest that had been fully healed - I was thinking by none other than Jett himself. It was taking all of my willpower though not to scramble. I was sure he could tell, his knowing smile just kept getting bigger.

"Are you hungry?" he asked in a low rumble, his hand coming up and taking the sheet out of my clasped fingers. He had to pry a couple of them loose.

"Famished," I replied without thinking. That got me a growl from the back of his throat. I froze.

"I'll get a donor to you soon, first I want to check your wounds." He pulled the sheet down and began to lift my t-shirt up from the base.

That was when I lost it. I sprang from the bed and launched myself to the other side of the room.

"I'm fine!" I squeaked in a high pitched voice.

He watched me with amusement from his position now semi-reclined on the bed.

"I think I should check though," he replied, his eyes blazing azure. "Come here."

Nah-uh. I shook my head at him. He smiled.

"You're playing, kitten." His voice had got lower. "You know how I like it when you play. Your Dark Shadow likes to play."

"Don't bring her into this."

"She is part of you. A part I am particularly keen to get to know further."

Fuck.

I swallowed and contemplated the wisdom of blasting him again with my Light.

"Come here, Georgia." This time he used his
Sanguis Vitam
and my feet obeyed the command. Jett was Master of the City and I was still recovering from a chest full of stake.

"Damn you," I muttered as I came to rest before him. He was sitting upright again on the side of the bed, he'd parted his legs, so I'd been able to walk right up to him, between them.

I felt trapped. I hated it. My Dark Shadow just purred.

"I just want to check your wounds," he reiterated. "I promise, nothing else."

I stood stock still as he lifted my shirt. Just enough to look at my chest, above my heart. He didn't stray from there, he didn't take a circuitous route to reach the right spot. He simply lifted my shirt, ran a finger over the area the stake had entered, which was still slightly red and puffy, and then lowered the shirt back down again. Without dragging his fingers across my skin, or giving me any impression he had even noticed the colour of my bra.

His eyes flicked up to mine, they were back to his normal baby blue. He didn't say anything for a second and then, softly, "You're healing just fine."

I nodded, but couldn't find my voice.

"We would work well together, kitten." It was the wrong thing to say. My Sire had said something similar. Then staked me through the heart.

I stepped back and wrapped my arms across my chest.

"He's still out there, he'll strike again."

"Samson's working on something with your police detective, all is not lost." This news surprised me, but when I raised my eyebrows at him, he didn't explain any further.

We stared at each other for several seconds.

Then, "She asked me why my scent was at each of the scenes." He was talking about my Dark Shadow. What the fuck had she done that for? "Why didn't you say something?"

I bravely held his gaze and inhaled. Ink and crisp parchment. Oregano and sage. Decaying leaves and grass. Curiosity, frustration and disappointment. But no stringent ammonia. No uncomfortable mouldy cheese. He wasn't angry at me and he wasn't feeling any guilt.

Now I was confused.

"Every scene, Jett," I said quietly, not sure what admitting this would do, but knowing he wouldn't let me out of this room until I did. And I had to make sure those innocents were safe and then I could work on freeing Stu. Time was marching. "Even her apartment," I added.

"Why didn't you ask me?" he semi-repeated.

"I was scared of the reason why," I whispered back.

"Why?" he pushed softly.

Because I didn't want him involved in something like this. I kept my mouth closed.

After a while he sighed.

"I discovered the drinks were addictive to Norms," he said in a level voice, settling back into the pillows on the bed as though he was about to tell a long story. Maybe he was. "I started digging around. Got to know the CEO of SubZero in an effort to find out what was what. I could tell she was mind-blocked. Easily performed by a vampire or fairy. I couldn't tell which, it was well done. But my digging alerted the murderer. Who we now know is the Rogue." His eyes flicked up to mine, concern obvious on his face. I didn't need to inhale to know he was feeling it. "Your Sire," he added, softly. Then a bigger sigh. "I forced his hand, he knew I was investigating, so I backed off. Then he killed her."

"That wasn't your fault." I have no idea why I said that, but my Dark Shadow pushed me to say the words. I frowned. Jett watched me closely, but didn't argue or accept the point.

"Then you turned up at that scene at Grafton Oaks," he went on. "You were a surprise and just what you can do, an even bigger one. You're powerful, kitten. You have unimaginable talent. I don't even think you're aware of what you can do yet, but I have an inkling."

"So you decided to test me?" The words were bitter. My Sire had tested me too.

"Yes and no." I waited, frown in place, arms still crossed. "I needed to pull back my investigation, so I chose to use you as a distraction to the murderer."

Oh. I'm not sure if I was relieved or pissed off. Use me as a distraction. Great.

"I still kept a close eye on things. My scent was at each scene because I was too."

Hang on a minute. He still kept an eye on things. On things or on me?

"Why would you do that? I was investigating for you. The whole reason was to provide a distraction." I glared at him as I said that, he remained steadfast under my stare. "Why would you compromise my investigation and the murderer's wrath? Not to mention me."

"You are Nothus." Nothing else, just that. As though that explanation was more than enough.

And I guess it was. A Nothus can't be trusted. A Nothus gets killed on sight by the
Iunctio
. They are considered abominations. Illegal combinations that must be put down. He was prepared to use me, but he didn't trust me.

What a waste of everyone's time.

I looked around the room for my jeans. I was hungry. Half dressed. And now just plain pissed off.

"Where are my clothes?" I demanded.

"I'll get them soon, but first you'll hear me out."

I let a frustrated breath out and then stormed to the door. It was unlocked, so I pulled it open. I had every intention of leaving here in my t-shirt and knickers if I had to. But I was leaving here.

Of course, Jett disagreed.

The door was slammed closed in front of me and then I was spun and thrust up against it hard. Jett's body pinning me securely to the flat surface at my back. One hand grasping both of mine above my head, his palm big enough to hold both my hands on its own. The other hand was entangled in my hair, my head tipped back at an angle so I was forced to look in his eyes. They were azure again.

"I didn't know you," he said with force. "I didn't trust you," he admitted. "But that was because I didn't know you. And now I do."

No. He didn't.

I thrust all of the Light I could reach into his chest. It wasn't as much as usual, I was hungry, taxed and had been blasting away a little too freely lately and literally felt like I was running low on the Light-juice front. But he felt it. It hurt.

And it just turned him on.

Fuck!

He growled low, his body pressed deeper into me as he rode the pain of my Light out. His fingers not releasing my hair, his palm not shifting an inch to allow my hands to get free. By the time I had run out of Light to blast him with - not literally, it was still there, I just couldn't wield it, I was so exhausted - it was obvious how turned on he was. I couldn't miss it, he was flush against me. Every hard part of him, that is.

He panted slightly, his eyes a little out of focus.

"You are a delight," he breathed against my lips. I just blinked.

All strength had left me. My
Sanguis Vitam
as depleted as my Light. I needed to feed. Until I did, he was stronger than I could ever possibly be.

"I have to taste you," he whispered. "I
need
to taste how delicious you promise to be."

"No," I said, my voice weak. "I'm not yours to taste."

"Are you Samson's?" he growled.

"No. I'm no one's." And that was the way it was going to stay.

If I had questioned that resolution before, I did no longer.
You are Nothus
, Jett had said. I would always be Nothus to any vampire. I would always be something else. A curiosity, sure. A powerful tool to add to their kit, maybe. But, I am not a vampire. I am not one of them.

The truth of that was never more obvious than today.

Jett had used me. Aliath, a fairy, had used me too. All for what I could do. And what I could do, was because of what I am. I am Nothus.

And then there is Samson. He thinks he still loves me, but he loves the human girl I once was. I'm not her anymore. I am Nothus.

There is no mixed blessing to this curse. I have skills. I am a target. The worth of one does not outweigh the danger of the other. Mixed it is. Blessing it is not.

It was time I faced up to that fact and did what I needed to do to survive.

"Let me go," I demanded, albeit softly.

"No," he whispered in my ear. "You're angry, I understand, but you can trust me, kitten. I want you.
You
. All of you." His voice lowered, almost an imperceptible rumble from the back of his throat. "Let me in."

"Jett," I said, deciding on honesty. "I don't believe you."

He pulled back and looked down at me, shock and something else in his face. I tried to inhale a scent, but along with lack of
Sanguis Vitam
and Light, coupled with hunger, came the diminishing of
all
my talents across the board.

He stared at me for several seconds, then softly, whisper-quiet said, "I'll convince you." Please don't. "You'll see." No. I wouldn't.

Then he stepped back and walked out of the room. I stood frozen in the spot he had moved to before he opened the door. Part of me admitting I wanted to believe him. I wanted someone to claim me, to protect me, to ride this storm out with me at my side. And Jett was more than capable of doing all of that. But another part of me knew that was my Dark Shadow talking.