Unbound (16 page)

“I will protect you and care for you always if you’ll agree to be mine. I know you have a boyfriend and I’ll give you time to take care of that unfortunate issue.” A flash of anger crossed his face when he spoke of her boyfriend. He wasn’t willing to share. “I swear I’ll make you so happy you’ll never miss the guy who left you alone and made you cry. I’ll never hurt you, my Lovely.”

They laid there for hours talking about nothing at all and everything they wanted from life. They both wanted several kids, having both been only children. Neither of them wanted that for their kids. He wanted a huge house on plenty of property with security for the kids to run and play without worry of outsiders harming them. The word outsiders echoed around her mind. Her mother was considered an outsider to her father’s family. Dani wanted a normal size house on a quiet street in a neighborhood with lots of other kids. She believed that love grew stronger in smaller spaces. Families today had too many distractions and barriers already to put any more space than necessary between them. The look he gave her then said he was trying to get back into her head. He wanted to know how her mind worked. He wanted to dig around and find all of her secrets. They held each other in silence, touching and being touched, kissing and inhaling each other. It felt like they were imprinting themselves on the fabric of the other’s being. A connection forged in those peaceful moments of loving and being loved as never before. 

The illusion of being the only two people in the world was shattered by the sound of arguing from somewhere beyond the closed bedroom door. Everything was still a bit cloudy when she lifted her head, but there was definitely a girl yelling profanities in the hall.

“Don’t tell me I can’t see him! You’re the one that needs to get out, asshole!” the voice screeched.

A deep male voice replied, “I’m telling you that you don’t want to go in there, Sam. He’s gonna be pissed you’re even here, and somebody’s head is gonna roll for letting you in.”

Chase cursed under his breath, “Just relax, Lovely. I’ll handle this. There’s no need for you to be disturbed. Just rest.” He made no move to leave the bed. Instead, he snuggled in closer. The door flew open.

“Don’t call me Sam, you prick!” A beautiful platinum blond in heels and a dress so short it was more like a long shirt, burst into the room, and Chase’s friend followed trying to get a handle on her. “What the hell are you doing?”

The blonde bellowed at them from the doorway. The noise was hurting Dani’s head and making her nauseous. She turned her face into Chase’s chest and tried to cover her ears.

“What are you doing in our bed? Get your filthy hands off my mate!” she screeched at Dani. 

That cleared all the clouds from her mind. Dani looked at Chase with a wide-eyed question but his attention was on the blond intruder now.

“This is not your bed,” he remarked dryly.

“She’s your mate? What does that mean?” Dani was confused but Chase just pulled her back to his chest and kissed her forehead.

“She’s not my…”

“That means he’s mine, you idiot!” The blonde hissed at Dani, cutting Chase off.

“Chase, are you engaged to her?” Dani’s heart began to feel the pain of the obvious answer on his face. He didn’t deny anything, instead turning an angry scowl on the blond.

That was it for Dani! She was getting out of this domestic dispute right now. Slowly, painfully she got herself to a sitting position as Chase tried to stop her progress.

“That’s right, you little slut, get your shit and go!” The blonde insulted. Cayden was trying to hold her back from the bed.

“Cayden, get her out of here now.” Chase ordered while pushing Dani back onto the bed. “You need to rest. Please stay in bed.”

“Oh, I’m not going any damn place until that bitch is gone. You can count on that!” The blonde barked. “And what the hell is up with her hair? You’re into freaks now, Chase?” Just then, Cayden lost his grip on Sam and Chase leapt from the bed to stop her. She got a good look at Sam then. Her irises were jet black and she was sporting thin curved fangs. Oddly familiar looking, she thought to herself. Everything was starting to make a little more sense. She obviously wasn’t the only black-eyed freak around. Stiffly rising from the bed Dani was mortified to be standing in nothing but her panties with bandages wrapped around her ribs as three other people in the room grappled. Her pants and shirt were cut into shreds on the floor. She supposed they’d been cut off out of necessity. The blonde was really pissing her off with all the shouting, and Dani’s head was splitting. Her vision sharpened and she figured at that moment she probably resembled the blonde a bit.

In anger and pain, she screamed, “Shut up!” and the struggling, yippy blonde went silent. Chase and Cayden looked at the girl, then at Dani and then each other. Chase snapped his fingers in front of Sam’s face, but she didn’t flinch.

“How did you do that?” Chase gaped.

“Cool trick! Can you teach me?” Cayden asked excitedly.

“Get me some clothes. My clothes are cut into pieces?” she asked Chase before turning her attention to Cayden, “Could you get nightmare Barbie out of here while I get dressed, please?” Cayden guided the silent and dazed looking girl out of the room and shut the door. Chase stood and stared at her in amazement.

“How did you do that?” he insisted.

“Fine,
I’ll get some clothes myself but don’t worry. I won’t take your fiancée’s clothes.” She tossed over her shoulder and entered the huge walk-in closet that actually did have some girl’s clothing. He followed and located a t-shirt and a pair of running pants she could cinch up around her waist.

“You don’t understand. She’s supposed to be bonded to me. It’s an arrangement between our parents. I didn’t ask her to be my mate.” He tried to explain as she pulled on the clothes with him looking on. Her head was swimming. What a strange way to put it. Mate? Bonded?

Leaving the closet to search for shoes, she asked, “Are you, or are you not, going to marry that girl?” She cut straight to the quick because she didn’t want to hear any excuses.

Chase sputtered, “I… but, I… and they.” He growled.  “Don’t you understand?”

“Is that a cowardly yes? What were you going to do, play with me until the big day comes? I feel so unreasonably connected to you and I was sure when I woke in your arms that we had something. I actually believed that crap you were spouting about wanting a family and forever with me. She was right. I am an idiot!”

“Don’t you understand? I have family obligations. I was going to try to get out of it. What else am I supposed to do, Lovely? I want you, not her,” he pleaded.

Pinning him with black eyes she spat, “Don’t you ever call me that again! In fact, I don’t want you speaking my name at all!” She drew nearer to him and using the same method of projection she’d used earlier, without knowing how she did it, she sent a quick succession of mental clips starting with Lucas holding her and saying he loved her, then Lucas’s memory of calling her names at the party and kissing another girl he was holding in his arms. She followed with clips of Chase holding her, kissing her and the shared words of affection and forever followed by her imagined image of him marrying the blond. She punctuated it with a verbal and mental slap, “You’re all the same.” 

She dug her cell and car keys out of the destroyed jeans and tried to leave the room. Chase stepped into her path and wrapped his arms around her waist, hauling her up against his chest. He begged her to stay with those beautiful blue-green eyes. She couldn’t resist taking one last deep breath of the sunshine and happiness she couldn’t have, and pressed her lips to his before detangling herself and pushing past him. She felt Chase watch her walk past the still muted beauty in the living room and out of his home. His soon-to-be wife’s home, Dani reminded herself.

* * *

Cayden followed Dani to the elevator, “Are you going to release Sam?”

She looked at the door and the screaming began echoing from inside, just as if it’d never stopped. “Thanks, I think.” He took the phone from her limp hand and programmed in his cell number.

“Call me if you need anything. I’m not hitting on you or anything. You just look like you could you use a friend and I have a strong shoulder if you need someone to lean on. Chase is my best friend, but I can keep a secret if you don’t want him to know we’re amigos.” He gave her the best nice-guy-next-door impression he was capable of because being her friend sounded like something he really wanted at the moment.

Dani smiled and to his surprise, she allowed herself to fall into his arms for a moment. Tears streaked down her cheeks making him want to beat his friend to a pulp. Cayden supported her, stroking her beautiful hair, rocking slightly until she pulled herself together and backed up into the open elevator. The anguish in her eyes tore at Cayden. There was more to this situation than just a little heartache.

“I’m not what you guys think I am. I’m not like you. Trust me. I’m nothing but bad news for you and your friend.” The elevator doors slid closed on her misery.

Cayden stood there in awe of the emotions this girl provoked in him. Holy shit but she was powerful, smart and, he believed, capable of wrapping the heart of any man around her little finger. He was even having trouble not following her and, if it weren’t for his best friend in the apartment behind him, Cayden believed he would have.

* * *

“There she is, Master!” Nathan eagerly pointed at a girl with flowing dark hair and distinguishing streaks of white and some new red that he hadn’t noticed before. She walked right past them. Nathan was livid with the bitch when he left the club. He’d informed the Master he’d be bringing him a gift. He’d ingested the drug given to him for the purpose of immobilizing vampires. When the vamp fed from him it had taken her down, but she was still able to use mental powers to defend herself. The other three vamps he’d taken didn’t fight him after the drug took over, so this one had surprised him. He had to call the Master to inform him of the mishap. The Master was displeased and sent him back to the club. The girl had to be something special in order to fight the drugs and he wanted her for testing. He’d gotten back to the club just in time to see the owner’s son carrying her out the back door. He followed them and called the Master to inform him of the girl’s location among several other vampires. Lucky for him the girl came out alone and able to walk on her own. The Master wanted this one unharmed. The rogue vampire seated across the limousine laughed darkly with no humor in his voice. He was frightening and cold behind the dark shades he always wore in public.

“She looks just like someone I used to know. This will be much to my advantage. I’m quite sure I know exactly who this girl belongs to, and I can’t wait to watch his dismay at her reappearance. How disgraced he will be.” Another low rumble of laughter made his skin crawl.

Nathan never saw it coming. The brutal vamp grabbed him by the neck and glared with black eyes and fangs an inch from his face, “You are very fortunate the girl has survived your reckless attack.” Without another word, Nathan was launched out onto the street.

“I’d hide if I were you. The girl is well connected. I’ll bet there’s already a reward for your sorry hide.”  He ordered his driver to follow the cab the girl hailed. It took her to a parking lot where he watched the girl hop into another vehicle before following her to the nearby University. What a turn of events. He’d acquired a telepathic, telekinetic beauty with who knew what other talents
. Withstanding the effect of
Hypnovam was very impressive. He thought of all the possibilities as he directed the driver to take him back to the nest. He hoped she might consider joining him. It would be a shame to waste such pretty wrapping to get at the gifts inside.

* * *

Chase had to threaten Samantha with choosing to bond with Brandi to get her to finally leave. She ranted and raved about how this shit was going to end, and he would be a faithful mate to her once they were bonded. He had to watch what was said in front of Sam, not wanting to give her any information that would lead to his Lovely. After she was gone he placed a call to Vince, informing him of the vampire slayer in their midst that had chosen the wrong girl to slay. Danielle had stopped his attack but she was badly injured, and this had him on the edge of a meltdown. She was injured and weakened, so if attacked again, it may not end the same way.  Vince was directed to locate Nathan at any cost and bring him to the
Council
for questioning and judgment. They needed to know who Nathan was working for and why they wanted Danielle. Chase made sure to lift her cell number from her phone while she slept earlier and tried to reach her several times since she left, but she wouldn’t answer and he couldn’t leave a message because her mailbox was full. That made him wonder about how many people were leaving her messages. Jealousy crept into his mind at the thought of all the guys that would love to fill her inbox.

He had messed up badly, but so had his competition. It was the perfect chance to get closer to her. Holding her and being completely accepted by her today had felt like a gift. He felt like he had direction and goals for the first time. She wanted him as much as he wanted her but he’d screwed it all up. He had easily expressed his feelings in a way that he never had been able to in the past. Chase believed that it was easy and natural because it was right and meant to be. The best hours of his life were spent in Danielle’s arms, before Sam showed up and ruined it. When Danielle compared him to that sorry human male, he then understood what had sent her to the club, looking for solitude and numbness. Now she believed him to be cut from the same cloth as a guy that had publicly embarrassed her and left her alone for some girl that wasn’t even half as beautiful as Danielle. If he were to be honest with himself, he had to admit that he’d behaved less than honorably. He was trying to win her heart knowing he would have to leave her before he was bonded. Of course, his intentions were to try getting out of the bonding, but if he couldn’t, he had the solace of knowing he wouldn’t hurt for long. She wouldn’t be so lucky. Why did the grudges of his grandparents and the words of dead people have to ruin his life? Why should he have to pay for his family’s past with his happiness?