Unbound (22 page)

“No, I don’t think so. Last weekend she was upset and left in a hurry, but she took what she needed with her.” Olivia walked over to Dani’s desk and picked up her keys.

“She can’t leave without her car.” She dangled them in front of Charlie.

“If she shows up have her call me. Better yet, you call, okay?” he pleaded.

“I hope this isn’t going to happen every weekend. I don’t know if I can handle all these different hotties banging on this door every week if none of them are looking for me.” She smirked at Charlie and shook her head in mock sadness.

“If I see her I’ll call you,” she promised.

“Thanks, O. I owe you one.” He smiled at her before grabbing her up in a bear hug. Then he dropped her and took off in search of Danielle.

TEN~

When Charlie reached the bottom of the stairs in the common room, he saw her. His heart dropped at the sight of Dani being towed out the door by a guy he recognized from the club. It was Chase’s friend, and he had Dani by the arm pulling on her while she rubbed sleep from her eyes. She was barely awake.

“Danielle, wait for me, babe!” She stopped and turned toward him, her face brightening immediately. Her smile was for him, and it lifted his heart. She said something to the guy towing her out the door and he went and stood just outside. She was so damn cute with his sweat suit swallowing her little body, like a little girl playing dress up in her father’s clothes. She ran to him wrapping her arms around his waist and holding on tight. Now his heart was flying.

“Good morning, baby.” Charlie kissed the top of her head. “Where have you been?”

“I didn’t want you to get in trouble so I slipped out before everyone was awake and moving around the halls. I fell asleep on the sofa over there. I didn’t want to wake Olivia and Lindsay coming in so early.” She looked up at him then and her tone became serious. He didn’t like it.

“We need to talk quickly and quietly.” She pulled him into the kitchen area and looked toward the front door to assure Cayden was still outside.

“What’s going on, and where are you going that’s so important you can’t change or put shoes on?” He was annoyed. Who did this guy think he was, dragging her away like that? Dani looked at her feet, just realizing she was still barefoot.

“I need you to listen to me and not ask questions.” She pulled Charlie down to her level and spoke softly, directly into his ear, which sent chills down his body and made him want to grab her and drag her back to his room. Just being this close to her was making him ache to hold her. When she whispered into his ear like that, rubbing against him to get closer, it was maddening.

“You know I was attacked, right?” She looked at him for confirmation.

He nodded and asked, “Why are we whispering?”

“He may be able to hear us.” She tilted her head toward the door. “No more questions, just listen please, Charlie. The person who attacked me is after gifted persons of my type.” She looked at him as she emphasized the word type.

“There is another girl missing and a boy is dead. I’m going to tell them everything I remember in hopes of leading them to
the missing girl. I told Cayden
you are one of my,” she struggled for a word, “for lack of the correct terminology, regular donors.”

Charlie’s
head snapped up insulted. “What
?” She shushed him and pulled him back down and toward the corner.

“Charlie, I don’t think I’m supposed to let you remember what happened. I’m new at this, but I’m sure I broke several rules last night. If people remembered being fed on vampires would be public knowledge. They would likely be hunted. So, I have a couple of choices. I can say you’re like a regular blood donor and you can be quiet and act like you don’t know what I am… or, as soon as I figure out how it’s done, I can erase last night from your memory. I don’t think I can take the blood memory without taking the love making part, because it was all at the same time. What do you want me to do? It’s your decision.”

Charlie snatched her up into his arms. Holding her a little too tightly, he whispered into her ear, “Please don’t take last night from me. I’ll do anything you ask, just don’t take our time together from me.”

Dani held his face and took his mouth slowly, sweetly, “I have to go take care of this and you have to act like you don’t know anything. I won’t be home until Sunday night. I have to go see my mother, but I’ll come to you as soon as I return to school.”

“Can you at least get some shoes, and just how are you getting to your mom’s without a car? Are you going to take a change of clothes or do you have clothes at home? I think you should take your cell phone cha
rger too,
” he reminded her.

“Good point. I don’t think I’m really awake yet. Somebody kept me up all night.” She smiled a naughty smile and waggled her eyebrows at him.

“I’m going to get some stuff. You need to walk out of here like all is right in the world, okay? I promise to make it up to you later.” Dani nuzzled Charlie’s neck and purred an unspoken promise of another evening together.

“As long as you promise to let me keep our memories and cal
l me when you get to your mom’s
so I know you’re safe,” he bargained with her as he fought the waves of need for her raking up his spine.

“I promise to let you keep them as long as it’s safe for you. If I find out you’re in any danger because of me, I will erase it all, as soon as I figure out how to do that.” She felt a little embarrassed about her lack of knowledge.

“You mean too much to me to allow anyone to hurt you. You’re the only person in this world that knows who I
really am, inside and out
.
You know what I am and you still want me.
I will protect you even if it means losing you.” She held him one more long moment until Cayden came to the doorway and cleared his throat.

“Please, do as I ask,” she whispered before pulling away.

Charlie put on a fake smile and said, “Alright, girl. I guess I’ll see you in class on Monday. Have a good weekend.” Then he shuffled past Cayden nodding his head in greeting on the way out of the girl’s dorm. He was sick at the thought of losing the memory of her tenderness and trust. He would do as she said, and not risk it at any cost. He consoled himself with the knowledge that she cared for him deeply enough to protect him from her own people.

* * *

Griffin was waiting in his home office for Cayden to bring the girl who had been lucky enough to fight off the attacker that had already kidnapped five other children. Sadly, he had just received the news about the latest abduction last night. Six of his people, their children, had been snatched and Danielle was the only one who had escaped. Griffin was very interested to meet this girl and witness her skills for himself.
If she could do all the things
Chase seemed to believe she could, she may well be the most powerful vampire in known history. It’s hard to believe that the
Council
wouldn’t be aware of such a gifted vampire. If it were one of Griffin’s children, he would scream it from the rooftops. The girl may need constant protection until the beast that was stalking their children was captured. If a power like that were to fall into the wrong hands… it was just unthinkable. He would wait until he could ascertain the girl’s talents for himself to make a judgment.

* * *

Dani parked her car behind Cayden’s in front of a large house. Well, house wasn’t really the correct word. It was a mansion on an estate with a guarded gate at the entrance. Her phone startled her when it rang in her jacket pocket. It was Tessa.

“Hey Mom, what up?” she answered.

“Danielle, where are you? Please tell me you’re not where I think you are!” She was panicked and out of breath.

“I have an appointment,” she hesitated, “It’s kind of a long story that I planned on telling you tonight. Why are you so upset?” Dani didn’t like the way her mother’s voice was shaking.

“Are you at the home of Griffin Vaughn? Was there a big V on the front gate?” Tessa was trying to control her fear of Danielle being exposed, but it was a losing battle.

“Yes. There was a V on the gate, but I don’t know whose home it is. Should I leave? Who is Griffin Vaughn?” Dani began to feel sick.

“Oh my God,
I’m going to vomit!” Tessa whined.

“What’s going on? Did you have a dream, should I leave? Who is Griffin Vaughn?” Dani jumped when Cayden tapped on her window. She put up her finger to ask for one more minute.

“No, it’s too late to leave, and yes, I had a dream. They will follow you and ask way too many questions if you run now. I don’t have time to explain this properly. I was going to do it tonight, but you need to know right now. You are at your father’s home. He believes that you and I both died not long after you were born. You look so much like him I’m afraid he’ll guess who you are, so you need to lie. I want you to give him a false last name, using your first name is fine. Tell him whatever you have to, but don’t mention me. Can you do that and call me as soon as you’re out of there?”

Dani sat in stunned silence. She was about to come face to face with her father. “Alright,” was all she could say, “I have to go, they’re waiting.”

“I love you, baby. I’m sorry. I was only trying to protect you. Are you wearing the necklace I gave you?”

“Yes. I’ll take it off. I guess it came from him… my father?” She could hardly speak.

“I promise to explain everything later. Just call me as soon as you’re out of there. Now go get this over with,” Tessa prompted before she hung up.

Dani opened the car door and practically fell out. Her knees were weak and her stomach was on fire. Cayden steadied her with one large muscular arm.

“Are you alright?
Chase said you were still injured.” Genuine concern showed in his eyes.

“I’m not feeling well. Let’s get this over with so I can get home.” She fought back nausea.

As they walked, she could tell by the way Cayden kept opening his mouth and shutting it before any sound could escape that he had something to say. Finally, he seemed to find his voice and stopped walking half way to the door.

“I was wondering,” he paused, running his fingers through his hair and looking down at her, “I don’t know why this is so hard. I’m… I’m never this nervous.”

He tripped over his words, suddenly unable to look her in the eye. He took a deep breath and reached out to take her hand and asked, “I was wondering if you would consider going to the gala with me. I know you’ve never been before. It’s a stuffy formal vampire-only affair, but it may be tolerable if I have the most beautiful girl on my arm.”

Dani’s head was too busy preparing a believable lie to tell the man she was about to meet to really absorb Cayden’s invitation. She smiled absently, mindlessly.

“Sure, Cayden, t
hat sounds like fun.” She pulled her hand away and continued toward the house. From behind her, she heard Cayden exclaim under his breath, “Yes!”

They reached the ornate double doors and Cayden rang the doorbell. Dani realized she hadn’t removed the necklace. Cayden watched her from the corner of his eye while she cursed and pulled it off, stuffing it into her front pocket. A tall elegant woman with an air of superiority answered the door and invited them into the foyer. The twist in her pale blonde hair was as tight as the stick that seemed to be lodged in her ass.  Dani looked around the big entry with its white marble floors and a crystal chandelier hanging from the high ceiling between two staircases. The woman was speaking to Cayden and hadn’t even acknowledged Dani.

“Griffin is waiting for you in his study. We’ve received more bad news. Christopher Stafford is missing.” Then the woman noticed Danielle and she stopped in her tracks. She stared for a moment until Cayden introduced them.

“Mrs. Vaughn this is Danielle, Umm. I’m sorry. I don’t know her last name.” Cayden seemed a little embarrassed.

Dani stepped up and extended her hand in greeting to the bitch that had stolen her Dad.

“My name is Danielle Scott.” She had chosen to use Charlie’s last name without a thought. He would get a kick out of that. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.” She smiled politely, but imagined bashing her blond head into the lovely etched mirror on the wall between the staircases.

“I’m Sarah Vaughn. Cayden will take you to see my mate.” She looked confused and stared intensely at Dani’s hair. As they walked away, a boy about nine or ten years old came running up to Sarah. Dani was struck by their resemblance. The boy looked just like her, minus the streaks, and his eyes were a deep sapphire blue. Dani followed Cayden down the hall with her head reeling over the fact that she had a little brother and wondered if she had any other siblings.

The door to the office was open, but Cayden still knocked before he entered.

“Come.” A smooth and commanding voice rang from within. She was sure she’d be sick. That was her father’s voice. She hesitated on the threshold, but Cayden snagged her arm and dragged her into the room. It was a very masculine room with dark wood furniture and an oversized sofa by the fireplace. There was one of those things for practicing your golf putt at the other end of the room near the bar. At first Cayden was blocking her view and she wished he would stay there so she didn’t have to look at the face of the man that had broken her mother’s heart. Cayden stepped to the side and she saw him, standing with his back to them, looking at some paperwork on a sideboard. He was tall with dark hair and broad shoulders. He wore an expensive looking suit Dani was sure cost more than her whole wardrobe. When he finally turned to face them, she saw the streaks. Dear God. She was like his damn clone. He hadn’t looked up at her yet and that was good because her jaw was on the floor with her heart. She shut her mouth with a click when Cayden began to speak.