ELLE
“Wait….” I said. “Isn’t Azazel Mortar…the vampire who…?”
in Maine.” His eyes met mine. “Looking
“Yeah,” Liam replied, watching Grayson closely, gauging his reaction. “The vampire who took over your mate’s body. The former king of vampires. And he’s for you.”
Grayson was stiff as a board in front of me. “How do you know this?” he asked.
“He was at the diner about an hour ago. He…” Liam hesitated. “He killed your boss. And another
waitress.”
“What?” I gasped. I stepped out from behind Grayson, but only to have him wrap his arms around me and press me firmly to his front. “What are you talking about?“”
“I’m so sorry, Belle,” Liam said softly. “I came as soon as I heard. My dad called me. You’re in danger.”
“Which waitress?” I demanded.
“The older one. Brunette.”
“Brenda?” I struggled in Grayson’s arms. “He killed Brenda?”
Liam nodded. “I’m sorry, Belle,” he repeated once more.
I could feel my heart in my throat. Brenda had a family–she was a single mom. She had two kids. who would be all on their own without her. Her oldest was about to start college.
She had just been worrying to me the other day about how she was going to pay for his education with a waitress’s salary. Her younger son was only eight.
“We need to go,” Grayson growled. He tried to pull me with him, and when my feet stayed glued to the ground, he picked me up by my waist.
“Wait,” I exclaimed, pushing against Grayson’s arms as he started to carry me away.
“Wait!”
Grayson paused, letting out a low growl.
“Why?” I asked Liam. “Why did he kill them?” My lungs felt like they were stalling. “Was it… Was
it because of me?”
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“He was looking for you,” Liam explained in a gentle tone as the world started to spin around me.
“And he’s not going to find you. We’re leaving,” Grayson cut in. He lifted me into his arms once again, marching us down the hall, away from our hotel room.
I didn’t fight him this time. Maybe I was in shock, or maybe I was overtaken by the guilt of knowing that I was responsible for the death of my friend.
Either way, I was suddenly feeling like the walls were caving in around me.
“Grayson,” I whispered as he carried me to the stairwell door and rushed down the stairs. Liam followed behind us.
Grayson didn’t look down at me as he responded. “It’s okay, love. I’m not going to let him get to you. He’s not going to hurt you.”
He thought I was worried about myself?
“H–He killed Brenda,” I stuttered. “A–And Jerry. They’re dead.” I looked back at Liam over Grayson’s shoulder. “Are you sure?”
He nodded slowly, his expression grim and sympathetic. “Yes. I’m sure.”
Grayson’s arms tightened around me, but he didn’t say anything.
“What about her kids? She has two kids,” I continued.
“Where are you taking her?” Liam asked from behind us.
Grayson didn’t bother responding to him.
“Liam, what about her kids?” I asked. “What’s going to happen to her kids?”
“I’ll take care of them,” he told me. “Don’t worry, Belle.”
Just as we were about to exit the stairwell, Liam suddenly appeared right in front of us, stopping Grayson in his tracks and blocking the door.
“Get out of my way,” Grayson said, his voice low and dangerous.
Liam shook his head. “Not until you tell me where you’re taking her.”
“That’s none of your fucking business,” Grayson snapped back. “Now, I suggest you move before I
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“My mate may have a problem with the thought of you dead, but I do not. In fact, I would prefer it.”
Liam continued to stand his ground. “One of the most dangerous men alive is looking to hurt her, and you’re about to just waltz her out in public like it’s no big deal?”
He laughed, but the sound lacked any real amusement. “I don’t know if you know this, but you’re not the most inconspicuous–looking dude out there.
“People are going to notice the giant muscle man carrying the tiny girl down the street. And they’ll talk. Azazel will come after you.”
“I don’t give a flying fuck what you think,” Grayson growled through bared teeth. “Move.”
At his magical command, Liam automatically stepped out of the way, finally allowing Grayson to shove past him and into the hotel lobby.
Unfortunately, though, Liam didn’t seem to know when to quit. He chased after us through the busy lobby. “My father has offered to house you both until u can get out of town.”
Grayson whirled around so fast that he nearly gave me whiplash. “You think I’m going to take my human mate to the home of Jeffery Blackwood?”
Liam scoffed. “You think my father would try to hurt the future queen of the supernatural?”
“I wouldn’t put it past him. I’ve heard of serial killers with more integrity than Jeffery Blackwood.”
To my surprise, Liam didn’t attempt to argue or defend his father. “Well, what’s your plan then?” he
asked instead.
“You know what? I’m getting really fucking sick of you thinking you have any say in what happens to my mate, little boy.”
“Can I know where you’re taking me?” I interrupted.
Grayson looked down at me. His eyes softened when he noticed the tears running down my hadn’t even realized I had been crying until he lifted a hand and gently wiped them away.
cheeks. I
I couldn’t get Brenda’s face out of my head. I couldn’t stop thinking about her kids finding out their
mother was dead.
“Kyle is sending the private plane,” Grayson explained, his tone much gentler than it had been moments before.
“We’re going to the airport to wait for it. It’s a public place where you’ll be safe. And then we’re
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“You’re taking me to Croatia? Just like that? I don’t get any say in it?”
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Grayson’s jaw hardened. “You’re not safe here. I’m not going to lose you, Belle. I’m not even going to risk it. I’m taking you somewhere where I know Azazel will never get anywhere near you.”
“But…” My mind was racing. I knew he was right. It would be safer to go with him. But that meant leaving the life I built for myself here. It meant living with his pack again.
It meant I was officially giving in to him.
“But nothing,” Grayson said. “Nothing is worth risking your life.”
My face fell into the crook of his neck as I let out an exasperated breath.
It looked like I was going to Croatia.
Grayson shushed me, running a soothing hand up and down the back of my neck as he started walking again with purpose.
People around us were giving us strange looks, but I knew Grayson would never put me down with everything that was happening.
Besides, it wasn’t like I would be able to keep up with him and his insane vampire speed anyway.
“Can we go back to my apartment so I can grab some stuff first?” I pleaded.
“No,” both Liam and Grayson said in unison.
I rolled my eyes, I wasn’t even sure why Liam was still following us.
“If Azazel knew where you worked, he probably knows where you live too.” Liam fell into step next to Grayson. “You can’t ever go back there.”
“We need to get a cab,” Grayson said, already making his way over to the front desk.
“No. I’ll drive you,” Liam said. “The less contact you have with other people, the better.”
Grayson stopped walking. He looked down at me and seemed to consider refusing Liam’s offer but then thought better of it.
“Fine,” he grunted.
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Once we were in the car–Liam in the driver’s seat and Grayson and I in the back–Liam paused, his hands on the wheel but not actually moving.
Grayson’s chest was vibrating with nonstop growls. He was on edge–close to shifting. His eyes. were dark, and he was bigger than he had been only moments ago.
I went to sit in my own seat when we got in the car, but, of course, he immediately grabbed me and pulled me into his lap, wrapping his arms securely around my waist.
He rubbed his nose against my mark, inhaling deeply.
I was slightly embarrassed by how touchy Grayson was being especially when I caught Liam glancing at us through the rearview mirror. I shifted.
“Wouldn’t it be safer for me to sit in my own seat, with a seat belt on?” I whispered to Grayson.
When I tried to move, Grayson let out a growl so loud the walls of the car shook. Both Liam and I
winced.
“Stop trying to move away from me,” Grayson said deeply through gritted teeth, his arms squeezing
All I could do was nod my head in agreement.
He adjusted me on his lap so that my back was firmly pressed up against his chest again. His eyes snapped up to look at Liam. “What the fuck are you waiting for?”
Liam looked back at us, his expression stiff. “I don’t think it’s a good idea to take you to the
airport.”
“Fuck,” Grayson groaned. He opened the car door next to him. “We’re getting a cab.”
“Wait,” Liam said. When Grayson started to slide out of the car, taking me with him, Liam quickly grabbed my wrist. “Just hold on a minute, would ya?”
Grayson’s eyes narrowed on Liam’s grip on my wrist, then snapped back up to meet his gaze. His whole body began to shake.
Before he did something stupid, I quickly put my other hand on his chest, trying to calm him.
I looked at Liam. “Liam, let go.”
He shook his head. “Hear me out first. I’m just thinking of your safety, Belle.”
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“Okay, but the werewolf behind me is literally about to murder you if you don’t let go of my arm in the next five seconds.”
Right on cue, Grayson’s breathing picked up, and dark hairs started to sprout from his arms. Seeing this, Liam quickly released my arm. I sighed in relief.
“Come to my father’s house,” Liam continued before Grayson could make another move. “It’s safe there.
“I know you think it would be better to take her to the airport because it’s public or whatever, but so was the diner.
“We have the memories of over twenty humans we need to wipe because they saw what Azazel did to Belle’s coworkers. A public place isn’t going to stop him from hurting her if that’s what he
wants.”
“No, but / would,” Grayson growled.
Once again, he forcefully started to tug me out of the car, but I grabbed the headrest of the seat next to us to stop him.
“Do I get a say in any of this?” I asked the two of them. “Or are you two going to make all the decisions for me like if I’m not even here? I mean, seriously, is it not my life on the line?”
Grayson’s forehead dropped down onto my shoulder as he tried to keep himself calm, his shoulders rising and falling quickly with each of his ragged breaths.
His grip on my waist was so tight, his fingers splayed out over my rib cage, that it was almost on the verge of pain. “I do not want to hear those words come out of your mouth ever again. No one is going to hurt you.”
“I
agree
with Liam,” I declared. “I think we should go with him.” I looked at Liam. “We could just go to your apartment, right?”
Liam hesitated. “Actually, we can’t. Apparently, you had my address written down in your personal information at the diner. Azazel was seen breaking into my apartment earlier today.”
Even more guilt filled my stomach. “He was at your apartment?”
He nodded. “I haven’t been back there yet, so I don’t know exactly what happened, but called me earlier.”
“Liam, I’m so sorry. I can’t believe I pulled you into all of this-
31
my
doorman
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“It’s okay, Belle,” he interrupted. “I don’t care about my fucking apartment. I care about keeping you safe.
“And the longer we stay in this damn parking lot, just waiting for someone to see us, the longer we’re putting you at risk.
“Then I think we should go to your dad’s house.”
Grayson snarled behind me.
My attention swung to him. “It’s the best thing to do right now, okay? How long does a flight from Croatia to Maine even take? Twelve, thirteen hours?
“We can’t just sit in an airport, waiting for Azazel to find us. We would put all of those people in danger just by being there.”
“My father’s house is safe–really safe. Azazel wouldn’t be able to get in. No one would touch her,” Liam said to Grayson.
“We’ll only stay there until the plane gets here. Then we’ll leave,” I added.
Grayson’s dark eyes studied me for several long seconds. “You trust him?”
My gaze slid to Liam and then back to my mate. I nodded once. “Yes. I trust him.”
In fact, Liam was probably the person I trusted most in the world after everything that had happened. between Grayson and me.
Grayson wetted his bottom lip, still incredibly tense. “Fine.” He settled back into the chair, adjusting me in his lap.
He looked up at Liam, who just continued to stare at us in anticipation. “Well, vampire, are you going to drive or not?”
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