Chapter 2

Bryce ended the call and set his cell on the bar. That was the last one. He wiped his hands across his eyes and over to his temples, massaging in circles.

“Allow me.” Tori reached over and gently pulled his fingers away so she could give her mate some relief. Bryce closed his eyes in response to her touch.

“Aye, that feels good, lass.” She felt him relax beneath her fingers.

“So, that’s it?”

“Aye. I told Danny I was taking a trip and was shutting the bar for a while. Of course he offered to keep it running for me, but I told him I dinna know when I’d be back and it’s best he looked for new work elsewhere.” Bryce opened his eyes and looked at Tori. His expression stoic.

Tori frowned. “Did you tell him he could have his job back when we return?”

Bryce pulled Tori’s fingers away from his temples and curled his hands around them. He brushed her fingertips with kisses. “Lassie, ye know we might nae come back.”

Tori drew her hands back in defiance. “Maybe you’re giving up, but I’m not.”

“Lass, that’s nae whit I said.” Bryce placed his hands on the bar and stretched back, he looked at her with a lazy grin.

“It’s what you meant.”

Bryce sighed and turned to pour himself a scotch over ice. He swung around and raised the glass to his lips, but Tori flicked her wrist and pulled the glass away from him. She caught it in mid-air, having summoned it with her mind. “Nice trick. Let me have it back now. I’d like to enjoy a drink while I still have a tongue to taste it. Knowing Averill, she’ll rip mine out.”

Tori ignored him, placed the glass on the counter and leapt over the bar. She flicked her wrist again, this time slamming Bryce’s body against her own.

“Woah. Easy there, lass.” His grin deepened, causing his dimple to flash at her. Damn he’s good at being distracting, she thought Tori locked her gaze on his. “I have my powers under control. I’m not afraid of Averill.”

“I dinna doubt yer bravery, lass. But it would be wise to be cautious.”

“I am cautious. I’m overly cautious. I’ll do whatever I can to protect you,” Tori said unwaveringly.

He slipped a hand around her waist. “Who knew you’d be the one catching me?” He pressed his forehead against hers and inhaled her light earthy scent of heather.

“We can do this,” Tori whispered. “I believe in us.”

“And I believe in ye.”

He kissed her fiercely, drowning the pain of the past few weeks in her slender frame. He was thirsty for her as he pulled her closer. The bar was empty, and Tori knew he would have taken her right there. God knows he was ready. But the door opened, and Erin walked in followed by Kyle and Liv.

“I could’ve sworn I locked that door,” Bryce groaned into Tori’s ear.

“Sorry, Bryce. Erin had a key,” Kyle said. Tori pushed Bryce away and fixed her shirt, which had a few buttons opened from the heat of the moment. Tori noted how Kyle looked away, running a hand through his bright blue hair. Liv sucked in her bottom lip to hide a smile and Erin simply winked at her.

“I dinna expect ye for another hour.” Bryce reached past Tori for his scotch.

“Well, we’re about to take down a clan of vampires who have access to a host of wolves . . . I thought we could use the extra hour to practice.” Erin crossed her arms.

“Great idea. Erin and I will train downstairs. You three can have the bar.” Tori walked around the bar and gestured for Erin to follow her.

“Whit d’ye want me to do wi’ them?” Bryce blinked a few times at Erin then placed his hands on his hips as he cocked his head toward Kyle and Liv.

Tori knew Bryce was just busting Erin’s chops, but Erin looked livid. “Inform them about the Council. Unlike us, you’ve lived with the Ancients. Every detail could help us.”

Bryce took another swig of his drink. “All right children, time for medieval torture lessons.”

Liv looked at Kyle, eyes wide in alarm. “Is he serious?”

Bryce placed both arms on the bar, arched his brow and leaned forward. “Darling, I couldnae be more serious.”

****

“You’re getting really good,” Erin noted as she placed the knives back into the box. They had trained for over an hour.

“Thanks. I just hope I’m good enough to face what we’re up against.”

Erin sat on the floor, back to the wall, and looked up at Tori. “Are you scared?”

“Of course I am, aren’t you?”

“A little bit, I’d say I’m more anxious than scared. It’s in my blood to fight vampires.”

“Yeah.” Tori slid down beside Erin and placed her wrists on her knees. “I’ve been very curious about that. Mind if I ask a personal question?”

Erin shook her head no.

Tori said her next words fast, almost afraid to hear the response. “Have you killed vampires before?”

“Yes.” Erin answered honestly. “I’ve killed a few.” Erin looked down at her hands and back up at Tori. “Does that change things between us?”

“No. I mean . . . you never tried to hurt me before. And although he teases, Bryce adores you.”

“I would never hurt Bryce.” Erin caught herself, “Yes . . . I did throw a dagger into his thigh…” She laughed lightly. “But I would never—”

“I know.” Tori took Erin’s hand and gave it a squeeze. “I see the way you look at Derek. It’s how I look at Bryce. You want to keep his clan safe.”

“Yeah.” Erin sighed. “I wonder how long we’ll even be together.”

“What do you mean?”

“Derek is immortal, Tori. How much longer would he want to be with me for? Five years? Ten if I’m lucky. After that—”

“Derek wouldn’t end your relationship because you got older. That’s absurd.”

“He wouldn’t have to. I would. I know he would always love me and care for me, but our relationship would have to shift. I don’t want to lose what we have now. What we have is beautiful.”

“There is another option.” Tori turned her gaze to Erin. “Have you ever spoken about it?”

“Once.” Erin blushed. “He asked in the heat of passion. Something about him having to hold back.” Erin’s cheeks turned almost as red as her hair, reminding Tori of what lovemaking with Bryce was like before he had changed her. It was almost intimidating. He had held back, and amazing as it was, vampire lovemaking was far more sensual. “I don’t know if he was serious, or just caught up in the moment. Either way, we never really spoke about it again.”

“Would you want that?” Tori pursued.

“I don’t know.” Erin shrugged. “I can’t imagine a life without Derek. But, I can’t imagine a life where I’m not a slayer either. I’d have to trade one for the other. I’d lose a huge part of who I am to become what I’m designed to destroy. It’s all very complicated.”

Tori thought about what she said. Her choice wasn’t nearly as complicated. She detested her human life, so much so she was desperate to end it. Bryce pulled her into a whole other universe, and she never once looked back—even when danger presented itself. “I’ve never regretted turning.”

“Really?”

“Well, if we’re being frank, waking up buried alive was terrifying, and the initial thirst was like having flaming swords shoved down my throat. But Bryce was there. He pulled me out of that grave, comforted me, fed me, and taught me. After that I looked forward to our future, never back.”

“Never?”

Tori shook her head at a curious memory. “Not even when my fiancé came looking for me.”

“Yeah, I remember that night in the bar. That guy was pretty cardboard. I would’ve jumped too.” Erin stuck out her tongue in a look of disgust.

Tori rolled her eyes. “The point is, with the right person the transition can be like a butterfly emerging from a cocoon. You think you’re giving up so much, but what you gain is that much more.”

“Did the world look different when you awoke as in immortal?”

“Yes. Almost difficult to describe, because words don’t do it justice. I imagine it would be like giving a person with blurred vision glasses, but even that seems like a vast understatement. The colors were crisp and sharp, the sounds crystal clear. The smells saturated everything. And my feelings for Bryce were magnified.”

Erin swallowed looking at Tori with hope.

“Derek is holding back, Erin.” Tori smiled sweetly at her. “The sex… it’s indescribable. Kissing as a vampire is so intimate… it’s like braiding your souls together. I don’t know how else to describe it. I get lost in Bryce.”

“Sounds intense.”

“It is. And I never get tired of him. I love him more every day.” Tori’s mind wandered to Averill. Is this how she felt about him? Is this why she wouldn’t allow him to love?

Erin interrupted her thoughts, “My duty is to be a slayer, to destroy those that are cruel and unjust. But if we make it through this alive, then I would have done my duty. Perhaps… I’ll rethink my life with Derek.”

“I don’t think you’ll be giving up who you are, Erin. Becoming a vampire only enhances what you already were.” She nudged her playfully in the arm. “You’ll probably be one badass vamp.”

“So what cool stuff did you have in your human life that kicked your telekinesis into high gear?”

Tori thought about it for a moment, then the answer seemed so obvious. “Migraines.”