He jerked and I kept him down on the bar through sheer force of will. He was strong, but I was motivated. And pissed. Very, very pissed.
“I want you to pass a message to Brax. He’s to call me by sunrise with news of Caroline. If he doesn’t, I’m going to call my demolition buddies from the Army and tell them we have a few places to level.”
“Bullshit, no soldier is going to put their neck on the line because some skirt tells them to.”
I dug my nails in his neck, not particularly liking the term skirt. It was so fifties of him.
“He will, given the fact I saved his best friend’s life, and his, if we want to get technical about it. He owes me one and his friend will go along with it because he’s just a little bit north of crazy town.” I bent down to say into his ear. “Make no mistake, if your alpha doesn’t call me, I will burn down every building your pack owns. You don’t believe me, watch me.”
I flung him into the wall and raced past the wolves, digging for every ounce of the speed Liam’s blood had given me. The sound of broken glass followed me from the bar. I didn’t stop running until I was several blocks away and sure the wolves hadn’t followed me.
I headed home and trudged up my stairs, carrying the bike. Setting it on the landing, I felt for my keys. My phone rang.
I snapped it up and hit answer without looking.
“Brax.”
“Aileen.”
“I want to see Caroline.”
“That’s not possible.”
I punched the wall next to my door, not caring about the dent I left in the plaster.
“Make it possible.”
“You don’t understand what you’re asking.”
“I’m sick of you people using that as an excuse. You either let me see her, or I burn your world down.”
“You don’t want to threaten me, little vampire.”
That’s exactly what I wanted to do.
“It’s not a threat.”
It wasn’t.
“Your presence could do more harm than good at this stage. Her transition won’t be complete until the next full moon when she turns. She’s at a very precarious time. It could still go either way. I will not chance your presence tipping the balance in the opposite direction.”
“That’s not good enough.”
He sounded like a cult leader wanting more time with his disciple so he could continue brainwashing her.
“Her mind is unstable right now. Worse than usual with an attack victim. Probably due to the demon. Frankly, she doesn’t want to see you.”
“Bullshit.”
His voice had a thread of sympathy as he said, “She’s angry right now. Rightfully so. Her entire life has been upended and the person she thought she knew is part of this entire world she never knew about. She knows you lied to her about what you are. It’s easier to focus on her anger at you than to focus on the fact that in a few weeks’ time she’s going to go through the shift.”
Silence filled the phone as I stared at my door. I stepped forward and leaned my head against the wood as I fought not to cry. Vampires threatening to burn other people’s businesses and homes down did not cry.
“You’re a problem she does not need.”
His words jabbed at me, opening wounds I’d rather not think about.
“Is the sorcerer still there?” I asked, my voice thick with emotion.
