Page 68 of Taken By The Vampire King

“I don’t think I’ll be long,” I said.

“Very good, sir.”

I didn’t really know how long I might be, but if I had to, I’d reemerge with Leia over one shoulder, my hand on her ass to keep her still, because she was mine. And I wasn’t going to let her go this easily.

I paused outside the doors. Ben had truly accomplished a miracle. He’d taken Leia’s bar from some hole-in-the-wall, rundown place to a popular spot, with a crowd big enough that I couldn’t even start to guess where he’d collected them all from. They’d arrived so quickly, it didn’t seem possible. Perhaps he’d compelled them.

But even that wouldn’t matter. Crowds drew more crowds, and more crowds would fill Leia’s cash register. And knowing Ben, he’d only gotten started.

I hadn’t come here to stand outside the door, though, and as soon as I entered Ben looked up from where he was serving customers, his gaze meeting mine as he grinned.

“Nic.” He shouted my name across the bar. “You the reason Leia hasn’t shown up? You manage to convince her to come back to you?”

The grin I’d aimed at him in return slipped a little. Fuck. I couldn’t be the all-conquering hero come to claim what was mine, not when what was mine wasn’t even here. I almost turned to leave, but Ben gestured me over.

“Come and see what we’ve been doing with the place. Leia was really impressed.”

I nodded, sure she had been. Ben had surpassed himself by introducing an old-style atmosphere that was friendly and welcoming—perfect for regulars and tourists alike, and maybe now tourists would make their way out here—especially if that was Chef’s gumbo I smelled.

Ben grinned again as I joined him at the counter, and he handed me a beer. “Craft beer from a local microbrewery. No more supply problems.” He winked. “Do you want to see the new ordering system? The kitchen? The sound system? Where shall we start?”

“What time’s Leia due?” My clipped question sounded rude, but she was uppermost on my mind. Where she was, what she’d say when she saw me, how she she’d taste, how her body would feel as I slid inside her.

Ben frowned and checked his watch. “She said opening, but maybe she changed her mind.”

I matched his frown as I took a step backward, jostling a guy standing too close behind me. I hissed a little over my shoulder and he backed off.

“She should be here then.” I directed my words at Ben.

“Maybe, but there are a lot of changes she might want to explore at the house, you know?”

I did know, and I doubted any of the changes overrode Leia’s desire to see The Pour House be a success. I’d wanted to give her a taste of the luxury she could live in at my side, but after the way she left me, I doubted she was basking in anything I’d done to her home.

“You worried?” Ben handed the guy behind me a beer and waved his money away. “It’s on my grumpy friend, here,” he said as he indicated me. “An apology for his rudeness.”

“Yeah, a little,” I answered Ben’s question as my stomach churned. It was still a foreign feeling, worry for someone else. Everyone I knew could look after themselves easily—especially in our territory.

But with Leia, my heart was walking around outside my body, completely unprotected.

“I think I’ll head over to her place. See what she thinks of the changes.” I checked behind me this time. I had no desire to buy all the new customers a drink.

“Not just changes. Improvements. And I’m sure she loves them.” Ben didn’t even falter in his rhythm as he held multiple conversations and served different people a variety of drinks.

I’d made the right choice in asking for his help with this.

Jenkins was sitting right where I’d left him, and I took my place behind him again.

“Leia’s house, please.”

He nodded, but I expanded anyway.

“She wasn’t at the bar.” It wasn’t like me to talk unnecessarily, but something about Leia not being where she’d said she’d be made me nervous. And I didn’t like being nervous any more than I liked being worried.

Jenkins ate up the miles like he knew I was in a hurry. He probably did. I didn’t usually fidget. But I tapped my fingers against the door and shifted my position, alternately leaning forward to check the traffic and looking out the windows to check our location.

We turned onto Leia’s driveway, and I tightened my grip on the door handle to prevent myself leaping from the car while it was still moving. I’d never felt desperation like it, and it coursed through my veins. I needed to see her and make sure she was okay.

“Wait here.” I issued the gruff command as Jenkins finally stopped the car. Then I got out and knocked on Leia’s door.

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