Page 94 of Missing Piece
Vincent’s jaw clenched. As much as he hated to admit it, the beast had a point. Neither Tariq nor Caleb knew the extent of his attachment to Adam. And Tariq had a loud fucking mouth. It was one thing to be protective of a human trial; it was something completely different to be cuddling with one. The younger vampires in town would undoubtedly hear within the hour. Word could reach other assholes like Richard.
Fine,he thought grimly.Showtime.
Vincent raised his glass in Caleb’s direction, a smirk playing on his lips. “Well look who it is, and still in one piece I see.” He took a sip, the champagne bubbles tickling his tongue as he slipped back into his menacing persona like a second skin. The beast purred, comfortable in this familiar role.
Vincent continued stroking Adam’s hair, the gentle motion grounding him as he patted the empty spot beside him with his free hand. “Come. Sit. I imagine we have a lot to discuss.”
Tariq stepped forward, concern etched on his face. “Vin, don’t—”
But Caleb surprised them all by stepping forward, his voice steady despite the fear rolling off him in waves that tickled Vincent’s nose. “It’s fine.”
Caleb’s movement was stiff and calculated. Vincent watched him approach, taking in the subtle tremors wracking his body. His hands shook, his heart hammered against his ribs so loud it seemed deafening. As Caleb sat beside him, Vincent’s beast stirred, eager to play.
Relax,Vincent told himself. He had smelled this same fear on Adam not long ago, and it had been unpleasant for both of them.
Caleb is not Adam,the beast countered, uncaring.
Caleb stared straight ahead, his gaze fixed on the glowing exit sign. The beast bristled at the lack of attention. “Look at me,” Vincent said, his tone sweet but laced with menace.
He caught a slight movement from the DJ and held up a finger towards Tariq, his eyes locked on Caleb’s face. “You two came to me, not the other way around. We play by my rules in here.” He cocked his head and leaned towards Caleb, giving him a single sniff. “You’re injured.”
The scent of fear mixed with the tang of blood filled Vincent’s nostrils. His beast stirred, intrigued, urging him to discover the source. Vincent hooked a finger beneath the shell of Caleb’s tie, pulling it loose before nimbly unbuttoning the top two buttons of Caleb’s shirt. The human trembled beneath his touch, barely containing his terror.
Vincent’s eyes narrowed as he examined the bite mark on Caleb’s neck. The torn edges of the wound spoke volumes. This was no controlled feeding—it was desperate, frenzied. Very unlike Marcus. The old vampire must have been at death’s door to lose control like that, especially with a human he seemed attached to.
Pulling back, Vincent allowed Caleb to relax and refasten his shirt. He turned to Tariq, a smirk playing on his lips. “So the old bastard finally got a new toy?”
Tariq’s eyes flashed with annoyance. “No, he doesn’t have the same…peculiar tastes as you.”
From the corner of his eye, Vincent caught Matteo signing, warning him to tread lightly. Adam’s breathing pattern changed against his leg—the human was waking up. Vincent’s beast growled, eager to assert dominance, but he reined it in. He didn’t want Adam to think he was still under Richard’s influence.
“Pfft, we all have the same tastes,” Vincent said, keeping his tone light and dismissive.
Petrov’s gruff voice cut through the tension. “Not as extreme.”
Adam stirred against his leg, and Vincent fought the urge to look down at him. He kept his focus on Caleb, maintaining the delicate balance between menace and control. His beast paced restlessly, hungry for more fear, more power.
“Why are you here?” Adam asked as he rose from Vincent’s lap. The blazer slipped off, revealing the constellation of bites across Adam’s torso. Caleb’s eyes widened, fear thickening the air around him. Vincent felt a twinge of embarrassment, wanting to explain that he wasn’t responsible for Adam’s injuries.
Instead, he wrapped an arm over Adam’s shoulders, pulling him closer, though whether it was for his own comfort or Adam’s, he couldn’t tell.
“Why are you here?” Adam repeated, his voice laced with forced bravado.
Vincent caught the tension in Adam’s tone.Is he jealous? Threatened? Or simply confused by waking up to strangers?
Caleb’s gaze dropped to the floor as he addressed Vincent. “We need your help.”
The beast bristled at the perceived disrespect. Vincent’s hand shot out, gripping Caleb’s chin. “Look at him when he’s speaking to you.”
To Vincent’s surprise, Tariq reacted instantly. His eyes flashed black, a low growl rumbling from his chest. “Hands off.”
Vincent released Caleb’s chin, holding up both hands with an amused smirk. “Calm down, I’m just having fun.” He winked at Caleb. “Does this have anything to do with The Society’s return to form?”
“Yes,” Caleb replied quickly.
As Petrov asked for more details, Vincent seized the moment to lock eyes with Adam. The human’s hostile mask crumbled, revealing confusion and concern. Vincent planted a soft kiss on Adam’s forehead, his fingers subtly signing “trust me.”
He’s going to be confused by this display,Vincent thought, chiding his beast.But it’s necessary. For now, appearances have to be maintained.
