Page 5 of Destined for Dreams
The vampire snarled, his body vibrating with the need to attack. He had to be aware that he was treading on dangerous territory confronting two women who could both put up a decent fight on their own, plus their mates were strong nephilim. He was as good as dead if he touched them.
He took in a necessary breath to speak. “I just want my girlfriend fixed.”
Cori shook her head. “I didn’t do anything to her except give her the exact tattoo she requested.” She turned her attention to Tara. “And do you really want to be fixed?”
“Yes.” The young woman nodded vigorously. “There are things he does for me and, uh, I like to be compelled when he does them.”
Cori knew she shouldn’t ask, but she couldn’t help herself. “What kinds of things?”
“It’s a…” Tara blushed a fraction. “Sort of mental bondage. You know, instead of being tied up he compels me not to move while he…”
“I get the picture.” She held her hand up. “But you do realize he could do many other things to you such as remove your memories or your ability to complain about what he does just as easily. Giving a vampire that kind of freedom is dangerous.”
“I would never hurt her!” the man said in outrage.
“That’s what they all say at first.” Cori knew from experience.
Her first husband, who’d been human during their marriage, managed to hurt her in all sorts of ways she hadn’t expected. It went on for years before she finally found the courage to leave him, but she’d had that choice because he couldn’t compel her. Could a woman being manipulated by a vampire really ever leave?
“I wouldn’t,” he repeated, taking his girlfriend’s hand.
Melena shook her head at Cori. The sensor wasn’t convinced by the act either, but she had the advantage of telling lies from truth. By her expression, the vampire was lying.
“Look.” Cori kept her tone calm. “I don’t know how your girlfriend became immune to compulsion, but whatever caused it, it can’t be fixed. Deal with it.”
“Can’t we just remove the tattoo?” the young woman asked.
“Yeah.” The vampire straightened his shoulders, attempting to appear more badass than he was. “You should pay to fix this or else I’m going to...”
Melena stiffened. “Shut up for a minute.”
Her eyes rounded, and her gaze went beyond the glass front door to somewhere outside where the shopping center parking lot lay. It was dark out there, so Cori couldn’t see much. The vamp froze and stopped talking. The sensor was letting off a lot of nervous energy that swept over the room, and it was making everyone’s internal alarm bells ring. Melena didn’t get worried like this unless she had a good reason.
A moment later, a large man with chocolate skin and a smoothly shaven head appeared through the darkness, heading toward them at a fast pace. He strode into the shop, stopping a few feet behind the vampire with such an intimidating presence that the couple took a few steps away. His aura was a bright gold, stronger than Bartol’s but not quite as overpowering as Melena’s mate, Lucas. That put him somewhere between their approximate ages of 1800 and 2500. Cori had never seen him before, and there was no recognition in anyone else’s eyes, either. He was strong and powerful, not someone you’d want to make angry.
Considering this was her tattoo shop, she had to pull herself together first and figure out what he wanted. “Can I help you?”
The nephilim glanced at the vampire, who appeared ready to run. “Are you done here?”
“Well, I was still explaining how I…uh, needed compensation for my girlfriend’s tattoo removal…” the vamp began.
“If it’s truly a problem, find another human woman to manipulate.” The nephilim stared at him hard. “Now leave.”
How had he known what they were discussing? Did he use some sort of magic to listen in from afar? Cori knew each nephilim had individual talents, but there was no telling what this one could do unless he admitted it.
The power behind his command was strong enough that both the vampire and human fled the store without a backward glance. Cori was half tempted to go with them. Immune to compulsion or not, the tone and strength of someone’s voice could sometimes be more than enough to make a person want to obey.
“Forgive me for the intrusion.” The nephilim moved toward them with his gaze directly on Cori, stopping a few feet away. “I am Caius, an old friend of your mate, Bartol.”
That drew her attention. She hadn’t seen her “mate” in weeks, and aside from their mutual friends in Fairbanks and what she’d gleaned about his past through them, she hadn’t had a chance to learn very much about the man she’d mystically bound her life to. Bartol had confessed his highly sexual past, and how he ended up in Purgatory, but Cori suspected there was a lot more to him than he let on.
But could she trust this newcomer just because he said he knew her mate?
Melena crossed her arms. “I’ve never heard of you before.”
“I’ve only seen your mate a few times over the years.” Tightness filled his expression as he looked at Melena, as if he could hardly stand the sight of her. It wasn’t unusual for out-of-town supernaturals to behave that way until they got to know her, assuming they managed to get on her good side. “We tend to run in different circles, so I’m not surprised.”
Cori lifted her chin, annoyed at his reaction to her close friend. “Bartol hasn’t ever mentioned you, either.”
