Blood Twist (The Erris Coven Series) Read online

  Was she appealing enough for someone like Braden? Did he find her attractive? Liz would never try to change herself for a guy, but wondered if he thought of her the way she did him. There were times he seemed just as drawn to her, but she wasn’t sure. Perhaps she was just a distraction to pass the time, or maybe a shiny new toy – Liz had no clue. But if there was a chance he experienced any of the sensations she did, there was a possibility the two could lead to something more.

  Maybe when we get back to Erris things between us will be clearer…That’s if we get back.

  Unsure how the night’s events would play out, the only thing she knew for sure was that she and Braden both wanted to inquire about the lycanthropy cure. If Riley wouldn’t tell, then she would have to ask Strix or Garrick and see what they were willing to share. Braden said he feared that there wasn’t any, if there was, they would have already given it over. But Liz wasn’t so sure.

  Something was motivating the vampires. There had to be a reason Braden was still alive. If Riley planned to kill him, why the show? Why did they get ushered upstairs for the daylight hours without anyone locking them in?

  It wasn’t clear yet, but she would figure out what was going on. It shouldn’t be much longer before the truth was revealed.

  A light knock startled her. Before she could get up, the door opened and Riley strode in.

  “Good evening, beautiful,” he said, with his familiar unnerving smile. “I’m delighted, but surprised to see you. I thought for sure my brother would have whisked you away to Siberia or Glasgow, Taiwan even. Some place far from here by now.”

  Dressed in the same black leather coat but clean dark washed jeans and a button down shirt, she hated that she found his appearance attractive. Riley wore smugness well. The vampire knew his effect on women.

  “I didn’t want to leave,” she shot back, trying to ignore him. “I don’t exactly trust you and your little fangtabulous friends.”

  Riley chuckled, his laughter lighting up his stormy blue eyes. “You stayed to protect him?”

  She didn’t like the sound of that and stared at him suspiciously. “Why not?”

  “Because,” he sputtered incredulously, “He’s capable of taking care of himself, but having you here makes him weak.”

  “You don’t know anything.” Liz turned from him gaze. She didn’t want him to recognize how stunned she was by his observation.

  I make Braden weak?

  The idea was thrilling and terrifying. Knowing Braden may have feelings for her was wonderful, but she hadn’t thought that she could put him in danger.

  “I know plenty. He’s obviously in love with you or at least – well on his way there and fully cognizant of the fact.”

  “In love? We just met. It doesn’t happen that fast.” She casually flipped a strand of hair over her shoulder.

  Although with Braden, I wish it did.

  “Maybe not for humans, but damphyrs are different. I’m guessing you like to play the ‘mixed signals game’ which probably has him confused as hell.”

  “You don’t know anything about me.”

  Sidling up to her, Riley trailed his cool fingers down her shoulders. She shivered at his touch. The effect was nothing like what she felt when Braden touched her, no tingling or pulse racing. Riley lacked something she found in his brother.

  Maybe a pulse.

  “Yeah, I’d say you’re presence gives him a disadvantage, but between you and me, I like that you stayed. I was hoping we could become closer.”

  “Really? Close enough that you would consider giving me the cure for the lycanthropy virus so I can save a friend?” Liz edged away from his touch. That took her by surprise.

  “I’m not exactly thinking bosom buddies – but another tradeoff could be made.” Riley’s expression shifted. The humor behind his eyes darkened as he stared down at her. “Give me all of you, let me make you my own. I really think you would quite like this lifestyle. In return, you would have your cure.”

  Liz tried swallowing, but her throat dried up. Riley’s voice had a seductive quality – matched with the heated gaze he gave her, she was stunned she was still conscious. If she had never met Braden and knew nothing of what the draugr was really like, she may have actually been tempted to follow the sensual creature to hell.

  “You mean me becoming a vampire – like you,” she stated simply.

  Riley sat down on the bed beside her. His hand extended over to her leg. Very lightly, he traced small circles on her knee cap. Liz sat frozen in place, afraid to even breathe.

  “I’m sure my brother painted it in a negative light, but I’m far from the boogeyman.” Riley smiled. A hint of black stirred around his irises, intensifying his gaze. “It’s simple really. You and I can spend the evening together, take off our clothes, do a little kissing – maybe massage – I would drink some of your blood and give you some of mine. There are lovely places on the body to do that.” His voice lulled to just a whisper. “Imagine how much fun we could have night after night.”

  Liz didn’t have loads of experience with boys, but she didn’t grow up in a convent. Even she could tell that Riley was offering more than just some vampire ritual. Shaking her head, Liz fumbled off the bed to her feet. It wasn’t clear what game Riley was playing, but she knew one thing – it had to end.

  “Uh, as much as I appreciate the offer, I think I’ll stay human tonight.” Looking away from him, she felt disgusted that a part of her found Riley desirable. Not the same way she felt for Braden, but that she would have wanted the vampire if she didn’t know a thing about him and met his brother first.

  He’s sick in the head and I’m just as sick for listening to him.

  What was Riley’s issue anyway? He just got through telling her Braden was starting to develop feelings for her and in the next breath he tried seducing her right there on the bed. Liz could only figure he was awfully miserable in his life to want her to join him so bad. Riley didn’t even know her.

  Poor Braden…. He really better watch his back.

  First the vampire took their father away and tortured Braden with the knowledge for years. Like that wasn’t bad enough, he now offered to sire his brother’s travel companion on top of everything else.

  Riley watched her as she picked up a few remaining objects around the small room and stuffed them in her bag. Although there wasn’t much illumination shining in from the streetlights, Liz could see he was disappointed. Gone was the sexy confidence he usually exuberated, leaving only a vulnerable boy.

  Forever eighteen and completely self-loathing. I don’t envy that.

  Just when she almost felt sorry for him, his expression hardened over, and a slow smile crept across his face. “Well, maybe you should go in and talk to Braden. I’ll be around all night if you change your mind.”

  Watching him leave her room, Liz knew his words were meant to hurt although she had no clue what their intentions were. It wasn’t the first time her inner alarm was screeching for her to be wary of him and knew it wouldn’t be the last. Riley wasn’t what he seemed. If she was smart, she wouldn’t forget it

  16

  BRADEN

  Less than ten minutes after Braden left Liz alone in her room, he was standing next to his bed, staring out the window at Vancouver’s night-clad skyline. With the mountains as a backdrop, skyscrapers lit the valley with millions of twinkling lights. A far cry from the place he found himself in now.

  Around him, the greying sheetrock was old and crumbling. The scent of cockroach excrement was strong, but surprisingly, he couldn’t hear them in the walls or under the furnishings. Other rodents were silent as well. Night was setting and the draugar would be rising. Even the critters knew to run and hide.

  He just wished Liz would do the same. She was such a fierce thing. Neither of them expected to have their freedom, yet she still insisted she stay.

  Another night and he could get to the bottom of the charade Riley was playing. If there wasn’t a cure for Ruby, then fine.
He would need to let the coven know so they could search elsewhere. But having Liz right smack in the middle of a draugar nest was insane.

  It was his fault. If he hadn’t been completely taken by her, he would be able to use his brain for something other than thinking about her mouth and how desperately he wanted to kiss her.

  When that damn owl swiped at them, it took all the control he had not to fang out right in front of her and tear its blasted wings off.

  A light knock summoned his attention.

  “Braden,” Liz said, leaning against the door. Her hazel eyes were wet; like she had been crying. There was a tiny catch in her voice, “I need you.” Coming in she closed the door behind her, and walked over to the bed. Still in her tank top from earlier, he wondered what was wrong. “The last twenty-four hours are messing with my head. I need to just shut out ever thing and feel you against me.”

  “What happened?” Striding over to her, Braden looked for signs she was hurt. “Did one of them bother you?”

  “No,” but they’ll be up soon. It’s our only chance to be together. I know you want me. I want you, too.”

  Braden was stunned. Taking a breath, he allowed her to take his hand and sit back on the bed. Her skin was cooler than usual, missing the usual ripple of sensation she usually gave. Touching her shoulder, he was again surprised how very fragile she was.

  “I need you. All of you,” Liz repeated slowly, climbing onto his lap until she straddled him completely.

  Running his hands down her back, she shuttered beneath his touch. Inside him, his hearts beat in perfect synchronization. He wanted this, he knew he did, but something didn’t feel right. She didn’t feel the way he thought she would in his arms. Her pleasant vanilla scent was just missing.

  “Are you sure you’re okay?” Before he could even finish the last syllable, Liz’s mouth was on his. Her tongue parting his lips with urgency.

  “Wait,” he said, turning his face away. Her body rocked against his. Reaching out, he grabbed the bedrail for leverage, the metal beneath creaked from the strength of his grip. She pushed her face harder against his throat. Her small, sharp teeth skimmed over the sensitive skin.

  Braden’s eyes flew open. Grabbing her shoulders, he pushed her back as her black hair turned frosty and her hazel eyes shimmered into a stony grey. Grinning like a shark, Maze, smiled naughtily at him.

  What the…?

  “What’s wrong?” she asked in a thick voice. “Do you not want me to pretend I’m that child your drag around? What’s her name again?”

  “Liz,” he mumbled, completely thrown off guard.

  “That’s right. Ah and just in time. She came to watch.”

  And there she was – motionless at his bedroom door.

  The girl he just thought he was kissing stood with eyes filled with a terrible, knowing hurt. Looking from him to Maze, utterly betrayed, Liz couldn’t seem to draw a deep breath. The pained expression she gave him was so hopeless. His chance of being hers, disintegrating on the spot.

  “No.”

  17

  LIZ

  Liz felt as if she’d been smacked in the face. Seeing the two of them together, on his bed, arms entangled, was a shock. Trying to speak, her words wouldn’t form, the air just rushed from of her lungs in the form of an audible squeak.

  “We’re a little busy,” Maze said, her lips curling in a pleased grin.

  “No, we aren’t.” Braden said, pushing Maze from his lap. “It’s not what you think,” he said desperately.

  Liz flinched but tried to appear calm. She understood immensely what was going on.

  Stepping backwards, she closed the door to give them their privacy. As soon as it clicked shut, she thought she would be sick. Standing frozen in the hallway, her gaze blurred with tears. Liz fought to keep them from falling, but gave up. Holding them back hurt too deeply in her heart.

  How could I have thought he would want me?

  Maze was beautiful, sexy and obviously experienced. No wonder Braden wanted Liz to stay in Maine. Babysitting a virgin wasn’t his idea of cutting lose. Even though they were the same age, he obviously had needs that Liz had no right trying to fill.

  “Hey,” Riley said, peeking out from one of the doorways at the end of the hall.

  “Don’t say it,” she heard the snarl in her voice, but didn’t care.

  “I won’t say anything you don’t want me to,” he said, strolling forward with hands up in feigned surrender. “Let me just get you out of here for a few hours.”

  Liz dragged the back of her hand against her cheeks, trying to dry her tears. “You’ll bring me back? No, funny business?”

  “Not unless you beg me for it. You have my word.”

  Listening to the footsteps and muffled exchange of words on the other side of the door, Liz knew it was now or never.

  I can’t face Braden. Not yet.

  Liz gave a dismissive shrug. “Okay, but just so you know, you’re buying.”

  Like all big cities, Vancouver looked beautiful at night. Riley drove her across town, pointing out different hot spots. At first he stopped at Kaplan’s Star Deli and made her eat a corned beef sandwich. When she tried insisting she wasn’t hungry, he threatened to make the weary store owner his meal if she didn’t obey. After that, he drove through a trendy neighborhood he called Yaletown and stopped at a club whose music blasted half way down the block.

  Once inside, all of her self-pity was forgotten as she took in the lights and bodies moving to the music. At first Liz didn’t want to dance. Top forty hits weren’t exactly her thing, but Riley wouldn’t take no for an answer. Although she didn’t entirely trust him, his enthusiasm began wearing her down.

  After a few dances and his insistence she try the pink champagne a waitress in neon rubber spandex handed him, Liz felt loser. Braden may be having a wild night with Maze, but that didn’t mean she had to cry alone in her room.

  After a good hour on the floor, Riley finally consented to taking a seat at one of the small tables. Liz’s muscles twitched with little spasms and her feet hurt, but it was worth it. Never had she experienced a livelier atmosphere. She even spotted a few celebrities huddled at tables having just as much fun as she was.

  “I didn’t think you would get tired of dancing,” he said with a proud grin.

  “I’m not superhuman,” she replied beaming back.

  Tilting his head closer, she could feel his cool breath stir her heated skin. “That can be easily reconciled.”

  “Uh, no…it’s the blood thing that grosses me out. I’m prolife and all,” she said, squirming in her seat.

  “I’ll have you know that unlike my fellow nesters at Sunnydale, I don’t actually kill my meals. I find they don’t appreciate that much.”

  “Really?” she said, surprised. “I thought all draugar did.”

  “I’m different. Not quite draugar, definitely not damphyr. I feed from willing women who wake up the next day thinking they had way too much to drink and kinky sex.”

  Liz had to mull that over.

  She and Braden were both under the assumption that Riley was a killer. Hearing him state otherwise was a surprise, admitting he gave his donors a good time wasn’t. From the way he moved on the dance floor, he had confidence in his body. Several gorgeous women and a few men took notice. But she wondered how much of his show was an act. As cocky as Riley was, there was a part of him that seemed awfully eager to please her.

  “Why do you like me?”

  “What’s not to like?” he laughed.

  “No, really. You’ve been asking Braden to come find you for the last eight years, but you’re out with me?”

  Riley looked at her, serious for once. “It’s not just because you’re gorgeous and an insane dancer. When I look at you, I see the loneliness I feel inside. I can’t help but think if this never happened to me, if I had been allowed to stay a damphyr, I would have been fate-partnered to someone like you.”

  Riley’s fingers strolled over the to
p of Liz’s hand, leaving a cool trail in their wake. The sensation was nice, but her thoughts floated back to when Braden touched her for the first time on the plane. It was the damphyr’s hands she longed for.

  Tears from earlier began to brim again. Maybe there was more to Riley than she originally thought, but he wasn’t Braden.

  “And as far as my wayward younger brother,” Riley said, nodding to one of the packed back corners of the room where the hall to the exit and restrooms were, “He’s been following us all night. He just thinks he’s too sly for me to notice.”

  Liz turned quickly, trying to spot him amid all of the club’s patrons.

  “Don’t look at him. Let him squirm for a while. You agreed to be my date for the evening.”

  “Date?” Liz raised her eyebrow at him. “Aren’t you like thirty?”

  “Uh, uh – I’m not a day over eighteen,” Riley assured. “In fact, I think that is exactly what this is. I’m showing you how very much I would like to lavish good things on you. Even detailing the kind of life we could have together.”

  “I have feelings for Braden,” she answered simply. “Although after seeing him and Maze, I wish I didn’t.”

  Bending down, Riley brushed his lips against her ear. The effect made her shiver. “Like I told you earlier this evening, he does for you, too. Don’t get bent about what happened until you hear what he has to say.”

  “But you still asked me out?” Liz was confused.

  “All is fair in love and war. I can’t help the way I feel, but at the same time, I can’t deny that I would benefit either way by changing you. If you were a vampire I could keep you forever and it might encourage my brother to join me in this life.”