Blood Shift (The Charming Shifter Mysteries Book 3) Page 22
Cecil patted her shoulder. “You have any better understanding of what you are…your magic abilities?”
She scoffed. “Who am I going to ask? The Fae? Most of them are dead. Apparently, it’s part of some ancient mythology. Maybe I’ll have to go to Ireland to figure it out. That’s where the myth originates. There and Scotland.”
Cecil brightened. “Road trip!”
Chia chuckled. “Yeah. Let’s go! Only I prefer to take a plane.” She grew somber as a stone of apprehension, settled in her heart. “Well…I’d better get this over with.”
Cecil shoved the hammer in his toolbelt. He turned, placed both hands on her shoulders, and gazed into her eyes. “Hung Durand loves you. You’re going through a rough patch. You’ll get it resolved. I know you will.”
She placed her hands over his, grateful for the friendship. “Thanks, buddy.”
She said her good-byes and made her way to her Jeep.
Her ghosts hummed and fluttered overhead.
“I wish I could count on you guys more. Your assistance when I’m in danger seems so random.”
They made chittering noises which she swore sounded like laughter.
“Oh, you think this is funny, huh?” She looked around, hoping no one was watching her talk to herself since they couldn’t see her ghosts. Satisfied she wasn’t being observed, she continued. “I’m not sure I thanked you for shielding the fairy girl. And, for shielding me when I faced the shadow shifters for the first time. Still,…it would be awesome if we could coordinate our efforts.”
The ghosts seemed to ignore her, circling her head.
“Is that a yes? No? Gah!” She threw up her hands and increased her stride.
The trip to her house went by in a thoughtless blur. When she pulled up into the driveway, the sky had turned a dusky, cloudy gray. Soon, darkness would settle across the land.
Hung stood outside, looking like the light in her world, leaning against a brand new blue pickup truck. He pushed away from it when he saw her.
The site of him made her wet with longing. “Nice ride,” she said, exiting her SUV. She shoved her keys into her coat pocket.
His hair was unkempt, and his jaw sported a three-day beard. He looked far more relaxed than he had the last time she saw him.
She sauntered before him, unsure whether to throw her arms around his neck and kiss him senseless, like she longed to do, or shake his hand like they were mere acquaintances. Instead, she stared at him, unable to keep the hunger from her eyes.
He returned the gaze for a few torrid seconds, then turned to look at his truck. “Thanks. I did a quick bounty job. I got a call the day MBD went down. That’s part of why I had to race away so abruptly. I need wheels to make it in this business.”
“Wings don’t always cut it, do they?” Chia said, smiling hesitantly.
“Not always.” He caught his lip between his teeth. Then, he worked his jaw around like words were forming in his mouth.
“What?” Her breath caught in her throat, wondering if this was the end.
“Aw, fuck it,” he said, reaching for her. His warm hand slid around her neck and his lips slanted over hers.
She melted into him, relief giving way to passion. She wrapped her arms around his waist and pulled him close.
His tongue danced against hers.
Their lips melted together, practically fusing from the heat of pent-up lust.
She ground her hips against the solid heat of his erection.
When he finally released her, they pulled apart, breathless. “God, I’ve missed you—I’ve missed this.” He wiggled his finger between them.
A few stars winked at her through the clouds.
“So, why don’t we head inside and make up for lost time?” She reached up and fingered a strand of his dark blond hair falling in his eyes. Curling her fingers, she stroked his stubbled chin with her knuckles.
He caught her fingers and kissed them reverently. “I want to. God knows I want to.”
She winced at the oncoming rejection she knew he was about to deliver. “But…you can’t let go of the blood offering thing, right? So, you have to let go of me…”
“No!” His face contorted in agony. “It’s not that…I thought about it a lot when I was on the road. I get it. You have some crazy magic inside of you. D’Raynged helped you awaken that. But…there’s something you should know…about why I hate it so much.” He sighed. “Besides knowing you can witness the dark evil and depravity that exists in the world, beyond normal consciousness…”
Her stomach clenched. “What is it? Tell me?”
“I’d rather your roommate told you.” He turned, took her hand, and led her toward the house.
“D’Raynged? Why?” She clutched his hand, tromping up the steps in her sturdy boots.
“Just…wait…you’ll see.” He opened the door and stepped aside for her to enter.
She trekked into the foyer to the tune of the news blasting on the television announcing a storm watch or other nonsense. After hanging her coat on the hook, she marched into the living room.
D’Raynged lounged on the sofa, wearing a gold satin smoking jacket and silky black pants, reminiscent of the era in which he’d been turned—the 17th century. The pants clung to his chiseled leg muscles. His sleeves had been artfully folded up, giving her an eyeful of his powerful forearms—the kind that could snap a man in two. He sipped at his usual dark red cocktail.
Chia never had the nerve to inquire how he made it. She figured it was stolen goods from the local blood bank.
He gave her his hundred-watt, Southern charm smile. Then, he spread his free arm along the back of the couch. “You’re home. How was work?”
Chia frowned. “How was work? When have you ever cared how work was, let alone how I’m doing?” She glanced at Hung.
He stood in the doorway to the room, his arms crossed over his chest, his face a grim mask.
The vampire glared at him. He took another sip of his morning libation, then set it down on the coffee table.
“Tell her.” Hung’s voice came out a clipped, terse command.
“Must I?” The vampire’s mouth parted, revealing his fangs. “I’ve barely woken up.” A haughty expression colored his features.
“She deserves to know the truth.”
Chia’s stance mimicked Hung’s as she crossed her arms and glared at her roommate. “What is it? Tell me. And for God’s sake, turn down that blasted Lemming News.”
D’Raynged picked up the remote and pressed it.
The noise softened to a barely audible hum.
D’Raynged swished his hand at Hung. “Your boy toy has been in a twist lately, since…” His eyes turned ice-cold as he regarded Hung. “I think it would come out better if you said it. Clearly, you regard it with more emotion than I do.”
“Not happening,” Hung said, his arms still tightly crossed. “You can’t get out of this one by punting to me.”
Chia’s hands flew to her hips. “Will one of you please tell me what’s going on?”
D’Raynged feigned innocence as he studied the ceiling. “I met his mother several months ago.”
“His mother?” Chia’s attention flicked back and forth between Hung and D’Raynged. “What does that have to do with anything?”
“Keep going.” Hung’s eyes looked as cold as the dead vampire’s.
“I didn’t know she was your mother. All I saw was an exquisitely beautiful woman, and I was a bit…you know, peckish. I hadn’t fed for a while.” He picked up his drink again, curling his elegant fingers around the stem. He arched one eyebrow as he sipped. Then, he set the glass down again.
“And then what happened?” Chia’s heart began to hammer in her chest. “You didn’t kill her, did you?”
D’s eyes snapped with fire. “No! I don’t kill all of them. Only the ones who get clingy. Hung’s mother was a feisty one, I’ll give her that.”
Hung scoffed. “Feisty.”
Chia threw her arms in t
he air. “So, what the hell did you do to her?”
“Nothing much.”
Hung’s mouth fell open, and he shook his head.
D’Raynged started to reach for his glass again.
Chia lunged and snatched it out of his grasp. “Fucking tell me what you did, vampire.”
“Fine.” He trained his cold eyes on her.
She took a step back.
“Things may have gotten out of hand. I may have let things get out of control. What can I say? She was exquisite.” He seemed to shudder.
Chia’s heart seized, practically coming to a stop. A chill formed on her skin. “You didn’t…did you?
“He might have turned her. And now she’s missing. My father can’t find her. I can’t find her. No one can find her but the jackass sitting here with you. And he’s not telling.” Hung let his arms fall.
“I never kiss and tell.” D’Raynged folded his arms over his chest.
“This is awful. Now I get it.” Chia paced around the room. Her eyes caught the news as a picture of Red flashed on the screen. She made an impatient gesture with her hand. “Turn that up! Quick.”
“Gladly.” D’Raynged picked up the remote and turned up the volume.
“The rebuild in Charming continues, thanks to the valiant efforts of town manager Chia Petit,” the pretty blonde reporter said.
An image of Chia, looking haggard and worn, appeared in the corner of the television.
“Valiant efforts? And, Jesus Christ, someone must have taken that after the fire! I look like shit!” She waved her hand angrily at the TV, wishing she could wipe away the image.
“Quiet. Listen.” Hung stood next to her, putting his arm around her.
“She may have help, though. Red Mountainbear has returned from his campaign headquarters, eager to put the tragic explosion that destroyed his Charming factory behind him.” The newscaster turned to her right.
Red stepped stiffly next to her. The entire right side of his face appeared scarred. A black hole marked the place where his eye should be. He lifted his right arm. The arm looked stiff and unmoving like it was a prosthetic device.
“I suffered. We all suffered. I was badly burned in that explosion. But the fire only fueled my desire to do what’s right for the town of Charming.” He trained his one good eye straight at the camera. “I’m running for mayor.”
A violent shiver shook her to her bones. “He’s alive,” she whispered. “And he intends to take over my town.” She stepped out of Hung’s embrace. “Turn that fucking thing off,” she said to D’Raynged, and then turned to Hung. “This is awful. We’re only beginning to turn things around, and wham! They get worse…far worse. What are we going to do?”
Hung gently rested his hands on the side of her face, looking deeply into her eyes. “First, we’re going to head to your bedroom, and I’m going to show you how much you mean to me.”
She took a shuddering breath. “You really mean that?”
He kissed the tip of her nose. “I can hardly wait. And then, I’m going to head out tomorrow morning and start the search for my mother. Your roommate’s going to help.” His hand shot out and snagged the vampire’s shoulder as he tried to slink out of the room.
“Fine,” said D’Raynged, shaking off Hung’s hand. “I’ll give you my full cooperation.”
“You promise?” Hung trained his sharp eyes on the vampire.
“Scout’s honor.” He smirked, and then stalked from the room.
Hung turned back to Chia. “And you, my magic queen, will do what you always do.”
“What’s that?” She bit her trembling lip.
“After I fuck you senseless and restore both our good moods, you’ll find a way to stop Red.”
“Are you going to help me?” She took his hand and pulled him, leading him toward her bedroom.
“Always. I’ll never stay away. You and I are destined to be together.”
“Then, let’s let destiny have its way with us. We’ll deal with the future when it gets here.” She yanked him into her room, slamming the door behind them.
They fell on the bed, kissing madly, peeling off each others’ clothes.
She figured she’d find out more about her abilities in good time. For now, all she intended to do was to love Hung Durand, all night, until the sun peeked into her bedroom. And that was a long way away.
THE END
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Other books in the Charming Shifter Mysteries:
Storm Shift: Book 1, available now.
Power Shift: Book 2, available now.
Blood Shift: Book 3, available now.
About the Author
A New York Times and USA Today bestselling, award-winning author, Calinda B writes kick-ass heroines who don't know their own strength. When she's not writing, she's been known to fall off ice cliffs; fire walk with Russian fire officials; or wake up from a six weeks coma, wondering how she got there in the first place. She’s been stuck in deadly currents at Deception Pass in her kayak, and loves to swim with sharks. She greets every day with a smile and an openness to what might be around the next corner.
SERIES:
The Charming Shifter Mysteries:
Storm Shift: Book 1
Power Shift: Book 2
Blood Shift: Book 3
Bad Boys Need Love, Too:
Looks Like Trouble to Me UNCUT
Trouble Times Two UNCUT (coming soon)
Tracked by Trouble
Point of Contact:
Blurred Lines – a 3 Part Military Romance
Sassy Aphrodite and her Sweet Dirty Mouth
Riding the Edge of Darkness
Standalones:
Night Whispers (Also in Audible)
Red Rex: Blood Echoes (Also in Audible)
Night Whispers (Also in Audible)
Headspace
Meeting with My Maker
Fire
The Remingtons: Crazy Love
The Remingtons: A Twist of Love
All books can be viewed on this page: http://calindab.com/books.aspx
With umpteen books roaming the universe and more in her head, you can find her at www.calindab.com. Or, if you want to stay connected, join the exclusive mailing list! http://www.calindab.com/newslettersignup.html