Choices (The Forever series, Book Four) (19 page)

He smiles gently, “You look so beautiful, so peaceful when
you sleep. I didn’t want to wake you.” I seem to hear that a lot these days.
I’m beginning to wonder what a ravaged fright I must look like when I am awake.

I return his smile and spin in a circle and I am ready to
go. We leave with Grayson, Tony, Phil, and Ty in tow.

Cole abandons me with a kiss and says he will return as soon
as he can. I settle into his trailer to work. I spend a couple of hours on and
off with Dawn and we are bonding nicely. We make plans to go shopping in New
York, next time she can manage a day off when I am not with Cole, or CK.

When she has to go, I pull out my phone and lay it on the
table. Placing my hand over it, I focus my magick. Getting what I want, I pick
it up as it rings.

“Now how did you get this number?” Cade asks.

“I have my ways,” I say mysteriously.

“Did you get my gift?” he asks slyly.

“I did. Next time I see you, I kill you,” I say bluntly.

He chuckles. “Why would you do a thing like that?” he asks.
“I did you a favor, I helped you. You do know you have those who oppose you and
he was not your biggest fan. He wanted you dead.”

“So do you,” I remind him.

“Hm, maybe so before I learned more about you. But you are
so much more now than just another Vampire to Hunt and kill.”

“You’re only saying that because you know you can’t kill
me,” I say confidently.

“Is that so?” he asks with genuine interest and I could
curse myself.

“That is so,” I say. Might as well run with it now.

“Well, I can’t say that I am not disappointed to hear you
say that. However, I am wildly curious about you. I want to learn more. You
pack quite a punch. Definitely more than what I was expecting.”

“Not likely. Apart from the fact that I will kill you the
next time I see you, it will be virtually impossible for you to get anywhere
near me enough to ask.”

“Ah yes. I have been thwarted by your jealous boyfriend's
guard dogs. You really should speak to him about his obsession.”

“Ha! That’s rich coming from you!” I laugh.

He laughs too, “Well never let it be said, I didn’t get
involved in my job.”

“Cade,” I say then, seriously.

“Yes, Liv?”

“What are you doing?”

“Talking to you. You rang me, remember.”

“Yes, to tell you I am going to kill you. You don’t seem too
concerned.”

“That is because I am sure I can talk you out of it.”

“How so?”

“I have a proposition for you.”

“What’s that then?” I ask suspiciously.

“Now that is something I would prefer to discuss in
private.”

“Oh no. That isn’t going to happen.”

“But I told you I had no more interest in killing you,” he
says, hurt.

“And I while I am not sure I believe you, I’m not scared of
you. You, however, should be scared of me.”

“Listen to what I have to say to you and if you still want
to kill me after that, then by all means.”

“There is no way that CK will allow you anywhere near me.”

“CK? The jealous lover? Hm, find a way. When will you be
back in New York?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know,” I say mutinously.

“I could find out for myself, you know. It’s just easier if
you tell me.”

“I won’t be back for a few more days. I have business to
attend to.”

“In Toronto?”

“No.”

“You are exasperating,” he sighs.

“So I’ve been told.”

“I will always find you, Mrs. O’Dell. My reach is very far.”

“Catch me if you can then,” I say and hang up.

I am inclined to believe he won’t try to try kill me but the
fact remains he did kill a Vampire to send me a message. I also still believe
he doesn’t know about Cole. I am terribly curious about what he has to say to
me that he would risk asking for a private meeting, but you know what curiosity
did. I plan on setting up this meeting, even if it ends up me killing him, but
I had best to keep this quiet. I will get blasted from all sides if my boys
find out about this.

I am back on the jet heading back to New York very early on
Tuesday morning, after a lingering goodbye with Cole. I miss him already and I
can’t wait for this to be over so we can go home together and start to rebuild
our family.

I tell Jenna to let Jim know that I am going to bed and to
just leave me, as I won’t be getting off before the others get here. After much
arguing and another phone call to their boss, Phil and Ty stay with me while Tony
stays behind to watch Cole. This is all getting a bit ridiculous. How much
trouble can I get into alone on a private aircraft?

Ignoring the two guards, I go to the tiny bedroom, strip,
and crawl into bed. It’s 4 AM and we are due to land soon. I really should be
seated and buckled in but it’s not like it’s going to kill me if I get thrown
from the bed during landing.

My head hits the pillow and I’m flat out until I sense
someone staring at me. I open my eyes and find myself staring into eyes so
remarkably like my own. A type indeed, I think, as I glare at Sebastian.

“That’s just creepy,” I say, turning my back to him. “Where
are CK and the others?”

“Our sire will be here anon. He is on the phone. The others
came separately. Something about confined spaces and ancient Vampires.” He
shrugs. “You look very peaceful when you sleep.”

Geez, this is just getting weird, everyone watching me
sleep, and now I’m more convinced than ever I must look haggard and in torment
while awake. Not a pleasing thought.

He trails his hand down my back and my Dragon ripples in
pleasure. “This is incredible,” he murmurs.

So is his touch, I think traitorously but flex my shoulders
in protest. “You know he knows you’re touching me,” I say a second before
he
comes barging in with a thunderous look on his handsome face.

Sebastian pulls his hand back and I smile and sit up,
tilting my head up for a kiss.

“Hello, my sweet. Is he bothering you?”

“No. He’s harmless,” I say chuckling at the insulted look on
his face.

“You should get dressed. We are taking off soon.”

I nod but stay where I am, as I am naked under this sheet. I
am not in the mood to provoke my sire this early on as there are going to be
words later and I want him happy and amenable.

He raises his eyebrow at me with a smug smile and says,
“Out, Sebastian. Let the lady get dressed without you gawking at her.”

Sebastian sits up and ever so quickly trails his hands up my
arms and bunches his fist in my hair, pulling my head to the side. He inhales
deeply. “One taste. I just want one little taste,” he says not to me, mind you,
but to CK.

“Get your fangs away from her,” CK says mildly.

“Come now. She wants it. She wants to be with us. She told
me she wants to feel what it’s like,” he says, baiting CK.

He narrows his eyes at Sebastian and takes another step
forward. “Hands off,” he says quietly and Sebastian lets me go.

“Fine. One of these days I will have her, you know that,” he
says and exits to the Main Cabin. I sigh. Why do people always talk about me
like I’m not even here?

CK watches him go and joins me on the bed. “Did you?” he
asks, regarding me closely.

“Did I what?” I ask.

“Did you tell him you wanted to be with us?”

“Not in as many words,” I say coyly.

“Aefre,” he pauses.

“I do want to know what it feels like,” I say. “It has been
made very clear to me that it’s special and I know what it’s like from the sire
side. I want to know what it’s like from the charge side.” I crawl onto his lap
and he puts his arms around me.

“Aefre,” he says again, closing his eyes with a pained expression.
I know he’s going to give in and I kiss him softly, putting my fingers to his
lips.

“But until Cole lets me off my leash, there’s nothing I can
do about it,” I whisper and his eyes pop open in relief. He smiles at me.

“I missed you,” he whispers.

“And I, you,” I whisper back, kissing him again, my hands
moving to undo his shirt. He stops me, putting his hands over mine.

“I love you Aefre and I do want you, but I don’t play second
fiddle.”

I gape at him for denying me but realize that I brought it
on myself, as I came straight from the hotel bed to the airport, not via the
shower. I look contrite as I climb off him and pull a robe out of thin air.
“I’ll just be a few minutes,” I mumble and make a hasty exit to the shower
room. Going to have to remember to always go via the shower, I scold myself as
I turn on the taps and step in. I soap myself up good and proper so there are
no more complaints from the peanut gallery. I finish up quickly and step out,
drying myself. I pull on a tight black mini dress and Louboutins. Straightening
my hair and getting some smoky eye make-up going, I want to look every inch of
Liv for this meeting. I go to the Main Cabin where Lincoln and Scott have
turned up. CK’s eyes land on me and harden as I kiss Lincoln--chastely I might
add--and say hello to Scott.

“Under the circumstances I think Scott should sit as far
away from you two as possible,” I say and he looks relieved, then delighted as
I tell him to go sit up front with Captain Jim, leaving the four of us to sit
around the table, and the two bodyguards to sit on the sofas. I sit first and
find it amusing that the three men all step up to the seat next to me. CK
glares them back and they sit opposite us. “That’s okay,” Lincoln says with a
wicked grin. “This way I get to play footsie with you.” I laugh at him but CK
is less than amused.

“Keep your feet to yourself,” he snaps at Lincoln who just
smiles back innocently.

“You look beautiful, V.A., by the way.”

“Thank you,” I say with a sidelong glance to my sire who
glares at me and takes my hand.

“So Aefre,” CK starts. “Would you care to inform us of any
new developments on the Hunter front?”

Funny, he asks it as a question but it is more like a
statement. I shrug, “Nothing you don’t already know.”

“Don’t be evasive, my love. I am sure he has contacted you
again.” He says it in a way that makes me think he already knows.

“I may have spoken to him again,” I say avoiding his intense
glare. “I also may have told him that if I see him again I am going to kill
him.”

That catches all of their attention, as I am very much the
pacifist of the bunch. Three sets of eyes bore into me and I look to Lincoln
for help out of this conversation. No way am I admitting that Cade wants to
meet me in private and that I am going to go.

“May we ask what brought on that sudden change of heart?” CK
asks before Lincoln gets a word in.

“I am tired of these games. Look, I don’t want to talk about
it right now. I need to think about it some more,” I say.

“What is there to think about?” Sebastian asks. “Point him
out and I’ll do it myself if you don’t want to.”

“That won’t be necessary, but thanks,” I say looking away.
There is just something bothering me about all of this. He has had every
opportunity to show me he means business by picking on the people I love but he
hasn’t. Okay, granted Devon is in L.A. now and he thinks Cole is human and,
well, anybody dumb enough to pick a fight with CK deserves what’s coming to
them, but it is still niggling at me. It is poking at me and I have to know
why. I have to know what he wants.

I catch Lincoln’s eye again and he sees that I don’t want to
talk about this anymore.

“So, Demons? This should be fun,” Lincoln says changing the
subject. “Can’t say I’m not worried though,” he adds with a frown. “I don’t
know much about them.”

“Don’t be. It’ll be fine,” I say as CK glares at me about
the change in subject and says rudely, “Humph, you should be.”

I turn to look at him, “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Oh please, Aefre. I have eyes. Our Demon friend falls most
definitely into the category of ‘your type.’”

Lincoln raises his brows, “Let me guess. Tall, dark-haired
and blue-eyed?”

Sebastian snickers as I turn my baleful glare on Lincoln. He
smiles at me and says, “I too have eyes and while they may not be blue, they
work just fine,” to which even CK snickers.

“I see. Seems you all have me pegged. And while no, your
eyes may not be blue, Linc, they are the prettiest eyes I ever did see.” I bat
my own at him and he blushes as expected. He clears his throat and says,
“Speaking of types. It seems there is someone else on the plane with one.” He
looks pointedly between Sebastian and myself.

We chuckle and look at said someone who looks baffled. “Who,
me?” he asks. “I don’t think I have a type. One cannot be choosy when it comes
to siring a race,” he adds haughtily.

“Oh sure. You are an equal opportunities creator most
definitely,” Sebastian says sarcastically. “Pretty sure green-eyed blondes are
your thing.”

CK turns his furious gaze to Sebastian who just looks mildly
back and I pounce.

“Oh? Elaborate.”

“Have you not noticed that every Feeder he has is a
green-eyed blonde?” Sebastian asks me.

Erm, come again?

I turn slowly to CK who looks like he is about to stake
Sebastian.

“It’s not what you think,” he says through gritted teeth.

“Look alikes aside, I am only thinking that I can’t remember
the last time I saw you feed on a human. So much so, I’d have thought you
don’t.”

He looks slightly relieved I’m not pressing the look alikes
issue and says, “Of course I feed on humans. I am a Vampire. I just prefer to
do it in private.”

Like everything else then, I think grimly.

“Yeah, you know why? I mean that one that came last night
was smoking hot,” Sebastian chuckles.

A stab of jealousy shoots through me as I stare at
Constantine.

“Oh?” I croak out.

“Jealous?” Lincoln asks slyly. “That’s a bit hypocritical.”