Sara Humphreys - Vampire Trouble

“Doug said they are both doing well, and she had a baby girl.” Shane adored watching Maya’s joyous reaction and doubted that anything could make him happier than watching his mate smile. “Given the circumstances, I thought we should wait until we have more information.”

“I guess you’re right.” Maya’s smile faltered and she started fiddling with the buttons on his shirt.

Shane leaned back and tilted her chin, forcing her to look him in the eye again. “What’s wrong, Maya?”

“I miss them,” she whispered and let out a soft laugh. “Even Trixie.”

“You’ll see them again soon. Contrary to the way it feels, we won’t be down here forever.”

“No.” She shook her head and paused, struggling for the right words. “It’s not that…I miss hearing them, and it’s still strange not being able to talk to them anytime I want. It was hard enough when Olivia stopped telepathing with us and could only speak that way with Doug, but now…” She trailed off and looked away.

“Now you can only speak that way with me,” Shane said quietly.

“Yes.” She flicked her eyes back to him and grabbed his arms with both hands. “Please don’t be offended. It’s not that I don’t love…being able to talk to you like that,” she added quickly. “It’s just going to take some getting used to, that’s all.”

Shane froze for a moment when she uttered the word “love” because he thought she was going to say she loved him, but she didn’t. To his great surprise, he was disappointed. But what did he expect? Up until a few days ago, she could barely tolerate his presence. Now, because they’d slept together a few times and the universe deemed them bloodmates, should he simply expect her to fall in love with him?

With Maya staring up at him expectantly, waiting for him to respond, he realized that was exactly what he expected—and he felt like an idiot.

“Shane?” Maya’s brows knit together. “Are you upset with me?”

“No, youngling.” He stepped back and glanced toward the sky in an effort to shut down his feelings of stupidity. “We should leave if we want to have ample time for you to meet with Lillian. I don’t want to risk getting caught in the city after sunrise.”

“I hope she can help me remember more.” Her voice wavered. “Even if this magic I can do is the blackest of all magic, I still want to know. The truth can’t possibly be worse than not knowing.”

Looking back at Maya, Shane noticed the concerned expression etched into her features. He extended his hand and wrapped her fingers in his. When their flesh met, the line between her eyes smoothed and her lips curved into a smile.

“Agreed.” Shane brought her fingers to his mouth and kissed them lightly. “Just remember, Maya. All creatures are capable of darkness, but not all choose to succumb to it.”

As they leaped into the sky and flew through the night swiftly and silently, Shane couldn’t stop thinking about something Lottie said the night they arrived. Funny how the mind can choose what it wants to remember and what it wants to forget. Perhaps, he thought while they raced toward the city, some things would be best left forgotten.

They landed silently in a dark alley at the edge of the French Quarter, but even along the outskirts, the lights and sounds of the bustling district could be heard. Shane linked Maya’s hand with his and walked down the quiet, dimly lit cobblestone street toward the corner of Ursuline and Dauphine. Holding her hand seemed the most natural thing to do. Though far smaller and more delicate than his, her hand fit in his like it had been made only for him.

A pungent, familiar scent filled his nostrils and brought the reality of their situation crashing back in on him. Werewolf. The distinctly woodsy aroma slammed into him just before they reached the intersection where The Den was located. Maya stilled and her body tensed next to his. When he glanced at her, he was pleasantly surprised to see a ferocious, battle-ready look on her face.

I smell it too. Maya’s voice touched his mind curtly. And I’m getting that weird feeling again, but it’s even stronger this time. Like an invisible rope pulling me toward them. There’s more than one, and they’re to the left, maybe a block or two away.

There’s a pub not far from here that’s run by a pair of wolves. Shane nodded his agreement and scanned the area, attempting to pinpoint the wolf’s location more clearly. His search was interrupted when Maya’s hand squeezed his almost to the point of pain. The scent I’m picking up is coming from that direction.

Shane. Her voice whispered into his mind on a rush. Look at my pocket…it’s glowing .

He looked down to see that Maya was absolutely correct. The left side of her white dress now had an almost ghostly green glow emanating from the pocket where the necklace was. With shaking fingers, she pulled the necklace out and held it up between them. The large stone that dangled from the bottom of the gold chain was glowing as though lit from within.

They looked from the stone to each other, and Maya’s expression was nothing short of amazement.

“I don’t recall it lighting up like that at the club,” Shane said, looking more closely at the unique jewel. “Although I was admittedly…distracted.”

“No. I’ve never seen it do this before.” Maya shook her head and laid the necklace in her hand, but once the stone touched her flesh, the light dimmed. “Whoa. That felt weird. It’s vibrating.”

“Come here.” Shane took Maya’s arm and brought her into an alley across the tiny street, away from anyone who might pass by. Human or werewolf. He stopped and looked around before turning his attention back to Maya. “Let go of the stone.” Maya did as he asked, and they watched the stone begin to glow again. “Now, lay it in your hand.”

Once the stone touched her flesh, the light dimmed.

“It may not be glowing anymore, but it’s humming or vibrating or something.” Maya’s eyes lit up with excitement. “I bet I know why it’s doing this. It’s warning me that there are wolves in the area. I should put it on.”

“No.” Shane grasped her forearm and shook his head. “Maya, we know there’s a werewolf in the area and that the wolves have it in for you because of this necklace or whatever they think it stands for.”

“ And we know that this necklace has magic or, at the very least, it’s connected to some magic that I’m supposed to have.” Maya’s chin tilted. Her eyes flashed and she pushed his hand away. “I’ve worn this necklace every day for as long as I can remember, and I feel naked without it—unprotected or something. Look, I can’t explain why, but I do.”

“You’re being stubborn.” Shane folded his arms over his chest.

“And this is news?” Maya asked playfully, putting the necklace around her neck and nestling the stone at the top of her cleavage. “See. It’s not glowing anymore, but I do feel that vibration. It’s really subtle, though, and like I told you before, when I was in that suite with all the wolves, my senses were going haywire. That’s probably why I didn’t notice it then. And I probably didn’t feel it when we were at The Dollhouse because that place is total sensory overload.”

Shane’s mouth set in a tight line. He grasped the smooth stone between his fingers then frowned as he released it. “I don’t feel vibrations.”

“Really? Maybe that’s because you’re not a gypsy person or whatever.” Maya pressed it to her chest and looked at him. “I can feel it, and I’m still getting that tugging feeling in my gut, which is actually really unpleasant. Can we just go see Lillian now? Please?” She buttoned up the cardigan sweater so that most of the necklace was covered. “Look. Now you can’t even see it. Okay?”