Sara Humphreys - Vampire Trouble

The energy from Lottie’s ring flickered and shot out in a circular burst of light and heat, which made Maya squint. When she finally opened her eyes and looked, the bodies were gone. A perfect circle of scorched grass covered almost the entire lawn, and all that was left of the two dead werewolves were the leather-handled daggers. Maya, Shane, and Lottie stood at the center of the burnt circle, and Maya let out a low whistle before picking up the daggers. Lottie wavered on her feet, clearly drained by using her magic. Shane caught her by the arm before she fell over.

“I thought your family magic was only about reading the future,” Maya said with a raised eyebrow. “Looks like I’m not the only one who’s full of surprises.”

“Don’t ya know by now?” Lottie said with a laugh and a wink to Maya. “Us gypsies are a secretive bunch, and we only share our magic on a need-to-know basis. Speaking of which, you should take that advice to heart. I don’t think anyone needs to know about your little gift.”

“Well, I have to tell Olivia and Doug, and they’re going to have to tell the Emperor, which means all the vamps will probably find out about it.” Maya stilled, her gaze meeting Shane’s while they walked toward the house. Shane seemed to be doing his best to avoid looking at her. “I’m sure they’re going to want me to turn the necklace over to the wolves, and honestly, I’m fine with that. If they don’t get it, then they’ll never stop coming after me.”

“Perhaps,” Lottie murmured. “But like I said, I think the magic is more about the gypsy than the jewels.”

Shane remained quiet, and nodding his agreement, he helped Lottie into the house. Once she was settled in her bed, the two of them made their way up to the third floor, and though there was still an hour until sunrise, Maya was more than ready to sleep. Shane moved slowly up the steps in front of her, and Maya sensed he was far weaker than he wanted her to know. She desired nothing more than to curl up beside him in bed and soothe his pain.

When they reached the landing of the attic, instead of going into the bedroom they’d shared when they arrived, Shane turned to the right and opened the other door. Maya stared at him in shock. He had no intention of staying in bed with her.

“You fought well tonight, Maya,” Shane said tightly. He stood tall, his body tense and stiff, but the cold, detached look in his eye sent a chill down her spine. “If it weren’t for your sharp instincts and your incredibly brave actions, I would be dead. You will make an excellent sentry, and I will be sure to inform the czars of my findings when we return to New York.”

“Shane?” Maya took a step toward him but stopped when he moved away from her. “I don’t want to be a sentry or some kind of werewolf hunter. I just want to be with you.”

“Sometimes, youngling, what we want and what is best are contrary to one another,” he said in a barely audible voice. The muscle of his jaw flickered and his mouth set in a tight line while he stared at her intently.

“But…you said you loved me.”

“My feelings are irrelevant.” Shane cocked his head and folded his hands in front of himself casually.

“What the fuck do you mean, your feelings are irrelevant?” The hallway started to spin and Maya thought for a moment she was going to pass out. “What are you saying?”

“I almost got you killed tonight, Maya.” Shane looked at her with something that resembled shame. “I was so distracted by you, so totally and completely enamored with you, that I didn’t detect the wolves. You could have been killed, and it would have been entirely my fault.” His features hardened and his eyes narrowed, silence stretching out between them. “I’m sorry. I can’t do this.”

“Can’t do what?” She folded her arms over her breasts and stared at him with utter disbelief, unwilling to accept what he was saying. “Tell me.”

“Love you,” he shouted. Maya stepped back because his words hit her almost as hard as a physical blow. “I can’t let myself love you, Maya. I am a sentry, a soldier, and I did what I was sent here to do.” His voice, edged with frustration, dropped to a whisper. “You are now more than capable of taking care of yourself and the members of your coven. You have your memories and are no longer wondering about your past or tormented by nightmares. You gained everything we hoped you would. Our mission has been accomplished, and my feelings are irrelevant.”

“Mission?” Maya could not believe what she was hearing. The sweet, tender, loving man he’d been was gone, replaced by a cold, unfeeling soldier with nothing but duty on his mind. “You fucking coward. I don’t need you to protect me, Shane. Wasn’t that the reason you taught me to stand up to that bastard in my dream? Why you’ve been showing me how to fight? Did it ever occur to you that instead of fighting for me, you could fight with me? I don’t need a protector, Shane. I need a partner.”

“I will call the czars tomorrow and inform them of what we’ve uncovered,” he continued, as though he hadn’t heard a word she said. “If all has gone as planned, then we should be able to return to the city shortly, and with any luck, we can give that necklace to the wolves without any more bloodshed. However, for now, I must sleep and so should you.”

He started to close the door, but Maya pushed her hand on the wooden surface, preventing him from shutting her out.

“I have one more question for you.” Maya inched closer and lowered her voice seductively. “What about the fact that you and I are bloodmates?”

“I was mistaken to have allowed the mystique and allure of the bloodmate legend to distract me from my sentry duties.” Shane stilled but kept his unwavering stare on hers. “Once we settle this business with the werewolves back in New York and give them the necklace, I will request that the czars transfer me to the Presidium’s European facility. I think it would be safer for everyone if you and I go our separate ways. Good night, Maya.”

The door closed, leaving Maya alone in the dark hallway with an aching void of loneliness filling her chest. Her hands flew to her mouth to muffle the sob that threatened to escape her lips. Stumbling into her bedroom, she shut the door tightly behind her. With her back pressed against the door, Maya hung her head and wept silently as the magnitude of losing Shane overwhelmed her.

She didn’t know why Shane was acting this way, but she was sick and tired of her life being in the hands of fate. Sadness was soon replaced by fury. She may not be able to control Shane or her past, but she could damn well take control of her future.

One hand fluttered to the heavy necklace, and her fingers curled around the stone. Maya glanced at the rumpled, unmade bed. Had it been just yesterday that she’d lain in those soft covers with his strong, gorgeous body curled perfectly around hers? With the cool stone whispering between her fingers, she scanned the room and her gaze stopped at the open bag of weapons that sat on the dresser. The sentry uniform, the one she’d been training in all week, was draped over the chair, looking like a ghost of her past.

“Time to face the past and the future.” Maya looked at the two daggers in her left hand. “No more running and no more hiding.”

The sterling-silver throwing weapons glinted at her like a beacon calling her home, and Maya knew what she had to do. She had to prove to Shane, and to herself, that she could indeed take care of herself.

She stripped her sundress off and tossed it aside before making quick work of pulling on the sentry uniform. Zipping it up over her necklace, Maya did exactly what Shane had shown her. She tugged on the gloves and lined the leather coat with a slew of weaponry before putting on the belt, heavy with two semiautomatic guns and the liquid silver ammunition from Xavier. The final touch was slipping the daggers into the compartments on the back of her sentry suit.