Page 51

ZAVIER

I t’s been a week since I last saw Celine.

A. Whole. Fucking. Week.

One glance at me and anyone could tell I’m not right in the head. Well, I’m not on a good day, but especially so right now.

The absence of Celine is like a hole in my soul. I love her, and she belongs by my side. She’s my mate for fuck’s sake. Instead, she’s been kidnapped by my psycho bitch of an ex who can’t take no for an answer.

Genevieve promised to kill Celine slowly if I didn’t accept her as my partner.

I’ll be damned if that happens.

Genevieve has always wanted what she can’t have.

I met her not long after I was turned, and she coveted me from the start.

With my vibrant red hair and inability to be contained, I stood out.

Her brand of crazy loved mine and I’m ashamed to say we had a few decades together wreaking havoc.

Once I gained full control of my bloodlust and primal tendencies, I wanted out.

I haven’t seen her in at least fifty years. I suppose she’s been watching me from the shadows, lusting after what she can’t have, and once she got wind of Celine, she decided it was time to strike.

I tried following Genevieve after our run in at the apartment, but she vanished and somehow has dampened her scent.

Sitting back on the couch I feel Midnight jump into my lap.

He’s continued to prove himself as my emotional support pussy and cuddles with me when I’m here.

I’m in and out since my primary focus is finding Celine, but sleep and feeding are necessary.

I know Genevieve and she’s psychotic but smart.

She’ll have powerful vampires helping her.

I need to be at my full strength for when I do find Celine.

Midnight’s rumbling purr grounds me and I plant a kiss on top of his head.

A loud bang on the front door scares him and he digs his claws in before jetting off at the jump scare. Not making any sign to move, I hope whatever human is out there will go away so I can rest before leaving again.

The obnoxious knocking continues, and I growl while heaving my body up.

“Celine! I hear you in there,” Ava yells, voice desperate.

Great.

“Fuck you for ignoring my calls for the past week!” she continues to knock. “You called in sick, but you can’t respond to me? I’m worried!”

Not being able to stand the ringing in my ears I walk over, and wrench open the door. Fist poised, about to knock again, Ava almost hits me in the face.

“Cel—oh Zavier.” Stopping in shock but launching right back into rage mode she pokes my chest. “Where’s Celine?

” She barges past me in a flurry of pink hair and heads for the bedroom, looking for her friend.

“Do you have her locked up for a sex-a-thon and missing work?” A pillow gets thrown like Celine’s hiding behind it.

How I wish it were that easy.

Unsuccessful in her hunt, she stands in front of me, hands on her hips, looking like an angry little fairy. Her poofy pink dress and flats make me chuckle before I remember why she’s here.

“Where is she? It’s not like her to fall off the face of the planet even for you.” I can see how distraught she is.

Truth be told I’ve been so hyper focused on finding Celine I didn’t even think about others that might be missing her.

I sent an email to her captain, feigning illness, because I know how much Celine’s job means to her, and I didn’t want it to be jeopardized just because my crazy ex is holding her hostage somewhere.

I wrack my brain for what to tell Ava but can’t come up with anything believable. She’ll sniff a lie out in seconds. She’s a bit of a blood-hound like that.

“Ava.” I grip her shoulders. “Celine’s been kidnapped.” Immediately her eyes go wide and she tries to buck out of my hold.

“What? Kidnapped?” she screeches, eyes large and round with horror. “Why haven’t you called the police?” I hold her steady and try to calm her down which is laughable since I’m certainly not calm myself.

“We can’t go to the police,” I say slowly, trying to make sure she takes in each word I say. “I can’t tell you why, but you just have to trust me. I’m doing everything in my power to find her.” Her light blue eyes fill with tears. “I swear Ava, I will get her back.”

I loosen my grip, and she starts to pace the length of the room.

“You know how batshit you sound, right? My best friend got kidnapped a week ago, but we can’t call the police?

You, a man who she’s been dating not long at all, is telling me to trust you to find her.

For all I know, you could be behind her kidnapping.

” She throws her thin arms in the air. She pales, slapping a hand over her mouth.

“Oh my God. You killed her, didn’t you? And now you’re going to kill me?

Oh, this is bad. Real bad.” She paces the room.

“I would never harm a hair on Celine’s head, and you know that, Ava.”

Midnight trots over to me and I pick him up to drape over my neck as a cat scarf. Ava watches the interaction and ceases her pacing.

Her bottom lip trembles with the threat of tears. “This is the kind of shit that ends up on Dateline. What aren’t you telling me?” She takes a defiant power stance and stares me down.

“God, Ava I don’t have time for this,” I growl. If I could have a headache right now I would. She’s so goddamn persistent.

“Make time for it, buster!” She pokes me in the chest—hard for a human.

“You’ve got another thing coming if you don’t think I’ll go out and find her myself.

I’ll also tell the police like you should have from the beginning.

” With a harumph and flourish of her pink dress she makes for the door.

“I’ll make sure you’re the first person they come looking for. ”

Closing the door before she can blink, she gives a wide-eyed stare.

“How’d you get over here so fast?”

“Listen,” I sigh, knowing I’m about to tell yet another human my truth.

It’s weird to share this with people after so long of avoiding humans unless I’m killing them for their heinous acts.

“You can’t do that, because it’ll be a death sentence for Celine.

” I guide her over to the couch and encourage her to sit. “She’s been taken by vampires.”

Ava purses her lips and blinks her owlish eyes at me. Then she bursts into raucous laughter.

“Oh my God, you’re psycho! You definitely killed her or else I’m going insane. Maybe I hallucinated this whole thing,” she mutters the last part to herself.

“Ava,” I say her name carefully. “ I’m a vampire.” I flash my fangs at her to further prove my point, and a scream of fright rips out of the petite woman “We can’t involve the cops because there’s nothing they can do.”

She holds a hand over her rapidly racing heart.

The surprise slowly wears off and she seems oddly calm. “Huh. That explains a lot. How you always seem to be everywhere and why you look like you.” She gestures a hand at me. “Too hot for your own good.”

I grin. “You think I’m hot?” I shake my head.

Now is not the time to let my ego get the best of me.

I need to focus on the most important thing and that’s the fact that she’s no longer freaking out.

Apparently thinking I’m a murderer is a deal breaker, but a vampire is fine.

“That’s it?” My voice raises a few octaves.

“You and Celine have something wrong with you that you both accepted that so easily.” I’m baffled by this pair.

“Have you met you?” Ava sputters. “It makes too much sense and who am I to question the ways of the world. I’ve always thought there was more to it than we know.”

A sense of relief comes over me that there’s someone else that knows my secret. Maybe life won’t be so isolating and lonely moving forward.

“I’m helping you look for her.” Ava stands and hikes her purse up her shoulder.

“The hell you are,” I sputter.

“Yes, the fuck I am.” She goes toe to toe with me, hands on her hips. She stands on her tiptoes, trying to give herself the illusion of more height.

“What does she see in you?” I bicker. “You’re an argumentative energizer bunny.”

“What does she see in you ?” she retaliates. “Red hair, glasses, and a stupid necklace?”

“You take that back,” I gasp in outrage. “Celine loves my chain. Especially when she grabs it so I fuck her harder.” I stick my chin in the air.

Midnight’s tongue darts out at her like he’s defending my honor as well.

“Ew. I didn’t need to know that.” She plugs her ears with her fingers but fights a smile much like myself. “Fine.” Ava sticks out a perfectly manicured hand. “So, I’m in?”

“I guess,” I mumble and shake on it. “But you’re playing by my rules and the first is to sit your ass down and listen.”

I deal with her peppering of questions and give her the low down and she agrees to be on standby until I tell her otherwise. We can’t go in guns blazing—or in my case fangs—we have to be smart about this.

Patient.

And that’s really fucking hard.