Thirst (Ava Delaney #1) Page 20

  ***

  The next evening, after passing by a number of leering vampires outside my home, I headed for Daimh?n's place again. I was so paranoid about being jumped on by my stalker vampires that I kept the dagger hidden under my long sleeves so I could easily grab it. Mostly, I felt secure if I could touch it. It stayed by my hand in case Daimh?n decided she needed to punish me. If she wanted to end my life, I could at least take one of her vampires down with me.

  Rose let me in and accompanied me to Daimh?n's living room. I should have worried about dealing with Daimh?n, but I was just thankful my hand had finally stopped bleeding.

  "Chin up, love," Rose said, looking sympathetic. Even Daimh?n's pets knew I was in for it.

  Daimh?n didn't clear the room this time. Jules sat at her feet and began panting like a dog when he saw me. His eyes were a scarlet red; he had obviously drank his fill, somehow. From Rose perhaps, as her cheeks lacked the natural flush of the night before.

  My interest grew when I saw a familiar vampire sitting next to Daimh?n. Petite and pale, the intriguing child vampire's eyes bore light traces of pink. She stared right at me, but I couldn't find a child-sized vampire intimidating, even if I probably should.

  "Last night didn't go very well." The look on Daimh?n's face told me she had gotten what she wished.

  "Really? I thought it went great." I scowled at Jules and hid my bitten hand in my pocket.

  Daimh?n leaned back in her seat and glanced at the child vampire. "Yes, well, at least we know for certain what you are not capable of. I've been thinking of another use for you. Courier work, the occasional debt collection. Can you oblige?"

  "Uh, sure. Where and when?" Finally, something that wouldn't test my morals.

  "Now." Daimh?n moved to the mantelpiece; it appeared as if her feet only skimmed the surface of the carpet. She opened a large jewellery box and took out a square brown package. The child vampire's eyes widened slightly. I took a step forward, then thought better of it; Jules's fangs were out again. He licked his lips, still staring intently at me. I held his gaze and experienced an odd sensation, like cold raindrops on my skin. I shivered a little, and he looked puzzled.

  "That's enough, Jules," Daimh?n said. Jules didn't respond, and Daimh?n turned her attention to me.

  "I need you to deliver this tonight. Wait for his instructions. Send them to my phone by text, do not return here. The person you're looking for is known as Gabe. Don't worry, he isn't a vampire."

  I shrugged, hoping she wouldn't see how relieved I felt. Delivering a package was fine with me, especially if the recipient wasn't a vampire. I took the package, listened to her directions, and headed for the door.

  "Try to get this job done," Daimh?n said. "Don't get yourself bitten on the way." Jules let out a hyena laugh. I glared at them all, not feeling like backing down, especially because my hand still stung, and I hadn't been able to heal the wound yet.

  "Oh, by the way," I said, ready to run with my fingers gripping the handle of the door. "My place is being staked out by vampires. Yours?"

  Daimh?n smirked as if mildly amused. "Not mine. But I'd drink some blood if I were you. Just in case."

  "No, thanks." I opened the door too roughly and semi-slammed it behind me, feeling better for the petulance of the act.

  I considered running to the delivery point but, without human blood, I wasn't half as fast. I walked, the whole time feeling an imaginary pair of eyes on my back.

  I rang Peter, even though I was still mad at him. He hadn't contacted me at all, and it bugged me more than I wanted to admit. After the way we had left things, we were overdue an important conversation. I needn't have bothered trying; he didn't answer. I put my mobile back in my pocket, shifted the dagger so I could keep a tight hold, and counted how many steps it took me to get to my destination.

  The drop-off point turned out to be a small, cosy nightclub. It was slowly dawning on me that otherworldly beings ran most of the businesses in town. I supposed it made sense; creatures like vampires couldn't exactly work ordinary day jobs.

  The club itself was modern and clean; a live band played unobtrusively in the background. Huge comparison to the dank vampire bar I'd visited before. There were lots of free tables and only one person working behind the bar.

  The aroma in the air was strange and lovely. Something attracted me, but it was too mingled with scents of magic and other things to figure out exactly what it was. I sat at the bar and waited for the bartender to notice me until a new, familiar smell distracted me.

  Glancing around, I saw Peter Brannigan sitting next to a man who had short horns on his forehead at a table in the corner. Peter looked as serious as always, focused on his companion. Not the least bit pretty, his gruff appearance still managed to stir something in the pit of my stomach.

  Peter met my eyes and shook his head as if to say, "Leave it." I shrugged and turned away. I wasn't going to force him to talk to me, but I couldn't deny the little twinge I felt at seeing him.

  The bartender was short, blond, and looked to be in his mid-thirties. Slim and covered in tattoos, he wore a short-sleeved shirt that exposed his inked sleeves. I gawked at a dragon on his forearm that seemed to move.

  "What can I get you?" he said, moving his arms behind his back.

  "Um, I've a package for some guy called Gabe. You him?"

  He threw back his head and guffawed loudly. "Some guy called Gabe," he muttered, shaking his head. "Hold on, babe. I'll see if he's out back."

  I glared after him, wondering what was so damn funny. I couldn't stop myself from sneaking one last glance at Peter, but he had already left. Without speaking to me at all.

  I leaned my elbow on the bar and sunk my chin into my palm with a loud sigh. The appealing smell became more concentrated, and I sniffed the air appreciatively, smiling to myself.

  "You have something for me?"

  I jumped, startled, and gazed up at the single most beautiful creature I had ever seen in my life. Tall, broad, and muscular, his obvious strength gave me the urge to expose my belly. Figuratively speaking. His thick hair was coal black, his eyes a deep, dark, chocolate brown. He grinned, and I shook my head slightly, trying to focus.

  "Yeah, are you Gabe? Daimh?n sent me."

  "I am Gabe," he said, like it was his title or something. His voice slid over me like a silk sheet, and suddenly I was imagining him wrapped up in one.

  My cheeks flushing pink, I handed over the package. "I've to wait for a reply."

  He opened the package right there, revealing wads of money. A lot of it. He read through the accompanying note then glanced up and down my body appraisingly.

  "You may tell Daimh?n that you will not suffice. Not even as part payment."

  I stopped ogling long enough to listen. "Excuse me?"

  "Daimh?n wishes to exchange you in order to clear a long-standing debt. You won't do."

  "Are you for real? Show me that!" I snapped the note out of his hands before he could stop me. He exchanged a bemused glance with the bartender who was chortling behind his hand. I ignored them and read the note.

  I couldn't believe it. She had actually tried to sell me to some randomer.

  "Of all the? I don't believe this shit." I was sick to death of vampires and everything else. "Well, you can't have me," I added, pointing at Gabe.

  "I don't want you," he said, sounding like he was talking about a drink or a bar of chocolate. "But tell her I'll consider Eloise."

  "Screw you," I said, turning to leave, ready to hit something.

  "In your dreams." The cockiness of his words turned me cold, no matter how pretty he was.

  "Stupid supernaturals with no damn morals. I'm not a thing! You can't all keep thinking I'm? ownable." My fingers curled into fists as I stormed out, ignoring the laughter that followed me.

  Daimhin was pushing it. How dare she try and sell me? I worked for her, albeit reluctantly, but she
did not own me. I stayed furious most of the way home, too angry to pay attention to anything going on around me. My fingers trembled as I struggled to text Daimh?n's phone to let her know what happened at the bar, remembering to mention Eloise, whoever she was.

  The cold presence returned and blew on the back of my neck. I glanced around but couldn't see a thing. On alert, I convinced myself I was being watched.

  I tried to use my other sense to feel if anyone was around, but I was too agitated. To err on the side of caution, I assumed a vampire was out there and sped up, multiplying the numbers of my birth date together in my head to keep me calm. I tried to use my other sense again, peering into the night on another level. Instead of the emptiness I'd been expecting, a bright, white light burned into my brain. Whatever was out there, it wasn't a vampire.

  My stomach turned when I came close to home and remembered the vampires who kept a constant eye on my building. When I turned onto my street, I saw two of them and stiffened, goose bumps rising on my arms. Neither of them approached, but I couldn't relax until I had made it within the safety line of the magic surrounding my apartment. Relief flooded through me when each vampire looked a little puzzled as I disappeared before them.

  Feeling lucky, I trudged up the stairs. Being away from home at night wasn't doing me any favours. If I could find a way to leave Daimh?n's workforce, then I'd be right on it. The vampires outside could attack me any night, but they didn't. The anticipation kept me on edge.

  I caught his scent a half-second before I noticed him. Carl rose when I approached. With a bag at his feet and a solemn look on his face, it seemed like he had been waiting there for a while.

  "Carl? What's wrong?"

  His eyes were red-rimmed and unhappy. I felt sick, expecting the worst. It hadn't been that long ago when Carl was compelled to follow me around, going so far as to wait outside my door all night. This was all too familiar.

  "I'm sorry, Ava, but can I stay with you for a few days?"

  For more information, check out Claire Farrell's blog or email the author. Sign up to the newsletter to be notified of new releases and receive occasional coupon codes for free copies, or like the Facebook page for more regular updates.

  Books by Claire Farrell:

  Chaos Series:

  One Night with the Fae (Free Companion Prequel)

  Soul (Chaos #1) - Free

  Fade (Chaos #2)

  Queen (Chaos #3)

  Usurper (Chaos #4)

  Blight (Chaos #5)

  Ava Delaney Series (Completed):

  Thirst (Ava Delaney #1) - Free

  Taunt (Ava Delaney #2)

  Tempt (Ava Delaney #3)

  Taken (Ava Delaney #4)

  Taste (Ava Delaney #5)

  Traitor (Ava Delaney #6)

  Awakening (Ava Delaney Volume I - Books 1-3)

  Uprising (Ava Delaney Volume II - Books 4-6)

  Lost Souls Series:

  Tainted (Ava Delaney: Lost Souls #1)

  VBI Series:

  Demon Dog (VBI #1)

  Cursed Series (Completed):

  Verity (Cursed #1) - Free

  Clarity (Cursed #2)

  Adversity (Cursed #2.5 - Free

  Purity (Cursed #3)

  Cursed Omnibus (Entire Cursed Series)

  Stake You Series (Completed):

  Stake You (Stake You #1) - Free

  Make You (Stake You #2)

  Break You (Stake You #3)

  Short Story Collections:

  Sixty Seconds

  A Little Girl in my Room

  Other:

  Death is a Gift (A standalone banshee novel)

  Zombie Moon Rising (A Peter Brannigan Novella)

  Ghost Moon Rising (A Peter Brannigan Novella)

  Upcoming Releases:

  Tethers (Ava Delaney: Lost Souls #2)

  Sacrifice (Chaos #6)