Chapter 24

Chapter

Twenty-Four

TALULLA

I didn't think I'd be able to talk to my mom when I called her, but here I am, waiting for her to show up at my dorm with a dress for the fundraiser I have tonight. An event I haven't told Flynn about. I was going to do it yesterday, but he, Asmo, and Set apparently stayed out all night, and I didn't want to add to it.

Is it really that big of a deal? I am attending an event for my department with the professor I assist. It's truly just work. It shouldn't matter.

A knock on my door makes me jolt. My mother is here. I run to the door, my hands shaking, hoping she's alone.

"Hi, sweetheart." Her soft voice calms me down right away. She walks in and hugs me, her touch making my eyes water. I missed her. And I know she missed me too.

"Hi, Mom," I manage to reply, locking my arms around her and holding her tight.

After a few minutes of sobs and embraces, she wipes my tears with her thumb. "Now, this is a happy occasion, and there will be many more. Here," she says, handing me an envelope. "I'm going to bring you more as soon as I can. Cash is the one thing your dad can't trace."

"Mom… you didn't have—"

"Just because I married into a family of hunters doesn't mean you need to be forced into one as well. My child, take this, and I will bring you more as soon as I can. Please don't get into any trouble."

"I'm just trying to finish school."

"I know you are," she says, her smile growing bigger and bigger. "And I am so proud of your achievements."

"Thank you."

"Here, I brought you the dress you wanted." My mom finally hands me the bag containing the one fancy dress I own and don't hate. A bright red dress with thin straps and a dangerously low V neckline. "I do think the décolleté is a little much."

"That's the point. Maybe it'll convince the investors to donate more money."

"And you're going with your professor to this event?"

"I am, yes."

"Is he—"

"No, Mom, I am not dating my superior. I'm actually… I'm seeing someone, but it's new, and I don't want to jinx it." Or tell you it's a vampire and give you a heart attack.

"Does he treat you well?"

"Very."

The corners of her lips lift into a bright smile. "Then I hope to meet him soon."

"Me too." Not really. Again, you might actually die on the spot as soon as you see him.

"I better go now. I told your father I was going to run some errands."

"I'm sorry, Mom."

"For what?"

"For making you lie to him, for having to be in the midd—"

"Don't you dare apologize for something you didn't do. Now, get all pretty and have fun. Talulla, do not ever think that this situation is your fault. I am your mother, it's my job to protect you and love you."

"Love you too, Mom." And with that, I'm alone again in my dorm room.

I haven't heard from Flynn or anyone else yet today, so I take this moment of solitude to take a bath.

I light up a couple of lavender candles, put some music in the background, and start filling out the tub with scorching hot water. The hotter the better.

I don't realize I drifted off until I hear the door to my dorm open and then close. I don't even have to turn to know who's now resting against the doorframe of my bathroom.

As I step out of the bathtub, I grab my robe and start drying myself up. I pretend not to see him and just go on with my day. Then, as I tie the bathrobe, I turn to look at him. His eyes are as dark as petrol. He's looking at me as if I am his favorite cake. I swear, if I continue to stare at him, drool might start dripping from his fangs.

"Can I help you with anything?" I ask as I continue to dry myself, pretending his stare isn't doing anything to me. Spoiler alert: it's totally turning me on. I am ready to drop this robe and let him eat me alive.

"No, I am quite content with the view already."

"I'm sure."

"Could be even better if the robe suddenly fell to the floor though."

"I am certain that would please you very much." I grab my panties, and as I bend down to step into them, I hear him sigh. "Yes?" I question, raising my eyebrow at him.

"What do I have to do to get you to follow my orders?"

"I'm sure there are many girls who would do just that."

He gets behind me in less than a second. "There's only you, Talulla."

There it is, the absurd amount of devotion this vampire can't seem to stop showing me. "How can you just want me?"

"Just you?" He chuckles before turning toward the bathtub still filled with water. After he points at it, he turns his head toward me. "I'd even drink your bath water. That's how obsessed I am with you, Talulla."

My eyes widen as I look at him, then at the bathtub, and then back at him. "Please don't do that. I know you're already dead, but I'm sure soap doesn't taste good."

"It would."

"What?"

"You were soaking in that water. It would taste like you. And god, I would do anything to just drink anything with your taste in it."

"Okay, fine. That's obsessive enough."

"I told you. It's only you, sweetheart, no one else. Not anymore. Not ever." Then he moves toward the sink, grabs the glass I leave there at night, goes to the bathtub, and scoops some water in it.

"You don't have to prove anything, Flynn. I get it, you like me. It's fine."

"Like you?" He shakes his head and downs the water in one go. "I crave you like I crave air. You are the most addictive drug, and you're mine ."

I gasp as he grabs me by my ass and brings me closer to him. "Yours, Flynn," I say back to him.

Then his lips are on mine, and I melt at his touch, his scent, and how his tongue moves in unison with my own. I could now die a happy woman, knowing that I've been touched this way by this man.

"So, how did it go with Set and Asmodeus?"

"Good. We haven't really found anything new yet, but we did make a little visit to the police archives. It's not surprising, but the report has been altered," he starts, following me out of the bathroom and pausing in alert. "Your mother was here."

"Yes, she came by a while ago. What do you mean ‘altered'?"

"Can I ask how it went?"

"What?" I tilt my head slightly. "Oh, she just dropped something off for me… She also gave me an envelope full of cash."

"And you're okay?"

"I'm okay. I mean, yeah, I'll be okay. It was nice seeing her. So you were saying about the police report?"

"Pages were ripped, things were clearly missing, and every possible useful notion was blacked out. Set is trying to find a way to recover some of those words, but nothing yet."

"So someone is clearly trying to cover their tracks."

"Exactly, and we now think there were two people in the car, not just Dalton." He turns to look at my bed, and the corners of his lips lift up. "Planning to wear a gown for me?"

I snort. "I'm sorry to disappoint you, but that's for a fundraiser for my department. It's pretty fancy, so I asked my mom to bring me something. Just a university thing, nothing crazy."

"And when is this fundraiser?" His jaw clenches. Is he nervous ?

I shrug my shoulders. "Tonight."

"You're not going."

"Flynn, you might order me around in bed, but this is my job. I'm not just gonna stay home because you told me to."

"And I would never ask you to do that except for this specific event."

"Why?" I ask, raising one eyebrow at him.

He sighs. "I didn't want you to get worked up about this, but—"

"But what, Flynn? Why can't I go to my own department's fundraiser?"

"Because I am going."

"Wait, what? You can't. You absolutely can't come tonight."

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

He crosses his arms over his chest. "And why can't I go now?"

"Because." Because I am going with my professor and you'll get quite pissed about it, that's why.

"Talulla, are you escorting someone to this event?"

"You're making it sound like something that it isn't."

His eyes narrow on mine. "You're not going with Eric fucking Wagner."

I clear my throat, trying to find the force to keep fighting for something I truly didn't even want to do in the first place but now have to do. "I have to."

"I can't believe I'm hearing this."

"And why are you even going to this damn thing? It's just a Bear Creek event."

His jaw closes shut. He doesn't want to tell me. That's how bad this is. Why is he so worried to tell me? Because I know exactly why and who he's going with.

Monica Lazar.

"No."

"It was one of her conditions for the potion's recipe."

I shake my head. "Absolutely fucking not."

"Talulla, I made a deal, and I have to fulfill my end of the bargain."

"You gave her the thing you valued the most, and now this?"

"You are the most valuable thing in my life, Talulla."

"Sweet talking won't get you anywhere right now, Flynn. I'm pissed."

"Yeah, well, I'm pretty upset as well."

"Why?"

"Because another man is going to spend time with you right in front of my fucking eyes."

"She's good, that's for sure. Fucking snake."

"Don't let her mess with your head."

"What game is she playing? She's clearly involved in those deaths. Why would she care for this event?"

"Probably because she knew you were going, something not even I knew."

"I was going to tell you… It has been planned for months. I didn't want you to get worked up over it. It's really just to get research money," I say, biting my bottom lip. "Cassandra will be there too."

His hand rests on my cheek, and I look up at him. If he had been angry before, that emotion had turned into something much softer, almost gentle. "If we want this to work, we need to tell each other things, even if they might hurt the other person."

"I'm sorry. I really didn't think it was a big deal—until you happened."

"I know." He kisses my forehead. "But if he touches you too much, I might break his hands."

"But you should've told me as well."

"Yes, I should have, and I'm so sorry my unfortunate past is forcing you to spend time in the vicinity of that woman."

"Can you promise me something?"

His thumb brushes my lower lip, forcing me to stop biting it. "Anything."

"Promise me to leave that place with me tonight."

His lips brush mine. "I'm bringing you out of there over my shoulder if I have to."

"And are you going to punish me?"

His eyes darken, and his hand grips my throat. "You did force me into spending time with Asmodeus. You definitely need to be taught a lesson."