8. CATALINA

EIGHT

catalina

No other choice. The phrase repeated like a mantra with every step I took toward their home.

The knot in my throat had expanded by a ton, weighing each step down. The structure of the house blocked the moon from shining over me and no matter how far I tipped my head back, I couldn’t see the roof. Even the cat must have been intimidated because he’d disappeared as soon as I headed this way.

The gate creaked from a gust of wind, and I took it as my cue to nudge the latch open. The hem of my shirt snagged on a thorny vine wrapped around the bars. Shit . I fiddled with the cloth, unhooked it from the sharp greenery, and brushed the pad of my thumb over the tear, then smoothed it down.

I didn’t know if the inhabitants would be awake, but I’d knock once and if there was no answer, I’d leave and return later. Simple as that.

After two flights of about fifteen stairs each, I halted with one heel on the step before ascending the last couple that led to the dark slabbed door. The ornate wood on each side bulged out to a tip at the top.

Without a doubt in my mind, I knew there was no turning back after I walked through there. I exhaled sharply and my teeth clicked together. Everything would be fine. Even if this got me killed, it wouldn’t be the worst. I was paying out the ass for life insurance and Peter’s name was on the document. I pressed my lips together.

It was wrong of me to think that way, but I was just so fucking tired of being positive.

Squeezing my hands into fists, I exhaled sharply, nose flaring.

I shook my head.

There was a way out of my financial issues, and I was taking it by the horns.

The knocker was a bat hanging upside down, its ominous black eyes staring back at me from the stone. I reached for it and held it distended.

No choice.

Then freaking knock!

“Are you just going to hang around out here, Pet?”

I jumped, releasing a mixture of a squeal and a yelp as I let go of the knocker and the thud resonated as hard as my thundering heart. My heel slipped out from under me and my arms windmilled, but before I went tumbling down the stairs, the twin with the longer hair—Asher—wrapped his arm around my waist, clutching me tightly to him.

His body was warm and the grip he had on me fastened me to his muscled chest. I blinked up at the laughing blue eyes.

“Catalina,” I wheezed. “My name.”

The corner of his eyes crinkled with his smirk. He was too close and smelled sweet, like vanilla. I inhaled deeply. It was addicting.

Something hardened into my hip and I yanked back, putting distance between us.

My face heated.

“Are you always horny?”

“Only for you,” he murmured, leaning over to get in my face, so close that our noses almost touched.

I valiantly attempted to contain my nervous laugh. His lips quirked and his finger tapped my nose, cutting me off.

“That’s the first time I’ve ever been laughed at. I was expecting more of a swoon.”

My nose scrunched as he stared at me expectantly. I licked my lips and took a deep breath. Approaching them was my choice, I couldn’t wimp out now.

“Vampires aren’t really my thing, but thanks.”

He blinked at me and the corners of his lips twitched as he tilted his head.

I shuffled my feet and cleared my throat. Why was he staring at me so intently?

“Come in.” He stepped past me, the door creaking after him before he turned back and held out his hand.

The hand—pale, long, and obnoxiously big—hovered in the air, waiting for mine.

I was putting my life in their palms, without reserve, and I would make sure I did a good job, whatever it was they asked of me, while I sought a way to escape safely . . . if at all.

His hand was slightly hot when I gripped it and stepped into the dark house.

“I wasn’t sure if you slept during the day.” Lie. The Pale One always passed out on top of me and even though we were deep inside a cave, I connected the dots.

“We do.” He didn’t try to lie to me.

“But you were just outside.” I blinked to aid my eyes in getting used to the lack of lighting.

“Direct sunlight will incinerate us, if we manage to stay awake.” His arm hooked over my shoulders, and I tensed up. This vampire either had no sense of personal space, or he didn’t give a shit. I bet it was a mix of both.

As long as he kept his fangs away from me, then I would be fine. Fangs had proven to be a weakness and I couldn’t let my mind be muddled from the truth of what monsters vampires were. Last night in the bathtub had proven how much my mental state had been compromised. I refused to think of the lapse in judgement, and I’d stopped with a mix of disgust and lust before I got off.

Asher grinned and my gaze dropped to the pointy canines. His smile widened, and I looked into his sparkling eyes.

“What brings you back, Pet?” His dark blond eyebrow winged up. “Miss me already?”

I elbowed him lightly, trying to get him to release me, but it was like ramming into marble. Wincing, I rubbed the tender spot.

“What did you all mean about me helping?”

Both his eyebrows lifted high, and a piece of hair flopping near his eye flirted with it.

“Asher. Don’t tell me you’ve brought another woman to the manor at a time like this.” A curt English accent called out. I could practically hear the sneer in Tobias’s tone. His voice became closer as I craned my neck toward where it echoed from. From here, I could see straight up the long staircase to the platform of the second floor.

“What makes you think I’ve brought a woman?” Asher shouted back, a smirk gracing his lips.

“The stomping. Does she have weights on her feet to be making such a racket—” Tobias’s words cut off when he saw me from where he stood at the banister.

My lips flattened before I forced a smile to stretch. I was pretty sure a blush creeped up my entire face.

I waved with my fingers in an awkward little move, and Asher’s hand pressed to my spine, guiding me into the hallway. If I kept looking at Tobias, I would break my neck, so I cleared my throat and faced forward.

Asher’s side brushed mine, arm fastened around me. His boundaries were nonexistent and it put me on edge, causing my teeth to grind. I inched to the left, but he followed, not detaching.

“What has you so intrigued by the offer?” He asked it so casually. A vampire, being casual.

Telling him I wanted money straight out seemed weird, but I saw no other way to phrase it. I was about to spit it out and lay it all out in the open, but Jax’s voice echoed into the hallway before I could get a word out.

“She wants money.”

I pressed my lips together as Asher guided me into an open kitchen. Polished dark granite glinted across every surface, including the island near the stove. Tall seats lined this side of the island, the back of the chairs tall, metal cylinders. To the right of the room stretched a huge refrigerator where Jax leaned on the open door, in search of something. All I could see of Jax was his lower half since his head was in the fridge. Vampires ate?

My gaze dropped to what was in his hand as the fridge slammed shut. It was a plastic bag with red liquid sloshing inside.

Oh.

Jax’s expression remained flat as he met my eyes and ran his tongue over his front teeth. The sharp incisors elongated and he pierced the plastic bag, sucking as he squeezed.

My stomach soured at the sight. Blood wasn’t usually a big deal, it was more the fangs that freaked me out. He didn’t move those blue eyes off me as he drank, and his Adam’s apple bobbing with each swallow. A trickle of blood slipped from the corner of his mouth and his tongue lashed out to swipe it, flashing bloody teeth.

“Right? You need money?”

How did he know that?

“How . . .?”

“There are only a handful of things that coax flawed humans. One is money.” The dispassionate way he said it flushed embarrassment through me, and I rubbed the back of my neck. “You know there was no way we’d let you go, so you’re biding your time. Playing two sides of a coin. You get some money as you work for us, and you bide your time to figure out how to run away.”

It was my turn for my throat to bob. I smoothed my expression.

“Ignore him, he was dropped on his face when we were children. It damaged the speaking skills.” Asher rubbed his hand down my arm. Like yesterday, it relaxed my tense shoulders. I exhaled at the warm friction.

“Yes, I want to help in?—”

“You mean, you’ll work.”

Jax made things sound dirty and wrong. My eyes lowered to the ground, fixing on the frayed hem of the dark jeans near his boots as my temper lashed out.

“You didn’t let me finish. Yes, I want to help in exchange for payment—seventy thousand.” Asher’s eyebrow twitched.

“Why do you need the money?”

Jax’s abrupt question shouldn’t have taken me off guard. God, I felt like a mouse being taunted by a cat.

“My debts.” I never spoke about my brother. Never . It would put him in danger.

Jax snorted and tossed the blood bag into the trash overflowing with others just like it.

“Are you sure? It’ll be dangerous.” Tobias leaned against the entrance way, watching me with gray eyes. “We can’t ensure that you’ll survive.” I bit back my scoff. I wouldn’t survive either way, so why was he acting like I had a choice.

“Are you trying to scare her off?” Jax snapped.

“Yes,” he responded crisply. From what, why did they even need me?

His gaze didn’t waver from mine, and there was nothing I could tell from his expression. His emotions were veiled behind the calm, put-together mask.

I nodded slowly. It didn’t matter why they needed me because they were paying me the money. The baggage that came with vampires was something I’d already accepted as soon as I’d climbed their steps. Involving myself with vampires lead in one direction. Death . . . unless I ran. I understood that.

“There is one more thing I must humbly request,” the mischievous twin announced. “Since your services will be paid for.” He waved his fingers toward the ceiling.

I frowned at Asher as he clasped his hands in front of him, smiling so wide his pointed teeth were on full display. My stomach lurched at the excited look in his eyes. So, this was what it was like selling your soul to evil.

I really should have asked for more money.