16. Slobozia

Chapter 16

Slobozia

T aylen's eyes meet mine, and I know the minute she sees me and the voluptuous blonde together, exactly where her thoughts lead. No matter that I've just spent the last twenty minutes consoling a female who has been a casual play partner but still has feelings and deserves to be told that the relationship has come to an end. No matter that Taylen herself will leave, signing up for the warriors and being asked to travel the world doing battle for the vampires instead of being by my side.

She glares at me with heat and hurt-filled eyes. How this relationship will work long distance if she doesn't trust me is just one more reason that it may never be. I stride toward her and Raven, Lucianna, and the others conveniently disappear with their mates to the dance floor. "It's not what you're thinking but I don't appreciate having to explain," I tell her.

Her eyebrow arches. "You don't need to explain a thing to me. You like to play the field. I get it, she gets it, everyone gets it. I should be thrilled that the great Master Slobozia gave me a night of his time. Before you lie right to my face you should wipe the lipstick from yours."

I inhale a deep breath. "She gave me a kiss on the cheek to say good-bye, that's how it ended. She deserved to hear that it was over and why from me, not from the rumor mill, and not by me just ghosting her."

"How noble."

My jaw locks with irritation. "I'm not used to being questioned, or distrusted."

She has the audacity to smile, but it doesn't light her eyes. No, something has changed in a matter of a few hours, since I had her in my bed and thought destiny had it right and there was a chance for us. Maybe I have a bit of the green-eyed monster myself. Jealousy over the job she wants to take and that it will take her away from me, too. Maybe we're not so different, but I know for sure, if I stand in her way, she'll come to resent me one day.

The server walks toward us tentatively, seemingly unsure if he should advance but I gesture him over, needing a good stiff drink of the red. "Descallia Red, please, and whatever the lady is having," I tell him, unsure of what the fruity little froufrou drink is that sits in front of her half empty.

She shakes her head. "None for me, but thanks."

The bartender hands me a glass, and I take a long draw before telling her about the meeting. She deserves to know that the positions will be open, because she has fought nobly for the right to be on the team that will defend the vampires in the future. "The warriors, maybe structured slightly different, will be pulled back together. Overmaster Descallia still feels strongly that we need a group dedicated to the battles we need fought, but that don't necessarily require the masters to be involved. Having said that, we need to be able to trust them and as you know, with the betrayal that took place, it just wasn't possible anymore. If you're interested in a position with the group, you'll want to submit your name."

Taylen shrugs. "Sure, I'm interested, but it's not like they're going to put a ton of females on the team, right? Embry's back. She may not be one hundred percent, but she's resilient and a damn good warrior from what I've heard. She'll make the team and I won't. She's been with the group longer. I won't have any hard feelings, but I also don't want to put a lot of emotional energy into getting something that's not attainable."

My eyebrows raise. "Why do I get the feeling you're talking about more than the position on the warriors? I told you what happened and what I was doing with her. It's finished."

"I know you did, and I should believe you, but here's the problem. Deep down, I don't know if I should. When you've been hurt like I was, you don't trust easily, or at all, ever again. I see you with her and all the hurt that I walked away from and that took eons to heal from gets pulled wide open again. I can't go through it again. The fact is, you're a powerful master and sexy as hell. Every female vampire in the region would do anything to get your attention and be by your side. I can't compete with that or deal with the temptation that would be in your path every day, wondering is today the day he's going to cave, cheat, be with someone else?"

The minute I open my mouth to say a word, a couple of the dancing girls prance off stage, making googly eyes at me, and one blows me a kiss on the way by. Fucking great.

Her eyebrow arches. "See what I'm saying? Why don't we just appreciate the time we had? It will be a fond memory and we won't end up parting as resentful and hateful lovers a few months down the road."

Taylen jumps out of her chair after her tirade, before I've had time to gather my thoughts or develop a response. I track her intently as she walks through the club, watch as many of the male vampires' eyes graze over her, taking in the beautiful female who walks alone but should be by my side.

But telling her I'm trustworthy is not the way. She has to feel it, know it and that's the only way Taylen will ever be able to heal from the scars of her past. Unfortunately, she doesn't have to stay and face the demons of her past. She has an escape, because no matter what she thinks, not one of the masters, after hearing how she saved Embry and bested Lucas, will not vote to place her on the team. And she'll be gone the minute that happens.