“A vampire finds them. They give off a scent like humans do, right?”
“Right.”
“Why did you contact them?” She kept her voice casual, but inside she was trembling. Was he leaving?
He took her hands into his and led her to the bed. He sat down and pulled her onto his lap. “Madison, surely you realize that I don’t age. In a few years I won’t be able to explain why I’m not aging. As it is I look like I’m in my mid twenties. I can only keep it up for a few more years.”
“What are you saying?”
“I’m done. I’m done pretending. I’m done starting a life only to end it in five years. I want my own life now. I need it, Madison. I don’t want to hide what I am anymore. I don’t want to keep running for the rest of my life. With the Sentinels I can have the life I want. I will be given the status of a Sentinel in terms of pay, privileges and resources. I can’t change who I am. I’m a Pyte. They need me almost as much as I need them.”
“So, you’re leaving the country then?” She choked back a sob.
“No, I’m allowed to choose which area I want to protect. That’s what they do. That’s what I should have been doing all these years. I’ve just been so damn stubborn.”
“But you do protect people! You’re a good detective!”
“Shh, no, baby. I’ve been playing. I do what any human with training and instinct can do. I’ve been neglecting my calling. I need to help. I need to stop what I can. It’s an ongoing war and people are being massacred. I need to do this, Madison.”
“So, what now?”
He kissed her chin. “This isn’t the end for us, Madison. I’ll just be doing something different soon. Something I’m meant to do.”
“How soon?”
“Soon, it won’t affect us I promise, baby. There will be a few changes. I’ve decided that along with doing this I should take more responsibility in my life.”
“Meaning what?”
“For starters I negotiated with Chris’s mother over the phone.” Her breathing stopped. “I’ve adopted him, baby. He needs a man to take care of him. He needs a real home and support.”
“We’re giving him that,” she said through clenched teeth. “I’m taking care of him, Ephraim. You didn’t have to do this!”
His grip tightened around her, keeping her from jumping off his lap. “Yes, I did. I think it would be a good idea that you and your family continue to treat him like one of your own.”
She wiped away a tear. “Why did you do this, Ephraim?”
“Shh, baby, I had to. Don’t you see that? I have to protect him now. He knows about me and what’s out there. It will be okay I promise you.”
“There’s something you’re not telling me.”
He didn’t deny it. He pressed a simple kiss to her cheek. “Everything will be fine. Now, would you like to know about our little friend in there?”
He was changing the subject and she knew it. She would allow it, for now. Mostly because she could hear Trevor moaning again and wanted him out of the house.
“I decided that the best way to deal with him would be blackmail and a few threats in case that didn’t work. I went to New Mexico and told him that I was your boyfriend and that you were struggling. I told him I was willing to pay him a large lump sum if he came here and signed over Joshua. He’s in a bit of a rush to buy a yacht. That’s why he’s been blackmailing you and that was why he accepted the monthly payments. Seems his wife won’t let him buy one so he’s been doing a crime here and there to save up.”
“That ass**le.”
“It took two days of putting up with his bullshit to get him to come out here. I hired a transvestite to flirt with him and promise him a night of fun. He thinks she just wanted a free trip to New Hampshire. He’s been teasing Trevor and offering him nothing but kisses for the last two days. Trevor came willingly.”
“The reason we’re doing it here is because I was able to set up the equipment here without worry. There’s privacy. He didn’t want his wife to find out that he was with a woman at a hotel. Apparently she calls the front desk whenever he’s out of town. She hunts him down. He’s also a bit whipped and tells her exactly where he stays out of fear of her wrath.”
She nodded. “So, that’s why they’re in my room soiling my sheets which by the way I am burning and buying new ones tomorrow.”
Madison bit her lip nervously. “What is it, Madison?” He kissed her lower lip.
“Since you’re in the mood to shop and you’ve taken it upon yourself to adopt Chris you should know that he desperately needs new clothes. They’re too small as well as ripped and stained.”
His lips tugged up into a lopsided grin. “That’s all? That’s fine. I could use some clothes as well. We’ll hit the mall tomorrow under your direction of course.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean he still needs a mother or a big sister or whatever you’ve been to him. I don’t want that to stop because you bring out the best in troublesome men.” He brushed his lips against hers. “I just took over the legal and financial responsibilities.”
“And do you consider yourself one of those troublesome men, sir?” she asked in a teasing tone.
He kissed her more deeply. “God, yes.”
She felt him stirring to life beneath her. She wiggled on top of him, testing it out. He groaned. “Baby, no. I need to end this.”
She wiggled again.
He sucked in a deep breath. “You don’t play fair.”
“Never said I did. If I recall correctly you said that I cheat.”
“You do.” He chuckled.
He picked her up in his arms and stood up. She smiled, thinking she won. “I’ll be right back.” He gave her a loud kiss on the forehead and dropped her on the bed. She bounced a few times before she jumped to her feet to follow him.
Chapter 18
“Come in!” a woman’s voice said the same time a man said, “Go f**k off.”
Ephraim opened the door to his dark bedroom. He could see everything clearly of course.
Trevor lay on his bed with his hands cuffed over his head. Paula, as he liked to call himself, was between the man’s legs, licking his balls while gently pulling on his flaccid cock. It seems Trevor couldn’t get it up again.