The Seven: Four tales of passion, danger and love (9 page)

She gawked at him for several seconds before she found her tongue. "What are you doing?"

"Layla, honey, you've got me on my knees."

"I … I don't know what that means."

"It means I'm yours."

Tears sprang to her eyes and cascaded down her face. Not long ago she'd thought that making the bestseller list and being on television was the highlight of her life. Now those things seemed frivolous.

"I love you, Augustus and I want to be yours, but honest to god, I'm scared. You're … you – you'll live forever and I won't. I'll grow old and fat and wrinkled and you won't want me. You'll—"

"Love you as long as you draw breath."

She wanted to believe that. More than anything. But how could she? Right now, she wasn't old or infirm so it was easy to fool themselves into believing it could work. When the reality of it happened, could they survive?

"Isn't it worth taking a chance to see?"

Layla swiped at her tears and tugged on his hand to get him to rise. "I want it to but…I'm scared it won't."

"Have a little faith, sweetheart."

She nodded. "I'll try. I promise, but what do we tell Sheila and anyone else?"

"The truth. We're lovers."

Well duh, keep it simple stupid, why didn't you think of that?
She'd like to have dropped kicked that little voice for being right. They didn't have to concoct some elaborate story.

"Yes!" She threw her arms around his neck and hugged tight to him. "You're brilliant."

"And your publicist is wearing a path in the carpet outside the door."

"Oh shit. Okay, let's go."

They returned to the sitting room. Sheila was typing away on her phone and Layla suspected she took her own sweet time just to make them wait. "Okay, so here's the deal." She finally looked up at them. "We have you scheduled for a press conference tomorrow morning and then on Wednesday we have you booked on The Afternoon Hour."

"What?" Layla couldn't stop the sudden swell of excitement. Getting on that show was huge. "Are you serious?"

"As a heart attack. And not just you. Him too."

Layla looked at Augustus. "Would you mind?"

"For you I'll do it."

"Thank you."

"Aww, how sweet." Layla didn't miss the sarcasm in Sheila's voice. It shocked her enough that she opened up a bit. It hit her like the old cliché – ton of bricks. Sheila was jealous. She had the hots for Augustus and thought he was crazy for settling with someone like Layla.

The jealously didn't surprise Layla. Augustus was fine with huge letters. And while it hurt her feelings that Sheila's opinion of her was so low, she understood. Augustus, with or without his Vampire skills, could have any woman he set his sights on.

Still, she was honest enough to admit that it stung. The good news was that it brought about clarity. Until now, Layla had thought she and Sheila were not only publicist and client, but also friends. That just wasn't true. It made her feel a little naïve and embarrassed but she told herself to get over it. It was better to know the truth.

Especially now. She wouldn't make the mistake of confiding in Sheila. She'd just tell her what she wanted to be dispersed for public knowledge.

"Okay. So what time tomorrow?"

"I'll have a car here for you at 4:30."

"In the afternoon?"

"Morning."

"Four thirty?"

"You're doing the morning news show again. It's just a few blocks but you have to be ready to go on at six."

"Okay. We'll be ready. Anything else?"

"Yeah, until then do me a favor and stay here."

"At the hotel?"

"In the suite. If you're hungry, order room service but don't leave. We don't want anyone seeing you until the show."

Layla looked at Augustus. "Is that okay with you?"

He gave her a sexy smile. "I think we can find ways to entertain ourselves."

Layla almost laughed at the expression on Sheila's face. Talk about an attack of the green monster.

"Fine. See you at the studio."

Sheila wasted no time with her exit. Once she was gone, Layla turned to Augustus. "You're bad."

"She's an idiot."

"Excuse me?"

"Her opinion of you."

"Not really." She held up her hand as he opened his mouth. "No, seriously, it's okay. I know I'm not a movie star and you're … well damn, you know who you are and how you affect women. I get why she thinks what she does."

"You're so wrong."

"No, I'm realistic and try real hard to be honest with myself."

"You're wrong."

"Augustus, you don't have to—"

She squeaked as he was suddenly two inches away, with his hands cupping her face. "Take a look, Layla."

Layla knew what he was offering and that was a surprise. Hesitantly she lowered her mental shields and reached out.

She couldn't stop the gasp of surprise as she touched his thoughts. The image he held in his mind was not what she saw when she looked into the mirror. His mental image was of a woman who was vibrant, sexy, smart, and funny and one he wanted with a near unreasonable passion.

"Oh you are so in trouble, Augustus Thurinus."

"Are you sure it's not the other way around?"

"Is that a challenge big guy cuz if so … bring it."

His smile was downlight carnal, enough to cause a hitch in her breath. And when he took her in his arms and claimed her lips, coherent thought fled. Nothing existed but him. The taste of him, his tongue plundering her mouth and the feel of his body pressed against hers.

His hands roamed down her back to cup her ass and press her firmly against his erection and it ignited something inside her – something primal and assertive, a woman not afraid to go after what she wanted.

And what she wanted was him.

Despite what she knew to be a dominant nature, he acquiesced, allowing her to take the lead. She unbuttoned his shirt and ran her hands over his skin, appreciating the play of muscle beneath and the slight tremor in his abs as her hands moved lower.

Layla abandoned his lips as she unfastened and pushed his pants down. She lowered herself as she lowered his underwear, her lips, and tongue working their way slowly over his skin.

When she was kneeling before him with her hands around his erection and her tongue teasing its head, she felt him tangle his hands in her hair. His grip tightened when she ran her tongue down the length of his erection and back up. When she took him in her mouth, the sound he made was intoxicating.

Augustus' hands tightened into fists in her hair, guiding her movements as his pelvis rocked, stroking into the warm wetness of her mouth. She thought she would take him to climax when she felt a tremor in his body but he pushed her away.

"No, not yet."

"Why?" She looked up at him.

"Because it's my turn. Stand."

A shiver of anticipation danced over her skin. Augustus took his time removing her clothing. His lips started with her neck and worked downward. Layla gave in to the delicious sensations, her need for him growing with each stroke, lick, or kiss.

Augustus had managed to taste her from neck to sex by the time she was completely naked. He rose and captured her lips, tasting himself on her tongue. When he pulled back from the kiss, his lips moved down her neck. The pulse of blood in her veins drew him like honey to a bee and he felt his fangs elongate. The hunger pulled him and he tried to ignore it, moving his mouth to her breast to capture one nipple between his lips.

As his tongue flicked over the taut nub, his hand moved lower, over the mound of her sex. His fingers slid between the wet folds. Layla's body jolted when his finger tracked over her hard clit. He wrapped an arm behind her and bowed her back to tease her nipple, circling and then flicking it before drawing it into his mouth.

Her breath quickened, her hands digging at the tops of his shoulders as he stroked her. Augustus knew she was close to release. He lowered her back onto the deep carpet and spread her legs to kneel between them.

Her eyes were heavy-lidded with desire. He smiled as he spread her sex and then bent down to run his tongue between the swollen lips. Layla arched against his mouth with a moan and he raised his head to see her move her hands to her breasts and thumb those delicate reddened nipples.

It was feminine sensuality personified and it enflamed need inside him to near painful intensity. He probed the entrance of her sex with one finger, circling the silken wet flesh and then pushing inside. Another finger joined in, feeling the wet walls tightened and then release as he searched for that secret spot.

Layla moaned and arched against his fingers when he found it and rocked her hips in time to the stroke of his fingers. He leaned forward to take her clit in his mouth and she gasped, riding his fingers.

When he felt the vibration that raced through her, he stroked faster and deeper.

"Oh… god … Augustus."

Just as her climax began, he pulled his fingers from her and straightened to push his erection against her wet opening. She pushed back, taking him inside, her sex yielding to the invasion. She bucked up to meet him, reaching around him to grip his ass and pull him harder against her.

He almost came before he was fully seated and pushed her back down, trapping both her wrists over her head with one hand. She murmured her pleasure and moved against him.

Augustus tried to keep it slow but in time the need was too great. "Please." Her voice was rough with desire. "Now. Please."

The effect of her words and the sight of her submissive beneath him was more than he could resist. He grabbed her hips and pulled her to him, impaling her on his full length. His actions earned a soft cry in reward and her inner muscles tighten around him. He lowered himself down, propped on one elbow, his free hand pinning her hands to the floor as he thrust more urgently, more forcefully.

“Now,” she moaned a moment before her body began to quake in orgasm. That ended his control. With two hard thrusts, he buried himself to the hilt inside her and gave in.

An orgasm claimed him that had his own body stiffening in ecstasy. When at last the wave had passed, he lowered himself down onto her chest. For several minutes, there was only the sound of their breath, their hearts pounding against one another, sweat—slicked skin gradually cooling.

Augustus rolled off her and pulled her with him to cradle her to his side. Layla reached up to stroke the side of his face and he turned his head to look at her. The depth of emotion he saw shining in her eyes was as breathtaking as the orgasm he’d just experienced.

"Just one more thing, please?"

"What more can I give you, sweetheart?"

Her reply was to lower her head back, exposing her neck. Augustus lay there, staring at the pulsing vein, at the offering. "Layla."

"Please."

As cliché as it sounded, it was the one offer he couldn't refuse and it brought him to immediate erection. He rolled back onto her and slid inside. She wrapped her legs around his waist, taking him in as deeply as possible and then arched up, the offer clear.

Augustus lowered his head, licked at the ripe vein, and felt her tremble in excitement. His mouth opened against her skin and the tremble intensified.

A low moan issued from her lips when his teeth broke through her skin and he stroked inside her sex. It was the sound of want – of giving – and oddly, of taking. For in that moment when his mind touched hers it was not he who claimed her.

She claimed him.

Chapter Eleven

Some animals sense the oncoming of natural disasters, can smell the approach of rain and know a storm is on the way.

I have been called an animal or beast and perhaps in a sense I am, for I share some of those sensory traits. Like now. I can feel it coming – the trouble that will ensue when Layla makes her return known.

There will be questions and truths will be revealed that my kind are not ready to make known. The Queen has voiced her strong disapproval of my decision to accompany Layla to New York. She and other members of the Council feel I could deal a damaging blow to our integration efforts if I misstep or misspeak.

I do not disagree. Which begs the question, why do I find myself choosing to put the needs – no the desires of one person above the needs of many? Am I so vain that I believe my desire supersedes all else? That my need to give Layla what she thinks she wants is more important than the years of effort that have gone into this peace accord?

Or perhaps it is that I do not believe the accord will last. I sense fallaciousness and cozenage, pretty words that strive to cover deception. Humans, despite their protestations to the contrary, fear integration of our races for they do not see the possibility of equality.

They are right. We are not equal. My kind is powerful and possessed of great wealth. We could, quite literally eradicate humanity if we so chose.

Humans are smart enough to know that, and thus friendship between us will forever be tenuous at best. An unequal distribution of power always produces a relationship of dominance and subservience.

Perhaps we are meant to rule humanity and in many ways we have. From the shadows. Unseen control has been our way. It's a role we've played for a millennia, unbeknownst to them. We manipulate events, economies, and governments to our benefit. It is, however, the fact that they did not know their lives were being, at least in part, controlled by anything other than themselves that made our rule successful.

Now? Now I feel a war coming and I do not believe that the efforts of the Council can do anything to change that. They may delay the inevitable, but they will not stop it.

That, however, is something to mentally chew upon later. For now, I have a role to play in a small drama in the romance world that could have far more impact than the heroine of the play imagines.

The morning news show was easier than Layla had expected. The hosts were gracious and accepted the tale she gave them although she suspected they didn't believe her. It was a relief that they didn't spend a lot of time on it but focused more on her phenomenal sales and her thoughts on The Seven. As a writer who romanticized Vampires, did she think the realization that they truly existed would change their place in the romance world?

She was grateful but felt a bit unequipped to answer the question. She could only say that it might change things a bit if humans realized that Vampires weren't undead creatures. After all, if they didn't have to hide from the sun and were pretty much the same as humans – aside from their need for blood, it might change the way people used them in fiction.

Augustus hadn't had much to say at all and had not seemed thrilled to be involved. She couldn’t really blame him. He was being treated as the pretty boyfriend for the most part – the sexy reason Layla had taken off.

At least it was done and there hadn't been any real issues. She was grateful for that. Now they waited to be announced on The Afternoon Hour show and Layla was feeling nervous. She couldn't put her finger on the reason for it. Maybe because she was such a big fan. The host was one of the most well known people in the world and someone whose career Layla had followed and admired for years.

The stage manager nudged her arm. "You're up."

Layla gave Augustus' hand a squeeze before she stepped onto the stage. The plan was for her to speak with the host and then Augustus would be called on stage. She was shocked at the eruption of applause and cheers when she walked into the stage.

She shook hands with the host and then sat and gave the audience a wave and a smile.

"Looks like you have a few fans," the host commented.

"I'm – overwhelmed. Thank you."

"Overwhelmed? Honey you're the hottest item on the menu at the moment. Let's see, you've sold what? Eighty million books?"

Another round of cheers delayed Layla responding. "Really? Wow. I had no idea. That's kind of crazy."

"You think so? Why?"

"Well – well I guess it just seems unreal. I mean, I'm just me. Ex—dental hygienist."

"So you don't think you'll go back to that line of work?"

Laughter made her wait to respond. "No. I don't think so. Not that it was a bad job, but I'd rather do what I'm doing now."

The host laughed. "And from what I hear, we'd all like to be doing what you're doing now. And I'm talking about the male fineness that stole you away from a national book tour."

Layla felt heat infuse her face. She hadn't expected her relationship with Augustus to be referred to in quite this way. "Well, he is fifty shades of fine."

The crowd went wild at that comment and even the host laughed. Once the noise died, the host spoke up. "Well, we can't stand it. He's here isn't he?"

"Yes, backstage."

"And his name?"

"Augustus Thurinus."

"That's a mouthful. Okay, so let's get him out here. Augustus?"

Layla turned to watch as Augustus stepped onto the stage. The entire room went dead silent as he appeared, and then erupted with cheers and screams. Layla couldn't help but grin. Dressed in faded jeans, worn boots and a tight black t-shirt with his typical black Stetson, Augustus really was sex in jeans.

The host stood as Augustus approached and held out her hand. He took it and lifted it to his lips and Layla thought the woman's eyes were going to roll back in her head.

"Whew!" She fanned herself. "Mr. Thurinus,
sooooo
nice to meet you."

"My pleasure."

"Please have a seat."

Augustus took a seat beside Layla on the sofa and draped one arm behind her, the fingers of that hand stoking her shoulder. She reached up to lace her fingers with his and again the crowd cheered.

"I think you have some fans yourself, Mr. Thurinus."

"Augustus."

"So, Augustus, tell us, are the stories true that you swept Layla off her feet so quickly that she was willing to walk away from a national book tour?"

"Is that what the stories say?"

"Yes, it is."

He looked at Layla and smiled. "I think she's the one who swept me off my feet."

"Oh, my. Care to elaborate?"

"Let's just say she had me the moment I laid eyes on her."

Layla smiled up at him, thinking
oh you're good.
The audience was going nuts and she had no doubt that Augustus would end up with more fans than she. Oddly, that didn't make her jealous in the least.

"And when exactly was that?"

Augustus looked from the host to Layla. For a moment they were frozen, gazes locked. They'd discussed this and hoped to avoid the question. Augustus had flat out refused to lie.

Layla turned to the host. "Did I mention that Augustus is a rancher?"

"Why no, I don't think you did, but why don't you tell us—"

"Why don't you tell everyone that he's a Vampire?" The shout from the audience had everyone's attention turning away from the stage.

The host looked at the man who was climbing over other people, waving a handgun, and shouting. "Go on, tell them, Thurinus! Tell them the truth. That you're a Vampire and you murdered a woman in cold blood in her own front yard. Admit that you're an abomination from hell. You and all your kind must be killed. Exterminated!"

The ensuing silence was but a few seconds in actuality but felt like an eternity. Layla could literally feel the shock that rippled through the audience. It was followed by a bombardment of mixed emotions – fear and excitement being the most dominate by far.

The din that rose made it impossible to hear what the host was saying even with the microphone clipped to her blouse. Some of the audience fought their way toward the exit while others crowded the stage, shouting to Augustus with offers of their blood and more. The man who'd started the ruckus was fighting his way toward the stage with three others who wielded swords.

It was bedlam and when half a dozen women and two men broke free of the security that guarded the stage and rushed toward them, Augustus bounded to his feet, pulling Layla upright and behind him.

"No." He growled as the two men from the audience broke to the front of the ranks. Just as they drew near a young woman raced around them and threw herself at Augustus.

"Take me, please. Take my blood."

Irrational anger spurred Layla into action. She jumped in front of Augustus and collided with the woman. "Back off."

"No! I want him, I need him." The woman pushed Layla, trying to get at Augustus.

That tore it. Layla balled up her fist and slugged the woman with everything she had. A split second later, the two men rushed Augustus.

He simply raised both hands to stop their progress. And stop they did. Like they'd hit a wall.

"No more." Augustus said to them.

Both men stopped dead in their tracks and watched with slack expressions. Just then, gunfire erupted. The three men with swords rushed the stage as the man who fired the shots kept shooting.

A scream from a woman trying to get to Augustus had Layla looking in the direction of the scream. She saw the woman on the floor with blood staining her back.

The swordsmen attacked, but their speed was no match for Augustus. As one swung his sword, Augustus pivoted, turning a complete circle. At the completion of the circle, his right hand came up and under the man's sword arm. A second later, the sword was in his hand. Augustus kicked the man in the chest, sending him careening backwards to fall from the stage.

Augustus parried another attack with the sword he'd liberated from the first attacker and then kicked again, sending the attacker flying backwards. Augustus gripped the sword at both ends, broke it in half, and then tossed it away. The third swordsman fled without delivering a blow, colliding with the gunman who was taking aim at Layla.

Augustus turned, pulled Layla into his arms, and raced from the stage. Layla knew what everyone would have seen – a blur of motion. She prayed the cameras had not been rolling but feared they had.

Augustus didn't stop until they were back at the hotel, standing at the elevator.

"I'm so sorry, Augustus."

"It's not your fault."

"Yes, it is. Please put me down."

When he allowed her feet to touch the floor she looked up at him. "I shouldn't have asked you to do the show with me. I should have—"

"It was not your fault, Layla."

"Then who?"

"I don't know but I will find out."

The elevator door opened and they got inside. Layla felt sick about what had happened and worried about the implications. Before they'd reached the penthouse floor, her phone rang.

"Sheila, hi." She hit the speaker button.

"Girl, I don't
even
know what you need me for. That was freaking brilliant. They had to call in extra security to tame the audience and even EMTs because at least half a dozen women got into fights trying to beat the others to the stage and at least four people were arrested trying to leave.

"It was chaos and all live. This is going to be the
only
thing people are going to talk about for days. But we need to make sure we keep it at the forefront of their minds so I was thinking I'd reach out to some of the—"

"No."

"—big names who do the prime time interviews. If we can get you—"

"I said no."

"What?"

"I said no."

"Wh… well why the hell did we pull that stunt if you didn't want the publicity?"

Layla looked at Augustus in shock. His eyes narrowed but he remained silent.

"We?" Layla finally asked.

"I meant you." Sheila replied quickly. "And now we have to build on that momentum and get you and Augustus in front of as many—"

"No." Layla ended the call.

Augustus gestured for her to precede him as the elevator door opened. Neither of them spoke again until they were inside the suite. Layla headed straight for the bedroom and started gathering up her belongings.

"What are you doing?"

She cast a look at him over her shoulder. "Packing."

"You can't run from it."

"I'm not running." She headed for the bathroom and collected her things. "I'm just not joining the circus."

"Circus?"

"Come on, you know that's what it'll be."

"And you think leaving will change that?"

"No, but I'm not going to use you being a Vampire as a publicity stunt. And who knows what kind of problems it could cause? The news about your kind is still new and there are scared people. You saw that audience. Yeah, there were some who were damn near breaking their necks to get to the stage, but there were a lot who were just as eager to get the heck out of there.