Finally she finished. Just in time too, Iwas starting to feel light-headed and a little sick to my stomach.I forced myself to smile at her as she licked the ragged, bleedinggash she’d made in my arm to seal the wound. It stopped bleedingbut it still looked awful. I suppressed a sigh. I was never goingto look good in short sleeves or a bathing suit again. Right,like you go to the beach so much. Which was true. With my fairskin, I burn like…well, like a vampire in the sun. So despiteliving in Tampa, I stayed off the beach. Which was why I needed tostop feeling sorry with myself and get to bed. Another long daytomorrow and all that.
But as I saw Taylor to the door and gave hera final hug, I knew there was something I needed to do first.Pulling out my cell phone, I fished around in my pockets until Ifound the private number Corbin had sent his flunky to give me. Iwas practically grinding my teeth in frustration as I punched it inbut really, what else could I do?
“Hello?” came a deep, smooth andall-too-familiar voice.
“I need to see you,” I said, forcing thewords out. “I have…damn it, I have a favor to ask.”
Chapter Four
I’d been rehearsing my speech for hours—eversince I’d hung up the phone with Alec Corbin the night before, infact. But the minute I saw him, the words dried up in mythroat.
Though it was only six in the afternoon, hewas up and about, lounging behind a carved glass and teak desk thatlooked like it had cost as much as a luxury car, wearing his usualjeans and t-shirt combo. Corbin was one of the rare vamps whoseemed to feel comfortable in casual clothes—or maybe he was justso powerful he didn’t feel the need to dress up for anyone.Whatever the reason, I had to admit that Hanes looked as good onhim as Armani did on anyone else. The plain olive green t-shirt hewas wearing emphasized the width of his broad shoulders and madehis pale skin look almost tan. Around his neck was a thin goldchain with a small copper coin attached to it like a charm, and hishair, as always, was perfect.
I felt dowdy in contrast, despite the factthat I had come dressed in my best black suit. I didn’t know if itwas the perfect planes of Corbin’s face or his exquisitely tonedbody, but I always felt like a grimy little girl in hispresence—which might have accounted for some of the hostility Ifelt for him. He claimed to be attracted to me but really, howcould he be? I’m not bad looking but I’m not a model, either. Ihave way too many freckles and I’m too short and pleasingly plumpto ever carry off the “I’m a sexy stick insect” look that thefashion industry seems to favor. Sternly, I reminded myself that Iwasn’t there to strut the catwalk—I just needed Corbin to help merescue Taylor. So I tried to give him a professional smile as Istood in front of his desk.
“Addison, what a pleasure to see you againso soon. I was afraid I would have to wait another long monthbefore our next meeting.” He gave me a polite smile—no fang showingthis time—and steepled his long fingers on the desk in front ofhim. “What can I do for you?”
I took a deep breath. “I… have a propositionfor you.”
He arched one eyebrow. “I’m intrigued. Goon.”
I wished there was some way to sugar coatthis but nothing I could say would make it any easier. So I justdove in. “I have a friend who was, uh, brought over against herwill. She didn’t want to be a vampire, it was forced on her. Andnow her maker is abusing her. Making her do horrible things.”
Corbin gave me a completely unsurprisedlook. “And?”
“And?” I said, irritated by his lack ofsympathy. “And I need your help. I need someone who canforce my friend’s maker to let her go or at least stop torturingher.”
He frowned. “I do not think you know whatyou are asking. The bond between a maker and his or her fledglingis incredibly strong. To intervene in such a relationship and breakit…that is almost unheard of among our kind. It would be like ahuman taking a child away from its parent.”
“They do that every day,” I pointed out.“Parents lose custody of their kids when they abuse or neglectthem. And believe me, if Celeste was a human parent she’d besitting in jail right now for what she’s done to my friend.”
“Celeste, is it?” Corbin shrugged. “Ah, sheis a sadistic one. Although no more so than many of mykind.”
I couldn’t understand his careless reaction.“And that’s okay with you? Do you have any idea what she’s forcingmy friend to do?”
He raised an eyebrow at me again. “Probablysomething sexual considering how upset you are. I notice thatmatters of the flesh seem to trouble you.”
“Just because I’m not into casual sexdoesn’t mean I’m a prude,” I said, irritated and embarrassed by hispiercing gaze. “But this isn’t about me, anyway—it’s about myfriend.”
“Oh no, my darling.” He sat up straight andleaned across his desk. “Make no mistake about it—this is purelyabout you. I don’t really care what horrible things arehappening to your friend. Whatever she is enduring will either makeher stronger or kill her—that is the vampire way and all of us havebeen through it.”
I was so angry I wanted to kick him. “Youhonestly don’t care? Celeste is whoring her out—forcing her to havesex with some sadistic bastard just because he’s a VIP.”
Corbin shrugged again. “As I believe theexpression goes, ‘been there, done that,
