His fangs…oh my God, his fangs! For some reason the sight seemed to trip something inside her brain. Melli blinked, feeling more awake—more there somehow.
His fangs, she thought again. He’s using them to rip out Jason’s Sykes’ throat!
Suddenly everything began to make sense and she remembered…
Remembered even though she wanted so desperately to forget.
Thirty-Seven
The chiming of Jodi’s phone broke the extremely awkward silence between herself and James and Vorn.
James had come home on time and Jodi had been quick to let him in when she heard him at the door. She had already decided she would tell her fiancé everything—it was the only right thing to do.
But before she could get even the first sentence out of her mouth, Vorn had come from the spare room and stood there, glaring down at James like a thundercloud about to break.
“Oh, er…hello.” James had looked at the big Kindred uncertainly. “I don’t believe we’ve been properly introduced.”
“The name’s Vorn,” Vorn said, still glaring. “Nice to meet you. I’m the one who’s been protecting and caring for your female while you ran off without even seeing to her needs first.”
“What?” James stared at Vorn blankly. Then he looked at Jodi. “Darling, he’s still here? I rather thought he’d be gone by now.”
“Don’t worry—I’m leaving today,” Vorn said, again before Jodi could speak. “The security net around the Earth is fixed now. So there’s no need for me to stay where I’m not wanted.”
He glared pointedly at Jodi who frowned fiercely back—she did not need for the big Kindred to make a scene, damn it! Not when she was trying to find the courage to admit what she’d done with him to James.
“It’s good to have you back, honey,” she said to her fiancé, giving him a peck on the cheek. “How was your trip?”
“Oh, most illuminating.” James laughed his fruity laugh. “I wish you could have been there, Darling. My research was quite well received. And we went to the most marvelous Thai place—flavors you simply can’t imagine. I do believe it was the best thing I’ve ever put in my mouth.”
“Well, we all know what you won’t put in your mouth,” Vorn growled, still glaring at him.
“Excuse me?” James looked at him in obvious bewilderment. “What are you talking about? You don’t even know me.”
“I know enough to know you don’t deserve Jodi.” Vorn’s anger was obvious. “You’re not even willing to meet her needs.”
“What needs?” James demanded. He looked at Jodi in bewilderment. “What is this big idiot talking about?”
“You better watch who you’re calling an idiot.” Vorn loomed over him, his big hands balled into fists at his sides.
“Vorn, please!” Jodi put a hand on his broad chest and felt the anger thrumming through him like an electrical current. “Now is not the time!”
“When is the time, then, baby?” Vorn growled, looking at her. “There is no more time—I’m about to leave. Are you really not going to come with me?”
“What? Why ever would Jodi go with you?” James frowned. “You’re nothing but a bodyguard—and one who has overstayed his welcome. I think you’d better go now.”
“I’ll leave,” Vorn growled. “But not until Jodi gives me an answer.” He looked at her pointedly. “Come with me now or we’ll never see each other again. Well, Jodi?”
“Jodi?” James echoed, and also stared at her.
At that moment Jodi wished the earth would open up and swallow her. She had meant to tell James what she and Vorn had done but not like this! And how dare the big Kindred give her an ultimatum? Also, the idea of Vorn leaving and the two of them never seeing each other again tugged at her heart, making her feel almost sick with indecision.
He’s right—I can’t stand it if we never see each other again! But on the other hand, I can’t just leave James the way Dad left Mom! What am I going to do?
She opened her mouth, not sure what was going to come out, and at that moment her cell phone chimed.
Oh, thank God!
Jodi grabbed for it like a drowning woman reaching for a lifeline.
“Darling, I hardly think now is the time to answer your phone,” James remarked, but Jodi was already staring at the screen.
“It’s Melli,” she said, sudden concern stabbing at her heart. “But she never calls—she always texts. What’s going on?”
Before either man could answer, she accepted the call and brought the phone to her ear.
Melli was sobbing.
“Melli? Melli—oh my God, Melli—what’s wrong?”
Jodi’s heart was pounding. The last time she’d gotten a call like this from her little sister had been right after the awful events of Melli’s Junior Prom. She had called crying and begging Jodi to come get her but not to tell Mom and Dad anything.
“Melli?” she said again. “Please, honey, try and talk to me. Tell me what’s wrong?”
What she got back was a garbled mass of words so jumbled only a sister could have understood. Luckily, Jodi was good at decoding Melli’s hysteria.
“What do you mean Liosh killed someone and the police are taking him away?” she asked blankly.
Vorn was instantly on high alert.
“What? Where? Where are they taking him?”
“Shhhh!” Jodi shushed him furiously, waving a hand in his face as she tried to make out Melli’s next words.
“I s-said he d-didn’t k-ku-kill just anybody. He k-killed Jason Suh-sykes!” Her little sister’s voice shook and wavered on the name of her attacker.
Jodi felt her stomach roll. Suddenly things began to make sense. She had heard of how extremely protective Kindred could be of their females. If Melli had told Liosh that bastard Jason had attacked her, it wasn’t surprising that Liosh had gone after him. Though she couldn’t imagine the seemingly mild-mannered Blood Kindred killing anyone.
She put a hand over the phone and looked at Vorn, who looked
