“That goes for all of you sons of bitches!” Maureen said, fixing each one of them with a glare, effectively shutting them all up. “I swear to God, if anyone has hurt my Jessica, I will disembowel you where you stand.”
Jessica was overjoyed, if not a bit confused, to see her gran. But this was an interesting side of her; she had the distinct impression that her grandmother could do exactly what she just threatened.
“How did you find me?” Jessica asked, pulling Gran into a hug. “It doesn’t matter. I’m glad you’re here. And listen, it’s okay. They’re not… there was a misunderstanding.”
“Misunderstanding my ass!” Maureen said. “We’re leaving.”
“Gran, someone they care about is missing and possibly in danger. Someone I care about, too.” She met her gran’s eyes and saw some understanding start to blossom.
“I see,” she said, taking in the room again. Maureen took a step back, eyeing Jessica very closely with a once-over. She then noticed the quiet gentleman who seemed to be watching everything with growing amusement. He nodded at Maureen who closed her eyes, sighed deeply, and nodded back, the two of them appearing to share some sort of knowledge lost on the young ones in the room.
She turned her attention back to Jessica. “Alight, hun. I think I’d like a moment alone with you. If you’ll excuse us for a few minutes, I’d like a word with my granddaughter.” Maureen was only speaking to Gray Wings, who nodded, and anyone in their way moved to the side to let them pass.
“Let’s take a little walk and get you something more appropriate to wear, plus, we need some distance so the vamps can’t hear us.”
Jessica was frankly too tired, confused, and worried to question her gran. They took a winding pathway to the elevators, rode down through the building in silence, and then navigated the casino’s main floor to a gift shop. Jessica just stood there while her gran put articles of clothing into her arms: a pair of jeans, a black T-shirt with the least amount of rhinestones they could find, a matching underwear and bra set, fancier than any of Jessica’s existing lingerie, a wacky pair of socks, zip up hoodie, and slip on sneakers.
Jessica went and changed in the bathroom, then she and her gran found a table in the food court. Maureen went and bought them some coffees, then settled in across from Jessica, taking her hands into her own.
“Why don’t you start at the beginning, sweet pea.”
Jessica recounted the events of the last couple of days in detail, starting with the massage moment, all the way up till present. Everything that had been swimming around in Jessica’s mind came pouring out, just like when she was a teenager, confessing everything she was thinking and feeling to her gran. She did leave some of the more intimate details out as they weren’t pertinent.
Maureen listened intently and was silent for a moment after Jessica had finished speaking.
“Jessica, it sounds like your healing powers have been unlocked and awakened by this whole ordeal.”
“Gran, can we maybe not get too into that right now. There’s sort of a lot going on, and I’m overwhelmed as it is. I promise, I’m ready to listen but some other time.”
“Baby girl, there is no other time. I wanted you to face this long ago, to be ready when you needed your powers the most. But there is no more time; you need to face this. And you need to do so quickly if you want to help Roman.”
“I don’t understand what the two things have to do with one another,” Jessica said.
Maureen looked at her for a long moment before touching Jessica’s arm.
“Honey, you guys are bonded mates. This is a for-life kind of deal, sweet pea.”
Jessica felt her heart leap in her chest. She knew she should have denied something so ridiculous instantly, but somewhere deep down, she knew that her grandma was telling the truth. It explained so much. Why Roman consumed every waking thought Jessica had? Why she felt so alive and free when she was with him? Why she craved his touch even though she had only known him for so little time? He really, truly was her soul mate.
But what the hell had she done if vampires and soul mates were real?
CHAPTER 11
Roman slowly came to with a groan. He felt like trash. Or, more accurately, he felt like trash that had been vomited back up by a raccoon. Whatever drug he had been slipped left him with a pounding headache and a foul aftertaste in the back of his mouth.
Creaking one eye open, he winced at the harsh bright light that greeted him. When he managed to force his eyes open, he could tell he was a far cry away from the bar. As best as he could tell, he seemed to be in a cell made from thick, hard plastic. Craning his neck to look at the ceiling, he saw several round holes. Couldn’t spring for a five-star hotel?
The woman from the bar was sitting across from him, casually flipping through a weathered-looking novel. She blinked up at him and grinned viciously.
“Finally awake, I see. Hope you got some good shut-eye.” She placed the book on the floor next to the chair.
“I’ve had better nights’ sleep,” Roman retorted.
The woman smirked at him. She uncrossed her legs and strode over to him, like a cat who was more than pleased she found a mouse in distress. Well, just be glad there’s a plastic dome in front of you; otherwise, that smile would be ripped right off your face.
“I don’t have to make this any more unpleasant on you than necessary. All my colleagues and I want is for you to answer a few questions. If you’re a good boy, we may consider letting you off easy.”
Roman couldn’t help but snort. Yeah, sure. You’ll just let me go, and we’ll all sit in a circle and sing fucking campfire songs together. He wondered if there were any vampires who actually fell for that speech. He knew this group long enough to know that mercy was the last thing they were known for when it came to captured vampires.
The woman tapped against the plastic wall and eyed him curiously. She was studying him with a particular interest. As if he, in particular, was something that held a great importance to her that was different than any of the other vampires they probably had here.
“You know, I remember seeing you and your fellow bloodsuckers going after our caravan. Normal thing, getting raided by vampires. I’ll admit, for leeches, you’re all quite loyal to your kind. But I don’t understand how you survived our little tête-à-tête
,” she glanced down at him curiously. Roman shrugged nonchalantly, and he could have sworn he saw the edge of her mouth twitch.
“See, we have been experimenting with new toys to take you and your little friends down. And that particular soldier you fought while raiding our caravan cut you with something extra special.
“Do go on,” Roman smirked.
“Oh, please. I’m not going to share an important secret like that. All you need to know is that before you, no other vampire has survived being cut by that blade. I want to know why.”
Roman had no clue what she was talking about either. All he knew was that after Jessica had touched the blood, the wound had closed up as though it had never been there in the first place. And like hell was he going to implicate her in this bullshit.
“Guess on top of being sexy, I’m also special,” he said.
The woman rolled her eyes, no longer pretending to be amused.
