Bittersweet Blood (The Order #1)

“There might be demons out there.”


“Well we’ll just have to stay away from them. We can drive over there, and it should be safe enough. It will have to be, because I’m not waiting here, doing nothing when Christian might be in trouble.”

Graham sighed, but nodded. “I’ll see if Carl’s still around. He can drive us over, but they might not let us in.”

“I’m going as well,” Jamie said from behind her.

Graham frowned. “You’re a cat?”

“Get over it.”

Carl was leaning against the side of a big black SUV when she came out of the elevator. “I hear we’re going visiting.”

“Do you know where the Order is?”

He seemed surprised at the question. “I worked there when Christian was in charge.”

“Good.”

“Got your gun?”

She pulled her jacket aside to show the holstered pistol, and he smiled. “Let’s go.”

Jamie and Graham were already sitting in the back when Tara climbed into the front seat next to Carl.

“I phoned Piers,” Graham said. “I told him we were on our way. He didn’t sound too pleased.”

“Is that supposed to bother me?” she asked.

Carl laughed softly from beside her, and she glanced at him. “What’s funny?”

“Well, most people I know would be a bothered if Piers Lamont wasn’t too pleased with them.”

“People with any sense, that is,” Jamie muttered from the back.

“Well, he should have told me what I wanted to know on the phone then.”

“Oh, this is going to be fun,” Carl murmured and started the car.

Tara tried to decide how to get Piers to talk to her. There was still the blank space in her mind where Christian should be. What did it mean? Was he unconscious somewhere? She held onto the thought that he couldn’t be dead, which made her peek behind her at Graham.

“Still alive,” he said, and waggled his fingers as if he knew what she was thinking.

The entrance into the Order’s underground garage opened as Carl drove up. They were expected and at least allowed into the building. Carl parked the car.

“Looks like we have a welcoming committee,” he said.

Two men walked toward them across the concrete floor. Both dressed in the uniform of security guards. Both big and dangerous. “Are they vampires?” she asked.

Carl nodded. “Come on, let’s go.”

They all got out and stood as the two guards approached.

Carl shook hands with the two men and held a quiet conversation. “Piers will see you,” he said to Tara.

A wave of relief washed over her. She’d overcome the first obstacle. She followed Carl and the two vampires to the elevator, Jamie and Graham at her back. Tara’s nerves tightened as they sank lower and lower beneath the building. When the doors slid open, Piers was waiting for them.

He did not look happy. But when did he?

In fact, he radiated menace, his arms crossed over his broad, black-clad chest, his mouth a thin, tight line, his eyes narrowed. He must have just returned to the building because he still wore the long, black leather coat.

Tara refused to be intimidated and lifted her chin.

Piers’s gaze shifted from one member of their group to the next, settling on Carl. “Carl.” He nodded at the werewolf. “You shouldn’t have brought them here.”

Carl shrugged. “They would have come without me anyway.”

“That might have been better for you.” Piers turned to glare at Tara. “Well, if it isn’t the little abomination.” His eyes ran over her small figure. “All the way back here, I’ve wondered how something so small could cause so much trouble.”

Tara ignored the comment. “Where’s Christian?”

“Not here.” He sighed. “I planned on paying you a visit later. You could have waited.”

“How was I to know that? Besides, I need to know now.”

“No, you don’t need to know. You want to know. I told Christian I would take care of you, which is the only reason you’re here.”

Why should Christian have asked Piers to take care of her?

“I do not need anyone to take care of me,” she ground out. She didn’t want to be taken care of, but if anyone was going to do it, she wanted it to be Christian.

Piers raised an eyebrow. “Baby, you’re right at the number one spot on the fae’s most wanted dead list. On top of that, there’s a whole shitload of demons ready to make your life a living hell just to get at Christian. Personally, I’d let them have you.” He paused, his eyes wandering over her, lingering on her throat. “Or maybe I’d just finish you off myself—because I’ve got a feeling you’re a whole load of trouble.”