Bless The Beauty

chapter Four




Twenty minutes later, we were back at the station and had just entered the room viewing the interrogation of Chad McKinney. Chase stood with his arms crossed. Oh yes, the glare on his face said he knew exactly what had taken place between Kellen and me.

Guilt roared through me and left me confused. One part of me was utterly thrilled to reunite with Kellen, while the other was horrified at what I’d done.

Not only had I cheated sexually, but emotionally as well. However, the truth of the matter was, he either had to accept that Kellen was back in my life or our relationship would be over.

My heart told me this relationship was heading toward the garbage disposal. The thought of not being held by Chase, not see his smile or feel his love, crippled me.

Kellen stepped up next to me, his sigh heavy before he closed the door with a loud slam then locked it. The move forced Mike and Nick to look his way. The second they did, he said, “Go to sleep now.”

A second later, both men fell to the floor, dead to the world. It was just the thing to snap me out of my sadness. I shot my gaze back to Kellen. “What the hell did you do that for?”

Kellen nodded outward with a knowing look. “We must deal with this. I’m not going to stand by to see you in this much pain. Sort it out now.”

Knowing exactly what he meant, I looked back to the person I needed to sort things out with.

When I met his gaze, I’d never seen him so angry. His entire body was tense and the veins in his arms looked a moment away from bursting.

Chase seemed shocked, or traumatized, one of the two. He finally snapped out of wherever he had gone and glared at Kellen. “You f*cking killed them?”

Kellen shook his head as he looked down at the men on the floor. “No, they are sleeping,” he waved out, “have a look for yourself.”

Chase rushed over to Mike, flipped him over and placed his fingers on his neck to check for a pulse. A moment later, he stood. The rage still burned in his eyes, but at least he looked a little more controlled now.

I understood why Kellen had done it. Yes, Chase and I had to talk, and I was actually glad it’d been forced upon me. I doubted I would’ve known what to do otherwise. But I never mind-warped my team, ever!

My glare was quick and steadied on Kellen. “I do not use mind control unless I have to, Kellen.

Do not ever do that again, do you understand me?”

Kellen’s brows furrowed, clearly displeased with me. “You have denied your abilities too long, Hadley.” He shook his head in a disgusted manner. “What a waste.”

I’d stood up to this man many times before and his angry face still did nothing except piss me off more. “Promise me you won’t do that again.”

Kellen studied me intently. Irritation ran through those dark eyes of his. The annoyance said that he realized just how mortal I’d become. Maybe it was the first time he grasped how much I had changed. I could tell by the unhappiness on his face, he didn’t approve of the woman I’d become in this regard. I never doubted he would. He was a vampire, loved it and lived it. Conforming to mortal rules was definitely beneath him, but this wasn’t his life, it was mine.

That determination must have showed on my face because he eventually sighed and inclined his head in acknowledgement.

Resolved, I glanced back at Chase who stood, the glare on his face even worse now.

Just as I knew Kellen, I knew Chase equally so. He was loyal, honest, everything that were qualities of a person good. I doubted he’d forgive me from keeping such secrets from him, but it didn’t mean I wasn’t going to try. If I was going to lose him, which I suspected, I needed to do it with a clear conscience. I needed to know that at least I tried to explain my actions.

I sucked in a deep breath before I steadied myself. “Chase…”

Chase raised a hand to stop me and my mouth shut promptly. “Do not say a f*cking word to me.” Fury radiated in his tone and his voice dropped a whole octave.

Okay, so I expected this reaction. But it didn’t mean this wasn’t painful to watch.

Chase was a closed off type of guy. So serious, he only let a few people into his personal space. I had now become one of the people he kept out. Pain coursed through my heart.

“Please just listen to what I have to say,” I pleaded, desperate for him to hear me out.

“I just want to explain myself.”

Chase took a deep breath through his nose. His jaw clenched tightly. “You don’t deserve to be heard.”

Kellen snorted. “Say that again, bloke, and I’ll stuff that pretty head of yours up your arse.”

Chase’s body vibrated with anger.

I stepped in between them, not wanting a fight to break out. This wasn’t about them fighting, but about making my peace. My bottom lip quivered, but I forced myself to stay strong. I would not fall to pieces here. I was in the wrong and deserved his wrath. I owed him that.

“Okay, I deserve that.” I acknowledged his feelings in hopes that it would calm him.

“You have a right to hate me.”

“Damn right I do.” Chase tore his gaze from Kellen and focused on me. “You’re f*cking married and never said a word about it.” He raised his hand and pointed at Kellen. “This bugger comes in, kisses you and you go all mushy in his arms. Then, you return with him and reek of sex. I see the blush of your cheeks that only comes after you’ve f*cked. So, tell me, Hadley.” His voice was so cold. “Why should I listen to one word that comes out of your mouth?”

I glanced at Kellen who simply looked annoyed by the conversation. He wouldn’t ever understand. He’d just mind-warp Chase and leave it at that. That wasn’t an option for me. My relationship with Chase was real. I wanted it to stay that way.

I looked back at Chase, pleading. “I’m not going to deny that Kellen and I have been together and I won’t lie that he has returned to be with me again.” Chase’s eyes burned with such rage, it was a surprise his head hadn’t blown off. Quickly, I added, “But it’s not what you’re thinking, I’m not breaking up with you for him. You just don’t understand vampires.”

Chase gave a firm nod. “Yeah, ’cause I am f*cking not one of you.”

“I know that,” I whispered. “But that’s what I’m trying to explain to you. We’re not monogamous.”

Chase snorted a laugh that was in no way a happy sound. “That’s clear, isn’t it?

Since the vamp isn’t at all put off that you’ve been f*cking someone else while married to him.”

The term he’d just used broke my heart. “We haven’t just been f*cking…we’re in love…”

Chase’s gaze would kill me if able to and the look forced me not to continue. “Do not even f*cking go there, Hadley.”

My mouth clamped shut. I didn’t know what to do. To me, it was normal to be married and have a mortal lover. Of course, it was almost unheard of for a vampire to be in love with one. Consorts were treated with great respect and thought highly of. But to be loved? It just never happened. Truthfully, I hadn’t been looking for love, nor expecting it. Just like the fairytales say, Chase just rode into my life and swept me off my feet.

I glanced to Kellen, feeling lost and confused. What was I to say? I’m sorry. I wouldn’t dare say something like that. I would never say I was sorry I hurt him. He deserved so much more than that. What I wanted was for him to accept this and forgive me on his own accord.

Kellen gave me a reassuring smile. Then, his gaze fell on Chase. “The name is Kellen.” He extended his hand.

Chase crossed his arms over his chest, his eyes blazed with hatred. “I don’t f*cking care who you are.”

Kellen lowered his hand and laughed. “You do love her, no?”

The point-blank question snapped Chase away from his anger for a moment and the barrier of protection he’d created around himself fell. Sadness washed across his face and he gulped deeply. He glanced at me with soft eyes and the gentleness in them spread goose bumps along my skin. This was the man I loved standing right here in front of me, vulnerable.

It only lasted a moment before his gaze returned to hard steel. He focused back on Kellen. “And what if I do?”

“Then, best we introduce ourselves.” Kellen extended his hand again. “If you want to be in her life, you will be in mine also. Our being friends will make this better for her.”

Chase dropped his arms, clearly stunned. “Say that again? You want me in her life?”

Kellen nodded without hesitation, lowered his hand again, looking annoyed and nodded toward me. “If you’d get over yourself and stop being so angry for a moment, you’d realize that is what she is trying to tell you. Nothing has changed between the two of you. Her love for you remains. Therefore, if she wants you in her life, the choice is not mine to make.”

Chase gave him a speculative glare, plainly disbelieving him. He stood quiet a moment clearly trying to process this all. Finally, he found his voice. “As in, you are willing to share her with another man?”

Kellen gave his head a slow frustrated shake. “Mortals.” He sighed then continued.

“The way about you all is amusing. Of course, I am willing to share her. Why would I refuse her someone who makes her happy?”

I stepped forward then placed my hand on Chase’s arm, pleased that he didn’t tense beneath my touch or flinch away. “Kellen is a vampire,” I told him softly.

Chase looked back at him, gave him a once over. “Point being?”

“We are wed under vampire law. Yes, we love each other and yes, he is back to stay, but I want you in my life too.”

Chase’s brows furrowed as his gaze searched mine. “He may be okay with sharing you, but I’m not sure I’m capable of such a thing.”

I sighed and prayed this wasn’t the end. I hoped I wouldn’t have to erase our time together from his mind. Those were the rules if a mortal knew about a vampire and if things got messy. Their mind would have to be wiped clean—no scorned mortals to run around telling secrets. It created a safety net for vampires. Those were the laws the Vampire Mistresses lived by and every one followed or else they suffered some serious consequences. And I had no interest in being punished by a Mistress. I enjoyed my life too much to screw it up.

“It’s the only way to be together,” I implored he understand all this. “Kellen and I are bound. He gave me time to myself these past years—oh, bunch of years—so I could make something of myself, but…” I glanced up at Kellen to see a superior grin planted on his face, “I realize how wrong it was of me to keep him away.” Then, I looked back at Chase. “I love you, Chase. I want you to stay in my life too.”

Chase huffed, glanced down to his feet where he shuffled them around, apparently mulling this over.

Silence filled the room for well over ten minutes, while Chase looked at the ground.

Kellen seemed uninterested in the present happenings and more fascinated in the interrogation taking place on the other side of the two-way mirror.

Chase finally sighed and raised his gaze to mine. “Let me get this straight.” He pointed between Kellen and me. “You are married under vampire law.”

“That’s right.” I was glad his mind was working again and he was putting things together. That had to be a good sign, right?

Chase glanced at Kellen and continued, “You are back in her life as her husband. But you don’t mind that she continues to have a relationship with me?”

Kellen nodded and looked bored. “That is what was said, yes.”

Chase gave his head a shake then looked directly at me. “Even though he is back in your life, you still want to have a relationship with me?”

“Of course I do.” Tears were on the brink of forming. I restrained them as bloody tears would likely upset him and I’d done enough of that already.

Chase crossed his arms over his chest which lowered my hand from his forearm, and gave me an expression I’d seen before. He was deep in thought. He worried his bottom lip in his mouth. After a final bite of his bottom lip he said, “This is by far the most f*cked up thing I have ever heard, you do realize this?”

“It’s the only way you will have her, chum,” Kellen responded. His expression turned to one of a challenge. “Do you love her enough to share her?”

It seemed like a valid question, but I knew Kellen. He was challenging and testing Chase’s character. If Kellen didn’t believe he would be loyal to me, that he deserved these feelings I had for him, he would have wiped his memories in a flash regardless of how I felt on the matter.

That was Kellen. Always acting on what he thought best for me, which was one of the reasons I left when I had. I liked making my own decisions. I sent a little warning glare Kellen’s way. The determined set of his eyes faded immediately and he sank back against the wall.

Chase let out a deep wavering breath as he met my gaze again. Then, everything about him softened. “Yes, I do.”

I let out a little squeal, lunged forward and ploughed into him. Being around Kellen had let my vampire out to play. I went way too fast toward Chase and hit him harder than I meant to.

We flew backward and landed hard on the ground. Chase let out a loud grunt, but he immediately wrapped his arms around my back and pulled me tight against him. “I’m not saying this is in any way normal, but you aren’t ordinary, are you?”

“No I’m not.” I gasped in shock and joy. I hadn’t really expected this and the happiness within me threatened to explode.

Chase placed his hand at the back of my neck and pulled me even closer. He meet my lips and kissed me with more passion than I’d ever felt from him. His mouth danced with mine as I felt his forgiveness for what I’d done.

When he finally backed away, he smiled in a way that told me everything was going to be all right. “Can you handle two of us?”

It was certainly a challenge I was up for. “Damn right I can.” Then, I grabbed his face, kissed him with pure happiness and love. He was more accepting of my world than I expected him to be. Mortals lived sheltered existences. The thought of sharing each other never did sit well. I’d seen that many times.

Chase loved me. There was no denying that. He wanted me bad enough that it didn’t matter that I had Kellen too. I was getting the best of both worlds and I got to keep them both—every girl’s dream come true.

Just as I released Chase’s mouth, Kellen cleared his throat loudly. “Sorry to interrupt the happy reunion here, but…” he gestured to the two-way mirror, “they sound as if they are wrapping things up in there. And if you don’t want me to mind warp anyone Hadley, you best move along.”

Chase looked at Kellen and laughed a sound of disbelief. “It doesn’t bother you to see me kiss her like that?”

Kellen reached out his hand and pulled Chase to his feet once he took it as I squirmed off him.

“Watching her get enjoyment does nothing but please me.” Then, he reached back down and assisted me to my feet.

Chase glanced between Kellen and me quickly. “Best just get this over with.” When I gave him an odd look, he continued and nodded toward Kellen. “Kiss him.”

I looked at Kellen, feeling very confused and he gave me an equally curious look.

My gaze fell back to Chase for clarification. “Why do you want us to do that?”

Chase gave a feeble shrug. “When he showed up out of the blue and kissed you before, I was too shocked and angry to really see it. I’m not going to lie. This is not going to be easy for me. You all might be used to sharing, but I’m definitely not. So instead of mulling this over in my head, let’s just get it over with.”

Kellen grinned with a sultry suggestion. “Don’t need to ask me twice.” Then, with lightning fast speed, he grabbed me around the waist and pulled me toward him.

I silently cursed Kellen. He wasn’t being kind and guided me into a kiss that made my knees weak. I was instantly lost, and soon, found myself moving my body against his and demanding more.

Kellen sharply drew away and I stumbled slightly as I gasped. “And that’s how it’s done.” He chuckled deeply.

When I had enough in me to meet Chase’s gaze, I was surprised to see he wasn’t angry. He stayed quiet a moment, then finally said, “I see what you mean about it pleasing you to see her enjoyment.”

My brows rose in total shock. “You liked watching that?”

Chase stepped forward, took my chin in his grip and tilted my head up. “I liked watching you.”

Kellen let out a loud sharp bark of laughter. “Chase…” he gave him a hard slap on the back, “me and you, brother, are going to get along just fine.” Then, he looked at the men still at our feet. “Wake up.”

In an instant, Chase lowered his hand from my chin and glanced at Mike and Nick, who jumped to their feet, completely unaware of what had just taken place. He burst out laughing then quickly disguised it as a cough.

Mike gave him an aggravated look. “Find something funny about two women still missing and likely dead?”

Chase coughed once more. “No, of course not.”

To save Chase from any more of Mike’s death looks, I stepped up closer to the two-way mirror.

Two police officers sat at a steel table as they continued with random questions of Chad McKinney. He was your typical bring-home-to-your-parents type of guy. Handsome, well-dressed and, as I could hear, soft spoken. “Have you got anything here?”

“The kid is off his rocker,” Mike replied.

I glanced over my shoulder and looked at him. “Aren’t they all?”

He shook his head. “No, this is different. It’s far past just your normal f*cked up serial killer—he is not right…” he tapped his finger on his temple a few times, “in here.”

Kellen laughed.

I shot a glare his way. No one needed to hear his opinion on what he thought of mortals or how ridiculous he thought this whole situation was. I focused back on Mike.

“You think he has been institutionalized?”

Mike glared at Kellen for his rude display, then when he looked back at me, his expression softened. “I’d suspect it’s a place to start. If we can grab some history on him, it might help us understand his mind. Without it, we’re going to get nowhere. There is no flaw to the cops’ technique here, they are not the problem, it’s the kid is insane. If they weren’t sure it was him, I’d begin to suspect they were wrong. We need to focus our efforts on finding out more about him before we proceed—something that we can use to relate to him and get inside his head.” He started walking toward the door then looked back at us. “Hadley, you and Kellen start researching mental hospitals in the area. Call around and see if any of them have heard of this Chad McKinney.” He nodded toward Chase and Nick. “We’ll start looking back through the files and see if anything stands out that could help Hadley and Kellen along.”

I snorted, so annoyed I could barely breathe. Kellen wouldn’t be interrogating him.

That was my job. I didn’t need him to assist me, nor did he want to help. He was just along for the ride. This was just a chance for him to see me in my element. I suspected he wanted to see what I’d be doing these past years. Part of me was glad he took an interest in who I’d become. The other, wanted his little huffs and smug grins to go away and let me get back to work.

Nick nodded in acknowledgment of the order and then headed out of the door.

Chase started to follow then gave me a sideways glance before looking back at Mike.

“I’ll join you in the meeting room. Gotta make a trip to the pisser first.”

Mike nodded and just as he stepped out of the door, he glanced back to me. “Let me know what you find out.”

“I will,” I replied.

Chase waited a moment until the door closed behind Mike, then met Kellen’s gaze fiercely. “I’m not sure how you want to work this out, but right now, she’s mine.”

Kellen leaned against the wall, crossed his arms over his chest and smiled. “I didn’t expect otherwise.”

What?

He didn’t expect otherwise? What were they going on about? What had I missed?

Before I could ask, Chase wrapped his hand around my arm and pulled me tightly against his body. He looked down at me and appeared angry, very angry. “Come with me—now.”

Wonderful, what was wrong with him now?