Chapter 10
Damon headed out from the back and instantly knew something wasn't right. Looking around he headed toward Mitch. “Where's Nicole?”
Looking around Mitch frowned. “She was just here talking to Pam.”
Damon called her name knowing she wouldn't answer. “Son of a bitch.” Dropping his stuff he ran out the door to the parking lot. Nothing. She was nowhere. Rushing back inside he pulled his phone out. “What's Pam's number?”
Mitch rattled it off pulling his phone out checking to see if he had any messages.
Damon punched in the number pacing back and forth as Jared walked up from the back. “What's going on?” Jared ask Mitch.
“Nicole's gone.” Mitch rubbed his eyes trying to stay calm.
Damon snapped his phone shut with a curse. “She said Nicole walked out with her to get a book and then was heading inside when she was pulling away.” Punching in Nicole's number he prayed she would answer, but knew she wouldn't. Ringing came from the corner; Damon looked over to see her bag laying there. “Shit.” He shut his phone and the ringing stopped, a sickening silence followed.
“I'll get Duncan and call Sid. We'll find her.” Jared headed toward the back, but stopped when Mitch's phone rang.
“Yeah.” Mitch answered. Relief then anger crossed his worried face. “Where the hell are you Callahan?”
Damon straightened. “Where is she?” He was half way out the door ready to go to her.
Mitch held one finger up to Damon, a finger Damon wanted to break off. His patience was running very thin and he was ready to kill something.
“Nicole don't....” Mitch took the phone from his ear. “hang up. Dammit!”
“Where is she?” Damon demanded still at the door ready to head out after her.
“She's with Eddie.” Mitch looked to Jared then back at Damon. “She wanted us to know she was okay and that she was taking a small leave of absence.”
“What the hell brought that on and why did she leave her stuff?” This from Jared. “It doesn't make sense.”
“She told me to let her talk and if I interrupted or anyone else got on the phone she would hang up.” Mitch frowned.
“That's it?” Damon was pissed, but more than that he was frantic with worry. She was out there without protection.
“No.” He turned to look at Damon. “She told me to tell you that you needed to feed.”
Damon was a blur as he shot across the room grabbing Jared around the throat pinning him to the wall. “You son of a bitch.” Damon's deadly hiss cut across the room. “What did you say to her?”
“I didn't say anything Damon.” Jared grabbed Damon's arm, but couldn't budge it from his throat. “I would never say anything to hurt that girl and f*ck you for thinking I would.”
For a second his hand tightened around his friend’s throat before he let go. “Then who did?”
Jared rubbed his throat as understanding flashed in his eyes. “I know who did.”
“Alice.” Both men growled.
After thanking Eddie for the ride she ran into her apartment grabbing things as she went stuffing them into an overnight bag. She knew Damon would come here first and she had to get out before he showed up. It was cowardly to run off, but she would not be his downfall. Her heart hurt just thinking about it. She would even beg him to go to Alice before she would let him be humiliated before his peers. And with that she knew Pam was right. She was in love with him. Her phone rang in the kitchen spurring her to go faster. Yanking her workout clothes off she hopped around pulling on a pair of jeans and grabbed a t-shirt throwing it on. The phone went silent for a second before it started to ring again.
Grabbing her bag she ran to Ren and Stimpy. “Okay guys, watch the place for me.” She dribbled food for them. “I'll get Mitch or Pam to feed you until I can get back.”
Again the phone went silent before starting up again driving her crazy, she hated a ringing phone. Taking a quick look around she grabbed her keys off the counter and headed out the door toward her car. Opening her trunk she threw in her bag before slamming it shut.
“Going somewhere?” Damon blocked her way to her car door.
Nicole jumped back screaming, tripping over her own feet. Damon reached out to steady her. Gaining control she pulled away trying to rush past him. “Let me go Damon.”
“No.” Damon blocked her way again. “Hell no.” He grabbed her keys out of her hand.
“Hey, give those back.” Nicole grabbed for them but he was faster. Sighing she didn't attempt to take them again. “Damon please give me my keys.”
“Not until you tell me what the hell is going on.” Damon leaned up against her car arms crossed, making him seem so at ease. The anger in his eyes told a different story. “Do you know how dangerous it was for you to leave like that without protection?”
“Eddie was with me.” Nicole grumbled. Why did he have to look so damn sexy?
Damon rolled his eyes with a snort. “Like I said, without protection.” Looking around he straightened. “As a matter of fact we should go in. It's not smart standing out in the open like this.”
“I don't want to go inside, I want my keys.” Nicole was seriously getting pissed. “You are not my boss, father or boyfriend Damon. I am a free woman able to make my own decisions. Nothing has happened to even hint someone is after me. I want to be left alone and I know you and the others have better things to do than watch after me.”
“Who says?” Damon ask, knowing exactly who that was. What he wanted to know is what Alice had said to make her run like that.
“I said.” Nicole looked away nervously. She was a horrible liar.
“We are going to talk Nicole.” Damon glared at her. “Whether you like it or not, whether it’s out here or inside, we are going to talk. So I will give you the option of where you are going to tell me what is going on in the pretty little head of yours.”
Nicole felt a warm heat settle in her stomach at the word pretty, then mentally bitch smacked herself. What the hell was wrong with her? She was mad, not all warm and gooey like a teenager with a crush. She was a strong, independent, pissed off woman dammit. “Go to hell.” Ha, how about that option vamp, her nose went into the air and she crossed her arms this time.
“That is not an option.” Bending over he tossed her over his shoulder giving her a head rush of deja vu. He carried her inside, fumbled with the keys trying to find the right one when a door behind them opened. Damon turned so fast Nicole thought she was going to be sick. Seeing an elderly woman peeking out he relaxed.
“Nicole honey, are you okay?” The woman opened the door wider her wrinkled face scrunched in concern. “Do you need me to call the police?”
With her butt facing the old woman Nicole pushed off Damon's leg to look around his shapely butt. Seeing the concern on her elderly neighbor's face made Nicole feel terrible. “No Ms. Webster, I'm fine.” Wow, if she kept lying she might actually get good at it. “He's just helping me inside.”
Ms. Webster nodded as if that explained everything when in truth it explained nothing at all, but the old woman just smiled. “Well, you two youngsters have a good night.” She winked at Damon who winked back making the old woman blush to the roots of her white curly hair.
“Lock your door ma'am.” Damon reminded her and didn't turn back around until the click of the lock echoed in the hallway.
Ahhh....how sweet. Nicole got that warm gooey feeling again, then frowned and pinched him on the butt, hard. She kept forgetting she was trying to get rid of him. She squealed when he spanked her hard, then rubbed it to ease the sting. “Hey, that hurt!”
“So did that pinch you little hellcat.” Damon finally found the right key and shoved the door open slamming it shut with his shitkickers then set her down.
Blood rushed to her head making her sway. “You really need to stop doing that to me. I think you're giving me brain damage.” She watched as he stuck her keys in his pocket and decided to let it go...for now. Glancing at his face she noticed he had dark circles under his eyes and her heart sunk to her stomach. “You look tired.”
Damon ignored her observation. “Why did you run Nicole?”
“Why didn't you feed tonight?” She answered his question with one of her own.
“That's really not your concern.” His eyes shifted away from hers.
“It is my concern if I'm being blamed.” Nicole sat down heavily on a kitchen stool and sighed. “I won't be your downfall Damon.”
Anger blazed across his face. “Listen to me and listen good.” Damon stepped toward her leaning down to her face level. “My decision to feed or not feed is my decision.”
Nicole jumped up. “Okay, this isn't working.” She paced nervously to the kitchen and pulled out a beer wishing it was something stronger. Twisting the cap off she drank down half the bottle then wiped the back of her hand across her lips. “Maybe I was wrong to leave like I did. I don't want to cause you any problems. I admit that I was just a little jealous of Alice and didn't want to see you around her.” She looked away from him ashamed of herself. She felt like a jealous nag, she hated jealous nags.
“You have no reason to be jealous of her Nicole.” Damon shook his head, his sigh echoing in the silence.
God she was making a mess of this. With one last long swig she set the beer down. “Listen Damon, I am going to take a leave of absence from my job. I will leave town until you all get this under control. I should have done that in the first place.”
“Is that really want you want?” Damon asked, his eyes glaring into hers so hard she knew he was trying to read her.
“Yes.” Nicole replied in a strong voice. Yep, she was getting this lying thing down.
“Bullshit.” Damon growled. “You love this job and nothing will stop you from doing it. You said so yourself.”
Don't cry she told herself. Do. Not. Cry. “Just please leave Damon.” Nicole couldn't look at him. “Take care of yourself. I'll be fine.”
“I'll call Jared and have him come stay with you.” He pulled out his phone.
Nicole jumped grabbing his hand. “I don't want him here. I don't want any of them here.”
What the hell did Alice say to her? If he got his hands on her he'd wring her no good neck. “Did one of them say something to you?”
“No.” She replied quickly. God this was going nowhere. “I just don't want to be a bother to you all anymore.”
“You are not a bother to us.” Damon touched her cheek and frowned when she jerked away.
“Don't. I can't think when you touch me.” Nicole walked backwards running into the stool she jumped up from. Reaching behind her she steadied the stool wishing she could steady herself as easily.
A sexy grin curved his lips for a slight second pleased that his touch affected her as much as her touch sent him reeling. He wanted to kiss that unhappy frown from her lips, but knew he had to take care of this situation because if he didn't she would run again. “I know Alice talked to you.” Seeing the surprise flash across her face told him that he and Jared had been right on. “I want to know what she said to you.”
“I don't know what you're talking about.” Nicole glanced down staring at her feet. She didn't want to relive that conversation and she was embarrassed to think that Jared and Duncan thought she was a burden and hurting Damon in anyway. Her feet started to blur as tears filled her eyes. Do. Not. Cry. She repeated the words she grew up repeating over and over again. Her head flew up when she heard Damon on the phone.
“Did you find her?” He ask into the phone. “Okay. Pick her up. We're on our way.”
“What are you doing?” Nicole eyed the phone. “Who was that?”
“Get your stuff.” Damon walked toward her. “If you aren't going to tell me what happened then I'll find out myself.”
“No.” Nicole whispered in horror. “No!”
“Then tell me because one way or another I am going to find out.” Damon shoved his phone in his back pocket and pulled her keys out of his front pocket.
Nicole's face burned. He was backing her in a corner and she didn't like it. “Why are you doing this?” Nicole felt her anger hitting a dangerous level. “Just leave it alone.”
“I don't like anyone hurting you.” Damon crossed the room causing her to back up a step. “I won't tolerate it. I know Alice and how she is.”
Okay, she didn't expect that. Never in her whole life had anyone showed this much protection toward her and she didn't know how to handle it. She searched his golden eyes, his expression and realized that he really meant what he said. Feeling tears leaking out the corner of her eyes she quickly turned away panicked. She would not cry in front of him. She cried in front of no one. Hell, she hardly ever cried at all. It showed weakness. She had learned not to do that at a very young age.
“Nicole?” Damon walked up behind her touching her gently on the shoulder.
“Oh God.” His closeness, his touch, his voice was all it took to break her. Great heavy sobs overtook her body. She doubled over, arms crossed over her stomach. Years of tears burst free dripping to the floor. It was all too much. Harsh reality squeezed her heart in a painful grip.
Damon grabbed her, picking her up with care, carrying her to the couch. “Let it out.” Damon whispered, his lips pressed to her head that was cradled against his chest. Her pain tore at him more than anything he had ever experienced before. He didn't say anything else. There was nothing to say. He just held her as she let all the pain and craziness of her life out in a good old fashion cry.
“I got your shirt all wet.” Nicole sniffed wiping at her eyes feeling like a total idiot. “I'm sorry. I never cry.” She looked away embarrassed.
Damon lifted her chin with a finger, looking into her eyes. “You can get my shirt wet anytime you need to.” He brushed a stray tear escaping down her flushed cheek. “I bet you haven't had a good cry in quite some time.”
“I haven't cried since I was really little.” Nicole answered honestly. “Shows weakness and in my case weakness was not a trait I could afford to have.”
“I'm sorry you had to live that way.” Damon cradled her head back to his chest. “But it's made you the woman you are today. A woman I respect deeply.”
Okay, that sent the warm sensations swarming through her body. “Thank you. That means a lot to me.” Nicole whispered, touched. Then her head popped up panicked. “Please call whoever you called and tell them not to bring Alice anywhere to meet us.”
“First you tell me what happened.” Damon wasn't going to budge. “I don't leave things undone. I want to hear from you what happened.”
With a deep stuttering breath Nicole told him about her conversation with Alice and actually felt a little better.
Holding his anger in check was the hardest thing he had ever done, but he didn't want Nicole to think it was directed at her. “Alice has tried for years to be mated to me.” Damon explained. “She obviously feels threatened by you and decided to scare you off and it almost worked. I have never been with her other than feeding...”
“Damon, you don't have to explain this to me. It's really none of my business who you're with or been with.” Nicole broke in pushing herself off his lap, but he held her not letting her go.
“I know I don't, but I want to.” Damon grasped her chin gently bringing her face to up to meet his brushing his thumb back and forth across her tear stained cheek. “I have only fed from her Nicole. The same with Jared and Duncan. We pick who we have relationships with, not the Council.”
She saw in his eyes the truth and felt totally stupid for acting like a jealous idiot. This was all new to her. She avoided relationships because of this very thing. She didn't want to....hurt and the worst hurt is loving and not being loved back. “I'm sorry Damon.” Nicole sniffed reaching up touching his hand that held her chin. “I just don't want to be a problem to anyone. I can't change that about myself.”
“I don't want you to change, but I do want you to trust me to know what is good for you to stay safe.” Damon brought his other hand up and cupped her face. “Just trust me Nicole.”
Nodding Nicole's stomach flipped and flopped in anticipation. Never had she had a man hold her as such or stare so intently into her eyes. Licking her bottom lip she watched his eyes change from concern to blazing desire. His head dipped running his tongue along the same path hers had just taken. With a moan she touched her tongue to his. One hand slid to the back of her head grabbing her hair tilting her head back before plunging deeply into her mouth. His other hand went to the small of her lower back pushing her tightly against him. Straddling him she could feel his cock swell against her and she wanted nothing more in the world than for him to take her hard right then...right there. To hell with everything. The only thing that mattered to her at the moment was Damon.
It took both of them a minute to hear someone pounding on the door. Damon pulled away so quick she would have fallen backward off his lap if he hadn't caught her. Picking her up he stood, hurried over setting her down in front of her room gently pushing her inside. “Stay there and keep this door shut.” He ordered closing the door. Damon the lover was gone replaced by Damon the protector.
Heart pounding Nicole quietly cracked her door open to peek out in time to see Jared come through the door. Closing the door with a click her stomach clinched. She didn't want to see Jared yet. She was just processing her issues with Damon. Walking to her bed she crawled to the middle cuddling a pillow to her stomach. Minutes passed before her door opened.
Damon instantly found Nicole huddled on her bed looking pale. “It's just Jared, but I guess you knew that since you disobeyed me by opening your door.”
She started to argue, but stopped with a sigh. “I just wanted to make sure you were okay.” She shrugged. “What does he want?”
Damon crossed the room towering over her touched by her concern for him. “He brought your phone and bag you left at the gym.” He handed it to her. “I need to take care of something so he is going to stay here until I can get back.”
Anxious Nicole sat up on her knees. “I'll be fine Damon. He doesn't need to stay.” At his frown she sat back down. “Never mind. Tell him thanks.”
“Why don't you tell him?” Damon pushed, wanting to get this crap Alice started behind them.
“I'm pretty tired.” She lied laying back then curling up on her side. “Think I'll hit the hay. Will you be back tonight?”
“He wants to talk to you.” Damon grabbed her hand and pulled her up. “Come on.”
Nicole sighed following him out of her bedroom. She expected him to drop her hand as soon as they went out to her small living room, but he held it tighter. Glancing from the floor to Jared she was shocked when he walked over and hugged her tightly.
“You scared the shit out of us Nicole.” Jared pulled back glaring at her. “Don't ever do that again.”
At first Nicole couldn't find her voice. To say she was shocked was an understatement. “I'm sorry I didn't mean to cause a problem.”
Anger flushed his face. “I know what Alice said to you and it was all bullshit.”
Totally uncomfortable with the situation Nicole backed away letting go of Damon's hand, but he wasn't having any of it. His grip tightened and he pulled her closer to him. “Listen, I really just want to forget about the whole thing.” Nicole tried to smile, but hurt still bubbled to the surface. “I shouldn't have left like I did and I won't again.”
“Did you hear what I said?” Jared eyed her knowing she had, but it didn't penetrate. “Alice is trying to cause trouble and it isn't going to work. As warriors we have taken an oath to protect and like it or not you are under our protection. It's what we do and honey, I have to say you have been the most entertaining person I have ever had the pleasure of protecting.”
Smiling sadly, Nicole walked up to him and kissed him lightly on the cheek. “Thank you.”
Jared again pulled her into a hug. “Anytime honey.”
“Kiss her and I'll break your face.” Damon frowned pulling Nicole out of his friends embrace and into his.
Jared grinned and winked at her. “Jealous much bro?”
Damon ignored him as he tilted her face up to his. “I'll be back as soon as I can.” Leaning down he brushed a kiss across her lips. He looked at Jared all tenderness gone from his face. “Take care of her.” Then he was gone.
Jared rubbed his hands together. “Okay Nicole, what kind of trouble can we get into?”
Feeling better Nicole laughed. “You play Call of Duty?”
“The question human is do you?” Jared headed toward the PlayStation. “Cause I am no gentleman when it comes to Call of Duty so prepare to get your ass shot off.”
“In your dreams vamp.” Nicole teased. “And since when have you ever been a gentleman.”
Jared turned to give her a glare then grinned. “You got a point there.”
Shaking her head she grabbed two beers from the fridge and hunkered down for a night of gaming.