The Original Sin

Chapter Nine





I bolted upright, panicked and panting, and the room was completely dark. It took me a second to realize that I was in my room back at Archer’s house. I fumbled for the lamp and hurriedly clicked it on. I fearfully gazed about the room, looking for Amun or Archer, but found no one.

“What the f*ck?” I breathed heavily as I put my heart to my chest. I looked down and saw that I was wearing black boy shorts and my Heartbreak Honeys TXRD shirt. I ran my hands down my chest and tried to get a handle on my racing heart.

“How did I get here?” I mumbled aloud to myself. I walked into the bathroom and saw the tights and dress I had worn to work sitting in the laundry basket. When I walked into my closet, my boots were sitting in their spot on the shelf.

What the hell is going on? I looked to my door and knew where my answers lay. I immediately threw my door open and walked the few feet down the hall to Archer’s room.

I didn’t bother knocking as I walked in and cut on the lamp by his bed. Archer rolled over and groggily opened his eyes.

“Skye?” he asked softly, sleep still thick in his voice. “What’s wrong? What is it?”

“How did I get here, Archer?” I demanded, and not too kindly I might add.

“What?” he asked, confused, as he fully sat up in bed. “What are you talking about?”

“Cut the shit, Archer,” I huffed as I crossed my arms over my chest. “How did I get home from work?”

Archer ran his fingers through his hair and sighed. “You woke me up just so I could remind you of how you got home?” He glanced over at the clock at his bedside and then looked back up at me, displeased. “It’s 5am for Christ’s sake. What’s gotten into you?”

I stared at him and saw no trace of the heat or passion I had seen from him in his office. I sighed as I turned and sat down on the edge of the bed. I was so beyond confused. One second, I’m having the dirtiest, hottest sex of my life with the most gorgeous man I’ve ever seen and the next I’m lying in bed with no memory of how I got there.

“Who did I ride home with?” I asked quietly, my mind racing with questions and my heart a bundle of confused feelings.

“Um,” I heard Archer push back the covers and felt him slide to the edge to sit next to me. “I believe you rode home with Killian and Hagan in the Escalade. Why? Were you that drunk that you can’t remember getting home?”

I let his answer sink in and I turned to him, completely scared of what was happening to me. I was missing time, significant time, and I didn’t know how to handle it. “If I share something with you, will you promise not to hurt me?”

“Why would I hurt you, Skye?” Archer asked, his brow furrowed in confusion.

“I’m going to ask you to peer inside my mind and I want you to promise that you won’t hurt me if I trust you with this again,” I explained timidly. “I need you right now…and I need to know that I can trust you.”

“I promise,” he whispered, suddenly concerned. “I promise, Skye. You can trust me. What’s going on?”

I took a deep breath and turned my body to face his. He did the same and soon we were facing each other on the bed. I slowly reached out to take his hands and gently placed them on my cheeks as I leaned into him. His smell immediately bombarded my senses as his pheromones slammed full force into me. I felt my breath quicken and Archer’s eyes got wide as he took in my immediate response to him. Never had I reacted so strongly or so readily to his pheromone influence before.

“Skye,” he whispered as he smelled the reaction his pheromones gave me.

“Just read me,” I whispered back as I looked deeply into his eyes.

Suddenly to room started to wobble and tilt as Archer accessed my mind. This invasion of my memories was softer than last time. Last time, it felt like they were being ripped from me. This time, I willingly gave them up.

The first thing I saw was our fight in the living room. I saw myself walk out and I saw my swim in the pool. I saw my breakup with Jameson and my girl talk with Rachel. I saw us working, drinking, and dancing, then I saw me go to Archer’s office. I saw my conversation with Ruarc and I saw Archer and me fighting again. The next thing I saw was him kissing me and I heard Archer’s audible intake of surprise in front of me. I saw him throw me on the bed and our intense sexual episode after that. The last thing I saw was Amun’s smile before I saw myself wake up in my room.

Archer growled as he released his hold on my mind. He was breathing heavily and not from the physical exertion mind reading could cause. He was very obviously turned on. His pupils were large and dilated, his mouth hung slack, his lips were parted, and his…impressive manhood was on proud display under his thin black silk boxers.

I licked my lips and hurriedly looked up from his hips. I felt my cheeks instantly flush red with embarrassment. “So, yeah,” I breathed, trying to calm my racing heart. “That’s what I meant by ‘how did I get home’.”

“Jesus, Skye,” he breathed as he looked my body up and down. “That was incredible.”

“Calm down, lover boy,” I pursed my lips. “We’ve got bigger problems here. I’m missing a few hours in my memory.”

Archer licked his lips and shook his head, obviously trying to shake the vision of us in bed together. “I-I can’t explain that,” he sighed as he stood up. “It had to be Amun messing with you. What I saw just a few seconds ago most definitely didn’t happen. Trust me, I would have remembered that. Those positions…and the spanking…” he started, but I cut him off.

“I’m well aware of the spanking,” I waved my hand as if to erase the memory. “Do you really think this is another one of Amun’s dreams that he is controlling? If so, why have me dream about having sex with you. Why would he care to see that? Or have me experience that, for crying out loud. What’s the point?”

Archer looked down at me and frowned. “I have no idea,” he shook his head. “I don’t understand it either. Are you sure it wasn’t just a dream that you had naturally? I mean…”

“No,” I said quickly, looking down at my hands. “Er…I mean…I guess it could have been.”

Archer gently reached down and lifted my chin with his finger so that our eyes met. “Is that how you feel about me? Do you want to do those things with me?”

I blushed furiously as I looked away. “No,” I paused and then sighed. “I don’t know. Maybe. Yes?”

Archer grabbed my hands and gently pulled me off the bed. I stood in front of him and my breath hitched at the memory of our kiss in his office.

He searched my eyes, as if asking my permission, as he slowly leaned his head down to mine. I had a sudden thought and clamped my hand over his mouth, stopping him in his tracks.

“What do you remember from tonight?” I asked, deep in thought. “What is that last thing from my memory that is true?”

Archer sighed and closed his eyes as he leaned back from me. He took a step back and I dropped my hand from his mouth. “Well, um…when I was chastising you about the way you talked to Ruarc. I told you that you were hardheaded and you said that it was a gift.”

“Okay,” I nodded my head as I went to sit back down on the bed, worrying at my bottom lip, deep in thought. “So, what happened after that?”

“Well,” Archer sighed as he ran his fingers through his hair. I watched as his muscles in his stomach and arms adjust and ripple as he lifted his arms. I instantly thought back to my dream and his naked body underneath me, grabbing my hips as I rode him. I swallowed hard and Archer immediately looked down at me. “You’re projecting those thoughts awfully loudly over there. If you want me to behave, I’m going to need you to stop thinking about that. I already saw it once; I can’t handle seeing it again without wanting to make that dream a reality. A man has only so much control, Skye.”

“Sorry,” I blushed and looked down at my hands. “I can’t help it.”

Archer growled and reached down to adjusted himself. I could tell that he was hard to the point of it being painful. “So, as I was saying, after I said that you were hard headed, I told you that Ruarc ultimately agreed with your request. He was definitely not happy about it, but you did provide valuable information to them about Amun.”

“So he agreed?” I asked, surprised. “I get a guard?”

“Yes,” Archer said unhappily. “You may have your pick of the ones that are currently guarding us, if you still wish to move. You will be provided with two so that you are always guarded, day and night. Ruarc will send our replacements soon after.”

“Thank you,” I said gratefully, but part me of felt sad at the thought of leaving Archer’s house. After having that dream, I was no longer as furious with Archer as I had been. My attraction to him was deeper and my desire was scorching hot. Realizing this left conflicting and confusing feelings in my heart. I was still furious at him for what he and the others did to me, but I guess you can’t have hot and amazing dream sex with someone and not feel a little something for them afterward.

“So, uh…what happened after that?” I questioned as I tried to hide the conflicting feelings deep down so he wouldn’t see them.

“Well, you said thanks, poured up a glass of scotch and left,” he shrugged his shoulders. “It was pretty uneventful. I came out of my office a few minutes later and you were sitting at the bar downstairs drinking your drink, not saying anything to anyone. When it was time to go, you grabbed your stuff and got into the Escalade with Killian and Hagan and when you got home you went to your room and shut the door. That’s the last I saw of you until just now.”

“Where’s Styvi Nix?” I asked, suddenly worried. “She wasn’t in my bed when I woke up.”

“Jameson has her,” he explained gently. “You went to bed without so much as a glance her way. So, Jameson took her upstairs and she’s sleeping with him. She has really taken to him.”

My brow furrowed with the confusion I felt. “What? I would have never just ignored Styvi and I definitely wouldn’t have gone to bed without her. I don’t understand. That isn’t like me.”

“I agree,” Archer sighed tiredly, running his fingers through his hair again. “You had been acting kind of strange at the bar before we left; not talking to anyone and all, but I thought it was because you were still mad at everyone. You were also pretty drunk, too.”

I bit my bottom lip as I evaluated my sobriety. It had only been a few hours since my last drink. With the amount of alcohol I had consumed tonight, I should have still been intoxicated; at the very least, feel buzzed, but I wasn’t. I was stone cold sober.

“I’m sober,” I whispered as I looked up at Archer. “I’m completely sober. I shouldn’t be. I don’t get it. What the hell is going on with me?”

“I don’t know, love,” Archer shook his head and shrugged his shoulders helplessly.

“Are you sure Amun didn’t infect me with something?” I asked, suddenly terrified at the thought.

“I’m positive, Skye,” he said as he pulled me into his arms and comforted me. “Hunter, Trey or I would have caught it when we read you. I don’t know what’s going on, but I know you aren’t infected with something. I’m sorry I thought you were a Trojan Horse. It’s my fault you are so worried about that. I should have never said anything.”

“A*shole,” I whispered as I leaned into him and buried my head in his neck. “I’m still mad at you.”

“I know,” he whispered as he softly kissed my temple and squeezed me tighter. “I know, baby.”

We were quiet for a few minutes as we contentedly sat together, me in his arms. After a while, Archer spoke up. “Don’t think I’ve forgotten about you not asking my permission to bring your animal into my house,” he said quietly.

“Oh, I didn’t forget,” I smiled tightly and sat up. “I called you from Drop Kick’s to ask your permission, but you were otherwise engaged, remember? I figured that if you could have a bitch with you, so could I.”

Archer sighed and looked down at me. “That was just work. I provided my business associates with a few escorts to accompany us to a club that they wanted to go to. The girl you heard on the phone was just that, a girl. I like women, my dear,” he said with a wicked glint in his eyes as he studied my face. I chuckled and he took that moment to lean in and try to kiss me.

I stood up in a hurry, my hormones screaming angrily at me, and bid him a good night. I heard a sexually frustrated growl as I hurried out the door before closing it.

I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself. Part of me wanted to throw the door open, run back in there and have my way with him, just as I did in my dream. I bit my bottom lip, refrained, and made my way to the front of the house. I silently climbed up one side of the double staircase and made my way to Jameson’s room. I knocked quietly and a few seconds later, a sleepy eyed and bed-head ridden Jameson opened the door. He was wearing my favorite pair of blue silk boxers and I quickly looked back up and into his face.

“I’m uh…sorry to bother you, but I was wondering if I could get Styvi Nix from you,” I whispered quickly. “I hate sleeping without her.”

Jameson looked confused, but ultimately agreed. He opened the door wider and allowed me to enter. I heard her soft snore coming from under the covers and determined that Styvi was curled up in Jameson’s bed fast asleep. My heart constricted at the sound and I couldn’t bear to wake her. Styvi hated being woken up; I should have thought of that before I came up here.

Jameson must have seen the sad but determined look on my face, because he quickly spoke up. “You can sleep in here, if you want, so you don’t have to wake her.”

I looked up at him and shook my head. “I can’t sleep in the same bed with you, Jameson. We just broke up remember? It would be too weird and confusing for me.”

Jameson’s brow furrowed at the mention of our break up. He ran his fingers through his shoulder length, silky brown hair and sighed. “Of course I remember. How can I forget? I meant that you could have my bed and I’ll take the couch. I wouldn’t want you to feel uncomfortable.”

I could tell that my words had hurt him and I started to apologize, but Jameson cut me off. “Let me just throw some pants on and I’ll be out of here.”

I watched as he fished some jeans off his floor and pull them on. He grabbed his pillow and an extra blanket from the end of the bed and silently left the room. I felt terrible for kicking him out of his room and tears began to sting my eyes. He was still so kind to me even though I had dumped him earlier in the night. I sniffed, trying to put the memory out of my head as I crawled into bed.

Being in Jameson’s bed, and smelling his scent, brought on a flood of unwanted memories for me. I remembered all the times we laid in here and talked about life; all the times we made passionate love.

I turned on my side and cuddled up to Styvi as I tried unsuccessfully to push the memories away and fall back asleep.





*****





I awoke a few hours later to scratching at the door. I sat up in bed and saw Styvi Nix pawing to get out. She never did that and I figured she had to go to the bathroom, so I got up, dug through Jameson’s drawers and found a pair of his sweats to throw on.

“Okay, girl,” I yawned tiredly. “I’m coming as fast as I can.” She barked and turned around excitedly in a circle. It was very apparent she wanted out of this room.

I opened the door and she immediately ran out and down the stairs. I slowly, sleepily made my way down and into the family room. I stopped in my tracks when I saw Styvi on the couch next to Jameson. He was slowly petting her head, obviously haven been woken up by her arrival.

“Come on, girl,” I whispered to her. “Want to go outside?”

She looked back at Jameson then lay down beside him with a sigh. I felt my mouth drop open in shock. Styvi Nix didn’t want to sleep with me; she wanted to sleep with Jameson.

Jameson looked over at me and shrugged his shoulders before pulling her closer and closing his eyes.

Son of a bitch, I thought unhappily. I’ve been traded in.

I frowned as I looked at the clock on the microwave. It was 8am and there was no way I could go back to sleep now. So much for sleeping late on my Sunday morning. I was kind of hurt by her actions, but I shrugged them off and went to make myself some tea. I quietly put the kettle on and retrieved a mug and a bag of Earl Grey from the cabinet.

As I waited for the water to boil, I looked over at Jameson and Styvi. She looked so content to be in his arms and I remembered feeling that way once myself. Did I make a mistake by ending our relationship? I frowned at second-guessing myself and shook my head. No. He’s a vampire. You’re done with vampires remember? Trouble and pain?

I sighed as I went over to check the kettle. It was just about to start whistling, so I cut the heat off and poured the hot water into my mug. I didn’t want to disturb Jameson, so I took my mug outside to enjoy it by the pool.

As I sat down on one of the loungers, I saw Hagan across the yard on his rounds. I silently nodded my head to him and he returned it with a small smile.

“So are you going to train with me this morning, or are you still too butt-hurt over what happened to you yesterday?” Hagan called over to me with a smirk on his face.

I knew he was trying to get a rise out of me, get me mad enough to want to fight him, so I just smirked back. The truth was, yes I was still hurt by what they did to me, but I understood better today why they had to do it. That still didn’t take away or lessen the pain, helplessness, and anger I experienced at their hands

“I’ll meet you downstairs in 20,” I said plainly before taking another sip of my tea.

Hagan nodded and resumed his patrol of the grounds.

When I finished my tea, I went to my room and changed into my workout gear. I put on tight black spandex capris and a yellow sports bra and threw my hair up into a tight bun. I had learned over the last few weeks to do this because sometimes Hagan liked to incorporate hair-pulling into my training when it got in his way. After enough times, I learned to secure it tightly to my head.

I brushed my teeth quickly then left my room. As I tiptoed past Jameson, I heard him and Styvi both lightly snoring. That brought a smile to my face as I walked into the foyer of the house and hit the buttons on the access panel to gain entry into the basement.

I was first to arrive, so I immediately started warming up. I stretched my muscles thoroughly using various techniques I had learned over the course of my training. I quickly found that my standard yoga poses and hammy stretches weren’t going to cut it for this level of physical activity.

I was practicing roundhouse kicks on the punching bag when I heard Hagan speak.

“Your form has really improved, Morrison.” I turned and saw him descending the stairs two at a time.

I stopped the swinging bag and walked over to the practice mats a few feet away. “What’s on the agenda for today?”

“I think we’re going to work on your punches,” he said as he cocked one eyebrow at me. “That display yesterday in the family room with Archer was a disgrace. I was embarrassed for you. Your delivery was laughable.”

“Hey!” I huffed unhappily. “It was in the heat of the moment and I was beyond pissed at him. I didn’t even know what I was doing until I was on him. It’s not like I planned the shit nor had any thought to spare for my form. I wanted to kill him and that’s all I saw.”

“It doesn’t matter,” he growled as he picked up the focus mitts and slipped them on. “You fought like a screaming child who was in the throes of a temper tantrum and you’re better than that! I didn’t teach you to fight with your emotions, Morrison, I taught you to fight with your head. If I ever see you fight like that again I’ll kick your ass myself.”

I hung my head as I bit my bottom lip. I was angry at his words, but he was absolutely right. I did fight like a rabid child. I fought wildly and without thought which went against everything Hagan had been trying to teach me. “I’m sorry, sir,” I said, looking back up at him; fierce determination and focus in my eyes. “It won’t happen again.”

“Good girl,” he said sternly as he stood in front of me. “Now, remember your form and let’s go.”

Two and a half hours later, I was on top of Hagan, straddling his hips, as I delivered elbow strike after elbow strike to his head. We were fighting for real this time. Hagan assured me that he could take it, and I fought him as hard and as fiercely as I would have fought Archer yesterday if my head had been in the right place.

Hagan managed to get his arm up and pop me hard in the nose with his palm. I saw stars but didn’t pay them any mind. I screamed out with frustrated rage as I reared back and began punching him in the face, imagining that Hagan was actually Hunter helped me channel it better.

Hagan groaned as blood started to fly. I hammered his face a few times mercilessly before he tried to restrain me. I had just decided to go in for a choke hold when I heard someone speak behind me.

“Am I interrupting something?”

I knew that voice well and lifted my head up to see Archer standing at the bottom of the basement stairs. That one second mistake gave Hagan the opening he needed and I caught a wicked right hook to the jaw which sent me sprawling off of him and onto my back on the mat.

“F*ck!” I yelled out in aggravation as I cradled my jaw and tried to catch my breath. “Nice timing.”

Hagan stood over me and offered me his hand. I took it gladly and allowed him to pull me upright. His nose was bloody and his bruised right eye was healing right before my eyes.

“Never take your eyes off the enemy, Morrison. How many times do I have to tell you?” He sighed deeply before he continued. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were getting stronger; a whole hell of a lot stronger, actually.”

“I just channeled my rage, like you said to,” I breathed hard. “Mission accomplished?”

“Mission accomplished,” Hagan chuckled, wiping the blood from his nose. “I’m going to go get some blood. We’ll pick this up again tomorrow.”

I nodded my head as I worked my jaw with my hand; It really hurt at the moment. I turned to Archer and raised my eyebrows. “You needed something?” I asked, none too happy about his inconvenient interruption. I had caught one of Hagan’s infamous wicked right hooks because of him.

“Jameson tells me you have plans with Miss St. James to go to your Krav Maga class this afternoon?” he asked as he politely handed me a towel off one of the shelves.

I wiped my face and was surprised to see blood on the towel. “Is it mine?” I asked, looking up at Archer and turning my face each way to give him a good look.

“Yes,” he nodded. “Your nose is bleeding.”

“Dammit,” I sighed as I held the towel to it again. “Yes, I do plan on going to my class today. I assume you won’t have an issue with it if I take one of The Faithful with me, am I correct?”

Archer’s muscle worked in his jaw as I saw him thinking it over. “You are correct,” he said after a few moments.

“Good,” I smiled. “Just to clarify, I wasn’t really asking your permission and your answer wouldn’t have mattered. I planned on going anyway.”

“Were you now?” he smiled wickedly and my breath hitched. It was the same sexy smile he wore in my X-rated dream I had of him last night.

Oh dear, I thought as my lower abdomen clenched tight. I remembered the feel of him sliding into me and the delicious pain his girth brought.

“I’ve got to go,” I said hurriedly as I walked past him.

“So soon?” he whined playfully. “But those memories were just getting good.”

“Stop reading my mind!” I huffed as I ascended the steps to the first floor.

“Stop projecting your dirty fantasies so loudly!” he countered and I couldn’t help the grin I felt spread across my face.

Nearly everyone was in the kitchen or the family room and I said a quick hello as I went to the refrigerator. I got out a big bottle of water and the breakfast that Gunnar bought me every morning. Today’s meal was a vegetarian egg white omelet with a croissant and a half a grapefruit. I popped the omelet into the microwave and hit start as I nibbled on the buttery croissant.

“Someone toss me a bag of blood,” Archer called out from the doorway. “Miss Morrison is positively begging for a bite this morning with all that bleeding she’s doing.”

I heard a few chuckles from the poker table as Hunter, Lochlan, and Seamus nodded in agreement.

I gave Archer an unamused look and watched as he prowled into the kitchen.

“My blood is indefinitely off-limits,” I said loud enough for everyone to hear. “Don’t even think about it.”

Aoife got up from the kitchen table and politely fetched Archer a bag from the refrigerator. “That’s a crying shame, Skye. You are pretty tasty, if I do say so myself.” She licked her lips as she winked at me. I know the action was supposed to be playful, but it just freaked me out. I looked around at all the vampires in the room and realized that I was a walking food source for them.

I shuddered as I moved to the microwave to take my food out, allowing Aoife to heat the bag up for Archer. The quicker he has that in his stomach, the faster I can relax, I thought nervously.

“Where’s Styvi and Jameson,” I asked, noticing they were absent from the gathering.

“Outside,” Trey spoke up as I took a seat across from him at the table. “Styvi Nix guilted him into a game of fetch over an hour ago. They’re still going at it,” he said, nodding to the backyard.

I looked out the window to my right and saw a Frisbee fly across the far part of the yard. Soon after, Styvi Nix frolicked out and fetched it up, bringing it back to Jameson. “I wonder who’ll get tired first.”

“Definitely the dog,” Aoife said as she sat back down beside me. “Jameson is having too much fun.”

Archer took a seat beside Trey and across from Aoife. He smiled at me as he bit into his bag of blood. I swallowed thickly as I turned my attention back to my breakfast.

After I cleaned up the kitchen, I made my way to my room and took a hot shower. As I wrapped up in my towel, I took a good look at my face in the bathroom mirror and blanched. I had two small black eyes developing and a big bruise on my chin from Hagan’s right hook. This’ll be fun to explain to everyone, I thought unhappily.

I sighed as I grabbed my brush and began detangling my hair. After the tedious task, I parted it and braided it into two low pigtails. I quickly made my way to my closet and threw on a short pair of black spandex shorts, a white sports bra and a tight white spaghetti-strap tank top. My black Reeboks were still in my closet at home, so I made a note to pick them up when we picked up Nikki. For the time being, I slipped on my black flip-flops and grabbed tonight’s work outfit, my phone, and messenger bag as I turned to go back into the living room.

Jameson was back inside and he had a happy Styvi Nix sitting beside him on the couch.

“Hey girl,” I greeted her as I walked in. She jumped down and trotted over to me. I sat down on the floor with her and loved on her for a few seconds as Jameson watched.

“Your bruises look bad,” he said quietly. “Would you like me to heal you?”

“These are badges of honor,” I smiled proudly as I hugged Styvi. “You should have seen the bruises on Hagan.”

“I’ll take that as a no then,” he said as he abruptly got up and left the room.

I looked over at Trey, my brow furrowed in confusion. “What’s wrong with him?” I asked.

Trey gave me a meaningful look and pursed his lips, obviously unhappy with me.

“What?” I asked, growing irritated. “What did I do?”

“You broke his heart,” Trey huffed as he got up and followed after Jameson.

I let go of Styvi and she immediately followed after Jameson, too. I sighed as I shook my head. “I’m sorry,” I quietly whispered to myself.

I stood up and noticed everyone staring at me. Aoife and Archer were still at the kitchen table and the rest of the guys were a few feet away playing poker. Everyone but Archer and Aoife had a look of disappointment and blame on their faces.

“Don’t look at me like that,” I huffed as I slung my messenger bag over my shoulder. “I don’t judge your lives or your choices, so don’t you dare try and judge mine.”

I quickly made my way over to Archer and told him I’d be back at the club tonight a little after we opened. He nodded sympathetically and told me to be careful. I smiled tightly at him and made my way out the front door.

When I got outside, Pádraig was the first guard I saw and I asked him if he would mind accompanying me to class. He politely obliged with a nod and told me to wait where I was. I saw him flash around the house and disappear. About a minute later, the garage door opened and the Escalade pulled out.

“Sorry it took so long,” he said quietly as I climbed in the front seat. “I had to notify the others and get the keys.”

I smiled and thanked him for escorting me as he accelerated down the drive. I took out my phone and quickly texted Nikki to let her know I was on the way and that I was bringing company. She quickly texted me back and I put my phone away after reading it.

“Your boyfriend is mad at me,” I said eventually when the silence became too awkward to bear.

“I know,” Pádraig said, never taking his eyes off the road. He sighed and relaxed his shoulders somewhat. “Trey has a real soft spot for Jameson. Jameson was the one who found Trey when he was near death and saved his life. It hurts Trey to see someone he loves and thinks so highly of in pain. He loves you Skye, don’t get me wrong, but he also loves Jameson.”

I sighed and massaged my right temple. “Do you think I did the wrong thing by breaking up with him?” I asked him.

“That’s not for me to say,” Pádraig shook his head. “I know you had your reasons, however rushed and devoid of thought they were.”

“Ouch, Pádraig,” I mumbled, before sarcastically adding, “Tell me how you really feel.”

“I’m sorry,” he said immediately. “It’s not my place.”

“No,” I sighed. “You’re right. I did rush into it. I was just really hurt and angry at the time. But, can you imagine what that was like for me yesterday? I was hurt again by vampires and I just couldn’t take it anymore.”

Pádraig nodded. “I know how you felt, Skye. I could hear your anger, confusion and pain as it was happening.”

I shuddered involuntarily and stared out the window as I replayed what happened to me in that east Austin basement and what Archer and Hunter did to me yesterday.

“Stop thinking about it,” Pádraig said suddenly and I sighed as I remembered that he could hear my thoughts too. “It’s not going to help.”

“I’m sorry,” I said, looking over at him.

“Don’t apologize, Skye; just try not to do it. You won’t get over it if you keep dwelling on the past. There is nothing you can do to change the events as they happened.”

“You sound like you know from experience.”

“I do,” he said simply as he reached over to turn on the radio.

The rest of the drive was silent as we listened to Pearl Jam. As Pádraig pulled the Escalade into my driveway, Nikki walked out of her half of the townhouse.

“Hey, cupcake!” she smiled brightly as I got out of the car. She ran up to me and pulled me in for a tight hug. “We’re going to have so much fun. Everyone has missed you at class. Instructor Cohen called me today and asked if he should expect you. I happily told him you’d be there.”

“Thanks, Nik,” I said, squeezing her back.

When she let go, she looked back at my face and frowned. “What the hell happened to your face, girl?”

“A friend of Archer’s was teaching me some new hand-to-hand combat techniques today. It got real…interesting,” I smiled widely. “No big deal, honey.”

Nikki immediately looked over to Pádraig and narrowed her eyes. “Was this the friend?” she asked unhappily. I knew by the gleam in her eyes that she’d try to kick his ass if he had been.

I chuckled and shook my head. “No, no. That’s Pádraig. He works with Archer and wanted to tag along to check out Israeli Krav Maga. He’s never seen it,” I lied quickly and prayed my best friend and the person who knew me the best wouldn’t notice.

“Hi, Pádraig,” Nikki said as she went to shake his hand and I sighed in relief. “I’m Nikki. Nice to meet you.”

“And you,” Pádraig said, taking her hand.

“Let me go grab my bag and lock up the house and we can get on the road.”

“Okay,” I said as I watched her walk back to her half of the building. “I’m going to run inside and get my Reeboks.”

Pádraig followed me to my front door and I dug around in my bag for my keys. Finally finding them, I unlocked the door and moved to step inside.

“I should check out the house before you go in,” Pádraig said and I nodded my head in agreement.

“Pádraig, please come in,” I said quickly, inviting him into my house. He wouldn’t have been able to enter without my invitation. I briefly wondered why that was and reminded myself to ask someone later.

Pádraig flashed into my house and suddenly stopped by my couch. He took a deep breath in and immediately turned back to me.

“Get back in the car. Do not ask questions. Go!” he said hurriedly as he pulled his cellphone out of his pocket and flashed into the kitchen.

I dropped by messenger bag in panic and ran as fast as I could back to the black Escalade. I hurriedly got in and hit the automatic door lock button. My heart was pounding furiously as I waited for Pádraig to emerge. What did he find in my house? I briefly pondered as I stared anxiously at my door.

A few minutes later, Pádraig emerged from the house with a serious frown on his face. He had my black Reeboks in hand as he shut the door, locked it, and picked up my messenger bag from the ground.

“What’s going on?” I asked hurriedly as he slid into the seat.

He shut the door and sighed. He looked over at me with sympathetic eyes and swallowed hard before answering. “I don’t want to alarm you, but you’ve had a visitor in the last few days.”

“Tell me,” I said, alarmed as hell.

“Amun has been in your house,” he said quietly.

“What?!”

“Take a deep breath and attempt to stay calm,” Pádraig said, turning to me. “I’ve alerted Ruarc and the rest of An Dílis. They will be here in a few hours. I’ve also contacted Archer and he has requested that you return to his house immediately.”

“No,” I shook my head, still in shock. “I promised Nikki we would go to class. I’m not backing out on her. I need to spend time with my best friend.”

“I’m sorry, Miss Morrison,” Pádraig said with a frown, “but this is not open for debate. I promised Archer that I would bring you back and I am sworn to protect and obey him.”

I looked dejectedly at Nikki’s door, but nodded my head in agreement knowing an argument with Pádraig was pointless. Trey would kill him, if Archer didn’t first, if he disobeyed and let me go to class.

“I have to tell Nikki,” I said as I moved to get out of the car.

“Stay!” Pádraig commanded sternly. “We will wait for her to come out. You are not to get out of this car, for any reason, until we are back at Mr. Rhys’ place.”

I nodded my head and only had to wait a few seconds before Nikki emerged. Pádraig rolled down my window as Nikki called out.

“Sorry, cupcake,” she apologized. “Lyric called me on the house phone.”

“Nikki,” I said and her brow immediately furrowed with worry.

“Honey, what’s wrong? What is it?”

I swallowed hard and apologized. “Something has come up and I need to go back to Archer’s. I’m so sorry I can’t make class today.”

“What?” Nikki asked, confused. “What do you mean something came up?”

“There is a work emergency which requires her immediate attention,” Pádraig said smoothly. “I apologize, but we must go.” With that he put the Escalade in reverse and backed out of the driveway.

“Pádraig!” I yelled as he put the car in drive. I watched Nikki wave confusedly to me as she watched us go. “What the hell? That was so rude!”

“We don’t have time for this,” he said quickly. “You are in an active area of danger and it is my job to remove you from it as quickly as possible. I am familiar with Amun’s fighting strategies and I fear I will not be able to adequately protect you on my own. Be angry with me if you must, but at least you will be alive to feel those emotions.”

I took a deep breath as the gravity of the situation hit me. Amun was back and he had been in my house!

“How did he get in my house?” I asked suddenly. “He did not have my permission to enter. I thought all vampires required permission to enter a human’s home.”

“They do,” Trey said, looking straight at the road. “And I do not know how he gained entry into your home. It goes against everything we know.”

“Shit,” I breathed as we sped toward Archer’s.