Air of Seduction (Elemental Enforcers #3)

Chapter 21

Payton

My eyes are scratchy as I scroll aimlessly on my phone. But every time I close them and lean my head back to rest, images bombard my mind, and I quickly open them again.

Something catches my eye on the screen in front of me. Vampires strike again. What?

I click on the headline and skim the article. By the time I’m done, my heart is racing in my chest, and I’m sitting ramrod straight on the couch, wide awake.

Two women have been found dead in a park not two blocks away, seemingly with their blood drained from their bodies. And their descriptions are eerily similar to Olivia’s and mine. Mid-twenties, one with long blond hair, of European descent, one with long black hair of African descent. If this is a coincidence, it’s far too close for comfort.

My phone rings, and it startles me so much I almost drop it. Taking a deep breath to calm my racing heart, I stare at Ronan’s name on the screen.

I know exactly why he’s calling. He’s seen the article too.

I accept the call and speak before he can. “I’m fine. We’re both fine.”

“Oh, thank God.” There’s a tremor in his voice. “For a minute I thought—”

“I know. I read the article, too, and I’m still shaky. They were found just down the road.”

“I noticed that.” He lets out a long shuddering sigh. “Noah hasn’t seen it yet, or I think we would have heard him. But when he does, and I think it’s when and not if, we won’t be able to prevent him from going to get his mate. His instincts will tell him to protect her at all costs, and that means cutting down anyone who stands in his way, including me and the other elementals. It would be better if you and Olivia came here and—”

“No!” I shake my head, even though he can’t see me. “She’s fragile right now. You know that. Moving her anywhere near him is not an option.”

“Please, Payton. I know seeing Noah can make everything worse, but I have a suggestion that might prevent this from blowing up in our faces. And please keep in mind what I said about Noah coming for her if he thinks she’s in danger. Short of killing him, we might not be able to stop him.”

I press my lips together to stop myself from hurling something at him that I don’t really mean. He’s being realistic about this and trying to find a solution that doesn’t lead to a catastrophic outcome for my friend. I have to appreciate that, even though I resent that it’s necessary.

Taking a deep breath, I uncurl my tight fist. “Fine. Tell me.”

“I’ll ask Lucas and Erica to pick you up, since they’re the ones who drove you home, and Olivia will recognize them. There will be a suite ready for you here, so the two of you can stay together, and she can feel safe. I’ll talk to Noah and explain the situation. When he realizes she’ll be staying here where she’s safe, he’s likely to agree to keep his distance. It might even help him calm down a little, knowing that she’s so close, and if something were to happen, he could be with her in seconds.”

And I’ll be close to you. I shake my head at my selfish thought. That’s not important. Olivia’s well-being is what matters. “It might work, as long as Noah understands that he has to stay away from her. Even catching a glimpse of him might be detrimental to her right now.”

“I know, and I’m going to make sure he understands that.” He pauses for a few seconds. “Will you talk to Olivia?”

Squeezing my eyes closed, I nod. “Yes. I’ll let you know what she says.” Hopefully, she won’t completely freak out on me.

“Good. I’ll go talk to Noah before he can find out what’s happened in your neighborhood from the news. Talk to you later, Payton. I… We’ll talk later.”

“Yes. Thank you, Ronan.” I slowly lower my phone. What was it he had been about to say? Does he miss me the way I miss him?

“Payton?”

Olivia’s voice startles me so much I almost drop my phone for a second time in just a few minutes. She’s standing in the doorway to her bedroom, and I have no idea how long she’s been there.

I give her a smile. “You scared me. How are you feeling?”

“A little less tired.” She cocks her head. “What are you planning?”

Shit. She obviously heard some of my conversation with Ronan, but I don’t know how much. I bite my lip while trying to come up with a good way to tell her what’s happened and what we need to do. But there’s no nice way to say this. “There’s been an incident down the road, and I think we might be safer staying with the people who helped me rescue you.”

She stiffens and goes pale. “What kind of incident?”

I try to keep my body relaxed so I don’t make this any worse than it has to be. “Two people have been found dead with their blood drained, probably to make it look like a vampire did it. But since we don’t know what happened, Ronan suggested we stay with them.”

Her breathing grows faster as she stares at me. “With Noah.” It’s not a question.

I shake my head. “It’s a very large house, and we will have our own suite. You won’t have to see him at all. He knows you’re scared of him.” Hopefully, he’ll listen to Ronan, and this will work out as planned.

When she just keeps standing there, not acknowledging what I said, I get to my feet and move toward her slowly. “It’s just a precaution, and I trust these people.” It’s true, except I don’t trust Noah. But I’m not going to tell her that.

She swallows hard. “You think it was vampires, don’t you? The incident.”

I nod. “It’s possible, and Ronan seems to think so as well.”

She tilts her head to the side, her face regaining some of its color. “You like Ronan.”

My face heats. Is it really that obvious? But then this is my best friend, Olivia, who’s known me for years. “I do. He’s…” I don’t know how to describe him to her. There are so many things I like about him, but he’s from a different world. What are the chances there can be anything between us beyond a few kisses or possibly a short fling?

She nods. “It’s okay. Just be careful that you don’t mistake gratitude for love.”

“Love,” I sputter. “It’s way too early for that. I’m attracted to him, that’s all. He’s good-looking.”

Her eyes seem to lose focus, like her mind has just traveled a thousand miles away. Whatever she’s thinking doesn’t seem to have a negative effect on her, so I stay still and let her have the time she needs.

A full minute goes by before she suddenly jerks like something startled her. Then she shakes her head and gives me a small smile.

Returning her smile, I take a step closer. “Would you like me to help you pack?”

Her smile disappears, but she nods, and I breathe out a silent sigh of relief. I’m going to count this as a small step in the right direction.