Forever Touched (Touch of Vampire #5)

CHAPTER 21

21

ADALYN

“I bet it’s Deloris Faircroft. She and her late husband spent the past several decades trying to claw their way up the social ladder. She also admitted that her husband died the day the curse was broken.”

“What’s your point, Loch?” Everett asked his brother.

“Her husband might have been a rogue. If so, she might have been one too—or at least a sympathizer. The rogues may have gone into hiding, but we know many of them still exist and aren’t happy with how this kingdom is run, especially now that we’ve allied with the SCA. Therefore, it makes sense that someone like Deloris would bend our new laws to get ahead. She runs a highly profitable nightclub, and I bet Adalyn is the key to that success. No other vampire-owned nightclub has a witch in their employment, and that’s what makes Adalyn so valuable. Of course Deloris would find a way to keep her from leaving. If she proposed a pactum to ensure Adalyn worked off her debt, then that’s technically not illegal. Neither is using thrall to keep the details of their agreement private.”

Everett’s knuckles bled white on the steering wheel. “She forced that pactum on Adalyn. There’s no other explanation. Why would a fourteen-year-old witch willingly agree to stay with a vampire family? It doesn’t make sense and neither does this supposed debt she has to work off. What could she have possibly done that would require her to throw away her life like this?”

Loch grunted. “I agree it doesn’t add up, but pactums aren’t always formed on truths. If both parties believe the oaths they swear, then it’s enough to bind them. The important question is, what consequences will Adalyn face if she tries to break the pactum?”

“By how terrified she sounded earlier, I’m guessing death.”

Everett glanced at me in the rearview mirror. I didn’t look away, silently confirming his guess. Cursing, he gripped the steering wheel so hard that it cracked.

As the miles flew by, bringing me ever closer to Faircroft Manor, I quietly listened to Everett and Loch work out the missing pieces. They were doing a pretty good job, except that they thought I was the helpless victim and entirely innocent in all this. If they only knew the full story, they wouldn’t be trying to help me so much.

More confused and conflicted than ever, I kept silent. Nothing I said could fix this anyway. Layers of thrall had ensured I couldn’t spill any secrets, and the pactum kept me from fighting the thrall. As much as I yearned to be rescued from this messed up situation, I didn’t think even Everett could save me from it.

I was in too deep, my bindings too tight. The only way out was to see it through.

“My wife has been thralled a few times. And also allured by an ancient.”

I turned to Kade in surprise. “An ancient? I thought they were a myth.”

“So did I until a year ago.”

“Is that how she was turned?”

Some of the light left his twinkling blue eyes. “No. I turned her.”

Wow. He seemed like the last person who would turn a human. Despite his intimidating size, he was a big huggable teddy bear at heart. “What happened?”

“Six years ago, she was kidnapped by rogues and used as bait. Before we could save her, one of them drained and killed her. I didn’t want to turn her, but . . . I’m glad I did. She’s the joy of my life.”

A lump formed in my throat. The more I learned about the royal family, the more my sympathy for them grew. They definitely weren’t the bad guys I’d been taught to believe. It made me wonder what else I’d been taught that was a lie. Maybe I had this all wrong. And if I did, how on earth was I going to fix it?

As if sensing my inner turmoil, Kade said, “Everett is right, you know. You’re not alone anymore.”

The second he reached between us to squeeze my hand, Everett growled, “Hands off, Feltore.”

“Feltore? And here I thought we were becoming friends,” Kade drawled. Still, he promptly withdrew his hand and added, “I’m happily mated, man. I’m not a threat to you.”

“I don’t care. Keep your hands off Adalyn, or I’ll rip them off.”

Kade threw back his head and roared with laughter. “Now there’s the Everett we all know and adore. I was wondering where he’d wandered off to. What do you think, Lochie? Is your brother just being his usual jolly self, or is he suffering from the mating frenzy?”

“Definitely the mating frenzy,” Loch replied.

Kade roared with laughter again and slapped his thigh. “I can’t,” he wheezed. “I just can’t. This is too good.”

Failing to see what was so funny, I asked, “What’s the mating frenzy?” When all three males turned to me with stunned looks, I wrinkled my nose at them. “What?”

“Looks like we have another innocent on our hands, boys,” Kade said with a fiendish grin.

I snorted, muttering, “I’m far from innocent.”

Everett stared at me in the mirror, for so long that I worried we would crash .

“On the contrary, sweet Adalyn,” Kade spoke again. “You’re far more innocent than you think.”

“Oh, really? I’ve had sex hundreds of times with dozens of strange males. Still think I’m innocent?”

I’d meant to remind them of who I was, to make them see that I wasn’t this virtuous little girl with a clean slate. I was a blood whore. I’d let countless males violate my body. I was tainted. Tarnished. The exact opposite of innocent.

Then why did they suddenly look sad, like they felt sorry for me?

Feeling all sorts of uncomfortable, I looked out my window and lapsed into silence.

After a long moment, Everett said, “Yes, Adalyn, we think you’re innocent. You didn’t choose this life. You were forced into it.”

A retort sprang to my tongue, but I chose not to voice it. I was tired of trying to convince him that no one had forced me into becoming a sex worker.

Thankfully, Loch chose that moment to change the subject. “What are we going to do when we reach Faircroft Manor?”

“Demand Madame Faircroft release Adalyn from her debt,” Everett matter-of-factly replied.

“But what if she decides to enforce the pactum? Adalyn could get hurt or worse.”

“Then I’ll just have to kill her,” Everett said, so dangerously soft that goosebumps erupted over my flesh.

“I know how you’re feeling right now, Ev, I really do. But if we kill her without proper cause, then we could have a political nightmare on our hands. You already killed two Venturi, and their deaths won’t go unnoticed for much longer.”

“They deserved it. I would kill them all over again if I could.”

“Regardless, we’re supposed to be restoring order and peace to the kingdom after what happened with the rogues. Who knows how many people saw you walk out of the club with Adalyn last night. There will be talk. Rumors. It’s only a matter of time before they link the Venturi deaths to you and begin to panic. And if you kill Deloris simply for employing a witch, it could incite another revolution.”

“But she isn’t just employing Adalyn. She’s whoring her out to slimy rich bastards who want a taste of the forbidden. It’s sick and twisted, and I won’t stand for it in my kingdom!”

He was shouting now, flooding our bond with his rage.

Unable to keep silent a moment longer, I blurted, “I’m not helpless, you know.”

“Sweet, sweet Adalyn,” Kade smoothly said, cutting through some of the tension. “You’re tough as nails for surviving this long in our world, but you’re also mortal, not to mention a hundred pounds soaking wet.”

“I’m also a witch . My dad was a powerful Oracle elder, and he taught me many things before he died.”

Everett and Loch exchanged looks. Too late, I realized my slip. Telling them that my dad had been an elder was the same as shouting, “Hey! My dad fought against you in the battle six years ago. That makes us enemies.”

But all Everett said was, “Let me guess. You’ve been thralled not to use your magic?”

I almost said yes, but that would have been a lie. I could still access my magic, just not the way I wanted to. I couldn’t tell them that though without revealing what I could do. And if they knew that, I might as well jump out of the car and kill myself now.

“Look, I’m not as powerless as you think,” I finally settled on saying. “I’ve been taking care of myself for a long time and will continue to do so. I got myself into this mess, so it’s my job to get out of it. I just need a little time.”

“Does that time involve being with clients?”

At Everett’s blunt question, a swallow got stuck in my throat.

“Everett,” Loch rumbled in warning. “Remember what we talked about.”

Everett looked about ready to argue, so I quickly said, “I’ll call for help if I need it. I promise.”

“How?” Everett asked.

“Through our bond.”

His eyes met mine in the mirror. “What if the bond isn’t strong enough? What if . . . what if you can’t reach me?”

At the uncertainty, at the open vulnerability in his voice, I gave him a soft smile. “It’s strong enough, Everett. You’ve helped make it strong enough.”

But as we neared Faircroft Manor, his uncertainty only grew. I thought for sure he would drive right past the house and keep on going, if it wasn’t for Loch reminding him of the pactum.

Deep down, Everett knew that letting me go was the only way to save me. A pactum was a sacred blood oath that couldn’t be undone unless both parties willed it. If broken, the consequences were often catastrophic. I’d been so distraught over my father’s death at the time that I’d easily agreed to the pactum with Mistress, even when Pepper had begged me not to. I owed the Faircroft family a blood debt, and I’d wanted to prove that I could honor it.

But I realized now how naive I’d been.

A pactum with Mistress was forever—unless she chose to let me go free. It didn’t matter how hard I worked to pay off my father’s blood debt. Didn’t matter if I gave up my virtue and self worth and dignity. Didn’t matter if I did everything right to please her.

Until she deemed it time to release me, I was hers .

I knew it, and so did Everett. I’d lied to him earlier. I wasn’t my own person. As long as Mistress held the leash to my fate, she owned me. So unless I found a way to incriminate her, I wasn’t going anywhere and there was nothing Everett could do about it.

Still, I was barely able to convince him to let me walk inside the house on my own. If I was going to find a way out of this mess, he needed to give me the space to do it. He couldn’t save me this time. I had to deal with this alone like I had been for the past six years.

Only this time, I wasn’t truly alone. I might be the only one entering the house, but I knew Everett was waiting nearby. It was the only way I’d been able to convince him to let me go. As soon as possible, I was to let him know how I fared via our soulmate bond. Until then, he wasn’t going anywhere.

Knowing he wasn’t far away gave me the strength I needed to push forward and enter the house. The second I closed the kitchen door, something rushed toward me. So fast that I didn’t have time to react. In a flash, a hand clamped over my mouth and pinned me against the door.

“Shhh!” a familiar voice hissed, the cold metal of several rings digging into my face.

Quickly adjusting to the house’s gloomy interior, I focused on Mistress, who was no doubt listening for Everett. She wouldn’t hear anything. He’d parked the car a solid mile down the road. She wouldn’t be able to detect any heartbeats from here.

Ada!

The sound of my familiar’s voice threatened to break my concentration, but I didn’t let my relief show through the invisible mask I’d carefully constructed.

I’m fine, Pep, I quickly responded. No need to worry .

Worry? Are you kidding me? I’ve been going crazy out of my mind! This is the second day in a row that something happened to you. Mistress Evil has been in a temper all day, threatening to enforce the pactum if you didn’t return soon. Is it true that the crown prince stormed into Dreamscape and stole you away?

I’m sorry, Pepper. I really am. I would have contacted you if our bond had allowed it. Speaking of, I have a lot to tell you. Everett didn’t steal me away; he rescued me. And . . . he’s my soulmate.

Soulmate? she loudly squeaked.

As I started to tell her more, Mistress grabbed my chin and forced me to look deeply into her blazing eyes.

“Did you tell the prince anything you’re not supposed to?”

Her thrall invaded my mind like a parasite and pulled words out of my mouth, words that I had no choice but to give her. “Only that my dad was an elder.”

It was the truth. I hadn’t told Everett anything. He’d guessed it.

Still, Mistress was far from appeased. Her grip tightened, painfully pressing on my bruises. “Why did he take you?”

“He . . . he wanted me for himself. But I told him I couldn’t stay.”

Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. “He didn’t force you to stay?”

“No, Mistress.”

“Did you convince him to let you go with your magic?”

“No, Mistress.”

She released my chin with a disgusted huff. “He got bored of you, then. Typical Venturi, taking whatever he wants, then throwing it away. I hear he’s slept with every maid in his castle.” She leaned forward to sniff me, then recoiled with another disgusted huff. “Of course he claimed you, like a spoiled child with a new toy. See, this is why our mission is so important, Adalyn. The Venturi only think about themselves, not caring how their actions affect others.”

Grumbling to herself, she stormed to the fridge and practically ripped the door off. She grabbed a blood bag and quickly poured its contents into a glass.

“You have no idea how stressful it was for me to watch him take you away, Adalyn,” she said, downing half the glass in one huge gulp. “I haven’t drank this much since my poor Richard died, God rest his soul. The thought of you in that monster’s clutches . . .” She tipped back the glass and finished off the blood. “I’ve been beside myself for hours , thinking the worst. He didn’t hurt you, did he?”

Recalling how he’d carefully taken care of me, fed me, and treated me like a part of his family, my throat tightened. Unable to speak, I just shook my head.

She shrewdly glanced at the bandages still on my neck and arm from last night. “And he didn’t feed you his blood, I see. Good. Maybe I won’t have to punish you too severely after all.”

Aaand there it was. The moment I’d been waiting for. I braced myself for whatever punishment she had in store for me.

“Because of the claim the prince put on you, working at the club isn’t an option. Dominant males are babies like that, turned off when something has been claimed by another male. They don’t care if you’ve had sex with hundreds of other males, so long as they’re not reminded of that fact. Their egos are so fragile. Anyway, you’ll stay here until the claim fades, understood?”

I bobbed my head. “Yes, Mistress.”

“But you’ll continue to do your chores. Without pay, of course, to help compensate for the days you’re not working at the club. This is a huge setback for us when we’re so close to reaching our goal, Adalyn. Your clients aren’t going to handle your absence very well. And we lost Councilman Torres, one of our best. Such a shame. He would have done just about anything for us.”

At the reminder that he was dead, I struggled to keep a smile off my face.

“Oh, and I had the Aston Martin brought back, along with the clothing you left in your room.”

She set down her glass and reached inside the pocket of her robe. As she pulled out a small object wrapped in fabric, my blood ran cold.

“I assume this is yours,” she went on, carefully lifting a corner of the fabric to reveal my silver knife. “ Answer me.”

As her voice snapped through the air like a whip, my lungs seized. “Yes, Mistress.”

“Oh, Adalyn, you disappoint me.” She tucked the knife back inside her pocket. “Letting you own a weapon that can kill vampires is dangerous, not to mention how expensive it must have cost. I’m hurt that you didn’t tell me about it. If you were feeling unsafe, you should have told me.” She lightly clucked her tongue in disapproval before adding, “Until further notice, your phone and car privileges are revoked. Understood?”

I clasped my hands together to keep them from shaking. “Yes, Mistress.”

“And you aren’t to step foot outside this house until I say so.”

“Yes, Mistress.”

Her face relaxed. A second later, she was inches away, our noses practically touching. Her brown eyes bored holes into mine as she hissed, “ Swear it.”

I barely managed not to flinch. “I swear.”

“You’ll do well to remember the blood debt you owe this family, Adalyn. Any attempt to run away or break the promises you’ve sworn will trigger our pactum. You don’t want to die, do you? After all the hard work you’ve put in?”

“No, Mistress. ”

“Good. Now run along and see to your chores. I’ve got an extra long list for you today. That should keep you busy until this evening, maybe longer. Tick-tock, Adalyn. Time does not reward a lazy spirit.”

“Yes, Mistress.”

I accepted the written list she handed me and hurried from the kitchen like my tail was on fire.