Chapter Five
“So who do you think is the father?” Sarah asked.
Brynley shrugged and stuffed a handful of popcorn into her mouth. She was in the teachers’ lounge at the Dragon Nest Academy with Sarah, a mortal who taught preschool and elementary grades; Teddy, another mortal who served as headmaster and taught math and science; and Marta, Vanda’s vampire sister who worked in the office.
The vampire sisters. Brynley couldn’t see either of them without being reminded of the sister she’d had to leave behind. She missed Glynis something awful, and that just added fuel to the anger that simmered inside her. She couldn’t even call Glynis. Her father might trace the call and find her.
They were watching the soap opera All My Vampires on the Digital Vampire Network. One of the Vamps, rich and debonair Rodrigo, had a gold-digging mortal wife named Lola, and he’d just discovered she was pregnant. Since all his sperm was dead, she’d obviously cheated on him.
“Could be the pool boy,” Marta suggested.
“I hope not.” Teddy wrinkled his nose. “He’s only sixteen years old.”
Brynley shook her head as she gathered another handful of popcorn. That wasn’t too young for the Three-Step rule.
Marta used the remote control to mute a commercial for custom-made coffins. Room for two, lined with red silk, and equipped with a built-in ice chest for stashing a few bottles of Bubbly Blood.
The vampire version of a love nest, Brynley thought with a snort. She crammed more popcorn into her mouth.
“Maybe it’s the gardener,” Marta continued.
“Or the mailman.” Sarah reached for the popcorn.
Brynley passed her the bowl. “I’m not surprised she cheated on Rodrigo. Who would want to be married to a vampire? The guy is literally dead all day.”
Sarah aimed a flirtatious smile at Teddy, who sat beside her on the couch. “I definitely prefer a live boyfriend.”
He smiled back, regarding her with a look akin to worship.
True love. With an inward groan, Brynley sank deeper into her comfy chair.
Marta sipped from her bottle of Chocolood. “Not all of us asked to be vampires, you know.”
Brynley leaned her head back, frowning at the ceiling. She knew Marta and her sister, Vanda, had both been attacked and turned by a Malcontent. Same thing with Phineas. It wasn’t his fault he was a Vamp, but it still stuck in her craw.
She hated vampires. She hated the way they’d existed for centuries by seducing the innocent so they could feed off them. They were naturally seductive, damn them. Gorgeous, mysterious, powerful, charming—it was all part of their vampire allure. And these Vamp men who took on the role of superheroes, battling the forces of evil, they were even more seductive because they appeared to be good. But if she looked past the fa?ade, she could see their true nature. They were still vampires. Parasites. Users.
And she hated users more than anything. She’d grown up surrounded by them. Werewolves who catered to her powerful father in hopes of using him, while he encouraged it so he could use them in return. It was a constant, never-ending game of deceit and manipulation, and she’d spent most of her life as an unwitting pawn, forced to exist in an atmosphere that made her feel like a helpless, trapped bargaining chip. Used.
She was alone now, alone with her anger and resentment. She’d escaped the Lycan world, but had landed in the Undead world with another group of users. They’d used her brother for years, keeping him away from his pack and his family. Keeping him away from her when she’d needed him the most. Sure, it had been Phil’s choice to remain far away from the pack. But he’d abandoned his own twin sister. He’d chosen vampires over her.
She hated them. And she hated how damned susceptible she was to vampire allure.
Especially from Phineas.
She sat up to reach for the popcorn bowl, then halted with a jerk, her gaze riveted on the television screen.
“Oh my God!” Marta set down her bottle of Chocolood. “It’s the new Blardonnay commercial! Look at Dr. Phang!”
Oh yeah, she was looking. Brynley bit her bottom lip to keep the drool from escaping. Phineas was gorgeous. Broad shoulders, bulging biceps, and corded muscles that deliciously defined his bare chest and abs. He was standing on a beach with a striped towel tied around his hips. The beach was obviously fake, but who gave a damn when Phineas was standing there, proud and defiant liked a bronze god.
“Wow,” Sarah breathed. “What a chest.”
Teddy rolled his eyes.
“Quick! Unmute it!” Brynley snatched the remote away from Marta and punched the mute button. She couldn’t miss hearing his voice.
“Hello, ladies.” Phineas’s deep voice filled the room.
An electric thrill sizzled through Brynley. Oh God, his voice could melt chocolate. It certainly left her feeling all warm and gooey.
“He’s so handsome!” Marta exclaimed.
“Shh,” Brynley hushed her so she wouldn’t miss anything he said.
“Would you care to join me on the beach?” Phineas focused his dark chocolate eyes on the camera with an intensity that made Brynley forget to breathe.
“Look at the man beside you,” Phineas continued. “Now look at me. Him? Or me?” The camera zoomed in on his chest. “Yes, ladies. You made the right choice.”
“Wow,” Sarah breathed.
“Hey.” Teddy gave her an injured look.
“He’s so hot,” Marta whispered.
“Shh,” Brynley hushed them again.
The camera pulled back to show a beautiful blonde jogging toward Phineas, her breasts jiggling in her skimpy red bikini. “Oh yes, Dr. Phang! I want you!”
He gave her a seductive look. “Of course you do. Now look at my hand. Yes, I have the family jewels.”
The blonde gasped, then the camera jumped to Phineas’s hand. In his palm was a stash of loose diamonds and rubies.
“Oh, Dr. Phang! What lovely stones you have.”
“All for you, baby.” In a flash, the jewels were gone, and Phineas was regarding her sternly, his fists planted on his narrow hips. “What do you have for me?”
The camera shifted to a bottle clutched in her hand. “I brought your favorite drink—Blardonnay!”
Phineas smiled. “A moonlit beach, you, and Blardonnay—what more could a man want?”
“I could think of something.” The blonde leaned into him and caressed his muscular chest.
Brynley’s hands curled into fists.
“Later, baby. First, we’ll enjoy our Blardonnay, and then—” He whipped off his towel.
Marta and Sarah squealed. Brynley’s heart lurched up her throat.
He wasn’t naked, but the little swimsuit he had on left no doubt that the Love Doctor was truly gifted in his field of expertise.
“Oh, Dr. Phang.” The blonde’s hand drifted down his washboard abs. “Let me pop your cork.”
Phineas took the bottle from her and gazed into the camera. “Remember, ladies. If you want me, you’ll want my Blardonnay.”
Brynley dragged in a shaky breath as the commercial ended. Another one started, one for Vampos, the vampire after-dinner mint guaranteed to get rid of blood breath, and she muted it.
“I just love the Blardonnay commercials!” Marta exclaimed. “Phineas is so hot!”
Brynley clenched her jaw shut. Stay cool. Don’t let anyone know how strongly he affects you.
“He’s a nice guy, too,” Sarah added. “He helped rescue Lara and me at Apollo’s compound.”
“He sounds wonderful. And so hot!” Marta gave Brynley a sly look. “Don’t you think he’s hot?”
She squeezed the remote in her fist. Did they suspect her true feelings? “He’s a Vamp. He’s not my type.”
Marta scoffed. “Handsome, muscular hunks aren’t your type?”
She shrugged. “I’m used to werewolf guys. They’re all well built. Phineas is nothing special.”
Toni chuckled as she strode into the room. “Then you won’t mind seeing him. He’s waiting for you in the main office.”
The remote control tumbled from her hand.
Vanda grabbed it off the floor. “I’ll take care of this while you go talk to him.”
“What?” Brynley whispered in a faint voice.
“You need to talk to him.” Vanda’s mouth twitched. “You remember how to talk?”
Her mouth dropped open. Phineas was here? He wanted to see her?
“Dr. Phang is here?” Marta pressed a hand to her chest. “Oh my gosh, do you think he would give me an autograph?”
Sarah lifted a hand. “I’d like one, too.”
“He’s here for me,” Brynley snapped, then winced at the fierceness of her tone. Dammit. She was too much on edge. Her inner wolf had wakened and jumped to her defense.
She softened her voice. “I’ll ask him about the autographs.”
“Great! Thanks!” Marta exchanged an amused look with her sister, Vanda.
Anger sparked inside Brynley. They were finding her situation humorous. She sprawled in her chair as if she had no intention of getting up for a week. “On second thought, I have no interest in seeing him at all.”
“He’s not too keen about seeing you, either,” Vanda said wryly.
Her fingers dug into the chair’s upholstery. “Then why is he here?”
“He needs help.” Toni quickly explained his mission to Wyoming and why she’d had to refuse his request for assistance from the werewolf boys. “But then we realized you were the perfect solution.”
“Absolutely,” Vanda agreed. “You know the territory, and you can guard him during the day.”
Brynley’s heart raced. Her inner wolf trembled, ecstatic at the thought of returning home. But how could she live alone with Phineas in a tiny hunting cabin? Guard him? “I’d be more tempted to kill him.”
Toni snickered. “That’s exactly what he said.”
Ouch. Somehow that hurt, coming from him. He didn’t trust her. Hell, he didn’t even like her. He was always calling her ugly names like Snout-Face. She couldn’t do this.
She needed a legitimate excuse, and unfortunately, she had a doozy. “There’s no way I can go back to Wyoming. My father would hunt me down and force me into a marriage against my will.”
“If you find yourself in a bad situation,” Vanda said, “then Phineas can simply teleport you back here.”
Only at nighttime. During the day, he was useless. He couldn’t protect her against the numerous minions that her father controlled. She crossed her arms. “I’m not going.”
Everyone regarded her with disapproving frowns. Even her inner wolf snarled at her.
“Corky must be brought to justice,” Teddy said.
“Not my problem,” Brynley muttered. “It’s a vampire thing.”
Toni helped herself to some popcorn. “Well, if that’s how you feel, you’ll have to tell him no.”
“Right.” Vanda sat next to her sister, Marta. “You can tell him.”
Brynley remained seated, her anger spiking. One more game of manipulation. They thought it was amusing to force her to talk to Phineas. She jumped to her feet. “Fine! I’ll tell him to buzz off. And I’ll enjoy it.”
She marched down the hall, then halted in the office doorway, ready to berate him from afar before making a quick exit.
He was on the phone, his back to her, and her extra-sharp hearing could pick up the voice that was talking to him.
“The problem is you, Phineas. I just don’t like you.”
Brynley’s breath caught. Who was this woman?
Phineas stiffened. “You should have told me that before I wasted two and a half years pursuing you.”
The voice on the phone heaved an exasperated sigh. “Sheesh, I was trying to chase you away from the beginning. It’s not my fault if you were too stupid to get the message.”
Brynley’s eyes narrowed. This lady was a real bitch.
“I was being persistent,” Phineas muttered. “I thought I could win you over with time.”
“I don’t want to be won over,” the bitch insisted. “Not by a former drug dealer.”
Brynley’s jaw dropped. What the hell? Phineas had a dark past?
“I told you I could explain that,” he said.
“I don’t want to hear it! I’m subjected to stories all day long from the criminals I bring in. It’s never their fault. They’re always innocent. They’re just victims. Blah, blah, blah. It’s all a bunch of bullshit.”
“I’m not a criminal, LaToya.”
“Yes, you are. There’s an outstanding warrant for your arrest. And if drug dealing isn’t bad enough, you have this whole Love Doctor thing that really turns me off.”
“That was a joke,” he gritted out. “I thought it would make you laugh.”
“So you’re a clown?”
Brynley shook her head. This LaToya bitch was a judgmental shrew. She didn’t deserve Phineas.
“I never trusted you!” LaToya’s voice rose. “I know you’re a sleazebag. You’re always coming on to women with your slimy Dr. Phang routine. ‘I’m the Love Doctor and I’ve got the cure.’ ”
Brynley’s hands balled into fists. Now the bitch was mocking him. She affected a sweet, but loud voice that LaToya would be sure to hear. “Oh, Phineas, darling! When are you coming back to bed?”
He jumped. The receiver popped from his hand and clattered onto the desk as he whirled around.
She smirked at the flabbergasted look on his face. “Oh, please, Phineas! Make love to me one more time! No one makes me scream like you.”
A shriek erupted from the phone. “You see? I knew you were a womanizing asshole! If you ever call me again—”
Phineas snatched up the receiver. “Not a problem. You’ll never hear from me again.” He slammed the receiver down, then glared at Brynley. “What the hell are you doing? You have no right to interfere in my personal life.”
She lifted her chin. “I didn’t want to listen to her anymore. She’s a bitch.”
He glowered at her. “Takes one to know one.”
Ouch. “Instead of insulting me, you should be thanking me. I helped you get rid of her.”
“I don’t need your help.”
“I believe you do. I heard you need someone to guard your dead carcass during the day.”
“My dead carcass is none of your business.”
She scoffed. “Then who’s going to keep the field mice from nibbling on your toes?”
“I’ll keep my boots on.”
She took a step toward him. “It’s not safe for you to be alone during the day.”
“Since when would I be safe with you?”
Ouch. He really didn’t trust her at all. She planted her hands on her hips. “I can show you around Wyoming and help you with your mission.”
His eyes narrowed. “Are you volunteering?”
“Are you hard of hearing?”
“What about your father? I thought you ran away from him. You’re not afraid—”
“You calling me a coward?” she snapped.
Phineas studied her a moment, his dark eyes searching her own.
She stared back, determined not to back down. But dammit, he could probably hear her heart racing.
“You’re the bravest woman I’ve ever met,” he said softly.
Her chest tightened. She didn’t know what to say, so responded by crossing her arms. She had to be crazy, agreeing to go to Wyoming with him. But she hated the way that bitch LaToya had treated him. He deserved better than that.
And there was another reason. Ever since she’d run away from home, her inner wolf had grown increasingly pervasive. She could feel it inside her now, snarling and demanding to go home. It didn’t care about Phineas or Corky. It just wanted to go home.
Phineas cleared his throat, drawing her attention. “Vanda said you would want me to follow a Three-Step rule?”
Her mouth fell open. Holy cow, she’d been set up. She might have to kill Vanda for this. And that would really upset her brother.
“What are your rules?” Phineas asked.
“Don’t worry about it. I don’t think they apply to you.”
He stiffened. “Why not? Because I’m a Vamp?”
Because you don’t like me. She quickly changed the subject. “Before I forget, Marta and Sarah want your autograph.”
“Why?”
Brynley snorted. “Because Marta wants to steal your identity and become the next Blardonnay guy. She’ll look great, topless with a towel around her hips. I don’t think anyone will notice the difference.”
Phineas frowned at her. “I don’t have breasts.”
“Man-boobs.” Brynley motioned toward his chest. “They do stick out a little.”
“That’s muscle!”
She waved her hand dismissively. “The autographs, please. Your rabid fans are waiting.”
He grabbed a pen and pad of paper off the desk. “One to Marta?”
“Yes, and one to Sarah.”
He scrawled their names and his signature on two pieces of paper, then handed them to her. “I don’t suppose you want one?”
She scoffed. “I know who you are.”
“Fine.” He tossed the pen and pad of paper on the desk. “Can you be ready to leave in thirty minutes?”
“Sure.” She stuffed the autographs in her jeans pocket. “I suggest you pack more than a beach towel and your skimpy little swimsuit. You’ll need boots, a hat, and a jacket. You’re only alive at night, and it can get chilly then. And make sure you bring plenty of bottled blood.”
His brow arched. “Afraid I’ll bite?”
“Afraid I will?”
He stepped toward her. “Why are you doing this?”
It was obvious he didn’t trust her. She lifted her chin in defiance. “Are you worried, Phineas? You should be. Who knows what I’ll do to you when you’re completely helpless and totally at my mercy. I painted Connor’s fingernails pink, you know.”
His mouth twisted with a wry look. “Do you enjoy playing with dead bodies, Brynley?”
“Maybe I just enjoy seeing you dead, bloodsucker.”
“Snout-Face.” He stepped closer. “I know you hate Vamps, so why are you doing this?”
She shrugged. “I heard you were desperate. Must be your charming personality. It’s left you all alone with no one to help you.”
“I’m charming enough that you agreed.”
“I was your last choice.”
His jaw clenched. “You think so?”
“You wanted some of the boys to go with you, but they can’t leave school. I’m the last one you wanted.”
His eyes darkened as he stared at her.
She didn’t look away, even though her heart pounded in her ears.
He lifted a hand, then stopped with his fingers a mere inch from her cheek. “You have no idea what I want.”
The intensity of his gaze made her arms pebble with gooseflesh.
He stepped back, lowering his hand. “I’ll return for you in thirty minutes.” His form wavered, then vanished.
She dragged in a deep breath to calm her racing heart, then reached up to press her fingertips against the cheek he’d come so close to touching.
Oh God, what had she gotten herself into? She’d let her emotions dictate her actions. And her inner wolf. It was thrilled to be going home. Excited that in a few nights, it would be running through the forest, feeling completely free.
As a teenager, she’d been trained to pay attention to the desires of the inner wolf. Its instincts were raw and simple. Animalistic, but blatantly honest. Trust the wolf, the elders had always told her. The wolf knows best.
But this time, she feared the wolf was wrong. Going to Wyoming was dangerous. If her father found her, he’d drag her back home. She would end up losing her freedom.
And she couldn’t let Phineas know she was hopelessly attracted to him. She’d have to be strong. And ruthless. Or she might end up losing her heart.