Dangerous Sacrifice (The Harcourte Vampyre Society Book 6) Read online

  Only it wasn’t that easy.

  It wasn’t all about the killing for Flynn. It was about his mates and keeping them alive.

  As they sipped wine and stared into the flames, Flynn sat up all of a sudden. He sensed someone approaching their home.

  “We have a visitor.”

  That was all Jacques had to hear. He scanned, and they could feel the vampyre approaching the door.

  No one moved.

  Before long, there was a knock.

  “I’ll go,” Flynn said. “If there are more than one or it’s the Tueur, get her out of here by way of the cave. I’ll be fine. They can’t kill me.”

  Jacques took Jolie from his lap.

  She wanted desperately to go with him.

  Jolie wanted to stand beside him in battle.

  ‘I have this, my love. Please guard our children,’ he whispered into her mind.

  She opted to listen.

  Flynn would keep them safe. The last time she ‘disobeyed’ something they’d asked, she’d nearly died—not to mention that Flynn had to become a demon to pay for her sins.

  They sat in silence as their mate headed toward the door.

  When he returned, he was holding a note in his hand. It was inside a black envelope.

  “Whoever it was, they left.”

  They all relaxed.

  Flynn dropped the note on the table.

  It was addressed to Jolie.

  “Who do you think it’s from?” she asked.

  Flynn knew. He could smell the vampyre on the paper. The scent was faint, but it was there.

  “It’s from Liam. I don’t know what his plan is or why he’s contacting us, but the vampyre must be out of his damn mind.”

  Jacques agreed.

  The messenger risked being killed. Whatever was in there had to be important.

  “Let’s open it.”

  She reached for it, and he stopped her.

  “Let me.”

  Jolie waited while Flynn opened the envelope. When nothing fell out, and he didn’t sense black mojo or a spell, he let her have it.

  Jolie unfolded it and read it out loud.

  ‘Mistress Jolie,

  I’m sending this to you out of desperation. If it’s possible, can you come to our home and talk about something urgent? We need your help. The council has lost two more vampyres to black magick. We fear for our lives.

  You’re the most powerful vampyre we know. When you killed Selene, she was the one protecting us. We need you. If you don’t help, we’ll all perish.

  Please.

  I need your help.

  Liam.’

  “No!” stated Jacques. “We aren’t going to help them. This is their issue, and we’re not going to get involved. If we do, we’ll get stuck in the middle, and that is the last thing we need.”

  She let him vent.

  “Flynn?”

  “I agree.”

  Jolie thought about it.

  “Rinnon?” she called. “I need you.”

  Flynn growled, knowing what she was trying to do. As he fought hard to keep the demon at bay, he pushed past, coming to the surface.

  “Yes, my love?”

  She asked his opinion.

  “We are stuck here for a while. We should help. Besides, I love killing witches. They are wicked little spawns.”

  Jolie grinned. “I say we help.”

  “Why does he get two votes?” asked Jacques, pointing at his mate.

  “He’s technically two people, right?”

  Flynn laughed. “Leave it to you to find a technicality on this one. I’m not two people. I’m one person, and you know it.”

  She shrugged. At this point, Jolie would do whatever it took to make it happen.

  Still, she wasn’t done. To add to it, Jolie called for Vanth, and she popped into the room.

  “Yes, Mistress?”

  “Want to eat a witch?” she asked.

  Vanth began bouncing and giggling. “All of her?”

  “Yes.”

  “I’m in.”

  Jolie smiled in triumph. “It looks like it’s three to one. Finally! I’ve won one!”

  Flynn growled low in his chest, battling past the demon to be the logical one.

  He was going to put her over his knee and…

  ∞ Chapter Seventeen ∞

  Somewhere Over

  The Atlantic Ocean

  It took them a little while to shake every tail they had, but Detective Tommy Gress managed to keep his family safe. All day, he felt eyes on him, and he didn’t doubt who it was.

  The Tueur.

  There was only one part of the day, at high noon, that he felt safe. That’s when he made his move. Driving to the airport, he had passports ready for all of them.

  Once inside the terminal, there was a private plane waiting for them. He knew that it was going to be a paper trail, but that was okay. He’d land and worry about it later. It would take the Tueur some time to figure out that Camille and Cari had been in his vehicle and with death the entire day.

  By then, they’d be gone.

  It was what would get them away from the prying vampyre eyes.

  Now that they were flying above the ocean, he could take a minute to relax. The flight was calm, but he wasn’t. All day, he wondered if he should find another hidey-hole or leave the country. This had been such a hard decision. In the United States, at least he was a cop, and he knew where he stood. Racing to Europe made his gut wary.

  He prayed he’d made the right decision.

  A part of him was worried sick that he’d made a mistake and the innocents would pay for it. Now that he had a family that he loved, he didn’t want to lose them. The mere idea that Camille, Cari, or the baby she was carrying could be hurt, killed him.

  Staring out the window, he watched the lights flicker on the wings of the plane.

  “Tommy?” Camille asked, touching his arm to get his attention.

  “Yes, sweetheart? Are you okay?”

  Camille moved closer to his side, and immediately, he tucked her beneath his arm.

  “You feel worried. Do you want to talk about it?” she asked.

  “I’m wondering if leaving the country was a good idea. I don’t want to risk you or Cari.”

  “We need to go to the mistress.”

  He stared down at her. It was clear that his face must have said it all.

  “When I was trapped and ready to end my life to escape, she took us in. That’s the only reason I found you. If she didn’t, this baby would be someone else’s child, and I would be nothing more than breeding stock.”

  “If you get hurt…”

  She kissed him softly. “You’re a good man, Tommy, but our duty is to the primus. This is our world you’re in now. Like Master Flynn, once you cross into this realm, you serve like a vampyre. If the mistress needs someone to save her, we need to be there for her. She has her duties, and we have ours.”

  He sighed.

  “I’ll be fine. We’re going to be safe, and you and I are going to have more children. I promise.”

  “Lots of them?” he asked hopefully.

  Camille grinned. “As many as you want.”

  “Okay, I feel better. When we land…”

  She knew what he was going to say. “I’ll stick by your side, Cari will not wander away, and we’ll let you do what you do best.”

  He stared at her. “Geez! Am I that predictable?”

  She laughed. “Yes, but Master Flynn is too. Don’t feel so bad. I’ve heard him give the mistress that same lecture. It’s either the cop in you or the human.”

  He kissed her softly on the lips.

  “Mmmm, that was nice.”

  He had to agree there.

  “We’ll land soon. Maybe you and I can make out a little while Cari is with death?”

  She giggled as he pulled her into his lap. “I can make that happen.”

  Tommy kissed his mate, trying to forget what they were wading into once they la
nded.

  It wasn’t easy, but for his friend, mate, and the primus he’d sworn allegiance to, he’d give it his best shot.

  For now…

  * * * H a r c o u r t e * * *

  Paris

  Underground Cell

  His body screamed in pain.

  Alexzandre felt like he’d been tortured for years—not days. There wasn’t a part of his body that didn’t ache, hurt, or bleed. His eyes were swollen shut, his lips torn open from biting his own lip to keep from screaming, and his chest looked like someone had played Tic Tac Toe across it.

  He was dying.

  There was no doubt in his mind that he was never going to escape that hell. The more he called for Jolie in his mind, the more desperate he became. Somehow, the asshole who had him was keeping his mind locked.

  Jolie couldn’t possibly be getting his messages. There was no way she wouldn’t reply.

  She loved him.

  Right?

  He was desperate. Closing his eyes and using his very limited energy, he sent out a message to anyone who could hear him. Alexzandre needed salvation, and soon.

  His time was running out.

  After whispering his plea, he sagged to his knees, dangling from the silver chains holding him prisoner.

  They would be back soon.

  The pain would continue.

  It was only a matter of time.

  He couldn’t wait to die.

  If this was his fate, he was done.

  It was time to let go of this world to find some peace.

  He heard the cell door and braced for it.

  It was time for round ten and more spilled blood.

  * * * H a r c o u r t e * * *

  Friday Early Morning

  After telling them she was going to head to Liam’s to see what he wanted, the men lost their minds. Normally, Jacques was calm, cool, and collected, but he’d pretty much told her, in no uncertain terms, if she went, there’d be hell to pay.

  Flynn had been about as adamant that it wasn’t happening, but she could tell he was the one who would budge. Maybe it was because he wasn’t stressed by his tattoo or because he knew that she needed to do this.

  He was still in control.

  While Jolie understood their stance on the situation, one thing remained true.

  She would always help her people—family or foe.

  “We need to talk,” she said, as her mates glanced up at her from their spots in the room.

  “No, we don’t,” Jacques offered. “You’re not going, and that’s it. I can’t protect you if you keep trying to wear the target.”

  “Bull’s-eye,” Flynn corrected.

  “Whatever. It doesn’t matter. You’re not going.”

  Jolie knew they were going to fight her as much as possible on this, so she was biding her time.

  “I am going. It’s a matter of when, not if.”

  Jacques stood from his chair and crossed the room.

  “Where are you going?” Flynn asked.

  “I need a shower and to handle some of our finances. If I stay here, I’m going to put more holes in the walls.”

  Flynn watched him leave.

  That temper was getting worse and worse, and he was worried about it.

  Still, he had other issues to manage.

  When he was gone, he went to say something.

  “Please don’t. I need to do this, and I need your help,” she stated.

  “Jolie, baby, I understand that need, but you’re in danger. I need you to see it from our side too.”

  “I do, but when aren’t I in danger? When am I going to be safe?” she asked. “We can’t let them lock us in a cage, Flynn. That’s what they’re doing. I’m in a prison. I’m trapped. That’s no way to live. The Tueur has already succeeded in making me nothing more than a captive. This isn’t how I want to live.”

  He understood, but it didn’t change the situation. It was only temporary.

  When the babies were born…

  She heard his thoughts. “Then they’ll still come for them. When our children are born, do you think they’ll stop? If they can’t kill them before I have them, they’ll try for them after. It’s never going to end, so we might as well face it head on.”

  She had a point.

  But…

  They had to keep her safe. The best way to keep her protected was to keep Jolie out of the public eye.

  They had to buy some time.

  “Flynn, please,” she said, moving toward him. When she sat in his lap, his body tensed.

  “You can’t use sex to sway me, Jolie.”

  She stared at him. There was hurt in her eyes. She’d never even thought to do that. Jolie only wanted to sit in his lap to feel his comforting touch.

  “Ouch. That you’d even think I’d do that hurts me, Flynn. I’d never do that to you. I respect us too much to cheapen it.”

  He sighed in frustration. Now he was getting bitchy like Jacques. Flynn needed to reel it in, and fast.

  Jolie went to pull away. Only he stopped her.

  “I’m sorry. I’m on edge. Please stay in my lap, baby.”

  She relaxed, resting her head on his shoulder while he soothed her with his touch.

  Finally, he was calm enough to think straight. “Why is this so important to you?”

  “They’re my people. What if someone was killing humans and you had the power to stop them. If it was dangerous, wouldn’t you still do it?”

  He stared at her.

  One of the biggest problems with Jolie was that she was too smart for THEIR own good. She could out think them easily.

  “I’m not carrying children, so this situation is a little different, baby.”

  “That’s true, but we’re also the strongest we’ve ever been.”

  It was time to go with logic.

  “What if the ones who are using black magick come for us? What if they start targeting me, just as the Tueur finds us? What will happen then?”

  He knew the answer.

  They’d be even weaker, and as the demon, he might be stopped. While a vamp couldn’t kill him, and he really couldn’t die, black magick could bind him. All it would take is the right spell, and that’s it. They knew she had Vanth, and technically, any spell they threw out could take him down too.

  Shit!

  She had a point.

  He hated this.

  “I’ll reach for Jacques and see if he’ll change his mind. If he does, we’ll discuss it and plan.”

  Jolie touched his cheek. “Thank you for understanding my need to do this.”

  Flynn closed his eyes and reached for his mate. At first, Jacques didn’t answer, but then he finally did.

  Only Flynn was surprised by the snapping, angry tone he took with him.

  ‘I’m showering and then working. I don’t want to be bothered.’

  ‘But…’

  ‘No, Flynn, I need time to clear my head. Please give me that.’

  He slammed the connection between them closed.

  Apparently, he was done with talking.

  “What did he say?” she asked.

  “He isn’t interested in having a conversation about it. He shut me out.”

  Jolie began pacing as she tried to work out a plan.

  Flynn could see how distraught she was over all of this. He was worried about the babies.

  “Jolie?” he said, not believing he was going to say this.

  “What?”

  “Get changed. We’re taking a little trip to see Liam.”

  “Really?” she asked. “Without Jacques? You’re really going to take me?”

  He sighed.

  This was a potentially explosive situation, but he tried to talk to his mate, only to be shut out.

  “Yeah, without Jacques. He made his choice, and now I have to make mine. I’ll deal with the ramifications later.”

  She kissed him soundly on the mouth. “I love you. Thank you for trusting me.”

  What choice did
he have?

  There was no doubt in his mind that she’d sneak away on her own. At least if he went with her, keeping Jolie safe, Jacques wouldn’t lose his mind.

  Or so he hoped.

  Then again…

  * * * H a r c o u r t e * * *

  After the two had left the house, it was time for them to make their move. They didn’t know how long they would have until they returned, but they had their plans.

  It was time to get rid of the foreigner before she could stick her nose where it didn’t belong.

  She needed to be stopped.

  “Are you sure this will work?” asked the woman, following the directions exactly as he had worked the spell.

  Doing this right mattered.

  “Yes, you heard the boss. This will make her life difficult and the vampyre men too. Before we know it, they’ll leave Ireland and be on their merry way.”

  That was their goal.

  They needed to get them to leave.

  This twisted spell would do just that.

  “After they get a load of this one, they won’t be so merry,” she said.

  “Exactly,” he replied, handing her salts and the bundles of herbs.

  The people in the house were going to be very unhappy when they found out they were now targets too.

  “Let’s get down to business. I don’t want to be here long. They might come back.”

  She agreed, and they planted one hell of a spell.

  It was one the female vampyre would never forget.

  * * * H a r c o u r t e * * *

  Liam Connor’s

  Home

  When they arrived, Flynn was tense. He knew this could be a trap, but he had to respect his mate for wanting to help her people. After all, he was a cop.

  That’s what he did every day.

  The need to protect and serve was in his blood, so why couldn’t it be in hers too?