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

  “Come here, Jacques,” Flynn said, standing up.

  He enfolded his mate into his arms and they stood there until Jacques felt better. When he did, only then did he set him free.

  “Better?”

  “Yes.”

  “We won’t tell Jolie about this.”

  He was surprised. “Why?”

  “It’s fixed. If we can’t come together and handle a situation like this without involving her, we have issues.”

  He laughed. “Like when our daughters date?”

  Flynn laughed at that. “Yeah, it’s never happening. The first vampyre who sniffs around my daughter is going to have issues. Demon daddy will live up to his name.”

  The men sat and there was that peace.

  “We have another issue,” Flynn offered.

  “Jolie?”

  “Yes. She’s bored out of her mind.”

  He was aware.

  While Flynn was more than willing to let her go out at night, Jacques was…hesitant.

  Yes, Flynn could block them.

  Yes, he was so strong they might be fine.

  Jacques simply was worried they’d see her go down, and that would kill them both.

  “We have to let her out.”

  His heart skipped.

  Jacques felt panicky.

  “Maybe we can take her shopping,” suggested Flynn. “She always enjoys going out to buy things. We can’t keep her locked away.”

  “I just have this overwhelming need to hide her from the world until our girls are born,” confessed Jacques to his mate. “I just keep thinking if we hide her, no one will find her, and we’ll be okay.”

  Sadly, Flynn knew how he felt, but it wasn’t true. His gifts would only keep them hidden for so long. Once they were revealed, it would be out of control.

  “I know how you feel. It’s been relatively quiet the last three months, and no one is hunting us or trying to kill us…”

  “But?” added Jacques, waiting. “I feel something bad getting ready to come out of your mouth.”

  Yeah, he was right.

  “Death told us to come here to fix the family issue, but it’s not popping up. It’s not going to either if we stay inside all the time. We can’t hide here forever in Ireland. At some point, we need to figure out how to beat the Tueur, and that means heading to Paris.”

  He hated that idea.

  While Jacques was a defense kind of vamp, Flynn was an offense type of demon. He wanted to head straight into it to catch them off guard.

  That scared the hell out of Jacques.

  “I’ll be honest, Jacques. Once the protection comes down, and it will, we’re no safer here than in our home in New Orleans.” Flynn offered.

  Jacques sighed, “I know you are right, Flynn, but what do we do?”

  “I know she’s not happy, Jacques. She misses Cari and Camille. Her heart is sad and heavy because she can’t see how baby Ariel is doing—not to mention how worried sick she is about the rest of the family. I know she feels like she has abandoned them to the mercy of the Tueur.”

  “So you think I’m being too paranoid?”

  Flynn patted his hand. “Absolutely not! I know what they want to do, and I know that they intend to get to her, but hiding her won’t last forever. We’ll get complacent. We’ll get sloppy. Out there, I’m prepared. We need to have a better plan and hiding isn’t it.”

  Jacques knew Jolie was suffering. They were in a beautiful country, and they were trapped inside a house. Percy and Mina were the only ones who left, and only when the sun was at its highest.

  “Okay, I tend to agree.”

  “So,” inquired Flynn. “Should we let her live a little?”

  “Can you keep her safe?” he asked. It was wrong to doubt his mate, but he was scared.

  “I can.”

  As Jacques was about to answer, Flynn stood from the table and his eyes bled black. There was a flutter of wings, his fangs slipped into his mouth, and his face said it all.

  “What’s wrong?” Jacques asked, as he, too, stood with his mate.

  Flynn scanned the area. “We have a vampyre heading this way.”

  Jacques couldn’t sense him yet.

  “Does he know…?”

  Flynn wasn’t sure. “I don’t think so.”

  “How did they find us? We’re in the middle of nowhere—no phones, no credit cards, and no way for anyone to locate us.”

  This was Jacques’s biggest fear.

  “Family doesn’t even know where to find us. Ireland is not known for having a lot of rogue vampyres. This is the one place where the Tueur doesn’t come often. The societies are hardcore here.”

  Flynn had to suspect that someone spotted Percy and Mina. That was the only way. Jolie was covered. Her aura was cloaked in his demon energy, as was Jacques’s. They couldn’t spot them.

  This had to be about their family.

  The vampyre moved closer.

  They could both feel him now.

  Flynn closed his eyes. “Vanth! Come here.”

  The demoness appeared in the room. Since they had no need for a donor, she popped in and out of wherever she liked to hide out—or at Flynn’s call.

  “Yes, Master?”

  “Go upstairs and babysit Jolie. We have someone coming this way, and we need her safe.”

  “Do you want me to help you, Master?”

  Flynn shook his head. “No. We’ve got this. You guard her with your life.”

  The demoness disappeared.

  “We never contacted the council when we moved here,” Jacques offered, trying to rationalize how they found out. “I didn’t know if we could trust them.”

  Flynn was still tracking the vampyre. “They had to follow Percy. They likely spotted him on a supply run, and tracked his energy back here.”

  He agreed.

  “Word travels fast when vampyres feel a disturbance. They had to see him in town.”

  That was Flynn’s fault. He couldn’t keep them hidden once they left the house. That protection was on them or Jolie. He couldn’t be two places at once.

  He chose his mates, and he always would.

  “I’ll go out,” Flynn offered.

  Jacques was by his side. “We’re both going to handle this,” he stated.

  Flynn couldn’t die, but Jacques could. Then again, he was a trained guardian. Jacques wasn’t exactly weak. Plus, if Flynn was stabbed in the heart, he was ‘technically’ dead until someone pulled out the blade.

  That was a very negative twist to his gift.

  “Okay, let’s go.”

  Flynn, true to his normal self, grabbed a gun that he had hidden in the cabinet. Immediately, he checked the magazine.

  Silver bullets.

  Check.

  It was shoot to kill at this point to protect Jolie and the babies. He wouldn’t have to get too close to the intruder to take him out, and that was important. If there were more coming, he didn’t want to give the vampyre time to warn anyone else.

  “Ready, Flynn?” asked Jacques, setting the alarm as they cleared the house. If it went off, they’d have another warning.

  “Ready.”

  Outside, Flynn headed through the trees, his eyes black and his claws already out.

  He wasn’t taking any chances.

  ‘I can smell someone has been here, and it is the same vampyre who has been here before—just closer. He is getting more…daring,’ whispered Flynn, picking up the scent.

  Jacques could smell it now, and he committed it to memory. Now he could find the intruder if they crossed paths on the street.

  ‘I’ll head to the left, and you take the right until we sweep the entire area.’

  Jacques was good with that. He trusted his mate to have this under control.

  ‘Kill anything or anyone you find. We can dispose of the problem later—if we must.’

  Oh, Flynn wasn’t going to ask them in for tea—that was for damn sure. If he found someone, and they appeared threatening,
they were dead.

  Flynn kept scanning, and before long, there was that tickle between his shoulder blades as the protection tattoo warmed under his shirt.

  Yeah, something was out there.

  The demon was responding.

  Both men moved through the night, looking for the vampyre who had tracked them to their home. The intruder was in some serious trouble.

  It was going to depend on who found him. If it was Jacques, they might live.

  Flynn was out to kill.

  Silently, they moved through the night, stalking the would-be predator. Flynn was picking up traces of his scent and energy that had been left behind.

  For now, it appeared that he’d left.

  ‘Anything, Jacques?’

  ‘Nothing. No one is here. Whoever came to the perimeter of the house is now gone into the night.’

  That didn’t make either of them feel any better. Now they had a problem.

  Was their intruder friend or foe?

  If it were the latter, would he be returning with some friends? This whole situation had gotten more dangerous.

  They were being tracked.

  That didn’t sit well with Flynn.

  For now, they were safe. Was that going to be true tomorrow when the sun came up?

  It looked like it was going to be a long night for Flynn, and an even longer day.

  He wouldn’t be resting anytime soon.

  In fact, he may never rest again.

  He was fine with that.

  It was for his family.

  * * * H a r c o u r t e * * *

  Jolie wasn’t a fool.

  She knew something was up.

  As she soaked in the lavender scented tub, Vanth appeared out of nowhere, nearly scaring her to death.

  “Really?” she asked.

  “Sorry, Mistress, I was just popping in to see how you and the babies were doing.”

  Jolie stood, wrapping a towel around her body to begin drying off. “We’re good. They’re swimming around in there as happy as can be.”

  Vanth moved closer. “May I?” she asked, pointing at her belly.

  Jolie didn’t mind.

  Vanth was part of her family, and the demoness had earned her place among them. Plus, she was loyal to Flynn. Why? She didn’t know, but she was attached at the hip—like a pet.

  “You may.”

  When Vanth’s hand touched her, there was a wave of heat, and the two little lives began reacting to it.

  Vanth actually giggled.

  “What?”

  “You’re going to have your hands full, Mistress. They’re feisty little girls.”

  Jolie grinned. “Can they really hear me?” she asked, stroking her belly.

  “Yes, they can, and they’re both…”

  She shut up.

  “What is it, Vanth?”

  She shook her head.

  “Tell me.”

  “If I do, Master Flynn will be angry.”

  That scared her. “Please.”

  Vanth weighed her options. “They’re both demons. His blood converted them both.”

  Jolie laughed. “Yeah, that’s old news. Baby two flapped her wings today.” Then she paused. “They really aren’t going to come out with wings, are they?”

  Vanth smiled. “No, they’ll come out all slimy and covered in goo.” She got excited. “Can I lick them when they’re born? I won’t chew on them. I swear! I just want to taste them.”

  Jolie stared at her. “Uh, no. You won’t lick them, or try to eat anything the day they’re born.”

  “You’re tough,” she said, trying to keep Jolie occupied. Vanth could hear her master talking in her head, and the last thing he wanted was Jolie heading outside.

  They knew she’d do it too.

  “Are you the only demon who snacks?” she asked, hoping Flynn wouldn’t get a predilection for eating anyone.

  Then again, they drank blood.

  It was essentially the same thing.

  “Flynn and I aren’t the same kind of demon,” she offered, taking a seat. “He’s more…I don’t know… a reincarnation of Rinnon. Since he’s dead, and he can’t come back, his essence was in the form of demon. That’s how Death pulled it off.”

  She understood.

  Somewhat.

  As Jolie got dressed, she noticed that Vanth was following her around. It wasn’t just following. It was hovering.

  Immediately, that made her suspicious.

  “Okay, what’s going on?”

  “Going on? What makes you think something is going on?” the demoness asked. “Want to play cards?”

  Jolie stared at her.

  “Flynn! Jacques!” she called, staring at Vanth. When they didn’t reply, she reached for them with her mind.

  When Jolie touched Jacques’s mind, she hit a wall.

  When it touched Flynn’s, she was given access, but it was all darkness and no conversation.

  ‘Flynn Xavier Brogan, what are you doing?’ she asked, silently into his mind. ‘Did you sic Vanth on me to keep me busy?’

  There was no reply—only his laughter.

  Of course, she’d figure it out.

  ‘Give me a moment, baby, and I’ll be all yours. Want to get naked and have sex?’

  He was trying to distract her.

  JUST LIKE VANTH.

  ‘Flynn, what’s wrong?’ she asked.

  ‘Stay with Vanth, baby. We’re handling a possible intruder.’

  That was all she had to hear.

  Immediately, she raced for the door, only to find it sealed shut.

  “Vanth! Let me out! They might need me!”

  The demoness shook her head. “I’m sorry, Mistress, but I can’t. I have my orders.”

  “From Flynn?”

  She shook her head. “No, Death.”

  Jolie wanted to be sick.

  Her mates might be in danger, and she was trapped.

  Like a helpless child.

  Well, this really sucked.

  ∞ Chapter Three ∞

  The hike back to the house was unproductive.

  No one jumped out, tried for them, or was hiding in the shadows. The vamp was gone.

  It took him a few seconds to find his mate. Neither man, as they moved through the darkness, made any sound. That, in itself, was astounding—especially since they were walking through a forest of dead grass, branches, and leaves.

  When Jacques arrived at his side, they continued the walk back in silence. With the isolated house in the distance, they were glad to be back.

  Apparently, the intruder didn’t make it to the house. They might have scared him away. There were no tracks in the wet grass other than theirs.

  “I don’t like this,” Jacques finally stated.

  Yeah, Flynn didn’t either.

  “Let’s head in. I don’t like being a sitting duck out here in case it’s the Tueur using Voodoo.”

  Jacques agreed with him.

  Both headed into the house and toward their shared room. Outside the door, Flynn knocked.

  “Vanth, it’s us.”

  It magically unlocked.

  As soon as they were inside, Jolie was on them.

  “Are you both okay?” she asked.

  “My love, we’re just fine. Please don’t worry yourself over Flynn and myself. I think we can handle it.”

  Flynn grinned, and his fangs peeked out from behind his lips.

  “I was just worried that you weren’t okay.”

  “Baby, we’re more than okay. Really,” added Flynn, kissing her cheek as he soothingly rubbed her back.

  “I’m so glad,” she said, releasing them before she stepped back, “BECAUSE if you ever pull that crap again, I will make both of your lives incredibly miserable and painful.”

  Flynn tugged her toward him and onto his lap as he took a seat. He loved when she got all riled up. As she rested against him on the bed, he stared down into her eyes.

  “Don’t get bossy or you know what will hap
pen.”

  She laughed.

  Jolie only wished she could be put over his knee. Unfortunately, her children were now in the way.

  ‘I have my ways,’ he whispered into her mind. ‘I can punish my bad girl without you over my lap.’

  Jolie flushed seven shades of heat.

  She didn’t doubt he could.

  While she really wanted to be mad and pissed at them for blocking her out, she was just so damn grateful that neither was hurt.

  She was willing to let it go.

  ‘Good idea,’ Flynn whispered into her mind.

  ‘This one time only,’ she replied.

  “What did you find?” she finally asked when Jacques dropped down beside them.

  The look on his face said it all.

  It was going to be bad.

  Jolie could tell.

  “We definitely have a problem,” Jacques stated.

  Jolie took both their hands in hers. What was coming was scary, but she was up for anything as long as they were by her side.

  “Just tell me.”

  Flynn tucked her between them on the bed, and they cuddled.

  “We had an intruder,” Flynn began, telling her everything.

  Jolie listened without saying a single word to either of them. When they had finished, she had only one thing to say.

  “So, they’ve found me.”

  Someone had.

  They just weren’t sure who, and that was the most alarming part.

  * * * H a r c o u r t e * * *

  Italy

  Alexzandre Harcourte’s

  Home

  He sat in his chambers, watching the stars twinkle in the heavens. The entire time, he was enjoying a peaceful evening alone. Once more, it was a quiet night, and it was making him insane.

  Since leaving France, he’d been incredibly lonely, and he’d tried to fill his time with as many activities as he could.

  By activities, he meant the ladies.

  Alexzandre had been mated for so many years that he’d forgotten the buffet of beauties that were out there. The women in Italy were so passionate, and he loved each and every one.

  Well, for one night only.

  That was the best part of being a single vampyre in the city. You picked a lovely lady, had her back to your place, and dined on her in more ways than one.