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Dark Realms(67)



“Nikki.”

I turned to him. “What, Ethan?”

“You haven’t seen the last of me.”

I wish I could have pretended that those words didn’t affect me, but they did. He must have noticed my reaction, because he licked his lips and gave me a slow sexy smile.

“Goodbye, Ethan,” I said, walking away.





Chapter Twenty-Five





They lived in a large old colonial that was very well furnished. I’m not sure why I was so surprised; if they were vampires and could live for centuries, they had time to save for such luxuries.

“Nikki!” hollered my brother from the front door. “Are you okay?”

I was walking down a long spiral staircase that faced the front door where Nathan and Duncan stood. They were being held back by two other guys from the diner, who I assumed were also vampires. Celeste was also with them.

“I’m fine,” I said.

Duncan looked pissed and was glaring at the vampires. “Get out of our way so we can make sure she’s not hurt!”

“Now, now,” said Celeste. “She’s doing fine. She came here on her own free will, and isn’t hurt in the least.”

“Who are you?” asked Duncan.

She smiled. “I’m a friend of Nikki’s and Anne’s. I’m Caleb’s daughter, Celeste.”

“She’s fine,” confirmed Caleb, trying to ease the tension in the room. “And she’s not pressing charges because she came on her own free will.”

I walked to the front door and Duncan put his arms around me. “Are you okay?” he asked, searching my face.

“Yeah, I’m fine.”

Duncan frowned and looked at Caleb. “I should press charges against that asshole, Ethan, wherever he is.”

“I’m right here,” said Ethan, coming down from the top of the stairs.

“Okay, do you want to press charges?” asked Caleb.

Duncan glared at Ethan, who was smiling malevolently. “I just want him to leave Nikki alone,” he said.

“Nikki and I are friends,” replied Ethan, his eyes undressing me again. Even now I wanted to be underneath him, his mouth and hands everywhere. Especially when he looked at me that way – like I was his possession and he knew it.

“Right,” snapped Duncan.

“I remember you now,” said Celeste to Nathan. “You’re the cute guy from the grocery store the other night.”

Nathan’s eyes appeared to dilate as he stared at the beautiful vampire. A lopsided grin spread across his face. “I was wondering what happened to you. It’s nice to see you again.”

“And it’s very nice to see you,” she replied, twirling a red curl around her finger.

Duncan frowned. “Nathan, she’s with them. Don’t fall for this shit.”

Nathan ignored him, staring at her as if she was a buffet of food and he was dying of starvation. “So, Celeste, what are you doing with these jackasses?”

“I rode over here with my dad,” she answered. “I’m friends with Ethan and wanted to find out what was happening.” She looked at Duncan and smiled. “You must be Duncan?”

Duncan sighed. “Yeah.”

“I’ve heard all about you,” she said, putting her hands on her hips. “Nikki’s quite fond of you.”

He looked at me and I smiled.

Celeste yawned. “Guys, I’m getting really tired and I think everyone should go home now, it’s very late. Isn’t that right, Duncan?”

Duncan’s eyes dilated as their eyes met. “Yes, it’s getting late. We should all go home.”

“Good thinking,” she said with an amused expression. She turned to Caleb who looked satisfied at the change of events. “Daddy, I’m starving. Can we stop somewhere for a late snack on the way home?”

From the look in her eyes, I knew her snack wasn’t the type I’d enjoy. I quickly grabbed Duncan’s and Nathan’s hands. “We have to leave. Now.”

“Goodbye, Nikki,” called Ethan. “I’m sure I’ll be seeing you very soon.”

Duncan somehow snapped out of his trance. He stared at Ethan with hate. “Stay the fuck away from her!”

“Only if she wants me to,” he replied, his eyes still focused on me.

That had nothing to do with what I wanted from him. In fact, I knew that if we didn’t get out of the house soon, I’d never be able to leave. “Let’s go,” I said, pulling them through the door.

When we got into Nathan’s Mustang, his mind seemed to clear from whatever spell Celeste had put him under. “What in the hell just happened?”

“I don’t know,” said Duncan, who was sitting in the backseat, tapping his fingers nervously on the door. “What I do know is that I should have had Ethan arrested for trying to kill me earlier.”