Unbound (Forbidden Bond Book 1)(49)

"Good, let's eat. I have the table all ready." He went to the dining room with Danielle on his heels.

"What about Kayden?" She looked around, noting his absence.

"He hasn't returned yet. I'm on warrior duty for a while." He winked at her.

"You need to be on duty more often, if it means I get breakfast. I  haven't had a good breakfast since … " She bit her lip in thought, and  Chase wanted to soothe the hurt with his tongue. "Well, for a long  time," she finished.

Chase sat close to her at the table. He suggested they do the morning  paper crossword puzzle together. "It's something my parents do  together," he said. She gave him a look that said, Please, don't start,  so he said, "It's just a game, Danielle. My mom is really serious about  it, but my dad always gives her the craziest answers. It's funny to  watch. I just thought you might like to play."

She relaxed. Alright, it seemed she wanted to pretend last night hadn't  happened. He could do that, for now. They ate, talked, and worked the  puzzle. Somehow, they'd gotten closer and closer to each other at the  table, until finally their chairs were so close their legs touched. They  took turns writing the answers, and Chase's quips had them both in  hysterics. The light in her eyes helped him understand why his father  loved the activity so much.

Chase was quite proud of his culinary skills when she polished off her  first plate with moans of pleasure and then finished off a second  helping of everything. His Lovely wasn't one of those waifish girls who  never ate. She had a healthy appetite and wasn't ashamed to eat in front  of others. He was actually helping her unwind, and she seemed to enjoy  his company. That was what they needed. Time to really get to know each  other without outside distraction was crucial.

Of course, that was when the blissful morning was shattered. In the  middle of a raucous bout of laughter, a shrill voice broke through the  contentment.

"What the hell are you doing here with my man, again?" Samantha screeched and glared at Danielle over the table.

Danielle looked at Chase. "Let me guess. She didn't know I was staying  with you, did she?" She put down her fork and the crossword puzzle.

"She didn't need to know, Lovely. You were placed here by the council  for your protection. Her father is very aware that you're here and has  been here to visit several times, as I recall." He put his hand on hers  to encourage her to stay at the table while he dealt with Sam.

"What are you talking about? Daddy knows she's here? No damn way is this  bitch staying here and skanking up our home." Sam stepped toward  Danielle but Chase got between them.         

     



 

"Sam, she is a guest in my home, so back off. And how the hell did you  get in, anyway? I am so sick of your sneaky shit," he warned.

"Fine, I'll back off, but I'm going to wait for you in our room. If that  bitch's shit is in there, she's gonna be missing some hair!" Sam  threatened.



Dani'd had enough of this girl's mouth. She couldn't take it anymore. So  she did the cruelest thing she'd ever done in her life. She told the  crazy bitch the truth.

"You do know this is why he doesn't love you, right? He doesn't even  like you. If he had the choice he would be with me, because he does love  me."

Sam was shocked for a moment, before she came back, "He doesn't have a  choice, so you need to stay out of our business and out of our bed," she  snapped. Sam looked at Chase for a denial of what Dani had said, but  none came.

Dani just smiled at her and said, "I hope that thought keeps you warm at  night after you've bonded. I can't imagine having to force my mate into  bonding with me. It's a good thing the bond is soul deep. Because if it  weren't, he would spend every night he's with you thinking about me.  I've been in his mind, and, believe me, I am all he's thinking about."  Dani bumped Sam's shoulder on the way out of the dining room. She told  Chase, "Thanks for breakfast," and slammed her bedroom door.



Chase did his best to keep the peace, but while he argued with Sam, his  mind kept returning to Danielle. She had seemed so happy over breakfast.  Damn Sam for ruining their oasis again.

Lovely had said things to Sam that were hurtful and true, but he knew it  had also hurt her. Lovely lived with the pain of his situation just as  he did. He could hear the anguish in her voice and sensed her hurt at  having to stand by and watch the bonding happen.

No matter how hard she tried to push him away, he knew she loved him. No  matter how many other guys she used to fill her time, he was the one  she wanted. His suffering would end. Hers would continue. At least until  she found a mate of her own.



Okay, that was harsh. Dani didn't know what had come over her, but that  bitch needed to hear the truth. She should just gather her stuff and go  back to campus. It wouldn't be long before Sam cried to her devoted  daddy. He would put her out of there soon, anyway.

Hell no! She wouldn't leave! She'd stay there until they dragged her ass  out, just to spite Nightmare Barbie. She was so pissed at the world.  She felt … she felt like she needed to feed. Anger made her hungry. That's  what she'd do. She'd take her chances and go hunting for the first  time, and she would do it alone. Who was going to notice, anyway? She  could pull her hair up or put on a hat to hide her hair. Chase and Sam  were too busy fighting in his room to notice her leaving. Dani left a  note on her bed.

Gone hunting, it read.

Looking at herself in the gleaming elevator wall, she was sure she could  get out unrecognized, as long as Kayden didn't catch her. She'd found a  skullcap in Chase's coat closet. Once she pulled the front of her hair  back in a barrette and added the hat, her streaks disappeared. The  trendy and slightly too-big sunglasses covered her eyes, and she wore a  plain gray sweat suit. She wasn't a complete idiot, so she tucked the  blade Gage had given her into a sock, just in case. She had her cell  phone on her, but turned it off.

Exiting the elevator, she saw Kayden coming toward her, juggling coffee  and donuts. Quickly, she turned and ducked into the lobby's ladies'  room. She couldn't help but laugh when she thought of the hell Kayden  was going to raise when he realized she was gone. As soon as the doors  closed on Kayden, she scurried out without drawing attention. Dani  wanted to wander the streets like a normal person and find some blood  like a normal vampire, alone.

It was a beautiful fall day, and the streets were busy. She wandered  around the town, ducking in and out of stores and taking in some  daylight by the park, before ending up in a big bookstore with the big  puffy chairs and quiet corners for reading. Her standard café mocha from  the coffee joint made her think of mornings on campus. Funny enough,  she found herself in the section filled with vampire novels and books  about fairies and werewolves. Paging through a random book, she felt  eyes on her. Trying not to be obvious, she returned the book, moving to  get another, and turned slightly, trying to get a feel for her  surroundings. There was a man watching her from a nearby chair. She'd  just turned down the next aisle when he approached. He was older and  very attractive.

He reminded her of Dr. McSteamy, only a little younger. He had tawny  hair and blue eyes. Normally, she would have dismissed him as an older  guy looking to take advantage of her naivety, but she was hungry. No  time like the present to learn how to be a black-eyed freak.         

     



 

"Do you like vampires?" he asked teasingly.

"Why yes, I do. I'm dating one, and another one is in love with me. I'm  quite in demand with the vamp population." The truth-telling thing was  fun. That was probably the second-worst move she'd made that day, and it  was only noon.

The guy looked at her, wide-eyed for a second, until she cracked a grin,  and he laughed. "You're funny and beautiful. Seriously, what are you  looking for? Maybe I can help."

"Let me see what you're reading." She took his book and was surprised to  see Anne Rice's The Vampire Lestat. That was too funny. "Maybe I'll buy  this one."

"I actually have an extra copy at my place. I live just around the  corner, if you would like to borrow it." He gave her a suggestive half  smile. Could it really be so easy? She didn't even have to enthrall him  to leave with her. Sweet!

"Alright, I'm game, if you don't mind. I promise to return it. I'm Dani," she said, shaking his hand.

"I'm Danny, too." He winked. "You can call me Dan or Daniel, if you  prefer. I'll be expecting a review when you return the book to me, Ms.  Dani. Maybe over dinner you can give me your opinion?" he flirted on the  way out to the busy sidewalk.

Dani touched his arm on the way and scanned his mind for bad intention.  All his intentions were of a sexual nature but no more than that.

He lived in a nice brownstone across from the park. Inside, they went to  his study where, damn if there weren't medical school diplomas hanging  on the wall. She knew he was related to Dr. McSteamy. He had a library  full of books and went right to the one he was after, bringing it back  to her and standing way too close for comfort. "So do you date vampires  exclusively, or would you be willing to give a plain old human a  chance?"