Blood Bond . Amy Blankenship

you say it, doesn’t mean it’s true.” She wrapped her own hand around her wrist trying to rub away the feel of his warm flesh touching hers. “Who are you?”

      “You may call me Syn.”

      Angelica felt cold chills race down her back at the implications of the name. She could already think of many ways that name would fit him. “Okay Syn, why are you here?”

      “In your dream… or in your bed?” Syn asked with the ghost of a smile caressing his perfect lips.

      Yep, she’d been right. He was completely sinful. Remembering her other dreams had all been nightmares, Angelica slowly glanced around the room then back at him, “I’m not dreaming… I felt you touch me… I… I felt your lips touch my hand.”

      “Just because you are dreaming, does not mean it isn’t real.” Syn charmingly mocked her earlier statement.

      Angelica’s gaze narrowed when he tore the picture she’d just drawn out of her sketch book. He carefully rolled it instead of folding it, and then placed it inside a deep pocket on the inner lining of his trench coat. She couldn’t help but watch his hands as they moved. They looked so smooth and untouched…like the way history books described those of royalty. Finally she glanced back up at his face and frowned when she saw the hint of a smile.

      “Why are you really here?” she demanded.

      “To keep the nightmares away while you sleep,” Syn answered and leaned back against the bedpost behind him. “Rest tonight Angelica, no nightmares or demons will haunt your sleep.”

      Angelica jerked upright in bed with the sun streaming through the balcony window… it was morning. Looking down at the foot of the bed, she leaned forward and felt the place where Syn had been sitting. There was no trace that he’d been there and Angelica took a deep breath. It was only a dream after all.

      Swinging her legs over the side of the bed, she stood up and heard something fall onto the floor. She picked up her sketchbook and started to close it but stopped when she remembered the dream.

      Opening the book back up, she flipped through the pages and stopped when she saw that the drawing she had done last night was gone. In its place was a beautiful penciled sketch of her asleep in this bed. It had been done with as much soft detail as the one she’d done of him. In the picture, her hand was relaxed near her face and she noticed the symbol drawn there. Just under the drawing was the word ‘Syn’ written in elegant penmanship.

      *****

      Tabatha parked her car in the VIP parking space at Moon Dance and got out. Adjusting her short dress, she tucked her keys into the clutch purse and approached the front door. She was sick of hiding out in that lonely apartment waiting to see if Kriss would ever come home. Seeing the excitement of the crowd was already making her feel a little better.

      Nick smiled as he watched her approach and opened the rope to let her through ahead of everyone else waiting for admittance. He wasn’t doing it because his brother’s mate was her best friend… he was doing it because without Tabatha… they would not have found Micah in time to save him.

      His gaze narrowed on her exposed shoulder. The last time he’d seen her… that shoulder had sported a pretty bad wound, but now it didn’t have a single blemish on it. It seemed they had some kind of healing fairy running around town because the same thing had happened to Micah’s wounds.

      “How’s it going tonight?” he asked curiously as he saw a trace of sadness in her eyes.

      Tabatha gave him a small smile, “It’s going okay.”

      “Has anyone told you that you look good enough to eat?” he inquired with a gleam in his eyes. It was the fastest way to cheer a girl up… he should know, he was surrounded by them every night.

      Tabatha shook her head smiling, “You are incorrigible.”

      “Yes I am,” Nick agreed. “So does that mean I get to take you home with me tonight?”

      “Not a chance!” Tabatha shot back with a smirk then added, “Besides, with you living right above the dance floor, it would be way too easy.”

      Nick placed a hand over his heart and made a show of staggering back a couple of steps. “Tabby cat… you wound me. My intentions were completely innocent.”

      “I bet,” Tabatha laughed then winked at him. “But I may ask for a dance later.”

      Nick leaned closer to her as he held the door open for her. “And I may take you up on that.”

      Tabatha walked inside and took a deep breath, loving the familiar atmosphere. It had been a couple of days since her encounter with Kane and she still hadn’t heard a word from Kriss. Her worry was gone now, replaced by a slight depression that she knew only Kriss could get rid of.

      The thumping of the music vibrated through her body and she walked to the railing so she could look out over the dance floor. It was late at night, closing in on midnight, and the club was in full swing. Bodies were grinding to the techno beats pumping out of the speakers and the bar section was almost full. Tabatha looked around trying to decide what to do first. She was sick of being alone and figured this was exactly what she needed to snap her out of her moody funk.

      Walking up to the bar, Tabatha slammed her small purse on the surface. “What’s a lady gotta do to get a drink around here?” she demanded.

      “Bite me!” Envy exclaimed and put a drink down in front of her. “Will that be all ma’am?”

      “No,” Tabby said. “I still need to bite you.”

      “Be careful,” Envy said. “I bite back.”

      Tabatha picked up the drink and took half of it in one swallow, remembering the drinks she’d had at Silk Stalkings a few nights before and the way Kane had kissed her sober. What annoyed her most was that every time she thought about it, she would feel a hot aching sensation spiral downwards toward her lower belly and thighs. Again she flinched as she felt it.

      Envy took note of Tabatha’s demeanor and could tell something was wrong with her friend. They’d been through too much together for Envy not to notice it. She went through the motions of making Tabatha another drink when she saw her friend place an empty glass back down on the bar.

      As she slid the second drink in front of Tabatha, she noticed Tabby not really paying attention and, instead, looking distractedly out at all the other people enjoying themselves.

      Kat was working just a little ways down from Envy’s station and watched Tabatha out of the corner of her eye. She could tell Tabatha looked antsy and wondered what had happened in the last few days to make that happen. Picking up a bottle of Heat, she caught Envy’s attention and pointed at the bottle before nodding her head toward Tabatha.

      Envy looked over at her friend before giving Kat an approving nod. Kat fixed another drink and added a small shot of the potent alcohol to the mix before handing it over to Envy.

      “Thanks,” Envy said and took the glass to Tabatha. “Here you go Tabby, on the house.”

      Tabatha looked down at the drink and smiled. “Thank you!”

      “So,” Envy started leaning against the bar. “What’s got you down in the dumps?”

      “Nothing that important I guess,” Tabatha answered.

      “Yeah right,” Kat exclaimed walking up. “If your face was any longer your chin would still be at home watching television.”

      “I’m just upset with Kriss right now,” Tabatha said after a couple of seconds. If she couldn’t tell her best friend then she might as well go home and stay there. “He’s never been gone this long before without calling or letting me know something. He quit his job at Silk Stalkings a few days ago and no one has seen him since.” She didn’t divulge the fact that it felt like she had been dumped… her chest hadn’t quit hurting for days.

      Kat