“I insist,” Olivia said through a tight smile.
The tension level in the room ratcheted up a few notches while the leaders of both races smiling politely at one another. King Heinrich finally broke the silence.
“Very well.” He looked at his son and held up one hand to prevent him from interrupting. “We would be grateful for their assistance. You have been gracious hosts, and we wouldn’t want to seem ungrateful. Would we, Killian?”
“Aw, man,” Trixie whined and cracked her knuckles. “I was looking for a chance to practice the fighting skills that Pete taught us.”
“Another time,” Sadie said with a glance at Killian. “Something tells me we’ll have other opportunities.”
“What are you going to do with the necklace?” Shane asked the king while he continued looking at Maya.
“Destroy it,” the king whispered.
He removed a black velvet bag from his pocket, reached across the table, and used it to pick up the necklace. Maya took an involuntary step back. Her movement didn’t go unnoticed by anyone, especially Shane, who seemed more agitated than usual. Without a word, Heinrich dropped the bag on the ground and stomped on it repeatedly with incredible force. The room shook as the werewolf king pummeled the bag, turning the stone into dust and the chain into clinking pieces of broken metal.
Maya’s hand flew to her mouth while she watched the king transform her necklace into a bag of junk. Her stomach churning, she backed away from the scene. She was prepared to give them the necklace, but she definitely hadn’t expected them to destroy it right in front of her. Images of her grandmother flickered through her head and she squeezed her eyes shut, attempting to get herself together as pain flared deep in her gut.
“Maya?” Olivia moved across the room and stood next to Maya. “Are you alright? You look like you’re going to faint.”
“Oh man,” Trixie moaned. “She’s not knocked up, too, is she?”
“Trixie,” Olivia warned.
“What?” Trixie said with pure exasperation. “She and Quesada are bloodmates like you and Doug, so it’s not exactly outside the realm of possibility.”
“Is this true?” King Heinrich asked, looking from Shane to Maya. “There is another bloodmate vampire couple? Are they daywalkers, too?”
“No,” Shane said tightly. “Maya and I have decided not to commit to the bloodmate bond. I will be transferring to the European offices as soon as possible. Like you said, King Heinrich, we all have choices.”
“It ain’t exactly something you choose,” Doug said. Olivia shot him a look and he quickly added, “But I wouldn’t have it any other way. Right, babe?”
“You’re not going anywhere, Quesada,” Olivia said firmly. She placed both hands on Maya’s arms and lowered her voice to gentler tones. “Maya? What’s going on?”
“I—I didn’t think they’d destroy it,” she whispered through shaking lips.
“I’m sorry,” King Heinrich said earnestly with a bow of his head. “I shouldn’t have done that in front of you, Maya. It was thoughtless of me. Please accept my apologies.”
“It’s fine,” Maya bit out. “I’ll be fine.” She hardened her expression and looked at Shane briefly. “I’m not pregnant. Shane and I aren’t daywalkers, and I’m not a werewolf hunter. I’m merely an exhausted vampire who hasn’t slept in twenty-four hours, and I’d really like to go back to my apartment and get some rest.”
“You’re not going back alone,” Olivia said with a quick look at Shane. “Shane will take you home.”
“No,” Maya said a bit too sharply. She shook her head and plastered on a smile, trying to laugh off her reaction. “I flew all the way back from New Orleans by myself, I think I can handle going back to the apartment.”
“Right.” Olivia kissed her warmly on the cheek. “Then humor me and let Sadie and Trixie walk you back, okay?”
Maya nodded wordlessly and cast one last glance at Shane before leaving with her sisters, but he looked away. He didn’t insist on coming with her and made no attempt to telepath. A sob choked Maya when the doors closed behind them because Shane’s choice was heartbreakingly clear.
Chapter 17
Maya wanted nothing more than to sleep. To drift into the leaden slumber of a vampire and hide—but sleep wasn’t coming. Clad in her favorite pink tank top and yoga pants, she lay on her bed tossing and turning but found no relief. She glanced at the clock on the nightstand and saw that it was well past one in the morning. The meeting with Horace had apparently gone off without a hitch, and according to the call she got from Olivia, the wolves were headed to Kennedy Airport for their flight back to Alaska.
There was still no word from Shane.
Grumbling, Maya kicked her blankets off and made her way out to the living room. Maybe some mindless television would help her get her mind off everything. She snagged the clicker off the couch and flopped onto the pink and white fabric. Shane’s comment about not decorating their place in shades of bubble gum came roaring back. Fresh tears stung her eyes when she realized that would never happen. There would be no apartment with him…no life with him.
The ring of the telephone interrupted her thoughts and made her yelp in surprise. It was probably Olivia or one of her sisters calling to check up on her. Again. Tossing the remote on the table, she padded quietly across the hardwood floor to the kitchen and picked up the cordless phone.
It wasn’t her sisters or Olivia. It was Rat.
“Is this my absentee employee?” he asked playfully.
“Rat?” Maya went back to the couch and sat down. She pulled her bare feet up under her. “Is this about work? Actually, I was going to come see you tomorrow night and let you know that I won’t be working for you anymore. Since I didn’t show up for the past week, I’m probably fired anyway.”
“You’re not fired,” he simpered. “But I can’t say I’m surprised that you quit. I heard you were back in town, and I just wanted to let you know that I have your money from the night you worked. In addition to your pay, you get a cut of the dancers’ tips. I’d come by the club and give it to you, but Olivia is still sore with me for having the wolves at my place. I was only trying to be a good host but I can’t win for losing, I guess.” He let out a beleaguered sigh. “So when can you come by?”
“How about tonight?” Maya asked wearily. “I can’t sleep anyway, and staring at the walls isn’t helping.”
“Yeah, sure. I’m here all night, but do me a favor and leave the boyfriend at home,” Rat griped. “Quesada is a fuckin’ killjoy and he makes my customers nervous.”
“He’s not my boyfriend, Rat,” Maya snapped. “I’ll be there in a little while.”
She hung up the phone then quickly dialed Sadie’s cell phone. The old Maya would have run off on her own without thinking about the consequences, but not anymore. She knew it would piss off everyone if she went out tonight by herself, so she decided to ask Sadie to come along.
“This really couldn’t wait until tomorrow night?” Sadie asked as they strode across the street, dodging cars along the way. “You don’t need the money that badly, do you?”
“No.” Maya laughed and linked her arm through Sadie’s before stepping onto the cracked sidewalk in front of The Dollhouse. “I couldn’t sleep so why not do something productive, right?”
“I guess,” Sadie said doubtfully. She grimaced when they approached the strip club’s door. “These places gross me out. A bunch of slobbering, horny guys stuffing money in a half-naked woman’s pants? No thanks.”
“Don’t be such a prude,” Maya teased.
“I am not a prude,” Sadie protested. “I love sex and I’ve had lots of it, but this whole setup feels icky.”