Book Cover created in acrylic by the extremely talented @therealpaul
If you have not read the first book of the series, "Reborn", it is advisable you do so before reading "Renewal" or you will be lost. This link will provide you with a series summary as well as all sixty-eight chapters of Reborn
Table of Contents for Fifty Five chapters of Renewal, created by @bashadow
Chapter 56
Chapter 57
Chapter 58
Chapter 59
Chapter 60
Chapter 61
Chapter 62
Chapter 63
Chapter 64
Chapter 65
Chapter 66
Chapter 67
Chapter 68
Chapter 69
Chapter 70
Chapter 71
Chapter 72
Chapter 73
Chapter 74
Chapter 75
Chapter Seventy-Six
“Are you hungry?” he asked, “I can order in or we can hit one of the restaurants on the street. There’s an excellent bakery across the road if you’re in the mood for something sweet.”
She shook her head, “Pizza delivery works for me, I’m too tired to go anywhere.”
He nodded and flipped open his phone doing a search for pizza in the area. A list popped up immediately and he scrolled down the screen doing his best to ignore the hard on he’d been suffering since the moment she’d stepped off the plane. In his long life he had never been this affected by any female, not even Caly had elicited such strong feelings of lust. And human girls definitely didn’t excite him that way. He used them to relieve his urges since there’d been little choice in the matter for a good portion of his life, but until recently any attractive girl would do.
He felt a rush of irritation and frustration as he glanced at the headstrong beauty who dominated his thoughts to a degree that bordered on obsession.
At the moment he sensed she would balk if he tried anything, so he decided not to push it, for one night anyway. He had a feeling if he was patient she’d begin wondering if he’d lost interest and initiate something herself. There was something strong between them, even if it was just mutual physical attraction as she’d stated before. Every encounter had made him want her more.
He found himself wondering if she’d screwed anyone in Europe and the thought of it put him in a dangerous mood.
“So,” he heard himself asking after he’d hung up with the pizza joint, “meet any guys overseas?”
She furrowed her brows briefly then shrugged. “Maybe.”
Anger stirred within him at the casual response. These days he couldn’t even think of sex without thinking of her. If she’d fucked someone since he’d last seen her he might just hunt the bastard down. “What the fuck does that mean, maybe?”
“It means, none of your business,” she said. “What about you?”
“What about me?” he snapped.
“Have you seduced any women lately, made bets with your friends on how fast you could get them in bed?”
“Yeah fucking right. When I can’t even get it up unless I’m thinking of you? You fucking cursed me,” he spat, his temper rising fast.
She looked startled and stared at him in disbelief.
Shit, why the hell did I tell her that, he thought as he jumped up and went to the fridge for another beer.
Jenna reeled from that revelation. She would doubt the truth of it if he didn’t seem so pissed off. She was the only female who could turn him on? Of course the same was true for her about him, but considering no other guy had ever turned her on it wasn’t particularly odd. When he’d asked if she’d met any guys, she hadn’t even understood the question for a second, hooking up with someone hadn’t even crossed her mind while she was there. Which was funny considering how she’d been determined to start looking at other guys after having that stupid dream about his ex lover.
But it had occurred to her that since he was alive and the female wasn’t he obviously hadn’t mated with her, so she couldn’t have been that important to him. Or- or something really bad had happened. It was that thought that kept her from asking about it.
Needless to say, when she wasn’t busy with her mission she was thinking about a gorgeous, infuriating vampire.
She thought about telling him he wasn’t alone in the curse and a lick of fear spread through her. If she voiced that it would inevitably lead to either further discussion or them falling into bed. She couldn’t deal with either scenario at the moment, she was too tired for one thing and for another she couldn’t see the situation ending well overall.
She’d given Jess all kinds of crap for her interest in Tyros, namely because at the time she had still been human and he was, well not. He wouldn’t age, he wouldn’t die unless there were seriously extenuating circumstances. The same things applied to her and Mathias. The only choice she had was to enjoy him in a physical way for awhile and not get emotionally involved. Problem being she wasn’t entirely sure she could do that. She sighed inwardly hoping he would drop it.
The pizza arrived and they ate in silence. After she finished she announced she was exhausted and going to bed.
He nodded in response and flipped on the television.
He watched her disappear into a room and let out a sound of frustration when the door closed behind her. He still couldn’t believe he’d blurted that shit out and had no idea what she thought about it. He’d caught a glimpse of shock on her face but while they’d eaten she’d just appeared tired. Which was why he didn’t press her.
Tomorrow would be a different story.
**
The evening after the group had returned to the mansion about thirty-five vampires convened in the library. Every male that had joined with Michael as well as the eight males recently recruited from different cities on the west coast were in attendance.
Jared stood before them, his manner so authoritative Anna could picture a crown on his head, and as he spoke she felt as if they’d been transported back in time. Or at least into a different dimension of time. He was older than every vampire in the room by several centuries at least and many of them wanted to hear about Novogorod and what it was like to fight the Pischacha.
It was mostly a repeat of the things he’d talked about on the day of her father’s funeral. Afterwards there was a short debate about the need to search Europe for any remaining members of the Keepers of History. Most felt that without them they didn’t have a chance in locating the missing Gate or Gates.
But while Jared feared they might be right, he also didn’t want anyone wasting time on a fool’s errand. It was his feeling that if there were any Keepers left on the earth then they would eventually come out of their hiding places and seek out those who were still honoring their duty.
Finally he brought up the main reason for them being called together, explaining what had transpired with Thomas and Jonathan. A few seemed less than thrilled to take the vows but none refused.
At the conclusion of the meeting it was decided that any future recruits would be sent to Jared, Michael, or Mathias for both instruction and vow taking. The group was then led to the back patio for food and refreshments and Anna found it oddly comforting for it to end so human-esque, like a soldiers’ celebration before going off to war.
Most of them hovered near Jared at first, alternating between giving their own histories and asking more detailed questions about his past, but eventually they settled into smaller groups, debating strategies.
The following morning the gathering dispersed and they were reduced to their original group--minus Mathias who was still in Boston with Jenna.
“I want you to send Samuel and Aidan to Texas to aid the McClaron’s,” Jared told Michael as they walked out onto the patio, coffee cups in hand.
Michael stopped abruptly, a frown creasing his brow.
“What? You know that I intend to go to Europe with them and re-visit…
Jared interrupted quietly. “I know what you had planned, but it can wait. There’s something that needs to be done and it requires the presence of only those I’m certain I can trust. I don’t want to say anymore about it until they’re on their way.” He gave Michael a hard look.
Michael nodded slowly though the frown remained. “Okay. How long before I can meet back up with them?”
“A week, maybe less.”
Michael nodded once more and disappeared back inside to locate the males and tell them that once again their plans had changed.
Anna, having overheard the exchange, followed Jared to a table and sat beside him, her brow raised in question.
He smiled down at her. “Later Na Lira.” He bent down and kissed her lightly before pulling a cigar from his breast pocket.
A few minutes later Jess and the Brothers Three came over and sat down, and while the males discussed the success of the previous night, the girls discussed Jenna and Mathias.
“So, do you think something is going on between them?”
Jess asked, a smile teasing her lips.
Anna laughed and shook her head. “It’s hard to say. Mathias implied that he was being thwarted. You know how stubborn your sister is.”
“Yeah, not to mention he’s a vampire and she was so adamantly against the whole interspecies mingling when it came to me and Tyros.”
Anna nodded slightly, draining the last of her coffee. She’d had a thought lately that wouldn’t leave her mind, though she didn’t dare express it out loud. At least not yet. It revolved around Faerian blood and the successful transformation of both her and Jess. She was sure that her idea would be met by adamant opposition, but she couldn’t help but wonder if maybe Faerian’s were, well if not meant to be changed, then at least given the option. After all there was an overwhelming need for an increase in the vampire population, and she and Jess could only provide four new additions between them.
Admittedly she wanted Jenna to become like them very badly. Maybe if she really did fall for Mathias….Anna shook her head abruptly. She couldn’t be certain that
Jenna would survive it, even if she and Jess had.
But Jenna is strong. Her mind stubbornly refused to drop the subject and as Jess chattered on the thought tumbled around in her head.
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