Treasure Tides Part 14

"What pub?" Royce asked, pressing random b.u.t.tons on his phone. How do you turn this d.a.m.n thing off?

"Becki's pub...and she's still at work."

Royce vaulted over the back of the couch where he had been lounging. As he tucked a weapon into the waistband of his pants near his lower back, he yelled, "Keys!"

"s.h.i.+t! The Vamps are moving too," Sean declared.

"Turn this d.a.m.n noise off," Royce bellowed, "I can't think!"

Typing furiously Sean questioned, "Joanna, do you have a reading on their direction yet?"

"Working on it!" Joanna responded, pounding the keys on her own computer.

The noise stopped as a set of keys magically sailed through the air. Royce snagged the set of keys, shoved his blessedly silent phone into his pocket, and flew out the door.

As he exited the parking garage, his cell phone began to ring. Since his car's built in Bluetooth was set to auto-answer, the call connected immediately.

"The pub, Royce," Sean announced urgently. "They're headed to the pub!"

"Find Landon! Find him and tell him to meet me there," Royce directed Sean.

The Moultrie Werewolf Pack-- Landon's pack-had claimed Charleston as their territory centuries ago. A treaty between Moultrie Pack and Vampire Nation protected Charleston from actively feeding Vampires. The treaty specifically forbade the consumption of human blood within Moultrie Pack Territory. The terms extended to prohibit feeding from "donors" as well.

V-Scan, a high tech, infrared type device, could pick up even the smallest traces of fresh human blood in a Vampire's system. Sean had placed V-Scan transmitters strategically throughout the City. So far, the Vamps were still abiding by the terms of the treaty.

However, the treaty was tenuous at best. Royce's gut told him the Vamps were getting hungry. If they were indeed headed to a rendezvous with Trevor Simmons, Royce needed to make d.a.m.n sure Becki was not within a mile of that warlock.

He was glad he had dumped the SUV for something with a little more power under the hood. Joanna worked the traffic lights to ensure a clear shot as he blew past anything in his way. She had also cloaked him temporarily, making both he and the car invisible for the journey.

His phone sounded again.

"Vamps are en-route to the pub, Royce. Landon is on his way with some friends to help keep things in check," Sean reported.

"Son-of -a-b.i.t.c.h!" Royce felt sweat bead on his forehead. "Slow them down!"

"Who do you think you're dealing with, big brother?" Joanna interjected sarcastically.

"They've already run into a little traffic problem along the way," Sean a.s.sured him quickly. "You should be able to get Becki out of there before they arrive."

Royce smiled. "Good work, Brat," he said as he affectionately acknowledged Joanna's brilliance prior to disconnecting.

Neon lights greeted him in the distance announcing "Jim's Pub."

"Lifting the cloak now," Joanna's voice moved through him. Telepathy-- one of the 'perks' a.s.sociated with having a Witch in the family...NOT!

"If Landon is not there soon," she added, "I'm joining the party myself."

"The h.e.l.l you are," Royce responded verbally as he whipped into the parking lot at top speed. He and Joanna could communicate without actually speaking, but it freaked him out a little. If he spoke the words, it was more like a phone call.

"You will stay put--I mean it. This is non-negotiable. I don't want you near those blood suckers. Do you hear me, Jo?" Witches' blood used to be extremely poisonous to Vampires. Thanks to another not-sopleasing-advancement in technology, the blood suckers could now be vaccinated against the previously ill-effects of Witches' blood.

"I hear, but that doesn't mean I agree," Joanna argued.

"I don't need to worry about you, too. Landon will be here soon and we'll handle it. One more thing...stay out of my head. It's distracting."

The vehicle had hardly come to rest before Royce was on the move. He a.s.sumed that Becki was still working and quickly moved in the direction of the bar. Automatically, Royce scanned the crowd as he walked looking for signs of danger. His gaze briefly touched each table and then skimmed those sitting at the bar. Satisfied that everything was safe for the time being, he turned to take in the dancers entwined on the dance floor.

What he saw there caused him to stop mid-stride. "What the fu--"

Royce felt something slam into his back. As gla.s.s shattered and patrons nearby gasped in surprise, Royce reached for the weapon still tucked at his waist. He quickly spun around prepared for the worst. Thankfully, he stopped short of actually drawing his weapon as he took in the scene before him. A waitress in a low-cut blouse was soaked to the skin and surrounded by broken gla.s.s. To make matters worse, she was pulling pieces of ice from her more-than-ample cleavage.

"What the h.e.l.l were you thinking?" she screeched in a high tone of voice. "You can't just stop all of a sudden!"

He guessed that she had been following him, carrying a full tray of drinks. When he had stopped so abruptly, she must have run into him with the tray. She had spilled the entire tray of drinks all over herself and the floor.

"I'm sorry," Royce mumbled. After grabbing a stack of napkins from a nearby table, he stood helplessly staring at her wet cleavage. He was unsure how he could help her without touching her inappropriately.

Fortunately, the dance floor was far enough away that Becki had not witnessed the incident. That would have escalated the situation from slightly funny but embarra.s.sing to downright humiliating.

"What's going on Becki?" Trevor had started pressing for answers the moment they hit the dance floor. "Come on-- you can talk to me, doll."

"I don't want to talk about it," Becki refused belligerently.

"How can I fix it, if I don't know what's wrong?" he prodded softly.

Becki sniffed and blinked several times. Despite her best efforts, those darn tears just would not be contained any longer.

"I thought he was different," she whispered brokenly. "I thought he seemed like a truly nice guy-- the White Knight kind of guy." A fat tear escaped and rolled down her cheek.

"It turns out he is just like the rest. One girl isn't enough. At least, I'm not enough!"

She lifted her head looking straight into Trevor's eyes, "That's it-- it's me! I'm the problem. I'm just not lovable, Trev."

He shook his head, cupping her cheek to thumb the tears away. "Not a chance, doll," he said with a half-smile. "Everyone I know loves you."

"Seriously, maybe I'm defffectivve," she slurred slightly feeling the effects of numerous shots.

"Doll, I promise there's nothing 'defective' about you. And for the record...I've never met anyone more lovable than you," Trevor said as he rubbed his cheek softly against hers.

"h.e.l.llloooo!! Vamps closing in," Joanna reminded Royce sarcastically.

Royce gritted his teeth. Joanna's ability to insert herself into his thoughts was quite irritating.

Royce reached for his wallet and peeled off several large bills. He grabbed the soaked waitress's hand and closed her fingers around the money as well as the napkins. "I'm really sorry," he apologized again and turned his attention back to the dance floor.

Trevor Simmons was like a ticking time bomb-dangerous to everyone around him. Typical Becki...did she stay away from danger? No! She was holding on to him like a d.a.m.n life line.

"You have about two seconds to get your s.h.i.+t straight, and then I'm on my way," Joanna threatened, intruding into Royce's thoughts once again.

"Back off," Royce snapped. He made his way toward the couple whose fascination with each other had caused him to stop so abruptly to begin with. Becki, still wrapped tightly in Trevor's arms, was now gazing into his eyes while they danced and whispered to each other. This s.h.i.+t was going to stop!

"You've never met anyone more lovable than me?" Becki questioned, looking at him with wide-eyes.

"Never," he whispered.

She smiled crookedly, and another tear rolled silently down her face.

"You're killing me here," Trevor groaned. "Why not-- I'm going to h.e.l.l anyway," he murmured as he lowered his lips slowly toward hers.

"What the b.l.o.o.d.y h.e.l.l do you think you're doing?" Royce roared as he ripped Becki out of Trevor's arms.

Becki wiggled in his grasp, "G.o.d! Why do youuu have to k-keep bothering me? Would you just go away and lllleave me alone?" Becki protested as she yanked her arm away from Royce.

He stood for a moment evaluating his options. Option A--beat the s.h.i.+t out of Trevor for touching Becki. Option B--toss her a.s.s over his shoulder and get the h.e.l.l out of there before trouble arrived.

"Option B, Royce. Option B," Joanna advised.

You are starting to p.i.s.s me off! Royce mentally pushed the words at Joanna, knowing she would get the message.

"Go awayyy," Becki said as she looked around in search of Trevor.

Royce spun Becki around to face him and wrapped his arms around her tightly. "What's this about Becki? I've tried to reach you all afternoon. I thought we were together, a couple. And then I walk in here tonight to find you drunk and hanging all over a war--"

"Royce!" Joanna interjected before he could mess things up even further. Honestly, men in love were so d.a.m.n stupid!

Royce closed his eyes in frustration and then continued, "We need to go, Becki. We'll talk on the way home; or maybe tomorrow after you've sobered up."

Trevor stood silently listening intently to the exchange. He would not hesitate to jump to Becki's defense the moment she needed him. However, it appeared St. John was as tied up in as many knots as Becki was.

"RRRoyce. Leave me alone! I don't lllike you anymore. Besides, Trevor and I were daancing," she insisted as she struggled to escape his embrace.

"Actually, we were getting ready to make out," Trevor taunted pus.h.i.+ng the envelope a little... testing St. Johns' reaction.

"Over my dead and decaying body," Royce snarled as he weighed those options one more time.

"You will have company in a few minutes. You need to get the h.e.l.l out of there!" Joanna insisted.

Royce tightened his arms around Becki, "You're going to feel like s.h.i.+t in the morning. We are going home, Becki. The easy way, or the hard way, it's up to you," he said softly in her ear.

'Home' Royce had said. Becki stopped struggling immediately.

Finally! Royce breathed a sigh of relief. Royce loosed his grip around her waist and grabbed her hand to tug her toward the door.

Becki stopped suddenly and jerked her hand away from him. He looked at her for the first time since she had stopped struggling to escape him a few moments ago. He was shocked to see tears streaming down her face as she cried silently.

"You listen ttto-- lllisten to m-me--," she began in a drunken, yet heart-broken growl, "and lllisten good-- you--you-- ttwo-timing, piece of-of shhhit sc.u.m-bag. I- I'mmm-- not going h-hoome with youu. I'mm not g-going annnywhhere with y-you." She was sobbing now, big gulping sobs in between bouts of swearing at him. Tears were streaming nonstop down her face. Fortunately, the loud music helped to prevent her speech from being overheard by most of the patrons. But Royce heard it loud and clear.

"That's it!" His patience was at an end. They would have to sort this out later.

Suddenly, Becki was lifted off her feet and hanging up-side-down over Royce's shoulder. She began to scream as she kicked her feet and pounded him on the back with her fists.

Trevor suddenly appeared in front of Royce, blocking his exit.

c.o.c.ky son-of-a-b.i.t.c.h. "Stay out of this," Royce cautioned.

Trevor merely raised one eyebrow, "If you hurt her St. John, you'll answer to me," he promised.

After a moment, he stepped aside to let them pa.s.s.

Royce hesitated. He wanted nothing more than to kick Trevor's pompous a.s.s. This was not the time, nor the place. With a sigh, he began moving again. They were almost at the back door. Becki had been mysteriously quiet during the exchange with Trevor. Maybe she had pa.s.sed out.

As they pa.s.sed Trevor, Becki suddenly realized Royce was actually going to walk out the back door with her slung over his shoulder. Even in her drunkest state, that was not going to happen! She had started to lose her buzz anyway.

Becki spied Trevor and decided to enlist his help, "Trevor, make him stop. Trev-- tell him I'm not g-going with himm." Ok, so maybe she was still buzzed, but she was not leaving with that two-timing slug, especially not hoisted over his shoulder! It was making her diiiizzzzyy.

"Put me downnn. We are dancing! And, and then--" she paused before continuing in what she thought was a whisper, "then we're going to have dirty-- rough s.e.x on the beach."

Time stopped. Royce froze mid-stride. Change of plan...he was going to kill this piece of s.h.i.+t after all.

Royce placed Becki gently on her feet, banking the rage pouring through his body. He pushed her into the closest chair and bent to look her in the eye as he said quietly, "Don't move. Not one inch."

The moment he grabbed Trevor by the s.h.i.+rt collar and drew his fist back, Royce realized that he had forgotten one small, but important, detail. Trevor Simmons was pure warlock.

Royce struggled against Trevor's magic. "Fight me like a man, you cowardly son-of-a-b.i.t.c.h," Royce demanded.

Trevor used magic to keep Royce in place while he said, "What Becki just said is not true. Not that she didn't offer, and not that I wouldn't love to; but she's a little drunk right now, and I wouldn't take advantage of her that way."

"Joanna! Even things out for me," Royce gritted, rage and hatred pouring through him.

"You don't want to do that, Joanna," Trevor cautioned narrowing his eyes at Royce. "I'm telling you, St. John, don't bring her into this. It's not what you think, and things could go very wrong, very quickly."

"No, I'm telling you," Royce returned quietly. "Don't forget. I know how to deal with your kind."

"If you want to go at it, I'll be more-than-happy to oblige. I have a feeling you need a good a.s.s whipping, and I can do it with or without magic. Whatever it is she's hurting about, I'm not responsible for it. However, I'm betting you can't say the same. Just so you know, I love and respect that girl, or I would be on the beach with her tonight...making her forget all about you."

As they stood contemplating battle, Trevor felt a tingle run through his body. Vamps were near.

"Go! Now, Royce! Time is up!" Joanna all but screamed.

Trevor spotted Rouel strolling into the bar with Eric. They were visually scanning the crowd, looking for him. They only had a moment before the Vamps spotted him.

Trevor released Royce and stepped left, placing his body between Becki and the two Vampires. He spoke to Royce in a whisper, "If you care about her, and I think you do, you will get her the h.e.l.l out of here. Now!"

As Royce started to move toward Becki, Trevor suddenly realized that Becki's scent was all over him, and his covered her. "Get my scent off her."

With those words, he grabbed a bar fly who had been s.h.i.+mmying her way past them, and proceeded to grind all over her as he continued to watch the Vamps.

Royce knew immediately what Trevor was doing; he was trying to dilute Becki's sent with that of the other girl, so the Vamps wouldn't connect Becki to him. Royce grabbed Becki, who surprisingly had stayed where he put her and began trying to rid her of Trevor's scent.