“And how am I supposed to do that?”

“The same way you broke that glass and moved that bar stool. Just do it.”

Unconvinced that it would work, Maya merely gave the whole thing half her attention.

Bowl, move and stop in front of Thomas.

She jolted when the bowl indeed moved and slid along the bar until it came to a halt in front of Thomas.

“I thought you didn’t want to teach me another skill.”

“I didn’t. This is you. And only you. It appears,” he dropped his voice and moved his head closer to her ear, “that you can’t impose your mind on humans, but you have no trouble with inanimate objects, which, if I might add, none of our kind can do. I think you’re unique.”

Unique. “Don’t tell me that’s another word for special. I don’t want to be special. I want to be normal,” she snapped. Couldn’t she at least be a normal vampire? Or was that too much to ask?

“Now, now,” Thomas’ calm voice tried to soothe her, “not everybody is lucky enough to have an extraordinary gift like that. There’ll be a day when you’ll be grateful you have this skill.”

Maya huffed. “I doubt it.”

“Thomas!” a male voice called out only a few feet away from them.

Thomas spun his head to look at the man. Maya watched the young blond man as he came closer. She sensed his aura and knew immediately that he was a vampire. So this was what Yvette had been talking about.

When he stopped close enough to touch, Maya noticed the glare Thomas leveled at him. “Eddie, what the fuck are you doing in a gay bar?”

Before Maya could figure out why Thomas was so angry with him, Eddie addressed her. “I’m Eddie. I’m one of the guys who found you that night.”

Maya stretched out her hand, and he took it. “Thank you. I’m very grateful.”

“You’re welcome.” Then he looked back at Thomas. “And I wouldn’t be here if Gabriel hadn’t sent me to find you. That man is livid.”

“Why’s Gabriel upset?” Maya asked before Thomas could reply.

Eddie grinned. “He got back to the house and found it empty. Now he’s sent every single v—uh, bodyguard,” he corrected himself, “out to search for you.”

Maya’s hair on her neck stood. “What’s his problem? I’m just out with Thomas.”

“Apparently he didn’t authorize you to leave the house.”

“Authorize?” A cold shudder raked her body. Control. Somebody was trying to control her again. Again? Why did this feel so familiar? A strange sense of déjà vu filled her. She’d never let anybody control her life. So why did it feel like this had happened before?

A flash of a memory came and went just as quickly. Too quickly to register what it was. Control—it was the only word her brain could form. Had there been somebody in her past who’d wanted to control her? Instinctively her hand went to her neck, to the spot where the rogue had bitten her, where he’d lodged his fangs into her and drained her. A blast of cold air washed over her, like the fog this city was famous for.

Suddenly everything felt wrong. She felt fear clamp down on her and realized that she’d never again feel safe. Now that she knew what was out there in this world, the cocoon of safety she’d thought herself in when she was human didn’t exist. It never had, it never would again.

“Maya,” Thomas’ voice jolted her.

“Yes?”

“I said we’d better get back,” Thomas replied. Then he looked at Eddie. “And you’re coming with us.”

“What if I wanted to hang out here for a while?” Maya could tell that Eddie was merely teasing, but she wasn’t sure Thomas picked up on that.

“Out. Now.” Thomas’ tone was harsh and unyielding. Eddie answered with a grin and a wink toward Maya.

But Maya didn’t feel like smiling. She couldn’t allow anybody to control her, least of all Gabriel. If she did, she would lose what little of herself was left. She’d already lost her sense of security, her humanity, and her livelihood. She had to hold onto the last thing she had left: control over her decisions. She couldn’t allow anybody to make those for her.

Eighteen

Gabriel balled his hands into fists. How could Thomas show such poor judgment by taking Maya out of the house without sufficient backup to protect her? Had he already forgotten that the rogue was still out there, ready to attack her a second time? He couldn’t risk anything happening to her. He’d only just found her—the only woman he’d ever wanted for himself—and nobody had the right to take her away from him.