A Diamond at Midnight (6 page)

He kept her at his back as he left the
bedroom,
his senses open to danger at all times.
To Rafael.

Just as he entered the living room, he felt the change in the air.

Evil brought a heavy, dark scent wherever it went.

“I see you’ve come to save your little gem.
How sweet.”

The lamp beside the couch was on, and Rafael’s blond hair gleamed in the light. Cain had always thought the man looked angelic. Too bad his nature was as black as hell itself. The six- foot-six vampire sat at one end of
Diamonique’s
couch, one leg crossed over the other, his huge body relaxed, as if he’d come to have tea instead of torturing and killing
Diamonique
.

Cain was angry with himself for not sensing Rafael sooner. For sleeping, when he should have been alert—watching over
Diamonique
. Christ, he’d practically drawn The Dominion a map straight to her door!

“You’re too late, Rafael. But then, what else is new,” Cain shot back, as he ran through his options. He could easily dematerialize, take
Diamonique
to safety, then come back and kill Rafael. But, who was to say that Rafael hadn’t already planned for that outcome. Hell, he probably had his minions all over the place, ready to do his bidding.

“See how differently we view things, Cain? From where I’m sitting, I’m right on
time
.”

Rafael in all his arrogance thought himself unbeatable. Cain would use that character flaw to kill the twisted being. “This is between you and me.
Leave Diamond out of it.”

Rafael made a
tsking
sound. “Wish I could, but it’s too late for that, isn’t it?”

“Your fight is with me. You want ancient blood? Come and get it, asshole, but she stays out of it.”

With slow, careful movements, Rafael rose to his full height. Anger made his face contort into the

hideous
creature he truly was. “You dare dictate to me, Cain?”

“You have no hold over me anymore,
old man
. You haven’t for a long time.”

In a heartbeat, Rafael was across the room, his long, bony fingers wrapped around Cain’s neck, squeezing. “You think you’re so goddamn smart. That was always your problem, Cain. You never could see the forest for the damn trees.”

He squeezed harder. Instinctively, Cain grabbed Rafael’s arms and dug his nails into his skin, knowing any blood loss would weaken him. Blood coated his fingertips, and Cain scraped his sharp talons upward, creating deep furrows. Rafael never loosened his hold and hatred fueled the other vampire’s rage.

“I despise you, Cain. It’s going to be a pleasure taking your precious diamond from you.”

Fear for
Diamonique
pushed Cain into action. He drew his right arm back and slammed his fist into Rafael’s face. The force of the blow thrust Rafael several feet to the side. He stumbled and came right back, his teeth gleaming,
spittle
dripping from his mouth.

“You little prick! I never should have made you one of us,” Rafael raged,
then
his fist shot out. Cain was faster as he swiftly ducked the punch. He grabbed Rafael by the front of the shirt and used his other hand to rip open several deep slices down the vampire’s cheek. Rafael howled in rage,
then
delivered a right hook. Cain lost his hold on Rafael, but recovered from the blow quick enough to see the depraved bastard’s fist coming at him again. This time Cain was prepared and dodged to the left, then delivered an uppercut of his own.

“You’ve lost it, Rafael,” Cain taunted, as he continued to duck and punch. “You need to be put down. You’re a goddamn embarrassment.”

Cain dodged a roundhouse kick,
then
delivered a swift jab to Rafael’s jaw. Bone crunched beneath his fist and blood spurted. Finally, the ancient showed signs of weakening from the deep cuts. Then his gaze shot to
Diamonique
. In an instant, Cain leaped in front of her. Rafael vanished,
then
reappeared behind
Diamonique
. He grabbed her by the hair and yanked her backwards.
Diamonique
slammed a hand into Rafael’s nose, surprising Cain and Rafael both. It was all the time Cain needed to get a message to her.

Cain pulled her away from Rafael and growled, “Dissolve, Diamond, go to our private place!”

Diamonique
shook her head, denying him. “I won’t leave you to deal with this alone.”

He wanted to kiss and throttle her at the same time, but there would be time later for that. He hoped. For now, he needed her gone. “Go now! I cannot fight him if I’m worried about you. I’ll come for you, Diamond, just leave now!”

In a flash of color,
Diamonique
was gone, leaving him alone with an enraged six hundred-year-old vampire.

“You love her,” Rafael spat, as if the notion disgusted him. “You’ve always cared more for her than anything or anyone. It’s why I came for her, you know. I wanted to watch you suffer.”

Cain sighed, knowing where this was going and helpless to stop it. “Lucas wasn’t my fault, Rafael. He saw what you’d become and wanted no part in it. I didn’t draw him out of The Dominion. You just wish it’d happened that way. We both know the truth.”

Rafael glared at him. “He was my son and you took him from me! You’ll pay for that.
But not with your life, Cain.
I’ll force you to live without her. Then you’ll know what hell is really like.”

“Leave him alone.”

They both whipped around at the sound of another voice in the room. Cain was too shocked to speak. Rafael was not.

“You dare defend him to me? Does your betrayal know no bounds?”

Even Cain could hear the pain in Rafael’s voice. Pain like that could twist a man. He should know.

“He did nothing wrong. You only wish it were so simple. I left on my own. Cain had nothing to do with it.”

Rafael flew across the room until he was within inches of Lucas—possibly the only being the creature ever cared about. “I know he helped you hide from me.”

Lucas shook his head. “He showed me a few tricks, something you should have taught me, nothing more. I would have figured it out on my own eventually.”

“Why? You were to be my successor. You could have had it all, Luc.”

Cain had been about to dissolve. He needed to get to
Diamonique
while he could, but Rafael’s question gave him pause.

“I didn’t want that kind of life!” Lucas shouted. “I knew when I saw Cain and
Diamonique
together that The Dominion could never give me what I truly craved.”

Rafael punched the air with his fist. “What could you possibly want that I could not give you?”

“Love,” Lucas tossed right back.

In that moment, Cain felt truly sorry for Rafael.

“You are my son! How can you stand there and say that I do not love you?”

“You love having a son. It’s why you adopted me. Why you turned me. You never loved
me
or you would have understood that by leaving The Dominion, I was seeking something better. I wasn’t leaving you, Father, just the life you wanted for me.”

Rafael pointed an accusing finger at Lucas. “I created The Dominion for
you
. It was all for you.”

“Maybe, but that doesn’t change the fact that Cain is innocent in all this. Leave him be. Deal with me instead.”

Rafael stiffened and Cain knew things had just gone from bad to worse.

“Cain is the reason you left. Cain and his
bitch
,” he ground out. “They’ll both pay.”

Then he was gone and Cain had a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. Rafael knew. He hadn’t expected the old man to know where he and
Diamonique’s
special place was. He’d thought she’d be safe there, as long Rafael had no path to her. The bastard had read his mind and Cain hadn’t even been aware of it.
Emotions.
They had no place in combat with an ancient vampire, but his fear for
Diamonique
had clouded his brain to the point it might even cost her
her
life.

His gaze zeroed in on Lucas, his one chance at saving
Diamonique
.
Time to make a deal with the Devil’s son.
“Will you help me get her back?”

Lucas grimaced. “It won’t be easy. He’s determined to place the blame squarely on your shoulders.”

Cain flew across the room and jerked Lucas off his feet. “Damn you!
Diamonique
should not have to pay for your decisions,” Cain demanded.

“No. You’re right.” Then Lucas closed his eyes.

Several precious seconds went by. To Cain it felt like hours.
 

Finally, Lucas opened his eyes, “Put me down, I know where he’s taken her.” Cain complied and Lucas held out his hand. “Come with me if you want to see her alive.”

Was he a fool to trust Lucas? No. Lucas hated Rafael as much as he did. Hell, maybe even more. Besides, without
Diamonique
, Cain was nothing. He gripped Lucas’s outstretched palm. At once, heat flooded his body, then
Diamonique’s
living room dropped away, and he was standing in a dark room. He saw
Diamonique
. She was nude and chained to a wall. Rafael leaned against a doorway, his smile a frightening thing in itself. There was a young, blond girl kneeling at his feet. She, too, was nude. Rafael clutched the girl’s left wrist and blood trickled out of a gaping wound. Rafael’s newest pet.

Chapter Six

Diamonique
pulled against the chains, but it was no use. She wasn’t strong enough to break them. Something kept burning her skin. It felt like acid being poured onto her—slowly. It hurt like hell, but she refused to give Rafael the satisfaction of crying out. It was just what he wanted.

A roar rent the air.

Diamonique
lifted her head to see Cain and another man in the room.

“You bastard!” the man shouted.

Rafael laughed. “Is that any way to speak to your dear dad, Luc?”

Lucas? Cain had mentioned Rafael’s wayward son. But whose side was he on?

“Elizabeth has nothing to do with this. Let her go, father, or I
will
kill you.”

Rafael dropped the girl’s thin wrist. She fell to the floor, unmoving. She appeared dead, but
Diamonique
couldn’t be certain.