B006P1R39O EBOK (6 page)

“Then will you at least give me enough time to experience it with someone else?” she asked.

Her head began to pound, but this time she was ready when he started probing her thoughts and she was able to force the door shut. The look on his face when he realized that she could stop him from barging into her head, almost made her laugh.

“If you find someone to lay with you in the short time you have left … I won’t stop you,” he said, turning away from her. “But you are not fooling me Kathrina. I know that you have no intention of letting me take your life. When the time comes, you will put up a fight.”

Without another word, he walked to the opposite end of the room and stared out the window. This window was intact, unlike the one they had entered through.

Kathrina followed his gaze, but it was difficult to see anything but distorted light through the thick layer of dust that covered the small window.

Luciano was silent, seemingly entranced by the radiant glow of the city lights.

The more time she spent with him, the less she understood him. One moment he was a cold-blooded killer, the next he was angry because that is what she saw him to be. He would touch her intimately, but then push her away. Luciano intended to kill her, but seemed to worry about her safety at the same time. His actions contradicted his words, and that made her wonder if the icy indifference that he showed others was simply a barrier to hide behind.

“You act like it will be difficult for me to find someone. Is that what you think?” she asked, ignoring the part about her ultimate defiance in the end. He was right about that.

She waited for an answer, but he said nothing. Just as Kathrina opened her mouth to ask again, Luciano held up his hand to silence her.

“We have company,” he warned.

Kathrina stepped closer to him and listened, trying to detect whatever it was that had alarmed him. All she could hear was her own rapid breathing and the groaning of the floorboards as she shifted her weight from one foot to the other.

Luciano gently grabbed her arm and moved her away from the window.

“What is it?” she asked in hushed tones.

Before she could get the last word out, she heard the shuffling of feet on the roof outside the window. Luciano’s eyes lit up with rage; at the same time he drew back his lips to reveal sharp - white fangs.

She swallowed hard, trying to get rid of the tight feeling in her throat. Any second now the intruder would break through the window and she didn’t even want to imagine what would happen after that. The grisly images of her birthday party, and what she had witnessed earlier in the evening, were still too fresh in her mind.

Kathrina yelped at the sound of a loud knock against the glass. The furious energy radiating from Luciano actually made the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. He was in full attack mode.

It had probably been years since the window had been used; evident by the way the frame moaned in protest as it was forced open. A head emerged from the darkness beyond the window.

“Wait!” Kathrina blurted out before her vampire captor could fly at the window.

There was something familiar about the man that stuck his head inside, but in the dim light it was difficult to tell for sure. It was not until he spoke that Kathrina allowed herself to breathe a sigh of relief. It was Dash’s voice.

“Thought you might need a little help …  you know with all those rogue vampires and wolf men after you.”

“How dare you come here and try to sneak up on me!” Luciano growled.

“I don’t know if you’ve noticed … but you don’t exactly have a front door to knock on.” Dash defended himself.

Luciano said nothing so Dash climbed through the window.

“You okay?” Dash directed his question to Kathrina.

Nodding, Kathrina rushed to Dash and threw her arms around his neck. “You shouldn’t have risked coming after me.”

“Nonsense!” Dash winked. “You’re just a bit of a girl. Can’t see letting you deal with this all on your own.”

“So what can I do to help?” Dash looked at Luciano.

Luciano’s dark eyes bore into the other vampire. “Why are you so anxious to help? Are you planning to steal from me again?”

A contrite grin spread over Dash’s face. “I’m sorry about that bit. That medallion was just sitting there in plain sight. I just thought I’d borrow it for a little while.”

“Where is it now … if indeed you took it on loan … an unauthorized loan,” Luciano added.

“Well now …” Dash shrugged his shoulders, “they kind of took it from me when I was in
Outerlands
.”

A slight smile touched Luciano’s lips. “I’ve heard rumors about the foolish one that trespassed into the land of the wolves. Is that why they’re here?”

Dash found a box and pulled it closer to the table where the candle burned. He sat down and made himself comfortable before returning his attention to Luciano. “Those wolves are not nearly as bad as most vamps make them out to be.” Dash waved his hand as if he were waving away a ridiculous notion. “There are even a few of those hairy creatures that would like to help us. That’s not why they’re here.” Dash smiled.

“They are here because of a hormonal vamp that couldn’t resist turning their leader’s daughter,” Dash told him with a shrug of his shoulders. “From what I saw through the window … you’re a little hormonal yourself. You might want to get that under control … that is if you still plan to kill her.”

Embarrassed, Kathrina’s face turned bright red.

“I wonder if dear dad can guess what you’re up to?” Dash wagged his finger at her.

“Your concern for her virtue is admirable,” Luciano said, a hard smile spreading across his face, “but I assure you … unnecessary.”

For some reason Kathrina was hurt by the way Luciano dismissed the possibility of her virtue being in danger. Instead of raging like she felt like doing, she just smiled. He would succumb to her sooner or later. She could tell he wanted her; it was just a matter of him realizing that he did.

“So what’s the plan to get rid of that pain in the ass bloodsucker, Omar … and stop the wolves?” Dash asked no one in particular.

Kathrina turned her attention to Luciano. “If you stand against Omar, his followers will turn on him. No one will want to defy you.”

“She’s got a point,” Dash commented.

“I could do this yes, but then I would be interfering with the fate of the immortal sisters … wouldn’t I?” he asked in a mocking tone.

“He plans to call the ancients back,” Dash gave Luciano a malicious grin.

Luciano laughed. “And you think he will succeed? The ancients will return if and when they choose … even if you destroy Omar.”

“Is that what you meant when you talked about the true immortals?” Kathrina wanted to know.

Luciano nodded. “They are the fathers of all vampires. When they see what has become of their creations … these mutants will be wiped out.”

“You mean those gross looking monsters … the ones that turn after they feed off of another vampire?” Kathrina’s features twisted in disgust at the memory of the thing that she’d discovered in her mother’s tomb.

“No,” Luciano told her. “Not just them, but all vampires. They didn’t realize that their DNA would act as a virus to the human species, or I am sure the breeding between the two species would never have happened. It was not until it got out of hand that they left their creations to fend for themselves. They couldn’t have known how effectively the virus would spread. Its original intent was to destroy the born vampires.”

“So what you are saying is that it never was a curse. We’re all some kind of accident?” Dash asked in disbelief.

“Not really an accident … more like a side effect. The virus was created to kill the children of the immortals. The ancients felt that they were abominations, but instead of killing them, it made them carriers of a virus that could be spread through a bite.”

“So what does all of this mean then? What do we do?” Kathrina asked him.

“I don’t know what you are going to do, but I am going to give you the chance to kill your uncle like I promised … not that it will do you a lot of good.” Luciano told her. “Then I will cure myself with your blood,” he added.

“You are one cold dude,” Dash glared at him.

Turning to Dash, Kathrina chose to completely ignore Luciano’s words. “How did you know about the wolves?” she asked, suddenly remembering that he’d mentioned them.

“Summer has returned with news from
Outerlands
,” Dash told her.

“I have to go home,” Kathrina said to Luciano. “Summer might know what we can do about the wolves.”

“You’ll stay with me,” he told her, leaving no room for argument.

“You can come with me if you insist, but I do need to talk with my cousin.”

“You are far more trouble than is good for you.” Luciano’s voice was hard, but she saw amusement in his eyes.

Kathrina had to wonder if part of the reason that he hadn’t killed her yet was because he found her entertaining.

* * *

The two of them waited in the gazebo while Dash went inside to get Summer. Luciano insisted that she talk with Summer outside. He obviously didn’t trust the other vampires.

Kathrina wondered what it was like to be hunted by so many. Luciano couldn’t even turn his back on those of his own kind. Everyone wanted to kill him, but for different reasons. It had to be much worse than having just one coven hunting you.

A moment later she saw her cousin making her way from the house into the dark garden. Summer was wearing a long white evening gown and her golden-brown hair was tied back in a French braid. For just an instant, Kathrina was jealous of Summer’s elegant beauty.

If only she were beautiful, then he might want her for more than just her blood.

Luciano leaned down and whispered in her ear. “You are far more attractive.”

Kathrina looked up sharply. “I told you to stay out of my head.”

“It was the look on your face that gave away your thoughts.”

Frowning, Kathrina turned her attention back to her cousin. Summer was carrying a large brown paper bag in her hands. Without so much as glancing at Luciano, she set the bag at Kathrina’s feet.

“Your father thought you might need a change of clothes,” she told Kathrina as she embraced her. “How have you been cuz?”

“A little preoccupied,” Kathrina said, turning to give Luciano a sour look.

“I’ve heard.” Summer leveled her fierce - golden eyes on the vampire. “Do you really think you are going to get away with this?” she asked him.

“Yes,” he answered, not even bothering to pretend he was anything but arrogant.

“The wolves have a proposition for you.” Summer now gave the vampire her full attention. “They will retreat after Omar is dead, and you have released Kathrina.”

“Why do they care about her?”

“She was raised by the wolves. Her adoptive father is very upset that you’ve taken her,” Summer explained.

“Is he now?” Luciano smirked. “And what makes you think it matters to me what the wolves do?”

“Let’s not forget that the ancients are vampires. They will be involved in this war too,” Summer said with a smile. “How will they feel about that when they find out you could have stopped it?”

“They are the reason I am what I am,” Luciano seethed. “I do not care what they think. In any case … they may not return. Why would they care what happens to this desolate planet?”

“Are they really the ones at fault … or is it someone in particular … a woman perhaps?” Summer winked at him.

Kathrina held her breath when she saw his eyes light up with fury.

“How is it you know so much about me?” he asked.

“Kathrina’s Uncle Cato was very informative once he realized what you intended to do with his niece. You see, Cato has always been dedicated to keeping the peace … unlike so many of your kind.”

Luciano stared at Summer with something akin to admiration. “Is that the card you are going to play?” he asked.

“It is,” she said with a nod.

Kathrina had silently watched the exchange between Summer and Luciano, but now she thought it was time she spoke up. “I agreed to this arrangement in exchange for his help.”

“We don’t need his help,” Summer told Kathrina, her eyes never leaving the vampire. “He knows he cannot kill Omar. It would be going against the laws of his kind. The child of an immortal can only be killed by their own blood. That is where you and your sisters come in.”

“She needs my help. If she goes against him now … he will destroy her.” Luciano narrowed his eyes on Summer.

Kathrina was grateful that Summer was immune to the mind power of the vampire. Marius had turned her, but her shifter blood seemed to provide her some protection. If it hadn’t, there was no doubt that Summer would have been dead already.

“You have until tomorrow night to give us your answer,” Summer told him. “We will be waiting for you at the Jazz Palace on Bourbon Street.”

Summer turned to Kathrina. “Take care,” she said before turning to leave.