Blood Shadows (29 page)

He drew in a deep breath and deliberately slowed his speech. No point in rushing it. “I was thinking you should invite Nachari’s new lady to join us—just the three of us, you know? The two of you get to know each other better in an easy setting…where I can kind of act like a buffer.”

Kristina started laughing then. Actually laughing. “Yeah, because you’re such a social giant, Ramsey. Why would I need you to help me make a friend?”

He went straight to the heart of the matter, hoping to rattle her into submission. “Because we both know that you’re basically a loner.” He softened his voice. “Yeah, you have your new family—the Silivasis and their mates—but whether you believe it or not, I have learned a few things about the spicy redhead who seems to monopolize my attention both day and night anymore: She’s fiercely independent and has a mind of her own. She doesn’t like obligatory relationships or being told what to do. She needs some kind of space—or life—of her own that’s not under anyone else’s control, least of all her new, overbearing brothers.” He chuckled then. “Or her new overbearing love interest.”

“Love interest?” Kristina parroted sarcastically.

Saber placed his hand over his heart deliberately, hoping to add drama to his voice. “Ah, baby—you don’t love me yet? I’m wounded. Why are you so cruel?”

She huffed her annoyance, but he could hear a note of playfulness emerging in her voice. “Is that a trick question?”

“Yeah, yeah…okay. I’m not that lovable, I concede; but the point is, baby girl, you are. And I think a new friendship—one of your own making and choosing—would be good for you. Besides, there’s actually a little more to it than that—let’s just say it’s a gesture of sorts.”

“A gesture?” she asked curiously. “What kind of gesture?”

Saber spoke gently. “A gesture of good faith from me to you. You think I’m just trying to use you—that I want to sneak in, in the middle of the night, and leave before anyone sees…because I’m ashamed…or you’re not good enough to take in public.” He was reaching now, and he knew it. She had never actually said those words to him, but he was close to the underlying feelings—her ever constant insecurity—just the same. “And it isn’t that, Kristina—it really isn’t.”

When she remained deathly quiet, he took it as a sign to continue: “Like you, I want something separate from my everyday life—something that has nothing to do with the king or the other warriors, my own private space…and relationship.” He held his breath for a heartbeat and then dove in with both feet: The argument would either work…or it wouldn’t. “And I’m hoping that by taking both you and Deanna to the hot springs, you will at least come to see that I’m not ashamed of you; I’m not afraid of being seen in public with you; and that I care about more than just…getting next to you.” He went straight for the ego and sense of belonging. “Besides, if nothing else, Deanna will see us together, and she’ll know that you have someone who really digs you.” He stopped then, waiting to feel her out, to gauge her response.

“And what if Deanna comes to the conclusion that you’re nothing but a dog playing hound games, and I should step?”

Saber smiled—
damn, but this girl was feisty
. “Then I brought that shit on myself, right? Fair is fair.”

Kristina’s hesitation indicated she was mulling it over…seriously. “So, you would actually hang out with me—and Nachari’s
destiny
—at the hot springs for an entire evening—”

“Night,” he interjected. Unbeknownst to her, Saber had to make damn sure the sun had gone down before he
hung out
with anyone. “For as long as you like, baby girl.”

“Hmm,” she said. “So when do you want to do this?”

Saber sighed, not realizing that he had practically been holding his breath.

“Let’s meet up Sunday,” he answered. “Just the three of us. You pick up Deanna and bring her to the hot springs around nine o’clock. I’ll meet you both there…with bells on.”

Kristina giggled then. “Only bells?” she teased.

He growled low and wicked. “I will if you will.”

Kristina’s delight sparkled in the tone of her voice. “Fine,” she finally agreed, “I’ll give Deanna a call and invite her. But, Ramsey,” she interjected seriously, “I swear, if you stand me up or bail out in front of Deanna, that’s it. You don’t ever come by again or call back. I mean it. It’s over.”

Saber swallowed his retort, satisfied. If Kristina Silivasi could get Nachari’s
destiny
to the hot springs alone, it would indeed be over. For both of them. He nearly shuddered with anticipation. “Fair enough,” he drawled. “I’ll see you tomorrow then? Nine o’clock? Just the three of us—our secret.”

Kristina feigned indifference. “Yeah…
yeah
…it’ll be fun, I guess.”

“Oh,” Saber insisted, “you can count on it, baby girl.”

“Fine,” she said, “see you then.”

“See you then, Red.”

He hung up the phone, tucked it back into his pocket, and turned to face Salvatore, who was grinning from ear to ear while shaking his head in amusement.

“You will kill them both, then?” Salvatore asked.

Saber raised his shoulders and stared at the diabolical sorcerer, trying to read his resolve. “Do I have the council’s permission?”

Salvatore shrugged nonchalantly, appearing surprisingly indifferent. “I must admit, we had hoped to use the redhead much longer; she is such an easy, convenient source of information.” He exhaled slowly. “However, one must adapt to circumstances, no?”

Saber held up his hands. “The best laid plans of mice and vampires…”

Salvatore chucked heartily. “Indeed.” And then he leaned forward in his chair, rested his elbows on his knees, and dropped his voice to a fine, icy purr. “Do not dally with Nachari’s girl, Saber. If there’s information you can garner from her, then fine—get it. But don’t take unnecessary chances. We want her dead.
I
want her dead.” He took a deep breath and lightened his voice. “And as for the other one—do whatever you want with her, however you like, if time permits—but yes, in the end, kill her, too.”

Saber rose from the stiff davenport, wondering absently why the wealthy sorcerer would keep something so uncomfortable in his lair. No matter. Soon, he would be done with this frivolous assignment and his far too frequent association with the Dark Council, and he could get back to living his own life. “As you wish, councilman. Your will—their graves.”

With that, he sauntered out of the room.

Braden Bratianu watched curiously as Kristina checked the caller ID on her cell phone, covered the mouthpiece with her hand as she answered it, and quickly shuffled out to the deck, closing the patio door behind her in order to keep Braden from listening in on the call.

As if he couldn’t just use his superior vampire hearing to eavesdrop if he chose.

He rolled his eyes, feeling more than a little annoyed and, frankly, put out. Since when did Kristina keep secrets from him? From her family? Since when had she started acting so weird? He wondered if it had anything to do with Ramsey, and he almost had half a mind to get up and follow her onto the deck—demand to know exactly who she was talking to and why. Just like Marquis would.

But then he noticed the small spiral notebook she had left behind on the couch, the one with the painted pink dragon on the front, the one she often used as some kind of journal or diary. Everything in him told him it was wrong to snoop, that even Marquis and Nathaniel would be disappointed in him for doing something so disrespectful and immature, but he just couldn’t help it.

It was right there.

Lying upside down on Nachari’s couch, the pages already open.

And what if Kristina really was in trouble? Then Nachari would expect him to act like a true male from the house of Jadon—duty before self.

He looked through the large pane of floor-to-ceiling glass on the second level of the brownstone, wondering how he would get away with it, but Kristina was quickly walking toward the far end of the deck with her back turned to him, putting as much distance between them as possible—so she could sneak behind his back. All obvious and everything.

Well, fine—two could play that game.

Using the stealthy glide of his enhanced Vampyr body, he slinked noiselessly across the room and picked up the diary. He glanced out the window again—from this vantage point, he could no longer see Kristina’s full body. The only thing that remained in his line of sight was a lock of Kristina’s wild red curls; and if he couldn’t see her fully, then she couldn’t see him, either. Gazing down at the well-worn page beneath him—it was practically covered in illegible blue ink—he began to scan the uneven lines, reading as many words as he could, skipping randomly through the paragraphs as quickly as possible:

I’m just so torn.
I don’t know if Ramsey cares at all or if he just wants to use me for sex…

I know he’ll leave me when his destiny comes, but he still wants to have a good time…

I hate how he disappears the minute
somebody shows up
or
leaves the minute anything comes up. Like everything
always has
to be this huge secret, but I guess he has to do whatever Napolean tells him.
Still, it sucks to be in this position…

God, I can’t believe I could think he’s as cruel as Dirk.
Sometimes I even wonder
if he’d hit me. Or force me?
There really is something
so
dark and
dangerous
about him. But it’s sexy
as hell,
too…

Shit, my brothers would kill me.
I don’t even want to think about it. No,
they are
never gonna know.
No matter what happens.
Never!

So,
I guess the jury
is
still out
for now, but I
do have
to
decide something soon…

Ramsey is
not a little boy playing games, and he’s
so
forceful. It’s
gonna happen one way or the other if I don’t
get rid of him…

Damn, he is so fine, though.
I really do kind of want him…

I don’t know what to do.

This totally sucks!

Braden grimaced as the words sank in, tossed the diary back on the couch, and quickly arranged it the way he had found it. And then he scrunched up his face and took a step back, staring out the window at Kristina’s back.

What in the world had he just read?

Kristina and Ramsey?
Eww.

He shook his head as if it were full of cotton candy. Why would Ramsey try to do
that
with Kristina? He was way too…something. Big. Old. Mean?

Braden ambled across the room and sat back down in his chair just staring off into space. He couldn’t understand it, but he was angry.

Really angry.

He sat there tapping his foot against the ground, trying to think of what in the world he should do, and waiting for Kristina to come back inside.

His head hurt.

And that made no sense for a vampire.

When the patio doors finally slid open and Kristina waltzed back inside, he could tell by the look on her face that she must have been talking to Ramsey.

Dang, he was so mad!

“Who was that?” he demanded, jumping to his feet. His hands went immediately to his hips.

Kristina drew back in surprise. Quickly recovering her composure, she stepped into the room and placed her phone on an end table. “Excuse me?”

Braden puffed out his chest. He could feel his heart begin to race. “You heard me. Who was that! On the phone?”

Kristina glanced absently at her diary lying on the couch, blanched for a second as if realizing that she had left it within his reach, and then squared her shoulders in defiance, obviously confident that the book hadn’t been touched.

And he wasn’t going to tell her he’d read it, either. At least not now. He wanted to know if she would keep lying to him.

“Frankly, Braden, that’s none of your business.”

Braden felt a funny tingle in his mouth, like his gums were retracting, and there was a strange, swirling energy flowing up and down his arms that made him feel almost like he was shifting inside of his own body. Really, really weird. He swallowed some extra saliva and made a concentrated effort to pitch his voice low—like the Silivasi brothers always did when they were being stern. “Woman,” he barked, doing his best Marquis imitation, “I’m not playing games with you. Tell me who was on the phone.” The sound reverberated through the room like a heavy globe ricocheting through a pinball machine, and Braden could hardly believe it had come from his mouth. A subtle growl punctuated the end of his sentence, the sound equally surprising.

Kristina looked positively stunned.

And none too happy.