Caressed by Night (26 page)

“My wife is turning our anniversary party into a girls' night out,” he added with a laugh and clapped Dimitri on the shoulder as he walked past.

“Are you sure you want to shackle your power?” Gabriel asked.

“I am not locking it all away, just enough.”

“I’m not as honorable as you. I would play like I’m weak when I’m strong, just to fake Ven out.”

Dimitri shrugged.

“So, what are you going to do with Kerstyn while you’re off fighting Ven?”

Dimitri cleared his throat and lean forward, placing his elbows on the edge of the black granite table.

“I am glad asked.”

“Your tone suggests I may not like what you are about to say,” Gabriel said, his eyes narrowing with suspicion.

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“I will be honest, you are not going to be pleased.” Gabriel sighed, gave a come-on wave of his hand.

“Kerstyn is going to die.”

“Bullshit,” he blurted, his voice high with surprise.

Dimitri slowly nodded. “Yes,” he confirmed, “I have seen it.

She will be shot the night of the fight.”

“Did you tell Dorian?”

“We were discussing options when you joined us.”

“What are they?”

“I will ask Kerstyn if she would be willing to go back with Dorian and Victoria.”

“Great idea. Get her far away from this place.”

“That is what I thought, but Dorian does not believe she will go.”

“Make her go,” Gabriel insisted. “Tell her she doesn’t have a choice.”

Dimitri’s serious expression softened a fraction as a smile began to turn up the corners of his mouth.

“You do not have much experience with women.”

“I’ve got plenty.”

“Allow me to correct myself. You do not have much experience with being in a relationship.”

Gabriel gave a lazy shrug. “You’ve got me there. I don’t have much time for the ladies, except for the occasional one nighter.”

“I would like to give her a choice.”

“Risk her life by allowing her to stay here?”

“I do not wish to be a tyrant, she must be free to make her own decisions,” Dimitri snapped.

“Okay,” Gabriel said, putting his hands up in surrender. “Don’t bite my head off. So, what’s your plan?”

“I will talk to her tonight and give her a short list of options.”

“What are you going to say?”

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Dimitri’s hands clenched. He had no idea. Where should he begin? Dorian had suggested he share everything with Kerstyn. Lay bare his soul. If he followed his friend’s advice, he could lose the one who brought light into his world of never ending darkness. But what choice did he have? He had to be completely open and completely honest. They were in Vegas and this alone required a gamble.

“The truth,” Dimitri stated.

“Damn, I couldn’t imagine doing that.”

“If she decides to stay, I will need to ensure her safety.”

“Naturally,” Gabriel agreed.

“Ven may not be arriving until Saturday, but that does not mean he will not send scouts. Kerstyn will need to be guarded at all times. Silvie warned me that Ven will strike at me anyway he can and by now I have no doubt he knows about Kerstyn.”

“He couldn’t know she is your mate.”

“No, but every vampire in this place knows she and I are together. The rumors must have reached him. By hurting her, he will weaken me.”

“Do you want me to set up security at your house?”

“No, if she chooses to stay with me, I would like her to be able to continue about her life. I have no wish for her to feel trapped.”
Even
though she is,
he added to himself. “With your permission, I would like us to move to Vamped. There she will be continuously protected.”

“As long as she stays within the building. Unlike you and Dorian, the rest of us vampires can’t go strolling through the park on a hot summer day. We’ll fry. Besides, my cameras are only within the building, loading areas, and just outside the entrances.”

“Still, it will be easier to protect her if she does not need to travel between the museum and my home. So, may I have your consent to move to Vamped?”

“You don’t need to ask, Dimitri. The offer I made you the night you materialized in my office still stands. You may stay for however long you like. I will have one of the penthouses readied for you.” Dimitri gave a curt nod in thanks before continuing. “Also, the night I meet Ven, I will need to leave her with someone.” Gabriel’s face paled, as his entire body grew tense. His heart stilled as he waited for Dimitri to drop the bomb.

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“Will you guard her for me?”

Gabriel’s lungs froze as if the wind had been knocked out of him.

“I am aware of your distaste of humans. Having her in your home will be uncomfortable, but I know I can trust you. You are stronger than most Black Knights who guard our nobility and defend our race.”

“Please, Dimitri, don’t ask this of me,” Gabriel begged, his voice low and rough.

“There is no one else.”

“The witch. She can stay with Silvie.”

Dimitri shook his head, “Silvie will be with her people. After she casts her spell upon me, she will teleport home so that the Shaw remain neutral.”

Gabriel’s heartbeat instantly tripled its rhythm and frantically slammed in his chest. He closed his eyes and took in a deep breath.

Dimitri, the man who had saved him from imprisonment, was now asking him to protect the one thing that mattered the most to him. His mate. How could he say no? He owed Dimitri his life and Kerstyn was in danger. He said a silent prayer before offering Dimitri his hand.

“In my vision, it is night and she is outside in the rain. I cannot see who pulls the trigger or the person who stands above her, blocking the water. As long as she stays inside, she will be fine. Please, Gabriel.

I cannot be worried for her safety when I go to meet Ven. I need to be assured she is safe.”

“You can trust me. I will keep her safe.”

Dimitri smiled and shook his friend’s hand, “Thank you, Gabriel.”

“No problem.” He pulled his cell phone from his pocket. “I’ll make a call and the penthouse will be ready for you.”

“You may not need to protect her. She could decide to go with Dorian and Victoria.”

“God, I hope so.”

Dimitri smiled. “You are a good man, Gabriel. I have faith in you.”

“You’re the only one who does.”

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Dimitri’s smile turned into a frown at his friend’s words and he tried hard to resist the urge to look into Gabriel’s mind. If Gabriel wanted to discuss his thoughts, he would.

“I need a real drink,” Gabriel announced as he stood. “You want one? Dorian has allowed me to distribute Silver Moon.”

“I think I will join my mate.”

“Yeah, go get your seduction on. I’m going to down a few and then we can do the gift thing for Dorian and Victoria.” Dimitri gave a nod of approval before coming to his feet and heading for the dance floor.

Gabriel turned and quickly crossed over to the vacant bar within the VIP section. Gannon abandoned his post by the elevator to join him.

“Did you hear?” Gabriel asked as he pulled an unmarked, black glass bottle from the mini fridge tucked underneath the bar. Making fast work of the cap, he grabbed a tall glass filling it to the brim with the glowing liquid.

“Dimitri wants you to babysit his girl,” Gannon said.

Gabriel took a swig of the alcohol. The liquor burned his throat, but soothed his soul.

“Yeah.”

“I don’t get why you’re so tense. It’s not a big deal.” Gabriel finished off his glass and poured another. “I have a bad feeling about this.”

“Like what.”

“My instincts are telling me this isn’t going to work.”

“You think you’re going to fail?”

I know I’m going to fail,
he thought as he took another gulp, this time holding the liquid in his mouth, savoring the taste before allowing it to slide slowly down his throat. God, the burn was smooth.

“Dimitri said Silvie would not be here that night. Don’t you think that’s odd? Kerstyn and the witch are close friends and there is no way that Silvie doesn’t know what’s going to happen.” Gabriel downed the rest of his drink. “I don’t think Kerstyn is meant to be saved.” Gannon cursed.

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“Think about it. If she were meant to live, Silvie would be here to save her.”

Gannon’s gut twisted.

“You’re worried that if she dies, Dimitri will too,” Gannon said, understanding where Gabriel’s concern was coming from.

“He has lived for so long…” Gabriel shook his head, unable to believe his thoughts. “Dimitri won’t want to live without her.”

“What will we do?”

“The night of the fight, we’ll make damn sure she stays in the penthouse and up security. Maybe we can find a witch to help us with a protection spell,” Gabriel explained, filling his glass for the third time.

“Go easy,” Gannon warned, eyeing the half-empty bottle. “You need to make it through the rest of the night. You don’t want to be the drunk that spoils King Dorian’s anniversary party.”

“I need a distraction.”

“Well,” Gannon said as he reached into the inside pocket of his suit jacket, “here’s a distraction,” as he handed his boss a folded paper.

Gabriel quickly flipped it open and quickly scanned the contents. “This is all we have?”

“That is all the information there was. Unlike the others, the woman in that photo you found did not have a file.”

“She’s from Denver, Colorado. Works as a yoga instructor.

Has burgundy hair, violet eyes. Exotic,” Gabriel read, “but there is no name listed. No address. Nothing personal.”

Gannon shook his head. “Ven or Boras could have the complete file. They kept extensive records of their victims. Really creepy, stalker shit. They follow their targets for months trying to learn everything they can about them before they strike. I found a checklist for ‘worthy prey’.”

“Bleeders need to be healthy, have untainted blood, and, most importantly, be attractive,” Gabriel said as he folded the paper closed.

“We need to find her.”

“We don’t have much information.”

Gabriel didn’t notice his left hand had come to rest over his heart. His palm pressed into his chest as every muscle in his body clenched.

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He could still feel the searing pain of his skin melting away, the sweet scent of burning flesh still tingled in his nose. He wore the brand of a bleeder. A slave. He had been easy prey, a vampire’s weak victim.

His lungs turned into a cage of ice as his memories rose from the depths of his soul, wrapping their shadowy hands around his throat.

Suddenly the club felt small, confining. He tugged at the collar of his shirt, releasing the top buttons.

Gannon watched his friend warily. Gabriel’s eyes clouded over, cold and distant. They had worked together for nearly two hundred years and never once had Gabriel spoken of his past. Gannon would never ask, never press for answers. He knew what it was like to want to forget his human life, his human weaknesses.

“We need to find her,” Gabriel repeated.

“How? We don’t know when this information was compiled.

For all we know, she could be living in another state.” Gabriel shook his head, trying to dislodge the images of his past, but they sank their poisonous talons deep and would not let go.

He could see his cell. Feel the shackles about his wrists and ankles. Smell blood, his blood. It was dry and crusted over his skin, but made the floor slick. Closing his eyes, he tried to will his memories to stop, but they would not. Lady Sideth stood just inside the door of his secret prison wearing the black cloak she always wore, the hood flipped up framing her deceptively delicate face. Her lips moved and even though he could not hear her voice, he knew her words. She spoke the same words to him every time she left his cell.
I wish you pleasant
sleep and good day, my lover.

Gabriel sucked in deep, gasping breaths of air as his eyes snapped open. The strong mixed scent of beer and sweat stung his nose, the booming sound of the bass rang in his ears, and the vibrant colors of the roaming lights burned his eyes.

“Hey, man, are you all right?” Gannon asked. “You totally just zoned out.”

Bypassing the glass this time, Gabriel brought the bottle to his mouth and tipped it back. Instead of chasing away his worries for Dimitri and Kerstyn, he used the liquor to banish his past.

Polishing off the bottle, he tossed it into the trash bin. Running his hands through his short hair, he reined in his memories and violently forced them back as he regained control of himself.

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