Deceptive Changes: Kat LaMond Book 1 (30 page)

We walked into the house and found my men in the kitchen.  They were eating and laughing and having a good time.  I stopped in the doorway and watched them, a smile spreading along my lips. 

“Kat, babe,” Todd said with a smile on his lips.  He held out his arm to me and I walked into the kitchen and into his arms.  He pulled me onto his lap and gave me a kiss on the cheek.  “We were just talking about you, babe.”

“Oh, yeah?”  What could they possibly be reminiscing about that involved me?

“Yup,” he ran his nose against my neck and followed with his mouth, nibbling the tender flesh.  I shivered as he bit me. 

“What were you talking about?  It definitely wasn’t sex related since you were laughing.”  Maybe it was.

“You’re right.  It wasn’t.  Well, not fully anyway.”  That was confusing.  “We were just talking and laughing about stuff we plan on doing to you.”

“And that makes you laugh?”

“Only because we can imagine the face you’ll make, babe.”  He nuzzled my neck. 

“Stop that.  I’ve been pretty okay with this whole thing, haven’t I?”

“More than most people would be, yes.”

“You seem to be a lot more comfortable than I am with this arrangement.  I’ve been curious as to why.”

“How so?”  He kissed my shoulder and rested his head against my neck. 

“It just seems that you should be more outraged or uncomfortable with sleeping with men.”  Now that I had brought up the subject I had to see it to its conclusion.  “I keep expecting you to flinch or argue with certain things yet you, and the others, end up talking about doing things that aren’t the norm.”

“Hold on, Kat.  First, this arrangement is working just fine, so don’t screw it up.  Second, it’s not like I want to fuck other men.  Third, you seem to enjoy certain things, so we talk and then we experiment.”

I breathed deeply and slid out of his arms.  “You’re right.  I shouldn’t mess with this.  I suppose I have more problems with it than any of you do.”  I backed up against the fridge and looked at them.  Sven had moved to stand between Trace and Erick, his hand on both men’s shoulders.  Todd was smiling.  “How did you become so comfortable, Todd?”

“I’ve been dealing with vampires, people, who have a loose definition of sex.  It rubs off on you.  I didn’t plan to be in a foursome, now fivesome, with only one woman in the mix.  I planned on having a monogamous relationship, probably with you, for the rest of my life but it changed.  I’m only making the best of what I was given and you should too.”

I frowned at him.  “I
have
been making the best out of what I’ve been given.” I paused and sighed.  “I wonder if you guys shouldn’t get as far away from me as possible.”

They all looked hurt.  I couldn’t help their pain.  I could only explain my reasoning.  “If it wasn’t for me you’d all be living in your own house, well, okay, maybe Erick and the others that I raised would still be in the grave, but still…”  I sighed.  “Anyway, if it wasn’t for me you’d be living your lives in stability or something.  You wouldn’t be in danger all the time.”  I hissed in pain as my stomach flared to life. 

“Katja,” Sven said as he walked up to me.  I held out my hand but he just moved it aside.  “You wouldn’t let me heal you earlier but now I can.”  He bit his hand and ran it along my stomach.  I sucked in a breath as his blood sizzled on my wound. 

I screamed when the pain flared to a white hot burning.  Sven pulled me to him and bit my neck.  I gurgled as bile rose into my throat.  I pushed against him.  He released me.  I had a second to lean over and toss my cookies. 

Sven held me in his arms as I convulsed in pain.  Todd and the others were standing around and yelling.  “What’s wrong?  Why is she in so much pain?”  Sven shrugged. 

I clawed at his arms and back as the pain sizzled through me.  Blackness welled inside my head.  I struggled against it and then let it win. 

><                            ><

“Katja, can you hear me?”  I blinked into dim lighting.  “Katja?”  It was Marishka. 

I groaned.  My tongue was stuck to the roof of my mouth.  I sat up and fell back onto the bed when dizziness seized me.  I unstuck my tongue and licked my lips.  After a couple attempts to speak I finally got the words out, “Help me up.  I need to use the bathroom.”  Todd came into view and helped me up.  He looked worried.

He walked me into the bathroom and helped me stay standing as I brushed my teeth.  My stomach was sizzling with low-grade pain.  I finished brushing my teeth and asked, “What happened?”

“You lost consciousness.”  I looked at him and sighed.  My teeth felt better but my stomach was rolling.  “I called Marishka.”  I nodded.  He helped me back into the bedroom.  I pulled away from him and sat on the window seat, curling my legs to my chest.  It helped keep the pain at bay.  Todd sat next to me.

“I suppose I owe you a thank you, Marishka.” 

She bowed her head.  “I serve my king and his queen.” 

I blushed and waved off the comment.  “Uh, what happened to me?”

“Cyril put a spell on your wound.  He wanted you to try what you did.  It was his way of fighting you and possibly killing you.  If my king hadn’t called when he did, you’d be in the grave.  I took the spell off.  I have used up a great deal of energy for you, my queen.  May I ask that I feed?”

“Why are you asking me?”  I frowned at her.  She came to me and kneeled with her head bowed.  I looked at Todd.  He just shrugged.  What help he was.  “Stop that, Marishka.  You’re older than I am.  No offense.  Feed if you need to.”

“May I feed from one or more of your men?”  She kept her head bowed. 

“That would be up to them, Marishka.  Please stand up or something, this is…” Todd cut me off with a shake of his head.  I stopped talking.  “Please, stand up, Marishka.  Go feed.” 

She stood up, all six feet of her, and walked up to Erick.  “May I feed from you, Erick?” 

Erick looked at me; I shrugged.  It was up to him.  He nodded and slid off the bed to stand in front of her.  She wrapped him in her long arms and bent her head.  Erick’s hands fisted as her teeth slid into his skin. 

He wrapped his arms around her waist a moment later.  I watched as he tightened his hold on her body.  I could see color spreading along her arms, shoulders, and neck.  Erick whimpered and arched his back.  She bent with him and then pulled back, holding him against her.

She pulled off Erick’s neck, turned to me, and said, “You have such strong men, my queen.”  I frowned at the title again.  Todd and I were going to have to talk about this.  “May I feed further?”  I wanted to ask her why she was asking me but didn’t, and, instead, nodded. 

She walked up to Trace and asked.  He looked from me to Todd and then back to Marishka, nodding.  He stayed sitting.  She didn’t seem to have a problem with this. 

She climbed onto the bed behind Trace and wrapped her long arms around him, then bent her head.  I watched as her fangs slid into his skin.  Trace closed his eyes and I could see that he was fighting the pleasure that her bite caused. 

She released him a few minutes later and lay back on the bed.  She laughed her tinkling laugh and wrapped her arms around herself.  I raised an eyebrow.  I must be feeling better.

I uncurled my legs and stood up.  The pain in my stomach was minimal now.  Todd stood up beside me and wrapped his arm around my shoulders.  “Marishka?”  She sat up in bed and looked at us.  Her eyes were slightly glazed over.  “Thank you for your help.”

Todd leaned into me and whispered, “I invited her to stay tonight.”  I turned and looked at him.  “She has helped a great deal and I owe her your life,” he explained quietly.  I shrugged.  Whatever.

Trace and Erick came to stand beside Todd and me.  Sven stayed near the door.  He was watching Marishka.  Maybe he found someone strong enough for him.  His eyes slid from her to me.  He grimaced when he looked back at her.  I wanted to ask him what was wrong but I didn’t. 

“Marishka, are you through?” Todd asked.  She nodded.  “Charles will show you to your room then.”  A moment later Charles entered the room.  How he knew to come in, I’ll probably never know. 

Charles flicked his eyes to me and smirked.  “Please follow me, shaman.”  She stood up and followed Charles out of the room.  I started to speak but Todd kissed me, cutting off whatever I was going to say.

“Let’s go out to dinner, Kat.”  He looked at me until I got his meaning.  I nodded. 

“Will Sven be going with us?”  Todd nodded.  Good.

“Where are we going?  Fast food?  A restaurant?”

“I’ve made reservations at a nice restaurant.”  He smacked my butt and left the room.  I watched him leave the room in mild shock.  Did he just smack my ass?  I shook my head and went to the closet.  I grabbed a skirt suit and shoes.  Trace, Erick, and Sven were still in the room so I went into the bathroom to change.

I walked out and found the guys were changed.  They were wearing slacks, dress shirts, evening jackets, and dress shoes.  I smiled as I took them in.  They were so yummy looking.  I couldn’t imagine life without them.  I didn’t want to, I realized.  I wanted this, however it came. 

I walked up to Erick and kissed him.  I pulled back and he smiled at me.  Trace was next and then Sven.  Todd wasn’t in the room.  I went to find him.  He was in the kitchen talking with Charles.  He was in a suit as well.  I walked up to him and kissed him.  He smiled at me and went back to talking to Charles.

“Make sure the guests are taken care of, Charles.  I don’t want her against us.  She saved our lives twice already.”  Charles bowed gracefully and walked out of the room. 

Todd turned to me and asked, “Are you ready, babe?”  I nodded.  He held out his arm for me.  I slid my hand onto his arm and we walked out of the kitchen.  My men were standing by the door waiting.  Todd escorted me to his truck and guided me into the front passenger seat.  He shut the door and got in on the other side.  He leaned over as he started the truck and gave me a big kiss.

We rode in silence until we were far enough from the house.  “How did Marishka’s attitude change, Todd?”

“When she saw you injured.  She saw something that made her scared and she doesn’t scare easily, Kat.”  He held out his hand.  I grabbed it and he squeezed. 

“Oh.”

“Let’s not talk about her.”  I wanted to know more things but I let it go. 

><                            ><

We arrived at the restaurant.  Sven had my door open before the valet could get to me.  He held out his arm.  I took it and slid out of the vehicle.  We met up with my men.  I was surprised when the valet drove off since I had been wrapped up with Sven escorting me over to my men.  Todd took my other arm and wound it through his.  Trace and Erick walked behind us. 

We walked in and Todd gave our name, which didn’t actually seem necessary.  The hostess had our menus in hand and asked us to follow her.  She led us to the back by the fireplace and laid out the menus.  Sven pulled out my chair and I sat down.  The guys sat down after me.  Sven was on my right, Todd on the left; Trace beside Todd and Erick beside Sven.

“A waiter will be with you momentarily,” she said and walked off. 

We looked at the menu.  I found a light meal that sounded good to me and shut my menu.  A couple minutes later, we knew what we wanted.  The waiter, a young man dressed in black slacks, a white shirt, and a black vest appeared.  “Are you ready to order?” 

Everyone looked at me.  I guess I was to order first.  I cleared my throat, tried not to shift in embarrassment, and opened my menu.  I told him what I wanted.  The guys ordered, even Sven.  The waiter nodded and left. 

Sven had to keep up appearances that he was mortal, I guess.  He didn’t really look mortal.  His pale skin gleamed in the light of the fireplace.  His full lips were slightly pale and his dark blue eyes had a shine like an animal’s.  He blinked at me and the shine was gone.  I sucked in a breath.  “How do you do that?”

“What?”  He tilted his head at me. 

“The way you blinked and the animal shine was gone.”

“Oh, that.  I just think ‘human’ and it goes away,” he chuckled. 

“Really?” I asked.

He shook his head and laughed softly.  “No, Katja.  I can mask being a vampire when I’m around humans.  It’s a skill, something we learn to blend in.”  He leaned into me and to outward appearances he was kissing my cheek but in reality his fangs had slid into my neck. 

I hissed as pleasure filled me.  “Not now,” I whispered. 

He licked my neck when he pulled his fangs out and chuckled.  “Does that embarrass you?”  I couldn’t speak so I nodded.  He laughed quietly.

“That’s not funny, Sven.”  I couldn’t hold a straight face.  “I could have made a big scene and probably jumped you in front of a whole lot of people, if you had kept it up.”  He licked his lips.  Oh, boy.  I saw the challenge in his eyes. 

Todd spoke up, breaking into our staring contest.  “Sven, this isn’t the time, dude.”  Sven’s eyes flicked to Todd’s and then he nodded. 

We talked about whatever flowed into our heads, except sex and Marishka.  The waiter brought our dinner.  Sven even tasted his meal.  He grimaced and discretely spit it out in his napkin.  “Maybe you shouldn’t pretend, Sven.” I grimaced at just the thought of him doing that again.