Endless Chase (9 page)

She didn’t feel dressed appropriately either, which was stupid. This was about revenge, not about people liking her. And why did she care so much?

Chase.

45

N.J. Walters

It was that simple and that complicated. She’d never imagined meeting someone like him. Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to study her surroundings. It wouldn’t pay to get careless at this late date in the game. She had no idea who the mysterious leader of the vampire hunters was, beyond his first name, or when he might show up, and she had to be ready.

Her crossbow was in its case, strapped to her back, along with her pack, but she knew she’d have to at least leave the crossbow outside. It wouldn’t do to enter Dalakis Castle with a weapon at hand. She was certain her hosts would take offense.

As she rounded the curve in the dirt road, the castle came into view. Reluctantly, she removed her crossbow, and the heavy metal bolts that she shot from it, and looked around for a likely spot to hide them. She opted to stash them behind a rosebush climbing up the side of the stone wall that ringed the place.

She’d seen the castle before, of course. Had watched it for several nights now, planning and searching for a way in. Now she was here, and about to go in through the front door—a guest instead of an unwanted intruder. It was much safer this way. Not much, but some.

Trudging up the stone steps, one at a time, she studied the building. Hewn from stone, it had stood for hundreds of years. As she crossed the courtyard she took a deep breath to settle her nerves. The sun had already set and once again she cursed the delays that had made her late.

She could never forget what the Dalakis brothers and their spouses were. Vampires had great powers and if she let down her guard for even a second they would sense she posed a threat to them. Katya swallowed hard. That would be most unfortunate—for her.

No matter her mission, the castle was indeed a beautiful and imposing sight. Katya swallowed as memories of her own home crowded in around her. It was as old and as large and grand as this castle. Tears filled her eyes and she blinked them back. Never again would she return home to find the large wooden doors thrown open and her papa there with his arms held wide to embrace her.

She halted as she walked up the last few steps that led to the huge front door and she leaned on the outside wall of the castle, her head spinning. Her mother’s laughter echoed around her. “Afanas, put Katya down before you make her dizzy.” How many times had her mama said those words, and how many times had her papa disregarded them, spinning her around until she was, indeed, dizzy? Hundreds? Thousands?

But never again.

Katya swallowed the lump in her throat and blinked back her tears. Her parents hadn’t deserved to die as they did. Straightening her shoulders, she raised her hand and knocked on the door.

Katya should have been here over an hour ago. Dusk had come and gone and night was now starting to embrace the countryside. Chase glanced at the clock in the study 46

Endless Chase

for about the hundredth time since he’d come downstairs two hours ago and fought the urge to go out and find his tardy guest. Thankfully, everyone else was too occupied with one another to notice.

“She’ll be here soon.”

Okay, so not everyone was occupied. He turned to Johanna, who looked chic in her tailored pants and crisp white blouse, and smiled. “She might take one look at this crowd and run back to the inn.” He was half joking, but only half. The entire family had arrived just before dawn this morning, only minutes after he’d left to walk in the woods. Chase had come home from his tryst with Katya to find Blythe cooking breakfast for Cassidy and the kids. The rest of the family had already retired to their rooms for the day.

Johanna laughed. “Perhaps, but perhaps not. If she’s brave enough to roam the hillside before the dawn, then I doubt she’ll turn tail and run from us.”

“She?”

Chase closed his eyes and gave a silent groan before turning to smile at his sister.

“Just someone I met in the village. I had no idea you’d all be here tonight or I would have postponed this for another time.” He’d been almost certain his family wouldn’t be arriving until late tonight, but they’d shown up a day early instead. He loved them all more than anything in the world, but he really wouldn’t have minded if they’d been delayed another twenty-four hours.

Louis came running into the room with Andre behind them. At twelve, the twins had more energy than all the adults put together, which was saying a lot since most of the adults were vampires.

“Have you seen the new game room? There’s a huge pool table and pinball and all sorts of other neat stuff.” Louis came to a breathless halt near Cassidy.

“That so?” Cassidy smiled fondly at his two younger sons. An ex-cop, Cassidy’s shrewd blue eyes were always in motion, taking in everything around him. In his mid-forties, he was still fit and his short blond hair was just beginning to gray at the temples.

Tough was the best word to describe him.

Cassidy had found the boys running wild on the streets of New Orleans. They’d been living in a shack in the swamp outside the city. Their grandfather, who’d been their guardian, had died and ten-year-old Jacques had been trying to keep his family together, mostly by picking the pockets of tourists in the French Quarter.

Jacques had picked the wrong man when he’d tried to steal Cassidy’s wallet. Or maybe he’d picked the right one. Cassidy had dragged all three boys home and they’d all fallen under Blythe’s spell as she mothered them endlessly. They’d never known a woman’s touch, and before they knew it, Cassidy and Blythe had adopted all three boys. The Dalakis money and power had eased the path, making the adoption happen quickly and easily. Both Cassidy and Blythe were fair with light hair and all three boys had black hair and dark eyes. But outer appearance didn’t matter. They were a family.

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They knew all about the Dalakis family and had easily accepted them. After all, the bayou where they’d grown up had been filled with stories of
loup-garou
, zombies and many more otherworldly creatures. Jacques, almost a man now at eighteen, strolled into the room behind them. He reminded Chase of himself at that age. “Sorry about that. I thought the monsters would stay occupied in the game room a bit longer.”

Cassidy laughed and rubbed his hand over the top of Andre’s head. “No problem.”

“Are you hungry?” Blythe asked. With her shoulder-length blonde hair, sky-blue eyes and curvy figure, Blythe was drop-dead gorgeous. She still looked as if she were in her mid-twenties instead of mid-thirties and drew stares wherever she went. But she only had eyes for Cassidy. She smiled readily now, not something she’d done much of when Chase had first met her more than a decade ago.

The twins nodded and she herded them toward the kitchen. Blythe was a great cook. It was a hobby they both shared, and more than once over the years the two of them had whipped up a meal for the rest of the family. Chase looked forward to trying out the new kitchen in this place with her. “I’ll be back as soon as I get them something to eat.” Cassidy dropped a quick kiss on his wife’s lips and watched as she left the room.

A pang of envy went through Chase as he watched all the couples in the room.

Cristofor and Johanna stood side by side, his hand on the small of her back as they chatted with Stefan and Laurel Rose.

Stefan, with his long black hair and piercing green eyes, stood directly behind his wife, his hands linked over her belly, surrounding her with his body. Laurel Rose was slender, yet there was an underlying strength that permeated the air around her. Her waist-length black hair hung free, the thick strands mingling with her husband’s hair as Stefan leaned down to whisper something in her ear.

Zane was relaxing in a chair in front of the fireplace, his wife Sophia ensconced on his lap. With his black hair and green eyes he looked more like a fourth brother than a cousin. They made an interesting pair. Zane, dark and deadly, and Sophia a slender nymph with short, spiky red hair and pale green eyes. She always reminded him of a fairy more than a vampire. But Sophia was sharp, her intelligence apparent to anyone who spent more than one minute in her company.

They were a diverse group, yet they somehow all fit together to form a stronger whole. Someday he wanted to paint them all, a family portrait of sorts. He might have to start it sooner, rather than later, if he wanted to be certain he had a chance to complete it.

“Are you okay?” He’d all but forgotten Delight was standing beside him. They looked so much alike. Same light brown hair and pale blue eyes. But it went deeper than that. They were both quiet, both thinkers. He knew she sensed there was something on his mind, but she wouldn’t push too hard, just enough to let him know she was there for him if he needed her.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Really,” he added when her brow furrowed with worry.

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Endless Chase

Lucian flowed up behind her, a frown on his face. For a big man he moved with uncommon grace and speed, one of the many gifts that were a part of his vampire heritage. “What is wrong?” His brother-in-law stared hard at him, his green eyes practically glowing as he decided if Chase was really telling him the truth.

Chase took a deep breath and counted to five before repeating the words again.

“Nothing is wrong.”

Although, that strictly wasn’t the truth. While most of the family had been deep in the day sleep of the vampire and Cassidy and his family had been unpacking and reacquainting themselves with the castle, Chase had finally heard from his doctor back in New York. The test results were in and they weren’t good. Dr. McGregor had wanted him to return to New York immediately, but Chase declined. The tumor they’d found in his brain would still be there a week from now.

He wanted to spend this time with his family. He needed to be with them. And at some point soon, he’d have to sit them all down and talk with them. But not now. Not yet.

Right now, all he wanted to do was enjoy his time with them, and with Katya if she’d ever arrive. Had she changed her mind?

A heavy knock sounded in the distance and Chase breathed a sigh of relief. Stefan scowled in the direction of the door, his stern face growing even grimmer. “We have company.”

“A woman,” Zane added, glancing at Cristofor for confirmation that this was an invited guest.

Yup, he really would have postponed this if he’d known the entire gang would be here. “I’ll get it.” As he strode toward the door, he heard Johanna’s low voice in the background and knew she was filling them in on Katya.

He grabbed the heavy iron handle, pulled open the door and stood there staring at her. No matter how many times he saw her, it was a shot to his heart each time. Her eyes were wide, and darker than usual. She looked worried as she nibbled on her lower lip. He barely stifled a groan as he stared at her slightly swollen mouth. He wanted to feast on her luscious lips—nipping and biting—and then lick away the sting. His cock stirred in agreement.

“You’re late.” He hadn’t meant to say that.

Katya arched a brow at him. “Does that mean I’m no longer invited?”

“Chase, why don’t you ask your guest to come in?” He could sense them all behind him even as Johanna spoke.
Great, trial by fire.
If Katya was going to bolt, it would be in the next two minutes.

“Come in and meet everyone.”

Her skin paled and her eyes flew behind him. He sensed her indecision, all but felt her quivering muscles urging her to run. He had the urge to reach out, drag her inside and bolt the door behind her. He managed to quell the impulse. But just barely.

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N.J. Walters

Katya took a deep breath and stepped inside. She faced Johanna. “Thank you for having me in your home.”

Chase stepped up. “Katya, this is Johanna Dalakis and her husband, Cristofor.

Johanna, Cristofor, this is Katya…” he trailed off as the knowledge hit him like a sledgehammer. He’d slept with her, wanted to bury his aching cock in her body at this very moment, but he didn’t know her last name.

Zane chuckled and then grunted when Sophia elbowed him.

Katya recovered quickly, but Chase could see the tinge of blush on her cheeks.

“Markova. Katya Markova.”

“Russian?” Cristofor asked as he offered his hand to her. Katya’s hand was practically swallowed by Cristofor’s much larger one.

She nodded. “My papa. My mama was American.”

Chase noticed she used the past tense. Was her papa dead too? Was she alone in the world? It pained him to think of it. He knew her body intimately, but he didn’t know the first thing about her. Usually, that’s the way he liked to keep his relationships—

casual and light. But not with Katya. He wanted to know everything there was to know about her. And he would before this night was out. Or at least he’d get a good start.

Chase took over the introductions, quickly presenting her to his sister and Lucian and then to the rest of the family. Blythe and the two boys had rejoined them by then, creating a din in the huge foyer.

“Do you think we might move this into the study?” He felt awkward enough with everyone standing around staring at Katya. He couldn’t even begin to imagine how that made her feel. Chase glanced at his sister for help. Immediately, Delight jumped to his assistance and began to quickly shoo the family down the hallway, leaving him and Katya alone.

Katya leaned her hand against the wall for support. “They’re…”

“Overwhelming,” he offered.

She chuckled before giving a tiny nod.

“Don’t worry. They’re pretty wonderful too, once you get to know them.” Chase had never cared if his family liked a woman he’d dated. In fact, they’d never met any of them. He’d always kept his family life separate from his dating life. This was a first for him, so there was no wonder his family was so curious about Katya.

He wanted her to like them as well. This was new territory for him. He’d never wanted to try to meld his two lives together before. Still, maybe this wasn’t exactly the best time to be considering such a big step. Katya was almost a complete stranger who was just passing through, while his life was in complete upheaval at the moment, professionally and personally. Now certainly wasn’t the time to get involved. If anything, the smart thing to do would be to give Katya a quick tour of the place and send her on her way.