Flesh And Blood: House of Comarre: Book Two (House of Comarre 2) (35 page)

She nodded. ‘You want to feed, don’t you?’

‘Yes.’ His face darkened with the pleasure of anticipation. ‘I want to kill.’

Delight bubbled up inside her and she clutched at her dead heart. ‘Oh, my sweet, that is exactly what I’d hoped you’d say.’ She took his hand and licked the blood from his finger. ‘Because I am the most wonderful sire, I have prepared something for you.’ She patted his leg. ‘Wait five minutes, then come back to the house. Stay downstairs. When I call you, come up.’

Busy running his tongue over his teeth, he nodded. She left and hurried into the house and upstairs to the bedroom.

Nasir was naked on the bed, just as she’d anticipated. ‘What took you so long?’

Bloody prat. ‘I had to deal with the Nothos. I told you that.’ She shut the door behind her and walked toward him, swaying her hips in a way she knew distracted him.

She trailed her fingers up his leg. ‘You’ve been a naughty boy being away from me for so long, haven’t you?’

‘Yes, very naughty.’ He nodded eagerly.

‘Then you should be punished.’ And punished he would be, but for an entirely different reason. She unbuttoned her blouse and let it fall to the floor. Nasir reached for her, but she moved away. She wriggled out of her skirt, keeping her expensive French bra and panties on along with her heels. Nasir was suitably distracted. From under the bed, she took the black briefcase she’d planted earlier.

Nasir’s eyes widened with pleasure. His body tightened and he tried for her again. She slapped his hand away. ‘You are a bad, bad boy. Lie back and do as you’re told.’

Biting his lip, he stretched out on the bed. She took out the lengths of rope and teased them across his stomach and groin.

His eyes shuttered at the sensation. ‘You’re killing me.’

‘You have no idea.’ But he’d find out soon enough. She tied his arms and legs to the bedposts, planting nips and bites on his skin as she went. She’d miss him in her bed, but Octavian would be a willing student.

He tugged playfully at the rope. ‘That’s it, nice and tight. You wouldn’t want me escaping and ravishing you sooner than your little game allows, now, would you?’

‘No, we can’t have that.’ She almost laughed. The rope might look like simple silk, but its core was woven silver encased in gold to hide any telltale buzz. There was no breaking it. Not for him. ‘I think I’d like some wine. Octavian, can you come here, please?’ There was no need to shout. Octavian’s new hearing would pick up every word.

‘How dare you let that kine in here when I’m like this.’ Nasir’s nostrils flared. He pulled at the rope. ‘What is this? Why can’t I break this?’ He struggled harder.

She stood at the foot of the bed and watched him serenely.
‘You’ve been Ivan’s pawn from the beginning. You shouldn’t have brought him back here.’ She shook her head and strolled around to the side so she could lean in and whisper the words into his ear. ‘Your betrayal must be punished.’

‘What are you doing?’ His eyes were wild now, his body limp.

Octavian came in. He seemed shocked at Nasir’s condition, but smiled when he saw Tatiana’s outfit. He quickly looked away. ‘My lady, I did not expect—’

She clucked her tongue. ‘Octavian, we are family now. You must not call me
my lady
anymore.’

Nasir rambled in Arabic. Perhaps he was cursing, for surely he understood his fate now.

She walked to Octavian and took his hand. ‘Do you like what you see?’

‘You mean … ’ His gaze ran the length of her. ‘Yes, very much, my – Tatiana.’

‘Are you still hungry?’

His eyes never left her. ‘Yes. A thousand times yes.’

She cupped his chin and kissed him softly on the mouth. ‘Then go and have your supper. Your dessert will be waiting.’

He glanced at Nasir and grimaced. ‘But to drink from another noble … ’

‘Don’t make such a face. And I don’t intend for you to just drink from him. You are to drain him dry.’

Nasir howled and struggled harder.

Octavian leveled his gaze at her. ‘Besides causing the death of another vampire, which I know is the unforgivable sin, may I be so bold as to ask why you wish me to do this?’

She laughed over Nasir’s ranting. ‘Your naïveté is charming. I believe, as do many of our kind, that the first meal after one’s turning is crucial. In this case, I am hoping that by draining
Nasir, you will obtain some of his powers as well. You’ll be sort of a hybrid of Tepes and St. Germain, although you must hide the alchemy powers from the other nobles. We mustn’t tip them off to what we’ve done.’

‘Of course not. But what of his death? Lord Ivan will know. There are others in Corvinestri who also know Nasir is here with you.’

‘Those at home are fully aware of how dangerous the Southern Union is, full of varcolai and fringe and remnants. Unfortunate things happen in a place like this.’ She shivered for effect. ‘As for Lord Ivan, you leave him to me. Now, do as you’re told.’

He bowed slightly, then fell upon Nasir with a viciousness that warmed her. Nasir’s struggles faded quickly. She went to stand beside the bed. ‘Be careful now. You mustn’t drink his death or you’ll cause your own.’

Octavian lifted his head from Nasir’s ruined throat. Blood coated his chin. Vamplings were always such messy eaters. ‘How do I know?’

‘You’ll know. The taste changes. Becomes bitter.’

He drank a moment longer, then sat back on his heels and wiped his face with the back of his hand. ‘I swear I can feel his power within me.’

‘Good.’ She gestured toward Nasir. ‘Watch out. He should—’

With a sound like sand rushing through an hourglass, Nasir went to dust before them.

‘Turn to ash any moment.’ She folded the coverlet up and over, packaging Nasir’s remains neatly, then set the bundle aside. ‘Now then … ’ She smiled at Octavian and climbed up on the bed to kneel across from him. ‘Are you ready for your dessert?’

‘A
ssistance is all we ask,’ Ronan repeated.

Dominic mulled the request over. He stared into the fire, its electric crackling soothing him. Ensconced comfortably in his suite with Katsumi at his side, a glass of Brunello in his hand, and a bellyful of comarré blood, Dominic could almost forget the chaos his world was in.

Almost.

But there were too many wrongs to be righted, too many irritants to be dealt with for him to relax and go about his life. He sipped his wine before answering Ronan. ‘The fringe may have anointed you king, but in my eyes, nothing’s changed. They are still an unorganized group of rabble-rousers.’

‘Indeed,’ Katsumi added with the kind of laziness that came from being well fed. Three comars and she’d almost gone for a fourth. Apparently navitas built a powerful appetite.

Ronan smacked his fist into his palm. ‘Fringe make up the bulk of your customers. Until you help us stop these killings, we will boycott Seven. Your income will dry up. Not to mention your employee list.’

Dominic laughed. ‘You clearly don’t understand the bulk of my business. Seven provides some of it,
si
, but there are many other aspects to what I do. What I provide.’

Ronan sat back, his mouth a thin, tight line. ‘We will interrupt your runners. Keep your products from reaching their destinations. And what of your comarré? Who will pay for their blood when the club is empty?’

Dominic leaned forward. ‘Where will your subjects get their blood if not from my sources? Will they ravage the human population and risk turning the city against them? Or do the fringe plan on adopting a more vegetarian way of life?’

Katsumi covered her mouth and laughed softly. Dominic gave her an appreciative glance. Whether it was her fresh nobility or her self-induced change, he very much liked the new Katsumi. He squeezed her knee through the purple kimono she wore.

‘Vegetarian? Like hell. There are plenty of humans in the city who are willing to be bitten.’ Ronan preened. ‘It’s a good age to be a vampire.’

‘You invite trouble going that route. There may be humans who worship our kind, but there are many more who fear us. Fear is a powerful emotion. Powerful enough to unite them against us.’

‘Now you understand how the fringe feel. We are being slaughtered.’

‘And if I decide to help you? What do I receive in return?’

‘What do you want?’

‘To locate a noble vampire by the name of Tatiana. She’s here from Corvinestri. She’s the one who killed Maris.’ He paused. ‘I have another, more delicate issue that needs dealing with first.’

Ronan’s brows lifted. ‘If you’re asking for secrecy on this
matter, I’m willing to swear a blood oath – in exchange for your oath that you’ll help us.’

Dominic tapped a finger on the side of his glass. A broken blood oath meant death. No questions. ‘Katsumi can witness.’

‘You got a set of plums asking for that. She’s on your side now.’

‘Ronan, we are all on the same side. You think it’s going to make any difference to the humans if we’re noble or fringe?’

‘She’s not witnessing. Not alone.’

‘Who else, then? Vertuccio?’

Ronan snorted. ‘Like he would be fair. No, I choose Mortalis.’

‘You know he’s loyal to me.’

‘Yes, but I also know he’s not one to let a broken oath go unpunished.’

Dominic shrugged. ‘Fine. Vertuccio, come in,
per favore.
’

The manservant entered and stood awaiting instruction, hands clasped behind his back. ‘My lord?’

‘Send Mortalis in.’

‘Right away, sir.’ Vertuccio nodded and left.

Ronan shook his head. ‘Must be nice, being waited on hand and foot.’

‘You say that like I don’t deserve my wealth or what it’s afforded me.’

‘Bloody right,’ Ronan snapped back. ‘You’ve made your money off the backs of the likes of me and the rest of the fringe.’

‘You’re a fool, Irish.’ Katsumi tsked. ‘You want Dominic’s help and then you insult him?’

Ronan propped his ankle on his knee. ‘You’re one to talk. Look at the guff you’ve pulled and now you’re sitting here, high and mighty.’ He pointed at Dominic. ‘You don’t know the half of what this article’s been up to.’

‘Actually, I know the whole of it and I’m dealing with it in my own way.’

‘By making her a bloody noble?’ He shivered in mock fear. ‘Oh, please, punish me, too.’

Anger set Dominic’s jaw. ‘Ronan, you’re out of line. Shut your mouth before I change my mind about helping you. You’re the one who doesn’t know the half of what’s been going on. While you were off becoming king, Tatiana nearly killed Katsumi. And then there is the incident I’ve not yet spoken of.’ Wrath over Aliza having his blood shot Dominic to his feet with such force that Ronan flinched.

Ignoring the man, Dominic walked to the carafe and topped off his wine. ‘Dead fringe are the least of my concern when Maris’s killer is treating this town like her personal playground. I will help you because your help will make my job easier. I do not require your help to accomplish my goals, however.’ So long as the fringe didn’t abandon him as Ronan promised. If they did, his resources would be sorely tried. ‘But one more word out of you and you will regret the day you were turned. Am I clear, Your
Highness
?’

Ronan glanced at Katsumi, then back at Dominic. ‘Yeah, you’re clear.’

Vertuccio opened the door and stepped to the side. ‘Mortalis, sir.’

The shadeux entered. He nodded at Dominic, then Katsumi, but Ronan garnered a rare raised brow. ‘I thought you were dead.’

Katsumi rose to hand Dominic her glass for more wine. ‘Not only is he alive, he’s king of the fringe now.’

Mortalis grunted. ‘So. Not just a rumor.’

Surprise widened Ronan’s eyes. ‘You knew?’

Mortalis shrugged. ‘I’m well connected.’ He approached Dominic. ‘What can I do for you?’

‘We need you to witness a blood oath.’

Mortalis crossed his wrists in front of his body, a very soldier-at-ease position. ‘Whenever you’re ready.’

‘I’m ready,’ Ronan said. He stood and stripped off his jacket.

Dominic set his wineglass down, removed his cuff link, and rolled up his sleeve. ‘As am I.’ He moved into position across from Ronan. Katsumi came to stand at his right side, Mortalis on his left.