Last Blood (33 page)

“A swipe?”

Doc held his hand up and shifted to his half-form, popping inch-and-a-half claws out of his fingertips.

“Double damn.” Suddenly it was Creek’s turn to sit up. “Are you saying you sliced the guy?”

“Yes. Across the back.”

“The field of suspects just got narrower.”

Doc sighed. “Not really. Varcolai heal too fast for there to still be a mark on him so any chance of identifying him that way is long gone by now.”

Creek shook his head as he reached for his phone. “I saw this guy. I was out on patrol, heard the report over the police scanner, and headed toward the action. I ran across a wounded varcolai lying in an alley. Leopard, I think. Whatever is big and spotted.” He raised one shoulder. “Sorry, I don’t know the breeds well enough to say. Anyway, this cat had four slices across its back. I left it alone, but hung out
across the street because I thought the blood scent might draw some fringe, which it did, but the few vamps that sniffed around didn’t stay long.”

He pulled out his phone and tapped the screen. “A couple hours later, a guy walks out of the alley. I took a few pictures because you just never know.” He pulled up one and held it out for Doc to see.

Doc’s mouth opened and his eyes glimmered green-gold. He cursed softly under his breath.

Creek set the phone on the table. “I take it you know this guy?”

“Hell yes.” Doc picked up the phone, still staring at the photo. “That lying piece of Brazilian trash. That’s Heaven’s brother, Remo.”

After saying good-bye to Chrysabelle, Mal had one mission left. Delay Tatiana’s plans until Chrysabelle had enough time to get to the Garden of Eden ahead of them. Fortunately, Tatiana was so focused on what had happened with Octavian, the plan to get Lilith to the Garden had been put aside for the moment.

“How could he,” she snarled, stomping across the sitting room like the madwoman she was. “He was dead. I saw the ashes. Kosmina told me he killed himself because he knew he’d end up dying at my hands for his betrayal. Then he comes back here? Not dead and thinking I’d somehow forgive him for—” She stopped and stared at Mal, but her gaze was wild and unfixed. “Kosmina,” she whispered. “How did she see him kill himself when he wasn’t really dead?”

Kosmina’s words about her time here being short
suddenly made sense. She’d probably slipped away, knowing her story about Octavian would be revealed as a lie now that he’d shown up. “Must have been some kind of black magic.”

If Tatiana even heard him, she didn’t show it. She yanked open the doors to the sitting room and charged out into the hall. “Kosmina,” she bellowed. “Now!” Then she stomped back in and returned to muttering.

Shockingly, Kosmina appeared a few moments later. “Yes, my lady?” She didn’t look at Mal once.

“Octavian was here.” Tatiana’s eyes were white-hot silver.

She nodded, head down, hands clasped. Ever the dutiful servant in appearance. “Yes, my lady. I saw him.”

“Just like you saw him kill himself?”

Kosmina blinked once, but didn’t falter. “Yes, my lady. Surely he tricked me with magic. I am very sorry.”

“Sorry?” Tatiana trembled with visible rage.

Mal sighed like the whole thing bored him, but the voices were on the verge of chaos. It was like they could smell the potential for bloodshed. “Can we get back to business?” They still hadn’t discussed how they were going to persuade Lilith to go with them to the Garden. “Yes, it’s shocking that Octavian showed up, but who cares about what this kine saw or didn’t see?”

She looked at him. “Don’t you get it? This
kine
was in league with him.” She pointed at Kosmina with her metal hand, the fingers melding until they stretched forward into a short blade. “She must have known he was working against me.” New pain flared in her eyes. “Which means he was really working for you.”

With new determination, she stalked toward Mal.
“Was he? Was Octavian working with you and the comarré whore to steal Lilith? Tell me. There can be no secrets between us if our plans are going to work.”

The word “whore” caused Mal’s anger to tick upward. The voices cheered. The urge to take Tatiana by the throat and shake her until her neck snapped itched along his nerves. How did Kosmina stand it? “No, he wasn’t working for me. And I doubt very much this servant could have helped him in any way. You’re wasting time. We have a
task
.”

“That task can wait.” She whipped around and jabbed her sword hand under Kosmina’s chin. “Tell me what you know or so help me, I will slice you from ear to ear.”

Kosmina lifted her head slightly as her eyes went strangely blank. “I know nothing.”

Tatiana’s blade pressed into Kosmina’s skin until a drop of blood rolled down the shining metal surface. “You lie.”

Kosmina went up on her toes, struggling to rise above the cutting edge. “No, my lady, I know nothing.”

Mal stood. “You’re wasting my time on these foolish games, Tatiana. An old lover returns and your focus is gone. I’ve had enough.” He took a few steps toward the door, hoping to pull her focus off Kosmina. Even if the KM agent had been prepared to kill him, he didn’t want her blood on his hands. “You said you wanted my help, but I’m here and you’ve done nothing to make use of me. Instead, you’re distracted. I’m tired of waiting on you. If you want to do this on your own, so be it.”

Tatiana paused, her sword hand lowering an inch or two. “Mal, wait. Don’t you see? Her disloyalty must be punished.”

“Being tricked by Octavian does not make her disloyal. It merely makes her gullible. She’s kine. If you expect more, you’re a fool.”

Some of the rage left Tatiana’s eyes. She dropped the sword from Kosmina’s throat and it became a hand again. “I suppose I do expect too much.” She took a step toward him. “And we have so much work ahead of us.”

He nodded. “We should focus on that.”

“We should,” Tatiana agreed. “This isn’t something I need to deal with. I’ll give her over to some of my household guards, have them see what they can get out of her while we’re gone.”

Behind her, Kosmina’s face took on the same soldierlike expression he’d seen in the wine cellar. Her hand went from the pocket of her uniform to her mouth, and then her jaw popped as she bit down. “Go to hell, vampire.”

Tatiana spun around as Kosmina began to convulse. Foam bubbled from her lips and she fell to the ground. After a few seconds of twitching, she lay still.

Tatiana kneeled and felt her throat. “She’s dead. Bloody kine traitor.”

Son of a priest. “Look at it this way,” Mal said. “She saved you the effort.”

“Hmph.” Tatiana stood, her silver gaze directed at him. “And you were trying to protect her.”

“No.” He came to her side, intent on damage control, and took her by the shoulders. “I was trying to protect you.”

“Me?” She frowned. “From what?”

“From Lilith’s wrath. You haven’t spoken to her since the incident with Octavian and when she disappeared, she was convinced you were angry at her. How much more
time will you let go by before you console her? Do you really want her to stew longer than necessary? The more upset she is, the harder it may be to convince her to step through that portal with us.”

Tatiana’s hand went to her mouth. “Bloody hell. With this thing with Octavian, I’d completely forgotten.”

He released her. “You’ve got to call her to you, soothe her, and persuade her to come with us to the Garden. Make it seem like something special.” He narrowed his eyes. “She’s growing stronger, isn’t she? More volatile?”

Tatiana nodded and shifted her face back to human. “Thank you.”

Those were the last words he’d expected out of her mouth, but with Tatiana, nothing was a given. “For what?”

“For keeping your head when I’m losing mine.” She hugged him, causing him to stiffen. He forced himself to relax, but her touch was so repulsive it took effort. “I never should have let you go, Mal. We’re so good together, you and I.”

It was pointless to remind her that she hadn’t let him go; she’d left him to rot. “Yes, well, I’m here now.”

And the sooner he could rid the world of her and her hell-spawned child, the sooner he’d be gone.

C
hrysabelle slept as much as she could on the way home. The child in her belly had definitely begun to sap her strength, something she would need when she entered the Garden. She yawned and stretched as Jerem pulled the car around to the front of the house. The sun was just coming up.

Velimai opened the door, her gaze shifting from Chrysabelle’s face to her stomach and back up again. Her hands started moving.
How are you feeling?

“Tired, but I’ll make it.” Behind her, Jerem brought her bag in. “Thank you. Take a few days off, okay? You’ve earned them.”

He nodded, smiling. “Thanks, boss.”

After he left, Chrysabelle glanced up the steps. “Damian moved in?”

Yes. He’s in the suite at the very end of the south side
.

“How’s Amylia taking it?”

“She’s doing fine.” Damian came down the stairs. “How was your trip? Tatiana dead yet?”

“No, not yet. Mal and I have some work to do before that’s accomplished, but we’re close.” She gave him a hug
when he approached. “I’m glad you moved into the main house. I like having you here.”

“I’m not sure I’m staying, though. The trust lawyer dropped off some paperwork while you were gone and I was reading through the list of the Lapointe Company holdings. Our mother was a very savvy businesswoman. Among the properties she purchased is a penthouse on Venetian Island.” He grinned. “I was thinking I might move in there. If you wouldn’t mind my taking that place.”

“Mind? I didn’t even know about it.” She smiled, but her heart sank. She’d wanted him to stay here. To share the house. But maybe that was selfish. And not something he was interested in. “And it’s not up to me anyway. It belongs to both of us. If you want to live there, then that’s what you should do.” Her smile faltered. “Venetian Island rings a bell with me for some reason, but I can’t recall it now. Either way, if that’s what you want, I’m happy for you.”

He pointed to the back of the house. “You know you can see Venetian from here. It’s just the next island up. We can go back and forth by boat.”

“Have you visited the place yet?”

“No, I wanted to talk to you about it first.”

She tipped her head. “And are you taking Amylia with you?”

He laughed. “Don’t think I don’t hear the sly tone in your voice. I might. It’s not like that between us, but she has become a friend and we certainly know what the other one is going through. Besides, you know I feel responsible for her.”

Velimai came out from the kitchen.
Breakfast is almost ready if you’re hungry
.

Chrysabelle’s stomach growled. “Famished.” She
hooked her arm through Damian’s. “I’m so glad you’re here.” The only upside of him moving out was that she could keep the secret of the baby a little while longer if she wanted to, but that seemed a small victory. He was her family. Fi was right. He deserved to know, but telling him scared her. Things were so good between them; she hated to do anything to ruin it. Would he understand? “There’s something I want to talk to you about after breakfast, okay?”

“You got it.” He patted her hand as they walked into the kitchen. “You need any help with the rest of your plan for Tatiana?”

“I might.” She sat as Velimai brought platters to the table. “Do you know about the comarré ability to open portals?”

“You mean like the secret doors and passageways beneath the noble estates?” He filled both their glasses with orange juice from a pitcher.

“Something like that, except it involves blood.” She took a sip. “I’m going to open one tonight and use it to travel to the Garden of Eden.”

His eyes widened. “Really?”

She nodded. “You’re welcome to watch if you’d like. It’s probably not a bad skill for you to learn. I’m going to prepare a few things, catch a few hours of sleep, and then I’ll be ready.” She took a plate of bacon from Velimai, who then sat across from Damian.

“I wouldn’t miss it.” He helped himself to a slice of raisin toast. “Is that what you wanted to talk to me about?”

“Yes.”
Coward
. “No.” She put her fork down and made herself look him in the eyes.
Just say it
. “I’m pregnant.”

He stopped buttering his toast and stared at her.

She looked down at her plate. “I know, it’s a lot to take
in, but you’re my brother and you should know. You’d figure it out in a few more weeks anyway, the way I’m starting to show.”

“It’s Mal’s?” He put the bread down. “Of course it’s Mal’s. Stupid question. Are you okay?” He glanced at Velimai. “You already knew about this?”

“She knew,” Chrysabelle answered. “She figured it out before I did. And yes, I’m okay. Mal’s feelings for me have returned and things are wonderful between us. I just want to know how you feel about it.”

A slow, unsteady smile built on his face. “I’m… I’m going to be an uncle.”

Setting everything up and getting Vernadetto to arrive had taken a few hours, but he and a few of his officers had finally joined Doc in his office. Doc stood to shake his hand as he came in. “Thanks for coming, Chief. I promise you, this will be worth your while.” He nodded to Creek, already there. “I understand you know Creek already. He’s the one who helped me figure this out.”