My Wicked Vampire (17 page)

“What about tonight?”

She looked uncertain. “I want to sleep here, but what about you? What will you do, just sit around, watching me sleep?”

“I can think of worse ways to spend a night.”
Spending the night on the cot with you would be even better.
Not a
good idea. Too open. People who slept in glass houses shouldn’t make love on a cot.
Or on a table in the middle of the freaking greenhouse, dumbass.
But at the time it’d seemed the right thing to do. He smiled.

“Then I think I’ll lie down and get some sleep right now. When I wake up I’ll have someone go with me while I take a shower and change clothes.”

Jealousy rocked him. He hadn’t seen it coming, and he didn’t know what to do with it. Someone had to guard her, and he wouldn’t be available. Then he remembered. “It’ll probably be Sparkle. Didn’t she say she’d made an early hair appointment for you guys?”

Cinn groaned and collapsed onto the cot. “No, no, no. I don’t want to spend the morning getting stuff done to me. I have to figure out how to reverse whatever Eva did.”

Now that Dacian knew it wouldn’t be Bain or Edge guarding Cinn while she took her shower, he could joke about it. “Look on the bright side. At least Wade won’t follow you there with another fishy gift.”

“Uh-huh.” Already her voice sounded groggy. And in a few minutes she’d fallen asleep.

It was a long night. Cinn didn’t even stir to go to the bathroom. And as dawn neared, Sparkle appeared at the door. She wore leather pants, a hot black silk top, boots, and a long black leather coat. Dacian wondered how someone like Ganymede had ever ended up with her. Sparkle didn’t look like the kind of woman who would love a guy whose idea of a good time involved the TV remote and never-ending snacks. Maybe the cat had some secret charm Dacian had missed.

Thank God Sparkle had arrived, though. He needed a break from the path his thoughts had trudged all night. A circle with no beginning and no good ending.

He recognized where his feelings for Cinn were
headed. Not a smart place to go. But no matter how easily he’d controlled his emotions in the past, they were partying hard now.

And what about Taurin? Dacian should have a great speech ready to help soften his brother’s heart. After all, he’d had a long time to practice it. But as he left quietly and headed for his room, his mind was a blank. No fancy words could excuse walking away from Taurin for two hundred years.

Dacian rose an hour before sunset. It was a good thing vampires didn’t dream, because his would’ve been leaning toward the horror side. His brother chasing him with a stake. Cinn running off with Bain while she left him to babysit Teddy and Vince.

Then he smiled. Or maybe he would have spent his resting hours dreaming about Cinn. Naked. And wanting. Him.

He spent a little more time than necessary showering and dressing. What time would Taurin arrive? And how had Cinn’s trip to the hairdresser gone?

Finally disgusted at himself, he yanked open his door and headed for the stairs. He didn’t have to hunt Cinn down in her greenhouse. She was watching as Holgarth humiliated another wizard wannabe. He walked over to stand beside her.

When she first turned to look at him, there was something in her eyes that made the coming night a success no matter what happened. He couldn’t put a name to it, but it was definitely good.

He wasn’t an observant person when it came to women’s clothes and hair, but whatever they’d done to Cinn at that shop had been witchcraft. Dacian had always thought she was beautiful, but now? She was…His
male mind didn’t think in terms of breathtaking, but if he’d been able to breathe, she would’ve taken it away.

“Holgarth is a sadist. I’ve watched him destroy the confidence of three men who came in here thinking they were pretty good wizards. He’s working on his fourth now.”

Dacian dragged his gaze from Cinn to look at Holgarth’s last victim of the day. The man met his gaze, almost as though he’d been waiting for Dacian to notice him.

This guy was different. Dacian had spent six hundred years observing people. All kinds. This one was dangerous. No evidence to back up his gut feeling, but he knew he was right.

Dacian glanced at Holgarth. The wizard frowned. But Dacian couldn’t tell whether it was because he sensed the wrongness in his last applicant or because he was just being his usual obnoxious self.

“Those who came before you were woefully inadequate. I hope you’ve learned from their failures. And if perchance you also are doomed to fail, please don’t waste any more of my time.” Holgarth’s gaze sharpened as he studied the man.

Middle aged. Not a kid. But kept in shape. Good quality suit and shoes. Didn’t advertise that he was a wizard. Short neat haircut. Ordinary face. Asked to describe this man ten minutes after seeing him, most people wouldn’t remember what he looked like.

“Perhaps you would care to demonstrate what you can do.” Holgarth held up his hand to signal he wasn’t finished. “A
controlled
demonstration, of course.”

“Of course.” The man smiled, but the smile didn’t reach his eyes. Cold eyes.

He didn’t whip out a staff or a wand. He didn’t mut
ter incantations. He didn’t move; he didn’t speak. But suddenly the castle rose off its foundation and hovered in the air. Even if Dacian hadn’t felt the liftoff, he couldn’t miss the movement because Edge had just opened the door and stepped in from the courtyard. It wasn’t fully dark yet, so Dacian could easily see the courtyard falling away.

Screams rent the air, and people scattered. Holgarth raised his staff and shouted in a language Dacian had never heard. Nothing happened.

Then the stranger simply nodded, and the castle settled back onto its foundation. And more amazing than that, the humans who’d just been screaming and running went calmly back to what they’d been doing.

“What the hell just happened?” Dacian knew he spoke for everyone. At least for the ones who still seemed to remember the castle lifting off. He glanced at Cinn. “You saw and felt it, didn’t you?”

She nodded. Her eyes were wide in her pale face. “Holy hell, who is that guy?”

Dacian turned to look at the man. Only the wizard wasn’t who he’d been a minute ago. In the ordinary, forgettable man’s place stood someone quite different.

He stood about six five with wide shoulders. Beneath the long black coat he wore, Dacian could see a black T-shirt tight against a hard abdomen. Worn jeans and biker boots completed the outfit. Dacian didn’t have a clue about the guy’s face because he’d pulled the hood of his coat far enough forward on his head to put his features in shadow. Pale blue eyes gleamed out of those shadows, though.

“Who are you, and is this your real form?” For once Holgarth had shed his shitty attitude.

The man shrugged. “Name me as you will. It means nothing to me. And this is my real form.” His soft laugh
ter sent chills all the way to the bone. “For now. I’ll be in my room if you decide I’m worthy to take your place.” And then he calmly strode from the great hall.

“It’ll be kind of tough to contact him in his room since he didn’t give a name.” Cinn looked more frustrated than afraid.

“Real or an illusion?” Dacian wasn’t sure.

“Real.” Holgarth joined them. “He’s more powerful than I am.” He sounded as though the admission was ripped from his soul.

Dacian didn’t want to feel sorry for Holgarth, but the emotion crept past his defenses. “Yeah, but he had the element of surprise on his side. I bet if you’d had time to prepare, you could’ve done something just as spectacular.”

“No, I couldn’t.” The three words were almost a whisper. “I tried to stop him, but my spell had no effect.”

Dacian had no answer for that. Cinn remained quiet. Holgarth turned and walked away.

She sighed. “I shouldn’t feel sorry for him, but I do.” She looked at where the other wizard had disappeared. “Whoever he is, he’s scary. I’ll take Holgarth over him any day.”

Dacian took her hand and walked with her from the great hall. “Where do you want to go?”

“I had a late lunch, so I’m not hungry yet. Let’s relieve Bain at the greenhouse. I needed a break, and Sparkle volunteered him.”

He didn’t say anything until they’d walked through the kitchen and stood outside the closed greenhouse door. Dacian brushed at her softly curling hair, amazed at the texture and how it affected him. If he got this aroused just touching her hair, he’d better keep his hands off any other parts of her.

“You look beautiful tonight.” Compliments didn’t
come easily to him. It had been a long time since he’d felt like giving one.

“I guess Sparkle’s little shop of hair horrors did a good job. Carl cut and styled. Then Gerty did my nails. And finally Linda did the makeup. I left a new woman.” She glanced down at the sexy black dress that hugged every curve. “I have to hand it to Sparkle. Her dresses highlight the sensual in a woman.”

Even though she was making light of it, Dacian could see the pleasure his compliment had given her.

Just then the door swung open. Bain beckoned them in. “Don’t just stand there; get in here so I can get out. I have demon things to do before the fantasies start.”

Dacian was curious. “What
do
you do when you’re not working here?”

He expected a wiseass answer from the demon. Instead, he got none at all. Bain speared him with a hard stare and then shrugged. “This and that. Many creatures come out at night. What we do is our own business.”

Dacian couldn’t argue with that. He watched Bain leave and then turned back to Cinn.

She shook her head. “I don’t know about Bain. Even saying the word
demon
gives me the chills, but sometimes I like him. But that’s because he can be funny in a sarcastic way. Then he says something like that, and I wonder if the personality he shows is a cover for something a lot darker.”

“Don’t forget what Wade said about him. Take it from one dark creature that recognizes another like him. Never forget what he is.” He got serious. “And that goes for me, too.”

Cinn’s good mood seemed to be evaporating with all the talk of dark creatures. He felt bad about that, so he attempted to cheer her up.

“Hey, look around. No Wade stalking you with gifts from the sea. No Asima playing loud music. We’re alone.”

“Not exactly.”

The male voice spun him around. The man had slipped in through the door leading to the courtyard.

“Dacian. It’s been a while.” The man didn’t smile.

Dacian stared at him, memories piling on memories, so many that they faded into the distant centuries.

“Hello, Taurin.”

Taurin’s face was a calm mask—no narrowed eyes, no thinned lips. No welcoming smile either. Dacian’s brother wore his vampire face.

So Dacian searched for hints in Taurin’s body language. Clenched fists. That could mean he was trying to control his emotions, or more likely, he wanted to punch Dacian’s face in.

Dacian understood his brother’s reaction because he wore his own mask. But he was better at it than Taurin. He didn’t clench his fists.

Tension snapped and crackled around the greenhouse. Dacian figured if he touched metal right now he’d shock his ass off.

He wanted to take the few strides separating him from his brother and wrap his arms around him.

He wanted to walk out of here lugging his shame behind him.

He did nothing. He waited.

“Guys, this is all crap. You haven’t seen each other in two hundred years. Hug each other. Punch each other.
Talk
to each other.” Cinn threw up her hands. “I’ll wait outside. And no, I won’t need a guard because there’re plenty of people in the kitchen at this time of night. Oh, a warning: Wreck my greenhouse and you pay in blood.” She slammed the door leading to the kitchen as she left.

Dacian sensed fear beneath Cinn’s frustration with them. Fear they’d fight? He didn’t think so. She proba
bly shared his fear that they’d turn and walk away from each other.

Well, he wouldn’t be the one walking. “Heard you got married.”

Taurin nodded, but his mask didn’t slip. “She’ll give me hell for slipping away from her like this to meet you. She’s afraid I’ll try to kill you. The thought has merit.”

Why did you do it? Why did you let me think you were dead for two hundred years?
Taurin’s unspoken accusation hung between them, poisoning the air and the closeness they’d once shared. Was forgiveness possible?

“Do you want to hear the story?” Dacian was losing his vampire cool. He clenched his hands into fists.

“Tell it.” Taurin’s voice gave nothing away.

Dacian kept it short. In clipped sentences he described what happened each time he turned Stephan down. He didn’t spare himself as he described the slaughters for which he was responsible.

“And you didn’t think I’d want to know about this? Didn’t think I might be able to help you? Didn’t trust me enough to share what you planned?” Taurin’s smooth mask was slipping also. Anger, hurt, and a long sorrow shone in his eyes.

Even though Taurin didn’t emphasize any of his words, Dacian knew which one his brother wanted to shout.
Trust.
He’d hurt Taurin, and knowing that tore at him.

“If I’d told you everything, would you have let me disappear for two hundred years without contacting me?”

For the first time, Taurin broke eye contact. “No.”

Dacian remained silent. He’d made his point. It was Taurin’s turn.

Dacian’s brother met his gaze again. Anger had
pushed the other emotions into the background. “Did you know I spent two hundred years trying to kill Eric Mackenzie because I blamed him and the other Mackenzies for your death?”

Dacian winced.

“Yeah, and he almost killed me right back. I’d be dead if it weren’t for his wife, Donna. She saved me after Eric left me in a field to meet the sun.”

Son of a bitch. Dacian felt the slide of his fangs. He’d rip Eric apart, he’d…He forced back his unreasoning bloodlust. Eric had only been protecting himself from a perceived rogue vampire.
You caused the whole thing
,
almost got your brother killed.
If hate hadn’t crazed him, Taurin would never have taken on any of the Mackenzies.

Dacian had to say the words. “I’m sorry.”

They seemed to bounce right off Taurin. “So what brought you back from the dead?”

“All those centuries in Alaska, I kept contacts with the outside world. I had someone watching both you and Stephan. I got word that Stephan knew where you were and was going after you to get to me. I knew I had to reach here first and take you somewhere safe where Stephan couldn’t find you.”

“Fuck that.” Taurin’s anger exploded. “It’s okay for you to watch over me, but I’m not allowed to try to save you. What kind of shit is that?”

Dacian only knew three words that would defuse all of Taurin’s fury, tough words for someone like him to say, but they needed saying. “I love you.”

Taurin visibly wilted. “That’s playing dirty, big brother.”

Dacian nodded.

“I’m not running, you know.”

“Neither of us is running. I know I’m done with it. The main players in the castle are having a meeting later tonight to decide how to beat Stephan.”

“You think he’ll come himself and not just send some of his underlings?”

“Yeah, I think he’ll come himself. And I think he wants both of us. If he just wanted me, he could’ve struck as soon as Ganymede brought me here. He wants something more.”

“You think he figures if he holds me hostage you’ll do what he wants?”

“Something like that.” Beneath the conversation about their mutual enemy, Dacian could feel the dark river of their emotions still foaming, still at flood stage.

If Taurin wouldn’t take the steps that would close the space between them, Dacian would have to. He didn’t hurry as he walked to where his brother stood.

Taurin moved with the preternatural speed of his kind as he punched Dacian in the stomach.

“Bastard.” Dacian spoke from his doubled-over position. “Eric got me in the same spot.”

Taurin gave him no more time to complain, because he dragged Dacian upright and hugged him. “I never stopped looking for you once we realized you’d planned your disappearance. Don’t ever do that to me again.” Emotion clogged his voice. “Just don’t ever.”

Dacian wasn’t up to speech right now; he could only nod. But then he didn’t need to say anything. His brother couldn’t help feeling all that emotion pouring off him.

Taurin dropped his arms and Dacian stepped back just as an angry voice came from outside the greenhouse.

“Where the hell are they? Are they killing each
other? Well, if Taurin isn’t already dead he will be when I get through with him. We’d just gotten here, and I was talking to Eric when my husband slipped away. From me! I’ve helped him search for Dacian. I’ve shared all his hopes and fears for his brother. I should’ve been there when he saw him for the first time in two hundred years. Okay, so it’s not just curiosity. I wanted to make sure the grand reunion didn’t end in a bloodbath.” Fierceness entered her voice. “And if Dacian was cruel to Taurin, he’ll answer to me.”

“Oh, shit.” Taurin rubbed his hand across his face. “Prepare to meet my wife.”

Dacian would have felt a little more worried if he hadn’t heard the laughter in Taurin’s voice.

Cinn stared bemused at Taurin’s wife. Because that was the only person this woman could be. With long black hair and big blue eyes, she didn’t look as though she should pose a threat to Dacian, but Cinn knew looks were deceiving. Who would guess that Cinn would even think of going one-on-one with Stephan? But for the right man all things were possible. And that admission really scared her.

Cinn glanced back at the greenhouse door. “I haven’t heard any cries of agony or objects breaking.” She smiled at the other woman. “By the way, I’m Cinn Airmid. My plants are inside the greenhouse, so I have a vested interest in this not turning violent.”
My
man
is in there.
And no matter how loud her common sense shouted, “Take that back,” Cinn knew the words were true. Lately her brain and heart hadn’t been on the same page often.

The woman relaxed a little and returned Cinn’s smile. “I’m Kristin Veris, Taurin’s wife. All of this is a
huge surprise. We’d barely walked in the door when Eric intercepted us. He just said, ‘Dacian’s here.’ Eric always did know how to drop a bombshell.”

“I guess that rocked Taurin.” Cinn still didn’t hear any worrisome sounds from inside the greenhouse.

“You wouldn’t believe the look on his face. He grew completely still and just asked where. Eric said he wasn’t sure. I thought we’d spend a few minutes finding out what was going on before hunting for Dacian. When I turned to look for him again, he was gone.” Kristin stared at the door. “I can’t take it anymore. I have to know they aren’t both lying dead in there.” And without another word, she opened the door.

Cinn squeezed in right behind Kristin. A quick glance assured her both brothers were standing and there was no blood. She turned her relieved gaze on Dacian. “Introductions?”

“Cinn, this is my brother, Taurin.” He glanced at Taurin. “This is Cinn, my…” And his voice trailed off.

His
what
? She had to know.

“
Just his. He hasn’t added the last word yet. But it looks very promising.
”

Vince. Cinn felt the familiar shock. She guessed that would never go away. She stared over at the periwinkle. He looked just like an ordinary plant. How could he be sentient? Had she really done that? Where was his brain? How had he learned so much language in such a short time? How could he communicate mentally? And why was he talking to her now? Her head felt ready to explode from all her questions.

Vince’s laughter was light but definitely male. “
I have no brain like yours. I think with every one of my leaves. I learned language by listening to many thoughts. And I did not communicate with you at first because I was in awe. You
are my maker, my goddess.
” The voice in her mind faded to a whisper on the last word.

No, she wasn’t anyone’s goddess. She didn’t want Vince thinking of her that way. But she had no time to digest the implication of Vince’s words because Taurin was smiling at her. God, he looked so much like Dacian.

“Hi, Cinn. Looks like you’ve already met Kristin.”

Cinn managed to smile past the unanswered questions ping-ponging around in her brain. What was she to Dacian? How could she deal with plants she didn’t understand anymore? She forced herself to answer him. “Yes. We met outside the door. We both thought we’d be counting body parts when we finally got in here.” But she saw now that it had been a needless worry. No one could miss the love the brothers felt for each other. It shone in their eyes.

If any of them thought they’d have time to talk over the bad old days, they were doomed to disappointment. Cinn heard the door swing open behind her and turned in time to see Ganymede pad into the room. Sparkle followed at a more leisurely pace.

It amazed Cinn that Sparkle had gotten there at all. Her leather pants were tighter than tight, and her clingy top was nothing but a second skin. There couldn’t be much breathing going on in there. Her boots had skinny four-inch heels. It was a wonder she didn’t get a nosebleed from the sudden change in elevation.

Sparkle offered Cinn a finger wave as she moved to her side. She leaned in to whisper, “This outfit is to arouse every male who sees it. And since I’m unattainable, they’ll go home and have wild sex with their wives. See, I’m making the world a happier place.”

Cinn wasn’t sure she followed Sparkle’s convoluted
reasoning, but if rationalization worked for her, Cinn was fine with it. “Why are you guys here?”

Ganymede answered her question. “
Nice to see everyone getting along.
” Actually, his expression said he would’ve enjoyed a little bloodshed before the brotherly love kicked in. “
I’ve called a meeting in the greenhouse. Only nonhumans involved in the park get to attend. We need to talk about Stephan.
”

“Stephan?” Kristin looked confused.

And while Taurin brought her up to speed, Dacian had his own question. “Why here?”

“
Easier to control who might be listening in. The greenhouse tours stop at seven, so there won’t be a lot of hotel guests and tourists wandering around out here at night. I’ll sense as soon as someone comes close.
”

One by one, everyone arrived. Finally, Ganymede stared at the greenhouse door and there was the click of the lock. “
Okay
,
we’re all here except for Donna.
”

“What about Kyla? She’s a Mackenzie, and she’s in the castle. I put out a call for the Mackenzie clan to meet here anyway, so she’ll be part of the battle.” Eric shot a pointed stare at Bain. “She’d probably be more trustworthy than a demon.”

Bain simply laughed.

Ganymede hissed at Eric. “
I decide who’s here and who isn’t. I don’t know this Kyla. And I don’t care who thinks she’s trustworthy. Are you done?
”

Yay, Ganymede. Cinn grinned. Yeah, she knew she was being petty and sort of jealous, okay, a lot jealous, but she was glad Kyla wasn’t at the meeting.

Eric subsided with a muttered complaint about minityrants.

Cinn glanced around. Dacian, Taurin, Kristin, Bain, Edge, Eric, Holgarth, and Asima. Asima? Then she
pushed aside her lingering doubts about the cat. Ganymede wouldn’t have invited her if he didn’t trust her. Asima padded over to Teddy and curled up next to him.

But before Ganymede could begin, someone knocked at the door. With an annoyed hiss, Ganymede sent the door crashing open. A woman slipped inside. Cinn only had time to note that the woman was gorgeous, with shoulder-length blonde hair.

She waved at everyone. “I’m Donna Mackenzie, Eric’s wife. I did my show from a local affiliate and then drove like hell to get here. Did I miss anything?” But even as she asked, her gaze riveted on Dacian. “Where have you been for two hundred years?”

“
Hold the questions.
” Ganymede’s tail whipped up a storm. “
Here’s the deal. I filled all of you in on this dumbass vampire
,
Stephan. He’s gathered an army of night feeders and now he thinks he’s Napoleon. Well
,
we’re about to give him his personal Waterloo.
” He glanced at his wizard. “
Fill them in on the details.
”

Holgarth still looked a little shaken. Cinn didn’t blame him. The hooded wizard must’ve really rattled his confidence. Besides, it was scary knowing someone with that kind of power lurked somewhere in the castle.

She glanced around her. Okay, there were a bunch of people in the castle with scary power. But at least she knew they were on the side of the angels. She glanced at Bain. Or maybe not.