Niccolo (Blood Brothers)

Niccolo

By

Eve Vaughn

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons living or dead is entirely coincidental.

All trademarks, service marks, registered service marks are the property of their respective owners and are used herein for identification purposes only.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Niccolo

Copyright © 2014
Eve Vaughn

E
lectronic book publication January 2014

With the exception of quotes used in reviews, this book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means without permission from the author,
Eve Vaughn
.

WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be scanned, uploaded or distributed via the Internet or any other means electronic or print, without the author’s permission. Criminal copyright infringement without monetary gain is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in Federal Prison and a fine of $250,000. For more information regarding the government’s stance on copy
right infringement visit
:
http://www.fbi.gov/ipr.

She was the one he couldn’t forget
…

Vampire, night club owner Niccolo Grimaldi has made a lot of hard choices. The hardest? Walking away from his child and the woman he could never forget. But for their safety, he knows he must stay away.

When witch, Sasha Romanova met Niccolo Grimaldi, she believed she had found the one who would love her, faults and all. That is until dark forces were used to keep them apart. When tragedy struck, Sasha and Niccolo sought comfort in each other’s arms. But that one night of bliss doesn’t last and Sasha is left to raise their son alone.

Years later, Sasha must
come face to face with the man she never stopped loving when their son goes missing. In order to find their son b
efore their enemies do, she must
convince him to listen to his heart as they journey on a path of danger, intrigue and lust.

Prologue

1984 Moscow

The icy chill of the wind cut like a razor blade through anyone who dared to venture out. Those who didn’t have the privilege of a thick coat wouldn’t last long. Though he recognized the cold wisps of air swirling around him, it didn’t affect him as adversely. Niccolo, however, hated winter, especially the ones in Moscow, because they were particularly more grueling than most other places. Though he was a vampire, he preferred warmer climates where he could bask in the warmth of the sun against his skin.

He breathed a sigh of relief once he arrived at his destination. The apartment building was not what he’d expected. It looked worn and run-down. Putting aside his surprise he stepped inside and immediately took note of the names over the mailbox and located number thirteen: a witch’s number, of course. He climbed the stairs two at a time until he stood in front of the apartment he sought.

He banged impatiently on the door and tapped his foot in wait of a response. On the verge of knocking again, the door opened.

“Niccolo!” The small dark woman who answered the door looked up at him in apparent surprise.

He lifted a brow. “Aren’t you going to invite me in?” Without waiting for a reply, he pushed past her into the tiny living quarters. “I’m not sure why you should look so surprised. Didn’t you foresee my arrival?”

Sasha Romanova shook her head. “I don’t have the gift of second sight. You know that.”

Niccolo shrugged. “Do I? If you told me I must have forgotten.”

Splotches of red colored her cheeks. “Perhaps because you didn’t care to.”

He could sense her hurt but in his mind, she had no right to play the victim after what she’d done. “I suppose you know why I’m here.”

Fear registered in her eyes and her rosebud-shaped lips parted, but she said nothing.

“Yes, you should be frightened. Did you think you could keep him from me?” Niccolo was torn between shaking her senseless and taking her into his arms.
Dio!
He couldn’t fathom how this woman could make him feel this raging lust, especially after her duplicitous act. Niccolo thought that after his sole slip-up with her, he would be sated, but one taste was apparently not enough. Nevertheless, he wouldn’t allow a repeat of the events nearly three years ago on the night of Petra’s crossing-over ceremony.

His cock twitched, and the heat generating from his eyes indicated that they were glowing. Niccolo mentally cursed himself for being aroused so easily by this deceitful little witch. Why her?

“Have you nothing to say for yourself?” he demanded when she didn’t respond. The terror left her dark gaze to be replaced by something that looked remarkably like anger, an emotion she had no right to feel. He was the one who had been wronged.

She craned her head back to look him directly in the eyes. “How dare you burst into my home and make demands? At our last encounter, you couldn’t wait to see the back of me. You’ve got a lot of nerve!” Her face had turned bright red in her fury.

“How dare
I?
” he asked, stunned by her audacity. “You kept my son a secret from me since his conception. And it’s quite clear you performed some kind of spell to mask the connection I would obviously have felt when he was born. I had to be fucking told by my brother. You should have been the one to tell me! And you should be the one who feels ashamed.” In that moment, he felt like wrapping his fingers around her neck and squeezing until she blacked out. No matter how badly he still wanted her, she done one of the most unforgivable things a woman could do to a man.

Sasha, however, didn’t seem ready to be humbled. Instead she poked a finger in his chest and sneered. “Yes! How dare you! Whenever Petra was around, you acted as though I didn’t exist even though there was a connection between us. Whenever we were close, the chemistry was so strong you could almost touch it. I know you felt it, because I did, too. You just couldn’t get past the fact that I’m not as beautiful as my sister was. In fact, you are a shallow bastard, Niccolo Grimaldi.”

“You know damn well that isn’t true! And it has nothing to do with your hiding my son from me. Do you mean to tell me you did it out of spite? Was this your way to avenge yourself because you were just a convenient fuck for me?”

She gasped, taking a step backward as if he’d physically attacked her. Her bottom lip trembled, and his momentary triumph at seeing his barb hit its mark was short-lived. The wounded look in her eyes caused something within him to twist in pain and Niccolo couldn’t figure out why. Finally, Sasha raised her head defiantly once again. “It has everything to do with it. Why are you so scared to face the truth? I loved you! Petra didn’t give a damn about you. At least my love was genuine. You were just a trophy to her.”

“Shut up!” he hissed through clenched teeth.

“I won’t, because you need to hear this. There was a love spell cast on you. You didn’t really love her.”

“Shut your fucking mouth, liar!”

Sasha’s dark eyes flashed. “I have no reason to lie. You were just another notch on her bedpost.”

Niccolo was in front of her so quickly that she didn’t have time to evade his grasp. His fingers shifted into talons that dug into her soft flesh. “You bitch!”

“Let go! You’re hurting me.” She smacked him hard.

The sharp sting on his cheek further incensed him. He shook her until her teeth rattled. Who was she to tell him how he felt? He had loved Petra. He had!

He still remembered how her silver-blonde hair had glistened in the sunlight, and the way her violet eyes sparkled when she was amused. How her tall, lush figure had given him many nights of pleasure.

He pushed Sasha away from him, more in disgust for himself than for her. “Where is my son?” he demanded.

Sasha hastily swiped at a tear that lingered at the corner of her eye. “After all this time you’re still under the enchantment spell. You can’t be trusted as long as the false memory of what you two supposedly shared haunts you. You might be older than me but I know far more about magic than you. And the one who enchanted you can keep you in her thrall for as long as the spell remains. That makes you dangerous. And I won’t subject my son to that.”

Niccolo wasn’t interested in her lies. He’d come for one thing and one thing only. “Where is my son?” he demanded again. His fists were balled at his sides and he almost feared he’d lash out again, because if he did, he believed he might actually kill her.

A little voice spoke from behind them. “Mama, I’m thirsty.”

Niccolo’s steered his gaze to the small boy who stared back at him with obvious curiosity in his amber eyes. Eyes like his!

Sasha rushed over to the little boy, a miniature version of him. His hands shook and his heart pounded rapidly. An overwhelming feeling of joy and love filled his soul at the sight of this most precious child—created from his seed. He hadn’t expected to be so overwhelmed with just one look.

After he had learned of his son’s existence, he’d played this scenario in his mind a million times. But now that the moment was here, Niccolo was at a loss for what to do or say. The words remained lodged in his throat, threatening to choke him.

“Please go back to bed, and Mama will bring you a glass of water.” Although she spoke to the little boy, Sasha looked at Niccolo with a pleading look in her eyes.

Niccolo slowly walked over to them and knelt down in front of his son. “What is your name,
piccolo?
” Niccolo asked softly. He reached out and grazed the boy’s cheek with the back of his hand.

“Jagger,” his son answered, giving him a big smile, which revealed perfect, tiny white teeth. Jagger stared at him so trustingly, almost as though he knew he was looking at his papa.

“Do you know who I am?”

Jagger shook his head.

When Sasha looked like she would say something, Niccolo glared at her.
Tread lightly, Sasha.
Her eyes widened as his thoughts projected into her mind, but she wisely didn’t reply. He turned back to his son.

“I’m very pleased to meet you, Jagger.”

The child reached out to touch his face, making Niccolo’s heart melt. He knew in that moment that he would give his life for this child—his baby boy.

“I’m going to take Jagger to bed,” Sasha spoke firmly as she stood up.

He wasn’t happy about it, but he realized this wasn’t the time to cause a scene in front of their two-year-old. His gaze never wavered from Jagger’s small retreating figure until the boy was gone from the room.

Niccolo paced the floor, waiting for Sasha’s return. An enchantment spell? No, that wasn’t possible. He’d loved Petra, of that he was sure. It was apparent she’d only suggested such a foul thing because she was jealous of her sister. Sasha also did it to cover up her duplicity in hiding their son from him. There was no other logical explanation.

He didn’t know how long he waited, but when she returned, he could detect the tracks of dried tears on her face. Good. She needed to cry and experience some of the pain he felt.

Niccolo studied her pale features. It was hard to believe she and Petra were sisters. Where Petra had been blonde and tall, Sasha was dark and petite, with shoulder-length sable hair and large, dark-brown eyes that looked almost black. She could never be classified as beautiful in the traditional sense of the word, but she was pretty with her deep red, bow-shaped lips, long, thick lashes, and a smooth, creamy complexion that seemed resistant to the sun’s kiss.

He forced himself to tear his gaze away from those pretty red lips he had the sudden urge to crush beneath his.
Dio!
If anyone had put a spell on him, it was this witch. “Well?” he asked.

“Well, what?” A mutinous gleam entered her eyes.

“Why didn’t you tell me about him? What is his full name?”

“Nikolai Jagger Romanov-Grimaldi.”

“At least you acknowledge that he is my son.”

“The Grimaldi is just a formality. It’s not listed on his birth certificate.”

A vein throbbed in his forehead as he fought to keep his ire beneath the surface. “From his middle name I assume you’ve continued your family’s tradition for naming male children after their powers. What specific ability does he have and does he use it yet?”

“On a very small scale, but he does not realize what he’s doing most of the time. His training won’t begin until his thirteenth birthday. Like most of the males in my family he’s able to manipulate metal. My brother Blade presented him with a platinum rattle. When Jagger touched it, the thing shattered into sharp jagged pieces. Jagger just popped in my head. No one expected him to display his abilities so soon. He’ll be extremely powerful one day, possibly because he’s a hybrid, and because of that I must keep him safe until he can fend for himself.”

“Are you implying I can’t protect my own son? You should have come to me the moment you knew you were carrying my child.”

“Did you expect me to go looking for you after what happened? I thought what we had shared was special, but you discarded me like trash. I wasn’t going to give you the opportunity to reject my child. I’d like you to leave my home now and never come back.” She turned her back to him.

He stalked over to her and spun her around to face him. “You are insane if you think I will walk away from my son, just as you were foolish to think you could keep him a secret.”

“I never kept him a secret. I ... I thought once you had finished grieving Petra you would come to me. I waited, but you never did. When Romeo spotted me with Jagger in Red Square last week, I knew he would tell you about what he’d seen. I didn’t deny it when Romeo asked if he was yours. How could I? Our son is the spitting image of you. It may have taken you a long time to find us, but you’ve come too late. Do the right thing and walk away.”

“The right thing?” he asked incredulously. “The right thing is for a father and son to be together. Don’t try to punish him and me for some imaginary hurt of yours.”

“Imaginary? The hurt is very real, but even after all this time, you just don’t get it. This isn’t about me or you. It’s about keeping Jagger safe.” She went to the door. “Now, I’m very tired and would like to go to bed.”

“I ask you again, what makes you think I’m willing to just walk away from my son?”

“If you really care, you will. I may not be much of a witch anymore, but I’m a good mother and I want what’s best for Jagger. The night Petra died, we both knew of the threats made against you. Do you think I would allow my ... our son to become involved in your world?”

“All the more reason he should be with me. I can protect him and you.”

“I’ve spent the last two years of his life protecting him.”

“He’s a vampire. He needs to be among his own.”

“He’s only half vampire. He is also a warlock. Deep down you know he’ll be much safer with me. My brothers will be able to shield him from outsiders. Can you do the same? Can you guarantee that you would be there for him when you go on one of your missions, as you do so often? Will you be there when he’s sick, or when he needs someone to hold his hand?”

“I can do that.”

“Can you really? What kind of life will he have if he is constantly looking over his shoulder because someone wants to kill you?”

Niccolo wanted to argue with her and demand that his son come with him, but Sasha was right. Petra was dead because someone had tried to get him. He didn’t know if he could bear it if the same fate befell his son.

Niccolo hung his head in defeat. He felt as though his heart were being ripped from his chest. Fate was cruel for making it possible to find his son, only to make it impossible for them to be together.

“Promise me one thing.”

Sasha asked in a cautious tone, “What is it?”

“If he asks about me, I want you to tell him the truth. If he ever wants to find me, I want him to know that I’ll be waiting.”

Sasha nodded.

“Promise me! I want to hear you say the words.”

“I promise.” Her words were spoken softly but they seemed sincere enough.

“I’ll make sure that the two of you are taken care of financially and should you ever need anything ...”

“I’ll be in contact.”

“When I find the rogues responsible for Petra’s death, I will come back for him. Understand?”

“Yes,” she whispered.

“I have to see him one more time.”

She nodded. “Follow me.” She led him down a narrow hall to a little room and opened the door. “I’ll wait out here for you.” Sasha stepped back to let him pass. Niccolo walked to the bed where his son slept peacefully.

A deep pain rushed through him; he felt like his world was caving in. Niccolo knelt beside the bed and stroked Jagger’s small dark head. “My son, I’m so sorry I have to leave you when I’ve only just found you. There are so many things I want to tell you, make you understand, but you are still a
bambino
.” A tear slid down his cheek. “It wasn’t my intention to walk away from you like this, but your mama’s right, it is not safe to be with me right now. But I promise you this -- when my enemies have been vanquished, I will find you, and nothing will keep us apart again. I swear this on my life. I love you, son.”