Niccolo (Blood Brothers) (6 page)

She nodded. “This is my fault. I wanted so badly to protect him; I might have done more harm than good.”

“There’s no point in beating yourself up over it.”

“But I kept so much from him. I kept his true birth certificate hidden in case someone within the immortal network was to discover it. Your family isn’t the only one with enemies. My father has made many over the centuries. We didn’t mingle with other immortals beside my brothers. From the time he was very young I told him to never reveal his powers around anyone but myself and his uncles.”

“You made him suppress his warlock side as well?”

“Only around humans. He still received his training under Blade.”

“So your father had nothing to do with him even though it’s customary for the heads of your covens to train young witches and warlocks?”

“Yes, but the last thing I wanted was for my child to be subjected to my father’s demands of perfection. Ivan had a way of making one feel inadequate for the slightest of flaws. And after what happened to Petra ... well, we barely spoke. Even as a baby, Jagger was very smart. He would have picked up on our tenuous relationship.”

“I understand.” Niccolo could sense her pain and knew she had suffered, but he felt so conflicted. One second, he wanted to hate her; the next moment, he wanted to hold her and promise everything would be okay.

“Sasha, you could have come to me at anytime for help.”

“We agreed it was best not to keep in touch. But had I known how suppressing his nature would put him in such a precarious position, I would have reached out sooner. But let me ask you something. What about me, Niccolo? If
I
needed you, would you have come?”

Her question caught him off guard so he hesitated to answer. “I…” He was at a loss for words. Would he have gone to her?

Niccolo wanted to punch himself when he saw the sad droop to her lips. She slowly shook her heads. “Don’t bother. I already know the answer. Like you said, we have to get out of here. Let’s go.”

They were silent for most of the ride to the airport. Niccolo wanted to say something, anything, to take that haunted look from her eyes and to ease the awkward tension between them. “I’m surprised that your brother would defy your father and train Jagger. I’m sure Ivan wasn’t pleased.”

It took a moment for Sasha to respond. “No,” she said quietly, “he wasn’t, but my brothers have limited contact with my father. They had a falling out with him as well.”

“When and why did this happen?”

“Not too long ago. No one will give a reason, but I think it has something to do with the Council.”

Niccolo stiffened at the mention of the Council. “Why do you say that?”

“Something that Cutter let slip. I’m not sure what he meant. My brothers haven’t been very forthcoming about the situation, but one night Cutter came over to visit. I think he and Papa had just argued because he was extremely upset. He was evasive when I tried to find out what was going on, but I was eventually able to get some information from him. Cutter said Papa had been plotting for years with a few unsavory characters, but he wouldn’t explain. He also said the plot will change life as we know it and that Papa has the Council’s backing.”

“Did he tell you anything else?”

“No. That was it. It was hard enough getting him to reveal that much. I love my brothers, but they always feel they have to protect me. I know their hearts are in the right place, but it’s frustrating at times.”

Niccolo had a sneaking suspicion that what was going on with the Council and the massacres were tied together, but he wasn’t sure how. He vowed to find out. For now however, the most important was finding his son before it was too late.

Chapter Five

“Keep up, young one. We should be there shortly.”

Although he was faster than any human could ever be, Jagger had a hard time keeping up with the red-haired, older vampire. He felt as though his heart would explode from the exertion. They must have run well over a hundred miles already, but even now he couldn’t believe what had happened and what he’d witnessed. Jagger wasn’t sure why he continued to follow this vampire, but he felt somehow compelled to do so. He didn’t know if it was his quest for answers or some dark force driving him. How in the hell did he get involved in this mess?

It was only a week ago when he had been working at an engineering firm. He had had a comfortable life with no attachments, except a lady friend every now and then whenever the urge took him. His Uncle Blade was training him to unleash the full potential of his powers as a warlock, and he wanted for nothing except to know his father.

His mother had done her best by him. She had filled his life with so much warmth and compassion that he knew he was loved. Maybe she had spoiled him a little, because when he finally took a mate he would want someone with a big heart like her. He didn’t consider himself a mama’s boy in the traditional sense but there wasn’t anyone he was closer to than her. Her unwavering love had enabled him to grow and express himself freely. Still, there had always been a void. One he could no longer ignore. His father.

All his life Jagger had been told his father had loved him very much, but there were never any other details. When he was younger, he hadn’t minded so much, but as he grew older, it had become harder to suppress his vampire side, and he had had no one to discuss such matters with.

Jagger had been fifteen when he’d fucked his first woman. The entire time he was with her, he could think of nothing he wanted more than to sink his teeth into her soft flesh. He’d had to settle for feasting on her cunt juice instead. It had soothed him then, but now it was no longer enough.

Although his mother and uncles had answered his questions to the best of their ability, he needed answers about his vampire heritage. And there was only one person who he could turn to. The night he had gone to see his mother, it had felt as if he were burning from the inside out.

After leaving his mother’s home, he’d known then what he had to do. It was still hard to believe that his father was a member of the Grimaldi clan, and even harder to comprehend that though he’d been prepared to go to Los Angeles, he was still in Europe. He had already bought his ticket and was waiting in the boarding lounge for his flight when the red-haired vampire approached him. It was how Jagger had ended up in Germany—with his father.”

“Here we are, young one.” The older vampire gave him a smile that made Jagger a bit uneasy.

Jagger paused. The place looked like an abandoned warehouse, but when he walked inside, it was furnished as grandly as a palace.

“Please make yourself at home.”

“This is your home?” Jagger asked with uncertainty.

“Yes. One of them. I have several bases. One must be mobile for what I do.”

“I see.”

“Would you like a drink, young one? I know you Russians are fond of your vodka. I have the finest bar in all of Europe. Please have a seat; after all, what is mine is yours, of course.” There was an unreadable expression in the red-head’s amber eyes, and Jagger squirmed in his discomfort. “I sense your unease, young one. Why don’t you relax and I’ll fix you a drink to soothe your nerves. You have lived too long under your mother’s thumb and don’t realize the way things are done among our kind, but you will learn.” A condescending smile accompanied his words.

“Leave my mother out of this. This is between you and me. Those people back there …they were innocents. Why did you ...?” Jagger faltered, unable to take his mind from the slaughter he had witnessed. He knew very well that vampires could be brutal, but the taking of innocent lives was something he didn’t understand. It was the act of a rogue, and from the very little he knew of his father, Niccolo Grimaldi was no rogue.

Jagger could still hear the screaming and pleading in his head. The image of a pretty little girl chilled him the most. Her lifeless eyes seemed to ask him why. He cursed himself for not having been able to stop the carnage, for having hungered for their blood. Self-disgust formed in the pit of his belly.

“They were human and of no consequence to us.” The vampire shrugged. “Now, have a seat. I will return shortly.”

Jagger sat down, still unable to shake his unease. This was not what he had had in mind when he’d gone looking for his father, and he debated getting up and leaving, but his need for answers made him stay where he was.

His host returned shortly with a drink in his hands. “Here. Drink it all. It will make you feel better.” The older vampire suddenly frowned and narrowed his eyes. “Where the hell do you think you’re going?”

Jagger stiffened but then realized the question wasn’t directed toward him.

Seeming to appear from nowhere, a tall, striking woman came into Jagger’s line of vision. She easily had one of the most arresting faces he’d ever seen. It was a rare, exotic type of beauty that was capable of leaving many speechless, with her perfectly proportioned features, dark skin and lithe frame. Jagger knew right away she wasn’t human. Her face remained blank, but her overly generous lips curled into an almost sneer as she spoke to his host. “Out.”

Dark auburn brows furrowed. “Where out?”

“I have things to do.” She sounded bored and looked even more so.

“When will you be back?”

“When you see me.” She headed toward the exit.

“Nya!”

She halted but she kept her back to him.

“You know what happens if you don’t return.”

“How can I forget?” And with that she was gone.

Jagger wasn’t sure what that exchange was about, but nothing could make this night even more of a nightmare than it already was. “Your lover?”

His host sat back in his chair, his smile returning. “She’s not important. Drink.”

The beautiful vampire femme forgotten, he took a sip from his glass to steady his nerves. Jagger winced as the alcohol burned a trail down his throat.

The redhead laughed. “I see you are not used to drinking. Personally, alcohol doesn’t do a thing for me — one of the drawbacks of being as old as I am —but it does have a soothing effect, doesn’t it? Of course, this is obviously your first taste of the stuff. After all, I understand you were thoroughly twisted in your mama’s apron strings.”

Jagger’s eyes narrowed at the taunt. He tilted his head back and gulped the rest of the drink down in one swallow, then slammed the glass defiantly on the end table.

“So you have some spirit, after all. I’m pleased to see that. You might do. Tell me, why did tonight’s events bother you so much?”

“Because those people did nothing to deserve what happened to them. You and your men killed them as though you were animals.”

“It is what we are. We are the ones who will inherit the Earth. You, more than anyone, should know this. It is a shame your mother hasn’t told you.”

“Told me what?”

“Well, as you are half warlock and half vampire, you will be very powerful, indeed. One side does not cancel the other out, you know.”

“I don’t understand what you’re getting at.” Jagger clutched his head. His thoughts seemed jumbled and cloudy.

“It’s very simple. Even though you’re not a full blood, you’ll still have the same abilities of both sides as you age. You are the future. Imagine what would happen were you to mate with ... a shifter, perhaps. Do you realize how powerful your offspring would be? There would be no stopping our cause then.”

“Your cause?” Jagger was confused.

“I see you’re still not getting it. No matter. In time you will. Tonight was only the beginning.”

“You plan on killing more innocent people?” Jagger asked incredulously. This couldn’t be real. He shook his head to alleviate the fuzziness surrounding his thoughts, but he couldn’t seem to focus.

“Innocents? You think humans are innocent? For centuries they used up what is rightfully ours. We deserve the right to walk around without suppressing our nature. You especially should feel outraged. How many of your ancestors were burned at the stake in the name of their God, who has long since turned his back on us? Look at you now. You’re in pain. I can feel it. Your body temperature is rising and you hunger for something, but you don’t know what. You lie awake at night, breaking out in a sweat. You seek out women, but you force yourself to not take what you really want.”

“How do you know?”

“How could I not know? It’s obvious to me that you are in the beginning stages of
la morte dolci.
I bet your mother and precious uncles never mentioned anything about it, did they? You’ve been so busy trying to stifle your vampire side that you’ve been making yourself sick.”

Jagger opened his mouth to speak, then immediately closed it. He
had
held a part of himself back but it was mostly to please his mother. Was it possible that her motives in telling him to do so were not as altruistic as he had thought? No. He refused to believe it. “My mother did what she could to protect me.”

“No, what she did was handicap you. She knew exactly what she was doing. The tears whenever you asked about your father. The sad little faces. The truth is your mother and uncles manipulated you. You should have been raised among your vampire kin; maybe then you would have realized your full potential.”

Jagger’s heart clenched in his chest. Everything that the ancient said made an odd kind of sense. A war of emotions flowed through him. He felt angry and defensive at the same time. He was almost positive his mother had never intentionally led him astray, but now he had doubts. “Why would my mother do this? I thought —”

“You think she loves you? I’m sure she does, in her way, but is it really love to keep a father from his son? Your mother used you as a pawn. Can you imagine the pain of someone separated from his child? Oh yes, she knew exactly what she was doing, but enough about her. I’m going to see that you are made well.”

The more Jagger wanted to argue the more his head pounded and the fog clouding his thoughts thickened. “What do I need to do to make myself better?”

“It’s quite simple, young one. You must feed and you must unleash your vampire side. Tonight there will be bloodshed. And you have to do what comes natural to us. Feed.”

“No innocents.”

The older vampire chuckled. “No one is truly innocent, young one.”

“But —”

“No buts. Listen to me ... I am your father, after all.”

<><><>

When their flight was underway, Sasha’s nerves felt as though they would snap. Throughout the plane ride, not only was she worried about her son, she wondered what could have happened in Germany that resulted in this hasty visit.

Niccolo only gave her snippets of information even when she demanded that he tell her more. She thought he was probably trying to shield her from the truth, but keeping her in the dark was a sure way to drive her insane. It didn’t help that despite the gravity of their circumstances, there was an undeniable sexual tension between them.

Sitting so close to him on the plane, hearing him breathe, smelling his cologne, and wanting to touch him was torture. She remembered their stolen night together and it made her want more. She tried to ignore it by feigning sleep, except after several minutes, she really did fall asleep.

S
asha
walked into Niccolo’s room to find him packing. “You’re leaving so s
oon?” she asked tentatively. She devoured his handsome face with her gaze. He was so beautiful it almost hurt to look at him. It almost seemed unfair for one man to be so appealing
. From the moment
she’d laid eyes on him, she loved him.

At six-foot-three, he was an entire foot taller than h
er. Though he was lean, he had
broad shoulders
, the kind
that women wanted to rest their heads on. His wavy black hair was
clipped short in the back, while thick dark locks rested
casually
on
his forehead.

He had the face of an aristocrat with his high cheekbones and long
,
straight nose. His dark brows were thick, but arched attractively over his amber eyes. One smoldering look from him
made her body quake with need
.
And his lips. Sasha had lost count of how many times she’d imagined them pressed all over her body.

Even the tiny gap between his two front teeth gave him a boyish charm when he smiled.
She could find no fault in his countenance
,
but his looks weren’t the only thing she found attractive about him. He was genuine, smart, and she often found herself smiling at his dry wit. She’d known from the beginning a man like him would be loyal to those he loved for all eternity. Her soul called out to his. He might not realize it
,
but they belonged together despite everything that had happened.

Niccolo
answered without turning to face her
. “I
am hardly welcome here anymore, not that it matters.
I have nothing to stay for now that Petra 
—” He stopped
mid-sentence.

Sasha felt a lump rise in her throat. She still couldn’t believe her beautiful sister was gone. Despite their differences,
she’
d
cared about her sister
. “
I know my parents were harsh
in
blaming you
for what happened
,
but don’t take it to heart.
They
 
lost
their daughter and when you hurt, you say things you don’t mean.”

“Is that so,
strega?
” He shrugged and continued to pack.

She walked all the way into the room and closed the door.

“What do you want?” He
still
didn’t turn around.

“I thought maybe you’d want to talk about your feelings with someone. I
know how badly you must feel and I wanted to apologize
for the way my parents treated you at the
crossing over
ceremony
.”

“What makes you think I would want to discuss how I feel with you?
What’s to discuss? She’s gone. Now I begin to understand why your parents seemed so annoyed when you’re around.
”

Sasha gasped. It was probably the grief talking, but he had never been rude to her before. “I’m sorry to have bothered you. My family is still
taking care of some last minute formalities
, but on their behalf, I wis
h you a safe journey home.” As Sasha turned
to leave, he was suddenly in front of her
in
the blink of an eye. He looked down at her with such a dark expression that she took a step back.

“Why aren’t you with them? She was your sister.”

Sasha laughed without humor. “I’m as unwelcome there as you are.”

“So you came here to offer me comfort? What makes you think I would want to be comforted by a scrawny little
strega
like you?” He grabbed her by the el
bows, looking down at her with
glowing amber eyes.

“I know you’re upset over Petra
,
but I’ve done nothing for you to treat me this way.
I thought 
—
”

“Yes, I know.
You thought you could take Petra’s place in my bed. How desperate are you to come to me now of all times?”

She shook her head vehemently. “I didn’t come for that. I swear.”

“So you’
re denying you’ve come to offer me a special kind of comfort?
Don’t think I haven’t noticed the way you’ve watched me. I know you think you’re in love with me, but I assure you, you are not.”

“Don’t tell me how I feel!” she protested, trying to free herself from his grasp, but his grip w
as too tight.

“Fair enough
, but I can certainly tell you how
I
feel. I resent that you’ve watched me and made me feel things I know I shouldn’t. Although it is your sister I love, it is you whom I haven’t been able to stop thinking about. You!” He cupped her face in his hands.
“Dio,
what is it about you? You’re not even beautiful, but you’ve haunted my dreams. Damn you for making me feel this way!”

Before she realized what was happening, his mouth
was
on hers. She tried to
pull away
but his tongue slid between her parted lips. Sasha had been kissed before, but not quite like this.

The slow sensual way his tongue explored her mouth sent waves of rapture surging through her body. She felt like a flower opening up to the sun. Sasha had never before felt this way from just a kiss.

As he kissed her, his thumbs caressed the sides of her face. She moaned into his mouth. This is what she had dreamed of since the moment she had met Niccolo Grimaldi. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing her body against his. She had the urgent need to be closer to him. The hardness of his body against hers was so highly arousing.

“What am I doing?” he murmured against her
mouth.

“Don’t think, just feel,” she whispered.

He muttered a curse before lifting her up in his arms and carrying her the short distance to the bed and dropping her onto it. She shivered as he practically ripped his clothes from his body impatiently, his eyes never leaving her. There was a feral gleam in the depths of his amber eyes that frightened and excited her at the same time.

When he stood completely naked, her breath caught in her throat. His body was just as magnificent as she had imagined it would be. He had a broad, well-toned chest, which tapered to a narrow waist and hips. His stomach was rippled with muscles and dark hair was liberally sprinkled across his chest. Still, the most magnificent part of him was his cock. It was so long, thick, and hard.

Sasha wanted to wrap her fingers around it and run her tongue over the tip, which was now a shade between pink and red. She licked her lips nervously.

“Do you like what you see, Sasha? Does my cock tempt you?” Her throat went dry as he grasped his cock in his fist and slid his hand over his turgid length. It was so long and thick. Her eyes were riveted to the erotic sight of the slow back-and-forth motion. She never realized how much of a turn on it would be watch the man of her desire pleasure himself for her benefit. Sasha’s tongue snaked out to lick her suddenly dry lips.

“You like this, don’t you?”

She could only nod, not trusting herself to speak. How was it possible for one man to possess so much beauty? It just didn’t seem fair.

“Do you know how much you excite me?
Heaven
knows why I should want you so, but I do. I want to see your body now. Take off your clothes. My cock
is in need of your sweet pussy
.”

Sasha scrambled off the bed and started to undo the buttons on her blouse. Her fingers seemed suddenly clumsy.

“Dio!
You’ll
take all night!” He swiftly removed her clothes, demonstrating his obvious familiarity with undressing women. The thought of him with other women caused her to feel an irrational wave of jealousy, but she quickly suppressed it. She was the one in his arms now
,
and this was the way things were supposed to be. Within a matter of seconds, she was nude.

Niccolo stared at her with a hungry expression in his glowing eyes. She realized she was about to become his main course. “You’ve been holding out on me, strega. You have a beautiful body.”

She could feel herself blushing. No one had ever told her that before, but then again, she had never been intimate with a man before. She was glad that he would be her first.

“Your breasts are small but perfect; they will fit in my mouth just fine,” he said, before bending his head to run his tongue over one swollen nipple.

She moaned, grabbing his shoulders to keep her balance. The swirl of his tongue on her sensitive peak made her cry out in pleasure. The feel of his mouth sent bursts of sensation from her head to her toes. “Oh, Niccolo, that feels so good.”

In response, he increased the pressure of his mouth on her breast. Her pussy clenched with need, and Sasha could feel her thighs dampening. She never wanted the deliciousness of this moment to end.

Niccolo lifted his head briefly to transfer his attention to her other breast. He nibbled on her nipple, sending pulses of pleasure to her pussy. She was so hot for him that she could barely think. He squeezed and kneaded her breasts as he played with her nipples.

When she felt his incisors sink into her breast, she cried out in surprise. It was just a little prick that didn’t really hurt at all. She knew enough about vampires to know that the sharing of blood during lovemaking was a very sensual and intimate act. That he wanted to feed from her thrilled her beyond anything she could ever imagine.
This had to mean he felt something for her as well, something beyond lust
. They would be together forever after this, she thought happily.

He must have sucked on her breast for several minutes before lifting his head. He had already retracted his incisors.

“I can smell your pussy. You’re wet and ready for me, aren’t you?”
He grinned before licking away drop of dark ruby blood from the corner of his mouth.

“Yes. Please make love to me,” she begged.

“This isn’t making love, this is fucking.”

Before Sasha could reply Niccolo’s
mouth covered hers once more. She could taste the coppery sweetness of her blood on his tongue mixed with the unique flavor of Niccolo. She became delirious with desire. He pushed her back to the bed. “I want to eat your pussy badly, but my cock hurts. I need to fuck, now.”

Sasha gasped at his sudden roughness. He pulled her thighs apart and without hesitation, plunged into her pussy.

“Oh, God!” Despite his size and her smallness, she’d known there would be some pain, but it wasn’t unbearable. Nothing would make her push him away; to remain close to him, she would have endured an eternity of pain.

“ Por Dio!
Why didn’t you tell me you’re a virgin?”

The initial pain of his entry slowly subsided, but the sheer size of his cock within her untried pussy was still somewhat uncomfortable. “Does it matter? This is what we both wanted. Just give me a moment to adjust.”

“How could you have lived for nearly seventy years without a man?” he asked incredulously.

There was no way she’d tell him that she had been holding out for someone she was in love with. Sasha didn’t think he was ready to hear how she felt about him just yet.

“It’s doesn’t matter. Please don’t stop.”

“You must believe I’m an animal if you think I want to hurt you like this.”

She could tell he was trying to be gallant even as his cock pulsed inside of her. She knew he wanted to move in and out of her.

“The pain has gone away. Please. Do what you want with me.” She lifted her hips up.

They both gasped as he sank deeper into her. The pain had indeed faded into a dull ache, but the feeling of being one with the man she loved was doing things to her senses. She needed him to finish or she would go crazy.

“Please, Niccolo.”

“Damn, I must be insane,” he muttered before he grasped her thighs and began to thrust within her. At first it was very uncomfortable, but as his cock speared back and forth she felt lust build up once more in the pit of her stomach.

A wave of passion flowed through her and she couldn’t imagine how she could have lived before this moment.