Night's Cold Kiss (5 page)

“Christian…”

He looked up at his friend to find his pain and loss mirrored in Viktor’s face. He’d also suffered. The third assassinated emissary had been Viktor’s father, Mikhail.

“I’m sorry.” Viktor dropped his gaze. “I shouldn’t have brought that up.”

“Don’t apologize. It was a difficult time for both of us. The act of a few misguided men happened long ago and I’ve stopped blaming anyone. Including myself.”

Time to change the subject. “So if the Guild won’t cooperate why isn’t CHaPR stepping in?”

“The Guild is autonomous and hasn’t broken any laws. They’ve repeatedly denied any leaks from within their number. Sir Roger Wilberforce-Smythe, the human CHaPR ambassador, repeatedly blocks any attempts by the Department to become involved. He refuses to see the patterns similar to The Troubles when the Council almost split into two factions. If that happens then all we’ve achieved will be…” Viktor trailed off and his eyes went blank.

“Viktor?” Christian prompted.

His friend shook his head. “We have to gather more evidence, force them to open their eyes.”

“So how—will we use the girl?”

“We’ll use her—somehow get her to draw out the one we’re after. You must convince her that you’re genuine. It’s essential to gain her trust.”

“I know, but that’s easier said than done. With Sergei’s fall from grace with the Guild, I see no other way to get near them,” Christian said.

“What does she know about it?”

“I don’t know. Sergei didn’t seem willing to go into it, but I’m pretty certain she’s not aware of the tension between Sergei and Sir Roger.”

“Excellent. Let’s keep it that way for now.” Leather creaked as Viktor shifted in his seat. “What about Grigore? What does she think happened to him?”

Christian stared down at his hands. “Sergei never told her the truth; she still thinks he’s dead.”

Viktor sighed heavily. “He could be for all I know. It’s been weeks now since he disappeared. It’s just not like him to stay out of contact this long.”

Christian sank back into the soft seat. “Did he give you any other clues?”

“No more than what I’ve already told you.”

It was something cryptic about a contact within the Guild and a distant Petrescu family member being involved. Christian stood, frustration pounding at his temples. “But that doesn’t tell us much.”

“Which is why we must use Grigore’s daughter as bait.” Viktor crossed his legs and smoothed out an imaginary wrinkle on his pants before fixing Christian with a stern gaze. “There’s no other way.”

At that moment Viktor’s cell phone went off with a funky techno beat and he held up a finger to Christian as he answered it. “Talk to me.”

“Right,” Viktor said after a minute and flipped his phone shut before looking at Christian, his face all business. “We have to get back to New York ASAP. Looks like the human ambassador to CHaPR is the next target. But we still don’t know who the leak in the Guild is and if we can’t get Antoinette to draw them out, our plan could fall apart.”

Nici was waiting outside for her as she left the training room.

“Sorry—but can we leave this until tomorrow?” Antoinette asked. She was bone tired, the weight of the day suddenly pressing down on her.

Nici reached up and tugged his left ear, a sure sign he was nervous. But then he dropped his hand and straightened. “No. I need to talk to you now—it’s really important.”

Antoinette’s stomach clenched in premonition. “What is it?”

“Let’s go to the eating hall, it’s usually empty this time of night.” Nici avoided her eyes.

As predicted, no one was around. All the students were in bed long ago, training started before sunup. She’d been one of those students once and while life had seemed hard at the time, it had really been much simpler. Now she and Nici only used the family’s school as a home base in between missions, not knowing where they’d be from one day to the next.

They sat at the end of a long communal dining table but now that he had her attention, Nici seemed reluctant to speak.

She reached across the table for his hand. “Nici, what is it?”

“I’ve been offered a place with the Guild,” he said, so softly she barely heard him.

Antoinette withdrew her hand and sat back. A foreboding shadow darkened her heart. “You’re leaving me?”

He looked up suddenly, his jaw jutting. “It’s not like that.”

“No?” she whispered. “You’re my brother, we’re supposed to stick together.”

She instantly regretted her words. By the guilt and anguish on his face, he’d not made this decision lightly and didn’t need her making it even harder. “When do you leave?”

“In a few days.” His face filled with pride, she’d never seen him so sure of himself, so confident. “They’re really impressed with my designs and want me to start as soon as possible. It’s London—the best lab facilities in the world—and I’ll finally have a chance to fight in my own way.”

“But you do—”

“No, Antoinette,” he softened his tone, “you do. I sit in the van waiting to find out if you’ve killed or have been killed, sick with worry and hoping it isn’t the latter. This way I get to work on equipment to help save the lives of Venators like you.”

Nici had always tinkered on things in the workshop and Antoinette had to admit his designs were good. In London, he’d really be able to achieve his full potential.

She caught movement out of the corner of her eye. A young woman stood half hidden in the doorway of the kitchen, watching them. Tatiana, Nici’s girlfriend, and another tech-head. Tatiana dropped her gaze to the ground and backed away from the door—she was always timid around Antoinette.

“I see,” Antoinette said. “You’re not accepting this R&D position just for yourself, are you?”

Nici followed her gaze and the girl reappeared in the doorway, her lips trembled as she tried a shaky smile.

“She’s pregnant.” Nici’s eyes softened before he steeled
himself again. “Look—you’re the Venator, not me, that’s the way it’s always been. And to be honest, I don’t really have the stomach for it anymore.”

“What about our parents’ deaths?” Antoinette snatched at his hand, the fear of losing him overwhelming. “Doesn’t that mean anything to you?”

“Of course it does.” He pulled his hand out of hers and ran it over his face. “But it’s not going to bring them back, is it?”

He was right, and if she was truthful with herself, she’d sensed his unhappiness for a while now. “How long have you known about the job?”

“They contacted me two days ago, but I sent in the application a month before that.” Nici looked at his hands.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Antoinette asked.

“I tried. But every time I saw your face I knew—”

“That I wouldn’t like it.” And he was right.

He nodded. “I felt like I was abandoning you,” he said. “But I’m not like you Antoinette, I don’t have your…”

“Obsession?” she finished for him, placing her elbows on the table and leaning in.

“I was going to say passion, but yes, obsession is a good word.” He searched her face. “Look, I have a wife and I’m about to become a father—”

She sat up straight. “Wait a minute, you’re already married?”

He held out his left hand, showing her the wedding ring she’d been too preoccupied to notice before. “We did it this afternoon.”

“You should have told me,” Antoinette said, the hurt creeping into her tone. “I could have been there for you.”

“We didn’t want any fuss.” Meaning they hadn’t wanted to give her a chance to stop it.

Antoinette sighed. Her little brother had become a man and she’d missed it. It was time to let him go. “I’m really happy for you and Tatiana.”

Antoinette came around the table and Nici stood. As she
threw her arms about his neck, the tears slipped down her cheeks. “And I’m so proud of you. But who’s going to take care of me now?”

“You’ll do that yourself, same as always.” He squeezed her tightly. “You’ve never really needed me.”

She choked back a sob as she caught Tatiana’s relieved expression over his shoulder.

Antoinette wiped away the dampness under her eyes. “You’d better go to your…wife. She looks like she needs you.” Then she grabbed both of his hands in hers. “My blessings to you both.” She spoke the family’s traditional words, those their mother would have said if she were alive.

His smile widened, and she could swear she caught a slight glisten in his eyes. “Thank you, sis.”

Nici leaned forward and planted a soft kiss on her forehead. Sergei had told her they’d be leaving with Christian tomorrow for New York City, so she wouldn’t have much time with her brother before then. This was goodbye.

Tatiana rushed across the room and threw her arms around his neck. Antoinette noticed the slight swell of the girl’s stomach as she returned the girl’s tentative smile.

“Congratulations!” She stepped forward and gave the girl a somewhat awkward hug. “Welcome to the family.”

“Thank you,” Tatiana whispered.

Nici gave her hand a quick squeeze before the couple, arm in arm, left the room. And so did a part of her heart. Because no matter what happened now, things would never be quite the same between her and Nici again.

“So he told you, then?” Sergei came out of the shadows.

“How long have you been there?”

“Long enough,” he said, limping forward.

“You’ve known for some time too, haven’t you?”

Sergei nodded. “He came to me just after they found out about Tatiana’s pregnancy. I told him he had to tell you tonight before we leave.”

“That’s the reason you’re taking me with you to the CHaPR conference, isn’t it? You thought it would be better
for Nici and Tatiana if I wasn’t around, just in case I didn’t approve.”

Sergei’s face split into a grin. “You know me well, niece, but that’s only part of the reason you’re coming.”

“It’s okay Uncle. Nici deserves to be happy,” Antoinette said.

“Will you give up hunting now?” Sergei tilted his head and looked at her with a strange unreadable expression.

“You know I can’t.”

With a sad little smile, he nodded then turned and left her in the large empty hall.

She suddenly felt truly alone for the first time in her life.

Christian drummed his fingers on his thigh and looked out of the stationary aircraft’s window.

“When are they due to arrive?” Viktor asked, sitting across from Christian, sipping red wine while he caressed the head of the large Siberian Malamute at his side.

“Any minute now.” Christian frowned, checking his watch for the third time in ten minutes. “Actually I would’ve expected them half an hour ago.”

“Well, you know what women are like, always keeping us waiting.” Viktor said.

“Antoinette is not like other women,” Christian said, remembering the way she dispatched the dreniac with such efficient precision.

Viktor raised an eyebrow and Christian turned to stare out of the window again. A vehicle approached, and from the sound of the engine it had to be the limousine he’d sent to pick up the humans.

Mary, the flight attendant, stuck her head in through the door. “Your guests have arrived, sir. Captain Rogers will conduct the preflight checks while they board.”

“Excellent—have him get under way as soon as possible.” Christian prepared to greet his guests.

Sergei was first through, followed closely by Antoinette carrying a rucksack over her shoulder and a long wooden
case. Both glanced around the interior of the refurbished Boeing 747 with wide-eyed awe.

“Intel sure knows how to fly its agents in style,” Sergei said.

“Actually, this is my own personal jet,” Christian said. “It was a commercial aircraft I had refitted. The accommodations are down here and up the stairs are the comms center and my office.

He felt Antoinette’s gaze on him, but when he looked at her, she turned away.

“Viktor, you remember Sergei Petrescu and this is his niece. Antoinette, this is Viktor Dushic, a fellow Intel agent and a friend.”

She threw Viktor a cool, tight smile that didn’t reach her eyes.

“Sorry we’re late,” Sergei said as he sank into the large leather seat beside Viktor and propped his walking stick against his knee.

“That’s all right. We know what it’s like traveling with a woman. I was just discussing that very topic with Christian.”

Viktor had that look in his eye—the one that meant trouble. Christian cringed inwardly. Sure enough, Antoinette didn’t disappoint. The glare she gave Viktor would’ve frozen the fires of Hades.

“Actually, it’s my fault,” Sergei said, throwing his niece a stern look. “Well, my wife’s really. She hates it when I leave home and spends ages making sure I’ve forgotten nothing.”

“Aunt Katerina’s just worried about you.” She may have been talking to her uncle but she stared directly at Viktor, who arched his eyebrow. He was definitely enjoying baiting her. Christian tried to silence him with a warning glare, but he knew it wouldn’t work. Viktor was having far too much fun and seemed determined to push her buttons.

“Well then, once we get the rest of your luggage on board, we’ll be able to take off.”

“I do believe you are trying to get a rise out of me.” She
laid the wooden case on a nearby chair and placed her hands on her hips. “Only vain or stupid people carry more than they need and I have everything in these two cases.” She paused, looking Viktor up and down. “Besides, I doubt there’d be any room left once your bags had been loaded—even on a plane this size.”

“Ouch.” Viktor theatrically slapped his hand over his heart and winked. “And what is it you have in the case? A flute? Perhaps an oboe? No, no, I got it—you’re a pool hustler.”

The corners of Antoinette’s mouth twitched. Christian hated his friend at that moment. He knew damned well it was her weapons. Antoinette undid the clips of the wooden case and opened the lid. She took out the beautiful black and red katana Christian had seen her use in Miami.

Viktor whistled though his teeth. “Careful, little girl—you might cut yourself with that thing.” The twinkle in his eye grew brighter.

Antoinette returned a tight, deadly smile and flicked out the blade then slid it down the front of Viktor’s shirt and resheathed it again almost before he’d known what’d hit him.

Viktor took a sip of his wine, the epitome of calmness as he looked down at his now open, buttonless shirt. “If you wanted me to undress, all you had to do was ask.”

“Stop teasing our guest, Viktor.” Christian tried to keep his voice even, and failed. She may have meant it as intimidation but it had been far too intimate for his liking.

Viktor gazed pointedly at Christian over the top of his glass as Antoinette laid the blade back in its bed of blue velvet and clipped the case shut.

“Mary will help you with your bags before we get under way.” Christian signaled to get the flight attendant.

Antoinette gave her pack to the woman but kept the wooden case.

“It’s all right—I’ll make sure it’s stowed safely,” Mary said as she bent to take the case from her.

Antoinette shook her head and pulled it out of the flight attendant’s reach.

“It has to be secured for takeoff,” Mary explained.

Christian moved forward. Antoinette’s shoulders dropped defensively and her eyes narrowed as she hugged the case against her chest.

Antoinette gripped the case tighter, her eyes darting left and right, seeking escape. She wasn’t about to trust her weapons to an Aeternus or his hired bimbo.

Christian stopped and held up his hands. “It’s okay. Mary, just show her where to stow them herself.”

“Yes, sir.”

The flight attendant took a few steps to the left and with a delicate sweep of her hand she brought Antoinette’s attention to the straps against the wall and the briefcases already secured there. He could probably have used his Aeternus emotion-control mojo on her if he’d wanted, but he hadn’t.

“Sorry.” Her face heated up. “It’s just hard to…” Her words trailed off.

“Trust?” Christian asked.

It was a good word, but still difficult to do. She threw back her shoulders, handed the case to Mary, and gave her a tight smile of apology.

She noticed a large dog for the first time lying on the far side of Viktor. It tilted its head and sat up. She squatted to eye level, patting her knees to entice him closer. “Aren’t you a beautiful boy?”

“Cerberus doesn’t like strangers,” Viktor warned.

The dog placed his head on her thigh, saying hello with his large intelligent eyes as much as his wagging tail.

“Good boy.” She scratched behind his ear and ruffled the both sides of his head, and looked up to catch the flash of surprise across Viktor’s face.

“My niece has special way with animals,” Sergei said, smiling at her. “Since she was a little girl.”

“So I see.” Viktor’s eyes narrowed as if really seeing her for the first time. “He likes you, trusts you. I can sense it so clearly.”

So could she, but not in the same way Viktor meant. The Aeternus had the ability to sense and project emotions, and animals were more susceptible. She’d once seen a dreniac start a large and deadly dog fight just for the fun it. But obviously this Aeternus used his ability with his pet in a more caring way.