Out for Blood (31 page)

He arched his brows. “Nervous about the ball?”

She smirked. “I don’t get nervous.”

Lilith reached for the floor, so he set her down to crawl. “Maybe
nervous
wasn’t the right word. It’s just that it’s the first time the nobility will meet Lilith. There will be such a crowd there. I can see that it might be… daunting.”

“Daunting? You think anything daunts me? You seem to have forgotten who I am.” She peered at him curiously for a moment.

“I didn’t mean to imply…” He shifted nervously. “Forgive me and my poor choice of words.”

She reached down to tousle Lilith’s dark curls. “I merely want everything to go off perfectly.”

“I’m sure it will. Lord Syler knows what’s at stake for the House of Bathory as the host. He will not disappoint you.”

“No, he won’t. Very few people are willing to risk that.” She stared at him pointedly, then shifted her gaze to Lilith, who’d stopped crawling to pet the rug’s fringe. “Things worked out rather well with Svetla, wouldn’t you say?”

“Orchestrated genius.” His smile faltered a bit. “The ancient ones are damn scary, if I dare say so. I don’t know how you’ve dealt with them for so long. You’re a brave woman, my love.”

Her own smile faltered as she remembered all she’d been through at the hands of the Castus. “But now I have Lilith. I wouldn’t change anything that’s happened, nor will I let anything or anyone take away all that I’ve worked for. I’ve earned this life and I’ll be damned if I’m going to let it be stripped from me without a fight.”

“After the incident with Svetla, I doubt there’s anyone brave enough to try.” He chuckled softly. “You really have become queen of the vampire nation, haven’t you?”

“I said I would and I did.” She lifted her gaze to him. “Did you ever doubt me?”

“No, never.” He leaned forward, elbows on his knees. “There’s no one more powerful than you. Except for the ancients. No wonder they chose you to be their principal.” He frowned. “Do you think… No, I shouldn’t even say such a thing.” He leaned back. “I suppose we should make our way to the plane, hmm?”

“What were you going to say?”

“It’s blasphemous. I shouldn’t even think it.”

Her eyes narrowed. “Octavian, tell me this instant or I’ll bite you.”

“That’s not a threat, my love. That’s foreplay.”

“Tell me,” she demanded.

He paused, hints of silver in his eyes. He was aroused, no question. She knew because the talk of power had done the same to her. “I was going to say, do you think a time might come when you’ll be as powerful or perhaps more so than the ancients?” He laughed nervously. “See? I told you, blasphemous.”

She stood and put her hands on her hips, the very idea of such power coursing through her with an erotic heat that demanded assuaging. “Oana,” she called. “Come take Lilith now.”

The wet nurse ran in from the other room. “Yes, my lady.” She scooped Lilith up and took her out, shutting the door firmly behind her.

Tatiana stalked across the rug to stand before Octavian. “You should be punished for even thinking such thoughts.” The need for him was so thick in her blood she could barely get the words out. “Wicked creature.”

He went to his knees before her, his hands snaking up her skirt to wrap around the backs of her thighs. He leaned his head against her leg. “Perhaps you should teach me how to behave, my lady.”

“Yes,” she said, her voice husky with the weight of desire. “That is exactly what I’m about to do.”

Chapter Twenty-Eight

W
e have to leave now,” Chrysabelle said a third time. Mal hated seeing her like this, and nothing he said made things any better.
Did you expect it to?
“I understand, but we can’t go without a plan. It’s a suicide mission otherwise.”

She paced the length of the living room, turned, and started back. “You’re right, I know, but I feel like every moment here is a moment wasted.”

Being told he was right, now that was something new.
It won’t last
. He slanted his eyes at Mortalis, but the fae just shrugged. Clearly, this was Mal’s show.

She twisted her hands together and stopped abruptly in front of him. “Holy mother, what if Tatiana kills Damian before I get to him? What if he never finds out I’m his sister?”

Mal took her by the shoulders and forced her to look at him. “Sweetheart, that’s not going to happen. We’re the ones with the information this time. We have the advantage. But we have to do this right or we’ll lose it.”

She nodded. “You’re right.” He raised his brows. Right twice in the space of a few minutes? He could get used to this.
Don’t
. She sighed. “So what do we do?”

“Come, sit down.” He guided her to the sofa where they sat. “To start with, we need a way there.”

“Go see Dominic,” Mortalis offered. “He can supply you with whatever you need.”

“What we need is an idea.” Chrysabelle rubbed at the signum on the back of her hand. “And I don’t want to ask him for his plane again.” She sat a little straighter. “I should have my own. I certainly have the money.” She looked at Mortalis, eyes hopeful. “Is that something you could help me with? Buying a plane and finding me a pilot?”

“How soon do you want it? With Luciano here, Dominic isn’t in the club as much, so my hours have been lighter.”

“Two days?”

He shook his head. “Not enough time to buy a plane, but I know one you can charter and a pilot you can trust.”

“Excellent. Get them here as fast as you can.”

Doc came in the front door. He’d taken over keeping watch from Mortalis since they’d started discussing the mission to recover Damian. “Heads up. Dominic’s coming through the gate and I’m out of here before I get into it with him and ruin the happy vibe going on. I should probably get back anyway, seeing as how I have a pride to run and all.”

Mal stood. “Keep us posted on Fi.”

Doc nodded. “Will do. Good luck with Damian. You know I’d go if I could.”

“I know,” Mal said. “And I appreciate it.”

Doc grinned. “Bro, love has made you all soft and squishy.”

And stupid.
Mal wanted to punch Doc in the arm for that. Instead, he shook his head. “I learned everything I know from you.”

Chrysabelle got up and gave Doc a hug. “If there’s anything I can do to help with Fi, just say the word. Thanks for being here.”

“Sure.” With a nod, he left.

Mortalis went to the door, pausing to catch Mal’s gaze before heading out. “Do you want Dominic to know you’re alive?”

“If he’s going to help us, he needs to.”

“I agree,” Chrysabelle said. She reached for Mal’s hand as Mortalis left to escort Dominic in. “This isn’t going to be easy.”

“Is anything we do?” She was right—it wouldn’t be easy—but he had a peace about what needed to be done unlike anything he’d felt before. Peace.
The last thing you deserve.
How odd for him to even use that word, but then everything about his life was odd lately.

Moments after they heard a car door shut, Dominic entered, Mortalis behind him. Dominic was dressed completely in black: suit, shirt, and tie.

Mal raised his brows. “You weren’t in mourning for me, were you?”

“
Mamma Mia
, you are alive!” Dominic raised his hands, palms together like he was praying. “Now I am only in mourning for my city, my business, and my way of life. This
pazzo
mayor, she is destroying us all!” He went to Chrysabelle first, kissing her on each cheek. “I came to see you in your time of sorrow, but I am happy to know that time is past,
bella
. I was worried for you.”

Next, he grasped Mal’s hand. “I do not know how you survived, but I am very glad you did.” He smiled. “Perhaps you have secrets you have not yet shared?”

“Not a secret. Just smoke,” Mal explained. “When I scatter, I turn to smoke. I hadn’t done it in so long, I didn’t think I still could, but drinking from the vein restored my full powers and here I am.”

“Very impressive.” Dominic nodded. “And rare. There was a member of the House of St. Germain who had this power. I never saw him do it, but that was the rumor.” He gestured to the living room. “May I sit? I have much to discuss with you.”

Velimai stood at the edge of the room, eyeing Dominic like her head was full of murderous thoughts. Mal remembered when she used to look at him that way.
She will again.
Whatever the history was there, it wasn’t good.

“Yes, please,” Chrysabelle said. “We have much to discuss with you, too. Velimai, would you fix me something to eat? I just realized I haven’t eaten all day. I’m starving.”

The wysper nodded and headed to the kitchen with one last glare at Dominic.

Mortalis stayed by the door. “I’ll stand guard outside. Call if you need me.”

“Thank you.” Chrysabelle came back to Mal’s side and together they followed Dominic and sat down. She stayed close enough to Mal that when they took their places on the couch, the heat of her thigh permeated the fabric of his jeans. The voices whined, but he shut them out. He wasn’t about to push her away.

Dominic gestured to her. “It is your house. You should go first.”

Chrysabelle explained everything that had happened, the information that Creek had given her about Damian, the proof he was her brother, the danger he was in, and the KM’s insistence she bring the vampire child back.

Dominic nodded throughout, speaking only when she was finished. “In truth, I’d hoped I might distract you from your grief by convincing you to accompany me on the very same trip.” He lifted his hands. “The mayor refuses to remove the curfew that is ruining my business unless I bring her grandchild to her.” He stood and walked to the rear wall of windows. “How am I supposed to take on the vampire nobility alone? Or worse, the ancients? But she doesn’t understand what she asks.” He turned suddenly. “Do you know she asked me to sire her? Can you imagine?”

Mal snorted. “She asked me, too.”

“What?” Chrysabelle started. “That night she came to the freighter?” She shook her head. “That woman is mad.”

Dominic laughed, a hard, bitter sound. “Mad is right. You should have seen her when I refused. I confess I let my temper get the best of me. I fear bringing the child back may be my only salvation.”

“So how do we do this? According to what Creek’s told me, both Damian and the child will be at the ball, but even with an invitation, they won’t let any of us in.”

Dominic tapped a finger against his chin. “There might be a way.” He made fast eye contact with Chrysabelle before his gaze dropped to a picture of Maris on a side table. “When your mother and I… left the noble life, I created a formula that temporarily changed our appearances. I was still vampire and she was still comarré—I cannot change the core of who someone is—but to the eyes of the nobility, we became someone else, no longer detectable as Dominic and Marissa. I will disguise all of us this way, including my second.”

Mal nodded. “Excellent.”

“This must be done in
achtice. I will need nobles to model the images after, blood from them and both of you.” His mouth thinned with uncertainty. “You trust me? Blood is not to be freely given, as you well know.”

Chrysabelle put her hand on Mal’s knee. Did she think he’d balk? He placed his hand on top of hers. “We’re fine with whatever you need.”

“
Bene
. I will have everything with me and begin work on it as soon as we arrive.” He hesitated. “You should know, I will be taking Katsumi as my second.”

Mal growled deep in his throat. Dominic held a hand up. “I know you don’t like her, but she’s an excellent fighter and since the navitas, exceptionally loyal.”

“And your nephew isn’t?” Mal asked.

Dominic splayed his hands, lifting his palms up. “I need Luciano at the club.”

Mal snorted. “So Katsumi is exceptionally loyal, but not so much that you trust her to run the club alone. Luciano is
caedo
. He’s a trained killer. He’s
exactly
who we need on this mission.”

Silver edged Dominic’s irises. “Luciano is here because he couldn’t complete his last job. He froze. Almost got killed himself. I trust him with my business, but I do not know if I trust him with my life.”