Taken by Moonlight (54 page)

Max
suddenly pushed himself away from the bed on which the dying woman lay, and
turned haunted eyes to him.

“Help her,”
he said in a voice that was so low Kyros barely heard it.

“Max, she’s
dying. If she were a warlock, we would be able to help.”

“She will
not die,” Max said in a calm and firm voice. “I won’t let her die.” The young
warlock turned around and sat on the edge of the bed, beside the woman. Kyros
watched as he reached into a bowl filled with a soft towel and water. He wrung
out the towel and lightly pulled it across the human’s face. He knew Max
couldn’t remember her. Whatever had been done to his memory seemed permanent.
Max remembered the most basic of things, especially if he did them again, but
his memory was deeply fragmented. Still, the warlock was acting like the woman
on the bed before him was his lover.

In all the
centuries Kyros had been alive, he’d never seen anyone care for another to such
an extent. Especially between the species. Even as a hybrid, Max would not be
expected to take up with a human.

“There is
something that can be done,” he heard himself say before he could think better
of it.

Max turned
to him quickly, and nodded.

“It will
call for great sacrifice, Max.”

“Will she
live?”

Kyros
lowered his eyes, contemplating telling Max to forget about it, that it
shouldn’t even be considered, but when he lifted his eyes, and saw the hope
shining in Max’s, he nodded once.

“Then do
it,” Max said, standing quickly. “Whatever it is, do it. Please.”

“
I
can’t do it,” Kyros began slowly. He told Max what would have to be done. Max’s
face blanched but he looked at the woman, who’d all but stopped breathing, and
nodded once.

Kyros
looked to the clock on his wall. It was just after six in the evening. Moving
into the living room, he picked up the phone and dialed a number that had not
changed in many years.

“Hello?”
The voice was deep, smooth and compelling. It spoke of a cultured upbringing,
fine wine, designer apparel, and luxury toys, a world to which Kyros had only
briefly been exposed.

“I’m
calling in my favor.”

There was a
whisper of movement, a quick intake of breath. “Kyros Theopolis? I thought
you’d gone back to Greece.”

“The truth
is far worse.” And it was. Not that he would ever tell where he’d actually
been. “Will you receive me tonight?”

There was a
pause, and then the voice answered good-naturedly, “When have I not received
you, cousin?”

“You are a
beauty, aren’t you?”

Cassie
closed her eyes and tried once more to project herself out of this dark, creepy
place, away from the equally dark and creepy man before her. It didn’t work.

Maximilian
laughed. “Nothing short of death will allow you to escape those chains,
Cassandre. They were created especially for the druids, to punish them for
their misbehaviors.” He fingered one of the golden bindings. “Chains of Hera. A
gift from a goddess jealous of her lover’s fornication with man. Only three
currently exist, and I have them all.”

Cassie
resisted the urge to spit at him. She didn’t care about stupid chains, and
jealous goddesses.

“Where is
my mother?”

“Ah. Evelyn
and I have…unfinished business,” he replied with an evil gleam in his eyes.

She went
cold at those words. Cassie could sense the aura around Maximilian Cronin, and
it was mostly evil. Greed. Power. Deviance. They all clung to him like second
skins.

“If you
hurt my mother….”

His brow
lifted, and a mocking smile touched his lips. “What will you do, Cassandre? If
I hurt your mother, what exactly can you do?”

He paused
as if waiting for her answer, and Cassie focused hard and tried to call her
powers once more. Nothing. She felt as she had before she’d discovered her
druid heritage, before she’d been taught to use her powers:
human.

“I already
warned you of that, Cassandre. Those chains are powerful. They render druids
powerless. Hera was particularly vicious when it came to your people. I guess
she didn’t like the reminder that her husband was unfaithful. Hell hath no fury
like a goddess scorned, eh? I believe she was the reason for the saying, or was
it one of her daughters?”

As he
languidly contemplated that, Cassie hissed, “What do you want?”

Maximilian
chuckled. “I want you to resurrect your people, but you already knew that.”

Yes, she
did. What she didn’t know was how the hell he’d found them. The attack had been
completely unanticipated. Trackers, dozens of them, entered her room through a
bolt hole, with Cronin leading the way. Cassandre had screamed for Evelyn,
who’d immediately begun attacking them. Cassie had called on her powers as
well, effectively holding them off until her mother arrived and started
blasting trackers, and screamed for Cassie to run. She hadn’t wanted to leave,
but Evelyn had been adamant. So adamant that somehow her mother had projected
Cassie into the hallway. From there, she’d followed her mother’s command, and
run.

“How did
you find us?”

“An old
friend came to me in my hour of need. He, too, is anxious for the druids to be
resurrected.”

Cassie
swallowed. An old friend? Anxious for the druids to be resurrected? A light
shiver ran over her body.

“Who?”

Maximilian’s
eyes narrowed, before he smiled as if he were having the most wonderful time
sharing information with her. “Not that it matters, Cassandre, but you’ll soon
find out anyway. His name is Alexander—Lord Alexander—” The grand wizard broke
off at her look of pain before he clucked his tongue and laughed. “So you are
acquainted with Alexander? Was that how he knew exactly where you lived?
Of
course
.”

Cassie
schooled her features, but she was hurt. She’d trusted a druid she’d been
warned against, and now not only she, but Evelyn would suffer for it. Tears
pricked the backs of her eyes and she bit the inside of her cheek. Her mother
had been right. Why hadn’t she listened? Because she was stupid! Graduating
with honors didn’t mean one had common sense. When had she become one of those
girls, fooled by a pretty face?

“Release my
mother.” Her voice was lackluster. She just wanted her mother freed. Evelyn had
tried to warn her. She shouldn’t be punished.

Maximilian
lifted a brow. “And why would I want to do that?”

“Release my
mother, and I’ll willingly do whatever you say.”

Lifting his
free hand to his chin, Maximilian appeared to contemplate that. “That is an
appealing thought, but I think I’ll keep Evelyn, at least, until your sister
arrives.”

Cassie
immediately began struggling against the chains. Not Vivienne. “You don’t need
her, just me.”

“Only you?”
Maximilian shook his head. “No, Cassandre, I need you both.”

“No, you
don’t need her. If you don’t believe me, ask Alexander. You only need me to
resurrect the druids. I have the power. You don’t need her.”

“So, that’s
it? You’re a druid of creation, and as your twin—of course: a druid of
destruction. Balance must always be maintained.”

Eyes
narrowing, Cassandre watched him, saw his eyes churn with the knowledge. Had he
not known that before?

“Look, I’ll
make a deal with you.” Cassie tried again, desperate now. “Release my mother,
and leave Vivienne out of this, and I’ll resurrect the druids willingly.”

“Leave your
sister out of this?” Maximilian repeated with a raised brow. “I need your
sister as much as I need you, Cassandre.”

She shook
her head. “She doesn’t have the power to resurrect druids. You
don’t
need her.”

“Your
sister will help me with something else.”

“What?”

He smiled
and replied, “You’ll soon find out.”

Tired of
his vague statements, Cassie was preparing to curse him out when a tracker
suddenly appeared behind Maximilian.

“Everything
is ready, my lord.”

“Have all
of the necessary calls been made?”

“Yes, my
lord.”

“Very
good.”

The tracker
vanished into thin air, and Cassie looked back to Cronin. When she continued to
stare at him without speaking he asked, “Are you curious to know what is happening?”

“Does it
include you either releasing my mother or dying?”

His eyes
narrowed, and the smirk faded, before he visibly calmed himself. “We’ll be
taking a trip soon. Think of it as a family reunion of sorts. You know, if your
grandmother had accepted me, you would be my grandchild.”

That
thought seemed to fascinate him about as much as it sickened her. “Thank God
she had taste, right?”

Maximilian’s
lips thinned and he looked down his nose at her. Cassie held his gaze and
smirked. He headed to the far corner of the cell, where a door was concealed.

“Your
sister is probably searching for you as we speak. She should arrive in a few
hours, at maximum a day. Until that time, make yourself comfortable,
Cassandre.” He indicated the cot next to her. “You’ll find I am an
accommodating man when I choose to be.”

She doubted
he did anything unless he had something to gain from it. When he disappeared,
she shivered. The cell was freezing, and she was wearing one layer of clothing.
The long-sleeved shirt was thin, and her sweat pants provided a small modicum
of warmth.

Leaning
against the stone wall, she closed her eyes and prayed silently that Vivienne
would not search her out. Something told her her unwitting revelation of
Vivienne’s true nature had just given Maximilian a new reason for wanting her
sister.

Max
released a quick breath after Kyros flashed them from his apartment to a large,
mosaic hallway outside of a cherry-wood double door. Drew was in his arms, her
breath faint, her heart rate slow, but steady.

Kyros
knocked rapidly, and waited. The door was pulled open by a pale man, who looked
directly at Kyros before stepping aside. Max followed Kyros through a penthouse
suite littered with other pale creatures, up a staircase, and then down another
hall. There was another set of double doors, this one black wood with golden
handles, which Kyros pushed open and entered.

He stepped
in behind Kyros, tightening his grip ever so slightly on Drew. The room was
large and dimly lit, with a few candles illuminating the space, and an array of
dark-hued furniture. In the corner, against the wall, was a tall, wing-back
chair, and in it, a book in his hand, was a man. As soon as Kyros entered, the
man looked up, closed the book, and stood. He was tall, pale and lean, with
long dark hair pulled back, and a welcoming look on his face.

“Kyros,” he
said immediately, but paused as his vision caught Max and the woman in his
arms. Dark eyes narrowed, and he demanded, “What is the meaning of this?”

“I told you
on the phone, Lucian. I’ve come to call in my favor.”

“Yes, the
favor that is owed to
you
. Why have you brought a human here?”

“She is the
favor,” Kyros responded in a low voice.

Drew moaned
in his arms, and Max looked down. She was fading fast.

When Max
next looked up, Lucian stood before him, glaring down at both him and Drew.
Instinctively, Max took a step back, which only curled the vampire’s lips up in
an expression that was in no way a smile. A smirk, perhaps, or a challenge.

“Who are
you?”

“Max
Cronin.”

“He is a
friend, Lucian.”

Recognition
flashed in those dark eyes. “Of any relation to the grand wizard of the same
name?”

Max thought
only briefly before he answered, “No.” He would claim no relation to the man
who’d done this to Drew. His mind was still fragmented when it came to her, but
he knew he must have felt deeply for her. That was the only way his instincts
could be so possessive, so protective, when it came to her.

Lucian’s
eyebrows lifted a fraction, and he looked down at Drew. He sniffed, and his
expression was of pure disgust when he turned to face Kyros. “What favor can
you wish me to perform on a dying human?”

Kyros
looked to Max, and Max understood the warlock was giving him one more chance to
change his mind. He nodded once, and clutched Drew tighter to him.

“I want you
to change her.”

Lucian’s
answer was immediate. “No.”

“You gave
me your word, Lucian.”

“No!” The
vampire’s previously serene face was now a mask of anger. “It is against our
laws, Kyros. Choose something else.”

“Since when
have you cared for laws, Lucian?”

“Things
have changed in the years you haven’t seen me, cousin. To change a human would
be to break the sacred laws I have sworn to uphold.”