Wulf's Redemption (Borne Vampires Book 3) (13 page)

To the men, he nodded. “An honor to make your
acquaintance.” Executing a short bow to the tall, stately woman, silver
threaded her jet-black hair, the only sign she was a mother of middle-aged sons.
“Our gratitude for taking us in and restoring us, madam.”

“If you need anything,” Sarah said, “please let us
know, Master.”

Alex felt Kai beside him and he looked down at
her. She watched him with a guarded expression as she asked, “You are lord of
Wulf Manor?”

“I denounced my heritage the night my father
declared me Damned and ordered me to face the sun.”

Herrick puffed his chest out proudly. “My
grandfather and his family saved the Master and his brother. He—”

Scowling, Alex interrupted him, “A lot of good it
did.”

“Forgive me, Master, I did not mean to resurrect
painful memories.”

Waving him off, he sighed. “It is I who should apologize
for my surly manner. Being here is … difficult for me. Herrick, who else lives
here?”

“My wife, our children, and their families. During
the war, others had sought shelter at Wulf Manor. Once peace was declared, they
returned to the Rom way.”

“Well, at least the damn thing is receiving use.”

A cellphone began ringing. Michael dug it out of
his front pocket and answered it. “They are? Hurry home. I will tell him.” He
replaced the cellphone into his pocket. “Master, my youngest brother says he
has just encountered a group of heavily-armed men six miles from here. It’s the
second sighting today. We believe they are searching for you and your
companion.”

“Dammit,” he growled. “We must leave, to draw them
away from you. Herrick, can you give us a lift to town?”

Obviously disappointed, Herrick said, “If you
desire to leave, Master, we can take you to Magdeburg in the truck.”

“Herrick, it might be best if you called me Alex rather
than Master. I bear no right to being called such.”

“As you wish. Michael, give them their weapons.”
Michael ran to the barn and hurried back with their swords and her rucksack.

Nodding his thanks as Michael handed him his sword
and holstered gun, Kai took her gun and put it in her rucksack. She slung it
and the scabbard’s belt over her shoulder, the hilt of her sword behind her
head. Slinging the belted scabbard over his shoulder, he hooked the holster to
his belt.

He nearly groaned when Kai asked Herrick, “Mary
told me about the dead bodies found not far from here. She says it was the
Damned.” Alex shot her a warning glare to be quiet, which she ignored.

Rubbing his neck, Herrick gave his family a
worried once over. “We suspect it was the Damned. Odd it is. They usually hunt
in the city, not the countryside.”

Kai looked at him. “Alex, we need to check it
out.”

“
We
are supposed to be in Berlin. The Council
and Faeroes, remember?”

The familiar, mutinous tightening at the corners
of her soft lips warned him that she was going to argue. “As a Slayer, you know
better than anyone what we are sworn to do!” When he hesitated, Kai glared at
him, “Go ahead, leave for Berlin, I’m staying here to help Herrick and his
people.”

Glaring back at her, every fiber of his being
wanted him to run as fast as he could from Wulf Manor. Trapped by his duty as a
Slayer and his oath to protect a woman who was determined to make his life
miserable, he knew he couldn’t escape either. Checking the expectant faces
around him, he knew he had no choice.

“I need my cellphone.” Kai rummaged around inside
the rucksack and withdrew it, handing it to him.

“Excuse me, Herrick. I need to call my boss.”

Kai asked, “Are you calling Rathe or Faeroes?”

“I’m calling Faeroes!” he snapped. “I’m not going
anywhere near Rathe, not until we settle the matter concerning Sin and Mina
first.”

“I was just asking,” she grumbled. “I need a
drink.” Kai left him, scowling at him over her shoulder as she walked away. The
gypsies followed her to the bonfire. The intrigue of a vampire drinking
something other than blood had them curious.

Dialing Faeroes’s cell number, several rings
passed until he answered.
“Alex?
Is that you? Where the hell have you been? Where is Kai? Is she with you?”

“Yes,
sir. Kai is with me and she’s safe.”

“Thank
God. Where have you, two, been? No call, no sign of you,” Faeroes demanded, unusually
upset.
Normally, he was a calm, solid personality with a sense of humor
bent toward enriching peoples’ lives or poking fun at those who were being much
too serious around him. He liked Faeroes immensely. Especially compared to his
older brother, Rathe, who had a cut and dry attitude, with a bad temper to
boot. Of the three Romulus brothers, Simon, the youngest, was most likeable,
honest and forthright in dealing with humans and vamps alike.

“Our
plane was shot down by vampire hunters near Magdeburg, Germany, and it took
several days to hike out of the wilderness.”

“Shot
down?” Faeroes repeated, stunned. “There was no report of our plane going
down.”

“We
encountered three humans searching the wreckage for our weapons and overheard
them refer to Harklee as in charge of their group. Harklee is well-connected
for a vampire hunter. He might have made our plane ‘disappear’ from the flight
records.”

“Harklee,”
Faeroes snarled, “that son-of-a-bitch! He was out of the picture so long I thought
he was dead. We need to find out if he’s working for Angel or on his own.”

“My
thoughts exactly. Harklee can cause a lot of trouble on his own. Working with
Angel, he can be a damn right pain in the ass for us.”

“I
agree. Where are you now?” Faeroes asked.

“We
are at my family’s estate, not far from Magdeburg.”

“Can
you get to the airport?”

“Yes
and no,” Alex hedged. Hating the idea of staying here, he knew Kai would not
leave until the Damned were eradicated and the gypsies were safe from harm. “We
have a problem here. There was an attack on a local family and evidence points
to the Damned
. Faeroes, I owe the family caring for my property a blood
debt. I must help them.”

“I understand. Do you need men sent to you?”

The idea of other Borne vampires coming to
Magdeburg and learning his secrets left Alex cold with dread. “No,” he hastily
replied. “Kai and I can handle it. What about Sin? Will the Council condemn him
for not appearing?”

“Sin Dracula is the least of our problems.”

“What’s happening?”

“The report Kai sent in about the Damned
recruiting humans and turning them has led us to investigate clubs around the
world, mainly focusing on major cities. The Damned have been very busy. Angel
is far more bloodthirsty that Jarrod was and is doing a better job making my
life hell,” Faeroes growled.

“We’ll investigate how far the Damned have gone in
recruiting here.”

“Good. Currently, we have Berlin back under control.
Once you have finished in Magdeburg, come straight to Berlin. I want to speak
with Kai about this theory Borne blood could cure those who are turning demon.
Rathe is convinced it will work, however, I want to hear Kai’s version about what
happened to Mina and how Sin Dracula’s blood stopped her from … turning.” Alex
heard the hitch in Faeroes’s voice, knew the man was shaken at how close they
had come to losing Mina.

“Want her to call you?”

“No. I can wait until you arrive. Good hunting.”

“Thanks. Watch your back, Faeroes. Angel is one mean
bitch, and we should not underestimate her. According to Sin, she is determined
to win this time and become queen of the Borne and Damned.”

“Right. Same goes for you. The Damned feel you are
a traitor and want nothing more than to make an example of you.”

Grinning, Alex had to laugh. “Amazing how they
reason, eh? I’ll call you before we leave for Berlin.”

“Good. See ya soon.” The phone call ended.

Alex slipped his phone in his back pocket.
Well, that does it. Stuck here.

Walking back to the gypsies and the bonfire, he
had to smile at how Kai had already charmed them. A young girl, in her early
teens sat beside her, watching Kai with a look of awe and admiration. As he
approached, the gypsies watched him with baited breath, hope and fear mingled
on their expectant faces.

“Faeroes gave us the go ahead. We hunt the
bastards down, dust ‘em, and then we head out to Berlin.”

Grateful, Herrick held out his hand to Alex, who
accepted. “Thank you, thank you! We are most grateful to you for staying to
help us.”

“Herrick, it is because of me you are in danger.
Those I once served consider me a traitor and are hunting me, to make me pay
for betraying them.”

“Mas … I mean, Alex, the war was a long time ago.
The officers whom you served are either dead or in hiding.”

Giving the man a brittle smile, he explained, “Not
the Nazis, my friend. The Damned was my family for a long time. After my father
and the Church condemned me, I thought I was Damned. To survive, I stayed with
them. One day a miracle happened, and I realized I still possessed my soul. How
I kept it after all I had done in servitude to the Damned, I’ll never know.”

Herrick gave him a shrewd eye. “My grandfather
told me you were a man of strong convictions, determined to protect your
family. Such strength is why you kept your soul. And,” the Gypsy smiled
knowingly at him, “the love of a good woman helps, too.”

Alex sought out Kai. Having seen her naked had left
him shaken. He wanted her but knew better than to taint another with his cursed
existence. Too many had died because of him, had paid the terrible price for
his mistakes.

As if reading his thoughts, Herrick said gently,
“Miss Kai strikes me as a woman who is not easily deterred, nor defeated. A man
would be considered blessed to have such a woman at his side.”

Casting Herrick a bemused half-smile, Alex
replied, “Yes, a man would be.
If
I
was a man. Being a vampire, I have no right to such a blessing.”

Waving a dismissive hand, Herrick cast him an
unexpected scowl. “You speak as if you are a monster. I know monsters, and you
are not one. You deserve to be loved as any other man who walks the precious
earth. That, my friend, is the one gift from God that requires nothing more
than to give of yourself without thought or reason. To love and be loved is
what makes us human. As a Borne, you have a soul, just as a human has a soul.
You
are
human as we are, just with
benefits.”

Changing the touchy subject, Alex told him, “Kai
and I will go to the farm where the family was murdered and investigate. Tell
your sons to stay armed and vigilant. We won’t be long. Once we investigate
this and determine it is a demon killing, we will return and make plans on how
to hunt it and the vampire hunters who are close by.”

Placing his hand over his heart, Herrick gave a
short bow. “We are in your debt, Slayers.”

“Herrick, it is I who owes you, especially your
grandfather. He saw in me something worth saving. I will never forget his
friendship and kindness.” Alex motioned to Kai to come over to them. When she
reached them, he looked her up and down, shaking his head at her bare feet.
“Where are your shoes?”

“By the fire. Are we hunting tonight?”

“Can you hunt in a skirt?”

Glaring at him, she retorted through clenched
teeth. “I’ll check to see if my clothes are in the dryer yet.”

Pressing his lips together from laughing, he
nodded. “Go and do that. I’ll wait for you.”

Fifteen minutes later, Kai returned, dressed in
her own clothes. Her modified Colt was holstered at her right hip, sword
strapped to her back. She had her worn rucksack slung over her shoulder. Her
long hair was pulled back into a ponytail, the heavy mass cascaded over her
right shoulder in dark russet waves. Full, rounded breasts captured his hungry
gaze. The memory of those succulent globes made him hard. Pert, rosy nipples
begging to be suckled made Alex’s mouth water.

God in Heaven, he wanted Kai Jordan.

Wanted to tear off her clothes and make love to
her, explore every creamy inch of her, taste those lovely lips, sink his teeth into
her flesh and drink her blood and be forever linked with her, took him by
surprise. Closing his eyes against the pain, both physical and the loneliness
made his resolve slip. When he opened his eyes, he stared eyes of midnight
blue. The way Kai watched him, her pupils dilated, delicate nostrils flared in
anticipation, as if she were reading his mind. The hunger he saw in her matched
his own and it made him nervous.
Kai
couldn’t read his thoughts, he reminded himself, relaxing a bit.

Or
could she?

No,
it had to be him allowing his desire for her to show, that was all. Still, the
shadow of doubt persisted. Kai had drank his blood, was connected to him. In
fact, if he tried, he might be able to speak with her mentally. Did he want to
open that door? If he and Kai could ‘link’, she would forever be a part of him
and he could never break the bond again. Not even if he wanted to.

“Ready?”
Kai asked, amusement curving her mouth at his discomfort.

No!
Honestly, he wasn’t ready at all to be alone with her again. Duty called and
there was a job for them. If the Damned had attacked the family and left them
to turn, then an unsettling task was ahead of them. One, he had never had to
deal with before.

“Have
you called your mom yet.”

“Yep
and gave her the clean version what happened to us. She told me, too, that she
and Rathe are heading to Berlin.”

“Wonderful.
Rathe should be a in a proper foul mood.”