by C. D. Gorri
I watched as he placed his hand on a biometric scanner and waited for Ivan to use the retinal display before adding his own keyed in password. It took only moments, but seemed longer as I tried to take in everything all at once.
“Good evening, moy Knyaz,” an enormous burly Vampire wearing a security uniform met us at the entrance.
His nametag read Boris K. I didn’t know what the K was for or why it needed to be there. Were there multiple Borises in the warehouse? Were they all alphabetized to keep them straight?
Okay. I admit I might’ve been cracking up at this point. In terms of a nervous breakdown as opposed to the laughing out loud sort. Alek cocked his head and looked at me as if he was afraid I was going to break. Fuck that. I glared at him, then went back to my perusal of good old Boris.
There were two guns strapped to his massive thighs and another weapon across his back. This one resembled a katana, but the blade had a sharp, serrated edge instead of a smooth one. It was a wicked-looking thing, and I trembled at the sight of it.
Boris bowed deeply to Alek before acknowledging me with a slight flare of his nostrils. He ignored Ivan altogether, which immediately had me on his side. Ivan was a douche. Anyone who agreed with me on that was aces.
“Boris,” Alek greeted the guard and walked down the corridor.
I noticed Ivan seemed surprised, and I wondered why, but was quickly distracted as we walked through the heart of the building. Row upon row of ancient artifacts sat behind glass encasements that were both temperature and light controlled. Priceless works of art, actual pieces of history, glinted at me as we headed to a pair of double doors.
“This is incredible,” I whispered, and for the first time I felt that sense inside of me awaken without touching a single thing.
It was as if every artifact in the place was calling to me. Like they wanted to be touched and read, wanted to share their stories. It was overwhelming and I could hardly remember how to breathe, except for the firm, warm hand that clasped mine and grounded me back on earth.
Alek, my mind whispered gratefully, and I exhaled. I didn’t know if he knew how lost I was in that split second, but I was so damn happy he’d found me. This dependence I was starting to feel for him was worrisome, but he squeezed my hand in his and it didn’t matter anymore. Nothing did. Only him.
“Come,” Alek held the door for me, and I tugged gently, removing my hand from his grip and stepped inside what must have been his private offices.
“Ivan, go over the delivery schedule with Thalia. She is waiting for you at the loading dock,” he instructed and closed the door, impervious to the shock and touch of indignation on the Vamp’s face.
“I don’t think he likes me,” I said.
“Hm,” he grunted, “Ivan doesn’t much like anyone. But Ivan is not important in this matter.”
Inside the confined space, I noticed his scent seemed stronger. Spicy and exotic, it wrapped around me like a warm lasso, pulling me towards him, pressing me closer. It took some effort, but I managed to sit down in a chair opposite his desk. Alek lifted a black file folder and handed it to me.
“This is the manifest from the shipment you’d arranged to have stolen from Vladek.”
I stared at the paper for a moment and handed it back to him. There was no doubt he was telling the truth.
“And?”
“The truck was disguised as a bread delivery van and it was hijacked on route here for verification before it was sent to my clients.”
“I didn’t have it stolen from you,” I said, not quite sure where he was going with this.
“I know that, but what I want to know is how you found it when Vladek had already taken it?”
I pursed my lips. My sources deserved to be protected, but I owed him. Clearly this artifact was important, but I’d been less concerned with the item and more intent on hurting Vladek at the time.
“First, I want to say I had no idea what was being transported, only that it was something Vladek seemed to want. Second, Elena is a friend of mine from my days in foster care. She runs a bakery during the day and hacks through the un-hackable at night.”
“How did you know what truck to go after?”
“I didn’t,” I almost laughed, “for real, look, all I did was some basic reconnaissance. I mean, I followed Vlad’s goons around town for a few weeks-”
“You tailed Werewolves?”
“I didn’t realize what they were,” I answered, embarrassed now by that lack of foresight.
Besides, I didn’t see what he was so angry about. Then it hit me. He was concerned. The feeling warmed me to my core and once more I had to fight back my growing attraction to him. I licked my lips, watching as he tracked the movement with his laser-like stare.
“I, uh,” clearing my throat, I continued, “I found out he was making a move on his enemy, you, but I didn’t know it was you. I mean, I just met you! Anyway, Elena and I decided that would be the best time to strike since his guys would be intent on making sure yours didn’t find him.”
“That’s brilliant.”
I rolled my eyes at his apparent shock that I had a brain in my head. Why did all men think boobs equaled brainless?
“I did not mean to offend you, Carina,” he grinned and his eyes settled on my chest for a moment before returning to my face, “I am well aware how intelligent you are. My surprise was simply because I never thought of being on guard for such a threat.”
“Why have Tiny packing up in here then?”
“You mean Boris? I had Thalia, one of my oldest and most trusted employees, set up a security team the second we were hit.”
“Why didn’t Ivan know?”
I could tell that I’d surprised him again. Good. A powerful Vampire like him shouldn’t grow complacent. For some reason, the idea of Alek being in any kind of harm made me very uneasy. But why should it? I’d only just met the Vamp. Why should he mean so much to me?
I didn’t want to examine the answer closely or at all for that matter. Living alone was what I did. My revenge was my only purpose. Afterwards I could go live my life anywhere I wanted. I could get out of the Garden State. Travel, see things. I didn’t know what exactly, but those were the dreams I’d had before I met Alek.
Were those still my dreams? I wondered and knew without a doubt something had changed in the last twenty-four hours. And I wasn’t sure I was okay with that.
“I do not share everything with any one person,” Alek explained.
“Sounds lonely.”
His silver eyes glittered in the dim light of his office, and I was struck again by how remarkably handsome he was. Truly, he was beautiful. One-hundred percent masculine, and yet those stunning eyes, the sensual lips, his defined cheekbones, and that small cleft in his chin made him cover-model worthy. But that was part of his being a Vampire. A beautiful creature that needed to attract his food with his looks as much as his innate magnetic pull.
“It can be, but I never really noticed. Until now.”
His response broke the silence that had fallen around us like a shroud. Time stood still as I stared into his eyes. They were glowing. Twin pools of starlight and I was hypnotized by them, by all of him, actually.
Someone knocked on the door, I turned towards it, but not him. Alek watched me instead. His eyes were branding me with their intensity, but honestly, I didn’t mind the heat. Not one bit.
“They won’t come in, unless I say so,” his voice sounded from directly behind me.
How did he do that? I wondered, but I knew. He was a Vampire, not a man. He could move at superspeed, and even sprint through time and space, or so he’d explained. His hands closed around my shoulders and I felt his face nuzzle my neck as he took in a deep breath. My heart was pounding inside my chest. I knew without a doubt he could hear it, was right then listening to my own body’s traitorous response to his nearness.
“Carina,” he said my name and the warmth of his breath tickled my ear.
Instead of pushin
g him away, I found myself leaning back into his touch, wanting more of it for my own. I closed my eyes on a wave of arousal so strong it nearly swept me off my feet.
Alek’s hands tightened on my shoulders. He lifted and turned me around so I was suddenly standing, facing him. He was so big and tall. His shoulders were wide, his body lean and hard, muscular like nothing I’d ever seen.
“We should-”
“I know.”
He agreed with me, but still his hands stayed put and I sure as fuck did not move. I couldn’t even if I wanted to. It was like my feet were glued to the damn floor.
My own breathing was shallow as I wrestled with myself. He’d offered me his patronage, nothing more. I was fooling myself if I thought my growing crush would ever mean anything to someone as important, ruthless, and rare as Aleksei Delov, Vampire, Prince, or what was it everyone called him, that’s right, Knyaz of his Clan, owner of a global conglomerate, and total fucking hottie.
“We, we should go. I can call Elena on the way.”
“As you wish.”
5
CHAPTER 5
Aleksei
“I can’t believe you quoted The Princess Bride.”
“I’m sorry? Which princess?”
“The movie.”
“What?”
“Nothing,” she blew out a short breath, and I focused on the road ahead of me.
Her directions were brief, but I knew my way around this part of the Garden State. Hell, I’d lived there since before the roads were paved.
We turned onto Communipaw Avenue, then made a left on West Side. There it was. A little bakery and coffee shop with a carved wooden sign that read Elena’s Bread, Fine Food, & Pastry over the top.
The rich aroma of fresh bread baking in old-fashioned brick ovens was mouthwatering, but not nearly as tempting as the luscious morsel sitting beside me. I’d almost lost it back at the warehouse. Had barely managed to control my urge to bend her over my desk and tear that damn outfit off her.
What was I thinking buying her that sexy little black number? I’d thought it professional and a little sassy, but I had no idea my Chosen’s curves would fill it out quite that way. Hell, I’d almost killed Ivan and Boris on principle. No one should be able to see her luscious curves but me. Sit. Even I recognized when I sounded like an ass, but what could I say, my feelings about her were somewhat covetous.
Vampire females were oftentimes slender and angular creatures, though they were beautiful, as was the rest of the species. But I had never seen anyone like Carina before. She was curved like a racetrack and just as dangerous if you didn’t know how to drive.
I was pretty damn confident in my abilities, and yet I’d stepped back. I let her move away from me. Because she was not just any conquest. Carina Martin was my blood song.
I needed her more than I needed air to breathe or blood to live. I had to win her heart before I claimed her body. Wanted her to love me as I already loved her. Was it greedy and selfish of me? Probably, but I would never want another. I was made for her surely as she was designed for me.
“Come on.”
I followed behind Carina, mindful of our surroundings. We had about three hours till sunrise and I was eager to hear what her friend had to say on the matter of the artifact that had been stolen from me not once, but twice.
“Hey girl, we’re here!” Carina called to the back of the quaint little coffee shop as I took in the front.
We were alone. The building was secure and even had a topnotch Draco Fortis alarm system installed. A moment later, a small woman with a mop of curls covered by a black hair net that held them away from her rounded face came rushing to the front. She squealed and embraced Carina, rocking her steadily before stepping back.
“Damn, ‘Rina you look good!”
“Thanks. You got my text, right?”
“Yeah. This him?” she pointed at me and pursed her lips.
“Hello Elena, I am Aleksei Delov.”
“I know all about you Mr. Vampire-Prince. Hmph.”
I looked at Carina whose face was turning a dusky shade of red. The woman, Elena, gave me the once over and crossed her arms.
“Girl, I know he cute, but he a Vampire. You best watch yourself.”
“Elena!”
“Fine,” she sighed, “look when I had your van picked off from Vlad’s puppies, I had my driver bring me what was inside. I am telling you, I don’t know what the fuss is all about,” she wiped her hands on her apron and stalked to the back of the shop where a small print of Van Goh’s Sunflowers hung against the otherwise unadorned brick.
Once she removed the painting, I saw the safe and waited while her biometrics scanner took her fingerprints. Impressive for a baker, but this woman was more than that. A hacker and a thief, and by all accounts a good one. I would have to remember that.
“This was the only thing in there. What is it anyway? Some kind of jewelry box?”
“Elena!” Carina gasped as the woman tossed the priceless artifact in the air like a baseball, but before she could catch it, I did.
Sprinting across the bakery took hardly any effort, but I could not risk the egg being broken by such careless display. Besides the anger of Princess Ana, I could not bear to see history destroyed that way.
“This,” I said using a silk handkerchief to handle the precious Russian artifact, “is called Cherub with Chariot. It was one of the fifty Imperial Easter eggs created by Peter Faberge for the then royal family of Russia. Alexander III, had this and many more made for his beloved wife, the Tzarina Maria Feodorovna.”
I quickly looked over the incredible masterpiece before wrapping it in the silk kerchief and placing it in my inside coat pocket.
“Wow,” my Chosen gasped as she stared at the place I placed the egg.
She then turned to her friend, “Thank you,” Carina murmured and hugged Elena as I withdrew a thick envelope from my pocket and handed it to the human woman.
“What is this for?”
“That is a finder’s fee,” I nodded, “perhaps in the future I will have work for you.”
“No doubt,” she raised an eyebrow and eyed the stack of bills I’d given her before placing them in the safe, “Carina, you can call me later, I have to check on the baguettes.”
They exchanged hugs, and I held the door for Carina. We strolled back to the car where I withdrew the egg and placed it in a small velvet-lined box I had prepared for it.
“Why did you pay her?”
“Because she earned it. She kept the egg safe.”
“But she’s my friend, she wasn’t expecting anything.”
“I know,” I glanced over at Carina, her beauty was such that I nearly slammed us both into the car in front of us, “that is why I paid her.”
“I don’t understand.”
“She is your friend, and I wanted to express my thanks. That is all.”
“So, we have your property back. What happens now?”
What indeed?
A voice inside of me whispered that I claim my Chosen, drink her blood, give her my vein, and make her mine once and always. I cleared my throat and tapped the steering wheel.
What the fuck was wrong with me? Was I doomed to be an impatient fool driven by lust whenever she was around? Fucking hell.
“Now, we go home. We rest, then in the evening we have a party to attend.”
“A party?”
“Yes, but first I thought you might take a look at the egg?”
“I’d like that,” she replied, and honest interest brightened her entire demeanor.
In fact, she practically glowed with it. What I wouldn’t give to see her glow for me, I cleared my throat at the thought and squirmed in my seat. It was a prospect I found all too intoxicating. So many possibilities, but I had to stop myself from thinking about them. My pants were already too damned tight.
We arrived back at the estate and I nodded at Klaus while passing him by. I waited for Carina to enter my bedroom first, followi
ng her inside, and she turned and raised an eyebrow.
“Can I see it?”
“Yes,” I replied, though I must admit my mind immediately went somewhere else.
“Really? Grow up,” Carina snorted and held her hand out, “You’re how old? Four? Five-hundred? A powerful Vampire. And yet, you still have the same impulses of a fourteen-year-old boy.”
“Well, yeah, but in my defense, when I was fourteen women did not look and act like you.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean that you are perhaps the one person in the entire world who can throw me off balance. How’s that for a confession?”
Her breath hitched and those warm butterscotch-colored eyes raked over me like I was something entirely altogether tempting. For a moment, I lost my train of thought. This was dangerous, but I could control myself. I had to.
The symphony that was her blood flowing through her veins called to me. Her heart pounded out a rhythmic tattoo and filled my senses. Fuck, she was divine, and I wanted her more with every minute. I was aware of our growing connection.
This uncanny ability we had to pick up on one another’s thoughts and though new to me, I welcomed it and her. Wanted a deeper connection with my Chosen. All Vampires had one ability or other, but mind-reading was not one of mine. At least it wasn’t, until I met her.
“The egg?”
“Yes,” I motioned to the small chaise that sat against the wall near the fireplace and waited.
Carina’s hips swayed as she walked and sat down with all the elegance and grace of carriage of anyone I had ever met. She was perfect, and I craved her more and more with every second that passed.
I wondered if that seductive little twitch was on purpose, but I didn’t think so. She seemed unaware of her beauty, which only made her even more tempting to my jaded eyes.
I had seen every manner of female, or so I’d thought, in my many years on this earth. But no one came close to her. The guidelines of the Ouroboros Society were not exactly clear on how far we were permitted to take our patronage, but even if they were, I was not sure this was something I could stop.
