Catch

by Annie Nicholas

  “Yeah, I saw him.” My bottom lip began to ache and realized I’d been chewing on it.

  A small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as if wanting to laugh. “A bittersweet meeting I suspect. Did he treat you different now that you’re with us?”

  “Yes.” I snapped. “Get to the point.”

  “Contact him. He’s more qualified to deal with this than the police. I’ll use whatever resources at my disposal to help resolve this problem. Maybe he can find a clue to my traitor.” He straightened and loomed over me. “And you’re staying.”

  “I don’t think so.”

  The darkness that gathered in his expression as he glowered almost drowned me in doubt. “Gwen told me about your conversation on our bond. You’ve cast uncertainty into her. I forced my blood into you because you would have died without it.” Poof! Just like that, my anger shredded the doubt. I loved my rage at times. “Don’t go all humanitarian on me.” I stepped into the center stage of his furious glare and poked him in the bare chest. “You could have let Rurik do it instead, but no, you’ve got an agenda.”

  “Even if I could have freed him from the sword in time to try to save you, Rurik’s blood was not strong enough to bring you back from the brink of death.” Fangs glinted with the light as he let loose an inhuman growl.

  Instinct made me duck and roll for the door but he caught me in his arms before I’d made it across the room.

  He pressed me to his abdomen as he whispered. “Don’t struggle. It makes it harder to control.” Hot breath panted in my left ear. “You’re such a pest. My night has barely begun and already you’ve pissed me off.”

  The drumming beat of my heart slowed as we stood in this position for a moment.

  Tane loosened his grip, but still held me. “You need to learn how to behave. A less skilled vampire would have devoured you by now.” He brushed my hair away from my neck. “Stop influencing my staff. Challenge me in private if you have to or I’ll be forced to punish you in public.” The cool touch of his tongue as he licked a trickle of sweat on my skin made me jerk in his hold. “And I promise I won’t be a gentleman.” Fangs closed around my pulse point. It stung as he bit into my flesh, yet the pain lessened as he drew in my blood. I listened to his warning and didn’t struggle. Tears welled in my eyes. I’d be damned to let them spill where he could see them.

  He pulled away and licked my wound closed. “Very good, Rabbit.” His fingers trailed in my curls before he opened his arms.

  If a black hole opened at my feet, I would have been happy to fall in it. Not wanting to look him in the eye, afraid the tears would return, I stared at my hands. “I don’t want to stay here.”

  A knock at the door interrupted us. It opened and Rurik entered. Dressed in light slacks and collared t-shirt, he was the image of perfection with his wet black hair slicked back. “I wondered where you went. No surprise you’ve found your way here.” He set his hands on his hips. I’d known him long enough to see the hidden hurt in his eyes.

  “Rabbit wants to leave. She came here to coerce me into letting her go.” Tane, still dressed in a towel, sat on the sofa facing Rurik. “What do you think?”

  “I think it’s a bad idea.” Rurik spoke those words so softly I almost didn’t believe what I’d heard.

  “Why?” Last night he would have tried to tear Tane’s heart from his chest. It didn’t make sense. I couldn’t imagine how he would react once he found out Tane drank from me, except as I got closer I noticed his skin color. He already fed.

  A sharp pain pierced my heart. Silly of me to expect him to only use my blood as nourishment, the mansion probably held dozens of willing humans who’d throw themselves at his feet. Did he caress their lower back the way he did with me?

  “You belong to Tane—”

  “No, I don’t. Do you see ‘Property of Tane’ stamped somewhere on my body? No one owns me.”

  “Let me finish. By tonight all those in this nest, and I’m sure others, will know of your bond. It will only be a matter of time before someone tries to use you against Tane.

  To hurt or kidnap you so they can gain power.” He rested his hands around my upper arms and drew me closer. “Nothing would make me happier than to go back to our old life, but I can’t protect you. Not by myself.”

  “Finally, a voice of reason.” Tane came to stand by Rurik and placed a hand on his shoulder. “I can always count on you to figure things out on your own.” Without another word, he walked toward the bathroom and I assumed a bedroom, as if we’d been dismissed, but before reaching the door he turned. “There’s a party tonight celebrating my return.” He grinned at me. “Some people are happy I survived. Rabbit, I expect you to stay at my side and if you could mingle, Rurik, I’d appreciate it.” Rurik glanced at me. “Are you sure? I can’t guarantee—”

  “Rabbit and I have discussed our situation and have come to an agreement. Wear something different.” That last order he directed at me. Quiet as a nightmare, he left the room.

  I leaned against my lover and tried to absorb his strength.

  “Careful when making deals with a devil.” He wrapped his arm around my shoulder and kissed the top of my head. “Come on.” Leading me to the door, we left Tane’s apartment and returned to our bedroom. Already the place looked like a clothing department store disaster area, pants and shirts thrown over every possible surface.

  “Ever hear of a closet?” I shoved a pile off the sofa and plunked onto the seat cushion.

  He looked around the room as if seeing the mess for the first time. Rurik needed a maid. He couldn’t keep house if his life depended on it. “I was in a hurry. Someone will get it.”

  He knelt in front of me. “What is your agreement with Tane?” Sighing, I leaned my head back. “If I badmouth him in public then he’ll punish me in public.” I decided to leave out the gentleman part.

  His fingers dug into my thighs as he massaged them. “Can you try not to piss off the Nosferatu for one night? Maybe give me a chance to figure out what is really going on?” I nodded without lifting my head. “Shut up, look pretty and say please and thank you.”

  “You’re the best.” He kissed one of my knees than made a nasty face before wiping his mouth on the back of his hand. “Where have you been crawling?”

  “Oh honey, that must have tasted terrible.” I chuckled at his sour expression. “I crawled around the jungle with Gwen. We found a dead girl.” It was my turn to give a sour face.

  “What?”

  “Yeah, she’s going to take care of it. Apparently, there’s a vampire going around killing young women in Rio.”

  “Really? How do you know all this and I don’t?” The change in his voice should have warned me, yet I was thinking about the body.

  Dressed in a black and silver gown with her hair carefully braided and lipstick the shade of red wine, perhaps she’d been snatched from a party? She appeared so immaculate, like Snow White after she’d bitten the poisoned apple. Didn’t she struggle or fight? Did she even have a chance? Not many people could block a vampire’s mind without training. The image fit the other vampire murders in Rio.

  “Rabbit?” The dark tone of his voice deepened.

  I startled from my thoughts and met his piercing pale blue glare. The truth needed to come out. “I-I met Colby New Years Eve night.”

  His eyes narrowed, but he stayed silent.

  Swallowing, I tried to moisten the dryness in my throat. “He wanted to know if I could give him some information concerning these murders. Someone in Rio hired them to investigate and take out the problem.”

  “Why the secret? You should have told me.”

  “I know and I planned to, however Luckard attacked and the rest is history.” A small weight lifted from my shoulders. I’d been so distracted that I didn’t notice its existence until now. “I think the body we found today is connected with the others in the city.”

  “How?”

  “Her hair, it was braided in an intricate design. All the v
ictims had this.” He smirked.

  “I know it’s weird.” Even though I had slept, a sense of weariness crept over me.

  “Tane wants me to contact Colby.”

  Silence grew heavy in the room as Rurik sat and stared at nothing for a moment. “Do you trust me?”

  “Of course.”

  “Nothing good will come if Tane and Colby meet in person again. Call Colby and tell him about the body. Act as the middleman between him and Tane. Help them by being the informant they need, but nothing else. And most importantly, keep me posted.” This sneaky part of Rurik stayed hidden most of the time we’d been together. It triggered a memory of the night we met and what a slick bastard he’d been. How he drugged and snuck me out of the club under Colby’s nose. He rose to power and obtained being Overlord of Europe’s strongest vampire city in only four hundred years. According to Tane that was young.

  “Okay, what if he wants to do more than investigate?”

  “I’ll deal with that when the time comes.” He opened a small front pocket on one of the suitcases and slid out a cell phone, then handed it to me. “Call while I pick something out for you to wear to the party.”

  Chapter Eleven

  My heels clicked on the white marble floors of the opulent hall as Rurik and I meandered deeper into the party. The walls reflected soft yellow lights set in small crystal chandeliers. Sheer sheets of fabric hung from the ceiling like temporary separations and gave the impression of intimacy.

  Rurik moved to the side and allowed one to fall between us. He grinned at me and placed a hand against it to invite my touch.

  I stepped closer and pressed against him with only the material between us. The shear fabric fell over my bare shoulders and blended with my white silk dress.

  He leaned forward and kissed me.

  The sensation of his soft lips came through the material, yet not his taste.

  “If you’re trying to draw everyone’s attention, you’ve done an excellent job.” Tane’s voice crashed over my libido like a bucket of ice-cold water. He stood next to Rurik. I never noticed my lover stood a couple inches taller than Tane until that moment. “Rabbit, you look lovely, if a little pale.” He winked. “Rurik, elegant as always.” And he was. I could count on one hand the amount of times I’d seen him disheveled.

  Dressed in tight black slacks with a white short-sleeved shirt, which made his dark hair and blue eyes more vivid, he drew the most glances.

  Tane, dressed in a white button down linen shirt and matching pants, sauntered around the curtain to stand next to me. “I half expected you to wear your earlier outfit.” He referred to Rurik’s oversized pants and t-shirt covered in jungle muck.

  My temper flared, but Rurik flashed me a warning look. He was trying to tell me to keep my trap shut and play nice. “I would have if I’d known you wanted me to.” Giving Tane my sweetest smile, I batted my eyelashes at him.

  He offered his hand. “You’ll be at my side tonight so Rurik can mingle and gather information, my pet.”

  The second barb hit harder than the first. I ground my teeth and hoped I didn’t chip any, then placed my hand in his. “You’re going to make this the longest night of my life, aren’t you?”

  With a sharp glint of amusement in his eyes, he pressed his firm lips to my hand. “Of course.” Nodding to Rurik, Tane led me farther into the party.

  I glanced over my shoulder.

  Rurik stood behind the transparent fabric. Grim concern masked his face. He wouldn’t be able to concentrate on smoozing with the different political vampire factions attending the party if he worried about me. We both knew Tane prodded my temper on purpose. Why would he want me to slip and lose it? I took a deep shaky breath. Maybe he wanted to follow through on his threat to punish me publicly and set an example. A cold shiver ran down my spine. It was going to be a very long and trying night.

  I blew a kiss to Rurik. Not much of a comfort, except it offered my love.

  He lowered and shook his head then left in the other direction.

  A tug on my arm spun me to face a group of strangers approaching Tane. They bowed. The only times I’d ever seen a person bow to another were in movies. It took me off guard. Did I curtsy back? I squeezed Tane’s hand, hoping for some kind of cue, but would he give me one or let me make a social gaff?

  Slipping his arm around my waist, he pulled me close as if we were the best of friends. They stated their names. I couldn’t keep track of them. It went in one ear and out the other, because Tane stroked his thumb along my rib cage as he observed the shallow pleasantries and responded in kind.

  His touch sent all the wrong signals to my brain, which misfired and misinterpreted the sensations. Instead of getting squeamish or nauseous at the tender strokes, warmth spread low in my abdomen; I wanted to lean into the strength pressed against me.

  The group moved on, replaced by another. Parties annoyed me. These vampires were just a bunch of bottom feeders who didn’t really want to be together but needed to show their loyalty. Surrounded by such friendship, no wonder Tane wanted Rurik to stay. True allegiance was a rare fish in the vast sea of politics.

  One of the guests lifted the wrist of a pretty young man next to him and offered it to Tane.

  He released me and took the gift. Angling himself so our gazes met, he bit into the snack.

  The young man hissed in pain with initial puncture, then relaxed into the arms of his vampire as if mesmerized.

  Tane didn’t drink long, only a taste.

  With a murmur of their joy at his safe return, the group moved on.

  Next to me, Tane sighed.

  I jerked and glanced at him. For a moment, I could have sworn he sounded sad, but it didn’t show on his face. In his position, he probably couldn’t ever show what he truly felt. Watching the vampire and his young love as they made their way to an isolated corner, I had to wonder if Tane missed Eric.

  “Come, Rabbit, let’s find something to drink.” He presented his arm.

  “You just had a drink.” I placed my hand on his forearm and followed at the leisurely pace he took, like a good little pet.

  “I need to wash out the flavor. He tasted tainted with some kind of drug and its turning my stomach.”

  Halting, I spun him around and whispered urgently. “Not the drug.” The one used to capture him.

  He smirked. “No, I can’t taste that drug. I mean recreational stuff.” He smacked his tongue as if testing the flavor. “Heroin, I think.”

  “You can detect that?”

  “I’ve had time to develop a sensitive palate.”

  Yeah—a millennia. For some reason I couldn’t see past a vampire’s youthful appearance. I treated them as if they were my age. Tane walked the Earth before recorded time. It made me feel insignificant.

  A servant came with a tray of martinis. Tane took two and gave me a glass.

  “I can’t drink alcohol.”

  “Does it make you sick?” He gulped his.

  “If I start I won’t stop. I’m a recovering alcoholic.” He lifted the glass from my hand. “Not even one?”

  “There’s no such thing as just one when I start. I haven’t had a drop since Budapest and even that, Rurik tricked me into taking.”

  The second martini paused on the way to his lips. “Really? I haven’t heard this story.” He stepped closer and I could smell the gin on his breath.

  “Why should you have?” The scent triggered a dormant craving. My demon wanted to piss me off and he pushed every button he could to make me lose control.

  “Rurik told me most of what happened.” He sipped. “Some in detail.” He winked.

  Stabbing my thumbs into his eyes would have given me great satisfaction. Could I believe him? “Well, I guess you can ask him about it.”

  “I plan to.”

  Eat me.

  “Only if you say please.”

  I gasped. “Stay out of my head. How did you get past my mental shields without my detection?”

 
“The bond—and I’m talented.” He finished his drink and a servant materialized to retrieve the empty glass. “And you almost shouted your thought. It was kind of difficult to not hear it. Shouldn’t be long before you explode.”

  “Why are you doing this? You asked me to behave in public and I’m doing my best, but you keep poking at me.” All this spoken in a quiet voice and in one breath.

  “Because it’s fun. These events are so tedious. The least you can do is provide some entertainment.”

  “What?” It echoed throughout the room and the hum of voices lessened. I produced my best fake laugh, hugged Tane, and used my ditzy blonde drawl. “You’re so funny.” Most lost interest right away.

  “Nice save.”

  “Thanks. Stay out of my head. It’s rude.”

  Pressed against Tane’s chest, I realized with my stilettos we fit well together.

  Warmth built between us and butterflies took wing in my stomach.

  Tane cleared his throat and retreated a step.

  It was about time I scored a point in this game.

  “I need another drink.” Giving me a wide birth, he left me.

  Being alone at a vampire party when you’re human could be dangerous. I scanned the area however with the dang curtains hanging everywhere I couldn’t spot Rurik.

  A young woman watched me from behind a piece of fabric. Her long honey blonde hair was pinned from her face and spilled behind her shoulders. She wore an old fashion high-waisted gown with thick embroidery. When our gazes met, she smiled and flashed fang.

  The cool jungle breeze blew in through the open garden doors and fluttered the material. I glimpsed Rurik sitting on a pile of cushions conversing with a group of women. One of them slid over, resting her head on his shoulder.

  I’d had enough. Tane could do his own mingling.

  Chapter Twelve

  Before I could move forward the blonde girl, who’d watched me from behind the curtain, blocked my path.

  “Are you Tane’s new companion?” Her blue eyes shone like sapphires and a dimple appeared in her right cheek as she smiled shyly at me like a pretty little vampire doll.