Chapter 8
“Drink! Damn it to hell, Flint. Drink this down or I’ll force it down your throat!”
Victor’s irate voice filtered through to him and he shivered with loathing. What the hell? Why was he hearing his friend’s voice? And why wasn’t he at peace at the bottom of the fucking lake? That’s where he wanted to be. Needed to be. Alone in the dark. He couldn’t be here. Not without Kenzie. Not without his love. Not without his Bloodmate. He could not carry on without her.
Surely Victor should fucking know that.
Flint peeled his eyes open and sure enough there was his friend, holding bagged blood and looking worried and angry at the same time. Only Victor could pull that off.
“Why didn’t you leave me? I can’t, Vic, I just can’t.” Flint turned away, refusing the blood.
“You can and you will. I mean it, Flint. You’ll drink this or I’ll force it down your throat.” Victor snarled down at him. “I didn’t freeze my ass off saving you for you to die on me now…as well as ruining one of my best suits. You owe me for that, Flint. Don’t think I’ll let you off with replacing it either.”
“You can’t know what I’m feeling and to hell with your damn suit. I don’t care about that or anything else. Not now. Not ever again.” Flint pushed his hand away as Victor tried to feed him once more.
The thought of feeding on anything but Kenzie’s sweet crimson turned his stomach and when a vision of his love floating away from him sprang to his mind a soft moan escaped. His heart broke again, pain lanced through him at the thought of her being in pain and alone in the water…and he hadn’t been there for her. Agony like nothing he’d ever experienced encompassed his entire being as he wondered how she’d felt knowing he’d let her down.
How had she felt in those last moments? Had she cried out for him? Had she screamed his name in vain? When was the moment she realized he’d abandoned her? Fuck! He would go insane within the hour thinking of the many things she’d gone through in her last seconds before she’d dropped into the murky and cold waters. He hoped and prayed that she’d been unconscious and not felt anything. Please! Let her not have suffered.
“Stop it, you have to feed. You fought like a demon out there. We all saw what you did, my friend, you’ve nothing to feel bad about.” Victor grabbed his shoulder, pinching hard. “What were you thinking? That you’d die there in the water? You stupid idiot…you’re an ancient Vampire. You would’ve sunk to the bottom and been there for days in the murk and freezing cold until your body healed itself. All alone while Kenzie was here worrying herself sick! She would’ve gone out of her mind while we dragged that damn lake looking for you. You damn fool.”
It took a few seconds for Victor’s words to hit but when they did his head whirled back around, his eyes pinned to his. “What? What did you say and what do you mean? Is Kenzie alive? I saw her disappear under the water and she was badly hurt by that fucking dog. I thought she was…”
“What? You thought she was dead? Shit, Flint, no, she’s not, Kenzie is alive, buddy. She’s hurt but not half as bad as you were. It was you that went under, not her. It must’ve been the way the waves were that made it look as if she went under, but she didn’t. She’ll be okay. I promise. Quinn got a Witch and he’s working on her and says she’ll be fine. But that you shouldn’t feed on her for a while to let her regain her strength. You on the other hand, need to feed, because you were hurt pretty damn bad and then you were half drowned too. So, will you eat…or do I have to force feed you? Or worse, I’ll get Kimber in here to deal with you.”
“What?” Flint wasn’t sure he’d heard right. Victor’s words were jumbled in his brain. He felt weak as a damn newborn kitten and he had to focus on what he’d just heard. But he was sure he’d heard him say that Kenzie was alive. Hadn’t he? “Say that again? The bit about Kenzie.”
He reached for Victor’s arm, clutching it fiercely. So hard that he saw his friend wince, but he didn’t pull away. Instead Victor merely smiled and nodded.
“Kenzie is going to be okay, my friend. I promise you. She’s…”
“Right here.” Kenzie’s sweet voice filled his ears, he couldn’t be dreaming…could he? No. Victor told him she was alive and his friend would never lie to him about that.
The sound was perfect as she entered his line of sight. His heart soared to the fucking sky when he saw her even though her skin was paler than normal. But her eyes twinkled, and her smile split her face until she drew nearer and then it faded and the skin between those glorious emerald orbs puckered.
“Dear Goddess, Flint! You look terrible. Kimber said you were hurt but I didn’t realize it was this bad. What can I do?”
A lump formed in his throat. It was as big as the Empire State Building, and he couldn’t say a word. Not one. Instead he opened his arms and she fell into them. Victor deftly moved out of her way as she sat on the side of the bed and peppered his face with soft kisses. Each one hurt like a bitch, but he uttered not one sound. He was in heaven with her here before him when he’d thought just moments before that he’d survived…and she had not. A warm euphoria seeped through him like nothing he’d felt before and he savored the feeling before Kenzie sat up, grabbed the blood-bag from Victor and held it out to him.
“Right! You have to drink this and several more besides. I’m on strict orders not to feed you for at least twenty-four hours and you have to heal. Fast! So, the only way to do that is with these. No arguments, Flint. Feed. Now.”
“Twenty-four hours?” Victor didn’t sound convinced as he retrieved some more donor blood, handing them over while Flint started to drink down the bagged stuff she passed to him, forcing them into his hands.
It tasted okay. Not as bad as he’d been thinking it would, probably because he noted it was a rare A-Negative, but it still took him some time to force it down. It wasn’t Kenzie’s and he only fed from her. This felt like some sort of betrayal…weird but true.
“Yes.” Kenzie didn’t look at Victor, her cheeks pinking as she handed over another bag. “I’m fine. I just need to rest for a day and I’ll be back to normal. The Witch that Quinn found was fabulous. He healed me up really well and I don’t even have a scar where the Wolf…well you know.”
Flint choked on the liquid dripping down his throat at Kenzie’s words. His eyes lifted to Victor’s then dropped to hers, his throat rough and almost closing when he ground out. “You mean where that beast tore you apart. It’s okay to say it, babe. I saw it with my own eyes. In fact, I’ll never be able to forget it. It was the worst moment of my fucking life. I’m sorry, Kenzie. I thought he was down and out and that I’d have enough time to deal with the other one and make it back to you. I was wrong and because of my mistake he got to you. I can’t say how bad I feel about that.”
Her finger flew to his mouth, covering his lips and her eyes were full of unshed tears. Her breathing hitched, and he heard her heart gallop in her chest. The sound echoed in his ears and did terrible things inside him…reminding him of just how close she’d come to being killed and taken from him forever.
“Shhh, that wasn’t your fault, darling. You fought like a hero. My hero. I thought he was dead. I truly did. That’s why I wasn’t paying him any attention, or he wouldn’t have gotten so close to me. It wasn’t your fault, Flint. It was mine. If I’d been aware of him, or my surroundings, then it wouldn’t have happened. So, no more of this nonsense. I just need you to drink your medicine, heal, and get strong again. Okay?”
He felt her worry, saw it in her face, in her body, and in her eyes. The emerald green had darkened, and he knew she was lying to him, too. The twenty-four-hour thing wasn’t true. He was certain of that, but he’d let it slide. For now. Why she felt the need to say it wasn’t clear, but he’d get that out of her. Later. When he felt better and when they were alone. For now, he needed answers.
“Vic, what the hell happened? Who were they and how did they get so fucking close to us? Wasn’t that area secured?”
Chapter
9
Victor paced back and forth, his fists clenched at his sides and his face pinched tight. He was worried and trying to hide it. No way was Flint allowing his friend to get away with that. Not now. Not when he and Kenzie had come so close to…death.
“Out with it and don’t try and sugar coat anything,” Flint ground out, his steely glare pinning his friend in place.
“Ace found two of his men dead just by the area you were. Two of his best guards and those Wolves that attacked you, we don’t think they did that alone. There’s evidence that they were helped in taking out Ace’s men. It looked like there were at least four in the attack against them before two left the area. So, it looks like there’s more to come.”
Flint couldn’t hold back the snarl that erupted from him, vicious and unbidden, from deep down inside him as a cold rage built. The thought that his beautiful Kenzie could still be in danger was not something he could stand…not again. It would be the end of him.
“Kenzie, I think you should…”
She sprang up, shaking her head and interrupting him. Damn.
“Don’t you dare say it, Flint. Don’t you dare. I’m not going anywhere. I know that’s what you were going to say and it’s not happening. I will stay inside. I’ll concede to that, but I will not leave. So don’t say another word or you and I will argue and I don’t want that. Not now. Not after what we’ve just gone through…I love you, darling, and I nearly lost you. Please, please, don’t let us argue. Not now.”
Her eyes were glowing brightly. A sure sign she was upset, and he couldn’t argue with her. He didn’t have the strength and he loved her too much. He adored her more at that very second than he had since he’d found her. For her fire, for her strength, for her loyalty. After everything she’d gone through and she was still willing to stand by his side…his Bloodmate. Strong as anything he’d witnessed, even after being mauled by a vicious Wolf and half drowning.
How could he deny her? Quite simply…he couldn’t.
“If you promise to stay within the castle and to always have someone with you, either me or a guard…then okay, babe. But, and it’s a huge but, you have to do that…okay? If I can’t be with you then you need to have a guard, preferably more than one, with you at all times.”
She was about to argue when Victor intervened, thankfully.
“I agree. I’ve already said the same thing to Kimber and I know Quinn has to Amaya too. It’s the only logical thing to do in the circumstances.”
Kenzie flew her hands up in the air, stomped back and forth for a few seconds and finally huffed out. “Fine! If the others are having them then I guess I will too, but for now it won’t matter because I’m not leaving your side.”
“That’s okay,” Victor smiled, “there’s guards outside in the hallway.”
“Good.” Flint held his hand out, waggling his fingers. “Give me some more of that blood. I need to get back to normal and I’ll be right as rain in a few hours if I feed.”
Victor reached into the cool-box on the floor and threw him a couple more just as there was a soft rap on the door. It opened slightly, and a head appeared, one that Flint wasn’t familiar with…or was he? The guy had light hair and blue eyes, dressed in jeans and a shirt and…wait, he was one of the couples invited to the Ball. Wasn’t he? His mind was still fuzzy and he felt drained but he’d never admit that. Not to anyone.
“Excuse me for interrupting, but I heard what happened and I wanted to come and see how you were doing. If that’s okay?”
The man stepped inside but waited by the door. He had a British accent and although it was obvious he was an ancient and powerful Vampire, he gave off a more ‘bookish’ stuffy kind of aura. Definitely not one that set off any alarms anyway.
Victor looked down at him, raising an eyebrow in question.
“Sure, it’s fine.” Flint agreed.
“I’m Victor, it’s a pleasure to meet you…it’s Grey, isn’t it?” Victor stayed in place, next to the bed with his hand out.
“Indeed, and I know who you are, who doesn’t?” Grey strode over and shook Victor’s hand.
“Please, call me Victor, we’re all friends here.”
“Victor it is then.”
“I’m Kenzie and this is Flint.” Kenzie turned and smiled but didn’t hold her hand out, instead she came to sit beside him on the bed.
“Hello Kenzie, I’m sorry to hear about what happened to you both, and if there’s anything I can do then please, just ask.”
Grey sounded sincere and Flint gave him a good long look to try and see if he was being deceitful, but he could sense nothing but the truth from him. The man looked and sounded like a…oh wait…he was. A damn school teacher. No wait. He was a Professor. That’s it. He was a Professor and he looked, acted, and talked just like one.
“Thanks,” Flint waved the bag of blood he was holding. “I should be fighting-fit after a few more of these.”
Grey frowned, he looked at the bag then at Kenzie, looking confused but he didn’t say anything although it was obvious he was wondering why he was drinking donor blood instead of from his Bloodmate. Not his fucking business though.
“I also wanted to let you know that we had prowlers last night around our cabin…cottage, whatever, but we did have uninvited guests. Mila and I were sitting outside, very late because we haven’t quite got used to the change in time zone yet, and my senses picked up someone coming our way.”
Victor butted in, causing Grey to stop. “What? Where were your guards?”
Grey didn’t seem upset and carried on as if Victor hadn’t said anything at all.
“I called for the guards and sent Mila inside, which she was not best pleased about. She’s a feisty one and wanted to rip someone’s throat out. Anyway, we left a guard on Mila and went in search of the intruder and we did find scents, yes that’s plural. Two to be exact but they’d fled, and we didn’t actually see anyone. I just thought you should know.”
“Oh dear,” Kenzie didn’t look happy, looking up at Grey then Victor and back at Grey again. “Is there anything I can do for Mila?”
“That’s nice of you to offer but Mila is a Blood Faery and she’s not easily scared. In fact, she’d have been happier out hunting them than being left behind. Anyway, I understand that there’s a problem and I’m aware that you’re doing your best to deal with it. As the Ball is looming I just want to say that we’ll remain for that, but, we will be leaving the day after. I don’t want to offend you, but I also don’t want to place Mila in any further danger.”
Flint understood exactly how this guy was feeling. Fuck, only a short while ago he wanted to send Kenzie far away.
“Thank you for staying for the Ball, Grey. I appreciate it.” Victor held out his hand again, shaking Grey’s with one while his other clasped his shoulder. “I’d also like to extend my gratitude for placing your safety in our hands. I promise we are doing our utmost to ensure that you and Mila will be okay. I’ve also been in touch with Jana and she’s on the case too. We’ll get to the bottom of this fiasco. Don’t think for a minute that we won’t.”
“Jana Noskova is helping you with this?” Grey raised his brow, tilting his head to the side.
“She is.”
“In that case, I pity the poor sods responsible when she gets her hands on them.” Grey smirked. “I know her, and I also know that she will not stop until she gets those responsible. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I must get back to Mila. I’ll see you all soon and hope you’ll be better by then, Flint. Nice to have met you, Kenzie.”
“Bye,” Kenzie said as Grey left and Flint drank down yet another bag of donor blood.
He was already feeling the effects; his wounds were knitting together, and, although it was painful, he relished it because it meant that soon he’d be whole again and able to protect Kenzie once more. Lying here weak and unable to do that was the worst feeling ever. The only solace he had was that his best friend stood nearby, and he knew that Victor was going nowhere. He’d stay
right where he was until he saw a vast improvement, and only then would he leave the room…just as he would do if their places were reversed.
“Do you need another?” Victor already had two more in his hands, holding them prepared.
“I think I’m good.” Flint shook his head, feeling his strength returning by the second and counting the empty plastic bags lying beside him. Five. That was more than enough to heal him. Or it damn well should be.
He couldn’t manage any more. No. The thought of further blood that wasn’t Kenzie’s was out of the question.
“Are you sure?” Kenzie sat beside him, her eyes roaming over him.
“Yeah. I’m almost healed. It won’t be long now, babe. I promise. I just need to rest for a little while longer.”
“Victor?” Kenzie looked up at him. “What do you think? I’m still worried.”
Victor leaned over, staring down and checking him out. Victor’s eyes bored into Flint’s and then he winked at him. “He’s good. He might need a nap but after that he’ll be right as rain.”
“A nap?” Flint growled, the sound rumbling up his throat and coming out like a boom of thunder. “I don’t need a damn nap. I’m fine.”
“I do,” Kenzie pushed on his shoulder, “move over so I can join you. I’m tired and need a lie down.”
“What? You need to lie down, baby? Of course, get in here and I’ll cuddle you.” Flint shuffled over, lifting the cover and making room for her.
Kenzie fell in next to him, her arm lying across his naked belly and her head on his chest, snuggling against him. At first, he thought it was a ploy for him to rest but no, in moments, she was out for the count and sound asleep. Shit. She wasn’t as well as she’d let on.
A Deadly Masquerade: A Vampire’s Thirst Page 6
