“He was using magic to hide their trail here and also to block our attacks. He might have used it to get inside as well. He’s dead now but I think you should check out everyone, Ace. Just in case. The waiters and waitresses…make sure everyone is legit.”
“On it. And I’ll let Quinn know about Dawson. He’s back in the Hall. The others were getting antsy wondering what the hell was happening when you rushed off. He went to let them know what was going on and to keep everyone calm.”
“I need a change of clothes and then we’ll be back.”
“Really?” Kimber looked at Ace then back up at him. “Shouldn’t you rest or something?”
“I’m fine and we should go back, baby. Let everyone see that we’re both okay and put their minds to rest. Kenzie and Amaya will be worried, but so will everybody else, and they deserve to know that Dawson is dead.”
“Kenzie!” Flint shot for the door. “I need to go guys. I need to change too and get to her. She can’t see me like this.”
“See? Our friends will be concerned, Kimber. We have to go back.”
“You’re right. As usual. Let’s go.”
“No. Ace, can you take Kimber back while I go and change? I’ll be much quicker on my own and you can let Kenzie know we’re just changing and be with them shortly. She’ll be very worried…please. Go set her mind at rest.”
“Are you sure?”
“Absolutely. And you can get a stiff drink and something to eat if you need it. Ace, can you take care of her for me? I won’t be long.”
“I will guard her with my life.” Ace’s chest puffed out and he waved his hand to the hall. “I’ve got my men out there too, so she’ll be safe with me.”
“I doubt that’ll be necessary but thank you.” Victor pulled Kimber back into his arms, kissing her softly. “I’ll be back soon.”
“Don’t be long.” She turned and left with Ace and he whisked away to change, hoping they’d seen the last of any trouble.
Chapter 17
Victor rushed as quickly as he could, changing using his enhanced speed, and was back in the hallway leading to the Great Hall in no time at all. Flint was just ahead of him, and his friend slowed to wait on him, dressed in a dark charcoal suit, white shirt, and black tie.
“I’m afraid I didn’t pack a second tux.” Flint looked at his pristine back-up with a scowl.
“Always be prepared for the unexpected.” He tapped his nose with a finger. “You never know when you’ll need to change.”
They entered the hall and as soon as they did a huge cheer went up with hands clapping and the group came toward them with Kenzie and Kimber leading them.
Kenzie leapt up into Flint’s open arms, kissing his face as she asked him over and over if he was all right while Kimber wrapped her arm in his.
“I’m fine, darling. Honest,” Flint said.
“Why have you changed?” Kenzie asked.
“I got a little dirty, that’s all.” Flint lied easily as he placed Kenzie back down onto her feet, wrapping his arm around her waist.
Quinn came over, whispering, “I’ve not told them the full story yet. I thought you should do that. But I had another reason for holding back the information. It was Ace’s idea. In case there are any of Dawson’s cohorts still hidden within the outside help here. Ace has his men ready and waiting, and we’re going to keep a lookout for any reaction to the news that Dawson’s been killed.”
Victor didn’t respond to Quinn, just smiled and nodded while he looked around, seeing Ace and several of his men dotted around the room. “Good idea, but we should gather everyone into a smaller area so we can gauge their reactions better. Include the bartenders, too. I don’t want us to miss anyone, Quinn.”
Quinn smiled, patted his shoulder in a friendly gesture, and wandered away as if he’d just been welcoming him back. In truth, he went over to Ace to relay the change in plans, and it was then that Victor saw Thorne hovering behind Ace. Good. They might need all the help they could get depending on what happened next.
He hoped not. He hoped to hell not. But if there was a chance there were others hidden here, they were in for a shock when they learned that the powerful Vampire they’d been following was now a broken and bloody mess.
Quinn sauntered back, raising his voice and clapping his hands to gain everyone’s attention as he stood right in the center of the room. “Victor and Flint, can you come over? Can everyone please join us? That means all of you, please. My guests have something to tell you all.”
He watched as the staff looked at each other, some looked uncomfortable, some confused, but they left their stations to join their group, albeit leaving a little space between them. They looked around again before concentrating on where the three of them were standing up front before Quinn clapped his hands again, rather theatrically in Victor’s opinion.
“I give you Victor and Flint!”
Flint gave a bow as Victor hissed, “Stop it.”
Another round of applause followed. Victor had to wait a few moments before he could start, his eyes roaming around to see Ace, Thorne and his men had circled the assembled group.
“We all know what’s been going on, and I know you’re wondering what happened earlier. I won’t go into too much detail, but I do have one piece of information that I think will please you. We knew the identity of the man behind the threat to us. Arthur Dawson. Well, this man abducted Kimber earlier with the intention of doing her harm.”
He had to pause when there were shocked gasps and outbursts from their invited guests and also from several of the wait staff. The bartender who had made the cocktails turned to look at Kimber, his eyes roaming over her as if to check she was all right. Victor didn’t detect any malice in the look so carried on.
“Indeed. This man got in here with the use of magic, and he would’ve gotten away with his plan if Flint and I had not managed to track him down. Just in time I might add. And, with the help of one of our guests…Mila, who I have to thank from the bottom of my heart, we managed to stop him.”
Another few shouts rose from the group and there were several gasps from the wait staff…two stood stiffly. Too stiffly? Perhaps.
Flint chuckled at his side, pumping his fist. “Yeah we stopped his ass all right.”
“Indeed we did,” Victor continued. “Arthur Dawson was under the illusion he could come here and hurt the people we love. He instigated an attack on Quinn and Amaya…those people died in that attack. He attempted to hurt Markus and Rachel, and that failed too. He attempted attacks on other guests, but those were also unsuccessful. He instigated an attack on Flint and Kenzie…those people were obliterated in that attack. He attempted to take my Bloodmate from me…Arthur Dawson found out the hard way what happens to anyone who tries to hurt Kimber.”
There were clapping hands, but he’d heard distinctly more than one heart rate picking up speed. Those two standing upright so stiff they looked like boards…yeah…they were still the same. Faces white and eyes darting around all over the place.
“Arthur Dawson was ancient. He was powerful. But he was not strong enough against me. Against my fury. Against my wrath…nobody will win if they come for me or my Bloodmate. They will be torn apart. They will be dealt a cold hard death…they will have their heart ripped from their chest. And that’s what happened to Dawson…his body now lies cold and rotting in a room down the hallway where I left him not half an hour ago. Because he dared to lay hands on my love, my wife, my Bloodmate…Dawson is gone.”
Ace and Thorne closed in.
The two men dressed as waiters could hide it no longer. One of them gasped aloud with out and out fear. The other couldn’t stop his hand from shooting to cover his mouth as a moan escaped. Both of their hearts raced out of control as their bodies betrayed them as easily as if they were shouting from the rafters that they were guilty.
Victor pointed to them, his eyes pinning them in place. “You are with him and we will deal with you shortly. Ace, Thorne, take them and lock
them up. Find out who else is with them.”
Immediately, the smaller of the two started to babble. “I’m sorry! I wanted to leave but he threatened my family. I’ll tell you all I know.”
Thorne nabbed the man by the back of his neck, hauling him roughly forward. “How many more are there here?”
“None. I promise. We were the last group that I know of. We were to help him take out Victor and his Bloodmate.”
“If you’re lying I’ll hand you over to Victor and Flint,” Thorne hissed into his face. “Hell, I’ll just lock you in a room with Flint…you don’t want to know what he does with his silver knives.”
“No, no, please don’t. I’ll tell you all I know.”
“You fucking better or I will give you to him.” Thorne hauled him away, and all the time the man prattled he was telling the truth.
There was silence for long moments that seemed to drag on and on until finally a voice broke it.
“Well what a night, and it’s still early. Get the music on and the drinks flowing. We’ve a party to finish,” Mila said.
And with that the tension broke and Mila, once again, saved the day.
“Want a drink?” she sidled up to Victor with a wink and a grin.
“Indeed I do.” He looked around for Kimber who was already chatting to Lavinia and heading toward the bar. “You’re quite an enigma, Mila.”
“Yes, I am.” She waggled her brows at him but gave him no further information as they reached the bar and the music started once more.
He managed to get one drink before Kimber arrived holding her hand out. “Dance with me?”
The song playing wasn’t quite as awful as the earlier music and her eyes were sparkling. With everything that had happened…how could he refuse her?
“For you? Anything.”
Victor stepped forward and swept his Bloodmate off her feet and onto the floor. “One dance and then can we leave?”
“Aww, I’m enjoying myself,” Kimber pouted, her plump lips enticing and just ripe for kissing.
“I know you are, but I think you’d enjoy yourself more if we left and went to our room.”
His hand slid lower on her back, dipping along her ass and cupping it playfully while his other held the side of her face. His fingers splayed on her cheek, allowing one to play across her lips suggestively.
“Just what are you proposing?” She allowed her tongue to dart out to lick his finger, causing him to moan deep down in his throat.
“I’m not suggesting anything, baby. I’m telling you I want to go to our room, so I can fuck you senseless. I want to see you flushed with ecstasy as I make you come all over me…multiple times.”
Her eyes widened, the emerald darkening and her pupils dilating, her hips jutting forward to meet his until he was sure he’d have a rock-hard erection right there on the dance-floor…and she damn well knew it. The little minx.
“Hmm…stay or go? I think…”
Victor couldn’t stand it. She was teasing him, and it was driving him crazy.
“Kimber.”
“Go.”
Victor swept her up into his arms so fast that she yelped. “What are you doing? People are watching.”
“I don’t care. I want you, Kimber. Right now. You walk too slow, especially in those fuck-me heels you’re wearing…I think you should keep them on when we get back to the room.”
He sped away, and the last thing they heard were more cheers and a few lewd comments…from Flint of course.
A perfect end to a most definitely not-so-perfect Ball.
If you enjoyed this story and would like to know more about the character then you can find Victor HERE, or Flint HERE or find the entire series HERE. Or if you fancy something different…what about a hot Highland Shifter series…click to read The Reluctant Alpha!
Author’s Note
Thank you for reading A Deadly Masquerade…I hope you enjoyed it because I had a lot of fun writing it. I loved bringing some of the other Bloodmates together…hope you did too and if you did I’d really appreciate if you could leave a review. As most of you know I’m an Indie Author and getting reviews really helps us get the word out about our stories, a wee short one will do. If you do…Thank You!
I’d like to say a special thanks to Monica La Porta for her continued support and always being willing to help others. She’s a special person as well as a wonderfully talented writer…and wow…don’t you just love the amazing cover she made for me? If you haven’t already, go check out her stories because they are awesome.
I hope you enjoy the rest of your day and check out the other stories in the series…but most of all, remember…Live, Love, Read!
Ava
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Also by A K Michaels
This is always changing, and only a small selection of my work, so please check out my website for the most up-to-date information.
A Wolf’s Hunger Series
Rafe: A K Michaels
Kade: A K Michaels
Zohar: A K Michaels
Shade: A K Michaels
Sheba: A K Michaels
A Vampire’s Thirst: Victor
A Vampire’s Thirst…Dark Dangerous and Deadly.
Victor Strong, ancient Vampire and hard-as-nails businessman, is strong in name and nature with a steely control over everything…until it comes: A ‘Thirst’ he has no control over and cravings for blood and other, darker and more enticing desires, rapidly growing out of control.
If a solution isn’t found, The Directive will come knocking on his door. As if to answer his prayers for a cure to his madness, a sweet, tantalizing scent casts a spell over him.
Hypnotized by that which were thought to be mere myths, the most precious of all things—a Vampire’s Bloodmate—he leaps from his balcony and goes in search of the scent’s owner. If he fails to find her in time, he’ll be lost to the dark side forever. But if he succeeds, her very life could be at risk.
The hunt has begun.
Fans of CHRISTINE FEEHAN and LYNSAY SANDS will thrill to A VAMPIRE’S THIRST, the latest paranormal romance in A K Michaels' hit series that readers are calling suspenseful, scorching hot, and not to be missed.
A Vampire’s Thirst: Flint
A Vampire’s Thirst: Dark, Dangerous and Undeniable!
Flint is an ancient Vampire. He used to work as a bodyguard for his friend, Victor, but when Victor finds his Bloodmate and heads off on a round-the-world honeymoon, Flint goes on his own adventure, setting off to the Highlands of Scotland. Only trouble is…Flint doesn’t want to go. That is, until a strange, mysterious, and magical feeling takes over him as he flies over Edinburgh Castle…at the same time as he wants to tear into the throat of the mortal confined within the cabin with him.
Never before has he lost control to his dark side…well not against an innocent. Flint is hard, tough, and more than capable of inflicting pain when he deems it necessary, but losing control: never.
He has the fight of his life on his hands. One he is determined to win. When he goes in search of the secretive nightclub Mystique, he is shocked to his very core by a chance encounter. Kenzie McBride, a damsel in distress needs his help, but the rescue mission ends up with a horde on their tails. Not only is Kenzie beautiful and injured…she’s the most elusive and precious of things in the whole damn universe: a Vampire’s Bloodmate. His Bloodmate. And he’ll fight to the death to keep her safe from anyone who comes after her. Anyone.
The hunt is on, the battle fierce. Only the strong survive a Vampire’s Thirst!
A Vampire’s Thirst: Quinn
A Vampire’s Thirst: Dark, Dangerous and Undeniable!
Quinn Alexander is rich, handsome…and an ancient Vampire. He
doesn’t want to be in Hong Kong for the launch of his next multi-billion dollar gaming sensation, but needs must.
Then the Thirst strikes. Like a bolt of lightning, quick as a snake’s bite…power surging through him at the same time as his craving for human blood rockets out of control…and if there’s one thing that Quinn abhors it’s losing control. Of anything.
Lost in the backstreets of a foreign land, a scent assaults him, overpowers his senses, stuns him completely until he’s rushing headlong toward it with no thought other than to reach it and make it his. A shout, a scream, a cry for help…and Quinn knows it’s his Bloodmate.
Can he reach her in the meandering maze? And when he does will it be in time?
The hunt is on, the battle fierce…only the strong survive a Vampire’s Thirst!
Her Highlander’s Desire
Have a moping, lovesick friend? No clue how to help her? Why contact Geri Wilder from the Paranormal Dating Agency, of course! Just remember to keep the details hush-hush because not everyone is onboard with the whole supernatural matchmaking thing. As for convincing her mate to let Alinka go halfway around the world…that’s all on Tasha's shoulders. Tasha has her hands full, but never underestimate the power of an Alpha female.
The PDA promised results and that is EXACTLY what they delivered.
Fiery, white hot attraction, like fireworks exploding in the night sky, consume both Alinka and Dara. Unable to control their passion, the couple immediately succumbs to the pull of their Soulmate. Shock and fear over the intensity of their feelings forces both to make rash decisions with devastating effects.
Will Fate and Destiny seal their union? Or will one wolf run leaving the other to lick his wounds and pick up the pieces of a broken heart?
A Deadly Masquerade: A Vampire’s Thirst Page 12
