by Lexi C. Foss
Hands shoved in the suit trousers of his tuxedo, hair messy, Vincenzo is wearing an amused smirk. He looks paler than usual. “I got your text. Someone’s been having a party without me.”
“About time you showed up,” I bite out, crossing my arms over my chest and sending him a glare.
Surprise flashes across his handsome face for a heartbeat before he disguises it. “Yukie? What are you doing up here, and why is my brother tied to his bed?”
“You two know each other?” Dante questions with a look of suspicion.
Oh, he has no idea. I’m pretty sure his royal highness isn’t going to like my connection to his younger sibling or the fact we’ve known each other for years.
“He’s the one who asked me to attend the party and save your arse from an assassination attempt. I’m being paid to keep you alive, which right now isn’t very appealing.” I drop that little revelation into the room like a hand grenade. The tense silence that ensues is broken when Dante swears loudly in Italian.
Dante’s gaze swings to his brother in shock. “What the hell, Vincenzo? You hired this female to babysit me?”
“I heard whispers there was going to be an attempt on your life. As you never take me seriously, I had to take matters into my own hands.” Hurrying to the bed, he unshackles Dante’s wrists and ankles.
Once he’s free, the vampire stretches his muscles before rolling off the mattress. “You should have told Mateo. He's the head of security.”
“And what if he was part of the conspiracy against you?” Vincenzo snorts, moving to a dresser before tossing him a pair of jeans. “Look, I took matters into my own hands and hired Yukie to protect you.”
“I highly doubt it. Mateo can be trusted,” Dante snaps, pulling his pants up.
Unable to help myself, I ogle the perfect globes of his ass now contained by the garment. Glancing over his shoulder, he catches me staring. Our eyes connect briefly before I look away. The heat in his still tingles over my skin in an unwelcome flush.
“That’s great you two catching up like this”—I cut in, tone oozing with impatience—“but that doesn’t solve our problem. Ever watch the movie Groundhog Day? Where the guy is living the same day over and over. Well that’s what’s happening to us, but it's two days instead of one. I’ve prevented the attack this evening, now I’m leaving.”
“Groundhog Day?” Vincenzo sounds skeptical. “Isn’t that a furry rodent of some kind?”
Warm fingers curl around my wrist preventing me from leaving when I make for the door. A trickle of pleasure warms my veins. Dante’s standing so close to me it makes me shiver.
“I doubt leaving will stop what’s happening. It makes more sense if you remain here,” he rumbles in that sexy Italian accent of his, flashing me a look of impatience.
Glancing down where his hand is keeping me captive, I shake my head. “No.”
“Pussycat…” There’s a warning edge to the nickname, his fingers tightening with a proprietorial hold. He has no rights over me. I’m not one of his subjects he can boss around.
Chin tilting up I meet his eyes, not liking the domineering light swirling in the blue. I’m not into high-handed, obnoxious dominant males, and he’s going to learn that. “I should never have agreed to this damn assignment. This is your fault, Vinnie.”
Dante scowls at the nickname I use for his brother. I don’t care if he likes it or not. This vamp can go stake himself for all I care.
“You didn’t have to accept it,” Vincenzo states, watching my interaction with Dante with a look of irritation.
Shaking off Dante’s hold, I rub my wrist, disturbed at the tingles his touch has left there in its wake. “I must have been out of my mind helping a frenemy.”
“I thought you were friends?” Dante questions, moving to check on the unconscious bodyguard, his handsome face harsh and cold.
“Friends, enemies it's all the same,” Vincenzo mumbles, his facade of lazy, prankster slipping seamlessly into place. “Can we just….get along without killing each other? You're sister Kiko already hates the sight of me. I’d rather not have you shooting at me, too, whenever we meet.”
The question is directed at me. I don’t respond, brushing past him to the bedroom door. The Vampire King’s scent wafts my way scattering my thoughts for a moment. I'm drunk on the smell of him, it brings out nothing but dirty desires and urges I need to get a grip on. Clearly, I’m off my game with him around.
“Look Yukie, we’re kind of stuck together. We might as well make the best of it.”
That earns Vincenzo a glower over my shoulder. Every time we meet, it's nothing but a disaster. Why would I think this time would be any different?
“Or you could just not talk to me….that will work too,” he concedes with a sigh, trailing after me.
As I reach the couch, the main door bursts open, and the male named Mateo rushes in with a group of werewolves at his heels. Seeing me, they flood toward me, every single one of them radiating aggression.
“Stand down,” Dante booms, striding out of the bedroom. “She’s not a threat.”
I grin at that. We both know I am. Appeasing his minions with the lie doesn’t mean I won’t kill them if they piss me off.
“You brought a human up here.” Mateo sniffs in my direction, his eyes narrowed with distrust. I know he can probably smell his master’s scent all over me. That and the sex.
“I’m not human,” I tell him, taking a seat on the couch.
“But you smell…different.”
“Still not human.”
“Cat shifter,” Dante supplies when I don’t reveal anymore. Making his way to a small mahogany table, he lifts the crystal decanter on it and pours some amber liquid into a tumbler. “I remember you shifting into a tiger last time around, right before I died.”
Mateo’s confusion at his king’s word is written all over his face. “Wait, you died?”
Taking a seat beside me, Vincenzo stretches his arm along the top of the couch behind me. “When were you going to tell me you're a shifter? You certainly kept that quiet.”
“Never.” I reply, watching his jaw clench and unclench in annoyance. Guess my little secret has him riled up.
“I asked you here for your help. Information like that can be useful.” Reaching for a lock of my hair, he tugs at it with two fingers. “It’s especially needed now if what you and my brother are saying is true. Stop glaring at me.”
My tiger growls softly at him from within me.
Tilting away, I angle my head to raise an eyebrow at him in silent threat. “I’m hoping you’ll spontaneously combust, and if you keep touching me, I’ll duct-tape you to your seat, fang boy.”
“You two don’t like each other very much, do you?” Dante raises the glass to his lips swallowing down the alcohol he’s holding in one go. Lowering it to the table, he refills it.
“Well done. You’re very perceptive,” I sass in a murmur. “And I’m not a shifter.”
“Someone’s in denial,” Vincenzo singsongs beside me. “It’s more of a love hate relationship between us. It’s a wonder we haven’t killed each other yet.”
Mateo eyes me up and down from where he’s standing. “Does she know that…”
“I’m in heat? Yes, Dante told me.”
The Vampire King and the wolf shifter alpha share a look I can’t decipher. I don’t like it. Whatever is being communicated, it’s about me.
“What are you looking at?” I growl, my stare ice cold and promising pain, when I catch the bodyguards watching me with male interest.
“Can one of you please explain to me what’s going on? Who is she? Dante what do you mean you died?” Mateo grumbles in frustration, noting the guard who comes stumbling out of the bedroom rubbing his neck. Jerking his chin at two of his men, they go to check on him.
“Vincenzo hired me to stop a potential assassination attempt on his brother. Long story short, we’re repeating the same forty-eight hours over and over.” Slipping off the couch
and away from Vincenzo, I saunter over to Dante, taking the tumbler from his hand. It feels like the natural thing to do. A habit I’m used to. “Somehow we’ve started to remember the times before, which makes me wonder how long we’ve been doing this if memories have started to bleed through into each circuit we’re being forced to do.”
“My thoughts exactly,” Dante rumbles, his gaze latched onto the edge of the glass as I bring it to my lips and take a long sip.
“Do you know how crazy that sounds?” Mateo laughs like he’s expecting us to say the whole thing is one big prank.
I make a little show of it savoring the scotch, which I’m guessing must have cost a fortune. Only the best for this vampire. He’s richer than Midas and just as vain. I can’t deny the crackle of attraction between us and still hate him.
“Why are you two the only ones who seem to remember what’s happened?” The alpha werewolf counters. “If what you're saying is true, we’d all know.”
Finishing off the drink, I place it on the table. “I have no idea. If it’s a spell it could be wiping our memories every time we all reset, only it’s wearing off. Although I don’t know why it's just me and your master.”
“Dante,” the Vampire King corrects arrogantly. “You’ll call me by my first name. Although I do like the way you say master. Maybe we’ll keep that for the bedroom.”
As I open my mouth to reply, the air is rent with the sound of shattering glass. A million tiny daggers ready to tear over softly exposed skin. Instead of freezing, everyone scatters faster than the shards in their explosive arc.
Heart rate accelerating, I see the men who have come smashing in through the window regaining their feet. They must have scaled down on ropes from the roof. How did Dante’s security force miss them? Drawing knives and guns, they charge us with a battle cry.
The assassins.
Fuck.
I never even gave a thought to them changing their plans, which can only mean we can change things in the timeline we keep repeating. Our actions cause a ripple around us like a stone thrown into a pond influencing the outcome. They didn’t find us in the garden, so they took a different approach to get to their target. One quick glance assures me Dante is safe. Mateo and his guards have him protected.
Back against the cool plaster of the wall, I quickly pick out my first target. A dark-haired vamp who’s made the mistake of baring his fangs at me. Blocking his arm when he swings at me with his blade, I twist his wrist until it breaks. The second his grasp slackens, I relieve him of his weapon. A knee to his groin brings him to his knees. Slashing the blade across his throat as he goes down, I move onto my next opponent. Spinning on my heels, I jam the blade into the gut of a blond. Excitement, the thrill of the fight races through me. Swiveling to face another, I slash the knife across his leg, cutting deep into his thigh through his combat trousers. Returning to the first vampire, I deal a deadly blow straight through his heart. The pain filled hisses of my other prey fill my ears.
The sound of bullets ripping through flesh as Dante’s men opened fire ricochet through the air. They keep firing until at least six of the assassins are dust.
I hear the Vampire King shout out a warning, but it comes too late. Attention darting to the vampire I have yet to finish off, I gasp as cold steel cleaves through my chest. Scarlet eyes meet mine. The hatred burning in them is bright and glowing. Licking his fangs, the assassin smirks, driving the blade deeper through my heart.
Everything slows. The strained thumping of the damaged organ roars in my ears. Shock envelopes me, stealing my breath. As I fall to my knees, a hand fists my hair pulling my head back forcing a pained cry from my lips. Agony blazes through me, and I feel my strength ebbing. Breath hot against my neck, fangs pierce my delicate flesh. As darkness rushes up around me, I let myself fall into unconsciousness.
His groin pushes into my lower back, making me aware of his hardening cock, his grip on my waist firm.
“I want to take my time unwrapping you this time, Kitty cat,” he whispers, nipping my ear, causing shivers to bolt through me. “You're fucking killing me here in all that leather. I hope you're ready to deal with it.”
Twisting in his arms, I wrap my own around his neck, curving my body into his. “You know I always am”.
“Hmm...you’re wearing the fuck-me look I love so much.” His mouth curves in a mischievous smile. “Once I’ve fucked you, we’ll make those plans about visiting Rome.”
I awake without warning, eyes springing open to stare up at the ceiling of my hotel room. The dream is like a starburst in my mind, bright, bold, and fading quickly. Vincenzo? We’d made plans, but I don’t remember them. Has any of it been real at all?
Hand darting up to my chest, I press my palm flat over my heart. There’s no wound. No knife yet the echo of the blade thrusting through my vulnerable flesh is still there. The overwhelming agony is a phantom that haunts me.
Sunlight is filtering in through the beige curtains, the light pouring in through a crack in the material. A headache pulses through my temples making me turn away from the brightness. The room is just how I left it. There’s nothing to indicate anything has changed.
Sitting up, I toss the blanket off my body and shakily get to my feet. My little black dress is hanging on the wardrobe yet to be worn. A quick check of my phone confirms I’ve reset to Friday morning. Flopping back on the mattress, I groan. I’m living a moment I’ve already lived. At least I seem to be remembering more and more each time it happens. I just have to figure out what's causing it. A curse? Some kind of mystical items? A spell? This is starting to become irritating.
Rolling onto my side, I punch my pillow to relieve some of my frustration. Gaze scanning the room, it settles on a velvet, black box I don’t remember noticing before. Hauling myself up, I push away the blanket and get to my feet. Taking the item from where it's sitting on a table, I brush my thumb over the softness of the surface. Frowning at it, I click it open staring down at the contents. Round shaped cufflinks with a metallic polished outer border with a four-leaf clover design in the middle of each are nestled within. A diamond winks up at me from the center of both clovers.
Why would I have these? I don’t remember buying them or even being given them. Fingers closing around the box, I hold it tightly in my palm for a moment, but it stirs no recollection. Shoving it into the pocket of my red leather coat, I zip it closed. It will have to be a mystery for later. Right now, I have other things to think about.
In a fraction of the time I did this all before I’m up and dressed. T-shirt, jeans, and sneakers are far more practical if I’m going to fight. Instead of heading down for breakfast with the rest of the guests, I make my way outside to secure a taxi. I have a whole day before the vampires awaken. Time to learn all I can about my predicament, and I know just the place to go.
The EVIE Rome cell is located not far from the Vatican. Although its main focus is eliminating vampires from the world, some of the people who work there have other skills. Paying off the taxi when we’re near enough, I walk the rest of the way. My feet know exactly where to go even though I don’t visit this city often.
Rome is already busy. Tourists making an early start chatter excitedly in English and in other foreign languages. Camera clicking as they snap shots, their pace hurried as they chase down monuments and trinkets to take home. The Italians move at a more leisurely speed on their way to work already dreaming about lazy weekends or trips to the beach.
Crossing the sun-soaked piazza, my fast steps disturb a group of hungry pigeons, sending them into the sky in a flurry of feathers. The air is sultry and hot, already shimmering with the summer heat. I’m used to it. Living in a hell dimension, this is nothing compared to my usual surroundings.
Reaching the door of the building I’m after, I slink into the cooler interior through the wooden door that’s been left ajar. Black marble graces the floor, making my footsteps echo as I venture along the corridor. No one looking at the place from the outside would su
spect that it houses an organization of slayers dedicated to the eradication of vampires. I’ve dealt with them before. Having somewhere to work out of will make things easier.
“Yukie? We weren’t expecting you. Was something wrong with the dress and invitation for the party tonight?”
Turning to the voice, I survey its owner. Giovanni. The head of the Italian branch of EVIE. There are only a few capable of creeping up on me, and this Italian is one of them. White shirt open at the throat, it shows off his tanned skin. He has that handsome Mediterranean charm, with his dark hair that most of the males here wield. Clutching a paper bag, it looks like he’s on his way in from a trip to the bakery. The scent of something freshly baked teases my noses. It reminds me I skipped breakfast.
“I have a...situation,” I tell him, wondering where the hell I should begin. Will he believe me? I’m sure they’ve dealt with weird shit before, but this takes everything to a whole new level.
One of his thick, black eyebrows rises. “Come on in, you can tell me all about it. Maybe we can help.”
Showing me along the corridor, we take the steps down to the level beneath the streets. A thick wooden door keeps out prying eyes. Pressing the keypad beside it, he enters the code only members of EVIE are issued. A retinal scan follows. Security measures are always tight. It takes just one slip up for an entire cell to fall victim to lurking enemies.
A beep signals the all clear. Swinging it open, he ushers me inside. The place has always reminded me more of a library than the headquarters to a group of vampire hunters. Row after row of neatly lined up books with their spines facing outward, color coded with dots and arranged in alphabetical order, fill the bookcases lining the walls. It would feel like its a hallowed, hushed environment if it wasn’t for the Metallica song being blasted through a speaker.
I pass the bookcases with their inky treasures, tomes, scrolls and rare volumes that even the Vatican would like to get their hands on if they knew they existed. Books rescued from the Library of Alexandria before its destruction. Tomes of the dead from Egypt. Anything and everything related to the undead. The place smells of old things, forgotten times and dust.
