The Vampire’s Priceless Treasure

by Painter, Kristen

  Van shook his head. “None. But with Rasputin, I would say it was something valuable. He liked very much the money and power of the Romanovs.”

  “So…” Kora’s mind spun with possibilities. She looked at Greyson. “We could be on a hunt for that source.”

  He nodded slowly. “I suppose it’s possible.”

  She looked at Van again. “And if you have a hoard, I’d assume it’s filled with valuable things. Could the source be among the treasures in it?”

  Van’s expression clouded over again. “Nyet. My hoard—if I have one—is my business.”

  “Van,” Greyson started. “Dragon’s have hoards. It’s a known fact. And she’s not looking to steal anything from you. But whatever this thing is that Kora’s been tasked to find, it’s very important. Not because of the thing’s value, but because the person who wants it has promised to tell Kora what truly happened to her mother.”

  The hard line of Van’s mouth softened. “I did not know.” He sighed. “A dragon’s hoard is a very personal thing.”

  “I understand,” Kora said. “And I don’t need to see it. I just need to know if this…witch’s heart, I think is what you read, if that’s in there.”

  Van made a face. “If I had a heart in a jar, I would know.”

  Kora gritted her teeth. “I really hope that’s not what we’re looking for, but my guess is the inscription refers to a shape. A witch’s heart is almost like a typical heart shape, but the tail points to the right. They were very popular in Victorian times. They were meant to ward off evil spirits, that sort of thing. They could be made of tin, but they could also be made of gold and jewels. Anyone with a collection of valuable things might have one.”

  She pulled out her phone and brought up images of some, then turned it around to show Van what they looked like. “Do you think you have anything that looks like these?”

  He peered at the screen. After a moment, he shook his head. “No. But…if one were to have a large collection of valuable things, they might not remember everything that is in it.”

  She tried to keep her smile to herself, but a small grin turned up the corners of her mouth despite her best efforts. “No, they might not.”

  Greyson paced a line in the carpet of Kora’s living room. Why this was making him nervous, he had no idea.

  “Sit down, will you?” Kora shook her head. “You’re making Waffles jumpy.”

  Greyson stopped. The fluffy beast was standing on the arm of the sofa, looking a little unsettled. “Sorry, puss, but I know the feeling.” He sighed at Kora. “I’m not the most patient man. I don’t like waiting. If Van finds that he has the heart, that would mean we have the next clue.”

  “We?” Her brows rose. “Also, you realize that of all the dragon shifters in the world, the odds of him being the one who has the right witch’s heart in his hoard are astronomically low.”

  Greyson raked a hand through his hair. “Yes, I know. But sometimes these things align.”

  She snorted softly. “Not in my life, they don’t.”

  Waffles jumped off the arm to curl up on the sofa cushion.

  Greyson sat next to him and dug his fingers into the animal’s long fur, stroking him until he rolled over and showed his belly. “I’m just saying, you never know.”

  “No, you don’t. But in this case, I kind of have a feeling. It would be too coincidental. And that would be a pretty easy clue, telling whoever reads the inscription exactly where to find the next piece of the puzzle. Something tells me it’s not going to be that simple.”

  “No, I suppose not.” He sighed.

  She crossed her arms and her legs at the same time, sitting very straight in her chair. “Go back to the we you mentioned. Are you saying you want to take this journey with me? I know you mentioned that the other night at the club, but I didn’t think you were serious.”

  He kept his eyes on the cat. It was easier than looking at Kora while he answered her. “We do work well together.”

  “That’s not really an answer.”

  No, it wasn’t, but he’d hoped it would be enough. So much for that. “I can keep you safe.” He glanced at her. “Your father would appreciate that.”

  The downturn of her mouth and the narrowing of her eyes were pretty much what he’d expected in response. She uncrossed her arms. “You always think about him, don’t you?”

  Not lately, if he was being absolutely truthful. Lately, all he thought about was her. “You really think your father is going to give you his blessing to pursue this thing?”

  “I hadn’t planned on telling him.”

  “So much for being responsible and becoming more adult.”

  The perturbed look returned. “I hate when you’re right.” She rested her head against the chair and stared at the ceiling. “I have to tell him. I guess. Unless Van has the heart I need in his hoard. Then this is over, and I’m done. I’ll have the truth about my mother and the closure I need.”

  “You realize if Van has the heart, it belongs to him. He’s not just going to give it to you.” Then Greyson paused. “I suppose he might, but I think if a dragon gives you something from his hoard, you owe him a large favor in return. Something like that.”

  “I’d be okay with that. He doesn’t seem the type to ask for anything too outlandish. Although I’m not fond of being beholden to anyone.” An odd gleam sparked in her gaze. “Present company included.”

  He snorted. “Please. I can’t even count how many reasons there are for you to be beholden to me.”

  “You were paid. I owe you nothing.”

  “Yes, paid by your father. I’m not sure you’ve ever even said thank you.”

  She opened her mouth to say something, but his phone rang.

  He grabbed it. “Hello?”

  Van answered. “I do not have good news. No such witch’s heart exists in my…possession.”

  Greyson sighed. “Okay.” He looked at Kora and shook his head while he continued to talk to Van. “Thank you for checking.”

  “Of course. I am happy to help. I hope Kora finds what she is looking for.”

  “So do I. And if you think of anything else that might help, even the smallest thing, let me know.”

  “I will.”

  They hung up, and Greyson sat down, slightly defeated.

  “I told you,” Kora gruffed. “Not sure why you thought it was going to be so easy.” She swallowed as if something were caught in her throat. “He wouldn’t lie, would he? Never mind, I already know the answer to that.”

  “I know you’re frustrated. I am, too.”

  She cut her eyes at him. “You have no reason to be. In fact, you should be happy. A dead end means no more for you to worry about.”

  She was hurting. He could see that from the pain in her eyes. She wanted this information about her mother, maybe even more than she’d admitted to herself. “Hey, I’m not happy you’ve hit a wall.”

  “Why? Why should you care? You don’t even like me.”

  “That’s not true.” But it had been. Why had it changed?

  “Yeah, okay.” She snorted as she got to her feet. “Thanks for hanging out, but I have a job to go to.”

  He stood and moved into her path to keep her from leaving. “I do like you, Kora. I like the changes you’ve made. The ones you’re trying to make. You’re not the same vampire I rescued in Rome.”

  She stood inches from him. “You’re just saying that.”

  “No, I’m not. I have no reason to lie to you. I still have a lot of reservations about you, but I can see the differences. They look good on you.”

  The muscles in her jaw tightened, and for the briefest of moments, it looked as if tears were edging her lower lash line. Then she lifted her head. “Thank you.”

  Realization shot through him like a punch to the solar plexus. About how hard she was trying. How lonely she must be. How much her mother’s abandonment and death had damaged her. And just like that, he cared about her. Too much. Far more than was safe
.

  The moment swept over him, tumbling him along like a piece of driftwood caught in a rogue wave. He took hold of her shoulders, pulled her close, and kissed her.

  She didn’t resist like he’d expected. Instead, she shocked him by leaning in with a ferocity that seemed true to her old self. The Kora who took what she wanted with no concern for cost or consequence.

  That was the woman who’d always secretly intrigued him, and now that she was in his arms, he was enflamed by her wildness.

  She slid her hands up his sides until they griped his rib cage. All the while, little mewls of needy pleasure slipped from her throat.

  He broke the kiss to rake his fangs down her neck, making her cry out.

  She suddenly pushed away from him. Her eyes glowed white-hot, as he was sure his own did. “We can’t do this.”

  “You mean we shouldn’t do this. Adults can do whatever they please.”

  She dragged the back of her hand across her mouth. “You’re just trying to distract me.”

  “Wrong.” Her rejection hurt, but had he really thought there would be a different outcome? Well, maybe, after that first kiss. “I wasn’t thinking about you at all.”

  A slow smile spread across her face. “How about that? You’re not the completely tamed vampire I thought you were.”

  He scowled. “There is nothing tame about me.”

  She shrugged. “I don’t know. The princess had you just about domesticated.”

  If she was trying to make him angry, she’d succeeded. “Good night, Kora.”

  She tipped her head to one side, still clearly amused with herself. “Night, Greyson.”

  He stalked out of the room and out of the house, the persistent image of her coy smile stuck in his head.

  But not nearly with the same plaguing tenacity as the feel of her mouth on his and her hands on his body.

  Why in Hades had he kissed her? Because he’d wanted to, that was why. She’d brought it out in him by making him care. By showing him that she’d finally stopped being a spoiled child and become a woman.

  A woman he wanted.

  In that moment, he knew one thing with great certainty.

  He was doomed.

  Kora held on to her casual, devil-may-care grin until she heard the front door slam. Then she let out the gasp she’d been holding in and sank down on the couch, as weak as Waffles had been the night he’d been discovered.

  Her fingers went to her lips, which were still buzzing with Greyson’s scorching kiss. Then they traveled to her throat, where he’d scraped his fangs across her skin. To her utter embarrassment, she’d thought he was going to bite her, and she’d never wanted anything so much in her life.

  She squeezed her eyes shut against the thought. That did nothing to erase it from her brain. If anything, it brought his face to the forefront of her mind. He was too damn handsome for his own good.

  Too male and full of himself and too…too…perfect.

  She bumped her head against the couch a few times. What was wrong with her? She was not interested in Greyson.

  Except she was.

  No. It wasn’t interest. It was common lust. That was all. She was exhausted from being so responsible, and her defenses were down. She was weakened by all the adulting she’d been doing, and that weakness was making her see Greyson as desirable. That was it. End of story.

  But how could it be when he’d essentially offered to help her with her quest? She didn’t have to accept, but having him along would make things easier.

  Waffles climbed into her lap and pawed at her to pet him. She obliged, mindlessly running her nails down his back as her brain kept spinning.

  Greyson was right, too, that her father would be a lot happier if the vampire was involved. No doubt so Greyson could keep an eye on her and report back on what she was doing. Because what else did her father pay him for but to be her minder?

  She let out a frustrated sigh. She had no time for this right now. She had to get ready for work, and her current look wasn’t going to cut it.

  “Waffles, you want dinner?”

  He let out a chirp at the word dinner.

  “I thought so. Let’s get you fed, then Mama has to get moving. No work means no check, and no check means no Chicken Party.”

  He hopped down and looked back at her to be sure she was following. She let him lead her to the kitchen.

  At least she had one man in her life who thought she was all that.

  She got him fed, then dressed for work. Black leather tunic minidress with thigh-high black leather boots. Part of her hoped Greyson would show up at the club again. If he did, this outfit should remind him that she was not a lady who lunched, but a very powerful vampire.

  Just in case he’d forgotten.

  With a kiss to Waffles’s fluffy head, she headed out of her house and around to the main entrance of the club. She didn’t like to use the secret side entrance all the time, lest it stopped being a secret.

  She came through the main entrance and found her father on the club floor speaking with some guests. She waited until he was through, then greeted him. “Hi, Dad.”

  “Hi, Kora. How was your day?”

  Full of Greyson. But that wasn’t about to be her answer. “Good. Nothing exciting.”

  He nodded. “How’s the cat?”

  “He has a name, Dad.” She laughed. “Waffles is fine.”

  “Your grandmother expects to see you for dinner tomorrow night, since you didn’t make it tonight.”

  “Okay. Tell Mémé I’ll be there. Sundown?”

  “Sundown.”

  She tipped her head toward the entrance she’d just come through. “I’m going to run upstairs and check in with the doorman. You can go, though, if you want. I won’t be long.”

  “I’ll go up with you. Imari and your grandmother are waiting. We have tickets for the playhouse.”

  Together, they walked to the elevator. Kora pushed the call button.

  Hattie loved the theater. So much so that Lucien had become the new playhouse’s main sponsor. “What show are they putting on?”

  “My Fair Lady.”

  The doors opened, and they got on. Kora couldn’t see her father at a musical, but it was amazing what he’d endure for his wife and grandmother. Still, Kora couldn’t help but smirk. “Sounds like fun. Have a good time.”

  “Thanks.” He sighed. “The things I do…”

  She laughed. “I was just thinking that.”

  The doors opened, and they got out. He kissed her cheek. “Have a good night.”

  “You, too.”

  He gave Chet, who was at the door, a nod as he went past.

  Kora went to stand beside the bear shifter. “Evening.”

  “Evening, Ms. Dupree.”

  “How’s it been up here?”

  “Pretty regular. Same as always.”

  “Need anything?”

  “Nope, I’m good.” He grinned. “How’s the boy doing?”

  She smiled back. “Waffles is doing really well. In fact, I think I might get him a buddy.”

  Chet’s eyes lit up. “That would be nice. Everybody needs a friend.”

  “I suppose they do.” She just wasn’t sure she wanted hers to be Greyson. Not when her feelings toward him went beyond ordinary friendship.

  Greyson should have gone home from Kora’s, but he couldn’t. Not yet. Not while he was strung out on thoughts of her and restless with the need to do something, anything that wasn’t going home. He was wound up with the residual energy from the kiss. The kind of energy that needed using, or it would drive him mad.

  But he couldn’t figure out what he wanted to do, so he settled for parking and walking around town. People watching was always entertaining in Nocturne Falls. The distraction worked. He started to relax. He thought about going to Howler’s, but he’d just been there. He wanted something different.

  So he kept walking. And thinking. He forcibly turned his thoughts from Kora to the inscription on the lock
et. Had they missed something? Was there some small clue that they’d overlooked? A way to figure out which dragon’s hoard held the witch’s heart? How many dragon shifters were there in the world?

  The more he thought, the more impossible finding that witch’s heart seemed.

  Maybe the riddle was so vague because it was supposed to be unsolvable. But then, why leave a clue at all?

  He sighed and muttered to himself and almost ran into a few tourists, so after another hour of aimless wandering, he went into the closest restaurant that wasn’t Howler’s, found a seat at the bar, and ordered a pint.

  He was halfway through that pint when he really thought about where he was. The Poisoned Apple pub.

  The location suddenly seemed important, but he had no idea why. Maybe because he hadn’t been here in a long time? Maybe because his brain was working on something? What the connection was to the Poisoned Apple, he didn’t know. But it felt like being at the pub should register in some way. So he drank the rest of his pint and ordered another and kept thinking.

  As the second pint was delivered, he sensed the woman next to him wanted to talk. Or flirt. For reasons that had nothing to do with Kora, he wasn’t interested in that at all, so he pulled out his phone and pretended to be busy.

  But there was only so much social media he could take. So he switched over to his search engine and, on a whim, plugged in the words dragon’s hoard.

  He didn’t expect to learn much, but on the second page of results, his interest perked up.

  A pub in Ireland was called the Dragon’s Hoard. Had he known that? He’d spent a good many years in Ireland, enough that he still carried a slight lilt in his speech. Was that why being in a pub now had seemed relevant?

  He clicked through to the pub’s website and browsed through the photos and info. The place was old, which wasn’t so unusual for pubs. Or places in Ireland. It had all the markings of a typical pub. Dark wood, brass fixtures, dart boards. It also had dragons carved into the wood above the bar.

  Something else was carved into the wood, but he couldn’t quite make it out. He tapped the picture, then enlarged it with his fingers.