Wicked Nights

by Nina Bangs

  Eric joined Donna at the bed. “I’ve borrowed the castle van for the night. It doesn’t have windows, so if Donna drives I can get to the restaurant with minimum damage from the daylight. I made reservations at a restaurant where I know the owner. He’s set aside a table in a corner away from any windows and hopefully not too close to other diners.” He glanced at his watch again. “I’ve done my part, Asima. Now tell me how you intend to get yourself into the restaurant and opera house.”

  “I’d say this is the most bizarre thing I’ve ever done in my life, but hey, I just came back from romping naked on a cloud, so I guess it’s a toss-up.” Donna made slitty-eyes at Eric. He sat across the restaurant table from her trying not to laugh, because even one snicker would end his immortal life. “Is anyone staring? Tell me no one is staring.”

  Eric glanced around the restaurant. “Not now. But a few minutes ago—”

  “Give me a piece of Eric’s fish.” Asima’s hissed demand probably interrupted something Donna didn’t want to know.

  Donna reached over and stabbed a piece of the fish on Eric’s plate with satisfying viciousness. She lifted it toward her mouth but changed directions at the last moment. Without taking her death glare from Eric—just in case he thought he’d laugh when she wasn’t looking—she rerouted the fork to a spot beside her right ear. “I can’t believe I’m wearing a cat as an accessory.”

  Asima delicately removed the fish from the fork, chewed, and swallowed before answering. “Stop complaining and admit it’s a brilliant idea. I drape myself around your neck like those unfortunate little animals I’ve seen some women wearing. Truly gruesome and never attractive, I might add. And then I just make sure I cover my face with my paws so no one knows I’m a cat. Voilà, I don’t get a second glance.”

  A smile escaped Eric’s iron control. “Our waitress gave you three or four glances.” He aimed his smile at Donna. “And congrats on the quick thinking, talk-show lady. When she asked what ‘it’ was, your creativity blew me away. Imagine. You have one of the first fake corimanki furs, and New York women are fighting each other for them. The corimanki, as in a small just-been-discovered mammal from an uninhabited region of Scandinavia, is the latest trend in neck decoration. Your mind is a scary thing.”

  Donna scowled as she glanced around and then fed her furry necklace more fish. “I bet she goes online and Googles corimanki as soon as she hits her front door. At least she didn’t recognize me, so she can’t track the lie back to my doorstep.”

  “We’d better get going if you want to catch the beginning of the opera.” His grim expression said he’d rather roll around naked in a pile of garlic cloves than sit through La Traviata.

  After Eric paid for their meal, she followed him while loud whispers of “corimanki” trailed her to the door. It was growing dark out, but Eric still had to run for the van. Once inside, Donna followed his directions as she drove to the Grand 1894 Opera House. The drive didn’t take long, but she filled the silence with not so subtle threats of what would happen if Asima even twitched during the performance.

  “I won’t move.” Purr. “I’ll simply soak in the wonder of the music.” Purr. “It’s a tragic story, and I always cry at the end, but not tonight.” Purr. “Tonight I’ll be as quiet as a mouse.” Purr. “ Although, come to think of it, mice aren’t all that quiet. Especially when you catch them by their tails.” Purrrr.

  Jeez, she’d had enough. “For crying out loud, stop purring in my ear.” Donna let Eric off at the front of the building, so he wouldn’t have far to walk in the fading light, and then parked the van. “Now, from this moment on, no sounds. A noisy accessory will attract attention.”

  Asima covered her face with her paws. “Cross my heart. Of course, I haven’t had any contact with my heart lately, so I don’t know how much of an impact that will have on—”

  “Just shut up.” Oops. Think before putting mouth in motion. Nearby people turned to look at her, and then fixed their gazes on her most obvious fashion statement. She smiled weakly. “Corimanki.”

  Once she joined Eric in the lobby, they made their way to their seats. Asima had bought tickets for the first level in the middle section. At least they were at ground level and on an aisle in case they had to make a fast getaway. “This is a beautiful place.”

  “It’s the Official Opera House of Texas. It survived the 1900 hurricane that just about leveled everything on Galveston Island.” Asima moved one paw away from her eye to peer at Donna. “I’m so happy that I can share this with you.”

  Surprised, Donna admitted her unconventional semifriendship with Asima kind of made her feel good, too. She glanced around at the many tiers of boxes and the two higher balcony levels. The opera house had a warm Old-World charm.

  “Maybe you’d like to visit a few opera houses in Italy.” Eric placed his hand on her knee and slid his fingers smoothly up the exposed length of her outer thigh.

  She thought about her most recent field trip above the clouds. “Sounds cool. But dressed. Definitely dressed.”

  He leaned toward her, and his wicked smile had her thinking that maybe La Traviata would be a great experience after all.

  “Oh, I don’t know. Naked in Italy isn’t a bad place to be. You’d be a goddess there.”

  “Goddess? Someone mentioned me?” The whisper came from behind them.

  Donna turned her head to meet the interested stare of Sparkle Stardust. “You like opera?”

  “I like many things, sister.” She leaned closer. “Tell me you’re not wearing a cat around your neck. We have to do lunch tomorrow and talk fashion, because you so need my help.” Sparkle paused to narrow her gaze on Asima as the music began. “Is this the telepathic cat you talked about on your show? An opera lover. How . . . improbable. Who would’ve thought.” She didn’t try to hide her amusement.

  Beside Donna’s ear, Asima’s angry hiss sounded like escaping steam. “And who would’ve thought sex-obsessed one-dimensional candy-store owners would have an interest in anything cultural. Especially one with such pitiful taste. Trying to look sexy by wearing a sleazy top that plunges to your navel is so . . . so . . .” Asima struggled for exactly the right word. “Insecure. Someone truly comfortable with their sexuality wouldn’t need to expose their bodies to feel sensual.”

  Whoa. Donna widened her eyes as she glanced at Eric. He returned her look, his expression uneasy. So that meant he was hearing Asima, too. Panicked, she glanced around and then sighed her relief. No one else seemed to be picking up on Asima’s chatter.

  The music swelled as Donna waited fearfully for Sparkle’s wrath to fall on Asima. Luckily, they’d turned the lights down and the audience was into the performance, because Asima had removed her paws from her face and turned to glare at Sparkle from gleaming blue eyes.

  Donna could feel Sparkle’s sharp exhalation on her neck as she went nose to nose with the cat.

  “How many sensual techniques to bring people together have you racked up over the years? Oh, wait, I know the answer to that one. None. You might be able to name every freakin’ opera in the world, but you don’t know squat about sexual attraction. My minion, Deimos, is a virgin, but he could probably teach you a few things.” Sparkle dug her fingers into the back of Donna’s seat. “Damn, now look what you’ve done. I broke a nail. How can I enjoy the rest of the show with a broken nail?” Sparkle had kept most of her rant to a furious whisper, but the discovery of her broken nail raised her volume to a stricken wail.

  Donna winced, but she put her growing panic on pause for a moment to wonder where Asima and Sparkle had met before. Two strangers wouldn’t go at each other like that.

  Asima was vibrating with fury. “Slut queen!” Evidently she’d decided to abandon cultured behavior in favor of rolling around in the mud with Sparkle.

  “Goddess gofer!” Obviously Sparkle’s ultimate put-down.

  A chorus of shushes from the surrounding audience put a halt to Sparkle’s insults that were rapidly rising in volume to compete
with the tenor on stage. The shushes also subdued Asima, because she quickly put her paws over her face again.

  What was a goddess gofer, and what did it have to do with Asima? Donna continued to watch the show, but she couldn’t get rid of the feeling that she needed to know a lot more about Asima and Sparkle.

  Donna didn’t worry about Asima and Sparkle long, though, because Eric continued to do arousing things with his amazingly talented fingers. It was a good thing the opera house was darkened or else the audience might wonder at her glazed eyes and dazed expression. Then again, they’d probably chalk it up to her reaction to the emotional tragedy being played out on the stage.

  Emotions were running pretty high in seat L12, too. Eric had transferred his attention to her inner thigh, walking his fingers under her dress and applying pressure to her go-spot through her panties. She’d worn black panties when she should’ve worn no panties. Donna made a mental note—no panties—for the next time she attended an event with Eric that included wearing a dress.

  Her sexual pressure built along with the escalating drama of the opera. Any minute now she’d pop her cork, leap to her feet, and scream her own personal climax, which in no way coincided with the opera’s climax. This would not be a good thing and would alienate opera fans everywhere. To distract her need to do any popping, she concentrated on returning Eric’s caresses by sliding her fingers up his thigh and drawing circles on his growing interest. Anything he could do, she could do better. Sometimes.

  Donna had forgotten about Asima. A mistake. The opera’s dying Violetta was singing her tragic last song when Asima took her paws from her face. Tears filled her huge expressive eyes and . . .

  Oh. My. God. No! Donna attempted to clap her hand over the cat’s open mouth, but she was too late. Asima broke into song. She probably knew every word and note, but unfortunately she was in Siamese form. Someone had told Donna once that a Siamese’s voice was distinct and never-to-be-forgotten. No kidding. She pressed her hands over her ears, but nothing could drown it out. It was the sound of a baby crying at full volume magnified ten times.

  People turned to glare. Donna grinned weakly. Now would be a good time for the floor to open so she could disappear. She only had the presence of mind to pull the shoulder of her dress over Asima’s head. Asima didn’t miss a note.

  Uh-oh. Eric winced. Damn cat. Two objectives. Think of an excuse for the people gaping at them and get the hell out of there. He reached into his pocket, pulled out his cell phone, and tried to look sheepish. Which was tough, because he’d never been a sheepish kind of man or vampire.

  “Sorry. Our first kid. Thought it’d be cute to hear little Elise crying instead of a regular ring.” From the looks he was getting, no one else thought little Elise’s crying was cute. He grabbed Donna’s hand and hauled her up the aisle. By the time they burst from the opera house, Asima had wound down.

  “I’m so sorry, guys. I just lost control. The passion and beauty of the music washed over me and carried me to another place. It was a wonderful night.” She paused to consider how wonderful it had been. “Except for Sparkle. But she was only a blip on my happiness screen.”

  Eric was winding up to deliver another blip to her happiness screen when his cell phone rang, for real this time. He dug it from his jacket pocket.

  A few minutes later he stood staring numbly into the darkness.

  “What’s wrong?” Donna touched his arm.

  Even in this moment filled with fury and guilt, he realized her touch comforted him in a way he’d never expected. “I underestimated Taurin. Foolish of me. He never meant to take you. He made us think you were his target, when it was Conall all along.”

  “Conall? What’s happened to Conall?” Asima’s voice held a note of fear he hadn’t heard before.

  He raced for the van while Donna tried to keep pace. Asima clung to Donna’s shoulder, for once silenced. “That was Holgarth on the phone. They’d begun a new fantasy, but when it was time for Brynn and Conall to do their thing, Brynn realized that Conall wasn’t in the hall. They’d just plugged someone in to take Conall’s place when Holgarth got a call from Taurin.”

  Eric climbed into the driver’s seat and waited while Donna climbed in beside him. Heedless of speed limits, he burned rubber leaving the parking lot and sped toward Seawall Boulevard.

  “Where’s Conall?” The fear was gone from Asima’s voice, and in its place was a strange ferocity.

  Eric didn’t have time to puzzle over Asima’s unusual interest in Conall. “Taurin said he’d taken Conall, just as I’d taken him. I don’t know how he caught Conall off guard, but that’s not important now. He said Conall would stay alive until I came for him.”

  “Conall represents your brother, so Taurin’s setting up the same scenario you guys played out before, only he thinks he’s in control this time.” Donna sounded worried. “Where does Taurin have him, and how’re we going to free Conall?”

  “He’s holed up in a beach house on the west side of the island.” We. Donna had only known them a few days, and yet she was willing to put her safety on the line to help rescue Conall. Even with fear for Conall clogging his throat, he silently applauded his talk-show lady. Eric had been a Viking warrior and a Highlander. He admired courage and loyalty. Donna would be a fitting mate for a warrior to ride into battle beside.

  “If Taurin told Holgarth where he was holding Conall, why don’t you fly there instead of driving? What about the police? Maybe they could help.” She lifted Asima from her shoulder and set her between the seats. “And what about you, Asima? Can’t you just sort of, I don’t know, beam yourself there?”

  “Can’t do.” Eric prayed to whatever deities might have him tuned in right now that no cops tried to stop him for speeding. He turned onto Seawall Boulevard and floored it. “I can’t fly in my human form. I’d have to shape-shift into my great gray owl form. That would take time, and around here it might attract some attention. The cops? They’d try to handle it like a normal hostage situation, but they wouldn’t have a clue how to handle a vampire with Taurin’s power.”

  “I don’t ‘beam’ places. I can break down my molecular structure and transfer it to another place, but that won’t do much good if I don’t know where I’m going.” Asima had calmed down enough to wash her face. “Besides, Conall will be safe until Eric reaches him.”

  She didn’t say it, but Eric got the feeling Asima wouldn’t be standing on the sidelines. He frowned. He didn’t need anyone trying to help and instead putting Conall in more danger. But he’d deal with Asima when the time came.

  “Conall’s really like a brother to you, isn’t he?” She reached over and stroked his arm.

  “Yeah.” Funny how her touch assured him that she completely understood the bond he had with Conall. “I’ve lived among humans for most of my life, so I didn’t dare form many long-term friendships. People notice when you stay twenty-nine for thirty years. Brynn, Conall, and I are all immortal, so we share a lot of the same experiences. In the time we’ve worked at the castle, we’ve become good friends. I don’t have so many friends that I can afford to lose one.” He’d left the seawall behind and was now driving toward the less populated west end of the island.

  They completed the rest of the trip in silence. When he finally found the address Holgarth had given him and parked in front of the small boarded-up beach house, Eric’s anger was running high. He’d stripped away his civilized face. He’d wear his Viking face tonight, and Taurin wouldn’t live to threaten anyone else Eric cared for.

  Eric had barely stopped the van before Donna got out and Asima leaped to the ground beside her. He joined them. “Look, don’t you think everyone would be better off if both of you stayed in the van?” He knew better than to tell Donna he was trying to keep her safe. He sensed safe would be a trigger word for her.

  “No.” Their answers were simultaneous.

  That settled that. He didn’t have time to argue with them. Besides, he had a feeling he couldn’t keep Asima
from doing whatever she damn well pleased. Brynn’s car was parked in front of the van. They walked together up the driveway and around to the back of the house. Brynn and Holgarth waited there for them.

  “Holgarth?” Somehow Eric had expected the wizard to stay at the castle to keep things running.

  Holgarth allowed himself a long-suffering sigh. “I closed the fantasies for the rest of the night. What else could I do? Someone with good sense and a military background should be here to organize the rescue.”

  Eric raised one brow. “A military background?”

  Holgarth cast him a withering stare. “I advised Napoleon during some of his more spectacular victories. I was pre-Waterloo, of course. Wizards have a variety of talents.”

  “Napoleon?” Donna looked at Holgarth, her eyes wide with shock. “How old are you?”

  Holgarth offered her a superior smile. “Very, very old, child. I would expect you to show the proper respect for one of my age and wisdom.”

  “Yeah, sure.” She turned to Eric. “Let’s get this rescue going.”

  “No. I’ll take care of Taurin.” Eric moved to Brynn’s side. “Anything I should know?”

  Brynn turned to look at Eric, and for the first time since meeting him, Eric saw the demon that was Brynn. His eyes glowed golden in the darkness, but Eric sensed no warmth. Brynn’s eyes were so cold Eric had to suppress an involuntary shudder. The demon’s eyes promised that if anything happened to Conall or him, Brynn would hunt Taurin down and destroy him.

  Brynn turned his attention back to the house. “I haven’t seen anyone on the beach since we got here, and the nearby houses probably belong to weekenders. Anyway, no one’s home. So maybe we can pull this off without an audience.” He raked his fingers through his hair as he glanced at Donna and Asima. “We already have too many here.” He returned his attention to Eric and grinned, but the demon still shown from his eyes. “Maybe that’s good, though, because no way will Taurin get past all of us.”