Pulling his mouth away, he closed the wound and thrust forward wildly. It only took two before he let out a roar of his own as he emptied his seed into Delaney.
“I love vampire clubs,” Delaney murmured as soon as Grigori gained the ability to hear again. It made him laugh as he continued to hold him close.
“Drunk, aren’t you?”
Grigori kissed his neck softly. “I like being drunk on you, Delsaurus Sex.”
“Grigori?”
“Yeah?”
“Is there like a shower or something in here?”
“Rub a dub, a vampire and a wizard in a tub,” Grigori responded as he fell into a round of giggles.
Delaney joined in his merriment, then melted Grigori’s heart. “Oh, Grigori…I love you.”
“I love you too,” he replied as another bubble of laughter worked its way out of him.
Chapter 38
Delaney grinned at his chortling mate. He and Grigori managed to locate a shower in their room. He doubted the spaces outside of those that belonged the Volkovs had such amenities, but he was glad Nikolai gave them every comfort of home. Slick with water and still-raging hormones, he and Grigori had come a second time surrounded by tiles. It relaxed him and worked the crimson crave out of his system. As for Grigori, it was a struggle to get his overly happy vampire back into his clothing. He was very handsy, and Delaney was half-hard when they were done.
To Grigori’s disgust, he hadn’t put the plug in again. Using a spot of magic, he sent it to the drawer next to their bed at the D’Vaire mansion. Then they headed to the table to rejoin their family. Delaney would be lying if he said it was not a little awkward that they all knew he just had sex, but he was pretty sure he only blushed for the first minute or so. They took a seat as Grigori laughed while telling really horrible jokes. The others sitting around them were handling it good-naturedly, and their smiling faces made him feel guilty.
He should have pushed to have a sentinel or duke with them, so Mac and Idris could avail themselves of the club’s niceties. There was no way Mac was going to shirk his duty of keeping an eye on them.
“What’s his problem?” Duff asked.
Delaney was relaxed enough that not even the Kellas cat shifter had much hope of annoying him. “The side effect of the magic in my blood is that it intoxicates my vampire.”
“I think it’s charming,” Idris said, always the supportive friend.
“I think it’s hilarious, sweetheart,” Mac countered. “We should record this and make him watch it when he’s not high on Del’s blood. Can you imagine his face?”
For some reason, that made Grigori laugh so hard he slapped his hand down on the table, which made everyone break out into chuckles.
“Is this as bad as it gets, or does he get worse if he drinks more?” Carter asked.
“He’ll get sillier, but he also gets sleepy when he has more blood,” Delaney replied.
“I need a drink,” Duff stated. “Del, come to the bar with me to get one. They’ll serve you right away because you’re a Volkov.”
“You can’t wait for the waitress?”
“This place has gotten really busy since we got here. She hasn’t come around in over thirty minutes,” Duff complained. “It’s right downstairs and across the room. Mac can see us from here. It won’t take long. Come on, we can get beers for everyone.”
Delaney let out a sigh, then stood up. “You guys want beers?”
“I’m not going to say no,” Idris responded.
Turning to Mac, Delaney said, “We’ll be right back.”
“No worries, Del. No one’s going to mess with one of the Volkovs. Let’s go.”
Duff walked away from the table, and Delaney followed in his wake. They wound down a circular staircase at the end of the balcony. It led them straight into the main area of Divine Ichor. There was a lot of skin and sexiness around him as he wound past couples and larger groups enjoying drinks as well as each other. Despite the crowded space, they were close to the bar within several minutes. They were nearly there when Duff bumped into a man and woman wrapped in each other’s arms.
The shifter didn’t break his stride to say he was sorry, which irritated Delaney. Since the bar was less than three feet away, he stopped next to the pair. “I’d like to apologize for my rude friend. He’s apparently missing the chip in his brain that keeps the rest of us from being jerks.”
“High Arcanist, we weren’t offended by your friend. We appreciate you taking the time to stop and speak to us to make sure we were not upset,” the male vampire said. Like all the other vampires Delaney knew, he was stunning—as was his companion.
“Welcome to the Vampyr Clutch, High Arcanist. We were so pleased to hear Lord Grigori met his mate. It’s such a boon to be able to boast of having a dark wizard amongst our people. I hope you don’t think me too forward, but I believe your collar is the most stunning I’ve ever seen,” the woman remarked.
Touched by the open friendliness and amazed that they weren’t put off by what he was, Delaney smiled. “Thank you very much. Lord Grigori did an excellent job of designing it. I’m glad you like it.”
Out of the corner of his eye, Delaney spotted Duff moving past the bar toward the back of the club and he mentally cursed. He was in no mood to deal with a troublemaker. Though he was enjoying his conversation, he was forced to excuse himself and give chase.
He called out Duff’s name but instead of stopping, the shifter picked up speed. More distance grew between them as Delaney deftly moved around the patrons while Duff didn’t care who he bumped into. He disappeared around a corner, and Delaney hoped to hell Mac understood he had no choice but to follow the shit.
Turning, he found himself in a hallway. Delaney was happy that in comparison to the rest of Divine Ichor it was illuminated fully, but he morphed right into pissed when he realized it was an exit. He shouted Duff’s name as the shifter headed for the door and shoved it open. A sense of dread washed over Delaney when he noticed two pairs of legs on either side. Someone had knocked out the security guards assigned to this entrance of the building. This time when he yelled out for Duff, there was panic in his voice. Delaney picked up speed, and that was when he sensed not only another wizard but someone who was resurrected—but this was no recognizable race.
As Delaney rushed out into the alleyway, a woman cursed as she tried to pin him in a magical bubble. Her power was nowhere at his level, so he shattered it without any trouble. Before he could retaliate, she shimmered from view. This time it was Duff who let out a stream of expletives. The second female, the one risen from the dead, charged toward Delaney. She was cloaked from head to ankles, but when a long wisp of red hair flew out of her hood, Delaney identified her with ease.
Seconds later, she was stopped dead in her tracks and wrapped in black chains, courtesy of Delaney. “Latarian, we’ve been looking for you,” he told her, then took one large step and reached back to punch Duff in the face hard enough to knock him onto the pavement. Delaney delighted in the thud his body made as it hit the ground and was immensely satisfied that either his fist or the fall shoved him into unconsciousness.
“Let me go,” Latarian demanded.
“Oh, yeah right,” Delaney retorted as he slid his phone out of his tight pants. He fired off a text to Mac so he would know where to find them. There was no worry about Latarian getting away; his magic could hold her until the end of time.
“You are dark just as I am, now that I have been resurrected. I could use your power. We could rule the world,” Latarian said to him.
“Barking up the wrong tree, lady. You hurt my family. I wouldn’t help you if you were the last fucking person on the planet,” Delaney drawled out as he waited. It didn’t take long for Mac and the others to find him. Grigori was leaning heavily against Carter and smiling like he didn’t have a care in the world. A group of vampires dressed in the security garb for the club were right behind him and went to check on their coworkers.
“Lat
arian,” Idris spat out when he got close. “It’s about damn time you tried to come for one of us. I knew you would. You’re not smart enough to know it’s time to move on. You were on a realm where no one could find you. Those elders made your life potentially endless, I can sense it. You could’ve lived there for eternity, but that wasn’t enough for you, was it?”
“Those elders. Disgraces, all of them. They were able to grant me immortality, but what about my grandfather? They ruined him. Made him a skeleton and gave neither of us power. We need power,” Latarian snarled back.
“Where are the elders? Where do we find the three necros who helped you two?” Mac asked.
“On the other side of the veil,” she replied, and there was delight in her voice. “Grandfather had to make them pay for their mistakes. They pleaded with us not to kill them, but it was necessary.”
“This bitch is crazy,” Carter remarked.
Grigori giggled, then stood up straight. “Delsaurus, get over here. That’s Latarian, and she’s going to try and hurt you.”
Smiling at the man he adored, Delaney walked over and slung an arm around his waist. Grigori mirrored his actions and burrowed into his side.
“Idris, we are good friends. You would not wish to see me hurt,” Latarian pleaded.
“You used me. You hurt me, and you need to pay for what you’ve done to Dra’Kaedan, Renny, and Gedeon,” Idris shot back.
Mac glanced down at his phone and smiled just as Reverent Knight Drystan and Reverent Knight Conley Gylde-Kempe teleported into view only a few feet behind Latarian.
“Latarian, we’ve been looking all over for you,” Conley said in a syrupy sweet voice. “It’s so good to finally meet you.”
“Del, can you free her hands so I can cuff her?” Drystan asked.
“Kinky stuff,” Grigori shouted; then he laughed so hard he almost toppled over.
“You got that man blood-drunk, didn’t you?” Conley asked with a knowing grin.
“I fully accept all responsibility.”
“What happened to Duff?” Drystan inquired. Delaney filled the leaders of the Order of the Fallen Knights in on the events which led them into the alley.
“I knew he could be an asshat, but I didn’t realize he was evil too,” Idris stated. His jaw clenched, and the same rage that bubbled through him infused Delaney. They were friends and family. Duff comprehended all the things Latarian did to the D’Vaires and somehow, he was able to put that all aside and help her.
“Why was I the one Duff lured out here?” Delaney demanded.
“Wizards are clearly not as smart as witches. I need dark magic. I was going to have yours and have my revenge on the D’Vaires at the same time,” Latarian responded.
“I’m not the idiot in chains, and our power is incapable of being mixed. Not only are you undead, but you were a warlock in life, not a wizard. It was never possible to combine our magic, but somehow I’m the moron here,” Delaney retorted. “How’d you and Duff get into contact?”
“Do you honestly believe I will stand here and answer your ridiculous questions?” Latarian replied. “I shall not. I demand to know where my grandfather is being held hostage.”
“No worries, I’m going to take you to the same prison he’s being held in,” Conley told her. “Good news, he’s almost fully corporeal.”
“Hey maybe if you’re nice to them, the fallen knights will let you attend his execution,” Carter commented.
“Shifters, such horrid creatures,” Latarian remarked. She lowered her head toward the still-unconscious Duff. “I have always hated them. I should have known better than to trust any of their kind.”
Conley finished his task and stood up. “Lady, I’m not only your worst undead nightmare, I’m also a shifter, so I’d suggest you keep your disparaging remarks to yourself.”
“Is this where I should be afraid?” she asked in an overly bright tone. “You will all pay for hurting my grandfather and me.”
“Let’s go. We’ve got a lot to talk about. I want to know all about your wizard friend. Let me guess? Consilium Veneficus?” Conley responded.
“I had my reservations at the start, but their government is a great deal better than your own,” she commented haughtily.
“Del, unwind her so we can take her down to headquarters,” Drystan instructed. Though there was a portion of him that wished to use the chains to squeeze the life from her, he obeyed. Venerable Knight Arvandus Ruarc-Daray and Skeleton Lord Albrecht shimmered into view as several SUVs full of fallen knights pulled up.
Together the Reverent Knights, Arvandus, and Albrecht loaded up the two criminals, waved, and sped off. The other men assisted the still-prone security guards, and Delaney was sure they would spend hours picking over the crime scene. Delaney’s little group would be asked to go to headquarters to be interviewed to go over every detail of their encounter with the infamous Latarian.
Silence fell over Delaney and his family as they all processed the events of the last several minutes. Delaney could not believe he’d gone from blistering hot sex to capturing the one woman who was the bane of his family’s existence since before he’d walked through the double doors. It was stunning, and his brain was still catching up with his adrenaline.
Then Grigori’s voice, soft and sad, flowed around them. “Oh no,” he lamented. “She got away again.”
“No, this time it really is the end. She’s finally going to pay for everything she’s done,” Idris responded.
“Okay, good. She was a real bitch,” Grigori commented. Delaney wasn’t sure if it was the snootiness rarely heard from the vampire or the words themselves, but all the D’Vaire men burst into a cleansing bout of delighted laughter.
“Work’s done, let’s head home,” Mac said when he got his mirth under control.
“I wouldn’t say all your work is done,” Idris muttered as they headed for the door.
“Sweetheart, you’re never work,” Mac remarked with a pat to Idris’s ass. Delaney held on tight to his vampire as he helped him put one foot in front of another. He couldn’t wait to get home and tell everyone they no longer had to watch every step. They could walk into the future without looking back. The Latarian and Carvallius chapters of their lives were finally truly and irrevocably over.
Chapter 39
Reverent Knight Drystan Gylde-Kempe walked into the interrogation room with his mate on his heels. The man inside glanced up and although his broken nose, courtesy of Delaney, had healed, there were still pale shadows of bruises under his eyes, which were full of fear. Drystan was confident that they could get Duff Cominsky to talk about how he found himself helping the woman who spent over six hundred years using Dra’Kaedan as a conduit, then nearly killing him twice. He set his coffee down on the table as Conley swung a chair around backward, so he could straddle it.
“Kind of strange, us hanging out like this, isn’t it?” Conley asked. Drystan wanted to smile at the forced good humor flowing out of his other half, but a stern face would be more intimidating to the teenage shifter.
“I don’t have to talk to you guys. My brother’s the Kellas cat alpha. You have to let me call him so I can go home.”
Drystan lifted one dark brow. “I wasn’t aware you had any siblings, Duff. In fact, I’ve got a copy of your sanctuary application, courtesy of the D’Vaires, and it clearly states that you’re an only child with deceased parents.”
“Dugan Cominsky, that’s my brother. I get to call him. I watch a lot of television and I know my rights.”
“Apparently you’ve been watching human shows,” Conley said, then gave him a Cheshire grin. “Here’s how it works in the Council of Sorcery and Shifters. We have no treaty with the Consilium Veneficus. I’m guessing the Kellas cats belong to them, so I don’t have to let you do shit. I can put you in a cage for the rest of your life if I want, and there isn’t a damn thing you can do about it. So, I’d suggest if you ever want to see the light of day again, you better start talking.”
; “Is that true?” Duff asked Drystan. Clearly, he trusted him to tell the truth, and Conley was scaring the crap out of him. The interrogation could not have started any better. Then again, it was not usually all that difficult to intimidate a teenager.
“I’m afraid so. No matter what, you’re going to have to face justice for the role you played in the attempted kidnapping of High Arcanist Delaney Volkov-D’Vaire. If you cooperate, that’ll go a long way toward shortening your sentence. I don’t get to decide your punishment. A Juris Knight will be randomly assigned to do that,” Drystan said.
“Unless we turn your ass over to the Sentinel Brotherhood. Guess who’s in charge of deciding punishments over there?” Conley asked as Duff shrank back away from him. “You already know, don’t you? Skeleton Lord Gavrael and Skeleton Lord Gedeon D’Vaire sign off on all of them. I’m sure they’d lock you in chains until you were nothing more than a pile of bones for what you’ve done to their family. I have to say I think it’s probably a justifiable sentence, so it wouldn’t impugn their honor in any way.”
Drystan didn’t say anything. He waited for Duff to decide how he much he was going to say. The silence stretched as he clenched his fists and stared down at his sneakers. Then he pushed his chair closer to the table. His gaze was resolute but wary. “What do you guys want to know?”
“Let’s start with you. Tell me about your brother,” Drystan suggested.
“He’s okay, I guess. We used to have a real good relationship. As our leader he has a lot of duties, but we used to hang out whenever he had time.”
“What happened to your folks?” Conley asked.
“I didn’t lie about them. They died, but I was a baby, so I don’t remember them. Dugan raised me. My dad got caught stealing from another group of shifters, and they killed him. My mom died of heartsickness.”
Becoming D'Vaire (D'Vaire, Book 11) Page 31
