by F. E. Heaton
"It is too big for you,” he said, his voice sounding a little better. “We need to get you something that is more your style."
She nodded and held the jacket out to him. He stood without assistance and she slipped the right sleeve carefully into place and then eased the left one up his arm. She drew it closed across his chest and ran her fingers down it while she tried to shut down the raw emotions that were running unchecked through her.
"There,” she said, biting back her tears. “You look better already."
She frowned when she saw that her amulet was glowing red again. Her fingers were resting against his chest still and the tiny ribbons of magic were twisting around her fingers and then disappearing through his jacket.
"It still tickles,” he said.
Her head shot up and she looked into his eyes, wishing that she could do what the magic wanted her to but knowing that she couldn't. She didn't have the strength right now. She would pass out before she'd half healed him.
"It wants me to...” she trailed off.
"I know. Destroying the Aurorea safe house has drained you. I have had much practice in dealing with pain. Now that I know relief is coming, I will be fine.” He placed his hand over hers and the magic changed course. It threaded around his fingers, joining their hands.
"You need blood. You didn't take much at the mansion."
"You needed it more than me,” he said and sat down again, releasing her hand.
She stared at it, watching the magic change back to a dark purple and eventually disappear completely.
They both needed blood. She glanced at the open door and the cemetery outside. It was getting late, but there would still be a few people roaming the streets. St. Petersburg had a few clubs that were probably turning people out right about now. If she was too late to catch them, she could probably catch one of the people who worked in them.
"Stay here. Get some rest.” She stepped forwards and hesitated for a second before pressing a kiss to his forehead. When she drew back, he had his eyes closed. She turned to leave when he reopened them.
"Prophecy,” he said and caught her hand.
Looking over her shoulder, she couldn't miss the serious look in his eyes. He stood again, his grip on her hand tightening.
"What is it?” she said with a frown. He didn't say anything. She followed his lead when he pulled her towards him.
"Thank you.” He drew her close to him until she had to look up in order to hold his gaze. Her eyelids dropped when he brought his mouth down and his lips moved gently against hers.
When he released her, she still had her eyes closed and her mouth was wide open. Her lips curved into a smile and she slowly opened her eyes. He was smiling at her, his eyes showing all the love he held for her. It was a relief to see something other than pain in them.
Tiptoeing, she pressed a light kiss to his lips and smiled while she walked out of the door. She dragged it shut behind her and ran over the kiss again in her head. It was the most comforting thing she'd ever felt and she couldn't stop smiling now. It was so good to have him back with her. Now she felt as though she could take on the world and win. Now she felt strong.
She walked out of the cemetery gates and ran down towards the centre of the city. It wouldn't be light for a few hours, but the nights were beginning to grow short as the season began to change. She didn't know how the vampires in these parts coped with the summer when it was light nearly twenty-four hours a day.
The streets were relatively empty and she slowed to a walk as she entered the heart of the city. The only people she had seen on her way here were the odd worker or drunk. She couldn't bring a drunken person back for Valentine. It would do nothing for him. She needed strong blood for both him and her. She needed young blood.
She grinned when she turned a corner and spotted someone locking a door.
Young male blood.
Stopping in the middle of the empty road, she arranged her top so she appeared more alluring, fixed her hair up and smoothed her clothes. When he finished shutting up the club, he looked over his shoulder at her. She smiled and twirled a strand of hair around her finger.
He said something in Russian and a broad smile tilted the corners of his lips.
She continued to smile. She didn't have a clue what he'd said, but judging by his body language, it hadn't been a brush off.
He walked towards her, nodding in her direction and saying something else. It sounded like a garbled mess to her. She shrugged when he looked as though he was waiting for an answer and blinked languidly.
"I don't speak Russian,” she said with a giggle. She wished he'd get a move on.
When he moved closer to her, she backed off a few steps and raised her hand, crooking her finger at him. She let go of her hair and trailed her other finger down her neck.
He frowned when he looked at it and she realised that the number of scars on her throat were probably keeping his attention there. She coughed delicately and brought her hand up until he started following it again. She ran it downwards, parting her shirt with it and then cursing his eyes as they got stuck on the star on her chest.
He muttered something in his deep voice again and she sighed. Maybe the drunk would have been the better option. This man was starting to get irritating. She had half a mind to kill him right now but dragging a body through the street would draw unwanted attention to herself.
She looked him over. He probably thought she was just some naughty little girl, but he didn't know the full extent of her wickedness. She stopped walking backwards, letting him close the gap between them. With his dark hair and eyes, he reminded her of Dmitri. He was wearing a dark blue shirt and black tie. She caught hold of the tie and smiled up at him, luring him closer. She stared deep into his eyes, trying to keep his attention there.
There was one language she could speak that transcended all boundaries.
She ran her nails down his chest, keeping her eyes locked with his, and then brought her mouth up close to his. He leaned closer to her. There wasn't even the tiniest trace of alcohol on his breath. It didn't matter. He'd be putty in her hand any second now.
Stepping closer to him, she grazed her hips against his and smiled into his eyes. He smiled back. Inside, she grinned.
Keeping hold of his tie, she led him back up the hill towards the cemetery. She didn't stop him when he walked up behind her, his hands coming to rest on her hips. He probably thought it was his lucky night. He couldn't have been more wrong.
She rolled her eyes when he pulled the collar of her shirt aside and pressed clumsy kisses to her shoulder and neck while she continued to walk. She hated the feeling of his lips against her skin and wanted to shove him away from her, but it would only make him leave and she needed him.
He slowed down when he saw the cemetery and she turned to face him, walking backwards again. She tugged on his tie, giggling and smiling at him, crooking her finger so he continued to follow her. He raised a brow and then grinned. He probably thought she was being kinky. Well, if he liked kinky, he was going to get a nice surprise when she got him to the crypt. There were some people in the world who would pay to be bitten by a vampire, she wondered if he was one of them. People were twisted.
She let go of his tie and skipped ahead of him, giggling and laughing. There was only so much more of this she could take. He seemed to be swallowing the bait quite well. Hopefully that wouldn't change when he saw where she was taking him. Once inside, Valentine would take control, but there was no way she was letting him have all the fun.
She wanted this kill as badly as he did.
Kicking the door to the crypt open, she raised her brows and smiled seductively. She leaned back against the doorframe, letting the man kiss her neck again and holding him so he didn't get the impression that something was wrong. She pushed him backwards, forcing him into the crypt, and then closed the door behind them. Advancing on him, she fluttered her eyelashes when he said something in Russian and stepped towards her. She flexed her
fingers, her breathing turning heavy and her fangs itching to descend now that she was so close to killing him.
She listened for a sign of Valentine in the dark crypt and felt him on the edge of her senses. Guiding the man backwards by pressing her hands against his chest, she ignored his muttered words and ran her fingers upwards. She grinned in the darkness and switched into her vampire guise. Her senses immediately sharpened, bringing the man into focus again. He still didn't look worried.
A noise echoed through the crypt.
She smiled at the low growl and let her own rumble through her chest.
Now the man looked worried.
Valentine appeared behind him and a thrill ran through her when she saw his fingers grasp the man's arms, pinning them against his sides. She tensed and bit her lip when Valentine sank his fangs into the man's neck. He tried to scream but she pressed her hand against his mouth, shaking her head as she did so. She watched Valentine feeding and her senses hummed with delight when she caught the scent of the blood. She stepped closer to them, her body burning with the desire to taste the warm liquid, but she knew better than to feed off another vampire's kill without permission. Licking her lips, she snarled at Valentine when he growled at her, and then smiled when he released the man's arm and beckoned her. She adjusted her hand so it was still covering the man's mouth and bit down hard on the other side of his throat. The second his blood filled her mouth, she moaned and tightly gripped his arm, digging her fingers it. It was divine to taste such fresh, pure blood after having to drink bagged blood for so many days. She let go of the man's mouth, clawing at his chest and snarling while she sank her teeth in deeper. She wanted more.
Drinking deeply, she listened to the petrified thrum of the man's heart. It drove her on, making her stomach tighten and desire flood her veins. She ran her hand up to his shoulder near Valentine, and then buried her fingers into Valentine's hair. He growled but it didn't stop her. He wasn't threatening her. He was enjoying this kill as much as she was.
When the man's heart faltered and stopped, she released him. His body dropped to the floor when Valentine did the same. She stared across the body at Valentine, looking straight into his eyes. He licked his lips and her eyes dropped there, her breathing still heavy with passion and her whole being humming with pleasure. She stepped across the carcass and ran her hands over his chest.
His eyes moved to her mouth and she parted her lips, inviting him in. He growled, sneered and dragged her up against him. She moaned into his mouth as he crushed her lips in a deep kiss, his claws digging into her sides while he held her. Wrapping her arms about his neck, she kissed him back, pouring out her passion and letting her desire build to a crescendo.
He drew back and stared into her eyes, and then at her neck. She obeyed his silent command and pulled her hair away from it, exposing it to him.
Lowering her right hand, she let it hover over the deep stab wound on his chest and caught his gaze.
"It will hurt. I can't do anything about that, but I can show you something to take your mind off it,” she said.
"Show me what you let me see the last time.” His voice was low and heavy with desire. A thrill ran through her.
She nodded.
He snarled and she moaned when his teeth sliced into her neck. His hands splayed out against her back, holding her still while he drank from her. She closed her eyes, feeding off the pleasure his kiss gave her and the feeling of blood rushing around her veins. Focusing on her magic, she took a few deep breaths to prepare herself for the drain of healing him and remembered what he'd said. She'd show him exactly what he'd seen the last time she'd healed him, but she knew this time was going to hurt a lot more. There was so much she had to heal.
Knitting her brows, she pressed her hand hard into his chest and grimaced when the magic flowed through her, making her head light and her stomach spin. She struggled to keep her focus when Valentine bit down harder and growled. She knew he was hurting, but she couldn't stop now. Holding his head against her neck, she rested her cheek against his and willed the magic to do its work faster.
His claws sank deeper into her side and she whimpered in pain. Looking down at his neck, she saw the lacerations there begin to heal. It was working. She concentrated harder, letting the magic flow into him until her head spun and the room turned with it. She pushed backwards, feeling too drained and weak to continue. She smiled when Valentine removed his teeth from her neck and held her to him, supporting her when her tired legs couldn't. He picked her up, carrying her across the room to the corner and placed her down. She could barely keep her eyes open. She curled up on the floor and then smiled when he lay down behind her and drew her close to him so her back was flush against his chest. He licked her neck gently, sealing the wound he'd placed there, and wrapped his arm about her.
She shuffled into a more comfortable position, using his upper arm as a pillow, and sighed when she breathed him in.
It was so good to have him back again.
There was so much to tell him.
There was so much that they had to do.
He placed his hand over hers and interlocked fingers with her. She raised his hand and pressed a kiss to it.
First, she was going to sleep.
Then they'd save the world.
Chapter 15
Valentine's eyes fluttered open and he stared at the ceiling. He breathed heavily, telling himself that the vision of pain and torture he'd just awoken from had been nothing more than a nightmare. He was free now. She had freed him. He looked across at Prophecy where she was still curled up next to him. She was beautiful when she was asleep. She was beautiful when she was awake too. He sighed and extricated his arm from underneath her. It was still an hour or so until the sun set. She wouldn't wake for a while. Rolling onto his side, he ran his fingers lightly through her hair and watched her sleeping. It had taken so much energy for her to rescue and then heal him. He'd felt a little jealous when he'd watched her come in with the man, but he knew in his heart that she had done it for his sake. She loved him.
He pressed a kiss to her forehead and then got to his feet.
Looking at the body, he realised it would probably be a good time to hide it. He stretched, rolling his shoulders and flexing his fingers. It was amazing how she was able to completely heal his body with her magic. It had been more painful this time, but the vision she'd fed him had gone some way to alleviate the hurt. A part of him had wanted to fulfil that vision the moment she'd pushed away from him, but she'd looked so tired and on the verge of collapse that it would have been a bad idea. Besides, there were better places to make love than a dank crypt. He could think of a million.
He shook his head, pushing away the romantic notions and focusing on the task at hand.
Disposing of the body.
The man hadn't been bad looking. He wondered where Prophecy had found him. She had been quick to find a victim but that hadn't surprised him. A pretty woman like her could easily hunt, just like he found it easy. Good looks were a distinct advantage to a vampire. Luring your victim was much easier than having to attack one. Humans were so gullible.
He shuddered when he remembered the taste of the man on her neck and told himself that she had probably hated the man doing that to her as much as he did. Her neck belonged to him. She was his.
Grabbing the dead man by the ankle, he dragged him towards one of the stone boxes that housed the inhabitants of the crypt. He pushed the heavy lid off and dumped the body on top of the bones inside. Lifting the lid again, he placed it back on and made sure it was square before dusting his hands off.
"What are you doing?” A sleepy voice drifted across to him.
"Tidying up,” he said with a smile when he saw her watching him.
She got to her feet and walked over to him. Her small hands pushed aside his jacket and ran over his bare chest. She frowned as though inspecting him.
"How are you?” she said, looking concerned.
"One hundred percent bett
er.” He caught hold of her roaming hands and narrowed his eyes on hers. “I..."
A smile teased her lips when he stumbled on the words he wanted to say. She wrapped her arms about his waist and pressed her cheek against his chest.
"I missed you too,” she whispered. “You don't have to say it for me to know."
His arms encircled her shoulders and he pressed a kiss to her hair. He couldn't believe how much she'd changed him. When Lucya had deserted him, he'd sworn never to feel this way again, but the moment he'd met Prophecy he'd found himself falling again, only this time it was worse. He'd told himself so many times that he shouldn't be acting this way, he shouldn't be losing his calm façade by wanting to hold her and kiss her, regardless of their company. When it came to her, all of his rules flew out of the window and he acted on instinct. In the car on the way to the Tenebrae castle, he'd practically kissed her in front of Dmitri and Mia. In Paris, he'd intentionally lured the hunter, Caden, out of hiding so he could teach him a lesson for having the audacity to hurt her.
Years of training disappeared and he was acting like a rash youngling again. Mathias had noticed it and had even mentioned it. Valentine had denied it at the time, but looking back, he had to admit that his friend had been right.
He sighed and held her a little tighter. He'd even promised her eternity. If her human side meant she was aging, there was a chance she would grow old. He'd sworn that he wouldn't let it happen and he'd meant it. Selfish as it sounded, he wanted her to always look as she did now.
Drawing back, he held her at arms length and looked at her. She frowned, clearly confused about what he was doing.
"Something wrong?” she said.
He shook his head. “Nothing at all. I just wanted to look at you."
She ducked her head and smiled. He wanted to kiss her when she looked so awkward. Taking hold of her hand, he led her over to the low sill around the perimeter of the room and sat her down on it. He sat next to her and she turned so she was almost facing him.
"So, besides rescuing me, what has been happening?"
