Dalakis Passion 4 - Eternal Brothers

by N. J. Walters

  frightened of what she feels for you." With his preternatural abilities, he'd picked up

  that much from her over the past week and figured the others had too. He glanced at

  the other vampires in the room, who all nodded. "She has a secret, one that she's

  hidden even from us, but it's big and she's afraid that if you know you will turn from

  her."

  Cassidy dragged his fingers through his hair. "That's crazy."

  "No." Laurel Rose laid her hand on Cassidy's arm, her eyes dark and filled with

  mystery. "That is all too human. She's afraid and not thinking properly or she would

  never have risked her safety."

  "Okay." As much as Zane was worried about Blythe, right now Sophia's safety was

  paramount. "I'm going out to search for Sophia."

  "I'll go with you." Stefan stood with his hands on his hips as if daring Zane to

  disagree with him. He was many things, but he wasn't stupid enough to turn down

  help. Not when Sophia's life was at stake.

  The shrill ring of the phone filled the room. Lucian lunged for the phone, putting it

  on speaker before answering. "Dalakis." His voice was level, but vibrated with barely

  suppressed anger.

  "I have something you want." The voice was cool. Clipped. "Or maybe you don't

  want it at all." He laughed and a woman screamed in pain.

  "Blythe!" Cassidy jumped toward the phone. "If you hurt her, you bastard..."

  Stefan grabbed him from behind, restraining him easily with his preternatural strength.

  More laughter. "I assume that is former New Orleans Police detective, Sam Cassidy.

  My men commented on how smitten you seemed to be with Blythe. But then, so many

  men are."

  "What do you want, Prince?" Lucian took control of the conversation. "I assume

  that I am speaking with Adrian Prince. You and your brother are much alike, I see. Both

  cowards who prey on women because you are afraid to face real men."

  The silence on the other end was deafening. They all flinched as another scream

  filled the air. "She will pay for that, Dalakis, and I will enjoy every moment of it."

  "Don't you hurt her." Cassidy jerked out of Stefan's grasp, his hands fisted by his

  sides.

  "That is up to your employer, Cassidy. I want him, not her. If he turns himself over

  to me then, of course, I will let Ms. Nixon go free." He paused. "If not, well, it will be a

  long and enjoyable night...for me." The line went dead.

  Cassidy whirled around, heading out of the room. Standing near the door, Delight

  reached out and placed her hand on his chest, stopping him. "Wait."

  He pushed past her. "I'm not waiting for anyone." He withdrew his gun, checking

  it before shoving it back in his shoulder holster.

  "Cassidy." He stopped but didn't turn around as Lucian spoke. "You need help."

  Lucian turned to his brother. "You and Zane go and find Sophia." He glanced at Zane,

  his green eyes blazing. "Use your blood link with her. Stefan will help you. Cassidy and

  I will go and get Blythe back."

  "You don't know where she is." Delight went to her husband, her face filled with

  worry and anger.

  "My love." He reached out and brushed his hand over her face. "Adrian Prince is as

  arrogant as his brother. He will have her at his club. He thinks he is invincible in his

  stronghold with his men surrounding him."

  "I'm going with you." Delight endured her husband's scowl without flinching.

  "Sophia is my friend too. I'm not a helpless human anymore. I can help."

  One corner of Lucian's mouth turned upward. "You were never helpless, my love.

  Not even when you were human."

  "That's settled then." Laurel Rose stepped forward. "Delight will go with you and

  I'll go with Stefan and Zane."

  They all felt Stefan's blast of anger as he faced his wife. The very air around them

  seemed to ripple with emotion. "You will stay here." Each word was spoken slowly, his

  fury barely contained.

  Laurel Rose shook her head. "I have a score to settle with these people. I am going

  with or without you."

  Stefan practically vibrated with anger, but his wife seemed totally unconcerned.

  Zane didn't know whether to admire these women or to have them committed. It struck

  him then that Sophia was very much like them--brave and loyal. He wanted what his

  cousins had. He wanted a woman to stand by his side for eternity.

  For him, there was only one woman. Sophia.

  His head jerked up and he blocked out all the noise in the room, concentrating on

  the slight ripple in his mind. Sophia! He called her name and waited. There. Barely a

  whisper, but he heard it all the same. He grabbed on to the mental connection with a

  stranglehold. There was no way he'd lose her now.

  "I've got her." He stalked toward the door, a hunter on the scent of his prey. He

  sensed Stefan and his wife falling in behind him as he practically flew out the door and

  into the night.

  My head hurts. That was Sophia's first thought as she came awake. That and the fact

  that she ached all over. She tried to open her eyes but they felt so heavy that she

  stopped after a couple of attempts. Her mouth was dry and felt as if it had been stuffed

  with cotton. She groaned as she tried to move and found she couldn't.

  "Ah, so you're finally awake. I fear I misjudged the dose of the drug I gave you.

  You're skinnier than I thought."

  It all came flooding back to her. The delivery man. The prick in her arm. The box.

  Oh God. She'd been drugged and kidnapped by the killer. She tried to move again and

  this time she heard the clink of metal. Finally forcing her eyes open, she tilted her head

  back and looked upward. She was leaning against a wall, held up only by her hands,

  which were shackled over her head. Little wonder her arms hurt. The metal cuffs dug

  into her wrists, making them bleed. She wondered how long she'd been here.

  She heard a shuffling sound off to her right and turned to look. The throbbing in

  her head increased tenfold. She closed her eyes and bit her lip to drive back another

  groan of pain. She shivered as a cold breeze hit her. She was naked.

  A hard male hand cupped her chin and she pried her eyes open again and stared at

  her captor. Gone was the hunched-over deliveryman. In his place was a tall, strong man

  with a shaved head and eyes that glittered like amber. He looked to be in his late

  thirties. A man in the prime of his life.

  "Why?" She tried to say more but her mouth just wasn't working properly.

  "Why?" He dug his fingers into her cheeks as he leaned down until their noses

  were almost touching. "You are a means to an end." He gently kissed her forehead

  before releasing her. She shuddered and he laughed.

  "You have no psychic power, so your blood is of little value, at least to me." He

  allowed his hand to caress her neck, his fingers wrapping around it. "You were useful

  in drawing the Dalakis family out, although not in quite the way I had envisioned. I

  expected you to turn the evidence I'd planted over to the police and write your articles

  about the Dalakis brothers being suspected murderers." He sighed dramatically. "But

  no matter. Your worth now lies in the fact that the Dalakis family seems to consider you

  a friend." His fingers tightened, squeezing harder each second. Sophia felt her eyes

 
bulge as she struggled to get free. Black spots appeared before her.

  He released her from his grip suddenly and she gasped for air. It hurt to breathe.

  Her neck felt swollen. "You're wrong," she managed to croak.

  He backhanded her. The attack was so quick that she didn't even see it coming. Her

  head bounced off the stone wall behind her and she slumped. The cuffs around her

  wrists bit into her flesh and she forced her legs to straighten, leaning all her weight

  against the cold, rough concrete.

  "Let's hope for your sake that I'm not. I want Stefan Dalakis and his wife, Laurel

  Rose. They caused the death of a good friend of mine. A brother in spirit if not in blood.

  Although we shared enough blood to be considered brothers."

  "You're sick," she spat. She could see the amusement in his eyes and realized that

  the bastard was enjoying himself. Without the baggy uniform, she could see that he was

  all compact muscle. Even if she got free, it wouldn't be easy to escape from him. She

  closed her eyes and took a deep breath, refusing to give in to despair. Zane would come

  for her.

  Just thinking of him made her feel better. Stronger. They had a blood tie now. He'd

  taken her blood and given her some of his. For the first time since she'd found out that

  he'd forced her to drink some of his blood, she was glad for it. She'd use that connection

  to try to reach him.

  Focusing her scattered thoughts, she reached out with her mind. Zane! Are you

  there? Nothing. She tried harder, blocking out the man standing in front of her and the

  fact that she was cold and naked and at his mercy. She ignored the metal cuffs digging

  into her wrists and the drips of blood that rolled down her arms.

  Zane!

  Nothing.

  "Are you calling for your lover?" He smirked, leaning so close she could feel his

  fetid breath on her face. "He can't hear you. Not now." He skimmed his thumb over the

  curve of her jaw and she held her breath, not moving a muscle. "I've been watching all

  of you and I know what he is. What they all are." He laughed as he took a step back.

  Sophia gave a brief sigh of relief. "They think they are so clever, but they are not the

  only ones with special skills. Your lover, indeed, any of them, will not hear your mental

  cries for help unless I allow it."

  Her captor reached out and cupped her breast. She jerked away, but there was

  nowhere for her to go. Her back hit the wall as he pinched her nipple tight. "Not much

  to look at, are you?" he taunted. "No matter." He released her breast and trailed his

  fingers down her stomach. She twisted away and tried to kick out at him, but the

  attempt put her off balance and she stumbled.

  She could feel his breath on her once again as he leaned closer. She turned her head

  away, but it wasn't her face he was after. His tongue traced down her arm, licking at the

  rivulet of blood that was flowing from her wrist. She shuddered and her stomach

  roiled. He shoved his hand between her thighs and fingered her. She closed her eyes,

  withdrawing deep inside herself.

  He laughed as he pulled away. "Tasty. Better than I anticipated."

  "You're insane," she spat, glaring at him.

  He shook his head, seemingly more amused than angry. "No, Ms. Daring. What I

  am is more knowledgeable than most people. There is power in the blood and I think

  that your friends, the Dalakis family, are well aware of that." He licked his lips, flicking

  off a bead of red. "As I'm sure that you are aware."

  A shiver went down her spine. She felt chilled to the very marrow of her bones.

  "Who are you?" She had to keep him talking. Zane was on his way and he would help

  her.

  The man smiled. "I was wondering when you'd get around to that. You can call me

  Spencer. You're a good reporter, Sophia. I had hoped that you'd take the clues I left you

  and see that justice was done." He shook his head as if chastising a small child. "But

  you didn't. Instead, you protected the Dalakis family. They killed Stoner and disrupted

  my network of informants that I have scattered around the country. For that, they must

  pay. You could have had it all. Breaking a story like this would have assured your

  reputation for life."

  "Some things are more important. Like the truth."

  His hand snapped out again, striking the left side of her face. She cried out as she

  bit her lip, splitting the skin.

  "The truth." He leaned so close she could feel his breath on her face. "The truth is

  that they have to pay. The truth is that Jeremiah Stoner was right. Laurel Rose's blood is

  potent. And now that I know the truth about them, I will have their blood. Vampire! I

  haven't had vampire blood in years."

  Shock held her immobile. He believed in vampires. Knew that they truly existed.

  She didn't know where she found the courage to keep talking to him, but she knew she

  had to if she were to have a chance at surviving this. "You truly believe in vampires?"

  He caught her face in his hand and tilted her head up. Bending down, he licked the

  blood from her lip, sucking it into his mouth. She struggled, kicking out one of her bare

  feet. He smiled as he nibbled her lip, then released it. He whispered in her ear. "Of

  course I do. And the members of my little cult are instrumental in keeping me informed

  when they suspect they might have come across one. Stoner was so excited when he

  called and told me about Stefan Dalakis. He suspected that Dalakis had power--he just

  had no idea how much. Pity I hadn't gotten there before Dalakis and his brothers

  dispatched Stoner."

  Sophia dug her fingers into the chain holding her upward to keep from screaming.

  She hurt everywhere and was shivering with a combination of fear and cold, but she

  didn't want him to know it. "Why? Why do you believe?" She sensed his need to talk,

  to glory in his actions.

  He smiled, his long, white fangs gleaming in the candlelight. "Because, Ms. Daring.

  I am one."

  Her breath caught in her throat, almost choking her. Impossible! "But you were out

  in the daylight." This was almost too much for her to comprehend.

  He laughed and it wasn't a pleasant sound. "Not impossible when you consider

  that I started life as a human embryo. You see, my mother was pregnant with me when

  her vampire mate discovered her. He converted her, not caring if I lived or died. I lived,

  but my mother's conversion changed me as well. Perhaps because I was partly formed,

  but not fully when she was changed. We'll never know for sure." He caught her chin in

  a tight grip, squeezing her cheeks. "Make no mistake. I am a vampire. But I am a hybrid

  of sorts, able to stay out almost an hour past dawn and move around outside an hour

  before sunset. It makes life much easier, I find."

  Releasing his hold on her, he sauntered to the other side of the room. Sophia's mind

  was whirling with the implications. A hybrid vampire! She shook her head, desperately

  trying to clear it. She had to get her bearings, had to figure out some way of escaping. If

  what he'd said was true, and she had little reason to doubt him, then help wasn't

  coming anytime soon. She was well and truly on her own.

  Only a dim lantern lit the space, but Sophia felt they were in a shed of some kind.

  She looked around the walls
and realized the space wasn't all that big. Her captor had

  set up some of his things on a long table. She squinted to see better and froze as horror

  spread through her limbs. That wasn't a table. That was a coffin. Her breathing became

  quicker and more swallow as she realized where she was.

  A mausoleum. Oh God. They were in a cemetery in a crypt.

  She screamed. It bounced off the walls and came back at her. Spencer whirled

  around, his eyes glowing with pleasure. "You just figured it out, did you? You can

  scream all you like. There is no one around to hear you and the walls are quite thick."

  He ambled toward her with a silver dagger in one hand and a chalice in the other.

  "Your blood leaves a lovely aftertaste. I thought I'd enjoy a glass while we talk further."

  Sophia tugged at the restraints. She didn't waste her time screaming out loud, but

  turned inward, calling out to Zane. Maybe if she could break her captor's concentration,

  he wouldn't be able to block her mental messages to Zane. He dragged the flat side of

  the blade over the curve of her breast. "Leave me alone!" she cried, kicking out at him.

  "I can't do that, Sophia. You had your choice and you made it. Unfortunately, you

  didn't choose wisely. But then, humans seldom do." He shifted the blade upward over

  the underside of her arm and pushed inward. She hissed as she felt the knife slice her

  skin and the blood began to flow down her arm, into the chalice he pressed against her.

  Laurel Rose canted her head to one side and listened. "Did you hear that?" Both

  men stopped and stared at her, shaking their heads.

  Frustration rolled off Zane in waves, but Laurel Rose ignored it, focusing her

  powers. "There it is again."

  Stefan shook his head. "I hear nothing."

  "We're wasting time." Zane started moving swiftly down the back alley. They were

  searching the section of town where both murdered women had lived. It seemed the

  mostly likely place to start. In truth, it was the only place they knew to look.

  Stefan shook his head and started after his cousin, but she didn't move. Sometimes

  these men forgot that she was psychic before she'd ever become a vampire and that the

  conversion had only heightened her skills. Taking a deep breath, she relaxed her mind

  and listened, picturing Sophia.

  Zane! Laurel Rose heard the scream in her mind as if Sophia were standing