by Zena Wynn
“What’s the occasion?”
“A friend of Tariq’s is visiting from out of town,” she said.
“And I imagine it’s a chance to show you off,” Jorlan mused.
The disturbing thought, which hadn’t crossed her mind until Jorlan mentioned it, made Reyna all the more determined to have him go with her. “Tariq also wants to meet you.”
“Curious, is he? The feeling’s mutual. When’s this shindig?” he asked.
“Tonight, in less than an hour,” Reyna said, already headed toward her bathroom.
“Not much notice but doable. I’ll be ready in twenty. You’ll ride with me,” Jorlan said decisively and hung up.
“Twenty minutes?” Reyna said to air. Crap! Now she really had to hurry. She’d planned to arrive the same way she left. Should have realized Jorlan would want his own transportation.
Instead of the soak she’d planned, Reyna took the fastest shower on record. After a minute’s contemplation of her clothing options, she selected a scooped necked, long-sleeved color block sheath which fell to her knees. The center was black and the side panels were white, providing a nice contrast. The dress was one she’d purchased for a business function she’d attended with Jorlan. Black and white pumps and silver jewelry completed the look. She tamed her mane but left it loose for the occasion.
When Jorlan knocked at the door two minutes later, she was ready to go.
Jorlan scrutinized her from head-to-toe when she let him in. With his finger, he indicated she twirl. Reyna complied. “You’ll do,” he pronounced.
“Thank you,” she said, sincerely grateful for the confidence boost. Reyna hadn’t been sure baring her neck was wise, but the dress struck the right note between dressy but not too formal if she’d misjudged the dress code.
Jorlan wore a white dress shirt, unbuttoned to reveal a great deal of his chest, and a pair of loose black dress pants with the matching, unlined jacket. He looked like a high priced gigolo, or a male fashion model. He had tawny skin, a long, lean muscular body, patrician features, dark eyes, and brown hair liberally streaked with gold. Reyna had been told by more than one female that Jorlan was a walking wet dream.
“Why are you wearing your contacts?” he asked abruptly.
She automatically reached up and touched the corner of one eye. Her eyes had always revealed her difference to others. It was instinct to hide them. “Habit.”
He made a tsking sound. “One day you’ll stop hiding who you are. Let’s go. We don’t want to be late.”
The drive passed in silence. Reyna’s nerves grew tauter as their destination neared. By the time they arrived, she knew coming had been a bad idea. The thought of being surrounded by so many vampyrs made her antsy.
She turned to Jorlan as he parked in the garage. “I changed my mind. Let’s go back to the den.”
“We’re here now. Might as well stay. You have to meet them sometime, Reyna. May as well be tonight when I can be with you,” Jorlan stated calmly and exited the vehicle.
Reyna lingered inside, certain they were making a huge mistake.
Jorlan came around the low slung sport’s car and opened her door. “Come on. Out with you.”
“I’m telling you, Jorlan, I’ve got a bad feeling about tonight,” she said, refusing to budge.
“That’s your nerves talking. Get out of the car, Reyna,” he ordered firmly.
“You stay. I’m leaving.” Before she could poof out of there, Tariq’s masculine frame appeared beside her.
“Mi corazon, leaving so soon?” One large hand reached out to capture her arm and ease her out of the car.
“Will you stop doing that?” Reyna muttered, realizing she must have let her shield drop.
Tariq placed his arm around her waist and plastered her to his side. “Never,” he said, nuzzling her temple.
Knowing she was good and trapped, both by Tariq and the promise she’d given him, Reyna subsided and accepted her fate.
Jorlan watched them with both eyebrows arched. “You handle her very well. I’m impressed.”
Reyna felt Tariq’s focus shift and lock onto Jorlan. “You must be Jorlan. I’m told I have you to thank for her coming to me?”
Jorlan smiled mockingly. “I got her here. It’s up to you to keep her.”
“Jorlan!” Reyna snarled, wanting nothing more than to hiss at him to shut up. Were she in cat form, her fur would be standing on edge. She was in no mood for his antics.
“I’m up to the challenge. Never fear,” Tariq assured him coolly.
“Time will tell,” Jorlan said.
“Indeed.” Turning to Reyna, Tariq said, “Our guests are waiting.”
She guessed Tariq’s intentions a second before he teleported them and reached out quickly to capture Jorlan by the sleeve, dragging him along for the ride.
When they landed, Jorlan said grumpily, “A little warning next time, Kitten.” He tugged on his shirt, straightened the collar, and made sure the pleat in his pants was still correctly centered.
Tariq escorted Reyna inside what appeared to be a small formal dining room, stopping just inside the entrance. The white linen covered table had seating for twenty. The long rectangular table sat on a plush oriental rug in golds and reds, the color of which was picked up throughout the room in the wall paper and cherry hard wood floors. The chandelier was a masterful piece of artwork in itself, with gold accents and multi-tiered crystals dangling from its center.
Uniformed waiters in black and white stood at attention along the walls. The table was set with formal place settings: an array of real silver flatware, crystal water goblets and slender wine glasses, gold rimmed dinner and bread plates, and linen napkins stood up in fancy designs. The red roses in the centerpiece added a splash of color in an otherwise sea of white.
Reyna was so busy checking out the set up, it took her a minute to notice they were the center of attention. She stiffened automatically.
It’s just my inner council, Tariq said in her mind. He urged her forward with his arm held tightly around her waist.
The inner council was the Vampalien version of the Felini elders. These were the men who ruled by Tariq’s side. The need to make a good impression and be accepted warred with a lifetime’s experience of being rejected. Instinctively she turned to Jorlan, an unconscious appeal in her eyes.
Jorlan immediately stepped up and flanked her left side. Together, they turned as a unit and faced the enemy.
Mi corazon, they are not the enemy. They are our people and will welcome you with open arms, Tariq admonished with a sigh.
That remains to be seen, she told him, not relaxing her guard. Her skin crawled with the need to be somewhere, anywhere else.
A short, stocky man with black curly hair, curious intelligent black eyes, and olive toned skin came forward to be introduced.
“Reyna, this is Enrique. Enrique, this is my Heart’s Blood, Reyna and her…” Tariq turned an inquiring glance on Reyna.
“Cousin,” Jorlan supplied.
“Ah yes, her cousin, Jorlan,” Tariq continued smoothly. “Enrique is my second in command.”
Enrique nodded politely. “It’s a pleasure to meet you finally. Part of my duties is handling the day-to-day operations of this facility. If you need or want anything, you’ve only to let me know.”
“Thank you,” Reyna murmured.
Enrique moved to the side and a couple took his place. The man was massive, standing taller than Tariq. He had white blond hair and pale blue eyes. To his right stood a woman his polar opposite. Where he was tall, she was short, coming only to Reyna’s shoulders. She had long, straight brown hair, skin the color of nutmeg, and a slender body sheathed in a beautiful caftan.
“This is Thor and his blood mate, Isis. Thor is a computer systems expert and Isis is my public liaison. Thor, Isis, I’m proud to present my blood mate, Reyna, and her cousin Jorlan,” Tariq said.
“Hello,” Reyna said.
“Nice to meet you,” Isis said.
She deferred him to Jorlan. “Jorlan’s our technical expert. He’s the one you want to speak with.”
Jorlan gave him a slow grin. “Let me know when and where.”
Turning slightly, Tariq motioned to another male. “This is Darth. He handles the vampyr entering our territory from other clutches.” Darth was another tall male, but his build was slimmer than Tariq’s. His hair was a shaggy, dirty blond. His face was round and pleasant, and he gave the overall impression of the boy next door, if that boy had a dangerous edge to him.
“Sort of like immigrations?” Reyna asked curiously.
“Exactly,” Darth said, grinning madly. “Nice to meet you. You’ve certainly kept the boss off his game. It’s been rather entertaining to see.”
Smiling wryly, Reyna said, “Glad to be of service.”
“And last but not least, this is Conall. Conall is my security expert. He handles all the training,” Tariq said.
Conall had brown hair, brown eyes, and the build and look of the men portrayed in human movies as a member of their Special Forces. His body was a lethal weapon and it showed in the way he carried himself.
“Nice to meet you,” she said.
“Same goes,” Conall returned with a nod.
There was a stir at the entrance and they all turned.
“Our guest of honor has arrived,” Tariq said, his voice warmed with pleasure and if she wasn’t mistaken, anticipation.
Chapter Nine
In the doorway stood a tall, sophisticated stranger dressed in a black European-styled suit. His olive toned face was filled with craggy lines and contained a solemn expression echoed in his luminous silver eyes. A shock of pure white hair was gathered at the nape of his neck, giving him an old-world elegance.
Their eyes met and his widened in shocked recognition. My God, she looks just like Isabella.
In the background, Tariq’s voice echoed faintly, making introductions. “This is my good friend, Alvaro. Reyna, you’ll be interested to know he was instrumental in helping the Felini settle on Earth.”
“Telepathy is reserved for mates, family, and those with whom we share blood,” Tariq had said.
Reyna felt as though she were in a dark tunnel, the sides of which kept elongating. She couldn’t take her gaze off those eyes. They were the same ones she saw in the mirror every morning.
Jorlan’s voice growled out low and dangerous, “You’re supposed to be dead.”
Bits and pieces of comments Reyna had overhead throughout the years came together to bring her to an inescapable, no matter how illogical, conclusion. This is the man who’d raped Isabella. This man was the reason her life had been a living hell.
Memories cascaded through her mind. Years of rejection, mistreatment and brutality at the hands of others, and worse, the pure indifference to her suffering on the part of those who should care the most about her wellbeing swamped her. In its wake came a rage so pure, so liberating, and so volatile, Reyna didn’t think. She reacted.
She screamed. Between one heartbeat and the next, Reyna shifted and launched herself at her father. There were curses and shouts of alarm, which she ignored. Her focus, her primal intent, centered on destroying the male responsible for her horrific childhood. She kept him in her sights as chaos erupted all around them.
Claws extending, mouth open wide, she got within a hairsbreadth of the target when a force slammed into her side, knocking her off her trajectory. She landed on her side, skidded a bit before twisting around to alight on her feet. Not one to be swayed from her purpose, she immediate locked onto her objective and started for Alvaro again.
Jorlan, in cat form, jumped in her path and snarled, “No, Reyna!”
Out of control and beyond reason, she charged him. They rose to their hind legs in a flurry of slapping paws and biting teeth. They flipped and rolled, each trying to gain dominance over the other. Chairs crashed, furniture overturned, and dishes went flying as their fight propelled them around the room.
Jorlan was bigger, more muscular, and had more experience fighting, but Reyna had the strength of her wrath and the determination to accomplish her goal on her side. She never tired and fought with a deadly viciousness that would have shocked and appalled her had Reyna been in her right mind.
Voices buzzed in her head—Jorlan’s and Tariq’s—as each male tried to penetrate the red haze of fury blocking her thinking ability. It had the opposite effect. She let out another piercing scream and increased the ferocity of her attack.
Blood loss turned the tide in Jorlan’s favor. It weakened her to the point she had to slow down and plan her strategy. Emotion receded enough for her to think. Jorlan had backed her into a corner where she crouched, ears flattened, tail whipping from side-to-side. To reach her father she had to get past the man who’d raised her as his.
Why are you protecting him? You know what he did to Isabella, to me!
Kitten, I understand your fury, but Isabella wasn’t raped.
Reyna shook her head, swaying as dizziness assailed her. What?
Isabella gave herself willingly to him. She loved him. The vampyr mated with her.
No! That’s a lie! Reyna crouched lower, muscles bunched in preparation to launch herself at him for spewing such vile filth.
Jorlan shifted to his man form and knelt before her. “I’m sorry, Kitten. I know how much you must be hurting right now, but it’s the truth. Your mother loved your father. Everything you’ve been told about what happened between them was a lie.”
The sheer enormity of the betrayal slashed through Reyna like a knife. She stared into Jorlan’s remorseful gaze as the truth of his words settled. Lies, it had all been lies. Her entire life was a lie and for what purpose?
Reyna was still staring into Jorlan’s eyes when she dematerialized.
Tariq escorted his mate into the dining area, pride and anticipation filling him. He hoped if Reyna was reading him she caught the first but not the second. If tonight went as planned, he’d finally have the answers to the mystery of Reyna’s parentage.
For a second he entertained a qualm of worry. Reyna considered the death of her father no great loss. She wouldn’t be happy to discover he was alive, if indeed all was as he suspected. However, Alvaro had been his friend for many centuries. If Reyna was his child, Alvaro had a right to know, regardless of his Heart’s Blood feelings on the matter.
If Tariq were less honest, he could tell himself he’d arranged this little dinner solely to bring joy into a friend’s life after Alvaro had suffered so greatly. The truth was he was inquisitive and relentless in his quest for knowledge. He’d determined to learn everything about his blood mate. Tariq wanted to know her inside and outside, her past and her present.
He rushed through the introductions with his inner council with barely concealed impatience. Catching the knowing glint in many of their eyes, Tariq knew they thought he couldn’t wait to get his Heart’s Blood alone again to cement their bond. Newly mated couples had been known to seclude themselves for weeks, even months at a time before their need for one another lessened to a more manageable level.
Alvaro’s voice came to him through their mental link. You know all this pomp and circumstance between us is unnecessary.
Nonsense, you’re a visiting dignitary, not to mention one of my dearest friends. What kind of leader would I be if I didn’t treat you in the manner your exalted position requires? Tariq asked teasingly.
Exalted? Humph, I’m nothing but an old warrior, Alvaro said.
In a more serious manner, Tariq said, You’re more than that. You deserve much honor for who you’ve been to me and what you’ve done for our people throughout the years. Thank you for allowing us to do so.
I came only to meet the woma
n who managed to turn you inside out, Alvaro informed him smugly.
“Our guest of honor has arrived,” Tariq announced as he sensed Alvaro’s presence. He shifted Reyna so they faced the doorway, his intent gaze ready to capture every nuance of Alvaro’s expression the minute he spotted his daughter. Wryly Tariq acknowledged it was unseemly for a warrior of his position and stature to be so excited.
Alvaro appeared, escorted by two of the more beautiful women in his clutch, as was his right. “Thank you, Ana and Grace, for escorting our guest. You may return to your duties now,” he said, dismissing them.
They both gave small bows. “Yes, Master.”
He could feel Alvaro’s amusement, though his face showed no sign of it. Then Alvaro glanced at Reyna and his eyes widened in shocked recognition. My God, she looks just like Isabella.
Tariq smiled in satisfaction and made the introductions. “This is my good friend, Alvaro. Reyna, you’ll be interested to know he was instrumental in helping the Felini settle on Earth.”
Would his Heart’s Blood make the connection? How much of her mother’s history did she know? Reyna claimed not to have been told the full story, but surely the Felini had taught the young ones the history of their planet and how they came to be on Earth?
From the way Jorlan had turned into a statue on Reyna’s left, Tariq knew the name meant something to him. The Felini male growled out, “You’re supposed to be dead.” Jorlan didn’t sound happy to discover evidence to the contrary.
Suddenly Tariq wondered if the male had been involved in the attack on Alvaro. It was not a scenario he’d contemplated when he’d planned this get together. If the male had been involved, he’d be honor bound to make retribution. An attack on Alvaro was an attack on him, especially if the male took it into his head to complete the job his pride had failed.
The attack, when it happened, came from a completely unexpected source—his Heart’s Blood. He’d prepared for an emotional outburst on her part should Reyna arrive to the same conclusion he himself had come to believe. Tariq had been ready to soothe Reyna and convince her to give Alvaro a chance to tell his side of the story. What he hadn’t anticipated was the violence of her reaction.
