Nita wasn’t sure how long she knelt there, riding out her release in contractions of beautiful bliss before reality set in. She’d once again climaxed with Vlad the Impaler at the core of her fantasy.
She rose on unsteady legs and stood under the water for what seemed an eternity before grabbing the shampoo to finish her shower.
It had to be the blood they’d shared causing her temporary insanity. Nita would go see the Shaman in the morning and rid herself of Vlad’s mark. Even if it killed her.
* * * *
Nita awoke to the sounds of birds chirping in nearby trees. The sun streamed through her blinds, accenting the tiny dust particles floating in the air.
Throwing her feet over the side of the bed, she stood. Thoughts of the night before seemed a distant memory in her mind.
She unconsciously touched the place on her neck where Vlad had bitten her, but no evidence of the bite remained.
Pulling her dark curls back into a ponytail, Nita slipped on a pair of jean cutoff shorts and a red tank top before dropping into a chair to don her running shoes.
Stumbling to the bathroom to brush her teeth, she glanced at the tub in more than a little shame.
What happened the night before would never happen again. Of that, Nita was certain.
A knock sounded from the front room.
“Just a minute,” Nita called, checking herself in the mirror to be sure no lingering signs of Vlad remained.
She hurried to the door and pulled it open. The sight of her mother standing there, holding a box of donuts brought a smile to Nita’s face. “Good morning, Mom. Come in.”
“Morning, Nita.”
Stepping back to allow her mother entrance, Nita accepted the donuts and closed the door behind her. “Have a seat. Would you like some coffee?”
“I’d love some,” her mother agreed with a warm smile.
Nita set the donuts on the small table next to the couch and disappeared into the kitchen to put on a pot of coffee. Though grateful her mother hadn’t mentioned her scent, she knew it was coming.
Virginia Franks was no longer youthful, but she carried herself in a regal manner. Her gray hair was pinned back in a neat twist, and her soft brown eyes still sparkled with life. She had a smile for everyone and a loving heart.
Returning to the living room a few minutes later, Nita took a seat on the couch and set her mother’s cup of coffee on the table in front of her.
“Tell me about the vampire,” Virginia began without preamble.
Nita took a deep breath and met her mother’s gaze. “I was shot yesterday on the mountain after being caught in a bear trap. Vlad saved my life.”
“What?” Virginia cried, nearly spilling her coffee. Oh, my God, baby. Are you all right?”
“I’m fine,” Nita assured her. “I wouldn’t be alive right now if not for Vlad. He—”
“The Impaler?” Virginia interrupted, her face pale as a sheet.
Nita nodded. “Afraid so.”
Virginia turned in her seat and laid a hand on Nita’s arm. “What are you going to do?”
“I’m going to see the Shaman this morning. There has to be something he can do.”
Tears sprang to Virginia’s eyes. “You plan on asking him to bleed you? It’s too dangerous, baby. You can’t do that.”
Nita took a sip of her own coffee before answering. “It may be the only way, Mom. I’m the leader of this pack. I can’t lead my people while the enemy’s blood flows in my veins.”
“Then don’t lead,” Virginia pleaded, wrapping both of her hands around her daughter’s. “Let someone else be alpha, honey.”
Nita pulled away and stood. “Daddy would roll over in his grave if he heard you say that. It is my birthright to lead the Kiana pack as my father did and his father before him. How could you even say such a thing?”
Virginia rose as well. “I would rather you live than lead, my daughter.”
“I am the daughter of Ronan Franks, heir to his legacy. I am no coward, and I will not shame his name by running from my responsibilities. I will go to the Shaman, cleanse myself of this vileness, and come back stronger than ever.”
“But—” Virginia began, only to be interrupted by Nita’s low, confident voice.
“My future children will not be cheated out of their rightful place in our pack. Not if I can help it.”
The tears swimming in Virginia’s eyes spilled over to track down her cheeks. “You were always the strong one. So much like your father.” She reached up and touched Nita’s face. “I love you, sweetheart, and I will stand with you, no matter what you decide to do.”
Nita wrapped her mother in a hug. “I love you too, Mom. With all my heart.”
Her mother pulled back. “Would you like for me to go with you to see the Shaman?”
Nita shook her head. “Thank you, but this is something I must do alone.”
Chapter Nine
Vlad stepped from the shower and dressed with jerky movements. His mind had been on the shifter since he’d slipped into his sleep state earlier that morning.
Sounds of a baby’s laughter reached his ears, telling him that Lucius was awake as well.
Tugging on his coveted cloak, Vlad left his room in search of Angelo. He found Angelo in the den, playing with Lucius.
“Ah, so this is the cause of the laughter.”
Angel glanced up with a smile, Lucius, straddling his shoulders. “Did we disturb you, Sire?”
The corner of Vlad’s mouth lifted in response. “Not at all, Angelo. It’s been far too long since I’ve enjoyed the sounds of a child inside these walls.”
Ember strolled into the room and plucked her son from his father’s shoulders. “It’s time to eat, little man.”
“Hello, Vlad.” She laughed, wrestling the squirming child in her arms. “Thank you for allowing us to stay for a while.”
Vlad’s gaze softened as he watched Ember handle the wriggling boy. “No need for thanks, sweet Ember. That is what family is for.”
“Well, we really appreciate it.” She secured Lucius in front of her and strode from the room.
Angel got to his feet. “A message arrived earlier for you.”
Vlad glanced around the room.
“Mordecai placed it on the bar,” Angel pointed out, nodding toward the beautifully carved bar situated against the wall.
Vlad glided across the room and retrieved the sealed envelope. “It’s from Declan,” he remarked, tearing open the red seal on the back and freeing the paper inside.
Angel joined him at the bar and poured them both a glass of wine as Vlad read the missive.
“They are holding a meeting tomorrow night, and all are to attend.”
Angel’s eyebrow lifted. “All?”
“All vampires. Including Shon and Laura.”
“Did they give a reason?”
Vlad handed Angel the summons. “It doesn’t say.”
A strange feeling overcame Vlad. Something was amiss. He could feel it in his bones.
Angel returned the letter to the envelope and placed it back on the bar. “I’ll make arrangements for Lucius.”
“Speak with Mordecai. He will take good care of the child.”
With a quick nod, Angel strode from the room, leaving Vlad alone with his thoughts.
Vlad debated on whether to show up at the council meeting or head back to Nita’s cabin and finish what he’d started the night before.
Of course after being scented by the wolves outside her small home, Vlad was more than certain the shifters would be circling that area like buzzards.
“My lord?” Mordecai stood in the open doorway, staring at Vlad with a blank expression. “A Shon Wells is on the phone for you.”
Vlad nodded and trailed across the room to pick up the landline. “I hope you are calling to tell me you’re leaving soon.”
Shon laughed. “Drac, my man. I was actually calling to see if we could crash at your place while we’re there.”
“
Of course,” Vlad assured him, holding back his own chuckle. Shon had a way of bringing out the humor in any situation. And Vlad had never been a humorous man.
“Ten-four. Laura and I will be leaving in about thirty minutes. Where’s the nearest airstrip to your place? We’re going to be cutting it close, and I’d sure as hell hate to be extra crispy upon arrival.”
Vlad’s lips twitched. “The sun does not rise here until after ten a.m., young Shon. The summers are a different story, but as for now, you will be safe.”
“No shit? That’s bizarre. What time does it set?”
“Around four p.m.,” Vlad responded, glancing up as Mordecai stopped at the door once again.
“Thanks, man. I’ll call when I arrive.”
Vlad hung up the phone and faced his most loyal friend. “What is it, Mordecai?”
“You have a visitor, my lord.”
“That would be Atticus. Please show him in.”
“Right away.” Mordecai shuffled off, his head held high and shoulders back.
Vlad picked up the glass of wine Angel had poured for him and took a seat in his favorite chair to wait.
“Atticus.” Vlad greeted him as the short blond council member stepped into the room. “What brings you here?”
“I’ve come to speak with you about the meeting tomorrow night.”
Vlad took a sip of his wine, studying the vampire’s face over the rim of his glass. “Isn’t that what meetings are for? To speak about things?”
Atticus’s eyes narrowed. He drifted farther into the room. “I am here to be sure that you understand the urgency behind calling this meeting. You have been known not to show in the past.”
Swirling the wine around in his glass, Vlad crossed his legs and met the council member’s gaze. “The council seat you currently sit in is only there because I deemed it so. There would be no council, without me. You would do well to remember that.”
Anger flickered in Atticus’s eyes. “You think yourself above reproach. You gave up the high seat, Vlad. It was not taken from you.”
Vlad was suddenly in the shorter vampire’s face. “You dare to come into my home, spouting your threats?”
Atticus took a step back, fear seeping from his pores. “I did not come to threaten you, Impaler. I came only to be sure that you understood the importance of your attendance at the meeting. It involves the shifters as well as the Seeker Society.”
Vlad relaxed his stance. “I will be there, as will Angelo and Shon.”
“Very well,” Atticus choked out, turning toward the door.
“Atticus?”
The blond vampire stopped, facing Vlad once again. “Yes?”
“I would advise you to call the next time you feel the need to try intimidation. You’ll stand a less chance of losing your head.”
Atticus visibly swallowed before hurrying from the room.
Chapter Ten
Nita nervously approached the Shaman’s door, noticing no lights burned inside. She’d been to his place several times throughout the day without any luck.
She lifted her hand to knock.
“I wondered when you would come.”
Spinning around, Nita marveled at the Shaman’s ability to slip up behind her unnoticed. “You startled me.”
The elder priest ambled around her and pushed his door wide. “Come inside.”
Nita followed him into a shadowed kitchen that smelled of herbs and earth. Shelves containing jars and cans lined the walls on both sides of the room.
The Shaman stopped and pulled out a chair for her. “Sit.”
Nita quickly sat, watching as he meandered around, gathering items from next to the sink. “I came to ask you—”
“I know why you have come,” he interrupted without pausing in his task of pouring a concoction into a small tin cup.
Swallowing around a throat gone dry, Nita continued. “Can you help me?”
He lifted a bony shoulder. “That is not for me to decide. Only the spirits have the power to offer you what you seek. If it is truly what you seek.”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
He shuffled over to the table and set his treasures in its center before taking a seat next to her. “One cannot expect to dispel a demon while continuing to hold tightly to it.”
Nita’s heart lurched. “Are you saying I have a demon?”
The Shaman’s eyes softened slightly. “No, my child, but you do carry the blood of one in your veins.”
“That’s why I’m here.”
“Your heart does not agree with your empty words.”
Nita’s mouth dropped open. “What are you trying to say? You think I want this vampire’s blood in my veins?”
“I do not know what you want. I only see what the spirits allow me to see.”
Leaning forward, Nita covered his frail hands with her own. “I want you to rid me of this affliction. No matter what it takes.”
The Shaman stared into her eyes for long moments before pulling his hands free of hers. “Very well. I will call upon you when it is time.”
“Why can’t we do it now?” Nita asked, anxiety tightening her chest.
“You are not ready.”
“But—”
“Flee to the mountains. Take no food or drink into your body for five moons. Seek out the spirits of the old ones, so that they may guide you toward your destiny.”
“My destiny is here with my people. I am the daughter of Ronan Franks, leader of the Kiana Clan.”
“Yes,” the Shaman murmured, slowly rising to his feet. “But your heart is divided. Now go. Right your vessel so that I might cleanse it.”
The Shaman rose and left the room, leaving Nita alone, reeling from his words.
* * * *
Nita stared into the flames of her small campfire, trying to block out the growling of her stomach.
She’d been alone in the mountains since the night before, with nothing to eat or drink. She had removed her clothing long ago, shivering as the cold mountain air enveloped her.
Closing her eyes, Nita took a seat next to the fire, ignored her hunger pangs, and lifted her face toward the sky.
With her mind clear and her heart open, she slipped off into a meditative state to beseech the spirits.
A calmness eventually came over her. Sounds of the surrounding forest disappeared, and her body began to warm from the inside out.
Shapes took place behind her closed eyelids to form a dark cloud. And in that cloud rose a pair of onyx eyes, full of knowledge.
Snowcapped mountains appeared, connected by a winding river that flowed red with blood.
Nita’s heart stuttered as the river’s contents became clear. Humans, shifters, and vampires floated in its midst, their eyes open in death.
A scream trapped in her throat as one by one, they began to decay, vultures feeding from their flesh.
A lone figure emerged from the carnage, wearing a dark hooded robe, his face hidden from view. He lifted his arms toward the heavens, calling forth the winds and rain.
The river began to overflow, purging the dead from the bowels of the deep.
The hooded figure suddenly stilled, turning his shadowed face toward Nita’s terrified gaze. He lifted a hand in her direction, beckoning her to him.
“Embrace your destiny, leader of the Kiana. War is coming, bringing with it death, truth, and rebirth.”
A moan echoed around her, bringing her out of her meditative state. It took a second for Nita to realize the sound came from her.
She jerked her eyes open, scanning the area for signs of the hooded man, only to find herself alone and naked in front of the fire.
Trembling from the cold, Nita got to her feet, shifted into wolf form, and ran.
Trees blurred in her peripheral as she sailed through the forest as fast as her legs would carry her.
Her vision sharpened, taking in her surroundings with a clarity she’d never experienced in human form.
She wondered how Vlad
saw things, what it would be like to look through his eyes.
How could she be so weak where the Impaler was concerned? She despised him, despised everything about him and his kind. They were spawned from demons, placed on this earth to torment and kill.
But Vlad hadn’t killed her. He’d saved her life. She would have died without his blood, the same blood that now flowed through her veins, corrupting the very core of who and what she was.
After running for nearly an hour, Nita slowed to a stop, realizing she returned to the place she’d been shot, the place she’d nearly died… Vlad’s property.
Chapter Eleven
Vlad took a seat at the council table and studied the faces around him. Angel sat to his right, along with Ember, Shon, and Laura.
“I am glad that you all could make it,” Declan began, taking his seat at the head of the giant table.
Vlad steepled his fingers beneath his chin. “It would seem that we didn’t have a choice.”
“There is always a choice, Vlad,” Declan gently admonished. “I am sorry that you feel you were forced.”
Vlad’s jaw tightened in response. “I think we both know that force doesn’t work with me. I was simply referring to the not so subtle coercion from the little one.”
“How dare you,” Atticus, sputtered, looking to Declan for backup. “I did not coerce anyone. I—”
“It is all right, Atticus. Please, take a seat.” Declan blew out a breath and propped his cane against the side of the table before addressing Vlad once more. “It was I who sent Atticus to your home. I wanted to be certain that you attended tonight’s meeting.”
“Well, I am here. Let us begin.”
A strange feeling overcame Vlad as he sat there listening to Declan inform the group of the shifters’ alleged alliance with the Seekers.
Nita was near. Vlad could feel her as surely as he could feel all eyes on him around the table.
Vlad cleared his throat. “It is true that the seekers sought out the shifter’s leader to garner her help in locating the council’s lair.”
“How do you know this?” Atticus asked, leaning back in his chair.
“The leader of the Kiana was shot on my property by an assassin of the Seekers.”
The Rise of Vlad (The Seeker Series Book 3) Page 4
