After three hours, he finally sat on the opposite end of my park bench, but he kept his eyes averted from mine. His cat-and-mouse games had become tiresome, and I was past the point of allowing him to control the situation any longer. I shifted in my seat to face him directly and put this silliness behind us. If he was brazen enough to follow me in the day and night, he could be bold enough to face me and answer for his actions.
“Why are you following me?” I confronted him.
He had the audacity to appear affronted at my directness. “Excuse me? I’m not following you.”
“You most definitely are following me. And you have been for quite some time now. You’ve waited here in the park for me to leave again. But your impatient nature got the best of you, so you sat beside me in a sad attempt to make me uncomfortable. Shall I continue?”
At least his discomfort was genuine. He swallowed hard, and the way his neck muscles worked revealed his inner plight. “You’re more powerful than I realized.”
“Who are you and what do you want?”
“My name is Rolland Cleary. I’m not following you to harm you. I was trying to determine the best way to approach you without causing another clan fight to erupt. I don’t want your husband to find me and kill me.”
“Do I really have to keep repeating myself?”
He finally turned to meet my gaze and gave me a half smile. “Who am I and what do I want, correct? I’m a vampire from another clan, from the old country, and we’ve heard about what Ramses has done. I’m here to offer my assistance with the whole situation.”
“You’re a vampire?” I asked, doubt shrouding my features and my tone.
He nodded, confirming I’d heard him correctly. But I knew better. However, to figure out what he was actually doing and who he really was, I decided to play along with his charade for a short time.
“Very well then, Vampire Rolland from the old country, tell me how you propose to assist with our current predicament. You have my full attention.”
“I have certain gifts that could be useful to gain access to Ramses’s clan and stop them from the inside. I could share my gift with your clan and also teach you how to use it.”
Rolland Cleary is a handsome man in his midthirties. He has short black hair, dark brown eyes, and a naturally olive hue to his skin. He was very observant as we sat on the park bench. His eyes constantly scanned the area surrounding us. But what was he watching and waiting for?
“You want open access to our clan? To share your gift that can help us stop Ramses from whatever it is he’s doing? All of this out of the goodness of your heart and without asking for anything in return?” My skepticism of his altruistic offer was impossible to hide.
“Stopping Ramses is all I need in return. To do that, your clan needs my help.”
“Since you’ve been following me, you obviously know where we live. I suggest you come by and speak with my husband, our clan leader, rather than follow his wife for days on end. That could be misconstrued as aggression and result in your death.”
Rolland’s eyes narrowed slightly while he studied my face. His gaze traveled from my eyes to my lips and back up again. I had the distinct feeling the distrust went both ways. He wasn’t certain he had me convinced of his usefulness, and I was in no way believing a word he said.
“I mean you no harm, I assure you. If your husband will see me and hear me out, I’ll gladly speak to him.”
“Wonderful. We’ll expect you at seven tonight. In the meantime, I trust you’ve concluded your clandestine activities and will no longer be following my movements.”
His cheeks tinged red with embarrassment from being so blatantly obvious. “I won’t follow you anymore. You have my word.”
I watched him walk away and smiled to myself. Olive-colored skin. No hint of blue vampiric eyes. Rose-colored cheeks after being embarrassed. There’s not a chance in hell he is a vampire.
What he is, however, is a liar.
When I left the park, I went by Slade’s office to tell him about my encounter with my watcher. He met me at the door when I walked in and wrapped his arms around me. With his nose buried in my hair, he murmured to me with his lips against my ear. “I’m so glad you came by to see me. Would it alarm you to know not more than three seconds ago, I was contemplating using my powers of persuasion to urge you to visit me?”
“I wouldn’t be alarmed at all,” I replied before kissing his cheek. “But you don’t have to use your powers to persuade me to do anything. I’m all yours, whatever you want.”
“My love, I will definitely remind you of that oath in all our years to come,” he said with a sly smile. “Now, to what do I owe the pleasure of your company in the middle of the day?”
“The person who’s been following me made himself known today. He says he needs to speak with you about how to stop Ramses. He claims to be a vampire from the old country, but I’m sure he’s lying.”
“Another man, a stranger, dared to follow and approach you? My wife? To say he needs to speak with me?” His chocolate brown eyes flashed to blue in an instant. “What is this fool’s name?”
“Rolland Cleary.”
“Should Mr. Cleary be brave enough to show his face in our home tonight, I’ll be more than glad to have a long chat with him. Part of that chat will include what I think of him following my wife around day and night for the past few weeks.”
“Have I told you lately how very sexy I think it is when your protective side takes over?”
“In that case, you and I will have fun all night after our guest leaves. If our guest leaves, I should say. That all depends on what he has to say. You’re sure he’s not a vampire?”
“I’m almost one hundred percent certain. If he is, he’s unlike any I’ve sensed. I couldn’t read his thoughts, but I could feel his power. He’s strong, whatever he is. But there were too many discrepancies.”
As I knew he would, Slade had me sit with him and recount every detail from the moment I first sensed Rolland through our entire conversation. When I’d finished, Slade was of the same mind-set—there’s no way Rolland could be a vampire. But Slade also didn’t know what he could be, so we’d have to be on our guard. He tried to persuade me to stay out of the meeting entirely, for my own safety, but I respectfully declined his request.
“If you think I won’t be by your side to help protect my husband, you’d better think again.” I folded my arms over my chest, and my glare dared him to object.
“It appears being a vampire agrees with my wife,” he conceded with a single quirked eyebrow. However, I didn’t miss the flicker of pride in his expression. “Very well. But you’re not to leave my side for any reason.”
“You’ll hear no argument from me on that point.”
Chapter 13
Slade Barnett, 1791
Alea sat by my side when our servants brought Rolland Cleary into our parlor. She was right about a couple of things—his power is strong, and he’s not a vampire. But he can’t fool me for one second. I saw straight through his ruse the moment he walked in the room, and he knew it. His hesitation was slight since he didn’t want to give his true form away, but he approached the settee cautiously. As if he could get away if I didn’t allow it.
“Have a seat.” I extended my hand toward the chair beside me but on the opposite side of the room from Alea.
“Thank you for agreeing to meet with me. It’s taking a calculated risk, I understand, but I appreciate the gesture of good faith.”
My gaze stayed locked on his when I nodded my reply. It’s my general policy not to lie to my prey. I prefer they know what’s about to happen to them as a common courtesy. The last thing they need to hear before dying is a bold-faced lie. But Rolland was different since he blatantly shadowed my wife, lied to her face, and walked into my home with his ridiculous plan to deceive me.
“Mr. Cleary, you have something you’d like to discuss with my husband, I believe.” Alea moved the conversation straight to the point. No p
leasantries or small talk to become acquainted. I love my wife more than my own life, but my admiration for her is a close second.
“No need for formality. Please call me Rolland. I appreciate the hospitality you’ve shown me by inviting me into your home. Allow me to get straight to the point. I know what Ramses has been doing, and I want to help you stop him. My gifts are unique, and I’ve successfully transferred them to the members of my clan. I’m willing to do the same for you and your clan so you can get inside his and stop them before they reveal all of us.”
“That’s an interesting proposition, Rolland. You have my curiosity piqued. My wife mentioned you’re from the old country. Tell me, how did you hear about Ramses and his current activities?”
“Word spread quickly when he returned to London for Alea’s friend, Sean. He wasn’t discreet with his actions, and a number of well-aged vampires took special offense. They’ve cleaned up his mess in the area, but they will kill him if he returns.”
“What do you know of his current activities?”
“My apologies, but can I trouble you for a drink? My throat is quite parched.”
Rolland was trying to delay answering my direct question. But he had greatly underestimated me. If he wanted to play this game, I would be the one to teach him the rules.
“Where are my manners? Please accept my apologies.” I summoned my servant and requested drinks for the three of us. When he returned with wineglasses of fresh, warm blood, unease passed over Rolland’s face before he quickly hid his thoughts again.
Alea and I raised our glasses and drained them before the blood turned cold. Rolland raised his slowly and forced two sips down before he decided it was better to talk than to drink.
“You’re aware Castel is here in New York, I presume?”
“I am.”
“At Castel’s command, Ramses closed up shop at his house nearby. But he has two other establishments that are even larger and more likely to reveal us. His clan is taking underage humans by the droves, and people are searching for them everywhere. It’s attracted the attention of vampire hunters who know how to watch for the signs, but it’s only a matter of time before it spills over to the general population.”
Rolland wasn’t wrong, which is why I decided to allow him to live. For the time being, at least. His information was helpful, though he was anything but trustworthy. Fortunately, I’d been able to decipher his subtle signs and distinguish his lies from the truth. I’ll allow that to stand as long as I can tell the difference. But the first time I catch him in a lie I didn’t detect ahead of time, I’ll snap his neck.
“Vampire hunters are here, too?” Alea asked.
“Yes, they’re here. That’s another reason why time is of the essence, and why I’m here to help.”
“Your solution is to share your gifts with us. What are your gifts, exactly?”
“I’m not comfortable sharing the specifics until I have an ironclad guarantee you and your clan agree. You have to understand, my gifts are powerful and not something I freely speak about.”
He was evading giving us the true answer. His gifts were powerful, but there was more to them than he cared to reveal for a reason. Either they were something every other vampire would want and would kill to have…or they were something no other vampire would willingly accept if they knew the truth of the matter.
The obvious question was which category he fell into.
“I wasn’t aware there was another vampire clan in the area. We normally sense when there are others nearby. We hold a meeting in a neutral location to set our clan boundaries. Then we respect the lines drawn in the proverbial sand. Strange you’ve known all about us, but the established vampire protocol hasn’t been followed.”
“Protocol in the new world has been slightly different from when we were first introduced to the life of a vampire. There are rogue vampires who refuse to be part of a clan. There are small clans scattered deep in the forests that kill other clans on sight. They don’t respect lines or boundaries, and it takes quite a bit of time to scout other vampires to determine which philosophy they follow. That’s why I followed your wife when I first sensed her presence. I didn’t know what to expect, and I had to be sure.”
“Interesting. I’m sure you’ll understand when I say this is something I’ll have to give considerable thought to before making a final decision. Accepting gifts without knowing what they are is not my usual style. However, vampire hunters, rogue vampires, and my brother’s antics all lend concerning aspects to the overall problem before us. My council and I will discuss your proposal at length and apprise you of our decision.”
“When shall I return for your answer?”
“We will come to you. Your invitation to our home is revoked until further notice. No offense intended, but in light of the news you’ve shared, I have to be diligent with the safety of my household. Oh and, Rolland? If you ever follow my wife again, the last thing you’ll see is the light reflecting off my silver blade before it cuts your fucking head off. Are we clear?”
“Crystal clear.”
Alea and I escorted him out of our house and retired to our bedroom to talk privately about what he’d said. Not that there was a chance in hell I’d accept his “gifts” without knowing what they were first, but my wife often brings incredible insight to perplexing issues.
“What are your thoughts?” I asked her. We lay in the bed, facing each other like mortals for the intimacy it evoked.
“I believe what he said about Ramses. There was no deceit in him when he described what Ramses’s underground activities entail. But…” She paused to gather her thoughts. “He’s hiding something about his gifts, and I haven’t been able to pinpoint it. I can’t read his thoughts and that alone is concerning, but I feel it strongly. I don’t know what he is, but he’s not a vampire. You already know this, but it would be a huge mistake to accept what he’s offering.”
“You’re right, my love. He’s not a vampire, not a full vampire anyway. He’s a vampire mixed with something else. The powers he’s offering could be an incredible opportunity, or a grievous mistake. The way he insisted on sharing with the clan multiple times raises a dire warning in my mind. His offer is most likely an all-or-nothing proposal. We have to find out the full truth of everything before we send our regrets. Otherwise, we may lose them without knowing what threat they pose.”
“Just tell me what to do. I’ll be honored to help you figure it out.”
“My love, I’ll gladly tell you what to do. Starting right now. Prepare to scream my name until you rattle the windows.”
I rolled her onto her back, covered her body with mine, and spent the night with my cock buried as deep in her pussy as I could fit. That’s one thing I will never get my fill of. The sensations she gives me are overpowering at times, and my fangs automatically slide out to feast on her blood. Every drop only makes me crave her more.
* * *
Ramses Barnett, 1791
Castel’s reappearance after decades of being away from us is suspect at best. I thought about it nonstop for weeks. Then I decided to do something about it rather than wallow in my uncertainty and madness for a moment longer.
He has many contacts all over the world, so I sought them out, looking for answers, searching for clues, piecing everything together to discover what he was hiding. I’ve replayed our entire conversation in my head at least a million times. My surprise at finding Slade in my house threw me off at first. Being pulverized by him when I was unable to use my powers to fight against his strength at all was the second distraction. Then Castel’s appearance and disappearance were the icing on the cake.
Finding out Alea had been turned at the last possible second and how my yearning for her was even worse than before was the final straw. My ability to process everything was temporarily inhibited. But now I’m clearheaded, as clear as a bright, sunny day once the heavy fog has been burned away. The information I’ve collected from various clans and villages paints an interes
ting picture
In order to have a chance against him, I had to understand how he’d gained such incredible power and why his eyes turned red instead of the usual blue. The first point I learned was red-eyed vampires are extremely rare. Throughout the history of vampires’ existence, less than a dozen red-eyes have ever been seen. Those who have had firsthand experience with them all recount the same basic information. For those few vampires who are chosen, the change first occurred when their loved one was in danger.
During my questioning of them, my contacts frequently stressed these special ones are the strongest and fastest of all vampires. An added benefit to being at the top of the food chain is the ability to command lesser vampires. Changelings who haven’t developed their own powers recognize them as their master—for all time, even after their powers emerge. They will leave the clan they were born into for their new master.
In addition to strength and speed, they can develop new powers as they’re needed if they’re under extreme duress. The new gifts may wane or revert back completely once they return to their normal state. This special skill makes killing them damn near impossible. The general speculation is they are also immune to silver’s effects.
But the most fascinating fact I found was how the red eyes manifest in the first place. Part of the gift is transferred from the vampire who created him. The gift is completed when that vampire bonds with a family member of a very specific bloodline—the lineage of the Veiled Kings heritage.
Alea is the key to Slade’s newfound power.
Assuming the facts that I’ve gathered are correct, I’ve come to the following conclusions. Slade has the power of the rare red-eyed vampire, and he has an incredibly strong bond with Alea, who is a direct descendant of the Veiled Kings’ bloodline. Because of their bond, Slade’s transformation is now complete, and the rare gift is now his.
Since Castel created Slade, Castel possessed the same power first and passed it on to Slade. But Castel also created me. Therefore, that must mean at least half of the same power resides in me at this moment. I only need the key to complete the transformation. My belief is Castel has already figured out this much and is working on a plan to take Alea for himself in order to unlock the power inside him and reach his full potential.
Immortal Envy Page 13
