by Grosso, Kym
“I agree that Logan is well suited to watch the child, but we still don’t know about the baby…what she is. Her mother, Mariah; I didn’t know her very well but I know she’d lived in both New York City and New Orleans. Maybe if we could find Perry or track down a relative, they could help us figure out if Ava has any special abilities.”
“We’re leaving for New Orleans tonight,” Léopold informed them. “Tomorrow, we’ll meet with Logan to make sure the child is safe.”
“I’m going to search Perry’s house tomorrow and see if we can find any clues to Mariah’s background. I don’t understand why someone would want to kill her baby. It makes no sense,” Hunter said.
“People kill for all kinds of reasons, Alpha. Spite, love, anger, jealousy…sometimes people kill just for fun. It is a wonder at times there’s anyone left on the Earth,” Léopold pondered. “I, myself, prefer to kill for revenge. And the next person who attempts to harm Ava will die. I can assure you of that.”
Hunter went to his desk, pulled out a piece of paper and wrote down Mariah’s and Perry’s full names. He extended the note to Léopold. “Perry’s local. He met Mariah in New York last year. But I remember him telling me that she hadn’t lived there very long. I don’t think she even ran with a pack. You know how the hybrids can be…they like to lay low sometimes. Even though he’d mentioned New Orleans, she may not have been there very long either. I don’t have an address or anything else to go by.”
“She’s never been part of the Acadian wolf pack. Maybe she was just passing through or stayed with a friend?” Dimitri suggested.
“We’ll find her family and her friends. And we’ll find Perry, too. I don’t give a damn if the wolf had his heart torn out all over the floor, a man doesn’t just walk away from his child,” Léopold replied with disdain.
Dimitri didn’t answer the vampire, hesitating to agree with him. While the loss of a wolf’s mate was devastating, there was no excuse for leaving one’s offspring. Dimitri caught Hunter’s gaze, expecting the Alpha to argue with Léopold. Instead, deafening silence hung in the air for several minutes until Hunter responded.
“Listen, I don’t condone what Perry did and he’s not welcome to return, but I agree with the vamp. We’ve got to find him. Ava deserves better.” The buzz of Hunter’s cell phone drew his attention away. He clicked it off and took a deep breath. “I’m sorry gentlemen, but I’ve gotta take this in my office. I’ll just be a few minutes.”
As Hunter retreated out of the living area, Léopold addressed Dimitri. “Time to go, wolf.”
Dimitri rolled his eyes, recognizing the patronizing tone of Léopold’s statement. “Yeah, I need to get dressed, first. How the hell did you get here anyway? I told you I’d find my way back to the cabin. Even if you drove the main highway, you’d be hard pressed to make it up Hunter’s driveway tonight. Did you walk?”
Léopold smiled coyly at Dimitri. It had been so long since he’d had a friend and now he was about to clue him in on a little secret. Léopold approached him with a small chuckle, closing the distance between them.
“What’s so funny?” Dimitri stood with the blanket wrapped loosely around his hips, confused as to what Léopold found so amusing. The hairs on the back of his neck pricked as Léopold raised his hands as if to embrace him. “Come on, man. Let me go get dressed and we can get the hell out of here. We can call the airline on the way back to the cabin and…”
“Ah, mon ami, have I told you how much I’ve enjoyed the past few days?” Léopold set his palms on Dimitri’s shoulders.
“What? Yeah, okay. Good times and all, but we’ve got to get going.” Dimitri cocked a worried eyebrow at the vampire. His gut told him something bad was about to happen; something very, very bad. He looked from side to side at Léopold’s hands. Their heavy weight warmed his bare skin. A whisper fell through his lips. “What are you doing, man?”
“First, know that it’s going to be okay.”
Dimitri nodded, attempting to remain calm.
“Second, we aren’t taking a plane.”
Chapter Two
Dimitri hit the floor with a thud, his head barely missing what he recognized as a heavy wooden spindle from a four poster bed frame. His eyes flew open and he realized he was in a strange room, but he wasn’t alone. Léopold lay next to him, grunting in pain.
“What the fuck did you just do, Devereoux?” Dimitri yelled, unable to gather the energy to get up off the carpet. Confusion fogged his mind as he tried to figure out where he was and how he’d gotten there. A deep rumble of laughter interrupted his growing state of panic. Damn vampire. “Jesus Christ. Are you trying to kill me?”
“Yeah, I thought it’d be better not to tell you. You might not agree otherwise. Much faster than a plane, no?” Léopold continued to laugh as he attempted to push up onto his elbows.
He glanced over to Dimitri who was laid flat out on his back, naked as a jaybird. Very few knew of his ability to materialize and very rarely had he pulled someone through with him. But he needed to get back to New Orleans as fast as possible and flying in a plane would have taken hours. Unfortunately, he’d had to bring the baby last night and hadn’t fed in a few days. Exhausted, he clasped his hands onto the side of the mattress and used it as leverage to hoist himself off the floor and onto the bed.
As he rolled onto the soft comforter, he groaned in agony. Reaching across his chest, he fingered the torn fabric and ripped open his shirt. The crusty line across his abdomen provided evidence that he hadn’t fully healed from the Alpha’s blade. The rush of adrenaline must have kept him from feeling the pain, but now the sting tore across his chest.
“Merde,” he coughed.
“What the hell is your problem, vampire? Travel arrangements not up to your standards?” Dimitri spat out, trying to get his bearings.
“Don’t tell me you’re not impressed, wolf. It’s a cool trick. Don’t try to deny it.” Léopold took a deep breath and blew it out.
“Now you see it, now you don’t. You’d better fucking tell me what you just did. I feel like you scrambled my brain. Not cool.”
“Ah, stop complaining. You’ll feel better in a few minutes. Just look at it like shifting. It’s a kind of magic, sort of. Or one could say it is the temporary reorganization of mass and energy. Perfectly safe, I assure you.”
“Yeah, well, it may be safe, but you could have told me. A little warning might’ve been nice.”
“And you would have agreed?” Léopold choked up blood and his eyes fluttered.
“Probably not, but shit, Leo,” Dimitri huffed. He was loath to admit it but Léopold was right; he was beginning to feel well again. He sat up and noticed Léopold sprawled out on the bed, looking unusually pale…even for a vampire. A nasty scab lined his chest. “Hey man, what’s wrong with you? What happened to mister, oh so powerful ancient one? You do remember that vampires heal themselves, don’t you?”
“Mon ami, even I have my limits. I need to feed. I flashed back here last night with Ava and now again with you. If I can get my phone out…” Léopold kicked off his boots with his feet and began to take off his jacket, searching the pockets. “Where is my damn phone?”
“What’re you doing?” Dimitri stood and stretched, looking at his hands, feet and groin, checking to make sure everything was in working order.
“Arnaud.”
“Who’s Arnaud?”
“He’s my, uh, you know, assistant.”
“Like your Renfield, huh? Maaassster,” Dimitri joked in his best Transylvanian accent.
“He’s not sired or bonded, smart ass. But he is well paid. He was supposed to bring me a donor, and you, some clothes. I just need to lay here a minute…find my fucking phone.”
Dimitri laughed. “Looks like the great one is definitely loosening up. First the hot tub. Your liberal use of the f bomb hasn’t gone unnoticed either. There’s hope for you yet.”
“What can I say? You’re a bad influence.” Unable to find his phone, he threw his
jacket to Dimitri, who effortlessly caught it mid-air. “Find my cell.”
Dimitri quickly rummaged through all the pockets of the parka. “Nothing. You said, Arnaud is supposed to be here? And by donor, I assume you’re talking about a human?”
“Oui. Some are paid, some are volunteers.”
“Volunteers, huh? You got em’ lined up waiting for you to suck their blood? You must be good,” he joked as he made his way toward the door.
“The very best,” Léopold replied with a smile. But as soon as Dimitri left the room, he moaned, gritting his teeth together. Damn, he needed his sustenance. He should have known better than to try to transport again without feeding but he’d be damned if he spent another minute in the Alpha’s home when there was work to be done. He stared at the ceiling, weighing his options. Sure, he could drag his sorry ass downstairs and catch a cab to a local blood club. But the donor should have arrived already. Within minutes, he heard Dimitri returning down the hallway. The distinctive sound of a singular set of footsteps told him that he was alone.
“No one’s here yet. But hey, look at this.” Dimitri gestured to the dresser which was covered in an assortment of new clothing with the tags still attached. “Jeeves must’ve gotten one thing right. You mind?”
“Please do. If I have to look at your naked ass one more second, I think I’ll bite my own arm.”
Dimitri laughed, ripping open a new package of boxers. He quickly put them on and went to look through the large pile of jeans. He was about to ask how Léopold’s manservant would know his size, more than a little creeped out that some personal assistant was trying to dress him, when he heard a hiss from the bed. He sighed, knowing that his next idea was probably not the smartest thing he’d ever proposed, but damn, he felt a little guilty that the big guy had brought him all this way, sharing his ‘special travel skill’ and now the vampire was having trouble even sitting up in bed.
“Hey, Léopold. How about we take a cab to one of those clubs? What’s the name of that place? Mordez?”
“Soon enough. I just need to rest a bit before I go anywhere.”
Dimitri crossed the room and sat on the bed, taking in the listless state of the vampire. He observed that Léopold’s eyes were now closed, and the wound had started bubbling apart. Before he could stop himself, he’d made the suggestion.
“I’ll feed you.”
Léopold’s eyes flew open, meeting Dimitri’s. “What?”
“You heard me. Come on, let’s do this thing. You can bite my arm, right?”
“I don’t know…I can’t ask this of you. The donors, they come to me freely.”
“Yeah, well, so do I. Come on. You did this for Wynter. You had her back, I have yours. It’s no big deal, right? I mean, it’s not like you’re going to have some weird bond to me.”
“No.” Léopold gave him a small smile. “No bonds. No sires or anything. But still…”
“The faster you’re on your feet, the faster we can go try to find connections to Mariah’s past.”
Léopold’s lips tightened and he looked away.
“Ya know I’m right. We can’t waste any more time. You didn’t fly me all the way out here to lie around, did ya?”
“No, but I don’t think this is a good idea.”
“Well let me put it this way…At some point, possibly very soon, whoever wanted that kid dead is going to realize that she’s still very much alive. Then they’re gonna go after her again. And since she’s staying with Logan, I don’t want them going after my Alpha and his mate. So let’s go. Come on, just take a little, enough to get you by until we find your donor.”
“I won’t need much. Your blood; it’s strong. You’re wolf,” Léopold admitted.
“There ya go, then. Let’s get to…what do you need here?” Dimitri sat on the bed and considered how best to feed a vampire. What the fuck am I thinking? Too late now. He sat cross-legged, and then changed his mind, lying onto his back.
Léopold grew amused at his friend’s insistence. Not that he didn’t appreciate the offer, but he wasn’t accustomed to needing anyone. Dimitri’s blood, given in friendship, felt all too intimate, making him uncomfortable. Yet the lancing pain to his gut reminded him of his dire situation. He shifted onto his side, cradling Dimitri’s arm in his hands. Slowly he lowered his head to the wolf’s wrist. The aromatic scent of blood called to him as he found the strong beating pulse.
“You’re sure?” he asked, locking eyes on Dimitri’s.
“Yeah, I can take it. Do it now, before I change my mind.” Dimitri glanced away as if someone was about to give him a needle.
Without hesitation, Léopold’s fangs extended, striking the wolf’s arm. He closed his eyes, allowing the pungent flavor to coat his tongue. Deliberately, he suctioned the life-sustaining fluid, releasing his own power into Dimitri’s body. Léopold, grateful for the gift, would cause the wolf no pain, only pleasure. He knew Dimitri would resist, confused by his reaction to the bite. Léopold clutched the wrist to his lips, watching as his friend’s body bowed off the bed.
As soon as Dimitri felt the pinpricks, his body flooded with unexpected warmth. The tug of Léopold’s lips sent a rush of blood to his cock. What the fuck is happening? He wanted to rip his arm away from the vampire, but he felt paralyzed to fight. Desire washed over him from head to toe and before he knew what he was doing, his own hand had reached to grip his shaft through the fine cotton shorts. Stiff as a board, he stroked himself, attempting to relieve the pressure. Goddess, this feels wrong on so many levels. His mind screamed at him to move, to struggle, yet his lips parted, releasing only a moan.
Léopold licked the wounds he’d caused, and released Dimitri’s arm. Thoroughly energized, he sat up, and stared down at Dimitri, whose face had grown tight in both arousal and anger. Léopold laughed, and rolled off the bed. He watched in amusement as the wolf attempted to launch himself off the mattress but fell backwards, clutching himself.
“Fuck me.” Dimitri shook his head at the realization of what he’d just said. He quickly took his hand off his groin and glared at Léopold. “No. I didn’t mean that. Don’t touch me.”
“You’re fine,” Léopold assured him. He glanced in the mirror and finger-combed his hair back into place.
“This,” Dimitri gestured to his erection, “is not funny. Goddammit, I need to get laid. Not that you aren’t pretty, Leo, but you’re not my type. Shit, look what you did.”
“You may recall that I told you that feeding from you was not a good idea. But I must admit, your blood is fine. Very tasty.” A broad smile broke across his face.
“Really, Leo? What the hell, man?”
“Sorry, but there aren’t many choices when it comes to a bite, you know. Would you have rather had pain? I’m not a sadist by nature, but if you’d preferred it…”
“No.” Dimitri pushed himself up so that he was sitting on the edge of the bed. His painful erection was finally starting to subside.
“Well, then, you have to admit that it didn’t hurt. Go get a shower, see to your need. I’d love to help you but I’m afraid you’re not my preference either, wolf.”
“Really, so you give hard-ons but no blow jobs? Lucky me. For the record, if I ever am dumb enough to suggest this again, would you please just say no?” Dimitri hobbled over to the bathroom door.
“Hey wolf,” Léopold called from the doorway.
Dimitri lifted his gaze to him. “Yeah?”
“Seriously, Dimitri. I appreciate you helping me. I should’ve paid more attention. I let myself get run down. It won’t happen again.”
“No problem.”
“You need to know that it has been a very long time for me…this friendship thing. This isn’t something someone like me does.” Or deserves. Léopold’s eyes darkened and his tone grew serious. “These few days have been quite the adventure, and I suspect there is more to come. I must ask, however, that you keep what you experienced tonight to yourself. Not the bite but the travel. Logan knows as I c
ouldn’t hide it from him when I showed up in his house last night. But no one else. It’s a special ability…one I’d prefer others not know about. Understood?”
“My lips are zipped.” Dimitri sensed sadness in Léopold. As wolf, with his pack, he was never truly alone. Perhaps he underestimated the loneliness that plagued the vampire.
“Well, then…see you downstairs in a few. I’ve got someone I want you to meet,” Léopold commented as he left the room.
Laryssa Theriot carefully controlled her heartbeat and breathing in an attempt to convey indifference. For the past week, she’d felt the energy. She couldn’t be sure but suspected a child of her lineage had been born. So rare, she’d never experienced the warmth, the calling of another whose power was so strong. Yet as soon as she’d indulged in her excitement, acknowledging the fact that someone else like her existed, a cold chill had rolled over her skin, emphasizing the reality of her situation.
Sitting at the bar, she crossed her legs, the tight black leather pants caressing her thighs. There was no way she’d ever wear a skirt in this place. Like the humans, she’d be vulnerable to suggestion and the sexual excitement the vampires could induce with a mere look. She kept her eyes low, glancing around, taking in the auras of the supernaturals. If necessary, she’d invoke her powers to protect herself from danger. She’d gone to great lengths to hide herself, to blend into the magical background of the French Quarter. After nearly thirty lonely years, she’d grown weary of concealing her true nature. The cloak of evil that she’d recently felt brush across her face had reminded her she’d never be safe, freedom to be herself would remain elusive. It hadn’t been the first time she’d felt it nor would it be the last.
Laryssa pushed down her sunglasses, shielding her emotions further from the prying eyes of vampires and humans alike. The bartender regarded her for a moment, noticing that her glass was still half full with wine. She’d needed the alcohol to take the edge off her nervousness. Show no fear. The supernaturals would detect the smallest infraction of a loss of control. Increased heartbeat. Sweat. Rapid breathing. So many years in hiding had taught her well to mask her abilities. Like an actor in the grand theater, she played her part, meticulously attending to every last detail of her role, a dominant biker chick, looking for nothing more than a drink. Tomorrow, she’d return to her unassuming job in the Quarter, selling antiques, coming and going as she pleased on assignment. But tonight, she looked as if she was the predator; cold, calculating and ready to catch her prey.
