When she met his gaze, the longing in her eyes threatened to break him. “You tried to protect me when I was a kid. I didn’t have a lot of positive male role models in my life at that point. Well, at any point, really. And I got you killed. Or so I thought. I guess I figured if I kept the coin safe, I’d somehow honor your memory, and maybe make up for what happened.”
Nothing in his long life prepared him for how his heart felt in this moment. “Oh, Evangeline, you have no need to apologize. You saved me.” He brought her fingers to his lips and held them there for several breaths. “Though I am glad you kept the coin. It is very old—rumored to belong to one of the very first vampires in Italy, Luca Como. I purchased it in an auction three centuries ago and carried it with me every day until I gave it to you.”
“Oh,” she said. “You should take it back then.” She went to unhook the chain’s clasp, but he stopped her.
“No, cara, you keep it. I insist.”
Nic leaned in for another kiss, but before he could taste her, a low rumble approached.
“Get away from the window,” he ordered.
He raced back to the office for their weapons. Evangeline ducked behind the counter and Nic threw the bow and quiver to her. She caught them easily and nocked an arrow in seconds. Braced against the back wall, half-hidden by the cash register, she aimed at the front door. Nic pressed against empty shelves, the knife held firmly in his grip.
The rumbling shook the windows. A large, dark green pickup pulled into the parking lot. The bed held two motorbikes, secured with thick straps. Tinted windows hid the truck’s occupants from view. Seconds later, a sleek, black car pulled in next to the truck. The car’s driver-side door opened and a thin, olive-skinned man with salt and pepper hair alighted. Sunglasses hid his eyes.
The joy he felt at seeing his friend again overwhelmed him. He sprang up from a crouch and grabbed the door handle as the man removed his dark glasses.
“Carlo.”
“Dio, Nicola.” Carlo embraced Nic, then clapped him on the back. “I feared I would never see you again.”
“As did I. Please call off Pietro. I am well. There is no danger here.”
Carlo turned, and after a quick hand signal, the doors of the truck opened, and Pietro unfolded his large frame from the driver’s side.
Glancing back to the convenience store, Nic held out his hand. “Evangeline, we are safe. You can come out now.”
Evangeline laid down her bow and vaulted over the counter. Despite Nic’s assurances, she felt naked without her weapon. Once she’d reached his side, he guided her in front of him, keeping an arm tight around her waist.
“Carlo, this is Evangeline Longo. I owe her my life.”
Evangeline extended her hand, and Carlo raised a brow before offering her a firm handshake. An odd, churning sensation in her gut accompanied his touch, and Nic tensed, a low, warning sound rumbling in his chest until Carlo stepped back.
“I am honored, my dear. Also grateful. We all feared Nicola dead. Though we should have known that he was too stubborn to die.” Carlo chuckled, and his voice took on a lighter tone.
“Stubbornness did me little good against their weapon, Carlo. We have much to discuss. But Evangeline has not eaten since yesterday morning. You brought food with you?”
“Of course. Pietro and Vittoria were waiting to ensure you were well and alone. I will retrieve them, and we will sit down to a meal.”
Carlo hurried back towards the truck and Nic finally relaxed. Once they were back inside, he pushed several of the larger shelving units out of the way, clearing a space in the center of the store. As the glass doors swung open, Evangeline gaped.
Carlo dragged a wheeled cooler behind him with two leather coats over his other arm. But Evangeline couldn’t look away from the other man: bald, six-foot-five, and easily two hundred pounds of solid muscle. Tattoos covered every visible inch of skin. An intricate pattern of swirls and lines marked his forearms, and his hands showcased thick, dark images that seemed to come alive as he flexed his fingers. Even his neck and scalp bore ink—words Evangeline recognized as Italian but couldn't understand. He wore black jeans with heavy boots and carried a suitcase and a duffel bag that strained against the straps. Under his stare, Evangeline shrank towards Nic, understanding just how dangerous this man—Pietro—could be to her.
A stunningly beautiful woman trailed behind Pietro. Blond hair glowed in the sunlight, and her amethyst eyes sparkled. Curvy and lush, her painted red lips cut a dramatic slash across her heart-shaped face. Unlike the others, she appeared dressed for a casual day on the town in a soft white sweater and tight leather pants. She carried another cooler and suitcase as if they weighed nothing at all.
Nic pulled up to his full height as Pietro brushed past him to set the duffel and suitcase down on the floor.
“Nicola,” he said gruffly.
“Pietro. This is Evangeline.”
Pietro nodded but didn’t extend his hand.
The woman set her cooler down and embraced Nic. A pang of jealousy ran through Evangeline at the intimate contact, and she barely suppressed her growl and the urge to forcefully separate the two.
Nic, for his part, looked vaguely ill in the woman’s arms and extricated himself quickly. “Vittoria, this is my promessa sposa, Evangeline.” He emphasized the Italian words and Vittoria backed away several steps. Her face flushed with embarrassment.
“Merda, excuse me, Nicola.” With a smile, Vittoria extended her hand to Evangeline. Unlike Carlo, her firm handshake brought no ill effects. With a deep inhalation, Vittoria gasped. “Nicola, her scent—”
Evangeline pulled her hand away. “Look, I know I haven’t showered recently, but that’s—”
“No, cara. She can smell your blood.” Nic gently urged her back to his side. He glared at the three vampires in front of him. “No one feeds from her. Not even a sip. No one even thinks about feeding from her. Capite?”
“Capito,” Carlo said with a nod, and both Pietro and Vittoria added their voices. Evangeline pressed closer to him, suddenly afraid.
“Nic?”
His words in her head didn’t provide much comfort. “Your blood is stronger than any human’s. But they will not defy me.”
In his eyes, she found absolute certainty, and so she blew out a shaky breath. “Let us eat. I sense your hunger, and Dio, I want something besides berries and fish.”
Carlo, Vittoria, and Pietro made quick work of unpacking one of the coolers and setting out an impressive spread. Thermoses, platters of sliced meats and cheeses, bread, jam, olives, some tiny, oily fish, grapes, and crescent-shaped cookies. When everything had been arranged on paper plates, the five of them sat cross-legged before the feast. Nic pressed close enough to Evangeline that their knees touched.
No one moved until Nic unscrewed the top from his thermos. “Merda,” he whispered. “Espresso.”
He offered Evangeline the first cup, and she tensed as she caught the surprised glances the others exchanged as she brought the cup to her lips. But the scent quickly distracted her, and she took her first sip.
“Oh God.” She stared at the rich, dark liquid. “This is nothing like the coffee we had in the catacombs.”
Nic chuckled. “This is not coffee, cara. This is espresso. I should apologize. You will likely not be satisfied with instant coffee or plain fish ever again.”
As Evangeline sipped the espresso, Nic filled a plate with food for her. When Carlo opened his mouth to speak, Nic shook his head. She recognized some of the items: thin slices of bread, a tiny fish, olives, and a large spoonful of jam.
An awkward silence descended upon the room, punctuated only by soft sips of coffee or the rasp of the bread knife. Evangeline balanced the plate on her knee and looked from one vampire to the other.
“Well? Is anyone going to talk or do we all just stare at each other all day?”
Carlo laughed and raised his cup of espresso. “To Nicola’s resurrection from the dead. We have missed
you these long years, my friend.”
Nic inclined his head, and they all drank. Evangeline stared at the plate in her lap. The catacombs had no milk, very little flour, and only a limited number of spices. She didn’t know what to try first. Nic leaned over, his lips close to her ear. “The prosciutto, cara.” He gestured towards what looked like thinly sliced ham. “Then some of the provolone with the fig jam.”
“I will never take food for granted again,” he said, once he’d tasted his own slice of prosciutto.
“Nicola, what happened? How were you captured?” Carlo set his plate aside and picked up his cup of espresso once more.
As Nic explained how he had found Evangeline in the forest all those years ago, she tried a piece of the thinly sliced ham. The prosciutto melted on her tongue. As he told the other vampires how he had woken in Henry’s cell, chained in silver, Evangeline’s stomach churned, Nic's fear sinking like an oily stone. She couldn’t eat listening to him talk about the pain he endured at her father’s hand.
With their emotions so closely linked, the dark memories threatened her as well. When she pulled her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around her calves, Nic stopped, turned to her, and stroked his hands along her shoulders. “Evangeline, eat.”
“I can’t.”
“Look at me. I am safe. Whole. Because of you.” He took an anchovy from her plate and placed the tiny silvery fish on a thin slice of bread. “You need to eat. Please.”
No one moved as Evangeline did as he asked. All eyes were on Nic. Finally, he sighed. “What are you all staring at?”
Carlo cleared his throat, “Are we intruding on the bonding meal?”
Evangeline nearly choked on the bread. Nic half-growled an oath. “Our bonding is not a topic for discussion right now.”
The three vampires flinched as if they’d been slapped. Carlo bowed his head. “Of course, Nicola. Please continue.”
An hour passed as Nic shared bits and pieces of his past eighteen years. So much pain. He never stopped touching her, and as she linked their fingers and relaxed against him, she wondered if she’d already bonded to him—at least in her heart.
24
Nic held Evangeline close. They’d shifted so their backs rested against one of the old shelving units. Pietro rummaged in one of the duffel bags and withdrew a high-powered rifle. “I do not like being trapped inside. I will patrol.”
Gesturing to the back of the store, Nic said, “There’s a ladder that will take you to the roof. From there you should be able to see several kilometers. Save your energy for now. When we return to the catacombs, we must all be rested.”
The large vampire nodded and slung the rifle over his shoulder. The moment he reached the top of the ladder, the tension in the room dropped perceptibly.
“Carlo, what happened when I was captured? Pietro is angry. He was never the most…gregarious vampire, but this is…worrisome.” Nic feared most for Evangeline. His former guard had not looked kindly at his life mate, and Nic worried.
With a sigh, Carlo got up and started to pace. “When you did not arrive in Seattle, the captain of the Vampire Guard contacted the Conclave. A group of us flew to the United States that night. Pietro found the human who was supposed to drive you across the state, but he refused to tell us where he left you or why. The man is dead now.” Carlo angled a glance at the ladder. “I will let you guess how.”
Nic twined his fingers with Evangeline’s. He needed the connection with her to keep his emotions in check. The pain, he could recount dispassionately. He’d survived more pain in his long life than humans could fathom. But the helplessness and isolation would weigh on him for the rest of his long life.
“The human was loyal to the Hand of God,” Nic said. “I believe he conspired with Longo to get me into the forest at that time, in that location.”
“I remember Henry saying ‘he’s close’ before the fireworks started,” Evangeline said quietly.
Nic glanced down at his life mate. Merda. He shouldn’t think of her in that way. Not yet. But, he couldn’t help his feelings. He’d already bonded to her in his heart. “You remember his words?”
“I remember everything about that day,” she said. “Gary…the man you shot when we escaped…he asked my—Henry—if he was sure he wanted to use me. I could get hurt. He didn’t care. Said if it got him a vamp, it was worth it.”
Pressing a kiss to the top of her head, Nic tried to think up a suitable reply. All he wanted to do was kill the man who’d hurt this beautiful, precious woman so badly for so many years. Finally, Carlo saved him from the awkward moment.
“We searched for you for a year. Pietro took an apartment in Seattle—spent every day combing the forests for you. He only gave up when the Conclave insisted he return to Italy. We found nothing. No blood, no clothing. No word at all. I am so sorry, my friend. I never should have stopped looking for you.” Carlo’s voice cracked, and his eyes shone in the midday sun streaming through the skylight. He bowed his head. “Can you ever forgive me?”
Nic shook his head. “There is nothing to forgive. You could not have found me. We were deep underground. I did not see sunlight or breathe fresh air the entire time. You are here now. That is all that matters.”
“Evangeline,” Vittoria said as she rose gracefully to her feet. “Carlo and Nicola require a few moments alone. Vieni con me?”
Nic met Evangeline’s questioning gaze with a smile. “You are safe with her, cara. And she is right.” He switched to his thoughts. “I will explain more later when we are alone, but much of my world depends on rituals and rules. I will never be far from you.”
Evangeline nodded, and Nic helped her to her feet so he could take a moment and wrap his arms around her. “If you are afraid at all, I will know,” he whispered against her ear.
Without another word, Evangeline accepted the rifle Vittoria handed her and followed the doctor through the glass doors and out into the sunshine.
Carlo knelt in front of Nic. “I am sorry, capo. But bonding to a human? How can you think this is a good idea?”
“She is the reason I am alive. That I survived at all in that hellhole.” Though he’d never blamed Carlo for not finding him, questioning the bonding was inexcusable.
“I do not understand. You said she only discovered you were alive a week ago.” Carlo’s gaze begged forgiveness, but the angle of his head held distrust.
Nic started to pace. “When I met her, there was such a purity to her. She laughed in my arms. A child. So trusting. Totally unafraid of the monster who held her.” At Carlo’s furrowed brow, Nic held up his hand. “We are monsters, my friend. We fight our base urges—some more than others—but we can kill so easily. Her father’s men came after us. They hurt her. Almost killed her. And I gutted one of them without a single shred of remorse. Had there been more time, I would have made him suffer.
“I know that I am outwardly a good man. I work very hard to be so. But violence lingers just under the surface. Our long lives, our strength, it is so easy.”
“I still do not understand how she contributed to your survival. Your escape, si. But how did she keep you alive for so long?” Carlo said.
“I thought of her when the pain or loneliness overwhelmed me. There were times I would imagine her living free, far away from that cursed place, and the thought would bring me comfort. It did not take me long to accept my fate. That bastard had thought of everything. Silver lining the lab doors, hidden tranquilizer guns throughout the room, the silver chains he used to bind me—I started praying for death after mere months. Only Longo’s desperate need to develop his weapon combined with his bumbling research kept me alive. But when I saw her again, talked to her, touched her, I realized how much I wanted to live.
“I cannot fight this. I have tried. Every second I spend with her strengthens our bond. Carlo, she marked me.” He yanked the collar of his shirt away from his neck, and Carlo swore softly.
“I do not understand how this is possible.”
“She isn’t like other humans. Her blood is strong. She heals so quickly, she can run without tiring, and she cannot have children. All side effects of her father’s experiments on her.”
“The man had your blood for years, Nicola. He could have learned much. Perhaps enough to make her one of us?”
“She’s not, though. Her blood sates me. If she were vampire, that would not happen.”
Carlo fell silent and then sighed. “Will you complete the bonding?”
“I love her.” Nic stopped his pacing, and his shoulders slumped. He sank to his knees and covered his face. “Dio, Carlo. I love her. This is more than the physical need the bonding compels. So much more.”
Carlo crouched next to his oldest friend. “Then what is stopping you?”
“Her humanity.” Nic raised his head. Tears obscured his eyes. “If I bond with her, I will be forced to watch her die. She will age, where I will not. Can you imagine the cruelty? As her body starts to slow, to fail, mine will remain strong. She will grow old in the blink of an eye, and I will be left alone. You have seen what happens when a bonded vampire loses their life mate. I do not know if I could retain any shred of my humanity mired in the throes of grief.”
“There is a solution, you know. Vittoria would be willing.”
“No!” Nic shoved his friend, and Carlo went flying against one of the shelves. “She will not be turned. She does not want it, and I will not allow it to happen. Do not speak of this again!”
Blood trickled down Carlo’s temple. As the gash healed before Nic’s eyes, Carlo lowered his head. “I am sorry, Nicola. I only wished to offer you a solution.”
Nic approached the glass doors. Evangeline and Vittoria sat on the truck’s tailgate. Evangeline had her lip tucked under her teeth again, and he smiled. Such a very human gesture, and he ached to hold her. Damn the bonding. He didn’t know how much longer he could wait.
Secrets in Blood Page 21
