by Wulf,Rose
Mick laced his fingers through hers. “He won’t touch you, Ali.”
Guilt spiked in her chest and she worried her lip for a moment. She hadn’t wanted to have to tell him this part. “He kissed me.”
“He what?” Mick jerked and shot to his feet. “That son of a bitch,” he said on a growl.
Ali watched, torn by conflicting and stupid emotional responses, as Mick paced the small floor space in front of the sofa. A part of her felt guilty for bringing this to him. It wasn’t her intent to ask for his help in dealing with Warner, but realistically she should at least have someone she trusted who knew the whole situation. And then there was the part of her that was touched by Mick’s display of protective anger. It made her feel … special. Important. In a way she wasn’t prepared to analyze. But she wasn’t the kind of woman who got off on having a man fight for her. She’d rather have a man stand beside her and support her while she fought her own battle.
Right?
Did this situation with Warner qualify as a battle? Was she over-analyzing it?
An odd, grainy sound caught her attention and Ali focused in time to see some of the soil from the potted plant in the corner lift up as if of its own volition. It lifted, swirled, and only then did Ali realize Mick was standing a foot or so away, his arm outstretched. This was his power. He was using his power, for some reason she couldn’t distinguish. Suddenly she couldn’t take her eyes away.
She watched as Mick spread his fingers wide and the soil splayed flat on the air. It held there until Mick brought his fingers in tight and rotated his wrist deliberately up, his palm facing the ceiling. The soil rolled over itself from the outer edges, flipping and flattening again, this time in a tall, narrow line. Mick curled his fingers into a tight fist. The soil rushed into a tight, perfect sphere. No crumbles falling away. Barely a sound. Mick suddenly jerked his wrist, snapping it out from its upside down position as if he’d tossed something. The soil mimicked the gesture, launching back into the pot it had lifted from.
Ali watched as Mick released a breath and let his arm fall to his side. “Mick?”
“Sorry,” he said, his tone calmer. Controlled. He turned and managed a small smile. “When I feel my temper slipping it helps to focus on my magic.”
She returned his smile, understanding dawning. “Like a good work out,” she said. Her gaze flicked to the small plant. “But could that little display really be much exercise?” Or did he just not need much? She wished she understood this witch stuff better.
Mick grinned and gestured for her to join him. “It’s enough for now,” he said. “Magic works best with verbal incantations.” He cringed. “Well, not anything complicated like in movies, but simple stuff. Stand still.” The last was added as an afterthought when she was standing at his side.
He held his arm out again and this time he opened his mouth. “Carmina.” The accent, like the word, that he spoke was foreign to Allison. But from what she knew about languages it sounded vaguely Latin.
A moment after Mick’s word hit the air soil lifted from the pot once more, this time arcing up and out as if in a wide spiral. Allison watched as it spiraled toward her, following the slow sweep of Mick’s palm. When Mick had turned to face his palm toward her the dirt circled her, maintaining a shifting spiral around her body. Up, then back down, the particles of the soil widening and narrowing up the length of the curve in an amazing optical illusion.
“Venite,” Mick commanded. This time Allison picked up on an undercurrent of authority in his voice. The difference in his accent had caused her to miss it before. The soil responded immediately, spinning away from her without once touching her. It gathered all at once above his open palm, hovering in a loose, spiraling sphere. He held his hand above the pot again and said, “Revertere.”
“Wow,” Ali said softly as the dirt once again returned to the base of the plant. “That was amazing.”
He offered her a small smile and let his arm fall to his side. “That’s how it usually works. For most witches it’s almost impossible to command their element without a verbal command.”
Arching a brow at him, Allison said, “But you didn’t use any earlier.”
“Not out loud,” Mick said. “I can do some things, depending on my level of concentration, without more than a force of will. But most things require a mental command.”
“Mental command,” Ali repeated. “So you think really hard at it?”
This time he grinned. “Basically. And the hard stuff I still have to do verbally.”
Allison reached out and grabbed his wrist, the same one that had been guiding the dirt, turning his hand palm up. Slowly tracing his lifeline she asked, “But if you can do any of that without a spoken command, doesn’t that make you … powerful? Wouldn’t you be important?” Why would this Council he’d spoken of want to punish one of their stronger witches?
There was a more familiar tone in Mick’s voice when he replied, “Yes and no. I am considered among the strongest earth witches of my generation.” He paused and the tension in the arm beneath her fingertips doubled. “But that’s all the more reason to take a firm stand with me.”
“That’s stupid,” she murmured, tracing one of the long horizontal lines beneath his fingers. His hand was so normal. No evidence of its true power—or the delicious things it was capable of—displayed itself on his skin. No smudge of dirt or whatever else she might have expected to see.
“Ali,” Mick said, his voice thickening. “If we want to get back to searching, you need to stop.”
She looked up, understanding that threat completely. And a part of her was sorely tempted to shirk their responsibilities in favor of more time in Mick’s arms. But she knew she’d only feel guiltier for that choice come morning. Remember Jude. She needed to hold on to that guilt. It would help her focus. So she released his hand before she could do something impulsively seductive—like suck one of his fingers into her mouth.
Mick sighed, the sound exaggerated, and stepped up to her. “I was afraid you’d make that choice,” he teased before tilting her head up with a curved index finger. He caught her lips in a lingering, leisurely kiss that sent delicious chills down her spine. His tongue stroked hers slowly and heat pooled low in her belly. He threaded his fingers through hers, holding both their arms to the side and making her want to touch him more. She clutched his hands and chased his tongue into his mouth, leaning forward in an effort to deepen the kiss.
He only let her control it for a minute before pulling away with a husky, “You’d better be careful, baby. I might just remember I’m on vacation.”
Ali smiled and eased back onto her feet properly. She already knew they’d be spending hours together in the room later. First she needed to be responsible. “So what do we do next, then?”
Mick brought her knuckles to his lips before responding. “We need to try to get the old man alone,” he said. “Or, better, to get his friend alone. But that’s less likely to happen.”
“Why would that be better?”
With a partial shrug Mick said, “I get the feeling he’s subservient. That means he’s weaker.”
And weaker would be easier to deal with. She didn’t need to have that explained to her.
Suddenly an image of Veronica, sitting on that sofa in Seth Hunter’s condo and trying valiantly to smile at her, popped into Allison’s head. It had been the last time she’d seen her best friend. In some ways it felt like that woman, though she wore Veronica’s face, wasn’t Veronica at all. Like she’d already lost her. When she’d left that building, and her best friend, she’d hoped she’d never see another vampire in her life. Never spend another minute dealing with vampires and the paranormal scene.
Allison’s head found Mick’s shoulder without warning and she held his hands tightly.
“Ali?”
“Sorry,” she managed to say, tears stinging her eyes. She fought them back and straightened after a long, silent moment. “My best friend … she was Turned, or whatever
the word is, less than a year ago. I’ll never see her again and it’s all because her life got overrun by vampires. She fell in love with one and another one nearly killed her, as I understand it. She was dead either way, but … I haven’t made peace with it yet.”
Mick frowned and tugged her properly into him. “No wonder this is hard for you,” he said gently. With his arms around her back, one hand tickling her shoulder blades, he added, “But this won’t go that way, baby. I can’t do anything for your friend, but that won’t happen to you. I promise.”
Allison closed her eyes and took a long, deep breath.
It wasn’t her she was worried about. But how was she supposed to say that? How was she supposed to articulate how devastated she would be if something happened to him?
Chapter Sixteen
Apparently there were some passengers aboard the Salty Sweet Euphoria who never slept. Mick and Ali had detoured to the casino three separate times and each time the small piece of gambler’s paradise was occupied. Mick noted one man in particular who, at just after three in the morning, didn’t seem to have moved from his seat since at least ten o’clock.
Ali gave Mick’s hand a squeeze, dragging his tired gaze away from the slot addict. “Look,” she said, gesturing as subtly as she could in the direction of two women.
The older of the women seemed to have had a tad too much to drink, or she’d been awake far too long, because she staggered even with the help of the younger one. He was about to dismiss it and insist they turn in for a couple hours sleep of their own when he realized why they’d caught Ali’s attention. The younger woman was familiar.
It was the nurse from the infirmary. The one Ali had found suspicious.
“She works all day in the infirmary,” Ali whispered as they watched the pair slip from the casino. “And then plays all night?”
Yeah, that was suspicious all right. Mick tightened his grip on Ali’s hand. “Come on, let’s see if we can tail them.”
“Oh my gosh,” Allison said as they trailed slowly after the stumbling pair. “Do you think she could be a vampire?”
“She certainly sleeps like one,” Mick mumbled. But she appeared to be struggling beneath the inebriated woman’s weight. What would be the point of acting weak at this stage in the game? Unless she’s weary of being watched.
Allison groaned. “Do you think I tipped my hand when I interrogated her earlier?”
“Hard to say,” Mick replied as they neared the corner between them and the elevator bank. As much as he didn’t like to consider that option, he had to admit she may have done exactly that. Especially if Nurse Tami compared notes with Boris. And the chances of there being two separate vampire attackers on the same cruise were pretty slim.
Mick led Ali around the corner and they nearly collided with the very pair they’d been trailing.
Tami seemed to have been intercepted by a patrolling security guard.
“—should be sleeping, Tam,” the guard said as he slipped an arm around the other woman’s back.
Tami laughed, the sound awkward to Mick’s ears, and said, “I know, I know. I’ll regret this little stroll come morning.” She was interrupted by a slurred expression of gratitude from the older woman, who was smiling way too widely at the guard, and all eyes lingered on her for just a moment. Finally Tami took a step back, sideways to Mick and Ali, and said to the guard, “Thanks for helping with her. I think I’ll try to get some sleep after all.”
“Now I’m confused,” Ali whispered as Tami turned for one elevator while the guard escorted the drunk woman to another.
Mick frowned. She was probably as confused as he was. It’d been a long day and he wasn’t thinking too clearly anymore. “Come on,” he said, starting for a third elevator. “I think it’s time to call it a night.”
Ali pulled on his hand. “But—”
“We’re no use to anyone if we’re dead on our feet, baby,” Mick said, offering her a smile. “I’m tired. I’m sure you are, too.”
She pouted, actually pouted, and he couldn’t decide whether to laugh or kiss her.
“You two are adorable,” an unfamiliar male voice declared.
Mick tensed and spun, putting himself between the speaker and Allison. Instinct and adrenaline were firing through his system and he wasn’t overly surprised to find himself face-to-face with the younger of his two suspected vampires. The one he’d pegged as subservient to Boris.
The vamp grinned at Mick’s reaction. He stood at the same height as Mick, with short, dark brown hair that oddly complimented his unnaturally darkened eyes.
Allison tugged at her hand, obviously trying to free it from Mick’s grasp. She had no clue who this man was.
“Can we help you?” He’d never been in a situation quite this delicate before. Normally the best course of action when confronting a being stronger than yourself was to throw the first punch. The harder the better. But on a cruise ship, where anyone could walk around a corner or step out from an elevator at any second? Mick didn’t know the proper course of action for that.
The vamp’s grin widened. “Certainly. In fact, you could help me in a few different ways. But for now, I need you to follow me.”
“I’m sorry,” Allison interrupted, successfully angling herself around Mick enough to face the vampire. Though she didn’t actually release his hand or step completely up to his side, either. “Why would we go anywhere with you? Especially at this hour?”
The unnamed vampire shifted his attention to her smoothly. Mick found himself waiting for the fluorescent lighting to glint off his teeth and was oddly disappointed when it didn’t. “Because,” the vamp said, “you’ve been searching so diligently for us that we thought we’d help you out.”
So it’s a trap. Mick couldn’t say he was surprised. He’d tipped his hand somehow during his conversation with Boris. Or perhaps it was just the timing of that conversation in conjunction with Ali’s talk with Nurse Tami. Not that it mattered what the tip-off had been. “Do we look like idiots?” Mick asked. “We’re not going to isolate ourselves with you in the middle of the night.”
“Oh?” The vampire arched a brow. “Weren’t you hoping to get us alone? I’m confused.”
“You must be,” Mick said, “if you think we’ll follow you into a trap.”
Silence stretched between them for a second before the vampire’s expression fell to a cold neutral. “No, you’d rather lead us to your room so we can corner you in your sleep.” He smirked, the expression as dark as his eyes. “After all, you will have to sleep eventually.”
For a brief, irrational moment, Mick actually wished Rhea would choose that moment to show up. Not that there was any chance she’d be boarding the boat on a closed-off level, but her impending arrival was about the best surprise they had going for them at this point. Which sucked.
“Fine,” Allison said, her tone full of conviction that had Mick’s stomach clenching. But she didn’t give him the chance to pull her aside or even ask what the hell she was thinking. “We’ll follow you wherever it is you want to take us.”
The amusement immediately returned to the vampire’s face and he laughed. Loudly. “Excellent!” Sweeping an arm toward the nearest elevator, he added, “This way. Father’s waiting.”
Father?
That was what he’d said, but Mick had a hard time buying it. Vampires couldn’t be born, they could only be made. Though it was always possible that Boris had Turned his biological family to keep them with him. It was equally possible that Boris was simply this guy’s sire. And in the end it didn’t matter either way. At least not yet.
Mick kept a tight grip on Ali’s hand as he followed the vampire. Letting himself be trapped in a small box with a deadly bloodsucker wasn’t exactly high on Mick’s bucket list, but in one way they were fortunate. The Euphoria liked to liven up a space with living plants. So if the vampire tried anything stupid Mick could use the small plant, and the dirt it sat in, to defend them. One on one, in an elevator, that just
might be enough.
“I am curious,” the vampire said after pressing the button for another floor, “why are a couple of humans looking for us?” He turned another arched brow at them. “Neither of you strikes me as a Slayer.” His gaze lingered on Allison. “Least of all you.”
Allison lifted her chin. “I could still surprise you.”
Mick watched the vampire’s gaze linger on her throat and very nearly threw a sharpened spear of vine into the bloodsucker’s chest. “Look at her like that again,” he said instead, “and you’ll find out the hard way.”
The vampire laughed again, the sound echoing off the walls. “I’d like to see you try something!” He sobered as the elevator settled with a ding! “But we’re here, so I’ll just have to remember my patience.” He waved his arm toward the exit as the doors slid open, revealing an abandoned hallway. “Veer left.”
****
Allison did her best to swallow her nerves as they followed their as-of-yet-unnamed guide down a deserted hall. The rooms were further apart on this level. What was I thinking? Agreeing to meet Boris on his terms, without any chance to plan or even argue about the wisdom of it. Mick was surely furious with her for dragging him into this. But the vampire in front of them had been right. They had to sleep—and soon. The vampires didn’t. At least, not as she understood it. And surely not in the middle of the night. If anything this was practically the middle of their day.
But what are we walking into?
That was the real question. It didn’t take a genius to determine that this meeting was some kind of trap. She was only hoping that the vampires wouldn’t want to risk making a scene during the quiet hours when their would-be victims would so obviously be on edge and prepared to make some noise. Or would that matter to them at all?
