by Dannika Dark
We danced as if we were two ordinary people. In a morbidly beautiful scene that would have sent others fleeing in terror, we relished our victory. We also celebrated my Vampire half, who had single-handedly taken out a lion without hesitation or magic. But mostly we just stole a moment in time and forgot about everything else.
In the midst of madness, Christian made me feel normal. That my life—no matter how dark or twisted—had meaning. There were sides of me that no mortal could ever understand.
I finally had a man who loved every bright and dark thing about me.
Chapter 25
I examined Blue’s axe as we neared the cave. “I wonder why she carries this thing all the time. A knife is lighter.”
“An axe is scarier.” Christian lifted a branch out of my way.
“I beg to differ. I can do just as much damage, if not more, with a dagger.”
“An axe is a primitive weapon. If a man is faced with either that or a knife, he’ll choose the knife every time. The knife goes in clean and quick. The axe? Well, nobody wants to be a tree.”
The predawn sky was shifting from a deep indigo to azure, announcing that we had no time remaining to hunt down the last lion. Prior to leaving, Christian and I had swung by the first campsite and collected the stray bags left behind.
“They’re here!” Eve cried.
Christian and I shared a puzzled look.
“What’s she doing up at this hour?” I asked.
“I don’t know, but they’re all in a tizzy. I can’t make out what they’re saying.”
I noticed the dried blood on his neck that trailed from his ear. “How are your ears?”
“Grand.” He shuddered. “If the last lion left is the one who put that fecking device on a bullhorn, I want him all to myself.”
“You can have him.”
Christian rubbed at his neck and then looked at his fingers. “My eardrums healed an hour ago, but I can’t get that infernal squelching out of my head.”
“Hope you don’t have tinnitus.”
“Thank the heavenly angels that isn’t possible. Perhaps a tiny drop of your blood might speed along the healing,” he said with a wink. “Maybe a thimbleful?”
Christian was teasing, but the request lingered in the air. What wasn’t I willing to do for him? Sharing blood in large quantities wasn’t a good idea, but neither of us seemed influenced by the other’s power.
I put my finger in my mouth and pricked the skin with my fang. A pearl of blood formed on the tip and glistened.
Christian did a double take and then stopped. “Jaysus, I was just having a little fun with you.”
I held out my finger. “Just take it.”
He clenched his jaw and averted his eyes from the bright drop of blood. “I’m not feeble.”
“How will you be able to hear the lion if your ears are ringing? I’m just helping you get your revenge.”
“Or are you just trying to tantalize me?”
“Come find out.”
He sucked my finger into his warm mouth, his eyes never leaving mine. When his tongue swiped across the cut, his eyes rolled back before he closed them. Christian moaned as if he were a starved man devouring meat for the first time in fifty years.
When I yanked my finger out, it left a streak of blood on his bottom lip.
“You’ll be the ruin of me, Miss Black.” He licked his lips and smiled. “And I taste your satisfaction, so don’t think you pulled the wool over my eyes.”
I shrugged and kept moving. “How are your ears?”
He caught up in two strides. Instead of answering, he took my hand and squeezed it. There was no telling what that man could taste in my blood. Christian had lifetimes of experience, and his powers far exceeded my own.
But I didn’t mind the hand-holding.
At the mouth of the cave, grey smoke clouded the air from a dying fire. Claude passed through a veil of darkness and into the open. He had changed into a long-sleeved brown shirt with a high collar. Despite lack of sleep and everything we’d been through, his curly golden hair seemed perfectly styled. But his eyes were narrower than usual, and his nostrils flared.
“What happened?” I asked, letting go of Christian’s hand.
When he spoke, all four of his fangs were showing. “He kidnapped her.”
“Who kidnapped her? And who is her?”
“Carol.”
My heart sank. General’s brother must have run ahead of us. “Is anyone hurt? We got one, but we didn’t think the other one would come back here right away.”
Claude shook his head slowly. “That vile Shifter she calls her beau took her.”
Christian chortled and hefted his bags. “They’re probably off diddling in the woods somewhere.”
Claude gave Christian a reproachful look as the Vampire strutted into the cave without a care in the world.
“Did you try to find her?” I asked.
“Viktor won’t allow anyone to leave, not with the two left behind. Matteo went out, but he doesn’t own her scent.”
“How did it happen?”
“I think Carol was secretly carrying firewood to the second cavern. She created a dam, and water quickly flooded the room. It caused a panic because we had to get Blue off the floor. They must have slipped out and made a run for it. That young child couldn’t have devised that plan all by herself. He coerced her.”
“Nobody noticed they were gone?”
He shook his head and turned toward the cave. “The kids poured out of their spot so we could move Blue up there, but it was no easy feat. Then we had to stop the flooding since it was putting out the fire.”
“Maybe Matteo will find them. How’s Blue?”
“She’s awake.”
A weight came off my shoulders. “Good. I have a present for her.”
He noticed the axe in my hand, but clearly other things were on his mind. The feeling of helplessness was almost tangible. “You say you killed one lion?”
“With my bare hands.”
“Sounds delightful.”
“I think there’s only one left. He took off, so I don’t know if he’ll be back.”
Once inside the cave, I tossed the bags down in a dry spot on top of some rocks. Adam and Eve spotted their stuff and went to rifle through it. After removing some of their extra clothing, they began organizing what little property they had.
I approached the corner where Viktor and Christian were talking. Viktor aimed his flashlight at the ceiling while Christian detailed our encounter with the lions.
“We cannot stay here,” Viktor said. “We have to keep moving.”
“It’s a risk,” Christian cautioned him. “If the last lion wants revenge, he’ll be merciless.”
“If we stay, the danger is greater,” Viktor said firmly. “What if he has access to a satellite phone and calls for backup? We must keep moving.”
Christian inclined his head. “What’ll you have me do?”
“Break more firewood. Blue must stay behind.”
Christian left the cave as if he had fire beneath his feet.
In the crevice behind Viktor, long hair spilled from the flat rock where Blue was sleeping. Viktor followed my gaze.
“She has plenty of water,” I said, hoping to ease his worry. “We can leave her some of our rations. I don’t need to eat, and neither does Christian. I’ve got a few packages of peanuts and cookies I took from the train. Claude said she’s awake?”
“Da. She is too weak to shift again and refuses.”
“Why?”
“The more we shift, the weaker we become. It helps us to heal, but shifting is akin to running a marathon. She will sleep for a day or two, but she cannot afford to sleep any longer than that. Shifting again will make her vulnerable to predators.”
We both knew what that meant—Blue would carry those scars forever.
I climbed onto a rock and rose up to the height of her chamber. It curved around her like a cozy pita pocket, and it would be a s
afe place for her to recover. Claude had dressed her in his clothes, Christian’s trench coat covered her feet, and Matteo’s furs blanketed the cold stone beneath her. She lay at an angle with her feet tucked in the back and her head near the edge.
“Are you awake?”
She mumbled sleepily and looked at me. Her sapphire eyes sparkled in the light of breaking dawn.
“We found your clothes and bag at the old campsite. I didn’t go through it, but you probably have supplies in there. I also brought you this.”
When I held the axe in front of her, she smiled weakly. I set it down next to her along with her belt, which had the sheath that covered the blade.
“Thank you,” she said, clearing her throat and looking more alert.
“Are you hurting? Shepherd probably has pain medicine.”
She propped up her head. “No, just tired.”
“I killed a lion with my bare hands.”
“Is that so?” She chuckled quietly. “I always knew you were a badass since the day I took all your weapons.”
Shepherd rested his arm on the ledge of her crawl space. “Here, drink this.”
She looked warily at the pea-green liquid inside the bottle he offered her. There were chunks floating around, and it didn’t look anything like a protein shake or energy drink.
“It’ll help you heal up faster. You really need to shift one more time.”
Blue leaned on her elbow and sniffed the drink. “Do I want to know what’s in this?”
“Probably not. Just pretend it’s beer and chug it down.”
“Easy for you to say.” Blue grimaced after a few gulps of her drink. “I’ll shift later on when my falcon has enough strength to fly. If I do it now and she’s still weak, I won’t have any energy left to shift back.”
I saw the bigger picture. It wasn’t just about Blue being vulnerable but also her animal. If her falcon couldn’t fly, any wild animal could come along, trap her, and gobble her up. What a gruesome thought.
“I’m sorry I slowed everyone down.” Guilt bled from her expression. “I should have been paying attention.”
Viktor joined Shepherd’s side and patted her head. “You are alive. That is all that matters.”
She leaned into his palm. “I made a stupid mistake. I shouldn’t have wandered that far from camp. But it was too risky to keep trash in the open or store it close to where we’re sleeping. I found a spot and started digging a hole with my axe. I didn’t even hear him coming from behind. A knife cut through my shoulder, and I shifted on instinct. Then he grabbed my feet and covered my head.”
I stepped down from the rock. “If it’s any consolation, we stabbed him back. Karma’s a bitch, and so am I.”
She lowered her arm to lie back down on her side. “I wish I could have stabbed him myself, but I couldn’t do anything with that damn hood on my head.”
Viktor set down the satellite phone beside her. “I will leave this with you. I do not know if the compound will have outside communication. If they do, you’ll be the first I call. If we do not return in three days, contact Wyatt and get yourself out of here.”
She pushed it away. “You might need it.”
He stroked his silver beard. “This is not up for debate. We are many; you are one.”
“Thank you,” she rasped.
“You have been a great service on this mission, and your duty is not over. I want you to have Wyatt arrange for transportation. We will need a way back home, and that will be one less worry.”
Her eyes gently closed. “I will.”
I patted Viktor’s arm. “Do we have enough in the budget for a helicopter?”
Viktor gave me a “hell no” look.
“Just thought I’d ask. I’m homesick. When I get back, I’m making a special trip to Ruby’s for hot apple pie and ice cream.”
Blue smiled, her eyes still closed. “And hamburgers.”
Shepherd walked away and ran his hand over his short hair. “I just wanna see my kid.”
“And I want to see my partner,” Claude added while he put more dry wood on the fire.
Matteo appeared like a ghost as he stalked into the cave. He clenched his fists and snarled. “I lost their scent.”
Claude cursed and kicked the wall. The twins flinched as he paced around the growing fire.
Matteo stood between Viktor and me. “The young male shifted and marked his scent all over the place. With the wind blowing, I couldn’t track him.” He put his hands on his hips and lowered his head.
Viktor tapped his watch. “We cannot exhaust our time and resources searching for runaways. Perhaps after we deliver the two siblings, we can search the woods. It is unfortunate that she could not see the necessity of protection.”
Blue scooted closer to the edge and lifted her head. “I’ll look for them as soon as I can. They’re probably long gone by now, but they won’t get far on foot. Not many people trust hitchhikers.”
Matteo was giving me a funny look.
“What?” I asked.
“I smell lust on you,” he said matter-of-factly.
My cheeks heated, and I dodged his stare. Chitahs were unnecessarily invasive when it came to emotional scents, and the residual smell on my clothes must have detailed a lot about my evening.
More than I wanted anyone else to know.
“You tricked me,” he said.
“How so?”
“You promised me a kiss with no intention to honor your word. Not if you’re mated to that Vampire.”
“Technically, I didn’t promise to kiss you. I just promised you would get your kiss. I know lots of women who would leap at the chance with a stud like you.”
His eyes narrowed.
Viktor branched away and attended to the twins.
I faced Matteo. “Wouldn’t you rather have money? After everything you’ve done, you deserve a nice fat paycheck. I’ll give you half my salary for this job. That’s a lot of supplies you can buy for your home.”
Matteo’s masculine features and distinct bone structure hardened to stone beneath all that long hair and his beard. He didn’t accept my offer, but the doleful look in his eyes reminded me of how important the kiss was to him.
Why would this be his last kiss? Was he swearing off women, or did he want to end his life? Maybe it was none of my business.
I’d promised him a kiss. A simple, harmless kiss. Yet in my heart, delivering that promise felt like a betrayal to Christian. It would mean nothing to me, but it might mean something to him. At some point our job might require us to get close to someone else for information or setting a trap, but this was different. I hadn’t tried hard enough to negotiate a deal from the start, and now I’d painted myself into a corner.
“I’ll do it,” Blue volunteered.
I blinked up in surprise.
Still on her side, Blue tucked her hair behind her ear and lifted her head to win the Chitah’s attention.
Matteo looked between us with disappointment. “That wasn’t the deal we made.”
“Am I not suitable?” she inquired. “My scars don’t reach my lips. Close your eyes and pretend I’m a whole woman.”
He gripped the ledge and leaned in close. “You, female, are exquisite. I am not worthy of your lips.”
I snorted. “But mine will do?”
He gave me a look so icy that it could have given me frostbite. “You’re my mortal enemy. It means less. This female is closer to my Breed. We have similar traits and family values. I just wanted the memory of a kiss, not the hope of a life I’ll never have.”
Blue shifted her sapphire gaze up to Matteo. “Let me kill any hope you might have, Chitah. I’m not sentimental about kissing, so I won’t be keeping the bed warm for you at night. I don’t want a mate. But if Raven promised you a kiss, I’ll gladly pay her debt. I owe you.”
His head jerked back. “Owe me?”
“For carrying me here. For lending me your coat.”
Matteo reacted as though someone had told
him the earth was flat. “I did what any decent male would do for a wounded female. You are not beholden to me.”
“Is that so?” She rested her head against her arm as if struggling to stay awake. “Kiss me, Chitah. Claim your reward, unless you don’t think I’m worthy enough.”
Oh, Blue was good. Real good. She knew exactly how to push the right buttons. Watching her work Matteo over was like watching a baker kneading dough.
Matteo inclined his head. “You would honor me.”
I mouthed “Thank you” to Blue. She gave me an imperceptible nod before Matteo stepped onto the rock, despite his height, to lean over her.
Maybe it was wrong to pawn off my favor on a wounded friend, but Blue was an unpredictable woman, and this was her choice. Most of us had needs and filled those sexual impulses on the side. But Blue shunned all attention from men. Maybe she didn’t want to get close to them in any way that might jeopardize her position with Keystone.
Matteo didn’t rush his reward. He tenderly brushed her straight hair away from her golden skin and gazed into her eyes.
Viktor gave them a cursory glance when the kids started giggling. “Go to the bathroom,” he said tersely. “We leave soon.”
Eve rolled her eyes and dawdled toward the second room, her bag in hand.
When Matteo leaned in for his kiss, I pivoted on my heel and watched the sunrise. The twinge of guilt in my conscience forced me to turn around more than the intimacy. Blue didn’t like Christian. Hell, she didn’t like Vampires. So I didn’t understand why she’d bent over backwards to protect our relationship.
But when Christian came in with an armload of wood and gave me a smoldering look that burned hotter than the fire, I knew I’d done the right thing. Christian always liked to say: “Your lips belong to me.”
And they did.
Chapter 26
Gem hadn’t slept a wink all night. She’d combed through every page of her recent book acquisition to analyze the scribbling written above the text. She had mapped and memorized enough passages to locate matches in the red book. It would take far too much time to come up with definitive translations. The book she’d purchased at the pawnshop only had partial translations, and that would require extensive research to fill in all the gaps. Gem couldn’t contact the owner because Cosmo had said that all those books and other items in the back had come from the deceased.
