by Jackie Ivie
“What did you do to them?” she asked when nobody said anything.
“Who?”
“The park rangers.”
“Oh. They’ll be fine. We don’t kill humans. We only kill monsters.”
And then he slammed a water-filled balloon onto the tabletop. It ruptured, spraying everything with mist. Evie gasped, as what felt like boiling water hit her, even through her chador, paining minutely before dissipating. That put a lot more emotion in her words than she meant to. “What the hell is wrong with you people?”
“That answers that. She’s not turned yet,” one of them remarked.
“Maybe not fully, but she’s definitely on her way. Aren’t you, sweetheart?”
She really hated being called sweetheart. Especially by assholes. “What. Was. That.” She stretched each word out.
“Holy Water. Effective against vampires. Super effective against real ones. Want to see what wooden stakes do next?” He gestured with his crossbow thing.
Her heart stuttered. A pain shot through her head. She squinted against it. “Not especially,” she answered finally.
“Oh. Don’t fret so. We’re not after you. If we were, you’d be dead already.”
The second guy gave her that information. He was a hair shorter than the lead guy, larger through the shoulders, and had a smug smile filled with perfectly aligned white teeth.
“We’re here for your mate.”
“My...mate?”
The first guy snickered. Evie moved her focus back to him. Evaluated her options. She had her water bottle. A few plastic chairs. A table. Against three assholes. And she wasn’t remotely athletic. Then again...she had saved herself from a rattler just this morning.
“You’re just bait, honey.”
Oh. Honey was almost as bad as being called sweetheart. She squeezed the bottle. Water spilled onto her fingers. She could hear it dripping onto the table, but nobody else seemed to notice. And just then a shadow darkened the portal where the end guy still held the door open. Evie caught a flash of something. An instant arc of pain hit behind her eyes again. Holy shit. That ache was Daron! He really did hear her! She had to mute the instant realization before the Hunters saw it. And so she started talking, using her conversationalist voice, as if she was on stage answering a question for a beauty pageant.
“You gentlemen do realize how crazy you sound...yes?”
Hunter Number One lifted the crossbow and aimed it right at her breast. Evie’s heart stumbled. Recovered. And started pounding away in her chest. Every muscle grew tense. Prepared. Readied. She’d never had such a reaction. She’d never faced a deadly projectile from a table length away, either.
“Joe, what are you doing? If you kill her, we’ll lose the vampire and our patch!”
The back Hunter guy hissed it. Evie smiled.
“Well. I certainly hope you brought something bigger than that,” she said.
Joe tripped the trigger, the arrow shot out, and Evie had it the moment it left the crossbow. She didn’t even look. She was fixated on Joe as his severed arm dropped to the floor, still carrying the crossbow. He was screaming, his arm stump was sending spurts of blood spraying outward, and everywhere was a mist of red. Blood red. The air was alive with droplets. They showered the figure twisting amidst them, outlining him, and glinting off his curved blade sword. Otherwise, he’d have been too blurred to see.
Joe’s scream choked off. Evie caught his glance. He looked crazed. And desperate. And enraged. He had a sharp stick. Evie saw it. And reacted. Joe got the water bottle right between the eyes. She’d launched it with such force the bottle was embedded into his skull. He slammed into the wall where Supervisor Craig had hidden. And then he slid down, coating the white paint with a long streak of dark red.
“It’s the vam—!”
Hunter Number Two didn’t finish the warning. His decapitated head flew toward where Supervisor Craig and Hunter Joe sprawled, while his body slumped in slow motion; first to its knees, and then flat onto the floor. That sent even more blood into the area. Her vision was filled with it. Every inhalation carried it. She should be horrified. Her teeth vibrated. Her heart hammered. Her breath caught.
She watched in a semi-fascinated state as Hunter Three got sliced in half, cleanly through the torso, including his arms and weapon.
And then Daron was before her, a large billowing cloak settling around his form, while blood trickled off this blade tip.
“Eshq-e man?”
“I love you,” she replied.
Then she was in his arms. He was shuddering. She matched it. It wasn’t possible to hold tighter, but she tried. She held to him as he wrapped his heavy cloak about them, covering her completely, and she held tighter as he raced through the building. He called her eshq-e man, his love, his mate, his woman, but only when she gave him space between kisses.
She couldn’t wait to get back to Ecbatana Palace and get him all alone.
~ ~ ~
“Ah. Your Highness has arrived. A little ahead of schedule...and look. You have your mate. Welcome to VAL Airlines. You two want to board, so we can get airborne?”
It was déjà vu. That voice. The interior of a private jet. Daron’s arms about her.
“We’re not going back to Ecbatana Palace?” she asked.
“No, eshq-e man. Too hot.”
“We’re in the southwestern United States, Daron. It’s always hot.”
He entered the plane cabin, sat, and unfolded the cloak about her that had kept her from a sun-searing. And then he grinned. Evie put a hand to his cheek and her thumb along his lower lip. Damn! He really was gorgeous.
“You misunderstand, my love. It’s been compromised. We cannot return for some time. Perhaps...centuries.”
“Where are we going, then?”
The pilot answered through the intercom. “Everyone ready back there? Take-off in about a minute, give or take. I understand the Zona de Silencio is desolate and dry and pretty much deserted this time of year. What am I saying? It’s always like that. Next stop. Mexico.”
“We’re going to Mexico?” Evie asked.
“I recreated every palace of the Persian Empire. The one in Mexico is modeled after Susa Palace. I...had a lot of time on my hands.”
“I’m going to become a full vampire then?”
“You did say you love me?”
“Oh. I do. I do. I just—um. Does it hurt?”
He chuckled. “I will be gentle.”
“Will I be able to fly and all those other things?”
“You already have heightened senses and immense reflex speed. I’ve seen it.”
“So that’s how I just caught an arrow.”
“And the snake this morn.”
“I knew I felt you. You were there?”
“Yes. I was there. I will always be there. I am your mate, Evelyn. You are the most important thing in my world. Forever. To have you is to reach pairi-daeza. I have never felt such heart pain as when you left me.”
“But you didn’t stop me?”
“I cannot force you. I love you too much.”
“Dang. You are definitely moving up the scale here, Daron. But, I’ve got one more minor little issue you are going to have to address.”
“Anything for you.”
“It’s about your harem.”
He lifted his brows and regarded her with those beautiful silver eyes. Evie almost sighed.
“You can name whatever portion of the palaces whatever you like. You can redecorate or we can rebuild. We don’t have a harem anymore.”
“Okay. But what about...the harem girls?”
“My estate managers will handle it. The women will be flown back to the old country and given enormous severance packages. Others will be hired and trained. Those are my instructions.”
“You have harem girls at Susa Palace, too?”
“I keep staff at all my palaces.”
“I’d suggest you retire them early.”
“You don’t wish
servants? Or the palaces to be cleaned and maintained?”
“I don’t share, Daron.”
Her prince raised one eyebrow in question.
“I’m a Jersey girl. I love you. I’m claiming you. You are my man. Got it?”
He nipped at her thumb. Evie’s entire form pulsed, sending her even closer to him.
“There is no other woman for me, eshq-e man. There never has been. You are my mate. My one. My only. I will only hire male servants if that is your wish. But I will not allow them to assist you in any fashion. Be forewarned.”
“What? No more spa days?”
“All right. Maybe I will consider an eunuch or two.”
Evie laughed. “Daron. You are really cute. I’m definitely going to raise you to a twelve. Now that I know the score, I’ll play. I have no problem with harem women, but have your manager hire unattractive ones from now on.”
“You do not wish beauty about you?”
“I don’t want to be overshadowed by the women around me. I’m not competing ever again.”
Daron’s eyes warmed to the color of molten lead. “Evelyn. You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. It is impossible for you to be overshadowed by anyone. Anytime or anywhere. I’m just grateful to have matched you on this fictitious scale you speak of.”
“What?”
“I was told you were a twelve. You deserve a twelve. We are a match. And soon we will be completely matched. And mated. You love me? You will become one with me?”
“Oh, yeah. Hell yes. Does this plane of yours have a private area...something like a bedroom? I mean, I seem to recall a really large bed, a coverlet of quilted, peach-colored satin, and—wow!”
The man could move like lightning. And then some.
-o0o-
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jackie Ivie lives in the enormous state of Alaska with her husband and three very spoiled pets. She started her writing career writing hot highland historical romances for Kensington Publishing. There are now ten “Clans series” books, available in seven languages. Keeping her head in the clouds most of the time, Jackie now spends her time researching, developing, and writing her paranormal series – the Vampire Assassin League, as well as her other historical line – the Brocade Collection.
Jackie loves hearing from fans, who can contact her at www.jackieivie.com or www.VampireAssassinLeague.com
Want to keep up with the assassins of the Vampire Assassin League? Consider joining the Assassin Street Team at http://www.facebook.com/groups/379151425455048/
TO HAVE is the 19th installment of the Vampire Assassin League. Check out all the assassins in the VAL, available singly, in 4-book bundles, and in print as 2-packs.
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