by Irina Argo
Anock took her by the elbow and led her into the hallway to explain everything privately.
“This is completely unacceptable,” Theores snapped when he’d finished. “We have to fix it, somehow.”
What the hell was going on? Yeah, okay, it was “unacceptable”—though Anock would have used a different word—but it was also what they’d agreed on. What would they do other than accept it? And what was Theores trying to fix, anyway? As far as Anock could tell, there was nothing to fix, nothing fixable. Other than Tor’s broken heart.
“George!” Theores yelled, heading back into the office, leaving Anock to follow her. “The new one is not to be drained. Do I make myself clear?”
The human nodded, but Theores wasn’t paying attention. She’d torn open the refrigerator door and was pulling out containers one by one, removing their lids and sniffing them. Then she took one container—presumably of Arianna’s blood—to the sink and dumped its contents down the drain.
Anock watched, dumbfounded at the waste. All Amiti blood was worth its weight in gold, but the Queen’s was surely priceless.
Theores washed the container, leaving it in the sink, and turned to Anock. “This never happened. Her blood was never taken. I want us all to stay alive.” Anock nodded silently.
“Now take me to Arianna’s cell,” Theores ordered George. As she and the human left the office, she called to Anock, over her shoulder, “I’m going to live with her.”
What the hell? Anock thought for what felt like the hundredth time in the past few hours. First of all, no way would Theores make it through even one night in a bloodstock cell. She could rough it with the rest of them when absolutely necessary, but staying in a cell when she had all the luxury she’d ever want in her own private suite a couple of floors up? Why would she even make that offer? It was crazy.
Motion caught his eye and he focused on the monitors again, watching their different views of Theores and George entering Arianna’s cell. Theores spoke to George, apparently dismissing him, because he backed out of the cell and closed the door behind him. Then she approached Arianna, her lips moving, and began to stroke her hair. Arianna ignored her.
It seemed that Anock’s work down here was done; there was nothing he could do for Arianna that Theores couldn’t do at least as well. He’d come back later; Theores would probably lose interest soon.
But then he looked at the monitor to the right of the ones showing Arianna, and he actually heard himself gasp. It showed another female curled on a bed in almost exactly the same position as Arianna, though all he could see was her back. He knew, right away, that this was her, the night-blooming lily. Suddenly frantic, he scanned the other monitors, but she didn’t appear in any of them.
He was standing over the control panel, about to switch the four central monitors’ view from Arianna to his Amiti, when George came back into the office. Anock found himself looking at the human, pointing at the monitor as though he was asking George a question.
“Would you like to see her?”
Anock hesitated. Did he really want to? Could he face her? He froze, an unaccustomed feeling of shame swelling inside him at his sudden, alien indecisiveness. Why was this so hard?
He shook it off. “Yes. Take me to her.”
Chapter 55
With growing anxiety Anock stepped into the gloomy cell. The female on the bed reacted only by slowly raising her head, her eyes betraying mild surprise that he wasn’t George.
Goddess, those eyes: huge, sad, jade-green.
The world tilted on its axis. It was the female from his dreams.
He’d been searching for her for three years, knowing that someday they’d find each other. But not like this! Imprisoned. His bloodstock.
Anock’s mind rejected the idea. It couldn’t be. The whole time he’d been dreaming of her, searching for her, his angelic, affectionate, beautiful girl, his goddess with the captivating eyes, had been imprisoned in the basement, beneath the floors on which he walked every day—and within his reach—and her sole purpose in life had been to provide the blood needed to enjoy the life he lived: his Ferrari, scuba and sky diving, rock climbing, racing, travel; good times with his pride, brothers, and friends.
Speechless, Anock backed out of the room. “Bathroom ... ?” he asked George hoarsely.
“Of course, sir. Follow me.”
When he got there, Anock locked the door with trembling hands and leaned against it for a moment to catch his breath. Then he bent over the sink, turned on the faucet, and splashed cold water on his face, trying to quell the nausea churning through his gut. Since that seemed to help , he stuck his head under the stream of cold water. This was ridiculous. Breathe, Anock, he told himself—And stop being such a pussy. You’re the leader of the Guardians. Suck it up.
Finally, after gathering his confidence and checking that he was breathing normally and steady on his feet, he returned to the cell.
“My name is Anock Sabe, the Wise,” he said as he approached her bed.
Dear Sekhmet, she looked so helpless. He took her hand and stroked her thin fingers. They were so cold, so pale.
Oh. It was because of the blood loss. She’d been drained enough that she couldn’t keep herself warm.
“Can you speak?”
She inclined her head slightly without taking her eyes off him. Could she be as awestruck as he was?
“What’s your name?”
“Cara,” she murmured, barely moving her lips.
“What a beautiful name. What does it mean?”
“Beloved.”
Anock had no idea what to say or do next. He felt an urge to thank her, or apologize, or maybe comfort her. It was all too awkward. So he just stood there, dumbstruck, and gazed into her eyes.
She was so close, so dear to him already. He knew that on some level he was blood-bonded to her. He thrived on her blood; her blood was in his veins. Maybe that was why for the past three years she’d been coming to him in his dreams? Was it possible that she’d also been searching for him in her dreams? Had they found each other at last? He bent over and gently brushed her forehead with his lips.
The girl’s eyes widened.
As Anock withdrew, he realized that it was the first time in at least three years that anyone had touched her with any intention other than to take her blood. It suddenly seemed more horrific than the other deprivations she’d suffered. Now he understood why Arianna always longed for Tor’s company and hated being separated from him for even a few minutes. After having been kept in one of those cells for nearly a year, and then experiencing the King’s adoration, how could she possibly survive in one of these cells again? This type of torture was beyond comprehension.
For the first time Anock thought that maybe the Keepers of the Key had a point. Vampires were monsters; maybe they did deserve to die as punishment for the cruelty they inflicted.
Anock wheeled around and left the room without looking back.
Totally bewildered, he returned to his apartment and tried to bury himself in Guardian business, going through the database and answering emails from his people, but his mind kept obsessively returning to Cara. Her sad eyes and cold, pale hands filled his vision. It was unbearable. He had to do something for her. But what?
A few hours later he was called to join the pride downstairs and greet the arriving guests. He’d forgotten completely about the party—and having been reminded, he didn’t want to go.
By the time Anock had changed into a black shirt and slacks and sauntered into the main hall, all the guests were already there, circulating through the room in evening gowns and tuxedos, chatting amiably and sipping their drinks.
Leon immediately approached Anock and pulled him aside. “Where’s the King?”
“He’s not coming.”
“What are we going to tell the guests?”
“Dunno. Sorry.” Maybe they should have cancelled the party? Even Theores wasn’t there, and she was
the best stand-in for Tor. But it was too late now; Anock and the other pride members had to play host and take care of the guests.
“A drink, sir?” A waiter emerged in front of him with a tray. Automatically, Anock selected a Pink Sunset and brought it to his mouth—and then froze. The night lily! The drink had Cara’s blood in it.
Slowly, controlling his rage, he looked around the room. Almost every Sekhmi there was holding a Pink Sunset as they laughed and flirted, enjoying the euphoric combination of Champagne and Amiti blood.
In Anock’s inner vision he saw once again the dim cell and an exhausted, slender female on a small cot in the corner. His jaw tightened. Goddess, how much he hated being one of the Elite. He turned on his heels and stalked out onto the sundeck.
The air was saturated with the scent of the seaweed that the tides had brought to rest on the shore. Cara couldn’t smell it. Bouquets of celestial white roses in extravagant crystal vases adorned every corner of the deck. Cara couldn’t see them. Two cats sprawled leisurely across the deck’s wooden planks: the pride’s Bengal, Basted; and Ismen’s Persian, Lovely. Setting his drink on the rail, Anock squatted down, rocking back on his heels, and sank his fingers into Lovely’s lavish fur. Cara couldn’t feel it.
Anock shook his head to clear it. This was madness. Was he now condemned to view every experience in light of Cara’s inability to have it?
“What happened, brother?” He was startled by Ken’s voice behind his shoulder. Anock had been totally oblivious to his surroundings. He couldn’t afford to be this distracted; no one should be able to get that close without Anock noticing.
“I saw my bloodstock. Her name is Cara, and I can’t stop thinking about her. I don’t know what to do, Ken.”
For a few moments Ken cocked his head, thinking, and then he said, “Go a couple of weeks without taking blood, then try to do it for a month. This is a proven practice. It will clear your mind and everything will fall back in place. You are the Elite, and bloodstock is bloodstock.”
“No, Ken. It won’t help. She’s become real to me. She is real. It can’t be undone. She’s sad, and beautiful. Her eyes are green and her hair glows like the sun touching the horizon. And”—he glanced at the drink in Ken’s hand—“I can taste her in those. It’s not just bloodstock blood in this drink. It’s hers.”
“Damn you, An.” Ken grumbled, glaring at his drink. “Now I can’t drink it either.” He set his Pink Sunset on the rail next to Anock’s. “And that’s why we never meet the bloodstock. We’re not supposed to meet them.”
“Why can’t we blood-bond with bloodstock?”
“Because she’ll never forgive you.” Ken put his hands on Anock’s shoulders. “I want you alive, brother. Promise me you’ll never see her again. If you do, she’ll do everything she can to seduce you, pretend that she loves you. As soon as you bond with her, she’ll burn you alive. Promise me you won’t go there.”
“I don’t care; let her burn me. I deserve it. We all deserve it.”
Anock turned to leave and almost crashed into a server holding a tray of elaborately decorated pastries and fresh fruit.
The guy managed to keep the tray upright and didn’t miss a beat. “Some dessert, sir?”
Cara would probably like them.
“Yes. Thank you.” The waiter held out the tray and then gasped a little when Anock took the entire tray. His reaction suddenly struck Anock as hilarious, and he had to stifle a laugh.
But it wasn’t really the server’s shock that was making him laugh, Anock thought as he held the tray high, navigating through the crowd to the elevator. It was joy at the prospect of seeing Cara again, of taking her this decadent platter of treats. He was overflowing with it, felt as though giddy, iridescent bubbles were streaming from his body.
The bubbles were fragile, though, and popped when he got to the basement. Doubt replaced them. I’m going to look stupid, he thought as he stopped in front of the door to Cara’s cell.
Turn back, Anock. You’re playing a deadly game. This can’t end well.
But he’d gone too far. It was too late. George entered the code and opened the door. Anock stepped into the cell.
Chapter 56
Not a day passed that Anock failed to visit Cara. He brought her ice cream, sweets, books, flowers, even stuffed toys. He’d become obsessed with her, unable to concentrate on his work, unable to make important decisions because his mind wasn’t capable of focusing on anything but her. He passed the time away from her anxiously, thinking about what to bring her that day and what he was going to say to her. Cara seemed to look forward to his visits, too, and was always grateful for his little gifts.
Anock was not naïve; he understood that, from her point of view, he’d been sent by the Goddess. He was her only hope of ever getting out of that cell. She had to act appreciative and not do anything to annoy him if she wanted him to keep coming back. But her possible ulterior motives seemed trivial; he just needed some time, and he’d overpower them with the depth of his love.
He wouldn’t allow anyone to take her blood, and he wouldn’t drink the blood of any other bloodstock. It was challenging to go without his feeding. Initially, the bloodlust was bearable; Anock had practiced methods of controlling it for centuries. He knew he could survive without going insane for about a month, and then—well, Anock didn’t want to consider what would happen then.
When he really confronted what was going on inside him, he knew he was secretly hoping for a miracle. He avoided naming it, but it was a blood-bond he longed for.
Anyone rational would have told him that unless something changed, the end of his life was rapidly approaching—but on this issue, Anock wasn’t rational. All he felt was joy as Cara began to regain her health, seeming more alive with every feeding he skipped. He also thought he detected a tentative affection in her eyes. Goddess, could it be that she had feelings for him?
Every night, lying awake in bed, Anock envisioned a glorious joining of their bodies. She hugged and kissed him just as she had in his previous dreams, as he ran his fingers through her divine hair. She’d stopped being just her, an alluring phantom; she was a real female with a given name and a physical body that radiated warmth, a body he could touch ... maybe, one day. It was torture to know that she was so close to him, in the same villa, only a few floors away. She belonged here, with him, in his bed. So why wasn’t she here?
His inner struggle went on like this for a month. Anock’s tolerance was being strained to the breaking point; he was miserable, anxious, and depressed.
One morning after another sleepless night, utterly debilitated, he got up and scowled at himself in the mirror. You can’t live like this any longer, my friend. She’s your mate. Stop being an idiot. Go to her and bring her here, where she belongs. And just like that, it was decided.
He flew to Cara’s cell as though he had wings. Quietly, so as not to awaken her, he entered the cell. He went to her bed and sat on the floor next to her, gazing into her beautiful face, wanting to sweep her upstairs to his room but not wanting to disturb her sleep.
Finally Cara opened her eyes. “Anock,” she murmured, smiling. “Has something happened? You never come at this time.”
He took her hand and pressed it to his mouth, kissing each of her delicate fingers. Her skin was soft and smooth and her night-lily scent filled the room. Dear Sekhmet, he loved that scent; it would forever be his favorite. His bloodlust surged, but he chocked it back.
“Do you have a family, Cara? If I can get you out of here, do you have someone who can take care of you and help you hide?”
“You can get me out?” She lifted her head, disbelief in her voice.
“Yes, but I’m torn. I want you free, but I want you here with me. I’m selfish; I’m sorry. Is there someplace I can take you?”
She sprang out of the bed and wrapped her arms around him with such fervor that Anock almost lost his balance. She’d been getting stronger since the bloodlettin
g had been stopped.
Anock was stupefied. It was the first time she’d actually hugged him. He didn’t know if he’d be able to let her go; she felt glorious, and he could feel the blood pumping through her heart.
“I can’t believe it.” Cara cupped his face with her palms and kissed his cheeks. “Thank you, thank you, thank you.”
Anock soared into an altered state, afloat on an ocean of joy, oblivious to his thirst. Was this how the love of your mate felt? Anock had never experienced true love, only a stable of sexual partners whose names and faces blurred together in his memory. Hell no, she’s not going anywhere! What was I thinking?
“Where can I take you?” What was he doing? Why was he saying that, like he’d take her anywhere but up to his quarters? He couldn’t let her go—not now, not ever. She’d be his forever.
Cara shrugged uncertainly. “I was raised in a foster family, a human family. I had no idea I was Amiti until I was kidnapped when I was twenty-two. I learned about vampires and Amiti from another bloodstock, Dina. We were put in a cell together from time to time, so she told me about Sekhmi, and how they treated Amiti—and what the rest of my life was going to be like. It was so shocking. Why couldn’t I have just been born human?”
Anock could hardly contain his wild exhilaration: Cara had no place to go except back to her human foster parents. Had that other bloodstock even explained to her why she couldn’t do that?
“Well, you can’t go back to your human family. You must know that being drained regularly makes Amiti lose their powers, and you won’t be able to shield for a long time, maybe even years. That means you’ll just be captured again. Do you understand that?”
She nodded gravely, bitter disappointment in her eyes.
“But I have an idea,” Anock continued. “Please, be my mate. I will love you and take care of you for the rest of your life.”
He didn’t know how he’d gotten the words from his brain to his mouth, but once he did, all his anxiety dissipated, and he felt only relief and tranquility. Reaching into his pocket, he brought out a gold bracelet engraved with a lioness head, a Sekhmi symbol of commitment like human engagement rings. He’d purchased it several years ago thinking that the day would come when he could present it to his mate. He’d been carrying it with him ever since.
