by Dannika Dark
“What’s that?” I asked.
“Underground parking,” he said, lifting the collar of his coat to shield his neck from the rain.
I set my heavy duffel on the ground while I shut the car door. He collected my bag and swung it over his shoulder as if it weighed nothing.
I followed behind, studying the Vampire. His straight shoulders didn’t slope down, and he must have been around six feet tall. He didn’t walk with a heavy gait but glided forward with a purposeful stride. If he wasn’t so cocksure and intimidating, he might actually be attractive. I didn’t like Vampires, and the fact he was pleasant to look at made me hate him even more.
The stone archway above the front door had the same sculpture of a warrior’s head on the keystone.
When we entered, it was nothing like I had expected. Instead of marble floors, crystal chandeliers, baroque furniture, and classic paintings, the interior looked like the inside of an old castle, just as it did on the outside. There was a nice open space, and farther up to the left was a curved staircase. Some of the candles on the walls were lit, but not many since the windows brought in sufficient light.
I recoiled at a statue on my right of a man wielding a sword in his right hand as if he were going to strike me down. A sharp wing extended behind that arm while the other wing curved around front to shield him.
“Viktor’s a religious man, huh?” I asked, warily walking past the statue as if it might come alive.
“That’s not an angel,” the Vampire whispered in my ear, leading me to a hall on the right.
The gothic architecture was captivating. We headed toward a hall on the right, an archway at the entrance and a curved ceiling. These windows were tinted blue, and lanterns hung from the ceiling between every other window.
Our footsteps reverberated off the walls, and I tried to ignore the squishing sound coming from my right boot.
A woman with long brown hair was waiting at the end of the hall that branched off to the left. She possessed a natural beauty that wasn’t overly feminine, and her features were distinctly Native American. The very first thing I noticed was her sapphire eyes—they sparkled against her dark features, making them the most striking thing about her. But there was nothing gentle about her rigid stance and serious demeanor.
“Set down her bag and open it up,” she said. “I’ll search her.”
“I don’t have any weapons on me,” I assured her.
“It’s routine. We thoroughly search everyone the first time. We’re looking for weapons, recording devices, tracking mechanisms… Take off your shoes.”
While the Vampire rummaged through my personal belongings, I unlaced my boots and pulled them off.
The Irishman tossed my clothes in a meaningless pile, searching the pockets and inspecting the hems.
She circled her hands around the waistband of my jeans and discovered a blade disguised as a belt buckle.
I shrugged. “Forgot I had that.”
“Is that so?”
While she continued her search, I glanced up at a painting. It was a glum image of a dark moonlit river.
How very Breed, I thought.
She crouched down and found a push dagger hidden inside my pant leg. It was a small one infused with magic—one I only used in emergencies against another Mage. Stunners weren’t easy to come by, so I hated losing one.
“I suppose you forgot you had this as well?” she asked, setting it on the floor next to the other.
“You could say that.”
She held up my boots and felt inside, then looked closer at one and turned it over. I worried my lip, hoping she wouldn’t find…
“And this?” She pulled out another blade tucked in the back heel.
“I made it myself. The handle folds out from the bottom and you can pull—”
“I see.” It looked as though she was struggling to conceal a smile. “Maybe you should remove your socks.”
The Vampire chuckled. “Careful, Blue. Those hooves might be the deadliest weapon she’s concealing. Vile, to be sure.”
I peered over my shoulder and gave him a cross look. I didn’t rattle easily, but I was determined to find out what pushed his buttons so I could give him a taste of his own medicine. I lifted my foot and peeled off the wet sock. “If this is leading somewhere, I can tell you right now that I’m not stripping naked. If that’s the deal breaker, you need to let me know.” I hurled the black sock over my shoulder and heard it smack against the Vampire’s face.
I didn’t need to look to know that I’d hit my target. I could hear the revulsion in his whispered obscenities.
The woman named Blue stood up, and she was a couple of inches taller than me—maybe five foot ten if I had to guess.
Her eyes swept down to my chest, and when I noticed hers was bigger, I almost wanted to puff my girls out.
“I need to check your bra,” she said.
This gal was all business, and I had a feeling I wasn’t going to get special treatment because of my gender. I reached beneath my shirt and unlatched the hooks, executing a maneuver that all women know how to do when it comes to removing a bra through a shirtsleeve. She turned it in her hands and discovered a small piece of wood I’d concealed in the slot where the wire once was.
The Vampire snorted. “A toothpick for dinner?”
I glared over my shoulder. “I think we both know it doesn’t take much of that kind of wood to paralyze a Vamp.”
His eyes narrowed at my flagrant use of a derogatory word for Vampires.
My eyes narrowed at the red panties wrapped around his fingers.
When Blue’s phone vibrated, she checked the message, her feather earrings brushing against the side of her face. “It’s Viktor. I need to run. Can you finish this up?”
Horrified my strip search was transferring over to a man, I looked at the Vampire, expecting a gleeful expression. Instead, I saw a man sitting with his legs crossed, smelling a tube of my lipstick before swiping it across his wrist.
“I’ve got it covered,” he said absently. “How is it that you can’t afford to eat, but you seem to have plenty of face paint?”
I folded my arms as Blue hurried down the hall. “You’d be surprised what women leave behind in the bathroom.”
He rose to his feet and approached me with an elegant stride, his head inclined. “I’m Christian Poe. Thought maybe you should at least know my name before I get close to those ample breasts of yours.” He gave me a wolfish grin and brushed up beside me. “Come on, lass. I won’t bite. Just up to the golden arches; I only need to see your midsection.”
“I’m not lifting my shirt unless you carry large bills in your wallet.”
“Suit yourself. Would you like me to drop you off in the puddle I found you in, or is there someone you can call?”
Blue hadn’t seemed fazed at leaving me alone with him, so she must have gone through the process too.
“Just pat me down and get it over with.”
“With absolute pleasure. Shall I get some baby oil before we begin? Sometimes a little lubrication helps with the process—makes it sufferable.” He curved his arm around my waist and whispered in my ear, “My hands can be rough.”
“You talk too much.”
Christian leisurely ran his hands up the front of my shirt, just beneath the curve of my breasts. He was inches away, and I lifted my chin to look closely at his mouth, making sure he kept his fangs in check.
“Sorry, lass. I can see you’re vexed, but it’s my job to be thorough.”
I gave him an indifferent look, which provoked him. He wrapped his arms behind my back as if he were hugging me, fingers splayed as he moved them upward. He watched my face for a reaction, undoubtedly using his keen hearing to see if my heart was doing a quickstep. I kept my breathing calm, my expression stoic, and my eyes on his lips.
Probably not the best place to look since he had an inviting mouth, but when the tips of his fangs peeked out, that was enough to rein in any sense of desire. I lo
athed Vampires and rejected that part of me. I used my Vampire gifts as a necessary evil, but evil it was.
His eyes tightened just a fraction when he ran his hand over a healing bruise, causing me to wince.
“If you’re about done rifling through my panties and feeling me up, I’d like to speak with your boss.”
“Raven. I’m so glad you came.”
I stepped back as Viktor approached from the hall on the right.
“Come this way, and I’ll show you to your room.”
“I don’t need a room, I just need some answers.”
“Very well. Christian, take her things upstairs and then join us in the study.”
Without a word, Christian collected my bag and weapons before swiftly heading back down the way we came.
After I put my boots back on, Viktor and I strode through the hall that Blue had gone down, passing several doors on the left.
I pointed at one made of steel. “What’s up with the heavy door?”
“Everyone likes a little privacy, and some of our rooms are soundproof. I have a house full of different Breeds and temperaments; we’ve lost a lot of doors.”
“That doesn’t exactly make me feel safe.”
“You need not worry,” he said, his accent warming me like a strong drink. “They won’t bother you once they learn what you are.”
“And what exactly is that?”
Viktor didn’t break stride. “A Breed killer.”
Chapter 4
Viktor handed me a glass of merlot and sat in a brown leather wingback chair across from me. Our chairs were angled slightly toward the fireplace, and I had a clear view of the door to my right. He had a quaint study with an unlit fireplace, bookshelves, and a statue of an archer aiming his arrow at my chair. I couldn’t get over the antiquated use of lanterns instead of electricity, but the stone walls soaked up the light, lending a magnificent glow to the room.
“I have high connections,” he began. “My group has some of the best information seekers with specific skills. We’re given special assignments that no one else will do, and we’re hired to bring down some of the most notorious criminals in the Breed world—the untouchables. Many of them are men and women who haven’t been classified as outlaws by the higher authority, but we bring them to justice.”
“So you gather evidence and make arrests?”
“Nyet.” After sipping his wine, he set the crystal goblet on a table to his right. “Lawmakers require written evidence, testimonies, photographs, computer files, that kind of thing to convict. In most cases, witnesses to a crime won’t speak out. There is no witness protection program.”
The bitter drink made me grimace. “I don’t have any experience with investigative work.”
His mouth turned down as if he were considering how to answer. “I choose open-minded individuals. Rumor is you’ve taken out twenty-one.”
“Thirty-three,” I corrected. “How did you trace all those murders back to me? I’ve been discreet. I’m not exactly leaving a letter of apology at the scene of the crime.”
“It’s a small world, and eventually all paths will cross. My inside contacts let me know when there’s an unsolved murder, and occasionally one will match up with one of our cases. My Chitah couldn’t pick up a scent that’s uniquely yours, but he matched similar lotions or soaps. We knew you were a woman because some of the victims had lipstick smudges on their necks.”
When I crossed my legs, his eyes skated to the hole in my jeans. “I must be an enigma to you then.”
He lifted his glass and took another swallow. “You could say that. We suspected you were a Vampire, but it appears we were wrong. My tracker happened to be in the same location as your last crime and got a good look at you. Do you mind explaining why it is that some of your victims were drained of their blood? Do you work with a partner?”
I flicked my eyes at Christian, who was standing to my right near the door. “Does he have to be in here?”
Christian theatrically bowed his head.
Viktor cleared his throat, smoothing out his accent. “He’s the one who found you. There are no secrets in my house,” he said, wagging his finger. “That includes any special gifts that you may have. We’ll assess your skills to determine what your strengths and weaknesses are, but for now, why don’t you put on some dry clothes and rest?”
“I don’t need rest. I’m a Vampire.”
While Viktor’s expression was unreadable, the reaction from the Vampire behind him was dramatic. Christian surged forward at an alarming speed.
I’d heard stories that female Vampires were highly sought after. There weren’t that many to begin with, and their elders weren’t looking to expand their population since the younglings were unpredictable and oftentimes dangerous. I’d also heard how wickedly beautiful those women were, but I’d never seen one myself.
Christian’s obsidian gaze swallowed me up, and I shifted nervously in my seat. “Your eyes are not black and your skin isn’t flawless.”
“Gee, you really know how to charm the ladies,” I said, twirling a lock of inky-black hair. “Before you get excited, I should tell you that I’m not entirely Vampire. I’m…” I hesitated. There was no reason to believe Viktor wasn’t serious about his offer, and that meant coming clean. “I’m a crossbreed.”
Viktor leaned forward, arms resting on his knees. “A cross between what?”
I’d never told anyone my secret outside of my victims. I could only guess how they were going to react based on my previous experiences.
“A Vampire and a Mage.”
“Are you mental?” Christian exclaimed. “Viktor, you can’t take her seriously. Such a thing doesn’t exist. Once you’re a Vampire, a Mage can’t put his light into you and change you over. It doesn’t work the other way either. She’s touched in the head.”
I uncrossed my legs and rested my hands on the armrests of the chair, smiling up at him with my eyes. I’d finally found the one thing that annoyed him.
Me.
“Are you telling me that you’ve never once heard of a crossbreed or met someone who doesn’t fit the mold?” I asked.
He stroked his beard and averted his eyes, implying that he had. “Where’s your maker?”
“My fangdaddy split the day I was born.” I turned my attention back to Viktor. “I can sit in this room if you want me to, but I don’t need sleep. I don’t think I could go forever without it—maybe a week. The Mage side of me still likes to snooze. Anyhow, there’s no point in my staying here. I’m sure there’s a place up the road where I can get a room.”
Viktor stood up, making a fist for emphasis. “Absolutely not. This isn’t just a job, Raven. It’s a way of life. We live together, and that’s final. Until I’ve made up my mind whether or not you’ll fit in with the group, you’ll stay here. If you don’t like it, I can show you the door.”
Christian folded his arms and turned to Viktor. “She’s bluffing. She’s not a Vampire.”
“Really, are you still stuck on that?” I rose to my feet and confronted him.
Christian’s fangs slid down, and we faced off like two enemies. “I think you’re confusing Vampires with Chitahs.”
“I’m not a Chitah. Has anyone ever told you that you’re a handful?”
His head tipped to the side, and he gave me a crooked smile. “Funny. Women seem to think that I’m more of a mouthful.”
“I wouldn’t be so cocky if I were you. Vampires have always been the easiest to kill, contrary to popular belief.”
Viktor chuckled and clapped his hand on Christian’s shoulder. “I’ll let you two get better acquainted. I have business matters to attend to. Raven, we’ll talk more later.”
Neither Christian nor I took our eyes off each other as Viktor left the room.
When the door closed, I lowered my gaze. “Let’s just get one thing straight: I don’t care for Vampires. Don’t get any ideas about knocking on my door in the middle of the night for some bonding time with my jug
ular.”
He put his hands on his hips and retracted his fangs. “Don’t flatter yourself. I’m a man with taste.”
“B negative, I’m sure.”
“I bet your maker will have second thoughts before making another female. Perhaps he should have waited until your cycle was over as you seem to be afflicted with eternal PMS.”
“Get out.”
He smirked, arching a sardonic brow as if he demanded the final word. “Unless you like cuddling with statues, follow me, lass.”
I followed behind him, unruffled by his remarks. Vampires were often brash and spoke freely, a personality trait I’d grown accustomed to from an early age. Hopefully my room would have chairs made from the right kind of wood that would paralyze a Vampire, often referred to as impalement wood. Nothing would give me greater pleasure than enjoying a meal in bed while he lay frozen on the floor, forced to listen to my every thought.
I chuckled at the idea.
“Something funny?” he asked, glancing over his shoulder at me.
Refrain, Raven. Refrain. “Nothing at all. I just had a tickle in my throat.”
The study was located on the first floor, and we took a different flight of stairs from the grand one by the front door. I realized the place was so big that it must have several staircases for convenience. A small statue sat in the corner where the banisters joined. I marveled at the detailed artistry as we curved around it and ascended yet another flight. The house was breathtaking, with high ceilings and masterful carvings in the architecture. While the walls and floors were made from various kinds of stone, it wasn’t doom and gloom. The house was regal, luxurious, something out of a fairy tale. Lanterns ran along the walls with unlit candles inside. I couldn’t imagine someone tasked with lighting them all, but at least they wouldn’t have to worry about burning the place down since almost everything was made from stone and iron.
When we reached the third floor, he led me to the end of the hall and then opened a heavy wooden door.
