“Drive a stake right through his demon heart and burn him.” The High Priestess waved her arms over the wooden bowl in the center of the table emphatically. Gold bangles around her wrist jingled together like wind chimes in a summer breeze. Her thick Cajun accent, spoken through toothless gums, garbled her words. However, Rana understood their meaning perfectly. And her heart turned to stone. How could she ever consider killing her son’s father? There must be another way. There had to be.
The High Priestess leaned over the candlelit table, her thick, ebony, multi-braided hair narrowly escaping the bowl of goat’s blood, and looked Rana straight in the eye. “Save your son, child. Burn the vampire or he will take the life right out of your boy. The offspring of a Dhampir and a vampire is a life source for the undead. He gains strength with each rising moon and each setting sun. And your baby loses his.” She clutched the chicken’s foot that hung on a leather string around her neck and closed her eyes. Her lips chanted incoherently in a language Rana did not understand, yet somehow the murmured sounds sent icy chills over her skin. Seconds later the High Priestess’s eyes flew open and in a glazed, almost trance-like state, she grabbed Rana’s shoulders, curled her long dark fingernails into the flesh and shouted, “Find and destroy the vampire or lose your son forever, child. Kill him!”
Rana’s stomach bubbled. The stench of fresh animal blood — used for God knows what — mingled with the musty odor in the dimly lit room washed waves of nausea over her. She pulled away from the woman, snatched several bills from her purse and threw them on the table. “Thank you.”
Rana jumped from the chair and fled through the beaded doorway. She burst onto the sidewalk of Bourbon Street. Blood pounded in her ears. Her feet hit the sidewalk, and she didn’t stop running until her chest nearly exploded from exhaustion. Finally, she stopped, leaned over and gasped for air. The warm July sun beat down upon her. She had come to find out how to save her dying son. Now she knew what she had to do. But would she be able to do it?
Rana took one deep breath, counted to seven and silently pleaded with her nerves to uncoil. No luck. Her hand trembled on the doorknob. She swallowed hard and looked up at the lavender neon sign flashing atop one of New Orleans’s most prestigious nightclubs.
The Voodoo Den.
The sign blinked with rapid precision as if begging her to turn back. To save herself. Mist rose around the building, shrouding it in an unearthly glow. The clouded night sky swallowed any chance for moonlight. Rana shivered. The Voodoo Den. Playground for the Underworld. Not exactly her idea of a night on the town. Neutral territory they called it. The one place where humans and vampires could safely co-exist. She had never believed it safe. Not after the hushed rumors about some people who ventured into the nocturnal club to never be heard from again. Rana gave herself a mental shake. No time to worry about that now. She gathered her courage — what little of it she could muster, smoothed her black mini-skirt and opened the door.
The rhythmical beat of African drums vibrated through Rana’s body and exploded like shrapnel. She wove through the crowded dance floor, blinking for focus several times. Blue strobe lights illuminated the smoke-filled interior of the club, making it nearly impossible to see. All she could make out were flashes of fangs, a mass of bodies moving to the beat and the occasional pale, almost lifeless, face. She wrinkled her nose. A putrefying mixture of cigarettes, booze and … the undead filled the air. The average person would not notice the stench. At least not the undead part. But she was not the average person. She was a Dhampir, the child of a vampire and a human with the ability to detect creatures of the night.
Detect and kill them.
“Hey, baby. Wanna party?” A strong arm encircled her waist and jerked her backward. She stumbled and fell against a hard chest. Rana twisted her head around. A man with blond hair, an average face and glowing red eyes stared back at her. His breath reeked of a sweet metallic scent. Blood. Her stomach recoiled. He had fed recently.
Don’t panic! You knew what they were when you came in here. Focus, Rana. Focus.
“No, thank you. I’m looking for someone.”
“Look, no further, pretty lady.” The man’s laugh sent shivers down her spine. His full lips spread, baring fangs. “Nico is here.”
He bowed slightly and tightened his grip. Nausea churned in her stomach. She clenched her fist and disengaged herself from his grasp. She pushed the instinctive urge to drive a stake through his heart aside. Now was not the time to slay a vampire. There would be time enough for that later.
“I’m looking for a specific someone.” Rana took a step forward and collided with gyrating bodies. She steadied with a quick sidestep and positioned herself near the edge of the wooden bar. The continuous stream of bodies danced by, ignoring her.
“That right?” Nico rocked back on his heels, his eyes losing some of their glow. “Who are you looking for?”
“Alexandru Milkos.”
Nico raised a dark blond brow and snarled. “There.”
He pointed toward the far end of the bar.
Rana turned and squinted. Strobe lights flashed like lightning in a midsummer thunderstorm across the room. “Thank…” She pivoted back only to find empty air. Rana swallowed again. She never had cared for the way vampires could appear and disappear at will. Actually, she had never cared for vampires, period. Her father had been one before his untimely — or what she liked to think of as his timely — demise. Though she had never known him, what knew about him she hated.
He had been a horrible creature that had taken her mother one night against her will, with Rana the result. And she wasn’t proud of it. She turned back toward the figure at the end of the bar and waited for her eyes to adjust to the light show. A brooding form with thick dark hair resting just below broad shoulders and mesmerizing eyes came into focus. She couldn’t actually see the color of his eyes, but she knew it by heart. Sea-foam blue. The color of the Caribbean and the color of heartache. His eyes met hers then haloed with a fiery hue. They flickered with just a hint of recognition.
Rana’s breath hitched.
Alexandru.
She swallowed the wad of cotton now taking her throat hostage. Six years. Six long, lonely years since his strong muscled arms had held her, their bodies intertwining in the heat of the moment. Tingles shot down her spine and unexpected warmth settled in her loins. Her body hadn’t forgotten his touch. Not by a long shot. Rana’s heart beat erratically in her chest, nearly drowning out the steady rhythm of the African drums. Blood rushed to her ears, and she swayed. She grasped the edge of the bar to regain control. Six years and he still had this effect on her. Not a good sign.
Alexandru lifted his glass and took a long, casual drink. His eyes never left her face. Rana felt the magnetic pull almost instantly. Her body — with a mind of its own — moved toward him. Without saying a word, he beckoned her with his gaze.
And she was powerless to stop it.
She reached him without even realizing she had moved. He set the glass on the bar and pierced her with a stare. His expression remained impassive, though an appreciative gleam entered his eyes.
Rana’s pulse quickened, and she was aware of her heartbeat tantalizingly visible in her throat. Alexandru’s eyes drifted toward the pulse point. He hissed softly. Rana swallowed hard and instinctively covered the pulsating lifeline with her hand. Alexandru’s eyes darkened. An avalanche of emotions washed over her. Longing. Desire. Love for a man who no longer existed, and for one brief moment, Rana almost forgot why she had come. He looked so much like the man she had once loved, yet he was different somehow. Darker. Powerful. Dangerous.
So very dangerous.
Visions of her hands stroking thick wiry chest hair while lying on red satin sheets invaded her thoughts. Rana ran her tongue along her bottom lip, her gaze instantly drawn to his hands resting on the bar. Hands that had given her great pleasure in the past. Rana bit the inside of her cheek. Reminiscing the past would not help her now. Besides, she could
n’t forget Alexandru’s most important quality. Deadly. Her former lover now possessed the ability to end her existence at will. And he would if he knew why she was here. Rana tore her gaze from his hands and mentally forced herself to focus on the task. She tightened her chin and met his stare head on.
Alexandru’s lips formed a slow, seductive smile as if he knew exactly what she had been thinking. His fangs glinted in the strobe lights. Heat scorched her cheeks at the possibility of him reading her thoughts. Then her heart skipped a beat. He did know. He had put those visions in her head.
Rana gave herself a mental kick. Of course! Mind control. How could she have forgotten that deadly weapon? She knew better — had even trained with the best vampire hunters — and yet she had still allowed him inside her head.
Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!
Rana immediately took control and summoned the few powers she possessed. She drew upon her inner strength and concentrated. The dance of wills began. Hers — a weakened state striving to battle the power of a vampire’s seduction. His — a slow, sensuous tug-of-war taunting her to surrender with promises of pleasure beyond her imagination. Sharp pains shot through her temple and the room swayed. She ignored them and focused, refusing to weaken even for a moment. The pain intensified and a wave of nausea settled over her. Rana narrowed her eyes and clenched her teeth. Her control slipped.
Alexandru continued to probe her thoughts, never wavering. He effortlessly thwarted her every attempt to block him. Rana refused to give in. Her head felt like she had a major hangover, but she clung to her determination until she willed him out of her head. The window to her mind snapped shut and the visions dissipated.
Alexandru stiffened and raised a dark brow, his smile deliberate and sardonic. He had enjoyed their sparring. She was sure of it. Rana breathed a sigh. She had stopped him.
This time.
But the war of minds had weakened her. One small slip-up and she wouldn’t be able to fight him again. Not this soon. She must stay in control. Her son’s life depended on it.
“Rana.” His husky whisper caressed her skin sending tingles along the back of her neck. “To what do I owe this pleasure?”
Alexandru took another sip of his bloody Mary, savored the coppery flavor and studied Rana over the rim of his glass. The spicy metallic blood slid down his throat, but for once it didn’t quench his primal thirst. He had learned a long time ago how to satisfy his needs without taking another’s life. The Voodoo Den served fresh glasses of blood every night. But this time the drink didn’t touch his addiction. The scent of Rana’s sweet warm nectar pumping furiously through her veins triggered a new thirst.
A thirst for her.
Her pale face hinted fear, but damn she was still beautiful! Her hair flowed like a river of burnished gold, and her eyes shone the color of a summer storm. He wanted her all right, wanted her with the intensity of a thousand white-hot coals. Alexandru struggled to keep his carnal desires under control. Taking her would be easy and her blood … His mouth salivated, and he licked his lips. Her blood would be sweet as honey. Satiating in ways he had only dreamed about for the last six years. One touch and her body would be his for the taking if he chose. Heat rushed to his loins. His body hardened and ignited with desire. He pushed the urges aside. First, he needed to know why she was here. Why she had sought him out after six years.
Rana bit her bottom lip and twisted her hands. “I—I wanted to see you.”
A lie.
Alexandru knew it the minute the words slipped from her lips. Rana didn’t want to see him. She had made that perfectly clear years ago. But he’d take the bait. For now.
“Why?”
“I missed you.” The words seemed to stick in her throat.
Another lie.
“It’s been a long time, cara.” He reached out and brushed a curl from her cheek. A mistake. Her skin heated beneath his touch. Desire flared through him. He fought the urge to pull her in his arms and feed on her nectar. The pulse throbbing at the nape of her neck taunted him. Just one sip. One taste.
No! Not now! Not yet.
He jerked his hand back and steadied his breaths. Later. He would take her later. When she was ready to give in to him of her own free will. And she would give in. He would make sure of it.
“It has been a while. Too long.” Her eyes shuttered, and she smiled. The sudden change set off warning bells in his head. Something about her actions didn’t ring true. She moved away from the bar, her body now only a few inches from his. The black spaghetti-strap silk shirt she wore stretched taut across her breasts. He could almost see the creamy flesh beneath. Could almost taste her soft, salty skin. Alexandru’s mouth salivated again. She was still beautiful and she still had the power to weaken him.
A dangerous combination.
Rana ran her fingers along his jaw. “I never got over you, my love.”
Alexandru inhaled sharply as his libido kicked into overdrive. His resolve weakened. The scent of her blood and her citrus perfume teased his senses. He had gone to bed many a night in the last few years imagining her perfume. Imagining her. He’d had many other women, but none stirred his soul like Rana.
Careful, Alex. Falling for her again is not an option.
It took every ounce of his strength not to touch her. Rana leaned over, her hair tickling his cheek as she brushed her lips across his. “Did you miss me too? Tell me you missed me, Alexandru.”
Alexandru caught her lip with his teeth. Warning sirens sounded in his mind. He treaded on dangerous ground. He hesitated, then gave in to his urges and suckled. She tasted of peppermint and coffee. A delicious flavor he couldn’t seem to get enough of. He growled softly and pulled her into his lap. Her body, soft and supple, fell against his. Her nipples beaded beneath her shirt. His hands caressed her arms then entwined in her hair. He pulled her closer. She moaned, then slipped her arms around his neck. His teeth slowly let go of her lip, and he nuzzled her neck. Her pulsating life point beckoned him. The scent of sweet, warm blood grew stronger. He trailed her skin with his lips, his fangs hovering just above the hollow of her neck. He could hear her pulse beating.
Calling.
Alexandru stilled. He could take her right now. Right here in The Voodoo Den. His body hardened at the thought. He wanted her more than he’d ever wanted anything in his life. Or his death. Alexandru’s teeth grazed her skin. One bite. That’s all he needed. Just one. He wouldn’t take more than he needed. He raised his head…
Rana pulled away and stepped back, her eyelids heavy as if she’d been drugged. “Do you still want me as much as I want you?” The insincerity in her words washed over him like a bucket of ice. Alexandru sensed the deception. She was here for one reason and one reason only.
To kill him.
Chapter 2
“What do you want, Rana?”
She blinked. Alexandru’s icy tone startled her. Had she done something wrong? Granted, seduction didn’t come natural to her — especially her inept attempt to seduce a vampire — but surely she hadn’t been that bad. Had she?
Should have read The Art of Seduction for Dummies first. Rana mentally ticked off the Dummies titles she had in her small bookstore, but she couldn’t recall even one with that title. No matter. She would never be a femme fatale. She would just have to do it her way and hope for the best.
“I want you,” Rana whispered. Tiny fingers of doubt took hold of her. Who was she kidding? She could seduce a vampire about as well as she could fly a rocket. But, for Damien’s sake, she had to try. It was his only chance. Doubt cracked the window of her mind open. She immediately snapped it shut before Alexandru could get a glimpse of the small boy occupying her thoughts. She didn’t want him to know why she was here.
A muscle throbbed in Alexandru’s jaw. “Go home, Rana.”
Rana bit the inside of her cheek to keep from stamping her foot like a spoiled child. He couldn’t send her away. He just couldn’t. He must have felt something.
Her teeth punctured
the flesh inside her mouth.
She could taste the metallic flavor. She wrinkled her nose. How could anyone or anything hunger for such?
Alexandru inhaled sharply and his eyes brightened. He scented it too. At least she had some effect on him. Even if it was just as a meal. Rana swallowed a sigh. She had to keep trying. She didn’t have any other choice. She grabbed her purse from the bar and gripped it to her side, thankful that she had the good sense to bring a stake and holy water.
“Can’t we at least talk?”
Alexandru’s eyes shuttered. “We have nothing to discuss. What we had together is over. Go home.” He turned his back to her.
Rana gritted her teeth. He had always been stubborn. As a mortal man and now as a Master of the Night. Well, she could be stubborn too. She lifted her chin a notch and reached for him.
Her hands clasped thin air.
Damn vampires! Always appearing and disappearing. What did they think they were? Magicians? Rana blew a breath between her lips and wove her way back through the crowded dance floor. She shaded her eyes from the flashing light show and searched the room for Alexandru.
He was gone.
Disgusted, Rana marched across the room, opened the door and stepped into the warm Louisiana night. The air, thick with the promise of an approaching storm, engulfed her with humidity. The street, void of pedestrians or city lights, reminded her she was alone. In vampire country. Not many humans ventured to the underbelly of the Crescent City. Not if they wanted to live long.
Fear gripped her spine. She shouldn’t be here either. Dhampirs were never welcome in this section of the town. She clutched her purse and mentally assured herself she was prepared.
Rana quickened her step. Thick wisps of mist wove around her as if trying to prevent her escape. She aimed her keyless entry toward the small sedan parked on the curb and pushed the button. Her lock clicked and something hissed behind her.
Nightshifters Page 4
