Key to Conflict

by Talia Gryphon

  A special Ghost with a possessive, jealous streak who was obsessing over his lovely therapist. Dante Montefiore had been Human once; or at least posing as one. What he was, was part Fey. Dark Elf to be exact, known among themselves as the Grael. He was inherently magical and could do a number of things that Ghosts normally had trouble with: complete transubstantiation into a solid form for long periods of time being one of them.

  Dante’s auburn hair and creamy complexion were from his Human roots, but the stunning icy turquoise crystalline eyes were pure Grael, passed down in diluted blood to him from a great, great grandmother. Dante could not perform magic; Dante was magic. It flowed through his spirit as surely as it had flowed through his veins when he was alive. The phenomenal abilities he possessed as a swordsman were due to inherent Elf dexterity. He was unbeatable, because no Human could take even a part Elf in a fair fight where dexterity counted.

  The Grael were the dark brethren of the Elf world. Feared, spoken of in whispers, if at all, they were the nightmare sorcerers and assassins of the Fey. Evil was too mild a word for what they were capable of if you pissed one off. Perversely, as bad a rep as the Grael had, they were one of the most extraordinarily beautiful of the all races of the Fey. They possessed skin the shades of which ranged from obsidian black that seemed to absorb any light, to shimmering moonlight silver, which glowed under the light of the stars, all beautiful like the Grael themselves. Their hair was typically crystalline white, flowing over their shoulders like silken ice; eyes either sparkling white or varying shades of frosty, glacial blue, faceted like gemstones and iridescent. Their tall, unearthly beauty was heartbreakingly lovely to both Humans or other Fey but was combined with a frigid, sometimes lawfully evil soul.

  The Dark Elves were nothing to be trifled with. They could make the average serial killer look like a rank amateur when provoked. Other Fey avoided them almost pathologically, going miles out of their way to avoid a Grael-settled area. Skilled assassins, their abilities with lethal weapons were truly alarming. Their weapons of choice were the garrote—a nasty, thin, razor sharp wire that could strangle or decapitate—a recurved short bow and a curious blade that was a cross between a stiletto and throwing knife. All killed silently, as did the Grael. Serrated-edge swords were worn but rarely used, except in all-out war. Blades clanging made too much noise otherwise.

  Those in their midst who chose the path of magic were revered as much as they were feared. Outcasts among their own kind, the Dark Elves formed small colonies, the males solitary and vicious, the females beguiling and nefarious; coming together only against a common enemy, otherwise keeping well away from each other except for breeding and ceremonial rights. Once in awhile, a male Grael might take an exceptional Human female as a paramour or concubine. Dante’s distant relative had been such a female. Their blood had suffused his veins and cells. Their inbred magic had made him what he was: a dangerous, transubstantiated, egotistical, magical Ghost with a strong taste for the needs of the flesh and an ego to match. During his lifetime, his astonishing natural beauty and charisma had kept the need to reach for his own magical essence at bay.

  Death had brought him fully into touch with his Dark Elf side. Dante had very little morals while he lived. Honorable as he had been on the dueling field, he was conversely ruthless and obsessed in his personal life. When Dante had wanted a woman, he got her, used her, moved on. He had been a rake and a lighthearted rogue in life. Being murdered, traumatized and pissed off for six hundred years had made him into something else.

  CHAPTER

  22

  G ILLIAN was positively bouncing when Aleksei strode into the room upon arising. Anubis, Sekhmet and Dionysus followed him in. “I have something marvelous to tell you, Aleksei! I can’t tell you where I got the information, but I can tell you that Tanis was taken alive.”

  Silvery light shone from Aleksei’s eyes as he spun toward her, grasped her shoulders, searching her face to determine if he’d heard her correctly. “Truly, piccola? My brother lives?”

  “Yes!” Gillian shrieked, completely forgetting herself for a moment and throwing her arms around his chest as that was as high as she could reach.

  As her arms contracted around his solid mass, her hands rubbed his back gently, feeling the lean, powerfully corded muscles there. Aleksei’s heart slammed hard as her small body pressed against him. He pulled her close, lowering his head to kiss the top of her hair, inhaling the scent of sunlit, snow-covered meadows and clover. She was alive and warm in his arms. It made the hurt less that Gillian was terribly excited about it too. If she and his brother truly loved each other, he would not interfere.

  “May I know where the information came from, little warrior?” Sekhmet’s soft voice pried into their hearing.

  Gillian pulled back from Aleksei a little reluctantly. “I can’t tell you, Sekhmet. Truly I can’t. I can tell you that I should have more information soon and that I will let you all know immediately.”

  Moving—no, gliding—across the floor, Dionysus came forward. “I do not understand why you cannot reveal your source, deliciae. We are your friends, after all. Why may we not know?”

  The Greek Vampire Lord had been a sporadic visitor since his rescue of Gillian and had apparently just returned.

  Aleksei tried to put his arm protectively over Gillian’s shoulders, but she knocked his hand away. “I can’t. You will just have to accept that.” She could face this without Aleksei’s help.

  Temper, temper, brave but incredibly stupid piccola guerriera, Aleksei thought. Fortunately Gillian couldn’t hear him unless he wished it as she faced down Dionysus without flinching.

  He loomed over her, dwarfing her with his greater bulk, cerulean eyes boring into hers. “You are very brave and very demanding for such a little female. Aleksei may yet need to take you in hand.” The reprimand was clear. Gillian drew a breath to verbally blast him, but was interrupted.

  “She cannot tell you, Noble One, she is bound by honor and oath.” Maeti swayed into the room, her black hair hanging free, sky-blue eyes piercing and stepped in front of Gillian.

  Dionysus seemed to have forgotten how to breathe for a moment when she entered. With his abrupt comings and goings the Greek Vampire had not yet met all the residents of Rachlav Castle. Gillian watched his clear blue eyes rake Maeti’s tall, slender form, his eyebrows rising appreciatively. Maeti blushed under his scrutiny, dropping her eyes for a moment, then lifting them to lock onto his penetrating gaze. Gillian didn’t know Vampires could blush. Well, damn. Learn something new every day.

  “Explain.” It wasn’t a request.

  “She is a healer of the minds of our kind, noble Lord. She cannot reveal her source because it is one whom she helps. To do so would be to violate her oath of confidentiality. Gillian will tell more when she knows more.” Her voice was sweet and beautiful and Dionysus was visibly affected.

  Gillian watched, fascinated as Maeti turned the full power of Vampire seduction on one of her own kind. The raw sexuality in the room was palpable.

  The Greek Lord’s eyes glowed and he unconsciously reached for Maeti’s hand. She did not disappoint him and allowed him to take it. Stepping forward, he lifted her knuckles to his mouth, his eyes never leaving her face. “How do you know this if she cannot say?”

  “Because Gillian is honorable and would reveal who told her otherwise.”

  Damn, the girl was good. Not a shot fired and Dionysus was practically drooling at the Egyptian lady’s feet. Gill would have shot him. Oh well. Everyone does things differently.

  Later, Anubis and Cezar were deep in conference with Gillian over what to do with any further information she might bring them. Maeti and Dionysus had vanished into the night, still staring at each other, fingers laced together. Aleksei was pacing like a caged tiger, listening to the others talk. Montu and Noph tried to engage him in a game of dice, but he declined. Sekhmet finally grew tired of his pacing and drew him to sit on the couch next to her, patting his hand comfortingly.r />
  Her voice was pitched only for Aleksei’s ears, but Anubis heard her through their shared link. “You are worried, my friend, that if Tanis lives he and Gillian will still want each other; that you will have to step aside for your brother’s happiness.”

  Anubis mentally intruded on her observations gently. “My love, he is not ready to confront this truth you see.”

  “He will hear me, because he wants a different truth than the one he is facing, beloved. Now, do be quiet and let me speak to him.” She fluffed him off, hearing his warm laughter in her mind.

  Harsh lines of worry etched the Count’s beautiful face. “I do not wish to interfere with what they both desire and need, Sekhmet. I want my brother back, nonetheless.”

  Smiling, she brushed light fingers over the back of his hand. “It may be what they wanted for a time, Aleksei, but it is not what both of them need. Tanis’s fate lies along a different path. Gillian should be yours and, in some ways, already is.” Her black eyes were warm with understanding and she exuded gentleness and caring. Not a bad trick for the goddess of justice and vengeance. Still, she was his friend and trying to help.

  “I wish it were true, Sekhmet. I mean no disrespect, but I cannot impose on Gillian now, whether Tanis is found or not.” The weight of centuries was in his statement.

  “Then do not break her oath, but be there, Aleksei. Stop avoiding her. Be her friend. She could use one, and so could you.”

  Giving his hand a final press, she rose gracefully in that boneless way only Vampires can and glided over to join her mate, leaving sandalwood and cinnabar in her wake. Anubis moved a muscular bronze arm around her waist and pulled her onto his lap. Sekhmet’s arm went around his broad shoulder, and she nuzzled his hair. Watching them, Aleksei felt the void of the empty space next to him. He wanted Gillian’s small form in it desperately, but to be her friend would have to do for now.

  As if reading his thoughts, Gillian looked up, meeting his silvery eyes with her own green ones. She smiled, her face alit with hope and sheer loveliness, winking at him, making his pulse race, sharing in a wordless nod her hope that Tanis would be rescued. Aleksei sank back into the cushions of the couch, his hand raking through his hair in frustration. What kind of a man was he? His brother was missing—no, kidnapped—maybe tortured, maybe dying, and he couldn’t get up just yet because watching Gillian smile at him had triggered an aching arousal that was all too obvious under the tight pants he wore.

  Cezar bellowed suddenly, startling Aleksei, who had desperately been thinking of something else besides what making love with Gillian would feel like.

  “Are you out of your mind, girl?” Cezar shoved his chair back and stood, whirling on Gillian, who had also leapt to her feet and was facing down the massive pack leader with a determined gleam in her eye.

  Aleksei blurred over the back of the couch, interjecting his large frame between the irritated Werewolf and the obviously put-out Gillian. Anubis flanked him instantly. Cezar growled at both of them.

  “You had better talk some sense into the little princess here, Aleksei, or she is going to get herself killed.”

  “Don’t you lecture me, you overgrown rottweiler! You have nothing to say about it, and neither does Aleksei, for that matter. I am going to do something productive instead of sitting here waiting for Tanis’s body to be recovered because we didn’t get to him fast enough!” Cezar started for her at “rottweiler,” but was walled in by several Vampires, as Montu and Noph had joined Aleksei and Anubis in their intervention efforts.

  “What the hell is going on?” Silvery eyes pinned her where she stood. “Gillian?” Aleksei grasped her upper arm with his large hand, not allowing her to pull away from him.

  “You do something about her, Aleksei. I will not have any of my pack held responsible if she is going to talk like a crazy woman.” Cezar didn’t bother masking the anger in his voice. The Vampire needed to know how serious his concern was.

  Aleksei had never seen the alpha wolf this agitated. “What does he mean, cara?” His eyes narrowed dangerously and he stepped into her, crowding her. “Well?” Patience wearing very thin. Okay, she’d talk.

  “I told him that when we find out where Tanis is being held, I can call in a friend or two from the service, take a couple of the wolves, maybe one of the Vamps, and we can rescue him fairly quickly.” His eyebrows shot up, then down into an intimidating frown, so she hurriedly added, “We have done reconnaissance many times, Aleksei. I am good at what I do and I wouldn’t suggest it otherwise. I do not have a death wish and I have no intention of sacrificing myself. This is about getting your brother back, not about grandstanding or my personal feelings in the matter.”

  Thoughts flew across Aleksei’s face and the silvery gray eyes shifted into cold platinum discs, icy with anger. His sensual mouth tightened along with the grip on her upper arm. She felt his anger pour over her as he spoke, raising the hair on her arms and sending a hot tingle down her spine. Gillian didn’t pull back because she couldn’t pull away. His voice was low, deep, beautiful and full of heated reprimand.

  “No! Gillian I will not risk you even to save my brother. Do not even think of doing such a thing.”

  Cezar smirked triumphantly and even Anubis raised a brow.

  “Virgo, you cannot believe that you would be safe in such an endeavor. We will recover Tanis, but you are not to be risked.” Anubis’s normal lightheartedness was gone and his obsidian eyes were serious. “You have become our friend, Gillian, Sekhmet’s and mine. There is no lesser evil here. You are not more important than Tanis, but neither are you less. This endeavor would be suicide. You cannot think to go.”

  “I have to think about it. Tanis is my friend as well as yours.” Her eyes implored Aleksei but her voice was command-grade USMC, firm and resolved. “No one gets left behind, Aleksei. If Dracula is as bad as you say and he has Tanis, there is no way in hell I am going to stay here, locked in a castle like some helpless heroine in a novel. This is real life. I can help and I intend to. You can forbid me to go, even lock me up, but I will do this. I would rather do it with your help and approval, but I will do this.”

  It was Aleksei’s turn to feel the warm tingle of her anger wash over him, the sheer force of nature that was Gillian Key. Easily reading her thoughts and feelings, he knew nothing would deter her. Fighting down his own fear, anger and instinctive dominance, he turned fully to her, taking her shoulders in both his hands. This close, he loomed above her. He was twice her size and pissed. It took all her intestinal fortitude not to tremble.

  Aleksei held her eyes as firmly as he held her before him. She was worried and scared but her gaze never wavered on his and she held her ground. The rest of them drew a collective breath. Defying Aleksei outright was not a good idea. All of them knew the Vampire Count was falling for the little blonde. His instincts were honed by time and need. He’d been a Vampire far longer than he’d been Human and those instincts took precedence. Gillian was baiting a tiger. Everyone waited, Gillian was trying not to quiver from the force of their personalities colliding. Aleksei had gone completely still in a way only a powerful, older Vampire could.

  Maybe honesty was way overrated, she thought as she watched his face. Standing in front of him, hearing and feeling the reactions of everyone in the room, discretion being the better part of valor occurred to her. Chess. This was chess, not poker. Bluffing was out. In chess, the best defense is a good offense. Offense was also not a good plan at the moment, seeing Aleksei’s frame of mind, but she could work around that. All right, she’d play the cooperative psychologist—for now. Now, how to word it without lying. Lying was a very bad idea with this many older Vampires in the room. Aleksei looked positively thunderous, whether from fear for her or simple anger at her defiance, she couldn’t tell.

  Reaching a hand up, careful not to try pulling away from his grip, Gillian put her hand lightly on his broad chest, avoiding the open collar of lace and ties; his skin warm beneath the expensive linen. “I know you
’re only trying to protect me. I just don’t want Tanis to die if something can be done.” There. That was honest. And she hadn’t said a thing.

  Though the contact of her hand on his chest shot heat through him, he gave her a look that was not particularly friendly. “That is not the correct response. You will not be doing it, piccola.” Shit. Smart Vampire. Why couldn’t he be cute and stupid instead of gorgeous and intelligent?

  “You will remain here, under my protection. You will not attempt to leave to rescue Tanis or there will be hell to pay. Is that clear?” His anger flared his power, ruffling his hair and hers and he shook her lightly. “Do not make me ask you again.”

  No way was she going to win this argument here right now. Chess later, discretion now. “Crystal clear. I will not leave in an attempt to rescue Tanis. Fine. Have it your way.” There. That was almost diplomatic. Immediately, one hand dropped from her, but his eyes were on her face.

  “Do not test me in this, Gillian. I will do whatever need be done to keep you safe. We will find my brother, but you will not be involved in the risk.” Keeping a tight clamp on his fear and concern, he bit the words out between clenched teeth. She would obey him in this. Or else.

  “Fine.”

  Dammit, she was up to something, he knew it. That was entirely too easy. “Gillian.” His fingers tightened on her arm. The warning was clear.

  “I said fine.”

  She spun on her heel and stalked off; he let her go, watching the aggressive way she moved, admiring her strength and spirit. There was a collective easing of tension when she left the room. Turning back, he met Cezar’s eye.