“I’m at a disadvantage,” she said, peering up at the vampire male she assumed was Lycabyter29. “Your name is?”
The male with shiny black hair and deep merlot-colored eyes, regarded her intently. “I’m surprised you don’t remember me. But I guess I was a child at the time.”
Turning more fully in her seat, inspecting him closer, there was nothing about him she could recall. It wasn’t like she had met many vampires in her lifetime. Well, not many who lived after her encounter with them.
“I’m sorry. We’ve met?”
The male slid out a chair next to her and sat uncomfortably close. “As I said, I was a child. It was your early books, the descriptions of the Wild West that first caught my attention. So accurate, so vivid. Like you’d lived them.” He pinned her with his avid gaze.
Resisting the urge to squirm in the chair, she made sure to keep her mind open so Dane could follow everything that was going on. “Oh?”
“My name is Silas. Ring any bells, Belle?” His lips turned up at the little play on words he must’ve thought was charming.
Silas, Silas. Running the name over and over in her mind, she struggled to recall hearing that name around vampires. “Why don’t you tell me your story?” she implored, not wanting to anger him by her lack of memory when he seemed to think he should hold a special place in her heart.
Answering her with a quick grin, he leaned forward as if he wanted to reach for her hand. So she kept both hands firmly wrapped around her tea cup.
“My family was attacked by feral Guardians.” He spat out the last word. “Your mate,” his hands clenched in a fist, the knuckles turning white, “and his fellow bandits went after my parents and my older brother. Ran them down like the senseless butchers they are.”
Holy shit. Dane’s voice echoed through her mind.
Holy shit was right. Memories of that night came crashing back and with increasing dread, she feared she knew exactly who Silas really was.
“But you,” he focused on her again, the fervor in his eyes scaring her, “you saved me.”
She had. Dammit she had. And if he was as psychotic as his father, how many innocent lives were taken because of her moment of weakness?
No, she wouldn’t regret her decision. She had urged Dane to spare the boy and his mother, both had been at the mercy of the father and brother who had raped and pillaged small clans in order to keep their family strong with shifter blood. When Irina had sensed a youngster being hidden in his mother’s skirts as she cowered in the corner, she begged Dane off from meting out the same justice to them.
Now she remembered the name. The mother had been trying to keep the small vampire calm. Shh, Silas. Mommy’s here, shh.
“And here you are.” No emotion tainted Irina’s tone. “How’s your mother?”
Silas’ face turned to stone, a hint of darkness invaded his gaze. “Dead.” His tone was flat, final.
“I’m sorry to hear that.” He was probably the one who killed her. Irina suspected the poor female became just as much of a victim of Silas as she was of his father and brother.
Silas rolled one muscled shoulder in a shrug. “Alas, we cannot live forever. Only the strong survive.”
Time to get to the point. “How did you know who I was, and why meet?”
His merlot eyes warmed as he took her in. “I searched for you for so long.”
Again she got the feeling he wanted to clasp her hand. She made sure she held onto something as far away from him as possible.
“That night you saved us, I felt our connection,” he continued. “I was too young to realize what it meant, but when I found the books Mother liked to read and realized it was you, I knew it was destiny. You are my true mate.”
Her only facial quirk was a slight raise of her eyebrows in response to his claim. Are you getting this bullshit? Irina asked Dane.
Delusional.
That’s not all. Insane, Silas was insane.
“How did you know I was the author?” Irina had a sinking feeling. She didn’t remember everything she wrote, but bits of her life always snuck into the story. Never details, but the descriptions in her historicals were spot on. Many scenes formed from her own experiences.
“Your description of life back then was so detailed, so accurate. I suspected you were one of us when I read that alone. Do you remember Tame the West?” When she nodded, he grinned, immensely satisfied. “The scene you wrote about me. Remember that?”
She vaguely recalled the book. It was many years and many books ago, she couldn’t remember the specific scene.
“You saved the little boy and his mother from the corrupt sheriff.”
Awareness dawned on her. Yes, now she remembered that scene and it was hardly original. Outlaw with a heart of gold rides into town looking for a fresh start; corrupt sheriff is after the girl; girl likes outlaw; outlaw saves girl from corrupt sheriff. The same tropes were portrayed in countless movies and books. “You thought that scene was about you?”
Silas was taken aback. “Of course. It was written by someone who lived in that time period and described exactly what happened to me.”
This was going to end ugly, there was no way around it. “Silas, I’m afraid you’re mistaken. It was just a book, nothing more. I have a mate.”
His face clouded over. “Your mate is the corrupt sheriff. We both know it.”
“My mate was well within the confines of our species’ law. Mine and yours. Your father and brother were murderers and rapists who had to be stopped.”
“They were heroes!” Silas shouted, banging his fist on the table, drawing unwanted attention.
Irina peered down into her tea cup, trying to remain as unidentifiable as possible. Maybe the other patrons in the coffee shop would think they were a couple having an argument. She was centuries older than he was but only looked about five years older, if that.
Draw him away from there, down the street toward the businesses that are closed already.
“Perhaps, we should talk elsewhere.”
He studied her for a moment, his jaw muscles flexing. “Yes, lets.”
Rising with vampire grace, he held out his hand to help her up. She ignored it, not intending to encourage the male’s delusions. True mate, my ass, she mentally huffed. He didn’t know the meaning of the term.
Exiting the patio of the coffee shop, she turned to head down the now abandoned block hoping to find an alley to duck into so they would have zero witnesses. Silas walked next to her, and she kept her mind open so Dane would know where they were heading.
They were reaching a spot fit for the upcoming confrontation, one that would most likely end with Silas being dusted, when he suddenly grabbed her upper arm. He was just as fast as her but stronger, and before she could call for Dane, Silas flashed her away.
Chapter 7
“Where is she?” raged Dane.
Mercury, tell Dani we need details on a Silas Montague. He’s using his real first name, maybe different last. We need an address ASAP.
Got it, boss.
Dane paced the street where he’d been waiting to get the jump on that crazy bastard. The Montague vampires had been terrors to shifter clans, whispered about in fearful tones like the boogey-man. They’d had no pattern, no mercy, and left almost no survivors. They’d attack a house and decimate the entire family. Even the vampires’ own council had a kill order out on them when Dane’s pack found their trail and put a stop to their rampage.
Back then, Irina hardly ever went out on missions with the Guardians, but that night, she’d been with them because they had been in between station posts. The Guardians didn’t find them in time to save the family the Montagues attacked, but they’d still been able to kill the pillaging vampires. Then Irina heard the mother hiding with the boy, and Silas’ memory was incorrect beyond that point. None of the Guardians planned to kill a mother with her young, but they would’ve taken her to the Lycan Council and well, that was the same thing.
So, yes, Irina did save them i
n a way, but she sure as hell wasn’t that male’s true mate. Growls rumbled through Dane, almost turning into a roar. If that filthy fanger tried to mate with Irina, Dane would rip him limb from limb, if Irina didn’t beat him to it.
“She got anything yet?” Dane asked curtly, lashing out at Rhys.
“Dani’s good, give her a few minutes,” Rhys replied calmly.
Of course Dani was good, and of course she needed time, but the more time she needed was more time Irina had to spend as Silas’ prisoner. He could’ve flashed her anywhere, but they knew it had to be in town. Strong vampires could flash all over the world, but not while transporting another body, only extremely powerful vampires could do that. Still, he could’ve flashed to a car, then headed out of town.
Dammit, they needed to find him! Irina hadn’t been in contact with Dane since they flashed and he was worried she’d been knocked out.
“All right, Mercury gave me the address.” Rhys got in the driver’s seat. “Let’s go.”
“Where is it?”
Rhys gave him a droll look. Of course Rhys wouldn’t tell a distraught male his mate’s kidnapper’s address lest he rush off without the proper backup.
“Fine.” Dane growled and got in the car.
“You ripped my finger off!” Silas screamed at her, his mouth dripping blood from her solid punch.
She forced a calm façade so the bloodsucker wouldn’t be tempted by a rapid heartbeat. “Don’t ever touch me without permission.” Glowering through the bars at her captor, she tried not to be absolutely creeped out by the fact he had a prison cell waiting for her in his basement. “Is this how you treat your guests?”
“No, it’s where my mother stayed until she expired.” He snapped back at her, bloody spittle flying.
That poor woman. When insanity had a vampire or shifter in its clutches, it wasn’t just them who suffered, but the whole family. Especially if it was hereditary.
“Did you kill your mother, Silas?” Irina inquired softly.
“No, I tried to keep her from killing herself, so I put her in this cage.” He paced outside of her cell, holding his injured hand under his armpit. “Once she succeeded, though, I was free to find you, Belle.” He stopped to confront her. “Is that your real name?”
She faced him impassively. There was no point in lying, he would smell it on her. “Close enough.”
He walked up to the bars, his face centered between two. “Before long you will give me your real name; you will beg for my touch. It’s meant to be. We’re meant to be.”
She continued to face him silently. He finally turned away, heading down a hallway.
“I need blood to regrow my finger,” he said bitterly. “I’ll be right back.”
When he disappeared from sight, she heard a door open. Her senses bombarded her without the vampire’s distraction.
Sweet Mother. She smelled human female, heard the crying. This wasn’t his only cage. Dane!
Irina! Are you okay? Do you know where you’re at?
I think I’m in his home. The basement has a cage in the living area, but there’s at least one human female being held for his blood meals. At the least for blood meals, anyway. If he took after his dad, the woman was living a nightmare.
She heard him tell Rhys they might need Jace and Cassie for cleanup.
We’re on our way, describe everything you can see or feel.
Irina quickly took in the seventies décor, dank basement smells, and small windows, and passed it all on to Dane, along with the location of each window and door she could see. Then she opened her senses to try to get a feel for what was outside.
Do you think you have the right place? Irina began to mentally prepare herself in case she was left to deal with Silas alone.
Yes, Dani found the house under the mom’s name with Silas as the co-signer. It’s got to be the same tiny ranch house we’re trying to find.
Irina closed her eyes as she heard the woman’s whimpers get stronger as the vampire fed off her. When Silas had flashed her here, the abruptness of the transport caught her off guard. He used the opportunity to shove her in the cell, but tried to join her and grope under her clothes. She had twisted his finger off and shoved him out of the cell while he howled in pain. He got the door closed and locked before she could follow and attack him.
He doesn’t seem well-versed on shifters, seems to forget I’m stronger and faster than his human prey.
Not a surprise if his mother had been nothing more than a breed mare. I doubt she went back to her own people after we killed her husband.
Most likely they had lived in isolation, using the paranormal underground to get fake documents and blend into society.
Irina heard a door slam and Silas mutter, “Filthy humans.” When he appeared, she could see the stub of his finger was no longer ripped and torn. Within the next few hours, he’d have a nice new pink digit.
Oh shit. Feedings affected vampires and she scented his arousal, took in the red shining irises, and realized he hadn’t completely sated himself with the human.
“You’re mine.” He snarled, baring his bloodied fangs.
Irina gasped and jumped back as Silas slammed into the bars. She hadn’t expected him to try for her body so soon, but that was going to be the last time he caught her off guard.
“I will never be yours.” Irina fisted her hands at her sides, dropping into a fighting crouch.
His red eyes glowed. “We’ll see about that.”
Unlocking the cell door, he stalked in toward her. Irina tensed to dart around him, but he was just as fast as she was and, this time, he expected her attack. Where she bested him in technique, he made up for in strength.
Throwing kicks and hits, she landed as many as he blocked, but the towering male wasn’t as affected by the blows as she bargained for. Instead, his feeding had stoked his arousal to a level where the fighting turned him on even more. Her pain from punches to her side, in her gut, fueled his fervor.
Silas managed to wrestle her to the floor. Irina ignored the wave of nausea at his body on top of hers. She flailed, nailing his flanks and punching his throat, yet he managed to get one of her hands clasped above her head. Desperately, she grasped one of her decorative hair chopsticks. Before he could catch that hand, she pierced him with it in the carotid.
He roared in outrage, throwing his head back, as warm blood pumped from his wound. She searched for the other chopstick, hoping to get it through his chest wall and strike the heart, but he recovered too fast, pinning both her hands above her head.
Switching to knees and feet, she fought in vain to free herself, but he pressed his weight down to immobilize her. His black hair hung down on her face, blood dripping on her neck and chest.
He unfastened his pants, Irina was beyond grateful to have picked today as her first day not to wear a dress. He fumbled with her pants, she bucked, kicked out to make the effort more difficult, using her desperation for power. She would die fighting before he violated her. His body jerked at the same time as she scented her pack. Relief poured through her weakened muscles. Help had arrived. Rhys and Dane raced down the stairs, both firing at Silas with deadly accuracy.
Heaving him off her, she rolled out of the way as Dane jumped through the doorway and tackled the enraged vampire.
Rhys helped her up and out of the cage before he pulled a short stake from his waistband and dived in to help Dane.
Irina stole a glance down the hall. Should she check on the human woman? Grunts and scrapes in the cage demanded her attention.
“You murdered my family,” Silas shouted, his red gaze boring into Dane.
Dane reared up, his arm raised, gripping his own stake. It all happened in slow motion. Silas sat up and lunged for Dane’s throat. Dane and Rhys struck him down at the same time. Pointed stakes punctured the vampire’s chest. Silas’ face crumpled with the inevitable, his gaze landing on Irina.
She glared in returned.
“Irina,” Silas beseeched, “I�
�m sorry I failed you.”
“My mate didn’t fail me.” She eyed Dane so Silas knew who she meant.
Both shifter males jumped back as Silas’ body arched and sparked before exploding in a cloud of dust.
She barely had time to take her eyes off the dust cloud when Dane had her wrapped up in his embrace. Burying her face in his neck, she hugged him back hard.
“Are you all right?” His words were muffled, his face still buried in her hair.
“Just a bruised ego, if anything,” she muttered into his neck. It could have been so much worse. What if Dane and Rhys hadn’t been there when she was taken? Parrish’s warning stuck in her head. Don’t go alone.
“I’d take you home now, but Rhys drove. It doesn’t mean I’m going to let you go, though.”
She chuckled, grateful to have her partner back.
“Jace and Cassie will be here soon. We’ll take care of the human so you two can head back.” Rhys tossed the keys to Dane. “I’ll catch a ride with them.”
Between Jace’s power of persuasion and Cassie’s profession in psychiatry, they’d be able to help the woman and keep their species’ secret.
“There’s been others.” The lingering smell of terror was overpowering. It should’ve been immediately obvious to Irina, the smells were almost suffocating, but she’d been concentrating so hard on surviving Silas. Did he bother to bury the bodies? Or did he dump them in shallow graves?
Rhys nodded grimly. “We’ll help her and leave the rest for the vampires to clean up.”
Dane hugged Irina in tighter and led her out of the house. “Come, Irina. I’ve missed many years caring for you. I shall squirrel you away to the waterfall. Perhaps you remember it’s not just for bathing?”
Her breath caught and desire bloomed remembering what she’d observed there before. Oh yes, many years to catch up on, starting tonight.
Epilogue
“Irina hasn’t told me anything about this.” Rhys faced one of the twins of his pack in the monitor. He’d sent Malcolm and his brother Harrison up north to find out about any corruption after one of their pack was killed trying to kill Dani because she was a human mate. They’d been gone for over a year leading Rhys to suspect that issues ran deeper than anyone realized.
The Sigma Menace Collection Page 54
