Provoked

by Rebecca Zanetti

  She nearly purred, running her finger around the rim of a crystal goblet. “Have you ever made it with a demon, Jase?”

  “No. I’ve never made it with a snake, either.”

  She pouted her full lips, anger swirling in her eyes. “You don’t have to be so mean to me. It’s not like I have much of a choice in this life, either.”

  Maybe not. Five years ago he’d have felt sorry for her . . . probably would’ve come up with a way to rescue her. These days he couldn’t even rescue himself. Sympathy for a demon was no longer an option. “Fucking me isn’t a choice that’s open to you, either.”

  “How about you fuck me?” She gestured toward the painting depicting the BDSM scene. “I have more toys under the bed than you can imagine.”

  Damn if his cock didn’t swell more. “No.”

  A slight probing filtered along his brain and slid down his spine. He mentally shoved back.

  She faltered, her eyes narrowing. “You have some serious power.”

  Not as much as a demon. Well, not as much mind power as a demon, but enough to combat a seduction of his brain. Some time ago he’d been able to harness the elements. Gathering his strength, he shot liquid into oxygen.

  Nothing happened.

  Surprising that sorrow could fill him after so long of a time. He reached for a decanter of scotch, pouring a shot and gulping the harsh liquid down, knowing the entire time it was a bad idea. No way was his system prepared for booze.

  Turning, he flashed his fangs at the demon. “Stop the attempts at seduction. You help me get out of this hellhole, and I’ll keep you safe for life.” Even if he couldn’t, Dage would. Chances were, even if Jase found freedom, he wouldn’t last long. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to last long. Going back to his old life wasn’t possible. The Jase Kayrs they’d all known had been as good as dead for years.

  He faced the demon, forcing all expression off his face. “Your people can’t break me. You know that, they know that, and this is just a new tactic.” No, they hadn’t broken him. Broken things could be rebuilt—they could eventually be fixed.

  He was beyond that.

  “I don’t want you broken.” Her tongue darted out to lick liquid off the glass. “I want you to save me. To save us both.”

  If he did, he’d finally win. “I’ve given you my best offer.”

  “No.” Her dark eyes flashed and she gestured toward the bed. “Your best offer happens there, for all time.” Pleading and a dark vulnerability turned her eyes the softest of purple. “I’ve read your file and everything we’ve ever compiled about you. You don’t have a woman waiting for your return, and you’re not promised to anyone as a mate.”

  A mate? Shit. He wasn’t complete enough to go solo much less give half of himself to someone else. “There will be no mate.”

  “So take me.” Tipping back her long hair, she swallowed deeply. “We both get saved, and you can go on your own way afterward.”

  For almost two seconds he considered her offer. Why not? No way would he ever mate. The woman was sexy and in trouble. Somewhere deep down, in a place the demons hadn’t touched, maybe a trifle of nobility remained. He could save her before checking out.

  Reality smacked him in the head.

  With mating came responsibility, and he couldn’t handle it. Not even with someone he didn’t give a shit about. “No. I won’t mate a demon.”

  “If you don’t, I’ll destroy you.” Her voice lowered, those eyes glowing with a new light. Insanity? Desperation?

  He couldn’t read people any longer. The bitch was probably nuts. “Good luck with that.”

  Instant pain flowed through the center of his brain. As if the sides completely divided, neurons flared like heated knives to rip through gray matter. Darkness cut across his vision.

  Gravity claimed him, and he hit the floor with an impact that had his jaw snapping shut.

  Unconsciousness came as an explosion behind his eyes. Finally.

  Amber waited next to the elevator, her mind swirling. Kane had all but deserted her, leaving her with his pretty niece, Janie. With her light brown hair pulled back in a ponytail, the twenty-year-old looked like she should be playing volleyball on a Mexico beach during spring break—and not someone who was supposed to save the world.

  Until you looked at her eyes.

  Dark blue, serious, full of intelligence, those eyes spoke of a truly old soul.

  Amber forced a smile. “I can’t believe there are real vampires.”

  Janie shrugged. “Sure, you can. You just don’t want to believe it’s so easy to believe there are vampires.” Her grin was all imp.

  Amber couldn’t help but smile back. “That’s quite a statement.”

  “Yeah, I’m known for that.” Janie jammed a finger against the DOWN button again.

  Amber glanced around the alcove set into an Oregon cliff. Janie had led her around a big lodge and back alcove to a hole cut into the rocks. “So you have an entire headquarters underground.” How weird to be going into the earth. Grandma Hilde wouldn’t like living underground. Amber’s heart began to beat quicker. Was her grandmother all right?

  “Underground is safe. Sometimes if you listen really closely, the earth will whisper her secrets to you.” Janie ran her hand along the rock wall. Then she turned and grinned at a stoic vampire standing guard next to the elevator.

  At least, Amber assumed the guy was a vampire. At six and a half feet tall, his light brown eyes were reminiscent of a predator peeking around a tree just before striking.

  Janie started. “I’ve completely forgotten my manners. Amber, this is Max. He’s my bodyguard and one of our top hunters.”

  Max looked like a killer. “Ma’am,” he said, a smile softening his broad face.

  Amber nodded, fighting the very real urge to step closer to Janie.

  Max turned his attention to Janie. “My Sarah tells me you aced the MCAT’s last week.”

  Amber paused, turning toward the young woman. She’d heard of the difficult test students had to pass in order to be considered for certain medical schools. “You’re going to medical school?”

  Janie snorted. “No. I just took the MCAT’s for fun. Sarah’s my teacher and Max’s mate.”

  Obvious pride filled the vampire’s deadly eyes. “Sarah’s a sweet one, she is—smart as anything, too.”

  The obvious affection the soldier had for the mysterious Sarah made him almost approachable. But the gun at his hip and the hard set of his face would frighten anybody. The elevator door opened, and Amber sighed in relief while jumping inside.

  The door shut, and Janie pressed a button somewhere in the middle of a bunch of round, unlabeled buttons.

  Amber frowned. “Why aren’t there labels?”

  Janie grinned. “On the very distant chance that an enemy found our elevator, we wouldn’t want them to find their way, now, would we?”

  “No,” Amber said weakly. Of course, she couldn’t find her way now, either. On the very real chance she needed to get free of the vampires, she wouldn’t know which buttons to push. “Are you sure my grandmother is all right?”

  Janie’s face lit up. “Better than all right. She’s awesome. Man, you should’ve seen her ignore my dad when he called and lectured her about safety protocols. I sat in on the call. It was hilarious.”

  “Now, ah, your dad is Talen, right?”

  “Yep.”

  The scary soldier wasn’t somebody who should be ignored. “Oh my.”

  “Yep, and he’s been really cranky lately since my mom and brother went back East to assist the feline nation with some inoculations.” The door opened and Janie led the way into a spacious gathering room sporting a pool, several dartboards, and a big-screen television. “But don’t worry. Hilde had my dad eating out of her hand within seconds. Charmed the heck out of him.”

  Now that would be something to see. “Um, will Kane be along at some point?” He was the only person Amber knew.

  Janie shrugged. “He’s always in
the lab—unless he’s hunting werewolves.”

  Amber started. “Kane hunts werewolves.”

  “Sure. And by himself sometimes, which really makes Uncle Dage mad. But Kane says he needs the solitude once in a while.”

  The man sought solitude by chasing werewolves. Amber swallowed loudly. “Um, why doesn’t the king stop him?”

  Janie grinned. “Stop Kane? You’re kidding, right?”

  Good point.

  The door opened and a stunning woman with long black hair swept into the room. She wore a white smock over what appeared to be tattered jeans and a ROLL TIDE, BABY T-shirt. She flashed a smile. “Hi. You must be Amber. Do you mind if I take blood?”

  Amber stepped back.

  Janie laughed. “Amber, meet my Aunt Emma and the queen of the Realm. She’s married to my Uncle Dage.”

  While beautiful, the woman couldn’t look less like a queen. Amber forced a smile. “Um, you want blood?” Okay, she hadn’t gotten the full scoop on vampires yet, but hadn’t Kane said they only took blood during battle or sex?

  “Yes. I have a lab just down the corridor,” Emma said.

  Janie shook her head. “Okay. We were going to play a game of pool and get acquainted. Manners, Auntie Emma. Manners.”

  Emma lifted her chin, thoughts scattering across her face. She lifted a pale hand to smooth tendrils of the dark hair out of her deep blue eyes. “Oh. Um, yeah. Sorry. It’s nice to meet you, Amber. Do you have any questions about the Realm?”

  She had so many questions she wasn’t sure where to start. “Ah, well, why do you need blood?”

  Emma glanced at a fine gold watch on her thin wrist. “Well, rumor has it you’re a demon destroyer, the first we’ve found, and I’d like to check your blood. Also, since you slept with Kane last night, I’d like to see if there’s been any change in your physiology.”

  Amber tried to swallow and ended up in a coughing fit.

  Janie clapped her on the back. “Really, Emma. Manners.”

  Emma groaned. “I apologize, but I don’t have time for manners. We need to find Jase. And, um, Kane didn’t tell me, so don’t worry about that. Dage smelled him on you, or you on him, either way, Dage let the secret loose.”

  “He smelled me?” So vampires were advanced in more than strength and speed.

  “Sure.” Emma tapped a calfskin-smooth boot on the floor.

  Amber frowned.

  Following her gaze, Emma gestured with both hands. “The boots are fake. No worries. No animals were harmed in the making of these very gorgeous, often used to kick Kane, boots.” Tucking her arm through Amber’s, she started for the door. “Dage said you lived in some sort of commune . . . eco-village. Very cool.”

  Amber stumbled toward the door. “Are you sure you’re the queen?”

  “That’s what they tell me.” Emma quickened her pace. “About sleeping with Kane, don’t worry that he changed you. Chances are since the brand didn’t appear on his hand, and he didn’t try to mate you, you probably won’t be changed in any way.”

  Amber had thought maybe Kane was exaggerating the whole marking aspect of mating. “Um, about that brand. It’s for real?”

  Emma paused. “Oh. Yeah, well . . . prepare yourself because it’s an odd one. When a Kayrs male finds his mate, a brand appears on his hand that transfers during sex. She ends up immortal afterward, which is awesome. The brand? Not so much. Archaic, if you ask me.” Emma tugged her T-shirt to the side and turned toward the wall. “See?”

  A beautiful, raised black tattoo spread over the queen’s shoulder. An elegant K sat in the middle of a stunning Celtic knot. “It’s beautiful,” Amber breathed.

  Emma settled her shirt back in place. “Maybe so, but branding is still archaic.” She tugged Amber farther down the hallway. “The marking is only a part of a mating, a huge part. But don’t worry, your physiology is probably just fine.”

  Amber’s brain reeled. Why hadn’t the brand appeared on Kane’s hand? She didn’t want to be mated, but hey, shouldn’t the brand have appeared since she and Kane had sex? Wasn’t she good enough? Geez. “That’s a relief to hear. Are you sure?”

  “Not really.” Emma shoved open a large door to a spacious lab complete with examination table. “The vamps I’m related to are mostly mated, and Jase has been kidnapped, so I don’t get to test many women who’ve, you know, done a vamp.”

  “What about Kane? I mean, he’s not mated.” She shouldn’t have asked that, darn it. But she held her breath and waited for Emma to respond.

  “No, but the guy is seriously discreet. I mean, I wouldn’t even know about you and Kane if Dage hadn’t spilled the beans.” Irritation had Emma’s fine lips pursing. “Though my sister and I have talked about Kane—he is always so detail-oriented, he’s probably, well, you know. Thorough.” She lifted an eyebrow.

  Amber slid her arm free of Emma’s, heat climbing into her face. “Um, yes. Very thorough.”

  Emma nodded in satisfaction. “I figured. Well, that’s good.”

  Amber eyed the smooth paper on the examination table. “Well, okay—blood then?”

  “Yes.” Emma turned toward a dark granite counter holding several quiet machines and grabbed a syringe from a small tray.

  “So, you’re a doctor?” Amber sat on the paper, rolling up her sleeves and crossing her ankles, swinging them slightly.

  “Yeah—in genetics.”

  Figured. Everybody in the Realm world was seriously educated. Even Janie could go to medical school if she wanted. Amber fought a sigh.

  The door opened and Dage stalked inside. Graceful and smooth, the king of the vampires nevertheless hinted at a danger that made Amber’s legs stop swinging. Who were these people?

  He sighed. “Emma. We wanted to ease Amber into helping us.” Wrapping a broad hand around Emma’s nape, he drew her close for a quick kiss on the lips. Drawing back, his eyes darkened to deep silver. “I believe I told you to take a quick break and get some rest.”

  A small smile lingered on the queen’s lips as he drew away. She approached Amber and swabbed her elbow with alcohol. “There’s no easing when it comes to the Kayrs family, you know that. I’ll rest when we find Jase, just like you.”

  “You’ll rest today, either on your own or with help, love.” The king’s voice lowered to a tone of pure danger.

  Amber’s breath caught in her throat. Her heartbeat picked up.

  Emma rolled her eyes. “Don’t you have an entire universe to go rule?”

  Was the woman daft? That was not a man you messed with. Amber tensed in case she needed to jump from the table. Then the king threw back his head and laughed, causing her to freeze in place.

  “Yes.” He grinned, the smile turning him almost charming. “But it’s so much more fun to rule you.”

  Amber cut her eyes to Emma. The king was as bad as Kane. “Are they all like that?”

  “If you mean obstinate, stubborn, and over-the-top dominant, then yeah. Vampires are all like that.” Emma pressed the needle in, humming while blood filled the vial. “Of course, I guess they have their good points, too.”

  “That’s nice to hear,” the king grumbled.

  The door swept open and Janie hurried inside. “Uncle Dage, there’s a problem with the wolves.”

  Kane entered on her heels. “You are not already taking Amber’s blood, damn it.”

  Emma removed the needle and pressed a cotton swab on the wound. “Yep. Just finished.”

  Kane growled low.

  The room froze. Or rather, the people in the room froze.

  Janie huffed out a breath. “Did you just growl?”

  Amber frowned. “He always growls.”

  “No, he doesn’t,” Janie said.

  Amber wrinkled her brow as everyone turned to stare at Kane. Well, everyone except Emma, who was studying Amber with delighted interest sparking her blue eyes.

  CHAPTER 13

  Kane tried to shrug Dage’s hand off his shoulder, barely keeping from growling again whe
n he failed. Sure, he could knock his brother on his ass, but what would that accomplish? So he tromped through the sparkling underground corridors to Dage’s private study.

  The small room sported several chairs around a sofa table. No desk for the king—he preferred an informal setting. No paintings adorned the walls, no feminine touches hinted Dage had let Emma mess with the room. Only family was allowed in the underground study—well, family and Max. But Max was family.

  Once inside, Dage released him and pressed a button next to the door. A full screen instantly covered the far wall, and seconds later, Terrent Vilks filled the screen.

  Kane nodded. “How’s Hilde Freebird?”

  “She’s a pain in the ass.” Terrent tied his thick hair back from his scowling face. “The doctors reduced the extreme swelling in her brain, thus healing the concussion. She had a hairline fracture along her skull, and they applied laser treatments to heal it, though it’ll take a couple more days. Yet somehow from a hospital bed, she’s managed to organize a boycott on the delivery of my favorite fruit. Something about pesticides.” The wolf growled low. “I’m immortal. Pesticides don’t hurt me.”

  “When will she be fit to travel?” Kane asked mildly.

  “Three days—I tried for two, but the doctors vetoed me.” Terrent rubbed the scruff covering his rugged jaw. “She’s doing her chants every day, and I can’t get a sense she’s enhanced. Quite the talent she has. Any luck with the daughter finding Jase?”

  “We’ll conduct tests soon,” Dage said.

  “I’ll conduct tests, and she’s not doing anything until she’s ready,” Kane countered, his voice lowering.

  Both of Terrent’s dark eyebrows rose. “Interesting. I’ll let you two deal with that. For now, we have a problem with the inoculation of wolf shifters.”

  Kane breathed out hard. “I don’t have time for a problem.” He’d invented an immunization for all shifters against Virus-27, which had turned them from shifters to pure animalistic werewolves . . . with no way to turn back. Personally, he’d had to take down shifters he’d once considered friends after they’d been infected. He’d been ecstatic when discovering the cure for shifters, and hoped to take that and find a cure for vampire mates and witches, thus rendering the virus moot. Hopefully before the damn thing went airborne. “We’ve been inoculating shifters for two solid years without problems—we should be about done.”