Viper (Sons of Sangue)

by Patricia A. Rasey

  Kane should have responded, let his twin know he had no say in his life. Instead, he kicked off with his feet as he gave the bike gas and sped down the winding back road, Kaleb following on his heels. He couldn’t argue with his brother, not when he knew Kaleb was correct. He needed to cut Cara loose, for her own good.

  Chapter 28

  Huddled on the dirt-littered floor, Cara sat cross-legged, turkey and rye crumpled in the corner behind her. She wasn’t about to eat anything that psycho had given her. The sandwich could’ve been laced with poison or sedatives, and she needed her wits about her. The primordial hadn’t shown his face since he had presented her with food, which was just as well. Hard telling how far he had gone or where to. No doubt on a mission to snare Kane.

  Her knuckles and fingers sported splinters and abrasions from trying to break the boards from the windows to no avail. Those damn things must have been screwed in because they hadn’t budged. Several kicks to the door hadn’t produced the desired effect either. Cara had finally sunk to the floor in defeat. She wasn’t getting out of here any sooner than the psychopath vampire was ready to let her out.

  The noon hour had long passed, if the position of the sun was any indicator. This deep in the woods, not much light passed through, so even that was a haphazard guess at best. By now, the entire Sheriff’s Office was probably combing the woods and hillsides looking for her. She had a feeling, though, unless the piece of paranormal crap wanted her to be found, no rescue crew stood a chance. The ancient vampire wanted her alive for a reason. Because had he wanted her dead, she already would be.

  Kane came to mind.

  Cara had no idea what had happened with him and the Sheriff’s Office. Kane’s chain had been found in Jeff Reeve’s hand. Something she couldn’t explain away, even though she knew Kane hadn’t been the one to cut the dispatch’s throat. With her stuck here, Cara wondered if Kane had been detained in a jail cell at the S.O., or if he headed a search and rescue with the OMC. Cara knew, though, that without Kane’s lead the rest of the Sons had no reason to want her found.

  If this primordial waited on Kane, then the joke was on him. Kane might very well be in custody, while the primordial did his damnedest to lure him into rescuing Cara. The Sons didn’t give a damn one way or the other what happened. After all, they thought she had tried her best to pin these murders on one of them. A heavy sigh escaped her. Wrong vampire. Something told her this psycho wasn’t about to answer for any of his crimes. How did one go about arresting an ancient vampire anyway?

  White straight jacket, here I come.

  She could imagine how that conversation with Robbie would go. He’d likely offer to personally drive her to the state hospital while the primordial high-tailed it back to Italy and Kane fried for crimes he wasn’t responsible for.

  The door to the shed suddenly opened and light filtered in. Cara looked at the blond haired, blue-eyed vampire as his large frame filled the doorway. His gaze traveled to the crumpled sack.

  “Not hungry? I’d hate to have Kane think I starved his favorite human.”

  “I wouldn’t eat anything you brought me.”

  A wicked smile curved his lips. “I would gain nothing from poisoning you, my dear. I want you fully alive when Kane gets here. What fun would it be for me if he didn’t get to participate in the festivities?”

  “You’re going to kill me like the others?”

  “Eventually.”

  “Why?”

  “I’m not totally heartless.”

  “Why are you bent on punishing Kane?”

  “Because he needs to be taught a lesson. I have yet to decide if I will be merciful and kill him, or whether it would be best to allow him to suffer, knowing his actions caused your death. To know that he has found a soft spot in his heart for you makes this all the more rewarding. If it were totally up to me, I’d kill you both, as I’ve tired of this cat and mouse game.”

  “If it isn’t just up to you, then who is calling the shots? Who wants Kane to … Rosalee,” she whispered.

  “Good, girl. You’re smarter than I gave you credit for. For some reason, she fancies the idiot and wants him to suffer as she has. Though she hasn’t ordered his death.” The primordial sighed dramatically, waving a hand in the air as he paced the small shed. “I’m of the mind the world would be a better place without him. You’re just a casualty.”

  “What about the Sheriff’s Office? You plan to elude them as well? You’ve murdered innocent people. You have to pay for that. And if you kill me, they won’t stop until they find you. The law doesn’t go easy on cop killers.”

  Cara knew it was weak, but she had nothing better to offer. If Kane had been arrested—

  “You think your justice system can hold one of us?” He laughed, the sinister sound raising goose flesh along her flesh. “We hold our own accountable. We have no need for your laws.”

  Cara narrowed her gaze. “So it’s perfectly okay for you to kill innocent women?”

  “If it’s for the greater good.”

  “And what might that be?”

  “Kane needs to know his place. He may be a descendent of Vlad, but he’s no primordial. There are consequences for his actions.”

  “And you’re one of Rosalee’s lackeys?”

  His brow knit and his lips turned down in a scowl. “I am a primordial. I am no one’s lackey.”

  “So if you’re here of your own free will, what has Kane done to you?”

  “Viper oversteps his boundaries. I am here to make him see that.”

  “And if he doesn’t come to my rescue?”

  “He will.”

  “How are you so sure? Because of you, he’s probably sitting in a jail cell.”

  “If Viper wishes to save you, then he’s sitting in no cell. You haven’t built a jail strong enough to hold him.”

  Cara sure as hell hoped he spoke the truth, because Kane was her sole chance at getting out of here alive.

  “And knowing that, I also placed a call to the Sheriff’s Office so they, too, will know where to find you.”

  “Why?”

  “In hopes that by the time Kane gets here, your fellow officers show up to save the day. It will be too late for you, however,” he said, looking as if he had no soul. “And Kane will be left with saving your life, following me, or skipping town. If he chooses you, your fellow deputies will no doubt put a bullet straight through his heart, ending his life and too late to save yours. It’s all in the timing.”

  “You’re crazy!”

  “No, my dear, I am quite sane, I assure you.”

  * * *

  Panic fluttered in Kane’s chest. He hadn’t felt this level of anxiety since racing to Ion’s aid so many years ago. And just like then, he feared arriving too late. He had every possible man out looking for this primordial, and not one of them had a clue where he had sequestered Cara away. Hell, even Kaleb had started looking at him with pity in his eyes.

  The sun had begun to set and daylight was beginning to wane. Though his brothers could see well enough at night, the Knights wouldn’t be of much help. He had heard from Red throughout the day, but they hadn’t had much luck either.

  Kane took in a deep breath as he leaned into a corner, Kaleb’s Harley following the curve behind him. The cool, damp air caressed his face, and normally the open road would have given him a sense of peace.

  Not today.

  He couldn’t believe that in less than a week’s time she’d come to mean as much to him as drawing his next breath. The alternative was unthinkable. He had lived a hundred-plus years, but the thought of losing Cara had him questioning if he even wanted to live another hundred. Bottom line, for the first time in his godforsaken life, he knew what truly loving someone felt like. And not the parental kind of love he had for Ion.

  Just as Kaleb and he rolled up to another crossroads, his pocket vibrated. He pulled out his cell, saw Red was on the other end and slid the lock free to answer the call.

  “What news do y
ou have for me?”

  “We’re out here by North Fork Road, sitting in the gravel parking area of Bender Landing County Park. It’s getting pretty dark out here, Viper.”

  “I know. Not good news.”

  “Except this time it might work in our favor. I spotted a small light coming from back in the woods just as we pulled in and killed the motors on our bikes. Saw some sort of illumination peeking from the trees.”

  “Did you get any closer? See what the cause might be?”

  “I was about to head down one of the hiking paths when the light extinguished. I heard several thumps, followed by a lot of cursing and a woman’s scream. That’s when I saw a man … couldn’t really see much of anything, just that someone was out there. He turned toward me. And though I couldn’t see his eyes, it felt as if he looked right at me. I wanted to head down that path, check things out, but it was as if my feet would not move in that direction. Damnedest thing. That’s when I headed back to the bike and called you.”

  “Get the hell out of there, Red.”

  Kane knew exactly why Red seemed frozen in place. The primordial manipulated Red’s thoughts, something only a very old vampire could master. The power of suggestion only worked on humans, not on his kind. The vampire could have easily hypnotized Red into forgetting what he saw, but for some reason didn’t. The ancient vampire no doubt hoped the biker would lure Kane to that exact spot. Kane intended on complying.

  “Hawk and I are a mile down the road. You and your boys head out. We’ll take it from here.”

  “You don’t want us to stick around, be your back-up?”

  “No. This man we’re looking for? It’s personal. Between him and the Sons. I owe you one, though. I appreciate you having our backs.”

  “No problem, Viper. You need us … call.”

  Kane ended the call and glanced at his twin. “Looks like our boy isn’t far from where we found Tab. Good news: looks like Cara’s still alive.”

  “What’s the plan?”

  “He isn’t counting on you being with me. You come in on foot while I have him preoccupied. If need be, you get Cara out of there and to safety. I’ll take care of this piece of shit. After all, it’s me he wants.”

  “You want me to call in the rest of the Sons?”

  Kane shook his head. “No time. Give me ten minutes, then get over there as fast as you can.”

  Using his booted feet, Kane pushed off and headed his Fat Bob in the direction of the park. Looks like the primordial was finally going to get what he was after in the first place.

  Him.

  * * *

  Cara heard the rumble of motorcycles, right before this psycho-ass vamp shut the lights off on her. Her hands hurt, but that didn’t stop her from pounding furiously on the door and yelling at the top of her lungs. But in the end it hadn’t done her a damn bit of good. The sound of the bikes started up again and faded into the distance.

  Sinking to the floor and sitting back on her haunches, she covered her face, despair washing over her as she growled in frustration. Kane and the rest of the Sons had been so close, only to have them drive away. Now what would this vamp do? Kill her because he, too, hadn’t gotten what he wanted? Tears filled her eyes. She likely wasn’t far from having her life cut short.

  Her grandfather came to mind. Who would take care of him, visit him, take him peanut butter pies? She was the only family he had left and Cara worried he wouldn’t survive the news that his granddaughter had been murdered.

  And what of Kane? She couldn’t help wondering how he would react. Cara thought back to his cavalier attitude when he had been interviewed about Tab’s murder. He acted as though the news hadn’t bothered him. Tab wasn’t his girlfriend, he’d said. Fucking did not equate to a relationship.

  Is that all she meant to Kane? Just a fuck buddy?

  Her chest ached. Why it suddenly mattered how Kane viewed her she didn’t know. But something had changed between them the night they’d spent in Bookings and Cara had given him her heart. Foolish as it was, she had fallen in love.

  “Know that I claim you.”

  Claiming her was likely as close to him loving her as she’d ever get. Cara didn’t know if Kane was even capable of loving another after what he had gone through with Rosalee. Though, now, she’d never know. Her time had just about run out and she’d never get the chance to tell Kane that she loved him.

  She allowed the tears to fall, seconds before the sound of an approaching Harley reached her ears. It was singular this time. Not a group of them. Her heart beat heavy with dread. Surely, Kane wouldn’t be stupid enough to come alone. He had said this centuries-older vampire was superior in strength. He would be no match and they’d both be doomed. Just about the time the engine rumbled to a stop, the door to the shed flew open. Before her stood a smiling primordial.

  “Your boyfriend has arrived,” he said, his obsidian gaze instilled terror in her heart.

  Her stomach clenched and her breath hitched as her heart damn near stopped beating. Begging for Kane’s life would do her no good. Cara made a break for the door, but the primordial was much too quick as his powerful grip closed over her bicep.

  “Kane,” Cara screamed at the top of her lungs. “Run!”

  Chapter 29

  Kane pulled into the gravel parking lot, flipped the centerstand down on the bike and hit the ground running.

  “Kane! Run!” Cara’s warning traveled to his acute hearing.

  Blood roared through his veins. He knew he should be more cautious, but there was no way he’d sneak up on the primordial. Not when the vampire expected him. The moment Kane arrived, the vamp felt his presence. Kane’s best hope lay in him not expecting Kaleb. If he could hold the primordial’s attention captive while his twin snuck in and ambushed him, it would be their best hope at surviving this thing. Without the element of surprise, neither Kane nor Cara had a prayer against this psycho. The ancient vampire was far superior in strength and mind.

  Running down the path, the forest but a blur, Kane quickly closed in on the small abandoned shed. Nighttime forest creatures scurried at his approach, detecting impending doom. A dog growled from his hiding place by a downed tree. His glassy eyes reflected the moonlight peeking through the evergreens.

  The light coming from the wooden shack cast a glow just beyond the door illuminating a small area of the forest beyond. Kane could smell the primordial, knew he was close. Just beyond the door, Kane paused, listening to the rustle of clothing, the shuffling of feet, detecting more than one person inside the shed. And unless the primordial stole more than Cara, he had pinpointed the location of both.

  Kane steeled his jaw and stepped across the threshold, his form filling the small doorway. What he saw turned his blood cold. Cara stood just out of arm’s reach, her back against the blond vampire, one of his pale forearms wrapping her waist, while the other hand held the sharp edge of a hunting knife against her throat. Kane had to give her credit. She masked her fear quite well, holding her composure. One swipe of that knife and it would be all over. Even with Kane’s quick reflexes, he wouldn’t be able to stop the son of a bitch. She’d bleed out well before he had time to get her help.

  “You took your sweet-ass time getting here,” the smarmy vampire said. “I was slowly losing my patience.”

  “Let her go.” Kane held out a palm. “It’s me you want.”

  The man smiled, chilling Kane to the bone. “Oh, but it’s so much more fun to watch you squirm.”

  Kane dropped his hand. “What do you want with me?”

  “I believe we share a lover. But when this is finished, she’ll only have one.”

  “Rosalee,” he barely breathed, his heart icing over. He had guessed as much. The bitch needed to be stopped.

  The man’s smile grew.

  “Who are you? I’d like to know the name of the man who thinks to take me out.”

  “Alec Funar,” he said, his smile condescending. “Not that it will do you any good. But there is no thinki
ng about it. You will die at my hand.”

  Alec tightened his hold on Cara, causing her to wince as the sharp edge of the knife pressed farther into her throat. Kane held her gaze but a moment before returning his gaze to Alec’s.

  “I met Rosalee after you so coldly sent her back to Italy,” he continued. “I was living under her father’s household. I should thank you for releasing her.”

  “You’re from Mircea’s clan?”

  “Not Mircea’s. I’m a guest in his home.”

  Kane needed to keep this piece of shit talking. Give Kaleb time to arrive. Hopefully Kaleb’s scent was similar enough to Kane’s that the primordial wouldn’t be able to detect his arrival.

  Cara swallowed, drawing his attention again, her gaze wide and hopeful. Though her bravado held strong, he could still smell her fear. He wished he could tell her all would be okay, but he couldn’t promise her something he might not be able to deliver.

  “Actually, I come from Vlad’s clan. Where you’re a great grandson of Vlad’s loins, I’m merely the son to one of his concubines, having no relation to the Romanian Ruler at all. Old enough to be a primordial, but not a member of any royal bloodlines. Taking Rosalee as a mate would seal my place with Mircea’s clan.”

  “Rosalee is already mated.”

  “To you.”

  “Nothing breaks the mating bond and you know it.”

  “Your death will.”

  “She would never wish me dead.”

  Kane heard the catch in Cara’s breath, saw the hurt in her eyes. She, no doubt, thought herself just a passing piece of ass as Tab had been. Nothing could be farther from the truth. If they ever got out of this alive, he’d make sure she knew exactly how important she was to him. The hell with his bond to Rosalee. Cara would be his choice for life. He’d hunt down Mircea himself to get the ancient’s blessing.

  “It won’t matter,” Alec said, his self-important tone grating Kane’s last nerve.