Harlequin Nocturne May 2016 Box Set

by Susan Krinard

  “They did not agree to that surely?”

  “What other choice did they have? At least they could be together at last. They lived happily for many years, until, inevitably, Selene began to age and fell ill. Ambrogio, who had remained young, was distraught and begged Artemis to make Selene immortal, too. Artemis offered him one last deal. He could touch Selene just once...to drink her blood. Doing so would kill her mortal body, but from then on, Selene’s blood mixed with his would give eternal life to any who drank of it. Desperate to save her, Ambrogio sank his fangs into Selene’s neck and drank her blood. As he set her limp body down, Selene radiated with light, and rose up into the sky. Selene became the goddess of moonlight, and every night she reached down to the earth to touch her beloved Ambrogio as well as their children.”

  Tanzi’s brow wrinkled in confusion. “I thought they couldn’t have children?”

  “Their children are the vampires who carry the mingled blood of Ambrogio and Selene. Their followers worship Artemis and the moon, shun the daylight—even though Tibor has proved that, with protection, there are ways that vampires can risk the sun’s rays—and sacrifice swans.”

  “Ugh. Can we stay away from them, please?”

  Lorcan’s shoulders shook with laughter. “As you wish.” He turned back to the view of the islands. “So, while on the left, we have the islands of the Ambrogio, on the right, we have the lands occupied by the Tepes.”

  “What are their beliefs?”

  “You have heard the mortal story, no doubt, of Count Dracula? A work of fiction, but based on a real character. An Otherworld prince who lived as a mortal, ruling a Romanian province in medieval times. He was known as Vlad Dracul or Vlad Tepes, meaning ‘Vlad the Impaler.’ This was apparently a reference to his fondness for impaling his enemies on long wooden stakes. This real-life Dracula had a reputation for unfathomable brutality. And, of course, he was an aristocrat. It was his right to behave the way he did. His actions should not be questioned. That is what the Tepes, those vampires who follow the ways of Vlad, believe. That they have an absolute right to pursue their lusts without being answerable to anyone else. And they should be able to move among mortals, claiming them for their own. They are the ones who give rise to the vampire stories and legends that abound in the mortal realm.”

  “They must give Tibor a headache.”

  “They do, but Tibor has the advantage of being a direct descendant of Vlad Tepes. It means he is able to exert some authority over them. Heaven help the vampire dynasty—and the rest of us—if anything should happen to Tibor.”

  Tanzi shivered. “I get the feeling it may be too late for heaven to intervene. What about the middle islands?”

  Lorcan’s smile lifted the mood. “Pure Tibor. Escapist fantasy. He’s a modernizer, your bloodthirsty admirer. His goal is to unite the whole vampire dynasty so that the divide between the Ambrogio and the Tepes is a thing of the past. You have to give him credit, it’s a staggering ambition and he works bloody hard to achieve it. Generally, he tries to do it by showing them there is a third way. The new order. The modern vampire can interact in the mortal realm, can control his or her bloodlust, can even brave the light of day.”

  “Why would a vampire want all of those things? Surely all a vampire really wants is blood?”

  “Don’t let Tibor hear you say that. Vampires need blood to survive. Blood is their sustenance, but Tibor’s approach is to show them that, if they can control their bloodlust, they can have all the things they want, as well. And what they want is what any of us want. Acceptance, friendship, love.” The last word hung in the air for a moment as though challenging—or perhaps mocking—him. “All they have to do is follow Tibor’s rules.”

  “I’ve never met a vampire yet who wanted to conform.” Tanzi pushed aside the sandwich she had been eating and reached instead for her glass of soda.

  “No one said Tibor’s job was an easy one.” Lorcan looked out at the islands. They were vanishing now as night draped a cloak of darkness over them. “I’ve never seen Tibor’s castle, but I’ve heard about it. If it lives up to its reputation, this should be an interesting visit.”

  “Can we talk about something other than Tibor and vampires?”

  “What did you have in mind?”

  “I need a shower.” Mischief lit her expression. “Will you join me?”

  “It’s a bit cramped in there for two.” What was wrong with him? His cock had stiffened to the point where it resembled an iron girder at the very thought, yet here he was offering suggestions about why it was a bad idea.

  “I thought that might make it interesting. But if you’d rather not...oh!” Tanzi let out a little squeal as, in one fluid series of movements, Lorcan rose to his feet, swept her up in his arms and carried her down into the cabin.

  * * *

  Lorcan was right. They had to stand pressed very close together under the warm spray of water. Not that Tanzi was finding it a hardship. And, judging by the look in his eye and the enormous erection throbbing against her stomach, Lorcan appeared to be enjoying himself, as well.

  “Let me do that,” he said, as she reached for the soap. Taking the scented bar, he rubbed it across the flat plain of her stomach, before moving it up to linger on her breasts. Her flesh ached with pleasure when he skimmed the soap around her nipples and then used his other hand to massage her slippery skin. Just when she was beginning to have difficulty staying upright, he moved his hand around to her back and she gasped as his soapy fingers probed between her buttocks. “Open your legs.” His voice was a rasp above the sound of the water.

  Tanzi obeyed and Lorcan moved the soap down between her legs, gliding it back and forth so that it brushed her clitoris. She trembled and clung to his shoulders. With a muttered curse, he cast the soap aside and lifted her against the shower wall.

  “I can’t go slow. Not when you drive me mad as soon as I touch you.”

  Tanzi wrapped her legs around his waist, pressing herself closer until she could feel the head of his cock right at her entrance. He felt huge and hot as he started to push into her. She writhed against him. “Now, please.”

  Lorcan paused, his breath coming fast and ragged. “What the hell am I doing?” With one hand, he fumbled for the condom he’d placed on the soap tray. “Help me out here, Searc.”

  Between them they got the condom on, and Tanzi glanced up to encounter a look that almost scorched the skin from her face. Without any further warning, Lorcan drove the full length of his cock into her, impaling her against the tiled wall. Her head fell back and a helpless gurgle left her lips. Holding Tanzi in position, Lorcan pulled back before ramming into her again. Over and over. His thrusts were wild, masterful and completely without mercy. That connection, the friction at just the right spot, felt like nothing she had ever known. She loved the feeling of him buried hilt-deep inside her. She loved the feeling of him brushing her clitoris as he withdrew. It was maddening and wonderful at the same time. Tanzi’s orgasm built and spiraled inside her until she screamed Lorcan’s name as she came. As soon as her muscles clenched around him, Lorcan quickened his pace and continued to pump in and out of her. Tanzi’s hands clawed his back as she felt another burst grow within her until she exploded into a second series of spasms. Lorcan’s own release soon followed and they both sagged, panting, against the shower wall.

  “You do have the best ideas, Searc.”

  After letting the water play over them for a few more minutes, Lorcan wrapped Tanzi in a fluffy towel and carried her through to the bed. Placing another towel on top of the quilt, he lay down next to her and drew her into his arms, pressing a soft kiss onto her lips. She loved his tenderness after they’d made love. She loved him. She tried to wish the thought away, but it persisted. This is because you have just discovered how to feel. This is your subconscious trying to make sense of this heady cocktail of emotions swirling
around inside you. This is just sex. You don’t know what love feels like. It was no good. She could try to talk herself out of it, but it was a waste of time. She loved Lorcan with a strength and certainty that couldn’t—wouldn’t—be denied. Talk about a double-edged emotion. Fierce happiness tore through her. I love him, and he’s here in my arms. At the same time, crippling sorrow made her want to curl up in pain. Because I have to leave him.

  “What is it?” She should have known that Lorcan, with that acute extra sense he possessed, would pick up on her feelings. “Was I too rough? Tell me I didn’t hurt you.”

  “No.” She smiled shyly at him. “I loved it.”

  He groaned. “Ah, will you catch yourself on with that sort of talk? You’ll have me dragging you off to the shower to do it all over again.” His face became serious. “Although I was so crazed with wanting you, I almost forgot to use protection. I’ve never been so careless. We can’t introduce a baby into this madness.”

  Tanzi’s heart gave a dull thud. She’d never thought of herself as maternal, even though Moncoya had always made it clear she would be sold to a husband for her childbearing properties. When she took the decision to join the Valkyrie, the fact that she would never have a child had not even crossed her mind. Now she realized that there was nothing she wanted more than a life with Lorcan. A real life, in which she would bear his children. Children like him, blond, blue-eyed, laughing... Bright tears burned her eyelids, and she closed her eyes quickly before he saw them.

  “How can you be sure Tibor will see you?” She sought wildly for a change of subject and, opening her eyes, saw Lorcan’s surprise reflected in the cornflower depths of his eyes as she blurted the words out. She couldn’t blame him. As mood killers went, bringing up the vampire prince who had a steaming crush on you was fairly effective.

  “Oh, he’ll see me. I’m his worst nightmare.” His smile held no humor, and she was reminded of the darker side of his powers. “Even more than sunlight, crucifixes, daylight and garlic. Perhaps marginally less than a stake through the heart. In general, vampires are not afraid of other beings. There is bad blood between them and the wolves, of course. But that is born of centuries of conflict, not of fear. The vampires do, however, have a healthy respect for necromancers. Tibor knows I can make him and his followers dance to my tune, if I choose. Literally. He can pass all the laws he wants outlawing my powers, but it’s my unpredictability that causes him the most alarm.” He drew her closer into the circle of his arms. “I’ll take the dinghy over and seek an audience with him first thing in the morning. In the meantime, I’ve one or two ideas of my own I’d like to discuss with you.”

  CHAPTER 14

  There were two ways in which Lorcan could reach Prince Tibor’s castle. One option was to traverse the largest island of the archipelago, having first moored the dinghy in the main port. He discarded this choice for two reasons. Firstly, he would draw too much attention to himself. Secondly, it would take a good two hours to get across the island, and much of the territory was dangerous. The only other alternative was to access the castle from the sea. As he approached the soaring edifice, set high on a cliff overlooking a narrow channel, he offered up thanks for good weather and a calm sea. Any hint of rough waves and his fragile craft would have been dashed onto the treacherous rocks.

  Steps—he counted ninety-nine of them as he ascended—led up the vertical cliff from the sea to the castle terrace, and Lorcan knew as he climbed them that a dozen pairs of hidden eyes observed his progress. He hoped that Tibor would recognize that, by entering vampire territory alone, Lorcan was placing his trust in the vampire prince and had no aggressive intentions.

  When he reached the top of the steps, Lorcan paused. He had expected to be greeted by Tibor’s bodyguards, but the terrace was empty. The castle, a beautiful, pink-and-gold dream in the Renaissance style, loomed above him. In front of him, the view took his breath away. The island looped around almost in a circle, enclosing a small flotilla of sailing boats between golden sands and azure waters. White buildings with rooftops tiled in bright colors clustered below the castle walls like children around their mother’s skirts. Majestic pines and exotic cacti provided splashes of brilliant green, their rich scents reminding Lorcan of Mediterranean islands slumbering in the sunshine.

  “This is an unexpected surprise.” Tibor’s upper-class voice made him turn sharply. Never let a vampire sneak up on you from behind. He could almost hear Cal’s voice saying the words. The prince was dressed casually in linen trousers and an open-necked shirt. As always, his cool, Nordic looks made him look un-vampire-like and nonthreatening. Appearances could be deceptive.

  “Highness.” Lorcan lowered his head in a deferential gesture. There was a time when he would have refused to show anything resembling homage to a vampire. Centuries of experience and Cal’s guiding hand had taught him well. He had learned over the years that such acts meant a great deal to the rulers of Otherworld’s dynasties. When he looked into Tibor’s unusual, light turquoise eyes, he knew the prince wasn’t fooled. They would both play the game. Lorcan would bow his head and Tibor wouldn’t attempt any mind control tricks. Not that he was stupid enough to try them on a necromancer. “Forgive the intrusion. I have come to request a favor.”

  Tibor’s lips curved into a smile that was almost sweet. “And here was I believing you came to admire my resort.” His sweeping hand gesture indicated the castle and the vista beyond.

  Resort? Was this some sort of vampire hotel? A holiday haven for the undead? The thought was amusing...and surreal at the same time. “Sure, it’s quite a place you have here.”

  Sarcasm, even the faintest trace, appeared lost on the vampire prince. Tibor bowed his head in acknowledgment of what he clearly took to be a compliment. “Shall I confess to you my greatest ambition? Risk your laughter at my foolishness?”

  “I think you underestimate your own authority, Highness.” Lorcan spoke with feeling. The vampire leader had little to fear from any other being.

  Tibor leaned on the ornate wrought-iron railing that bordered the terrace, looking out at the sweeping bay. “Very well. I would like, one day, to replicate this venture in the mortal realm.”

  Lorcan bit back the four-letter expletive that threatened to burst from him. Instead he raised his brows. “That is certainly ambitious.”

  “You think it cannot be done?” Those glittering eyes were watchful.

  “It depends on what you are saying.” Lorcan kept his tone studiously neutral. “A luxury hotel is one thing. But if you are suggesting that you want to go mainstream, that you want a luxury hotel in the mortal realm run by vampires, then I’d say you have your work cut out.” He stopped short of saying what he really thought. It wouldn’t do to tell the Prince of the Vampires you thought he was insane. Not unless you wanted your throat ripped out. He had seen Tibor in action. That courtly veneer disguised the fact that the most powerful vampire in Otherworld could move faster than Lorcan could blink. Those aristocratic manners hid the heart of a ruthless killer. If Tibor had a heart. It was an interesting point. He must have something if he’d fallen in love with Tanzi. And the guy had good taste, Lorcan had to give him that. Even though the thought of those full lips anywhere near Tanzi made him feel slightly queasy.

  Tibor laughed, clapping an arm about Lorcan’s shoulders and startling him out of his thoughts. “Fear not, I am not mad enough to make the attempt quite yet. Sadly, I must ensure I have complete control over my dynasty here in Otherworld before I attempt any business venture in the earthly realm. I cannot risk any rogue factions interfering with my plans and allowing their bloodlust to overcome them in the mortal world.”

  “I can see how that might be bad for business.” Lorcan eyed him in fascination.

  “Indeed. But perhaps you are the very person to help me to quash my rebellious underlings? It had not occurred to me until now, but a powerful necromancer m
ay be just what I need.”

  “Sorry, I’ve another big task ahead of me right now. Jethro is your man if you want a necromancer who is for hire.” Lorcan spoke without thinking, but the prince’s intent expression was an instant reminder of recent history. Silently, he cursed his unruly tongue. Go, Malone. Draw the vampire overlord’s attention to your friend, why don’t you?

  “Ah, Jethro de Loix.” Tibor’s voice was like cream mixed with honey. “How I look forward to meeting him again. You do not happen to know his current whereabouts, I suppose?”

  “He’s never been one for leaving a forwarding address.”

  “I was sorry it had to end that way with Dimitar. A bad business all round.” It would be easy to believe Tibor was genuinely regretful.

  “Did it have to end that way?” Dimitar had served Tibor faithfully for many years. Lorcan still couldn’t see why he had to die just for wanting his freedom.

  “But of course. What sort of leader would I be if I let my human servant leave me for another without extracting a painful retribution?” The question hung between them for a minute, reminding Lorcan once again that beneath the cultured surface there lurked a dangerous monster. The glinting smile returned to Tibor’s face. “So tell me, what brings you to my humble home? What is this favor I can do for you?”

  It was a not-so-subtle reminder to Lorcan that he had placed himself in the vampire ruler’s power. “I have come to request safe passage to sail through the waters around the Vampire Archipelago, Highness.”