David emitted a low whistle. “Oh! Then it’s good that Donovan went to Connecticut with Laura. I told her that the both of them should stay there until this blows over. You made the right call sending Gustave and his staff away.”
“An overwhelming feeling of despair washed over me. Gustave and Maurice are now out of New York. They’ve notified their staff that they are on paid leave. I think we’re going to have to do another vampire lockdown citywide.”
David nodded. “Agreed. I have Arnhem Knights assigned to the other two new vampires. You go finish your date with Kaz. Come in no later than midnight, please. I’ll be waiting up.”
“Okay.”
“Would you mind giving me a teleport lift back to the Arnhem Society?”
“Sure.” She hugged him and seconds later, they stood on the front steps. The dampening fields built by Sydney were still in place.
“Thank you. As soon as Max gets back, he’s got to teach me how to do that.”
She laughed, then poofed!
Chapter 11
Donovan tossed and turned on JJ’s single bed. He was used to more room and having his lovely Noble by his side. They hadn’t been together long, but in his heart Donovan felt like he’d held her forever. His mind drifted to Juliette. Was he being unfaithful to her memory, feeling so deeply about Noble? Confused, he closed his eyes and his mind fell through dark clouds.
When his vision cleared, he was in the private healing chamber off of Max’s bedroom. Noble was asleep on the bed. She moaned as if in pain. He climbed on the bed behind her and hugged her to him.
Donovan whispered in her ear, “What’s wrong, Noble?”
She rolled over still asleep and hugged him. “Why?” she cried in his ear. “Why did you leave me?” She cried against him, and his Noble never cried until recently. Something was terribly wrong.
The scene faded. Donovan was playing in a park with his grandson JJ. He threw the football to the boy who scrambled after it. The boy found it, and in walking back grew older until he was a grown man. A beautiful young woman with amber curls stood by his side.
“Grandpa.”
“Yes, JJ.” The words flowed out naturally as if he saw no difference between the boy, now a man. JJ handed him the football.
“This is my wife Emily.”
Donovan dropped the ball. The young woman with the charming smile hugged him. His grandson hugged him, and Donovan felt an overwhelming joy.
Then she turned to kiss JJ. He watched the couple twinkle out with the starlight.
His dream returned to Noble and hugging her. If they could only be together in a dream, he would spend more time asleep. She whimpered to his heart, “Don’t leave me, Donovan. I will always need you. My heart broke when I could not find you.”
With a lump in his throat, he rolled her to face him. Her eyes were still closed. Donovan kissed her. He felt her tears against his face.
In the softest voice possible, she said, “I have locked us in the deepest part of my mind and heart, so he will not see.”
Donovan woke, rubbing his eyes and looked around to get his bearings. He was in Connecticut, too far away from Noble.
Getting dressed, he hurried down the stairs. The delicious scents of breakfast greeted him. As soon as he entered the room, Laura put down a plate of scrambled eggs, corned beef hash, home fries, sausage, and black coffee, just the way he liked it.
“This looks great.” Donovan took a seat, picking up a fork. “I’m thinking that as soon as the workmen are finished, we should head back to New York.”
“Why?” Laura asked.
“I dreamt of Noblesse last night. She needs me.”
Laura frowned. “David told me to stay here. He says bad things are happening.”
“Any news from Lily?”
“She hasn’t found anything on Kaz yet. Nothing! Like he’s never existed before.”
“I’ve got to get back to Noble.”
“We’re going to wait for David’s okay.”
Hours on the clock took forever to pass, and for Donovan it was agony.
Chapter 12
Noblesse stood at the front door of the Empire State Building. She had made all the arrangements for an intimate dinner for two. No staff would be involved and those that were would conveniently forget they were there.
When Vincent rolled up in the limo, she was relieved. He opened the door for Kaz, and they proceeded to carry bundles of food and flowers into a waiting elevator to take them directly to a secret observation deck. The small table on the narrow platform was set with the best china on a lace tablecloth. Delicacies from all over the city had been prepared for their very special take-out dinner in one of the most romantic places in New York.
The wind died down. The cold doesn’t bother vampires, but Noblesse shivered all the same. In a locked part of her thoughts, Donovan still held her.
As Vincent prepared the table, Noblesse took Kaz’s hand and stood with him on the empty observation deck. As evening fell, the soft colors of twilight touched the city before fading into a darkness that shimmered with city lights.
“It’s a strange place. You make your own stars. The lights from below are so bright they outshine the heavens.”
“That’s New York, the city that never sleeps.”
He chuckled. “Like us.”
“Yes, in a way.”
A crystal bell chimed. That was Vincent’s way of summoning them for dinner.
Hand-in-hand they turned to the table, the first course already set before their places.
Kaz noticed Vincent leaving. “There’s no one to serve us.”
“I think it’s better if it’s just us.”
He grinned, showing fangs. “Can we fly to the Arnhem Society from here?”
“We can when we’re done. Come and have a seat. Everything I put on my list is a different taste sensation.”
“What of the humans that saw us come up here?”
“Their minds have already been erased. No one knows we’re up here except Vincent, and I’ve sent him back.”
“So we’re all alone? What floor are we on?”
She grinned. “That is privileged information. This floor is only open to very important persons by special request.” Noblesse bit into a candied fig from a platter of figs and dates. “Want one?”
“I was thinking what I really want is you.”
“You have delicacies from around the work to munch on.” She chose a cracker with caviar to eat.
He moved a chair next to her and sat so close he could breathe in her ear. “You are how old as a vampire?”
“On July fourteen, I celebrated two-hundred and twenty-five years.” Noblesse grinned, also showing fangs. “Why?”
“Well, you seem very interested in human food for a creature that doesn’t need it. All we need is blood.”
“Don’t you find that boring, same old blood day after day? I mean, there really isn’t very much variety.”
He shoved a chicken wing into his mouth, then jumped up and grabbed a chilled bottle of blood wine and drank it down. “Oh Gods, what did I eat?”
“That’s a buffalo wing.”
“Buffalos have wings?”
“Of course not, it’s a spiced up chicken wing.” She filled a soup bowl from a tureen. “I think you’ll like this better. It’s called Tiet Canh. It’s a delicacy from Vietnam made from raw duck’s blood.”
He took a spoon and tasted it. “That is good. Now this makes sense for us.” Noblesse smiled and made herself a bowl. This would give her a reprieve for a little while.
Noblesse was fond of Tiet Canh and hoped it would distract him.
Kaz opened another bottle of blood wine and poured some into their glasses. “Your city is beautiful
at night. I can barely hear the humans from up here. I don’t understand why your father built such a place. He was with the humans that started this New York?”
“Max had a dream that humans and vampires could live side-by-side. He wanted a world where we would not be hunted and staked in our beds. Max has helped practically every business in New York, whether they are aware of it or not. He loaned money. He gave money away, always with the intent to preserve our home and help it grow.”
Kaz sipped his wine. “This building is a certain style.”
“It’s called Art Deco. The art form was first developed in France.”
“I notice you love everything French. Your apartment is furnished almost entirely with furniture from a French king, and now this tower with its lights like a torch in the city that Max built. I think you are tied too much to your past.”
Noblesse laughed. “Maybe.”
“You know there’s an old saying, ‘You cannot fully embrace the gift of the present until you surrender the past into the winds and let it go.’”
Hmm. You should talk. Whenever she tried to look into his mind, she saw only scenery of the places he loved. Alpine Way, the road leading to Rome with trees lining the path. No scene of Christians hanging on crucifixes all along the way. She saw a happy vibrant marketplace in Pompeii. She saw a small boy fishing with his grandfather, discussing which fish to keep, what made good bait, and what to throw back.
Not a single scene from Nero’s court lingered in his mind. Did he cease to care about it or was he hiding it from her? She was curious about Cassius, the vampire that made him.
Kaz put down his spoon. She was glad she had ordered a lot of that soup. “You’re curious about Cassius.”
“Yes. What brought you two together?”
“The chariot races.”
“You competed?”
“I was a champion until Cassius took me under his wing. He was a world traveler and favorite of Nero. He was always returning from exotic lands with gifts that he showered upon the emperor.
“At my last race, he put a wreath on my head and a cloak of gold brocade on my shoulders. Across the width of the cloak was an image of people and a place I had never seen. I later learned it was of the Emperor of China and his palace courtroom. The cloak was fit for a king, but he gave it to me on condition that I never showed it to Nero.”
“Were you lovers?”
“Never with Cassius, but it was death to refuse the emperor’s attention. Nero enjoyed young men and women alike. Cassius was more fatherly to me. When Rome eventually fell, we left for the Orient. Then when the wars came to Europe, it was easy to hunt. I am surprised that hunting is banned here. It would be easy with such a large population.”
“I know how to hunt. Father taught me when we had no recourse for blood. He didn’t believe in killing the human, and reasoned that taking a little from three humans would suffice. We would wipe their thoughts and heal the wound to erase all evidence of being with them.”
Kaz leaned back in his chair. “You are a very polite vampiress.”
Noblesse laughed. She had never looked at herself in that way.
He got up and walked to the wall. “Do you want to stand on the spire?”
“No, you can if you wish. I love looking at all the lights of the city.”
“Aw, come with me. We can float just above it, and then come back here and eat that cream dessert with all the berries. Please.”
“Okay, we can float.”
He pulled her into his arms and then poof. In the next moment, he was holding her as they floated over the spire of the Empire State Building. She found it exhilarating and for the moment forgot any suspicions she had of Kaz.
“I love you, Noblesse,” he whispered in her ear.
She giggled nervously, because she had no answer for him. Why couldn’t she say it back?
“Let’s go eat that dessert,” she purred in his ear.
They stood next to their food-laden table again. “You teleport. Can you turn invisible too?” Noblesse asked.
“Easily, and become like mist.” He disappeared and for a moment, a sweet smelling mist brushed against her face. Kaz appeared, his arms around her and pulled her slowly into a kiss.
Fire roared through her body at the impact. He lingered on her mouth, with kiss after kiss after kiss, his embrace holding her tightly against him, molding her to his strong, firm body. Her breath caught when he moved to kiss her neck.
“You are mine. I want to mark you.”
She moved slightly, enough to give her air. “Please, don’t. I’m not ready for that.”
He sighed. “I am willing to give you time, my love, so you can prepare when our bond becomes official. But I need to love you tonight. I could love you right now, here.”
“Not here. Home.”
“You mean the Arnhem Society?”
“Yes.”
He tightened his embrace and in a blink of an eye, they stood together on the steps of the building. Curtis opened the door to greet them. She signed in for them. Kaz held her close, as they approached her apartment. With the investigation completed, David’s barrier tape was gone. He entered the room and looked around with her. Noblesse noticed that Sydney’s dampening fields were still in place.
“It is a very regal décor you’ve chosen, fit for a princess. What is this?” He went over and pulled the sheet off the mirror. “Now this is a handsome piece.” He pulled the mirror forward until it was placed more prominently in the room.
“Oh, I’ve forgotten something. I’ll be right back. Please, wait.”
He sat in a chair by the fireplace.
Noblesse stepped outside her door. Then she ran up to the next floor, all the while calling Mina in her mind. When she reached Mina’s apartment, the doctor opened the door.
“What’s wrong?”
“Mina, you have to help me.”
She brought Noblesse inside and sat her down. Skyler, Mina’s lifemate, came out of the bedroom wearing a robe. “Noblesse, how can we help?”
“I need some way to avoid having sex with Kaz.”
“Why?” Mina asked.
Noble shook her head. “I’m confused and scared and missing Donovan. Please, help me. I need time to think.”
Mina went to her cabinet and took out a bottle. “This pill will render you unconscious for twenty-four hours. I can tell him you became ill.”
In a blur, Mina snatched the pill back. “I can’t give you this.”
Chapter 13
Donovan walked into the kitchen and slammed the door. He sat at the table. The wonderful aroma of roast beef filled the room, as Laura took it out of the oven and put it on a serving platter. He breathed deeply the delicious smell but shook his head.
“Papa, what’s wrong?”
“They said they need another day to finish the garage. The door ordered hasn’t come in.”
“We can spend another day,” Laura said. “I think David would prefer it.”
“What is happening there?”
“Some dead bodies with suspicious blood loss have showed up in the city, one behind a shop that specializes in delicacy foods. He said three were killed by vampiric means.”
Donovan loved roast beef but pushed his plate away. “Vampiric? You mean something other than vampire?”
“They are not sure.”
“We should leave now.” He started to rise.
“David has put the Arnhem Society on lockdown. We will not be able to get in.”
“I feel like my Noble needs me.”
Laura smiled. “Papa, do you have a plan?”
Donovan decided to eat. He would need all his strength for such a foolhardy and stupid plan. When he finished, he wiped his mouth with the napkin and placed i
t across his plate.
“I’m going to fight Kaz to the death for Noble.”
“Papa, that is crazy. David will not allow it. I won’t let you.”
“Lala, I love her. She should not be with him.”
Laura frowned. “Why is that? Because you love her?”
Donovan got up from the table. “I’m going to my room. I need to think this out. I’m not going to fight him, Lala, unless I know I can win. I have to win for her sake.”
He went upstairs to JJ’s old room to lay down and rest his eyes, to concentrate. Donovan fell asleep. Dreams pulled him like a tide out beyond his depth into an old memory.
Young, tall and strong, Donovan was new in his manhood. Around him, women in ball gowns and masks danced in a candlelit room. This was the Mardi Gras Ball of the Rex. Very few received the honor of this invitation. It was long rumored that among the elite of New Orleans was the Société de Novelle-Orléans de Magie. Even of those, only their council would be invited. He had heard that Telkhines would be there, and to be honest, it piqued his curiosity to see the most revered of the magic folk, those who could turn a storm away.
A very delicate looking young lady emerged from a crowd of rather loud women. This one was beautiful beyond his experience. She was pale but a deep pink blush blessed her high cheekbones. The candlelight reflected on soft blue eyes that captivated him from the instant he fell into those fathomless pools.
Corrigan walked by and Donovan begged him for an introduction to this beauty.
“Good evening, Mademoiselle Cordelais.” Corrigan walked up to her with Donovan at his side.”
“Good evening, Monsieur Corrigan.”
“May I present my friend Donovan Dupre? Mademoiselle Juliette Cordelais.”
Donovan bowed, and she in her white lace ball gown curtsied.
“My pleasure, Monsieur Dupre.”
“May I have the honor of this dance, dear lady?”
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