Deceptive Changes: Kat LaMond Book 1

by R A Baker

  “I am.” He lifted his head and kissed my shoulder.

  “I don’t want to do this right now, Sven. I’m really not in the mood.”

  “If it’s a mood thing, I can definitely take care of that.” He pulled me closer and bit my breast through the fabric of my t-shirt. His fangs slid into my skin.

  I fought against the pleasure that filled me. I screamed and struggled against him. “No, Sven. Leave me alone. Let me go.” Fear held the pleasure at bay. I leaned back and punched him in the neck. He reared back and looked at me, anger flashing through his eyes.

  “Why did you do that?” he growled.

  “You weren’t listening to me. I said I didn’t want this right now. You trying to force me into this is rape. I don’t take kindly to that.”

  “You make me crazy.”

  I frowned at him. “How so?”

  “You’re blood sings to me. I’ve told you this before. I’d bleed you dry if I could but I want to have you with me always. I’m trying to be good but I am vampire and I desire you most.”

  I groaned. “I’ll ask once more, nicely. Let me up, please.” He struggled for a moment, then released me. I rolled off him and the bed. I grabbed the knife that was stuck between the bed and box spring and stood up. I held the knife at my side and walked out of the room. Sven didn’t follow.

  Trace, Erick, and Todd walked up to me. Something was wrong but I couldn’t tell what. “Didn’t you…?” I stopped talking when Trace and Erick grabbed my arms and held me.

  Todd stepped in front of me and leaned into me. Fear shot through me when he whispered, “I told you I’d get to your men, Katja.” My dream and Thorn’s caution trampled through my brain. Damn it. Cyril.

  Todd pulled back from me and smiled. Trace and Erick gripped my arms tighter. “Uh, guys?” I gulped my fear down. I didn’t want to hurt them but they were hurting me.

  I struggled against their iron grip but to no avail. I was effectively trapped. Todd grabbed the knife from my hand and stabbed me. I let out a scream as he twisted the knife. He pulled it out and licked the blade. This is a dream, this had to be a goddamn dream.

  Sven came out of the bedroom and stared in shock. Nope, probably not a dream. The last thing I saw was Todd grinning down at me.

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  “Katja?” Someone was calling to me. My thoughts were cobwebby. I blinked into darkness. I’m blind. They cut out my eyes. I struggled and started to cry. “It’s okay, you’re safe.” It was Sven.

  I blinked the tears away and whispered, “I can’t see.”

  “Oh.” He turned on the light. I blinked in the brightness. Yay, I’m not blind.

  Todd, Trace, and Erick were standing by the door. I cringed and scuttled up the bed toward the wall. Thorn was in the room, too. He was standing on my left. I shied away from him, too. But that put me near Sven. Tears started to leak from my eyes again. I crawled backward until I hit the wall. I used the wall to stand up but pain flashed through my stomach and I sank back to the bed. I held my stomach and looked at the men in the room.

  I shuddered as the memory of Todd stabbing me came back. “Get out. All of you. Now,” I shouted. They looked at me and shook their heads. “Why won’t you leave me alone?”

  “Kat, we’re worried about you,” Todd said softly.

  I gasped and tightened my lips. “You’re worried about me? You’re the one that stabbed me, Todd.”

  He looked down at his feet. “I’m sorry. You don’t know how sorry I am.”

  “Well, right now, I need you and everyone out of this room. Leave.” This time they didn’t argue. Todd opened the door and they filed out. Sven was the only one left. “You too, Sven.” He nodded and left, shutting the door behind him.

  I let out a sigh of relief and sagged against the wall. I got out of bed slowly and walked into the bathroom, locking the door. I turned on the shower and looked at my wound. It was bleeding through the bandage.

  I wondered why Sven didn’t heal it with his blood. I shuddered at the thought. I stepped into the shower and gasped as the hot water slid along my wound. I washed up and stepped out, wrapping a towel around my body.

  I found Todd sitting on the bed as I stepped out of the bathroom. I thought about stepping back into the bathroom but didn’t. “Todd?”

  “Kat, I’m so sorry. Please forgive me.” He got off the bed and dropped to his knees in front of me.

  “Get up, Todd. I know it wasn’t you.” When he didn’t get off the ground I said, “You’re forgiven. Now, please, get up.” I grabbed his arm and pulled at it, trying to get him to stand up. He stood up slowly and hugged me.

  I petted him and cooed softly. “It’s okay, Todd.”

  He dropped his hands and stepped back from me. “You can’t know that it’s okay.”

  “I know, Todd. I’ll find someone who knows about this stuff.”

  He sighed. “I know someone who can help. She’s a gypsy-shaman. Well, a vampire shaman anyway.”

  “When can we meet her?”

  “I’ve already asked her to come here.”

  I groaned. More people. “How long?”

  “She should be here any minute.”

  “Okay. I need to dress. Please leave.” He frowned and then nodded. He left the room quietly.

  I grabbed jeans and a t-shirt, and dressed quickly. Not a moment too soon either, as I heard the doorbell. I walked out of the room to answer the door. Todd got there first and opened the door. A tall, slim, raven haired beauty walked into the room.

  She was dressed in leather: pants, corset top, boots, and arm straps completed her leather outfit. Two small men walked behind her. They were human. She snapped her fingers and the men kneeled beside her. Who was this woman?

  Todd greeted her as an equal and introduced me. I stayed where I was. She strode over to me and held out her hand. I took it gently and felt her grip. She nearly strangled my poor hand. I gritted my teeth as she tightened and crushed my bones together. She stared into my eyes as her grip stayed. Without warning she dropped my hand and put it on my cheek. I flinched from her and she laughed softly. Her laugh was like tinkling wine glasses. “You’re strong, slayer.”

  I refused to rub my hand even though that’s exactly what I wanted to do. “Who are you?”

  “I am Marishka.” She kept her hand on my face and stroked her thumb just below my eye.

  “You’re the shaman?”

  “I am, slayer.” I breathed a growl by accident. Her hand tightened on my face. “Why do you growl, slayer?”

  “Sorry. It just slipped out. I’m tired of vampires calling me ‘slayer’. My name’s Katja. I’ll use yours if you use mine, shaman.” She laughed her tinkling glass laugh and let my face go.

  “As you wish, Katja.” She walked away from me, snapping her fingers. Her men scurried after her. I shrugged and rubbed my hand.

  She walked into the sitting room and her men laid out her stuff. She had animal bones and a pelt with other trinkets that looked older than America.

  “Gather your men, Katja.” It was an order not a request.

  I turned around to get them and found that Sven was already there with Trace and Erick. They walked into the room and stood beside me. Todd came over and slung his arm around my shoulder.

  She chanted and held her hands over her head, calling to some gods or other. I didn’t believe in her hocus pocus but I did think she had some extra sense that came to her as a vampire. She put her hands down and called my men to her, including Sven. She ran her hand on each of their foreheads and bowed her head.

  A minute later and she lifted her head. “Your men are clean. I could feel the stink of Cyril on Todd, but he has been gone for some time.”

  I sighed. I could have told her that. “Can you keep Cyril from attacking them?” I tried to keep the sarcasm out of my voice but a smidge leaked out.

  “I can,” she stated matter-of-factly. I did a ‘well?’ gesture with my head and hands. She clicked her tongue at me and
grabbed some herbs and started using a mortar and pestle to grind the herbs. She dropped this and that into the bowl and a slight fog lifted into the air. I could smell it. It was a pleasant smelling concoction, similar to a spice or moss in woods.

  She smeared some on her fingertips and marked everyone but Sven. She explained, “Sven is vampire. He isn’t easily taken over.”

  “Todd shouldn’t have been either,” I countered.

  She nodded. “Yes. Cyril must be using old magicks. I haven’t encountered that in a very long time.” I wondered how old she was. She tsk’d me. “You shouldn’t wonder how old women are, Katja.” My mouth fell open. I shut my thoughts down, placing a barrier in my mind. Something I learned from Antreas actually.

  “You shouldn’t read people’s thoughts.”

  She chuckled and continued to smear the paste on Todd, Trace, and Erick. She chanted a few times and then cut her wrist. She smeared her blood on their lips. “I am binding my power to them. Only someone of greater power than Cyril could ever hope to break this binding.” Fear seized through me. Was she going to have them as her slaves? I couldn’t shut my thoughts down quickly enough. She stood up so fast and was in front of me in the blink of an eye. “I would never bind our king to me. Bite your tongue, Katja.”

  “I’m sorry.” Why was I apologizing to her? “It was just a random thought.”

  “The next time you think something random like that, I’ll bite your tongue for you.” She turned in a huff and sat back down in front of my men. She did some more chanting and whatnot. When she was done she handed them towels and they cleaned off. I couldn’t tell any difference in them. I guess we’d just have to wait and see.

  She stood up and snapped her fingers. Her men cleaned everything up and packed the items into the satchels that they carried on their backs. She walked up to me and grabbed my arm pulling me away from them.

  “I have done all that I can. It is up to you to protect them.” I frowned at her. “They are strong but you make them stronger. Protect them at all cost, even if you have to kill them.” My mouth fell open.

  I closed it and pulled my arm from her hand. “Thank you for your…uh…whatever it is you did.” I walked away from her and into the kitchen. Charles was sitting at the table with Thorn and Beatrice. Beatrice was holding Thorn’s arm against her chest and leaning on him. I sighed and rolled my eyes.

  Charles said, “She is one of the oldest vampires that I have seen in a long time, mistress. She is strong, as well.”

  “Why are you sticking up for her?” I asked as I sat across from him.

  “I can see your skepticism.” He shrugged and went back to watching the two love birds.

  I sighed and stood up. I grabbed a soda from the fridge and left. Marishka and her troop were leaving. When Todd shut the door on her I sighed with relief. He came up to me and hugged me. “Thank you for allowing this, Kat.” His whisper tickled my ear.

  I chuckled and stepped back from him. “I don’t actually believe in this stuff, Todd. But whatever works, I suppose.”

  I opened my soda and walked into the bedroom. Sven was sitting on the bed with Trace and Erick. I placed my soda bottle on the night table and grabbed my suitcase. I started filling it with clothes. “What are you doing, Katja?” Erick asked.

  “I’m leaving this cuckoo’s nest.” They sighed as one. I stopped what I was doing and looked at them. “Why did you just sigh?”

  “Sandra came back and said the house was ours. She gave them a reasonable offer and in a day or so we’ll be able to move in.” I groaned. A day or so couldn’t come fast enough. I still had to find a way to get my employees a new building. I abandoned my packing, grabbed my soda, and walked into the kitchen and grabbed the newspaper. I looked for leasable buildings and found two that seemed big enough to house my employees for the time being.

  I called the two owners and set up appointments. I finished my soda and tossed the bottle in the recycle bag and then went to the bedroom. I grabbed a killer suit and pumps, and into the bathroom to change. I came out and found all my men standing by the door. My eyes widened. “What?”

  “You’re going out,” Todd stated.

  I nodded. “Yes, I have to get my employees working. I’ve been down for a day or something, so yes, I have to go out.”

  “Please take Sven with you.”

  I rolled my eyes and said, “I really don’t need anyone with me. I’m just looking at two building that I think might be reasonable for working in.” Todd blocked me from leaving. “Move, Todd. I have to go.”

  “I will not back down. You need to take at least one of us.”

  “Are you offering?”

  “I’d love to but I can’t. I have a few things to do. I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t apologize, Todd. You have things to do, I understand that, I have things to do, too.” He nodded. “Okay, if it’ll make you feel better. Sven, are you up to going with me?” He nodded. “Okay, then. Let’s get moving. I have an appointment in a half hour.”

  “I’m ready to go.” I looked at him in his jeans and t-shirt and sighed. I was in a black skirt suit and pumps.

  >< ><

  We left the house and drove to the first building. It was a medium sized building with built in cubicles and offices. The rent wasn’t steep but I wanted to see the other building.

  Sven drove us to the other building.

  We walked into the other building that turned out to be more of a warehouse. I thanked the owner and we left. I pulled out my cell phone and called the owner of the other building. We fiddled with details for a few minutes and then came to terms on the lease agreement.

  Sven drove us to the owner’s office and I signed the papers. I paid him by check for the two months’ rent and left. I made the call to Starla. She was all too happy to be going back to work. I made several other calls. One was to my computer guy. He said he could have the files transferred onto the new computers by the end of the day. Sven drove us to a computer store where we bought three new computers and brought them to the office building.

  I found that Starla was there and waiting. I let her in and showed her around. It wasn’t much. Two offices and a couple cubicles. She took one office and I set the other up as a client/conference room. I didn’t plan on being around very much since I wanted to minimize their involvement.

  The computer guy arrived and set to work on the file transfers and such. I gave Starla my new cell phone number and said, “If you have any problems, call me. I’ll help as much as I can.”

  She pulled me into her office and closed the door. “What’s going on, Katja?”

  “What do you mean?” I looked at her with innocent eyes.

  She breathed a sigh. “What happened at the other office?”

  “It blew up. I haven’t heard anything from the fire marshal or the cops about what happened. I guess it was one of those random events.”

  She tsk’d me. “Random?” I nodded.

  She gave me a word or two of advice about hanging with the wrong crowd. I didn’t correct her. It was actually me that they all had to worry about hanging with. I walked out of her office and thanked my computer guy.

  Sven and I left the office building, leaving Starla in charge, and went home. We arrived just as the sun was starting to set. Winter was coming. I didn’t want to be moving in the winter. I really hoped the owners let us move into the house soon.

  We walked into the house and found my men in the kitchen. They were eating and laughing and having a good time. I stopped in the doorway and watched them, a smile spreading along my lips.

  “Kat, babe,” Todd said with a smile on his lips. He held out his arm to me and I walked into the kitchen and into his arms. He pulled me onto his lap and gave me a kiss on the cheek. “We were just talking about you, babe.”

  “Oh, yeah?” What could they possibly be reminiscing about that involved me?

  “Yup,” he ran his nose against my neck and followed with his mouth, nibbling the tender flesh.
I shivered as he bit me.

  “What were you talking about? It definitely wasn’t sex related since you were laughing.” Maybe it was.

  “You’re right. It wasn’t. Well, not fully anyway.” That was confusing. “We were just talking and laughing about stuff we plan on doing to you.”

  “And that makes you laugh?”

  “Only because we can imagine the face you’ll make, babe.” He nuzzled my neck.

  “Stop that. I’ve been pretty okay with this whole thing, haven’t I?”

  “More than most people would be, yes.”

  “You seem to be a lot more comfortable than I am with this arrangement. I’ve been curious as to why.”

  “How so?” He kissed my shoulder and rested his head against my neck.

  “It just seems that you should be more outraged or uncomfortable with sleeping with men.” Now that I had brought up the subject I had to see it to its conclusion. “I keep expecting you to flinch or argue with certain things yet you, and the others, end up talking about doing things that aren’t the norm.”

  “Hold on, Kat. First, this arrangement is working just fine, so don’t screw it up. Second, it’s not like I want to fuck other men. Third, you seem to enjoy certain things, so we talk and then we experiment.”

  I breathed deeply and slid out of his arms. “You’re right. I shouldn’t mess with this. I suppose I have more problems with it than any of you do.” I backed up against the fridge and looked at them. Sven had moved to stand between Trace and Erick, his hand on both men’s shoulders. Todd was smiling. “How did you become so comfortable, Todd?”

  “I’ve been dealing with vampires, people, who have a loose definition of sex. It rubs off on you. I didn’t plan to be in a foursome, now fivesome, with only one woman in the mix. I planned on having a monogamous relationship, probably with you, for the rest of my life but it changed. I’m only making the best of what I was given and you should too.”

  I frowned at him. “I have been making the best out of what I’ve been given.” I paused and sighed. “I wonder if you guys shouldn’t get as far away from me as possible.”

  They all looked hurt. I couldn’t help their pain. I could only explain my reasoning. “If it wasn’t for me you’d all be living in your own house, well, okay, maybe Erick and the others that I raised would still be in the grave, but still…” I sighed. “Anyway, if it wasn’t for me you’d be living your lives in stability or something. You wouldn’t be in danger all the time.” I hissed in pain as my stomach flared to life.