Kiss of the Dragon

by Nicola Claire

  "Even at the cost of her own life?" Michel asked.

  "The Champion's only concern was survival of the Nosferatu race," I agreed. "But don't forget that Nut had orchestrated the Champion's need to come to my aid in the end. From the moment Nut placed that connection between us, the Champion would have known it meant her death."

  Everyone was silent for a few moments, thinking that through. They all knew I was right. The former Champion could never have been called stupid. She saw things others did not.

  "You became Champion fair and square, Michel. Avery is consumed with jealousy and striking out, but his defence of his actions is not sound. Should this ever be resolved off the battlefield, he would lose. I have absolutely no doubt."

  "I am pleased that you support my appointment so readily, my dear. But avoiding the battlefield is no longer an option. Avery has chosen this course, and there will be no stopping it now."

  "You've tried to negotiate with him?" I asked, knowing Michel was a consummate politician. But that did not mean he always sought the non-aggressive approach out.

  "Conversations broke down when he tried to blow up my car."

  I squeaked in alarm, jumping about a foot off the couch at his side. "You didn't tell me this? When did it happen? Where is that motherfucking vampire right now?"

  I heard Marcus snort out a laugh behind us and watched as Michel slowly grinned from ear to ear at my side.

  "Will you avenge me, ma belle? Will you hunt him down and skin him alive for his transgression? I do like this protective side to you, my dear. It is most becoming."

  I frowned at him, but couldn't deny that I felt extremely protective right then. And yes, skinning Avery Rousseau held a certain appeal. But not before I poisoned him with silver and burned him alive with my Light.

  "Such viciousness," Michel purred next to me, nuzzling his nose into the side of my neck as his hand wrapped around my head and pulled me close. "My vampyre-within approves."

  "When did it happen, Michel?" I repeated, already relaxing into his touch, arching my body to allow him better access. He took advantage of it, pulling me against his chest, wrapping both arms around me now and licking along the veins on the side of my neck. I shivered and made a small sound of delight.

  "On my way to the airport to fly here to you," he said, his voice several octaves lower all of a sudden.

  "So, when I was out after Dream Walking twice?" I concluded. Michel just nodded his head against me and without further warning, slid his fangs into my skin. "Ah, Michel," I murmured, vaguely aware that there were other vampires in the room - our vampires, but still - and this was extremely private.

  I was in his lap in the next instant and making entirely inappropriate sounds as he rolled his hips against my backside and continued to drink my blood down with a possessive growl. The room disappeared. The vampires guarding us and witnessing this vanished. It was just me and Michel. The feel of his hard body against mine. The sensation of my blood leaving me and fuelling him. Oh, and the orgasm about to crash into me if he didn't stop.

  Thank the Goddess he stopped. When he was no longer sucking, but simply licking his bite marks closed, my eyes opened and my body returned to reality. Our vampires had their backs to us. Still there guarding, but providing at least some privacy, even if it was just a ruse. They would have heard every entirely too turned-on sound I had made.

  "What the hell was that?" I demanded, pushing away from him, but he held me firmly in place. I stared down at him, furious that he'd display that sort of intimacy so publicly. Michel had always been a not-so-secret PDA addict. He loved showing the world what my body did to him and his did to me. I wasn't so free with my affections when with others, preferring to keep this sort of thing behind closed doors. Michel had been working on me to loosen up for years now, but he had never gone this far.

  I glared at him now and noticed he looked a little sheepish. It should have placated me, but it didn't. The blush that covered my entire upper body made any softening towards him impossible, right then.

  "My control is slipping around you at present, it would seem," he said with a small shrug. "My apologies, but your desire to avenge me and the increase in your arousal..."

  "Michel!" I reprimanded, blazing bright red from head to toe.

  "...was too hard to fight. You are giving off some delicious scents and emotions right now, ma douce," he said, ignoring my reprimand. "You cannot blame me for responding in kind. Any vampyre mate would."

  I stared horrified at him. "I was not aroused," I bit out through clenched teeth.

  "Alain," Michel said, casually. "Was she or was she not aroused?"

  My mouth fell open and before Alain could utter a sound - and Goddess help him, he had better have been thinking of denying Michel's point or so help him he was dead - I lashed out with my Light. The room glowed bright white for a suspended moment and when it finally cleared every vampire in the parlour, and from the sounds of it, throughout the entire ground floor of the house, was writhing around in pain.

  I'd skipped my usual euphoric bliss and gone straight for the kill. Not literally, thank the Goddess, but figuratively. They were feeling a little worse for wear.

  Michel recovered first, followed by those Councillors who were still in the house, using some of the Iunctio's power base to protect them from the effects. His calculating smile did not calm the situation. I stood and walked stiffly several feet away, then turned and stared him down. He repositioned himself blatantly within his trousers and stretched back to look at me, a satisfied look on his face.

  "You burn with power right now, ma douce," he said huskily. "I am a moth to your flame."

  "What has got into you?" I asked, bewildered by this turn of events.

  "Whatever has got into you," he replied, making me suck in a breath of air.

  "We are both compromised," I said slowly, realisation that whatever ailed me was now ailing him too.

  "Then we shall go down in a blaze of glory together," he murmured, but I could see the concern in his violet-hued eyes.

  Whatever was making me behave so strangely had now been passed to Michel. Neither of us could afford this type of conduct, but as the Champion this had farther reaching consequences than it did for just me. Not for the first time since waking from my Dream Walks did I feel the weight of guilt on my mind. I was the reason we were compromised.

  This was all my fault.

  Chapter 28

  Catching Up On Gossip

  As much as Michel wanted me by his side, we both agreed some time apart was needed to gain our balance. His desire to continually touch me and my reaction to his every look was completely unacceptable, when the Councillors all returned from their meals to begin the next Council session. They were discussing the current possible locations for Rousseau's Renegade Army, as they called it. For now, my attendance was not required, and as the Parisian and London Nosferatins needed updates, it was decided - by decree from Michel - that I should deal with that, while they continued to bash their heads against the wall trying to pin Avery down.

  None of the Councillors mentioned my Light blast, but Gregor did look at me sideways as I slipped past him out the door. It wasn't an angry look, just a slightly puzzled one, mixed with an edge of concern. I offered him an apologetic smile, his responding smile was lovely, but his heart warming words in my head almost made me cry. Stupid emotions.

  Be well, Lucinda. You are so very precious to both of us, ma cherie.

  I forced myself not to let the waterworks start and headed towards the kitchen at the back of the house. Michel may have agreed to a separation, but I was to remain in the building where he could still sense me. And get to me if his vampyre-within decided I needed his help. I didn't argue, more than happy to be near him too.

  My vampire guards followed me, and when I made it to the large kitchen, I was ecstatic to find Matthias, as well as Sophie and Amisi, sitting at the worn kitchen table playing a game of cards.

  Everyone started talkin
g excitedly at the same time.

  "Lucinda, it's so good to see you!" This from Sophie, who was practically bobbing up in down in her seat at the sight of me, as though she was about to burst with a need to share what was on her mind.

  "Man, did you have to blast us with so much Light?" Matthias said, incredulously, rubbing his temple and frowning across the table at me.

  "You will not believe what the Master just got up to with the Mistress in there." Marcus, putting his two cents worth.

  "They are in love," Natalyia sneered at him. "Not like you would recognise it, or anything. Or know what to do with it if it bit you on the face."

  "Natalyia, control yourself." Sergei, voice low with a reprimanding growl.

  "Luce." Amisi, arms wide open. "Come here, sister. You need a hug."

  At Amisi's softly spoken words all conversation - or arguments - stopped. I threw myself into her outstretched arms, allowing her to offer the comfort I so desperately needed but hadn't even realised until then.

  I held on as though she was a life preserver and took several steadying breaths in. Her delicate hands soothed down the length of my hair as she rocked me back and forth. Finally, I pulled myself together and released my death grip on her slight frame. I sat down on one of the chairs at the table, sighed and rested my head in both my hands.

  "Did you hear?" I asked Amisi.

  "Hear what?" she replied, slipping into a seat next to me.

  The others all following suit, except Sergei, who stood sentinel at the door. This was often how my guards and I operated. Most of the time we acted like friends when no one else was around. But I noticed Sergei nod to Matthias, who stood and secured the back door to the room. Sergei was always the boss when it came to my security. M&M simply followed his directives.

  "I'm an Iunctio Councillor now," I explained to Amisi. "What the hell am I to do with that?"

  She chuckled and started shuffling the cards on the table absently. "Gregor is so very proud of you. We both are. He said you handled yourself very well indeed."

  "What part?" I asked. "The attacking hidden guards or the whole wanting to puke when the Ambrosia smeared my blood on that parchment to seal me in their little group of twelve?"

  She waved her hand in a vague motion before herself. "All of it. This has been a long time coming. It is not only a strategic move, but a moral one. We have been the lesser known cousins for too long. They rely on us deeply, but until now they have not thought of us as equals. You do realise Nero was beside himself when I spoke to him last. This is the culmination of centuries of desire on his part."

  The mention of Nero made me realise my troubles were not the only important issues right now. I'd been wallowing in self absorption, but so much had been happening to my friends in my absence and distraction. It was time for it to stop.

  "You've seen him? How did it go?" I asked, reaching over and squeezing her hand.

  She smiled at me, it was a little crooked. Not Amisi's normal beaming smile. "I just about wet myself walking into that club. It took everything in me not to fling myself into his arms, but in the end, I just couldn't do it. Of course, it didn't help that Gregor growled continually at my side."

  Good to know her vampire got all protective too.

  "What did he say?" I asked, sitting forward on my chair. This was better than watching daytime TV. You couldn't script drama like this.

  "He cried," she said in a barely there whisper.

  I noticed Sophie lift her hand to her mouth and stifle a gasp. I swung my head towards her and warned, "You're next. I want details. All of it." Then looked back at Amisi who was smiling her usual sunbeam smile again. "And, of course, you hugged him then," I surmised.

  "Kind of," she said and looked away.

  "Oh no, sister! You don't get to drop a bombshell like that and wriggle out of telling me the rest. 'Fess up! Details."

  "Oh, all right," she said, sounding a little put out. "But you mustn't laugh."

  My eyebrows raised, but I just nodded for her to go on.

  "When I approached him to still his tears, Gregor went all Neanderthal," she mumbled, eyes cast to the table's surface and nowhere else.

  "He did, did he?" I said slowly. "And just what does Gregor Morel do when he's channelling a caveman?" I was really trying not to smile, but it was hard. Amisi is not the kind of Nosferatin to take aggressive and possessive behaviour well. Hell, show me a Nosferatin who is.

  "He challenged Nero to a duel."

  OK, so I should have tried harder not to laugh, but I could just picture Nero's surprise at being challenged by the Enforcer - Gregor hadn't earned the nickname of the Iunctio's Guillotine for nothing - all because he was reunited with someone he considered his little sister.

  "Luce!" Amisi cried. "It's not funny. I had to intervene." She looked genuinely pained.

  "Oh, yeah? And what exactly did you do, Nosferatin?"

  She mumbled something into her hand.

  "Sorry, what was that? I couldn't hear a word you said. Please say that again?" I asked sweetly.

  "You're enjoying this, aren't you?" she ground out between her teeth.

  "Oh, payback's a bitch and all that," I said waving my hand around in vague circles in the air. How many times had Amisi teased me when Michel and I were setting the parameters of our relationship? She'd had a field day with all the dramas between my kindred and me. Now, the tables were turned and I was not going to miss out on having some fun. I just hoped that they were actually compatible kindred, because otherwise my joking would be cruel.

  I cringed. "Go on," I encouraged more softly. "Just spill it. A problem shared and all that."

  "Gregor was quite upset," she said softly, after another sigh. "I tried to come between them, but he wasn't listening. So, I used my stake."

  The tension in the room was palpable. The vampires stilled out of sympathy for their vampire kin. Sophie holding her breath and hoping, I think, that Nero didn't wear the stake. I just felt for Amisi. Believe me, I'd been there.

  "Oh, sweetheart," I said, giving her arm a reassuring rub. "He's still standing, so I assume you missed the heart. No harm, no foul. A vampire knows what he's getting into when he mixes it up with a hunter."

  "That's not the end of it," she admitted and my stomach fell.

  "Oh, God Amisi. Please tell me Nero didn't come to your rescue?"

  "No, no. He made himself pretty scarce. Especially when Gregor, um, marked me."

  My jaw dropped open in shock. Sure, possessive vampire equals vampire willing to mark that which it possesses. It was not unexpected that Gregor would feel the need to make sure everyone knew she was his. He hadn't marked Amisi to date. I had assumed that had something to do with not testing their kindred compatibility. One was not exclusive of the other. For Gregor anyway. Part of me hoped he'd learned his lesson when he gave his Sigillum away so carelessly to me. But at the time Gregor had been fairly lackadaisical about his continuing existence. I mean, he had lured me to him in order for me to bring him the final death. Giving me his Sigillum in light of his imminent end of days kind of downplayed its significance.

  Something occurred to me then. My eyes trailed over her neck, trying to find his mark. But vampire Sigillums are not easy for a non-vampire to find. They just look like almost healed bite marks. No glow or iridescent colouring, like a Nosferatin mark. Amisi had a bite mark on her neck, but it was obviously from Gregor's meal tonight. A sure sign that they had reconciled. But two questions remained.

  "Did you accept his mark and if so where is it?" I asked, with more than just mild curiosity.

  "Do you tell everyone where your Sigillums are?" Amisi demanded, deflecting the question with one of her own.

  "Ah hell, Amisi. That was rude of me. Sorry," I said with a small smile. "But let's face it. You do know where all of mine are. And where I have marked Michel too."

  "True," she admitted reluctantly and flicked a glance around the room, settling her gaze on Sophie. Who was watching the drama unfold with
ill concealed interest. "Let's just say it's in a similar location to one of yours, that not many people other than Michel get to see."

  I stilled and just stared at her, cataloguing all of Michel's Sigillum locations. Several on the neck; the traditional spot for a vampire's mark. But also one on my breast, above my heart. I swallowed.

  "He did this in front of Nero?" I asked, mortified on her behalf. What the fuck had Gregor been thinking?

  "Nero and his guards had vacated the room when he realised what Gregor was about to do."

  "Was Gregor even there?" I asked, dumbfounded that he'd behaved like that. Had his vampire-within taken over?

  Amisi looked at me strangely for a second and then must have worked out what I meant. "I think his vampire was closer to the surface than usual, but he was still there."

  I shook my head, still not understanding why Gregor would behave like that. He was usually so cool and collected, even when it came to matters involving his Angel. Then I got it. Or at least, I hoped I had.

  "He'd already confirmed you were compatible kindred by then, hadn't he?" I asked softly, for fear I was wrong.

  She nodded. "He tried to join with me right there and then."

  I whistled loudly. "Well," I said, squeezing her hand affectionately, "at least you know one thing about your future kindred."

  She cocked her head and raised a delicate eyebrow in query.

  "Life will never be dull ever again," I said with a knowing smile.

  Amisi snorted and the tension in the room evaporated, just like that. As though the vampires and Sophie had been waiting for Amisi to calm down, and the instant she had, they did too. Amisi was an Empath, but sometimes I wondered if her talent went both ways. She could feel what others were feeling, but when truly upset, she projected her own feelings on them as well.