Ambrosia (Nectar Trilogy, Book 2)

by Prince, DD

  “I’m still reviewing options, Claude. I’m not jumping the gun.”

  “Kyla’s too important, Tristan,” Claudio said, still looking at Kyla, “I know this. And we will take every precaution we can. As mentioned, there are alternatives if you want her taken out of the equation but you need to make some decisions and I hope that logic and the usual foresight you display will prevail over emotions.”

  Tristan looked like he was carefully controlling his anger, “Well, given the course of events I’m sure you’ll understand if I’m not immediately jumping on board. I’ve been deceived. For a decade I’ve been deceived. And after finding out what Alexander went through…”

  “We’ve learned,” Adrian said,” We’ve learned from those errors and we need to move forward.”

  What the hell was he talking about? Failed experiments? Errors?

  That didn’t sound like it boded well for Kyla.

  “Tristan?” she asked before she could stop herself.

  His eyes moved to her and he jerked his head in a “No.”

  She moistened her lips with her tongue and gazed around the room in a quick sweep but then her gaze doubled back to Sam.

  Sam was staring at her and his chest was rising and falling rapidly.

  Kyla’s eyes met his and his widened. She felt an incredibly sharp sense of impending doom. Sam was struggling with knowledge of her blood. She knew it. She felt it.

  Tristan went wired, “Kyla?”

  “Stop him! He’s gonna…” Kyla shrieked at Tristan at the very same instant Sam’s fangs shot out and Sam sprang from his seat, looking like he was heading toward Kyla.

  Tristan jumped up. Sam wasn’t heading to Kyla, though; he was heading for the door. He was a blur and he was gone.

  “Excuse me,” Adrian said and zoomed out behind Sam.

  “Clearly,” Tristan motioned toward the door Sam and Adrian had left from, “the science isn’t refined enough. I’m not taking chances with her.”

  “Sam’s bloodline is what makes him a wildcard. Believe me, he’s loyal to you. I’ve been working closely with him for 25 years and he is the most trustworthy friend you’ll ever have. There will be safeguards in place for you.”

  “Regardless…” Tristan shook his head and sipped Kyla’s wine again.

  Servers moved in and began clearing the soup bowls.

  “Tristan,” Claudio said in an attempted placating tone.

  “Why not you?” Kyla spoke up.

  Claudio’s eyed darted to her.

  “Why haven’t you been mated with an enchanted pet?”

  “I have two,” Claudio answered, “Mating attempts have not been successful. We’ve had repeated miscarriages and stillborn births.”

  Tristan’s body locked tight in response. Claudio continued.

  “All true vamps, often referred to as super vamps, those who are vamps with vamp DNA rather than just being turned vamps, are given enchanted pets at their ten-year anniversary. Vamps aren’t informed of this until they receive their pet and demonstrate to us their common sense by the acts that follow. We do not want news of this to travel. Tristan’s case was handled differently because of what was at stake with your blood as well as due to who he is. Your lucidity was also an unexpected twist. I expected a phone call when he tasted you. I expected my protégé to confide in me. He didn’t. So we watched him to see how things would progress. It has all been very enlightening.” Claudio’s expression was sour, “If Tristan were any ordinary vamp it would not have been looked on favourably. But based on who he is, I’ve overlooked a few missteps.”

  “So you haven’t killed any pet by accident?” Kyla asked, not sure how to respond to Claudio’s comments.

  “I have not. Being a true vamp, I have the control necessary.”

  “Are they mesmerized, entranced, whatever?”

  “They are.”

  Kyla took a big breath, “But Liam…”

  “Liam is neither royal, nor a true vamp. He’s turned. The problem with enchanted pets occurs when turned vamps stumble across them. They do not have near the control or power that we do. The older a turned vamp gets the more strong and powerful he becomes. The better he lives, the more powerful he becomes. Turned vampires are very accountable for their actions. It affects their longevity, their power, their health. Super vampires, true vamps with vampire DNA are better equipped than that. Tristan here, he could eat garbage and not exercise for a decade and he wouldn’t be depleted. That’s because his blood is not only true but also royal. Tristan, being who he is, wouldn’t do that to his body. Tristan, being who he has been… I expected a different outcome from him after you were delivered. I did not get what I expected. You are not what we expected.”

  Kyla didn’t know what to make of that last comment. Tristan watched Claudio, expressionless. Kyla looked over at Lyle. He sat there quietly. He didn’t look reflective, bothered, anything like that.

  Tristan’s phone made a text noise. He lifted it and then began thumbing away at it.

  “And what about you?” Kyla asked, “What do you think about all of this?”

  “All of this?” Lyle asked.

  Kyla nodded, “Yeah. Your life plans are railroaded and that results in a whole lot of things happening. They orchestrate a bunch of things, including your marriage, me, and then turn you and your wife into vampires. I’m taken away from you and then you find out I was created to become a gift for a royal vampire. How did that make you feel?”

  Lyle gave her a smile, “Proud.”

  Kyla raised her eyebrows and her mouth dropped open.

  Adrian was back. Adrian guided Sam the long way around so that he walked by Kyla instead of directly to their seats. Clearly a test. Tristan rose and stood behind Kyla. Sam looked at Kyla and gave her what she took to be an apologetic look. Sam then made it to his seat.

  Kyla resumed asking her father, “Proud that you lost me for all this time? That you didn’t know if I was alive or dead? That now I could die because the list of lab experiments could go wrong?”

  The room hushed as salad was served.

  After the servers were done, Lyle answered, “Proud that I can help our kind. By fathering you I’ve contributed. I know that I was beside myself with worry when you went missing. I remember those emotions. But then I found out who I was. And when I got word that they found you I knew everything was going to be as it was supposed to be.”

  “Whether you wanted it or not.”

  “Sometimes things are bigger than the individual, Ky. I have vampire DNA; I’m true. My being turned was fate. Had it not happened, that would’ve been unfair to me. It’s your fate to be turned as well. You have contributions to make first, just like I did. And you are going to love life as a vamp. It’s absolutely amazing!”

  Hearing him call her Ky again, like he’d done when she was small, it tore at the hole in her heart. She didn’t think she’d remembered much about him but right now, these conversations, seeing him, hearing him talk, it was digging in and churning up more memories, more feelings.

  Bedtime stories, walks in the park, horsey rides on his back. With all of those memories she saw her mother in the background, green-eyed and smiling with happiness. She heard herself squealing in delight, calling him “Horsey-Daddy” and riding on his back.

  The more she saw him, the more she really wanted to see her mother. But this wasn’t the typical craving for a long lost loved one. This was different. This was strange.

  “Perhaps you and Lyle could spend some time together tomorrow. Talk some more,” Claudio suggested, interrupting her reverie and signaling to his empty goblet of blood. The one server that had stayed stationed in the room moved back over and refilled it.

  In other words, he was asking them to save their heart to heart long lost father-daughter chat for another time. Clearly the arrogant prick thought his time was too valuable.

  The door opened. It was the dark-haired woman they’d seen when they first arrived.

  “Good even
ing gentlemen,” she said, stepping in as if everyone had been awaiting her arrival.

  “Celia!” answered Adrian brightly.

  “God damn it Adrian…” Tristan muttered in what sounded like a warning and Kyla felt something coming off him that tweaked her anxiety levels.

  “Claudio!” she beamed, flipping her glossy straight long jet-black curtain of hair, “A lovely surprise. Good to see you. Forgive the intrusion. Tristan, could I trouble you for a quiet word?”

  “It isn’t a good time, Celia,” Tristan replied and then he said, “Could you be any more obvious?” to Adrian.

  Adrian shook his head innocently as if to say, ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about.’

  “It’ll be only a moment,” Celia batted her eyelashes at Tristan.

  “Not a good time,” he repeated.

  She pouted.

  He didn’t react.

  Her eyes went cold, “I neeeed to speak with you.”

  “Celia, seriously.”

  “It’s very important.”

  “So is what I’m in the middle of.”

  She stomped a designer shoe-clad food hard, glaring at Tristan.

  Actually stomped.

  Wow.

  Kyla was flabbergasted at the gall.

  Claudio spoke, “Celia, this was a closed-door dinner meeting. How are you even present?”

  Celia threw her head back and laughed hard.

  “Oh puh-lease…”

  “Have you done something to the guards?” Claudio asked.

  She snickered.

  Sam rose, “Let’s take a walk, CC. Tristan will call you later, when he’s got time. Yeah?”

  Sam tried to lead her by the elbow. Her face went ugly and she shoved and Sam went flying onto his ass, landing about twenty feet away, which was about three feet from Kyla’s feet.

  “Tristan!” she demanded, “Now!”

  What the fuck?

  Tristan stood and glared at her, “Get the fuck outta here, Celia.”

  Sam moved back to his seat.

  “Why?” she looked affronted. She put her arms across her chest.

  “This meeting is closed door. That’s why there were guards stationed outside. You know better. I’ll find you in a little while.”

  She stomped her foot again, “I need to talk to you now!”

  The way she was acting reminded Kyla of the little rich “I want it NOW!” girl from the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory movie.

  Kyla knew Tristan didn’t want to leave her unattended.

  Tristan’s mouth was in a tight line, “Fuck off, Celia.”

  Kyla saw Lyle blanch and Sam wince.

  “I’ll come see you when I’m good and ready. Now, get the fuck out.”

  Celia headed toward their table. Tristan got up and quickly moved so that he was between Celia and Kyla.

  “I’m serious,” he told her.

  “What’s the big deal?” she batted eyelashes at him again, “You can’t take one eensy weensy little minute to talk to me?”

  She used her thumb and index finger to make an inch sign.

  “Right now, no.”

  “If you’d talked to me when I first asked, this would be over by now. Just step into the hall with me.”

  “No. Out. Now you won’t even get my time.”

  “But why?”

  “Because I fuckin’ said so. Now are you gonna leave or should I remove you myself?”

  She patted him on the cheek, “Aren’t you cute? Now, come before I put you over my knee for insubordination.”

  Insubordination?

  Kyla felt a spike of possessive anger at the woman’s touching his face, even.

  “Why won’t you come into the hall with me?” Celia asked, reverting to another pout but then she glanced over Tristan’s shoulder and frowned. Her eyes landed on Lyle, who was directly in her line of vision. Lyle was looking at Kyla. Celia’s eyes then moved to Kyla. Kyla had been watching but trying as hard as she could to be not-too-obvious about it. She didn’t know if word had traveled about her so-called ‘semi-lucid’ state or not.

  “Her?” Celia said, “You’re not willing to come into the hall to talk to me because you don’t want to leave your pet alone with the big bad vampires? Tristan, so unlike you.” she started to laugh, “Then, by all means, bring her to the hall.”

  “Celia,” Tristan warned, “Say what you need to say and then go. I’m done playing this game.”

  “Fine,” she placed her hands on Tristan’s chest, leaned forward, and said, “I’m summoning you. I want you in my suite later. I want your cock.”

  Tristan recoiled but before he got more than a few inches away Kyla did something completely utterly stupid and completely and utterly out of her control. She felt that cold whoosh start at her toes and rapidly climb up her body and before she knew it she had Celia’s glossy curtain of jet back hair and she used it to give Celia a shove that surpassed the shove Celia had given to Sam. By about double.

  The female vamp went right into a wall and the force of her body caved the drywall in.

  “His cock is fucking taken,” Kyla screeched, “And so is the rest of him!”

  Kyla vaguely heard an, “Oh shit,” and she thought, but couldn’t be sure that it was Sam who said it.

  Then Kyla was behind Tristan, who’d zoomed them back against a wall so that Kyla’s back was against the wall, his body shielding her from the female vamp who’d instantly gotten to her feet and whooshed into their space.

  Tristan held his right hand out to stop the she-vamp. His left hand was curled behind himself, around Kyla’s waist, keeping her plastered between his back and the wall.

  “What in the fuck was that?” Celia thundered and her voice sounded demonic. Kyla got a very unpleasant cold shiver from her toes straight up her spine but despite that shiver, Kyla was breathing hard and she was fucking pissed. She clenched the back of Tristan’s suit jacket.

  “Move!” Celia hissed, “I will kill it!”

  Suddenly, Lyle, Sam, and Adrian were all in the space, too, as if they were providing back-up to Tristan. Celia’s throat was in Tristan’s grasp. Celia started to turn blue and reached for Tristan’s wrist. Kyla could see that Tristan was using considerable strength.

  “You won’t get my cock, Celia. Those days are done.”

  “What is she?” Celia choked out, “She’s not vampire. What the fuck is she? Let me at her!”

  Claudio’s voice rang through, “Celia, I order you to back off. You touch Tristan’s pet and you’ll answer to me.”

  “Tristan’s pet?” Celia was astounded, “What is she? How did she? No…I don’t give a damn. I’m gonna kill her. You know I have every right with Tristan. I’ll program these minions so they’re all rocking in the corner and sucking their thumbs in about three seconds if you don’t move right now.”

  “Let her at me!” Kyla shouted, stupidly, feeling that cold rush bursting again.

  “Baby, stop,” Tristan said over his shoulder, still holding Celia’s throat.

  Kyla held her tongue and the cold fizzled out.

  “Clear this fuckin’ room!” Tristan demanded, “Lock her down and get me and Kyla escorts back to our suite. Now.”

  Adrian opened the door and then grumbled, “She’s already played with our door guards. Give me five minutes.”

  He disappeared from the room.

  Kyla didn’t have a clue what that had meant.

  “Is she an un-turned royal, Tristan?” Celia demanded but her voice had gone funny.

  “Back off, Celia.”

  “Tristan! You need to answer me. Now! I’m warning you…”

  “You don’t boss me around, Celia. You know your shit doesn’t work on me.”

  “What is her deal?”

  “Fuck, Claude... get her locked down.” Tristan bit off.

  Claudio stepped up to the group casually, like it was all the same to him.

  “Celia, darling. Come.” He put his hand on her shoulder.
<
br />   She let out a little breath and her features relaxed. She was staring over Tristan’s shoulder at Kyla now. Staring right into Kyla’s eyes. Kyla stared back and her eyes narrowed on Celia.

  “I want you to slit your own throat,” Celia demanded, staring deep into Kyla’s eyes, “You will not to allow yourself to see morning.”

  Kyla felt a little spark biting behind her eyes but she still had her faculties.

  “Do you hear me you little, bitch? Answer!”

  Kyla laughed, “Fuck. You.”

  “Kyla, shut your mouth,” Tristan demanded, his hand tightening on her waist.

  “Is she blocking my orders? Bark like a dog, you little bitch!” Celia was in shock.

  Kyla laughed, “Uh, meow,” she said instead, “Now why don’t you moo. You cow!”

  “Enough!” Tristan snapped.

  “Yes, enough. Tristan, release her throat,” Claudio said.

  Tristan didn’t move, “Dagger.”

  “What? No. Not necessary,” Celia said, alarmed, “I’m done.”

  “I don’t believe you,” Tristan said.

  Adrian was back.

  “Dagger her, Adrian,” Tristan ordered.

  ”It’s not necessary, Tristan.” Celia pleaded.

  “Adrian, do it or Kyla and I are leaving.”

  “If you leave then I can’t help you through the next few trying weeks,” Adrian reasoned.

  “Dagger. Her. Now.”

  “Just release me. I’m over it. I’ll behave.”

  “You won’t,” Tristan replied.

  She snickered.

  Tristan had obviously read her right.

  “You’re getting so strong,” she said with a smile, “You shouldn’t be able to read my mind for another fifty years. What’s happened, Ade? Have you developed some sort of accelerant?”

  The room was silent. Kyla suspected that if a pin dropped it’d pierce the silence in the room like a bomb.

  Celia glanced at Kyla, “She’s the accelerant? Un-turned royal and an accelerant?”

  Adrian stepped up, producing a small jewel-handled dagger that looked like the one Sam had in the hotel room that day.