by Sarra Cannon
The top of the Bastion opened to a flat ambulatory-like gallery that offered a panoramic view of the city. Rurik led me to the wall and leaned out to watch his home. The fog swirled by the lit areas and we watched their patterns dissolve into one another. He appeared lost in his memories and a slight frown marred his forehead. They didn’t seem like happy ones
“I grew up here, in Fishermen’s town, with the Bastion guarding our home. So much has changed since then.” He glanced at me then pointed out across the fog-veiled river. “Margaret Island is hidden in there. The Romans used the thermal waters on the north side of it. Now a modern spa occupies the area.”
I stepped closer to peer at his face. “You were here with the Romans?”
A grim smile appeared. “They stole me away from my home to work at the springs. Some of them liked pretty, young men.”
I tried to hide the horror that fought to surface. “That must have been horrible for you.”
Our eyes met and I couldn’t help but flinch at the sight of the embedded pain lingering there. “My maker saved me from them. Brought me over and gave me a chance for a new existence. I left Budapest for a long while.” A wicked and familiar glint returned to his forlorn eyes and he chucked me under the chin. “Not before I got my revenge.” He turned and gave his back to the island as he leaned his elbows on the solid, stone wall. “This place always feels like home.”
Revenge, Romans, and vampires; sounded like a new movie release.
“Tane mentioned that he thought you were young to have become Overlord of Budapest. You must be a few hundred years old if you were around with the Romans.” Centuries. The word settled on my shoulders. He looked so young and I treated him like he was my age.
He laughed and it rang out against the empty surroundings. “Compared to Tane, I am young. Creatures like him and Dragos have been around for millennia. But he’s right, though. Budapest is a major hub in Europe, a powerful place to rule. An ancient master, like them, used to rule here before I took over a hundred years ago.”
“What happened to him?”
“Elizabeth.”
“Scary Lizzy from the party?” The arrogant dominatrix who tried to convince Rurik to give me to her instead of Dragos.
He looked down at his worn running shoes. “Dragos has ample reason to be angry with both of us.”
The wheels began to creak in my head. “Why is he in town?”
“Who?”
“Dragos. I get you’re not best friends. Why the visit?”
“There has been a lot of animosity between our people since my rule began. Incidents have occurred and we are trying to make amends.” He reached out and massaged between my eyebrows with his thumb.
I felt the tense small muscles there relax. Even that small touch electrified me.
“I didn’t bring you here to make you think so hard, Rabbit.”
I sighed. “I’m tired of these games. You said you wanted my help.”
He wrapped me in his arms. “To ask for a safe place to hide for a day until my people can gather at a safe haven tomorrow night. Not for you to save me from a millennia old rival.” He kissed the top of my head.
I melted into his embrace. It felt right to be here. “You call me infuriating.”
His chest vibrated with his chuckle. “What makes you think this is the first attempt to destroy me?”
I stiffened. That was an excellent question. It never occurred to me that there had been other attempts. “Well ... you’re still here.”
“Your opinion of me is that low?”
I regarded him. His beautiful, masculine face with ice blue eyes topped with his thick jet-black hair. “You obtained your power by seducing Lizzy.”
His eyebrows rose and he tilted his head to stare at me. The cocky smile faded.
I suddenly wished we were on the deck of the A38. The Fishermen’s Bastion was high enough that I would need to know how to fly to survive that fall.
He looked away and shook his head.
I gripped him tighter, afraid he’d let me go. “I’m sorry.” The words surprised both of us.
He leaned towards me and met my lips with hot passion. My ambivalence weakened with each touch and kiss. I never doubted he’d seduce me and maybe that’s what I needed, someone to pull me away from the past since I couldn’t let it go.
Still in each other’s arms, after the kiss, we looked out over the city. He whispered close to my ear. “I obtained and kept my power by being smart enough to stay ahead of my enemies. Don’t judge me with what little you know.”
Likewise. I was trapped in the center of Rurik, Tane, and Colby. Of the three, Rurik showed the most concern for me. “I need you to show me the real Rurik.”
“Sweet Rabbit, that would take a lifetime. Are you offering to stay with me that long?”
I thought he teased me but the loneliness I’d glimpsed at the bathhouse returned. This time he didn’t bother to hide it. My heart turned inside out. I didn’t know what to say so I did the next best thing and kissed him.
I molded my body to his. The touch of his full lips never lost their thrill. His hair felt as soft as it looked and I ran my hands through it, determined to mess it up.
My tongue caressed his lips and his mouth opened to invite me in. I explored each sharp, delicate fang with care yet still managed to nick myself.
A low growl purred in his throat and he crushed his lips to mine with the small taste of my blood. It caused him to lap at the little wound, to suck on it until it bled no longer.
He pushed himself away. His hands trembled on my shoulders.
“Are you okay?”
He nodded. “That’s the first time you kissed me.” He gave me a small, shy smile and this time the shy was for real. “Let me show you something else.”
Chapter 13
Rurik gave me a wonderful gift, something I cherished. We toured the Fishermen’s Bastion and he told me of its history. Details I don’t think the official tour guides knew. I finally got to see a part of Budapest that wasn’t vampire related, not counting my guide. A place so old it made Rurik seem young. The history of this city made my bones ache with curiosity.
We stood in the middle of the promenade and he pointed to the seven towers. “Each one symbolizes the seven Magyar tribes that came to Hungary in Eight Hundred and Ninety-Six.” He glanced at me. “You don’t mind my telling you all this? You’re not bored?”
I laughed. “That’s the third time you’ve asked me. Now finish the story.”
He crossed his arms over his muscular chest. “I don’t mean to annoy you, Rabbit. This modern age has bred a generation uninterested in their past.”
I pursed my lips in thought and noticed the amused twinkle in his eyes. “I’ll admit listening to North American history puts me into a coma but we didn’t have Romans and Huns.”
“Unfortunately, we’ll have to finish this another night. I can feel the dawn approaching.” He took my hand and we walked to the stairs. Before we descended he turned to me. “I can stay with you?”
“I’ll hide you for the day.” My libido was going to get me killed. After I’d spent time with him tonight, I realized I enjoyed more than just looking at him. I liked to talk to him as well.
I didn’t get the ‘killer ‘ vibe from him. He’d been given endless opportunities to do-away with me. Yet, instead he saved me, seduced me, and took me on a personal history tour. Yeah, that spells ‘mass murderer’. Hell, I spent less than an hour with Tane and he threw me in the river.
Rurik was innocent, I was sure of it. Now, I needed to find the proof.
We stood in the center of my hotel room after a quiet drive from the Bastion. I didn’t have a spare coffin to lend him. “I don’t think these curtains will keep out all the sunlight.” This may not have been the best thought out plan. How much light could a vampire take?
“The bathroom has no windows. I’ll just block the light from under the door and lay in the tub. I’ve done that before. You’ll have
to find an alternative place to use for the day.”
“I can use the public restroom in the lobby, that’s not an issue, but the tub sounds uncomfortable.” I grabbed a pillow and an extra blanket from the room’s closet then followed him into the bathroom.
He pressed himself against the sink as I pushed past him and laid them out in the tub. I turned to quirk an eyebrow at him.
He watched me in silence, an odd, soft look on his face.
I’d rather have had him in my blankets on my bed instead of in my tub. That tender look disturbed me. “I’m not Betty Crocker or June Cleaver. Don’t get used to this.”
His eyes wandered slowly down my body and back up. “I would never make such a mistake.” There wasn’t anything in his tone but I could read the subtext. What would he do if he knew that I was more like Buffy the Vampire Slayer meets Legally Blonde? He rubbed at his jaw as he glanced at the door.
I took my cue to leave. As I passed him, I stole a quick kiss, just a press of my lips to his soft, sweet ones.
He reached out to me but I retreated from the room. Always leave them wanting more, my grandma gave me that piece of advice. She was a smart woman.
I huddled in a cocoon of pillows and blankets to watch the sunrise. The creep of light behind the thick curtains grew until it brightened up the room to look like twilight. I couldn’t keep my eyes from wandering to the bathroom door. Each time I snagged them away they eventually made their way back.
No howls of torment came from behind it. That comforted me. I wondered if he slept like humans did or went into another state of unconsciousness. Rurik’s taken care of himself for centuries, he knew his own limits.
Why did I worry? I understood my attraction. He was a striking man. But my affection bothered me. Last night I would have staked him. The manila-envelope-of-trouble sat on a table across the room. If I could delete the memories of those pictures, I’d burn them and be done with it. Unfortunately, it could never be that easy.
Something told me to keep them safe. Tane’s involvement in this confusion tainted the picture’s validity and my growing attachment to Rurik tainted my sanity.
A little over a year ago, life had been simple. No vampire hunts or being chased through dark alleys. I didn’t even know they existed. Then Laurent’s stomachache turned to cancer. The Connie Bence I’d been disappeared with his death forever.
At least I thought she had. I think she may have peeked out last night. Rurik did that to me, drew out the person I used to be. He gave me genuine smiles, laughs, and cries.
Something knotted and twisted deep down in my heart loosened its grip. I never knew it could do that. My grief, my dirty little obsession, didn’t seem so constricted.
Laurent must be disappointed in me. He’d made me promise to move on afterwards, to find someone to love and continue living. I would’ve promised him anything. Instead, I nurtured and grew this demon inside of me. Fed it alcohol and drugs so it would blind me, make me forget. It taught me not to feel.
Colby helped me tame it by giving my life purpose but it never went away. Until now, I didn’t think it could.
Rurik was a man who couldn’t get sick, who couldn’t grow old, and was difficult to kill. Someone who appeared to care for me.
All I needed to do was let go of my past.
A knock on my door made me jump and squeal like a greased pig at a country fair. I struggled with the blankets tangled around my legs so I could stomp out of bed and check the peek hole. Would I ever get some sleep?
“Delivery for Ms. Bence.”
That stopped me in my tracks. Only two people in Budapest knew my real last name and one of them lay asleep in the tub. My heart dropped. I felt like a kid who got caught stealing money from her mom’s purse.
Another knock echoed through my room. “Ms. Bence?” Yeah, that was his voice, all right.
Colby.
He wouldn’t even have to stake Rurik, just open the bathroom door and let the sunlight in. If I didn’t answer soon he would break the door down. In my over-sized, teddy bear printed PJ’s, I cracked the hallway door open. A man in a navy blue uniform with a matching cap stood looking at his feet. He held a bouquet of white lilies.
He raised his piercing green eyes to glare at me.
“What are you doing here?” I hissed.
Colby placed his hand on the door and pushed it open then scanned the room behind me. Meeting his clearance, he brushed past me as he entered and laid the flowers on the manila envelope across the room.
I closed the door and leaned on it. Without its support, I think my knees would have given out.
“I wanted to check on you. You sounded strange last night when you called.” He stared at the envelope, his back to me, and traced a finger around it. “Like you had other things on your mind.”
“What do you expect? I’m hunting vampires with Nosferatu lurking in the shadows.”
He spun around. “You saw more?” His eyes shone with excitement, almost the way Tane’s did when he spoke of Colby.
“I saw Tane, Dragos ‘ sidekick, at the club. That’s why I left early, before he saw me.”
He pointed his finger at me and raised his voice. “You should have brought him to me. That’s your job, remember?”
“My job was to lure Rurik.” Who, by the way, lay in the bathtub. I had to swallow a hysterical giggle and struggled with it until it became just a grin. “I’m not Tane’s type. He likes men—maybe you should check him out yourself.”
That took the wind out of his sail. He dropped his arm to his side. “He’s gay?” His voice returned to a normal volume.
“I don’t know, maybe he’s bi, but his date was a guy named Eric.” I tried to hint. Maybe I could lay it on thicker but Colby could catch on and make me tell him everything. Then we’d all be dead.
He nodded, his expression lost in thought.
I stood away from the door confident my legs would support me now. “I’ll admit, I feel like I’m over my head. You’ve pitted me against some pretty strong monsters. It’s one thing to take on street thugs and small timers but this is beyond me. They’re going to get me if we’re not more careful.”
“I agree. The tension level in this city is high. Things are about to explode.” He leaned against the table and crossed his arms. “I’m thinking of bailing out.”
“Really?” Colby’s never given up on a hunt as far as I knew. Hope made me lightheaded. With him gone I had one less thing to worry about. This would solve half my problems.
“The contractor has offered to pay triple our price to finish the job. Most of the others want to stay. What about you?”
“He tripled the offer.” Damn, that bastard, Tane. What was he up to? If he wanted Rurik dead, all he had to do was not warn him of the attack on his resting place yesterday.
“Who said it was a he?” Colby’s voice sounded strained.
I shrugged.
He stalked up to me, backed me against the door, and then loomed. “I can’t help you if you keep secrets. I know you, Connie. You’ve been hiding something since Rurik took you from that club.”
Colby’s stare pierced mine and I glanced away. I’ve faced centuries old vampires who were less intimidating. The memories of his ruthless training returned, of spending nights with him building my mental shields while he used his small psychic abilities to pound at them. Drunk, exhausted, starved I learned to defend my mind or pay his price. It gave me chills and my stomach clenched.
He placed his hand against the door and leaned down to my level, then lifted my chin with his free hand to look at both sides of my neck. He found it clean of vampire bites and sighed, letting go of my chin, but he didn’t back off. “Do I need to search other body parts?”
“No!” Horrified at the thought. “I’m clean. I’m nobody’s meal ticket.”
“I’m worried about you.”
He should be. I was worried about me too.
“I-I’m in trouble.” I caught myself about to look at the bath
room door and stomped on the urge. “That’s all I can tell you, I’ve told you everything else I could.” I tugged at the hem of my PJ top and looked at my bare feet, corralled by his size twelve boots.
He stepped back allowing me to take a deep breath. I watched him as he took his hat off to run his hand through his blond hair, disturbing the neat part. By the end of the day his hair would be all over the place like Einstein’s, as always.
I couldn’t help but smile at the gesture and realized there was something I could impart to him. “Rurik’s lair got attacked yesterday.”
His eyebrows rose up to his hairline. “Who did it?”
“I thought it was you.” From his reaction, I would guess not.
He shook his head. “Is he dead?”
“No.”
“Yeah, you’re not in mourning.”
The comment rattled my already confused morals. I stepped forward and slapped his face without thinking. Colby knew me and how Laurent’s death affected my soul He shouldn’t have crossed that line.
He rubbed his chin and nodded. “I deserved that.” He reached into his back pocket and pulled out a white envelope to place in my hand. “Plane ticket home. Leaves tonight.”
I stared at it, not sure what to do. This was what I wanted, wasn’t it?
Colby nudged me out of his way and opened the door. “Take the plane, Connie. Get out. Red and I will take care of things here.” Then he left.
I sat on the bed with Colby’s present in my hands. The battle lines drawn across this city were taut with tension, ready to explode. I assumed it to be just between Rurik and Dragos, but Tane seemed to be playing both sides and Colby was the wild card.
Tane told me I’d have to pick a side. Forget Dragos, he’d just eat me. Rurik wanted me but could he protect me? Tane needed me and had the power to protect me but I didn’t know what he would do with me once I outlived my uses. Then there was this plane ticket home. If I took Colby’s offer and left all this trouble behind, I’d live.