Viktor

by Teresa Gabelman

  “And I told you I can keep you safe.” Charger jerked away from Bishop and Jared, who still held him.

  “I’m not trying to save myself, Charger McNeil,” Vanessa replied, her eyes glistening with tears making them sparkle. “It’s my son’s soul I’m trying to save. So please leave me alone. I’ve said all I’m going to say.”

  Viktor watched her leave, head held high as the women followed her. He glanced at Charger whose expression was furious. Pike pushed away from Sloan to follow Vanessa but made the time to glare at Charger on his way out. “Stay away from her.”

  “Fuck you,” Charger growled, but his eyes didn’t follow Pike, and Viktor knew Vanessa had confused the big bastard.

  “Well, didn’t see that coming,” Bonnie said, then headed toward the door, but stopped next to Charger. “I’ll see what I can find out.”

  “You think she’s working with the demons?” Sloan asked what was on everyone’s mind, but obviously not Charger who was shaking his head.

  “No.” Charger looked at Sloan. “Don’t ask me how I know this, but she isn’t working with them. That was fear, pure terror, and understandably so. Hope you guys are up for this because this is going to get worse before it gets better. If it does get better.” He paused a moment. “It’s going to be a long fight.”

  “What’s new,” Jared replied with a sigh.

  “Demons, that’s what’s new,” Viktor said, his eyes going to Bishop. “Looks like they want to come out and play.”

  Bishop shrugged and glanced at Charger. “You think the Dark Guardians are up to joining forces?”

  “Don’t think we’re going to have a choice.” Charger peered at Sloan. “You want me to call Zander or do you want to do the honors?”

  “I’ll leave that to you.” Sloan actually chuckled. “That bastard hates my guts.”

  “So those rumors are true.” Charger cocked his eyebrow.

  “And then some.” Sloan went to go back to his desk. “Tell the bastard I said... hello.”

  “Get the fuck out of here, bro,” Bishop said, his frown deepening as Viktor passed him. “I feel your agitation, and it’s getting on my damn nerves. I’m working all night, so if you want to go back to our place, go for it, man.”

  Viktor was already heading toward the door. With a backward wave, he headed out quickly. Once in the parking lot, he stopped and frowned. Fuck! He’d forgotten he didn’t have a bike. Turning, by instinct he caught the keys heading toward his face.

  “Take mine. I’m using one of the SUVs.” Bishop walked past him. “And watch your ass, brother.”

  “You do the same,” Viktor said as he hurried toward his brother’s bike. He sent off a text letting Slade know he was on his way. Not many of the Warriors were present tonight because they are stretched thin. Viktor knew his brother hadn’t really wanted to join the Cincinnati Branch, just like he was leaning away from doing that, but he hated to see fellow Warriors, who he respected, being pushed to their limits. Although being on call 24/7 was part of being a VC Warrior, he liked his freedom of coming and going as he pleased. Never had he had a reason to stay in one place for a long period of time. Now that seemed to be changing. As much as he wanted to fight his feelings for Lacey, he was afraid it was a losing battle and being near her was going to prove that.

  Viktor hoped that the VC Warriors and the Dark Guardians could come together. They would need to in order to stop what was happening. Everything for hundreds of years had been leading up to this moment and what was happening in their world, and it was going to take many to stop it. If it could be stopped. Humans were no longer the top of the food chain. And the only thing standing between their demise were the VC Warriors, Dark Guardians, and anyone else they could get to join their side.

  Starting the bike, Viktor glanced back at the compound. In all his years living as a vampire, if you could call it living, he had never felt a sense of impending doom. Tonight he did. As much hell as he went through with Emilia and Orjyll, that didn’t compare to what was heading their way. The motion had been set hundreds of years ago and soon, very soon, the world as they knew it could drastically change. Hell on earth was closer than they thought. Because of his feelings for a human, a beautiful, kind woman, he now knew what true fear felt like.

  With a frown, he pulled out of the compound toward Lacey. It was time they talked, and it was time he saw exactly what Emilia had left him many years ago.

  Chapter 23

  Lacey sat with Jill in an examination room. God, she hated hospitals. The smell sent her stomach into turmoil. When her mother had been sick, she’d spent way too many days and nights in the sterile environment. She seriously felt that hospitals were the worse places for sick people. Weird, she knew. But it was so depressing. From the paint color to the smells to the sad people visiting loved ones, she hoped she never spent her last days on earth in such a place.

  Glancing at Jill, who was typing on her phone, she frowned. “Sorry you’re stuck here.”

  “It’s all good.” Jill put her phone away. “Got me out of work. Not that I don’t love what I do, but sometimes even sitting in a hospital is a small vacation for me.”

  “So what’s it like to be a VC Warrior?” Lacey figured she might as well do some work for her book while sitting here.

  “Like I said, I love it. Getting here wasn’t a piece of cake, but I did it.” Jill chuckled, leaning back in her chair. “Working with a bunch of alpha men has been a royal pain in my ass, but I’m learning how to get them to see my way.”

  “Oh, and how’s that?” Lacey grinned, really liking Jill. She was funny, nice, and down to earth.

  “Just say cock and they clam up.” Jill winked at her as Slade walked in. “We’ll talk later. So, is it broke?”

  “Sorry it took so long. The X-ray department was backed up. You do have a hairline fracture.” Slade walked over and gently picked up Lacey’s hand. He touched the spot that was tender. “Right here.”

  “Can I still work?” Lacey frowned; she had to work.

  “As long as you don’t overuse it, but it’s going to be sore for a while.” Slade informed her, releasing her hand. “I can give a prescription for pain pills, but I don’t really like doing that.”

  The door opened and in walked Viktor. Lacey swallowed the gasp before it could escape. What was he doing here? Her heart beat frantically at the sight of him, but she forced herself to calm down. “Ah, no. I don’t like taking those. They make me sick.” She cleared her throat nervously. Her heart was pounding excitedly at the sight of Viktor. “Do I need a cast?”

  “It’s broken?” Viktor walked further into the room.

  “Hairline fracture,” Slade replied, then frowned. “Guess I should have ask if I could share that.”

  “It’s fine.” Lacey’s cheeks heated, which she tried to shake off. “So do I need a cast?” she repeated.

  “If you promise me to rest it, don’t overuse it, and carry nothing heavy, I’ll brace it.” Slade narrowed his eyes, waiting for her promise.

  “But I can work?” When he didn’t answer right away, concern had her biting her lip. “I really have to work.”

  “Nothing heavy,” Slade said again, then nodded when she agreed. “Then you can work, but if you feel pain, stop. You can make this worse.”

  “Thank you.” Relief darted through her and she smiled. She watched as he fitted her with a brace, and it actually dulled the throbbing somewhat. At least she could work in this.

  “Do I need to talk to Sloan when I get back?” Slade asked Viktor as he checked the brace.

  “Yeah, definitely,” Viktor said, leaning against the wall, waiting. “I’ll make sure Lacey gets home safely. I really appreciate this, Slade.”

  “I can call an Uber,” Lacey countered, and smiled at Jill then Slade, ignoring Viktor. “And yes, thank you both.”

  “You’re very welcome.” Slade helped her down from the table. “You’re finished. You need me to print out my instructions, or you got it?”


  “No, I got it.” Lacey took her phone out and started to message for an Uber, but Viktor stopped her.

  “I’ll just send them away, Lacey,” Viktor warned, then shook Slade’s hand as he and Jill left. “I said I’m taking you home.”

  She really didn’t know what to say to that. Lacey, of course, could throw a fit and ignore him calling the Uber. But she knew he would be true to his word and send them away, meaning the Uber driver could miss out on another call.

  “Why?” she said after a minute of thinking about it.

  “What do you mean why?” Viktor crossed his arms over his chest, a move she noticed he did when he was getting aggravated. Good, she was aggravated too.

  “I mean, why are you here? Why do you want to take me home? Why did you say one thing before and say something totally different now?” Lacey cocked her eyebrow at him.

  He took three steps and was in her face, but a small smile tipped his lips. “I’m here to take you home. I want to take you home.” He leaned even closer. “And I’ve realized we have some unfinished business to take care of.”

  Lacey swallowed hard. Okay, she really hadn’t expected him to answer all her questions and definitely didn’t expect the last answer to affect her so much. “Oh.” She groaned inside her head. Excellent response, she told herself. “Well, okay. Let’s go then. I hate this place.”

  “I’m not a fan of hospitals either,” Viktor agreed as they headed toward the door. As he was opening it, she cursed. “What?”

  “I forgot to ask him about the bill,” Lacey said as she headed toward the nurses’ station.

  “Hi, can I help you?” A nurse at the computer smiled first at Lacey, then her smile grew and her eyes fluttered looking behind her at Viktor. A crazy desire to scratch the woman’s eyes out had Lacey taking a step back from the desk just in case she acted on it.

  “Yes, I ah...” Damn, she hated not having insurance or money for that matter. “Need to find out how to take care of the X-rays. I’m Lacey Cruz.”

  The woman looked at the computer, then frowned. “Let’s see here.” She smiled. “Oh, we have your information. Dr. Buchanan filled everything in. You’re good to go.”

  “But....” Lacey tried to look around to the computer, but the woman moved it.

  “Have a nice evening,” the nurse said, and once again looked up at Viktor, who was behind her, with a flirtatious smile.

  Her anger for the pretty nurse had her trembling. Without saying a word, not that she would have noticed since she was slobbering all over herself as she stared at Viktor, Lacey headed toward the elevators.

  “What a bitch,” she grumbled, hitting the elevator button harder than necessary.

  “She seemed pleasant enough,” Viktor replied, then hit the button himself.

  “Oh, guess you would think that since she has big boobs.” Lacey snorted, watching the red numbered lights counting down to the lobby. Realizing she was being ridiculous, she glanced over at Viktor who wore a little smirk on his lips, but before she could remark on it, the elevator doors opened and the smirk was gone, replaced by a very serious Viktor.

  “She wasn’t really a bitch,” Lacey mumbled as Viktor led her through the lobby of the hospital and out the door. “And her boobs weren’t that big.”

  “I really didn’t notice,” Viktor replied, but his eyes were scanning the area. They went through the parking lot toward a bike that looked similar to the one he’d been riding when he was almost maimed between the SUV she had been in and the car that rammed them. She slowed. “What’s wrong?”

  “You can’t really be getting back on a motorcycle.” Lacey frowned, looking up at him.

  “I won’t let anything happen to you,” Viktor said, misunderstanding what she was saying.

  “You were almost killed on yours tonight or have you forgotten that little fact?” Lacey glanced back at the bike. “We can get an Uber. You’ll like it. They’re usually really nice.”

  They stopped at the bike and Viktor smiled down at her before getting on it. “Thank you for worrying about me, but I’m fine, and you will be too.” He scooted back some. “But you’re going to ride on the front. I don’t want to chance your grip because of your hand. It’s not far.”

  Lacey bit her lip as he started the bike then waved her toward him. “What do you mean not too far? My apartment is almost twenty minutes away.” She let him position her in front of him. He squeezed her with his legs as she pressed herself against him, the top of her head under his chin. Her stomach fluttered as her heart skipped a beat or two. This felt so good, so right.

  “We’re going to my place,” he said as he took off.

  An excited chill swarmed her body. His place. He was taking her to his place. Even though she was somewhat confused by his change of attitude from earlier, she would be lying if she said she was disappointed when he walked into the hospital room. Call her weak, but there was something between them. She felt it and wanted to explore it more. Even as angry as she had been when she’d left with Slade and Jill, she’d been more hurt than anything. Thoughts of him clouded her mind constantly when he wasn’t around, and that didn’t change, even as she’d sat with Jill waiting for X-rays.

  Everything about this man intrigued her. His personality, even the gruffness was a turn-on, his looks, and yes, even his smell that was so unique she swore she could smell him when he wasn’t around. Lord, this man, this vampire Warrior was turning her world upside down, and she wasn’t afraid. Lacey had waited her whole life for this kind of feeling.

  Maybe she was jumping to conclusions, and his talk about unfinished business wasn’t what she hoped it would be, like ending up in his bed for instance. That was definitely on her list of unfinished business with him. For right now, she was going to enjoy the feel of power that had nothing to do with the motorcycle, but everything to do with the man caging her in, keeping her safe. Lacey would selfishly savor this feeling for as long as she could. Even if it was just for now.

  Chapter 24

  It was late, but bringing Lacey back to his place suited him better. With the Gypsy Tavern still open, Lacey would want to go work. One thing he’d learned about her in such a short period of time was hard work didn’t scare this girl.

  Opening the door to the condo he shared with Bishop, he quickly looked around, then let her inside.

  “Wow, this is your place?” Lacey walked further inside, her eyes taking in everything. “Nice.”

  “It’s temporary.” Viktor didn’t feel comfortable flaunting his wealth around. His brother, on the other hand, was a different story. Viktor would have been just fine set up in a motel with a kitchen. He was hardly here anyway. Materialistic things weren’t important to him. He could do with or without.

  “Why? What’s wrong with it?” Lacey frowned at him over her shoulder. “It’s beautiful, though I would never want to live in a condo. I hate living in an apartment. This is gorgeous.”

  “Why wouldn’t you want to live in a condo?” After Viktor shut the door, he moved his gaze to her. He knew the moment her mood shifted by the look on her face.

  “So we are going to do small talk?” Lacey smirked up at him.

  “No. It’s just a question. You said you’d never want to live in a condo and I asked why.” Viktor tried not to grin. She was cute when she was trying to figure him out. Good luck with that. He couldn’t figure himself out, so he seriously doubted anyone else could.

  Lacey cocked an eyebrow, then sighed. “If you must know, I want a house.” She still held her hand protectively against her. “White with blue shutters, about five acres so I can have chickens and maybe a pig.”

  “I like bacon.” Viktor nodded, teasing her. There was something about Lacey Cruz that made him want to smile and say stupid shit. It was seriously disturbing, but he kept coming back for more.

  She gasped, her eyes wide. “Oink is not for eating.”

  “Oink? You’ve already named him?” Viktor grinned. “A little unoriginal, isn’t it?�
��

  “It’s totally original, and yes, I have. I’ve named my chickens too. Putting it all out in the universe so one day it will happen,” Lacey replied, with a nod. The condo was an open-floor plan, which Viktor liked. He could see every space from any position. Bad guys hid behind walls, and he wanted to know who and what was around him at all times.

  The silence surrounded them after that. Viktor watched Lacey become uncomfortable, shifting from foot to foot and he didn’t like it. He knew exactly what he said inside Slade’s office, his reaction to the fear of possible harm coming to Lacey. He’d reacted, something he usually didn’t do unless forced into a situation. Most times, Viktor thought things through, but it seemed with Lacey his thoughts were scattered, which was hard to admit, at least for him. Scattered thoughts were deadly in his line of work.

  “Why am I here, Viktor?” Lacey was the one to break the silence, her gaze barely meeting his.

  Good question. Actually, he knew the answer to that but saying it aloud wasn’t easy. Damn, he was turning into a pussy. “I reacted to a situation of seeing you in danger,” Viktor said, trying to explain himself. “What I do is dangerous. My life isn’t always my own. I’ve given a vow to protect, even if that means putting myself in situations that are impossible for most to survive. It’s not fair to bring someone into that kind of life without them fully understanding what is at stake.”

  Lacey tilted her head slightly as she listened. “That makes sense,” she responded, but it was followed by a frown. “So do you allow these people to make decisions themselves or do you decide for them?”

  “Depends.” Viktor was surprised at her question.

  “On?”