by Deanna Chase
Damn the consequences.
Chapter Twenty-four
I’m not going to pleasure Olivia with my bite. It was obvious she’s uncomfortable with the exchange, based on her comments. There’s no need to freak her out more by having her enjoy it too. Instead, I help her feel a sense of comfort. Giving her the feeling she has done a charitable act.
In a way, she has. I could have taken what I needed, but that isn’t me. Or at least, it isn’t me anymore. I refuse to ever go back to the mindless pit I put myself in prior to being an enforcer for the tribunal. That darkness is a cloak I comfortably wore. One I must always be on guard against wearing again for convenience sake.
I’ve consumed all I safely can from Olivia. I pull back, licking the small wound to seal it.
“When did you drink from Antonio?” My voice slips out like a purr.
Olivia’s body is no longer tense with fright. During my feeding, she relaxed against me. She stands back a bit, the awareness creeping back into her gaze.
“I… umm… after lunch. He asked me if I’d be his. It’s what I’ve always wanted, so I gladly accepted.” She looks a little confused now. “Was I allowed to let you bite me?”
Hmmph. Fool thinks she had a choice. “I’ll handle it, Olivia, not to worry.”
And handle it, I will.
“Asa?” He snaps to attention. “Take Paul and lock him in the basement. We need to wait to hear what Bunny says to decide his fate.”
Asa nods as he walks to Paul sleeping on the ground behind me.
I project my next directions to Rafe. Hon, can you catch Olivia and carry her? Without waiting for an answer, I lock gazes with the beautiful blond.
“You need to rest after donating all that blood.” I push my will over hers. She promptly falls asleep where she stands, tipping back into Rafe’s waiting arms.
Rafe picks her up. “Was that necessary?”
“Yes, it was. I need to talk to you and Asa on our return. I had some time to think during the last twenty minutes.”
Asa comes up next to me with Paul slung over his shoulder in a fireman’s carry. The three of us walk in the direction of the main building. “One thing is very clear to me,” I say. “It’s going to be impossible for the four of us to catch Ivan on the property.”
“I don’t think it’s impossible,” Asa’s tone sounds speculative. “It will take us a long time. And possibly, more weapons with lots of planning.”
“Yes. And at what cost in lives?” I glance down at my watch. It’s almost nine. “In thirty hours, he’s managed to rape and mind-wipe Sheba, kill John Pierre, sabotage the power for the whole resort, slaughter one of Jon’s dogs, and drain Paul to near death.” I allow the disgust and frustration I’m feeling to leak into my tone. “Right now, I couldn’t care less about Tribunal retribution.” Another thought from earlier occurs to me. “We don’t have time to wait for Romeo with backup wolves either.”
“Where does that leave us?” Asa asks.
Rafe answers the young vamp; this time he’s on the same page as me. “We’ll have to tell the guests and enlist their help.”
“How?” Asa asks. “These people are on vacation.”
I laugh out loud. The irony of the plan is not lost on me. “We’ll organize a hunt. What else would you do with a bunch of predators who never get to have fun at home?”
The cacophony of excited voices in the theater overwhelms me. The sound presses at every side. Rafe, Asa and I have explained all that has happened and who we need to hunt. The one redeeming point since we walked in was Antonio not giving me any shit about Olivia. I think I would have gone bonkers on him if he had. Instead, he graciously attributed me with helping him to see the light and bind the young woman to him before another vampire could.
I’ve had a hard time taking part in the conversations swirling around me due to the fact I’m ready to leap on someone and feed. While I’m happy to see the other vampires are eager to go on a hunt, I’m dismayed to find none of them have ever been enforcers at any point in their undead lives.
The ensuing proclamations from each eager guest confirm the following: Liam was a warrior prior to being turned. Jet is a martial arts expert. Salvador was a general at one point in his life. Drew has his rage powering him to avenge Angie’s death. Antonio wants to prove himself to Liam and Olivia. And Joanna, well, she sounds like she can handle herself. I hope.
The hunger recently satiated with Olivia rears its ugly head again, screaming to me that I have not had enough to eat. The servants and companions crowded into the media room start to look incredibly appealing. I must consume more or be a risk to everyone in the coming hours. My arms wrap around my middle, while I try to shove the hunger back down into a cage.
A touch on my shoulder brings me whirling around. My nostrils flare, my eyes bleed black, and I feel my canines push down to feed.
“Vivian, are you okay?” Liam inquires gently.
“No,” I answer bluntly. “I had to turn Paul, our chef, when Ivan drained him to die.”
His face shows surprise at my admission. “How much did you have to give him?”
“Maybe half of my blood.”
“Good God, woman, with no ingestion of his blood prior? I’ve never heard of that being successfully done.”
I shake at the thought of Olivia’s warm blood flowing down my throat. “Yes, with no blood. It can be done.”
“How much have you recouped since then?”
I think back to the last time I did something so risky. When I turned Cy years ago, I was able to slip into his bar and prey on a dozen or so happy drunks walking to the bathroom. No such luck tonight. I answer Liam in a whisper, “About two and half pints.”
“You’ll be a danger to us out there if you’re weak. You need to feed.”
“I know!” I shout. “That doesn’t mean I have to like it!”
Liam jerks back at the vehemence in my voice. “I don’t understand. You have plenty of employees here. What’s all the fuss?” Light dawns in his eyes. “You don’t feed from them? Ever? But I have smelled you on them…” Understanding comes quick.
Rafe! I need your help. My inner cage of power stretches thin. Get the humans out of here as fast as you can.
Rafe looks at me from across the room. He nods his understanding, motioning to Asa for help. They spread out into the room to fulfill my request.
The first humans start to leave the room. I turn to Liam to continue where we left off. “I refuse to take the will of those who work here.”
He smiles congenially at me, his expression one of superiority. “The bond wears off in time if you never feed from them again.”
My aura starts to leak out. I’m beyond caring about what they know of my power. My secret will remain safe as long as I don’t flip out in the next few minutes. By Liam’s expression, I know he’s starting to feel the energy against his skin.
“But it could take years and they would forever crave a similar exchange.” My stomach growls loudly. I scan the room to see the last human leave.
Rafe, shut the doors and stand guard with Asa.
Yes, my love. Do what you need to. It will all work out.
I smile as I see the option I decided on, mirrored in his mind. He understands and supports me. Another reason he’s perfect for me. He’s never afraid of the monster I have inside. I wish I could say the same.
I release the power I keep so tightly bound. It surges forward to touch every vampire in the room. The tension ratchets when they sense my strength followed closely by my hunger. I meet the eyes of every person, one by one. Fear creeps into their expressions. I don’t blame them.
The ache within me becomes all-consuming. Rather than contain it these past three hours, I’ve barely held on to it with a very tight mental leash.
I speak to the room at large. “It will take less blood from a vampire to contain my hunger than it will from a human. You can donate willingly, or I’ll take it from you. Your choice.”
L
iam, much to my surprise, comes forward and bares his wrist for me. His action lowers the tension in the room, bringing a sense of calm after my harsh statement.
“I would gladly give you my blood, Vivian. It’s always good to have an old one owe me a favor.” He smiles at the last, giving me a wink.
Considering how power-hungry we are as a species, it’s no wonder some of us cloak our aura when among our own kind. As long as I don’t have to mind control any of them to get them to donate, then it’s a good day.
“I appreciate your generosity, Liam.” I nod my head slightly to him. “Considering the gift I gave you yesterday on the fun floor, I concede—I will owe you a small favor.”
He lets out a laugh, relaxing the others further. “Touché, dear innkeeper, touché.”
The remaining vampires line up behind him. Each one stands ready to donate two or three ounces of blood to me. If I wasn’t afraid I’d bind them all, I’d offer free shots of vampire blood in the bar when this mess is done. As things are now, I’ll have to tell them we’re all out if they ask for it.
I feed from each wrist, thanking one vampire while I reach for the next arm. My ability to control my aura increases after the first two. I pull the energy in and lock down the power. Before I get to Antonio, I remember his shot in the bar last night. Joanna stands next to him, and while I would have liked to drink from her, I feign fullness to avoid binding Antonio to me.
“Thank you both for the offer. I believe I’ve had enough.”
Taking a moment to read my hunger levels, I realize I’m telling the truth. I’m back to my normal self. It’s nice to save Joanna as a backup in case I need it.
“I’d like to ask all the masters a personal question. My strongest ability is to cast physical illusions over an entire room or redirect it at an individual, even from a distance. What are your abilities?”
Revealing this small portion of my power is not dangerous. They will assume I mean humans only, still having no idea I can do so to vampires and the eventual result of such glamour means I can mind control them. The last true manipulator, like myself, was killed over six hundred years ago. Way before any of these youngsters were around.
Excitement charges the air as each master looks at the others nearby.
Jet is the first to speak. “I shift to animal form. My favorite is the Bengal tiger, but I think a bear or wolf might better suit the climate here.”
I smile encouragement at him. “Thank you, Jet. The wolf will be a great asset with Jonathan’s ability. You’ll both be invaluable trackers.”
Liam speaks next. “I turn to mist and fly.” A note of pride creeps into his voice. And well it should. Such a power is a remarkable attribute in a fight—an opponent can never land a hit on vapor.
“Can you speak mind-to-mind with Francesca when you’re in such a state?” I ask.
Liam nods, a spark of surprise lighting his eyes. “Yes, I can. Kudos to you for seeing the tactical advantage in that.”
“You’ll be able to cover a greater distance from the air. This will be particularly helpful in the areas around all the buildings. That bastard has to eventually go inside to warm up.”
“I admit,” Liam adds, “I haven’t had a reason to mist in such extreme cold. I may not be able to hold it as long as I’d like.”
“We’ll take what we can get. Thanks.” I turn to Salvador, curiosity in my eyes.
“My bite can bring extreme orgasmic pleasure to a human. I can make it last. Twist it to cover hours if I wish.”
Shock fills me. His reluctance to share blood with Sheba now makes perfect sense. That ability combined with the blood connection would render them all drooling love idiots. I bet Theresa, his wife, grew weary over the decades of all the servants trailing after Sal like lovesick puppies. It must have taken him years to find a woman strong enough to not lose herself in him.
“I understand about Sheba now.” My voice is softer now, with sympathy. “I can show you how to mark them to other vampires and help them maintain a sense of self. We’ll talk later, okay?”
Sal nods in gratitude. Apparently, my spike-the-water trick is not as widely known as I would have thought. It would have helped his people to gain protection, while still allowing them independence. Of course, he’ll have to cut down on the amount of love groupies he has at his beck and call, but it’s a start in the right direction. No wonder my staff scrambles to donate when his group visits. He brings so many companions with him that my employees rarely get a chance, but it certainly makes sense now.
Drew, Antonio and Joanna are not master vampires yet, not by a long shot. Even though they all have the beginnings of a greater power inside them, I don’t want to count on their mastery of it yet, not in a fight.
A movement near the back of the room swings every vampire head to the rear doors. Jonathan walks in, closing the door behind him. He looks at us all and stops dead in his tracks.
“Wow, talk about freaky. A bunch of bloodsuckers staring at me is not how I envisioned walking in here.” His sarcasm drips in the air, making several vamps relax and smile at themselves.
I can always count on the werewolf’s quiet strength in himself to prevail. That is, unless he’s angry, of course.
I motion to Asa. “Did you bring the map?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
He strides to the front of the theater, to the large table Rafe set up earlier. He unfolds the map to show a grid pattern overlaid on the resort and speaks. “Here’s what I was thinking on how we could locate the bastard with everyone’s help.”
Chapter Twenty-five
With the plan in place, Rafe returns to our apartment to gather all the winter gear he can find. Thankfully, all of the guests came to the inn prepared with the proper outdoor apparel. Most of them anticipated skiing or exploring the property while their human counterparts slept. The excitement level of the vampires is high in anticipation of the hunt, it’s like they’ve all been given a bonus within their vacation.
The companions and servants were allowed back into the room a few minutes ago and most huddle around their vampire masters. The theater room is the most defensible. It has only one emergency exit door and no windows. Our employees are all retreating to their homes off and on site. I’ve issued the barest of details to keep everyone calm. I told them there was a criminal on the property and to arm themselves. I left off the parts about Paul, the murder, one of the dogs being killed, and the cause for the power outage.
Instructions went out for the personal panic-bracelets that are normally only worn when working or donating blood, to be firmly in place at all times. I will know instantly when one is pressed, thanks to my own matching bracelet. Overall, our group is levelheaded. I don’t anticipate any false alarms.
I let out a sharp whistle to quiet the rising voices, drawing all eyes to me. “In case some of you are confused, all humans will be staying here with me.”
Theresa challenges this instantly. “You? Wouldn’t it make more sense for you to be outside with the others hunting this psychopath? And wouldn’t all warm bodies be useful in this circumstance?”
“No,” I answer calmly, making sure I glance around the room as I continue. “This vampire has an extraordinary skill over humans. He can take your will from you so completely—the mental bond with your master may not be enough to protect you. And some of you have no protection at all.” I allow that little tidbit to sink in before I finish. “When you love something, do you allow it to be protected by the weakest of your kind, or the strongest?” I address the last to the vampires in the room, just in case any of them have lingering doubts about Asa’s plan.
Heads nod in agreement.
Liam speaks in support. “You do not leave the worst soldiers to protect the women and children.” Oh, I wish he hadn’t said that. Some of them may take umbrage at such a reference. “You post,” he continues, “the most ruthless to take the last stand.”
A corner of my mouth quirks up at Liam’s compliment. “Thanks
.”
One thing that hasn’t occurred to him or the others is that I refuse to leave Rafe. No matter what. Despite our rock-solid bond, he might be vulnerable to this particular vampire’s skill. I trust no one to protect him as I can. I can’t even tell Rafe without insulting him. Facts are facts. I’d give up everything in my life, every bauble, every dollar, and every piece of property to keep him safe. I’ll make no excuses or apologies for it either.
“Okay,” I call out. “Next step is weapons. Let’s head to the dojo and see what we’ve got.”
The seven vampires plus Rafe, Jonathan, and I enter the large padded sparring room. Asa shakes his head in exasperation as the vampires naturally pick weapons they fought with when they were human. I signal for him to talk to me in a corner.
I lower my voice to a whisper, counting on the clang of swords, maces, and axes to distract the superior hearing of the predators for a little while. “I know you’re not happy with the weapons, but what do you think the chances are of them finding this guy?”
“Fair to middling. I’m not really sure.”
“I’m debating on something,” I shift around to put my back to the room, making sure no one is focusing on us. “Something I’m not really comfortable with.”
“Okay, Viv. I’m not a mind reader. Spit it out.”
Terse as always, that’s military training for you.
“I’m considering sharing blood with you and opening up a mind connection in case we need it.”
“A mind connection?” His voice holds his surprise. “I don’t understand. I thought that only worked with vampires and their human mates or servants. How could you do it with me?”
“Remember what I told you earlier in the basement about not wanting to take your will and drink from you?” Asa nods. “Okay, well the two are connected. If I made you my vampire servant by exchanging blood, I could essentially open a telepathic link with you if I wanted.”