The Rise of Vlad (The Seeker Series Book 3)

by Ditter Kellen

  Something other than pain stirred to life in Vlad’s chest. He tilted his head to the side and stared into the elderly man’s eyes. “Do you believe that I am doomed to hell because of who I am?”

  Mordecai shook his head. “One is not damned for what life they are given, but for the life they live.”

  Shuffling from the room, the butler pulled the door closed, leaving Vlad alone with his thoughts.

  “Vlad…” The silent call of his name whispered through his mind, haunted and laced with desperation.

  “Nita,” Vlad spoke aloud, throwing his feet over the side of the bed. His shifter was in trouble. He could feel her pain as if it were his own.

  “Whoa. What are you doing out of bed?” Angel rushed into the room to hover at Vlad’s side.

  “Nita’s in trouble,” Vlad rasped, gritting his teeth and standing without help.

  Angel began rolling up the sleeve of his shirt. “If you’re going after her, I’m coming with you. And you need to feed, or you’ll do her no good.”

  Vlad accepted Angel’s offering of blood. With a nod of appreciation, Vlad gripped Angel’s arm and sank his fangs into Angel’s wrist.

  A moan nearly escaped as his rapid healing kicked in, and the flesh on his chest began to knit back together.

  Careful not to take too much, Vlad retracted his fangs from Angelo’s wrist and stood there for several seconds, basking in the power that rushed through his body.

  “Once we grab Nita,” Vlad began, “we will head back to the Seekers’ lair and clean up the carnage. We can’t afford to have someone stumble upon it.”

  Angel stood idly by while Vlad changed his clothes. “I agree, Sire. But the vampires will be ash once the sun comes up.”

  “It’s not the vampires that concern me,” Vlad muttered, pulling on a shirt. “It’s the dead shifters. I realize that they aren’t our problem, but Nita is. And what affects her affects me.”

  “You love her.”

  It wasn’t a question, and Vlad knew it. “Let’s go. We’re running out of time.”

  Shon was already waiting in the foyer when Angel and Vlad descended the stairs.

  “I take it you heard everything?” Vlad asked, plucking his cloak from the coatrack and tossing it around his shoulders before raising the hood.

  The corner of Shon’s mouth lifted. “Why the whole Grim Reaper motif? This is the twenty-first century. And of course I heard everything. With these high ceilings and stone walls, one doesn’t need to be a vampire to eavesdrop around here. I’d put money on it that Mordecai can hear a rat shitting in the basement from the top floor.”

  Vlad laughed. He couldn’t help it.

  Pulling the door open, the trio stepped onto the front porch.

  “Where first, Sire?” Angel inquired, already jumping to the ground.

  Vlad expanded his senses in all directions until he found what he sought. “You and Shon return to the Seeker’s lair to look for survivors. Burn everything. I want all evidence destroyed that can tie Nita’s people to the scene.”

  “You got it,” Shon quipped before disappearing into the woods with Angel.

  Vlad burst toward the west, his vampiric abilities strong once again, thanks to Angelo’s blood.

  Glancing up at the sky as he ran, he pushed himself harder. The sun would be in up less than two hours, and he had no idea what awaited him at his destination.

  It didn’t matter, he silently swore, blurring through the trees with barely a sound. Nita was in trouble, and he would let the sun take him, before returning home without her.

  Shifter or not, Nita Franks belonged to him. Everything about her, called to him. Her scent, her mesmerizing eyes, and her strength. She had to be the strongest woman Vlad had ever known.

  And her body, so full of passion and fire. Vlad wanted to mark her somehow, to announce to the world that she was his. But he had marked her, he thought with satisfaction. His very blood, flowing through her veins assured him of that.

  The feel of Nita’s presence became stronger; the farther Vlad ran. Her anger and helplessness consumed him, pushing him harder. Faster.

  His fangs tingled in his mouth and his eyes burned with rage. He would rain hell down on whomever dared put their hands on his mate.

  Vlad’s heart suddenly twisted in his chest. Damn him, but he loved her. The realization of his feelings for her, nearly crippled him.

  He burst through the trees, coming to stop near a cabin situated in the woods.

  The sound of water cascading over rocks, roared in the distance, diluting the sounds coming from the cabin.

  Muffled voices reached Vlad’s ears, followed by the smell of Nita’s blood.

  A rush of emotion slammed into Vlad, followed by a power so strong it threatened to buckle his knees.

  It swirled from within, spreading outward with such force, it shattered the windows of the small cabin.

  A savage roar ripped from his chest at the sight of Nita’s naked body chained to a bed.

  He blasted through the window with vampiric speed, severing one of her bonds before his feet hit the floor.

  A vicious growl rumbled from the open doorway, followed by another and another. Four sets of pissed off eyes, stared back at Vlad, their paws, clawing at the floor.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Nita’s body burned with fever. Her insides were so hot, she found it hard to breathe.

  The room took on a red hue, as if her eyes were on fire. Her legs began to shake and a humming noise vibrated in her ears.

  The sight of Vlad sailing through the window, stunned Nita as much as the glass shattering around her.

  She tried to focus on him, but the power surging through her body wouldn’t seem to turn her loose.

  An explosion rocked the room, sending pictures flying from the walls, and shattering the mirror over the dresser.

  Nita gave a mighty yank, her remaining bonds severing like paper. She flew from the bed to stand at Vlad’s side.

  Vlad removed his cloak faster than the human eye could track and wrapped it around her before all hell broke loose.

  The wolves crowding the door launched as one, diving over the top of one another to get to her and Vlad.

  Nita tried to shift, to no avail. She threw her arms up in hopes of locking on to the throat of the wolf now propelling in her direction, only to watch in disbelief as he flew across the room and slammed into the wall beside her.

  Inhumane sounds filled the small space as the feral wolves came at Vlad one by one.

  Blood suddenly began to seep from their eyes and ears, and snarls turned to painful cries of agony.

  More wolves poured into the cabin, fighting their way through the injured in an attempt to get to Vlad.

  “Don’t kill her,” Castro shouted, stepping up behind the snarling wolves with an insane light in his eyes.

  Nita focused on Miles, allowing the heat to overtake her, to control her…consume her.

  She pushed back the hood of the cloak and narrowed her gaze solely on him.

  Something flickered in Castro’s eyes, and he staggered back a step. “What the hell is wrong with you?”

  Raising her arms once again, Nita moved toward him, stepping over the carnage as she went. She had one thing on her mind as she skirted Vlad and went after the now retreating Miles. Revenge.

  Miles backed up a step, a trickle of blood now sliding from his nose. “What in God’s name have you become?”

  “What I was born to be,” Nita bit out, continuing to stalk him. “Your alpha, your leader.” She stopped in front of him. “Your worst nightmare.”

  Dropping her gaze to his throat, Nita pushed out with everything she had, watching in satisfaction as he dropped to his knees before her.

  Vlad instantly appeared next to her, his presence a soothing comfort. “Finish him.”

  “How?” Nita whispered, unable to control the heat burning her alive.

  “The power you are feeling is real. It’s your destiny, what you
were meant to be. You possess my abilities as well as your own. Use them to help your people. To right the wrong that has been done.”

  “My vision,” Nita breathed, never taking her gaze from Miles. “The hooded figure in my vision was me.”

  Vlad nodded. “You were always both savior and judge. You just didn’t know it. Now, end him.”

  Anger for the loss of so many, the needless suffering and death rose up inside her, drowning out any ounce of sympathy she might have had for the shifter in front of her.

  Vlad stepped up behind her and slid his palms along the backs of her arms, supporting her outstretched hands. His mouth moved up next to her ear. “You are the daughter of Ronan Franks, leader of the Kiana and mate to Vlad the Impaler. Fucking finish him.”

  Vlad’s power slammed into her back to meld with her own. It raced up her spine and down her arms to radiate from her hands like a thousand volts of electricity.

  Lightbulbs popped throughout the cabin one by one, throwing the interior into complete darkness, but Nita didn’t care. She kept her supernatural eyesight trained on a now screaming Miles.

  Castro’s head arched back, the corded muscles of his neck pronounced as his body shook uncontrollably. He suddenly went limp and toppled over to the floor.

  Nita slumped in Vlad’s embrace, overwhelmed by what she’d done. She’d killed Miles without remorse.

  Vlad swung her up into his arms before stepping over Castro’s body and striding toward the door. “Are you all right? Did they…touch you?”

  Resting her head against his chest, Nita closed her eyes and shook her head. “You got here in time.

  “How many were there?” she whispered, not wanting to look back at their mangled bodies.

  She could feel Vlad’s shrug. “Ten, maybe.”

  Her heart went out to the families of the fallen. “They were all victims, you know. Under Castro’s control.”

  “Don’t think about that now,” Vlad murmured, blurring his way outside and toward the tree line. “There was nothing more you could do.”

  Nita held tightly to Vlad, lost in the security his arms provided. “I have to find my mother. She was there tonight at the Seekers’ lair. One of Castro’s men hit her in the head. I saw her fall.”

  “Angel and Shon are there now, seeing to the injured and disposing of the dead. If your mother is still there, they will get her to safety.”

  Hope flared to life. Nita prayed that her mother was found alive and well.

  “What happened tonight, what I felt, was that a result of your blood in my veins?”

  “Yes,” he responded, kissing the top of her head. “Only, I’ve never seen it affect anyone the way it did you. It has to have something to do with the shifter genes. As far as I know, the two species have never mixed before.”

  Nita let that sink in. “That means we don’t know the repercussions of it either. It’s not natural, Vlad.”

  “I know,” he rumbled, exploding forward with vampiric speed. “But nothing about either of us is natural.”

  They arrived back at Vlad’s castle less than twenty minutes later. Nita had never been so happy to see the place as she was in that moment.

  Mordecai met them at the door. “Is she all right, my lord?”

  “She will be,” Vlad assured him, carrying Nita toward the stairs.

  The elderly butler followed close behind. “I took the liberty of making Miss Franks something to eat, on the off chance that you returned with her. I will bring it up momentarily.”

  Nita lifted her head from Vlad’s shoulder. “Thank you.”

  Mordecai stopped as Vlad ascended the stairs and gave her a gentle smile. “It was my pleasure.”

  Vlad didn’t speak until he reached his room and carried Nita into his enormous bathroom.

  He set her down on the side of the tub and turned on the water. “I know you have more questions. As do I. We will talk after you’ve had a nice warm bath and something to eat.”

  Nita could only nod. She stood, allowing him to remove the cloak before stepping into the warmth of the tub.

  Vlad brushed his lips across hers. “Take your time and enjoy your soak. I’ll get you something to wear from Ember.”

  “If she has anything left. I’ve probably about tapped her out on clothes borrowing.”

  The corner of Vlad’s mouth lifted. “I highly doubt that. But you are more than welcome to remain nude if you’d like. As long as you stay in my room.”

  Nita slid down deeper into the water. “Tempting.”

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Vlad stepped from the bathroom and pulled the door closed behind him.

  “I heard,” Ember announced, entering his room. She laid some clothes on his bed. “I’m pretty sure these will do.”

  “Thank you, Ember. I’ll see that you are reimbursed for the cost.”

  “Nonsense,” Ember insisted, turning to leave.

  She stopped at the door. “Angel and Shon should be back momentarily. Virginia is with them.”

  Vlad nodded. “Good to know. I’m sure Nita will be relieved to hear that her mother survived.”

  With a soft smile, Ember strode into the hall and disappeared down the stairs.

  Mordecai’s footsteps could be heard shuffling across the foyer. Vlad had to fight his instincts to keep from running down there and helping the elderly butler with his burden. But of course, Mordecai would never hear of it.

  Vlad moved to stare out the window, enthralled with the scenery of the grounds below. No matter how old he got, he never tired of Alaska’s beauty.

  His thoughts drifted to the bathroom where Nita lay soaking in his tub. The water had long since stopped running, giving way to the occasional splash as she apparently bathed.

  Her scent, mixed with his shampoo, escaped from beneath the door and drifted up Vlad’s nose. His cock hardened instantly.

  If he was honest with himself, he’d been hard since the moment he’d found her in that bear trap.

  It seemed an eternity had passed since she’d snuck onto his lands and disrupted his life. Has it only been two weeks?

  Vlad could barely recall the life he’d led before Nita Franks had stumbled into it. And he damn sure couldn’t imagine her not being in it now.

  What if she didn’t want to stay? he wondered, watching a shooting star arc across the sky. Could he let her go? Could he go on living as if she’d never existed? No. Vlad would do whatever it took to keep her with him. No matter what.

  Mordecai finally arrived, holding a tray and Vlad’s favorite wine. “I figured you could use a drink.”

  Vlad grinned at his old friend. “What I wouldn’t give to be able to pull a good drunk. The humans seem to enjoy it immensely.”

  Mordecai sniffed. “It’s way overrated, if you ask me.” He set the tray on the bedside table. “Will there be anything else, my lord?”

  “That will be all, my friend. Go get some rest.”

  The elderly butler stopped at the door on his way out, turning to look over his shoulder. “Will Miss Franks’s mother be joining us tonight?”

  Vlad fought a smile. He’d already noticed the difference in Mordecai when Virginia was around. “I believe so.”

  “Very well,” Mordecai murmured, nonchalantly. “Good night, my lord.”

  The bathroom door opened, admitting a flushed Nita wrapped in an overly large towel. “Is that food I smell?”

  “It is,” Vlad assured her. “Come sit down, and I’ll get you fixed up.”

  The sight of her padding across his room, barefoot and pink from her bath, triggered another untimely erection. “Angelo and Shon found your mother.”

  Nita stopped next to the bed, her face lit up with hope. “Is she all right?”

  “I believe so. Ember didn’t give a lot of details, so I’m assuming that she’s fine.”

  “I’ll get dressed and meet her downstairs.” Nita began snatching up the clothes lying on the bed.

  Vlad reached out and caught her by th
e arm. “After you’ve eaten. She isn’t here yet, and you need to keep up your strength.”

  Snagging a robe hanging on the back of the bathroom door, Vlad handed it to her. “Put this on and have a seat.”

  Nita accepted the robe, gratefulness shining in her amber-colored eyes.

  Vlad held the garment open, watching with humor as she inserted both arms before pulling the towel free and cinching the robe around her waist.

  She sat on the edge of the bed before lifting the lid to the tray. “Damn, this looks good.”

  Vlad couldn’t seem to take his gaze from her as she ate like a starved puppy.

  Water droplets dripped from her hair to be soaked up by the fluffy material of the robe.

  She took a sip of the wine he poured her. “This is all so delicious. Mordecai deserves a raise.”

  “Herman is well compensated.” Vlad chuckled. “I assure you.”

  The sound of a vehicle coming up the road reached Vlad’s ears. “They’ll be here in a minute.”

  Nita glanced up from her meal, excitement evident on her face. “My mother?”

  Vlad nodded. “You still have a few minutes. Go ahead and finish your food.”

  She took another bite of the pasta Mordecai had made her before going completely still. “I can hear it too. The engine, the sound of the tires rolling over the asphalt. Am I becoming a vampire?”

  Vlad shook his head. “I don’t think so. I’m not sure what is happening with you. Perhaps your Shaman will give us some insight.”

  “If he’s still alive,” Nita muttered quietly.

  She set her tray aside and stood. “I don’t think I can eat any more. My stomach feels weird.”

  Taking her by the hand, Vlad guided her toward the door and down the stairs to the foyer, where Ember and Laura were playing with Lucius.

  The front door opened, and Angel, Shon, Virginia, and the Shaman walked in.

  Nita threw her arms around her mother. “Thank God, you’re all right. I saw you fall after that asshole hit you in the head. I’ve been going crazy with worry.”

  Virginia pulled back and cupped her daughter’s face. “I’m okay. Just a small bump on the head. We Franks are pretty damn resilient.”