by Kathy Love
“In the flesh.” He smiled, strolling toward her.
She backed away, bumping into one of the lined-up chairs, stumbling.
“Really, Wilhelmina, you were ungainly when you were alive, didn’t undeath help at all?”
She didn’t answer, she just kept moving away. Terror making her movements jerky.
“Have you been following me all this time?”
He laughed at that, his dark eyes dancing. “Hardly.”
“But-but you disguised yourself as Daniel. Went to the Society meetings. Always spoke to me.”
“Actually,” he stopped stalking her, “this is my disguise. Much more effective with the ladies, as you can attest to. As for seeing you again at the Society meeting, that was sheer coincidence. But I did enjoy speaking to you, making you uncomfortable even though you didn’t understand why. Until now. Sadly for you.”
“Why did you ask me here tonight?” Mina asked. She glanced at the door, realizing that in her fear she’d backed away from it, rather than toward it.
Donatello, or rather Daniel, followed her gaze, then smiled complacently. “Well to finally finish you off, of course. After all, I left you to die the first time, but somehow you didn’t.”
Her fear threatened to overwhelm her, render her unconscious, but she knew she couldn’t allow that to happen. If she did, she was as good as dead. Truly dead.
“Why now? Why after all this time?” she managed to ask.
“Because you have ruined a very good thing for me. I was using the Society as my cover, you see. It was perfect. I’d kill lowly humans and see that those deaths were blamed on the Society’s most dangerous preternaturals. It allowed me easy access to humans, such as Franny Millhouse’s escort service, and the perfect scapegoat when I was done.”
Mina frowned. “But you don’t need a scapegoat since you can change your looks, no one would know it was you to begin with. You’d never get caught.”
“True,” he agreed. “But it’s not nearly as much fun. I like killing a human, and then walking into a Society meeting and being heralded as-what is that silly name again? Oh yes, a Society’s Savior. It’s deliciously ironic, isn’t it?”
Mina stared at this monster that could hide behind the mask of an archangel. He was like a serial killer who liked to stay at the crime scene, watching the police struggle for clues. Pure evil.
“How-how did I ruin things for you? I didn’t know any of this.”
“No,” he agreed. “But you did start to ask questions. Enough questions that Jude began to watch me. Jackson Hallowell, of course, never would have put it together, but Jude, he has a dark soul. And your questions about the escort service got him thinking. Of course, he doesn’t realize yet that I’m on to him. But I know it’s only a matter of time now before I’m added to the most dangerous list. But of course, unlike the case of your lover, I am very dangerous.”
“Why did you attack that woman outside of Sebastian’s club?” Mina asked at the mention of Sebastian.
Daniel shrugged. “For fun. To scare you. To make sure Sebastian stays firmly planted on that most dangerous list until he and his club are destroyed.” He smiled sweetly. “Just to be mean.”
“Is that why you chose to attack me from the beginning? To be mean?”
“Oh no,” he said sincerely. “I needed you.”
“Why?”
“You were a virgin, and I need virgin blood to survive. That’s what sustains a creature like me.”
“What are you?” she asked.
“I am a vampire, but I’m a variant of the undead. An incubus-far more powerful than an average vampire. But to maintain that power, I must survive on the blood of virgins.”
She stared at him, even surrounded by all the preternaturals that she was, this seemed almost unreal.
“But why did you cross me over if you intended me to die?” she asked.
“Because the blood is so much sweeter if I cross the victim over. And until you, I don’t believe any of my other victims did survive. I left them, just like you, and they burned in the sun. Or starved. Or were killed because they’d become little more than raving lunatics.”
Mina stared at him, realizing she could have easily suffered any of those fates. She’d been lucky-an odd thought given the horror she had survived.
“But why me? Why not my sisters?” She always wondered that. Since he hadn’t wanted her money? Or her sexual favors?
He laughed. “Well, that is simple. They weren’t virgins.” Then he sobered. “Enough talk. It’s time to do what I came here for. To finish what I started so long ago.”
Mina watched as the handsome mask of Donatello melted away, replaced by the hideous creature who’d haunted her for so long. Jagged, razor-sharp teeth, skeletal features, glowing red eyes.
Panic filled Mina, but she tried to stay calm. As he started to stroll toward her, she darted for the door. She made it, her hand on the handle, when he caught her by the back of the neck, hurling her into the center of the room. She landed amid the chairs, fallen, breathless. She scrambled along the floor as she heard him approaching, but he easily caught her, picking her up by the throat. She gasped as he lifted her off the ground, her feet dangling several inches from the floor.
She clawed at the finger digging into her throat, but she couldn’t begin to break his crushing hold. Spots started to appear before her eyes, and she struggled to stay conscious. She couldn’t die. She couldn’t.
Suddenly, she heard a voice that she never believed she would hear again. “Let her go, or I’ll kill you.”
Sebastian watched as the vampire holding Mina released her, her body crumpling to the floor. Relief flooded Sebastian as she pushed herself upright, her frightened eyes locking with his. He offered a slight smile, which she didn’t return. She appeared in shock.
His eyes left her, returning to the other vampire, now seeing his handsome features, wavy hair, and charming smile.
“So you are Donatello?” Sebastian said, managing to keep his cool. “Mina, what were you thinking? He’s not nearly as attractive as you said he was.”
Donatello laughed, the sound loud and hoarse. Evil.
“And aren’t you the heroic lover?” Donatello said with a smile. “Charging to your lady’s rescue.” He glanced from Sebastian to his brothers. “And bringing reinforcements, too. Isn’t there a phrase that goes something like ‘the more the merrier’? I would say that applies to this occasion.”
“Just get away from her,” Sebastian stated.
“Well, I could do that,” Donatello agreed. “Or you could just come get her?”
“Don’t do it,” Mina cried. “He’s not a normal vampire. He’s an incubus.”
“Oh, Wilhelmina, giving away all my secrets,” Donatello lamented.
Sebastian paused at Mina’s words. An incubus. How the hell did they fight that? He glanced to Rhys, who just glared at the vampire-demon. Sebastian then looked to Christian, realizing if anyone would know about something this evil it was Christian.
Christian gave Sebastian a look that didn’t reassure him.
“You got nothing for me?” Sebastian asked Christian.
Christian shook his head. “Not really.”
Donatello laughed again, and Sebastian decided they were just going to have to go for it. Three against one had to be some sort of odds.
Sebastian charged the vampire, both Rhys and Christian right there too. But Donatello easily threw them off, sending them flying. Sebastian hit the wall, fighting back a groan at the force of the impact, but he was on his feet again instantly. Rhys slammed into the metal door, denting it. He seemed slightly dazed, but he managed to pull himself up to his feet. Christian landed on the wooden chairs, several breaking under his weight, but like his brothers he quickly got back to his feet.
This time the brothers circled Donatello.
Donatello watched them, looking unimpressed. Sebastian wasn’t heartened by that look.
“This thing is friggin’ strong
,” Sebastian murmured to Rhys.
“And fast,” Rhys agreed, not sounding any more pleased about their odds.
Sebastian sneaked a glance back to Mina. She still remained on the floor, although he noticed she seemed to have scooted back among the scattering of broken chairs.
“I tell you what,” Donatello said, drawing Sebastian’s attention back to him. “Let me have Wilhelmina, and I’ll let you boys go.”
Sebastian shook his head. “No deal.”
Donatello shot Mina a disparaging look. “I really think it’s quite a deal.”
“No deal,” Rhys said this time for Sebastian.
“No deal,” Christian agreed.
The brothers geared up for another attack and just as they would have lunged at Donatello again, Mina shouted, “Sebastian.”
He turned toward her just as she threw the broken leg of one of the chairs like a spear. But in true Mina fashion, her aim was off. The leg flew toward Christian, who ducked just as it would have struck him in the head. The makeshift stake hit Sebastian, grazing his shoulder, then deflected from him, flying off sideways.
Mina cringed, and Sebastian spun back to Donatello, afraid the vampire would use the distraction to attack them. Instead Donatello remained where he was, staring down at himself. It took Sebastian a moment to realize what the monster was staring at-the chair leg protruded from his chest, just under his left collarbone. Then the incubus’s eyes found Mina where she still sat on the floor, giving her an almost surprised look.
He let out an enraged shriek that seemed to shake the entire building. His face began to contort, his features changing from one mask to another, only his sharp fangs and glowing red eyes remaining the same.
She’d been right about the eyes, Sebastian realized. But he didn’t consider the monster’s features any longer, as he saw that Donatello’s long, taloned fingers were curled around the chair leg, trying to remove it. Sebastian charged forward, driving the stake farther into Donatello’s chest with a satisfying crunch.
Slowly the incubus’s features changed again, and Sebastian saw the tall, thin vampire who Mina had been talking to at Carfax Abbey. Then in a violent rush of air that seemed to suck the oxygen from the room, the monster imploded. Ash rained down in the spot where he’d been.
“Shit,” Christian said flatly.
Rhys just stared at the ash, a rather dazed look in his amber eyes. And Sebastian spun toward Mina.
She stared at him, and he stared back, neither able to speak. Overwhelmed by what had just happened.
Then he was hurrying toward her, pushing chairs aside to get to her. He crouched down, yanking her against his chest, kissing her face, her hair.
“You’re trembling,” she finally managed to say between frantic kisses.
“Mina Weiss, you are going to be the death of me.”
A broken cry escaped her and she kissed him, her hands frantic on his face, his shoulders, his arms
“How did you find me?” she asked once they parted.
“I could hear you and see you. I just knew where to come.”
Mina stared him. “How?”
“Soulmates,” Rhys and Christian said in unison.
Sebastian and Mina looked at them, then Sebastian gave them a warning glance.
“Can I have a moment alone with her?” he asked them.
“We risk our immortality getting him the girl, and this is the thanks we get,” Christian muttered.
“Typical,” Rhys agreed. But they gave Mina a smile, then left the room.
“Mina,” Sebastian said as soon as they were gone, but she interrupted.
“Your shoulder.” She touched the spot where the chair leg had hit him. There was a tear in his shirt and a small amount of blood. “Did I really hurt you?”
He smiled at that. “No more than usual. Now, shhh. And listen.” He caught her face in his hands. “I’m so sorry I didn’t trust what you were telling me. That I believed the worst.”
Mina shook her head. “That’s okay.”
“No, it’s not,” he told her, gently brushing her hair back from her cheek. “I wasn’t kidding, you’ve been scaring me to death, woman.”
Mina gave him a disbelieving look. “Me?”
“Yeah, you. You’ve shaken up my whole existence since the moment we met. And I haven’t had a clue how to handle that. I’ve always considered myself the wild Young brother, the one who loves being a vampire. The playboy.”
“Well, that’s all true.”
“Yes, but I had let myself use that identity as a way to always be in control. A way to keep myself-safe. I always imagined love would feel out of control.”
Mina gave him a hesitant look. “It does.”
“I know,” he told her.
She stared at him as if she didn’t know what to make of his response.
“Mina, I’ve known since the first time we made love-hell, probably since before that-that you are my soulmate. I tried to ignore it. Deny it. But it was the truth. And tonight, I really thought I’d lost you. And that was the most out of control I’ve ever felt. Far scarier than anything I was feeling before. Then I saw that thing attacking you, and I was terrified I’d never get the chance to tell you.”
“Tell me what?” she asked in that breathy way he loved.
“Mina, I am hopelessly, head-over-heels in love with you. And I want to spend eternity driving you crazy with my narcissistic, egocentric, and depraved ways.”
She laughed, throwing her arms around his neck. She kissed him.
“That sounds wonderful to me.” She grinned at him and they kissed again.
“God, I love you,” he said shaking his head, unable to believe the intensity of what he was feeling.
“I love you, too,” she told him, then her smiled widened.
“What?” he asked, tucking her hair back from her face.
“I can feel your emotions. They aren’t blocked.”
He laughed. “No, somehow I don’t think anything will be blocked from you again.” Another loss of control, and he realized that idea didn’t scare him in the least.
She grinned even wider.
He smiled back, then he scooped her up against his chest and strode to the door.
“Where are we going?” she asked.
“I’m taking you out for a bite.” He shot a glance to her pale neck. “That is, if the offering is still on?”
She laughed again, eyeing his neck, too. “Absolutely, because I’m starving.”
EPILOGUE
“You don’t have to do this,” Mina told Sebastian.
“Yes, I do.”
“But all of this is behind us.”
“Not quite yet.”
Sebastian held the door open and waited for Mina to enter before him.
“Let’s just go home,” she said. “Wouldn’t you rather just make love all night?”
“And you call me the depraved one,” he murmured, leaning down to place a quick kiss on the side of her neck. A place that she had learned was her favorite spot to be kissed. Well, one of them.
He caught her hand and pulled her into the room. Jane and Rhys and Christian and Jolee followed them in. Sebastian had called Christian to come from West Virginia for this. Mina hesitated as a few familiar faces turned toward her. She forced a smile as she led them to the back row. They all sat down and waited as Jackson Hallowell called the Society meeting to order.
Mina only half-listened as the board went through the official business. She was too aware of Sebastian beside her, his fingers linked with hers, his thumb stroking the top of her hand. But she certainly didn’t want to be there. She realized now that the Society, even if some of the members did have good intentions, wasn’t going about things the right way. After all, they couldn’t have been more wrong about Sebastian.
Finally, Jackson asked the members if they had any business they wished to discuss, and Sebastian rose.
Mina stared up at him, waiting to hear what he could possibly want to say
to these preternaturals.
“Hi,” he greeted the room with one of his lopsided smiles that she loved so much. “I’m Sebastian Young.”
Several members shifted uncomfortably in their seats.
Sebastian smiled again. “For those of you who may, or may not, recognize me, I’m the Society’s third most dangerous vampire.”
More awkward rustles. A cough. Silence.
“And before you go nuts and try to stake me or pelt me with garlic or something, I’ve actually come here to tell you that Mina-Wilhelmina Weiss has succeeded in her mission for the Society.”
He looked down at her. She shook her head, not understanding what he was saying.
“Wilhelmina has stopped me from all my nefarious deeds. I’m reformed,” he announced, then he pulled Mina to her feet. He took both her hands, so they were facing each other.
“What are you doing?” she asked him in a hushed voice, shaking her head, overwhelmed by this man.
“I’m telling them of your success,” he whispered back with a proud smile. Then he returned his attention to the room.
“You see, I’m no longer a threat to humans,” he told them.
“You never were,” Mina murmured, and Sebastian shot her a glance designed to shush her.
“I’m no longer a threat because,” he turned back to Mina, gazing into her eyes, “I only have fangs for you. I love you, baby.”
He leaned forward and kissed her. Mina’s arms came up around his neck and she kissed him back, loving this crazy, outrageous man.
Then she realized that the whole room had erupted into applause. Mina broke the kiss to look around. Members of the Society clapped madly, grinning at Sebastian and at her. But mostly at Sebastian. She shook her head-leave it to Sebastian to go from villain to hero in just minutes.
The meeting then became a huge social event, members coming up to talk to Sebastian and Mina and all the Young family. Even Jude, who didn’t warm to anyone, came over and clapped him on the back. Jude knew about Daniel/ Donatello, although he’d said nothing to the other members. As far as the Society knew, Daniel just quit the group, a lie Mina hadn’t agreed with. The Society should know that Sebastian Young had stopped the most dangerous vampire in New York. But to her surprise he’d been very humble about the whole thing. The only time he’d been humble about anything.