They had over two hundred and twenty years of history between them, both good and bad. The air seemed to thicken around the table.
“You didn’t come here just to discuss my wife, did you?”
Ian leaned forward. “It was Max’s treatment of her that prompted you to declare violent retribution to any who had a part in it. Why wouldn’t I want to see how committed you were before I stuck my own neck out farther than I already have? If you were merely angry out of a sense of pride, well…” Ian dangled the sentence with a careless flick of his hand. “Why endanger me and mine over ruffled feathers?”
“Do you remember the time I jammed a silver knife into your heart, Ian?” I asked brightly. “You can’t count how many times I’ve wished I’d twisted it. Ruffled feathers over my kidnapping, torture, and attempted murder? Fuck you!”
“I’m not downplaying what happened to you, Cat,” Ian said at once. “Only stating my interest in Crispin’s reaction to it. What he’s done to Max is deserved, but that could have been the smart response of a leader showing his mettle, nothing more. You do appreciate the difference?”
Ian’s piercing turquoise eyes met mine. He was a cold bastard, I knew that from experience, but there must be more to him than I saw. Or Bones would have killed him decades ago.
Bones inclined his head. “You have your answer, Ian. My response is entirely personal when it comes to her.”
“Lucky for you that Mencheres merged lines with you and gave you more power. And speaking of your new alliance, I can’t imagine why Mencheres chose you over me, considering of the two of us, I’m not the one who shagged his wife.”
I froze even as Bones let out a vicious curse. Ian, catching my expression, began to laugh.
“What, didn’t Crispin tell you about that? Don’t know why, happened before your parents were even born.”
I got up from the table. Discussing this in front of Ian was not going to happen. Bones followed me as I went outside on the porch. Once we were alone, I rounded on him.
“Why? I know you didn’t think much of screwing around before me, but Patra was your grandsire’s wife!”
His jaw clenched. “I didn’t know who she was when it happened. Mencheres and Patra hadn’t been on good terms since before I became a vampire. A few decades ago, I met a woman, spent the night, and then a week later I found out she was Mencheres’s wife. Patra knew who I was. She did it to hurt Mencheres, bloody hell, who do you think told him about it? I didn’t understand why he didn’t kill me back then, but after what’s happened recently, I suppose he knew one day he’d need me around.”
By having sex with another vampire’s wife, Bones would be under a death sentence—if the wronged spouse chose to claim it.
“Is there anything else I don’t know? Because I better not find out there was something more you decided to keep from me.”
“There’s nothing else. I promise.”
I stopped my pacing to look at Bones. He was gorgeous, and the longer I was with him, the more I was reminded that many women had shared that opinion. I was sure there’d be a lot more ex-flings of his popping up, but here’s hoping they wouldn’t be powerful, homicidal ones like Patra.
“All right. Let’s go back in. I’m sure Ian misses us.”
Bones ignored my sarcasm and pulled me into his arms. “Do you know it’s nearly midnight?” he whispered. “Only two more days until Christmas Eve.”
So much had happened since last Christmas. What would the next year bring?
“Better things,” Bones answered low. “I promise.”
He kissed me, his lips cooler than usual, but who needed ninety-eight degrees when he made me feel this way? In fact, I began to feel warmer as his hands slid lower on my back.
A branch snapping nearby doused my mood and put me on instant alert. Bones straightened, breaking the kiss.
“Well, mate. I wondered how long you’d spy on us.”
His sardonic tone confirmed what my belated senses finally picked up on. God, Bones distracted me to a dangerous level when we kissed. Good thing he could still pay attention, even though I suppose that wasn’t an endorsement of my allure. Also good was that the vampire in the trees didn’t want to kill us.
Tate came through the trees with more cracking of branches. “Hi, Cat. God, you look beautiful.”
Uh oh. Why couldn’t he just say, Happy Holidays?
Dave broke the loaded hostile atmosphere by coming onto the porch. “Buddy, you made it!”
Another confrontation delayed.
“Dave.” Tate smiled as he received a bear hug from his friend. Juan came out next, followed by my uncle. Don’s normally stoic features changed into a smile as he came forward and embraced Tate. Bones made a cynical noise and led me back inside with a parting comment to Tate.
“I’m sure you’ll have no trouble finding your way to the cottage at the bottom of the hill. That’s where you’re staying.”
Ian, ever tactless, chose that moment to sidle up to me. “You and Crispin resolved your differences, I hope?”
“Yes. Now you’ll be able to sleep tonight.”
Ian laughed. My mother wandered past us, and Ian eyed her with more than casual appreciation. “I say, Cat, I can see what led Max to his eventual downfall.”
I gave him a black look. “Would you mind not bringing Max up in front of what’s left of my family?”
Ian smiled without a touch of remorse. “Why would they be cross with me? I am owed no small amount of gratitude. If I hadn’t changed Max, then there wouldn’t be you.”
That whipped my mother’s head around. How like Ian not to have lowered his voice. I could have rammed my fist straight through his stupid mouth.
“Good one,” I growled. “She didn’t know you were his sire.”
Bones appeared from behind him. “Mate, come with me for a moment.”
He didn’t wait for Ian’s reply, but propelled him onto the porch. I went in the opposite direction to intercept my mother’s furious beeline.
“Catherine!” she snapped as I blocked her path. “Get out of my way. I need to have a word with that thing.”
Since she usually called Bones “filthy animal,” I assumed “thing” meant Ian.
“Mom, I know you’re upset.”
She continued to shove her way past me. “Don’t worry, I won’t make a scene,” she said with a final push by me. For her, that was the height of consideration.
“You.” She marched straight up to Ian and jabbed a finger in his chest. He gave it an amused glance. “You created her father? Didn’t you know what kind of filth he was? Or are you brainless, oblivious, and uncaring about the monsters you make?”
Bones let out a grim snort. “Clean up your mess, mate, but no matter how rude she gets, don’t be insulting.”
Ian rolled his eyes. “No, Justina, I’m not brainless, oblivious, or uncaring about those I sire. But if I’m responsible for every action my offspring does, then the same goes for you. Your daughter murdered my friend the day I met her. What do you owe me for that?”
I was nearly as taken aback as my mother was by Ian’s cool turning of the tables.
“Another filthy vampire?” my mother purred when she regrouped. “One of many who tried to feast on her neck?”
“A ghoul doing his duty to defend me against a woman who tried to kill me in my own home,” Ian countered. “Ask Cat. She’ll tell you I never even attempted to bite her before she beheaded my friend.”
I shuffled uncomfortably. How did I know Don had ulterior motives in sending me after Ian? I’d thought I was on just another job taking out the bad guys, not being the unwitting murderer of someone who’d done nothing wrong.
“I’m sorry about your friend, but I thought he was a killer, and he was sneaking up behind me to knock me out,” I replied. “Besides, before that, you admitted you’d killed two people, Ian. Your employees.”
“Who stole from me,” was Ian’s response. “Really, Crispin, what would you do to
a couple of blokes who raided your home and tried to hawk your valuables on eBay?”
Bones shrugged. “The same. If you can’t trust a chap with something as small as your possessions, how can you trust them not to betray you in a more serious manner?”
“Even so,” Ian agreed, before giving my mother another measured look. “Then with Max we’re more than even, poppet, so what else are you riled at me about?”
She appeared rattled, but then gestured at Bones. “Him. You made him, and he’s the reason my parents were murdered, so we’re hardly even, vampire.”
A shadow flickered across Bones’s face. You weren’t responsible for that, I told him. She’s wrong.
“Yet he also taught Cat how to fight, making her stronger, faster, and deadlier. Without that, do you think she’d still be alive? Furthermore, didn’t he just save her life and yours recently? Are you telling me that’s worth less than your parents?”
My mother stared at him in an odd way. Like she didn’t know what to make of him. Ian returned her gaze, unblinking and unapologetic. Finally, after a tense silence, she turned on her heel and walked away.
“Glad we had a chance to talk,” he called after her.
She didn’t reply.
Ian clapped a hand across Bones’s shoulders. “Shall we return inside? It’s chilly out, and your wife is clearly cold.” His eyes roamed over me and he laughed. “Clearly.”
“Sod off,” Bones snapped.
Ian walked away, whistling. I snorted. “Told you I should have worn a bra.” Then I changed the subject, not wanting anything else to dampen our evening. “If you ask nicely, I’ll let you open one of your presents, even though it’s early.”
Bones’s lips curled. “What must I say? Please? Ah, Kitten, please, I implore you, beseech you—”
“Shut up.” With a smirk, I pulled him into the library and retrieved a box from under the couch. A quick glance told me no one was watching, because I didn’t want an audience for this. I’d been kidding when I said it was one of his real presents. It was something else. “Here.”
Bones unwrapped it, and his smile grew to a dirty leer. “Aren’t these lovely? Not my size, but if you’d like me to wear them, I’ll be happy to oblige.”
“Aren’t you funny? But you know you’re supposed to pick which one you want me to put on.”
His choice was instant. “The red.”
“I thought you’d like that one.” My voice was wispy from the sudden flare of heat in his eyes.
Bones leaned closer until his mouth grazed mine.
“Right you are.”
FIFTEEN
T HE RED NIGHTGOWN FLOWED AROUND ME, as dark as blood on my skin. Bones held me by the hips and arched underneath me, sharp noises of pleasure coming from his throat.
“Yes, Kitten. More…don’t stop…”
I closed my eyes, caught up in the ecstasy. My fingers wound the sheet into handholds as I moved faster.
“Yes…”
The sensuality of the moment faded as a haze seemed to appear around us and the sheets began to develop a life of their own. They coiled around my wrists and ankles, as if the cotton had become an evil serpent. I tried to tell Bones to stop, but when I opened my mouth, blood poured out.
“Still trying to be brave, little girl?” a voice witheringly asked.
Horror crawled over me. I knew that voice.
The haze lifted, and I screamed in a long, piercing wail as Bones and the bed faded, and I was somehow on the floor in front of my father. Those serpentine sheets became knives that speared me through the wrists. My gut, leg, and arms throbbed in agony.
“Know what I’m going to do to you, little girl?” Max went on. “I’m going to rip your throat out again.”
He came toward me. I tried to twist away, but those knives in my wrists prevented me. Max laughed as his fangs neared my skin, my struggles as frantic as they were useless. Then I screamed as he dragged his fangs slowly across my neck.
“Stop stop stop stop—!”
Max pressed something to my mouth. I coughed, sputtered, and swallowed, but after a few moments, Max faded and I could see someone else.
“Wake up, Kitten!”
Bones focused in front of me. Before my gaze, welts and scratches on him healed, leaving only blood to show where they’d been. His wrist was pressed to my mouth, the sheets were shredded all around us, and we weren’t alone in the room.
Spade was at the side of the bed grasping my shoulders. He let go and sat back with a noise of relief when I blinked at him. Dave, Rodney, and Tate hovered by the door, Denise almost hopping to see over them. Then all I saw was Bones’s chest as he clutched me to him.
“Bloody hell, you’re awake.” He pushed me back and cupped my face. “Do you know where you are?”
In my bedroom. Stark naked and so was Bones. Spade rose to his feet and I looked away. We weren’t the only ones undressed.
“Bones, what is everyone doing in here? Spade, cover up. Frigging vampires think everyone wants to see what they’ve got.”
Bones still had me clasped to him. At least being in his arms kept my breasts from being on display.
“Will you animals get out of my way!”
Good Lord, my mother was in the hallway trying to get in? She’d faint if she saw this.
“Spade, towel, bathroom,” I hissed. “Save some of the mystery.”
He laughed, but it sounded more like a tired wheeze. “Crispin, she’s all right. I’ll take myself off so she doesn’t exhaust herself chiding me.”
Spade had blood in drying lines on him as well. What the hell? Tate stared at me, and his presence made me squirm. He shouldn’t see me like this.
Ian pushed by the other people in his way, snapping a cell phone shut.
“I told him it worked, Crispin. He said to call him later—”
“Now this is too much,” I shouted. Forget Ian’s businesslike manner, not even a wink or inappropriate leer. “I had a bad dream, there isn’t a full-scale assault going on, so everyone, go.”
Ian looked at me with pity. “More concerned with propriety than peril. We’ll talk soon, Crispin.”
“Right, then.”
Finally, the room emptied. When the last person closed the door, I relaxed enough to tremble.
“God, that was the worst nightmare I’ve ever had. If I didn’t know better, I’d say my neck still hurt…”
Which it did, actually. How was that possible?
Bones met my gaze. “Kitten, that wasn’t just a dream. It was a spell to trap you in your own nightmare. Your neck hurts…because the spell was reenacting that day with Max, and if you hadn’t have woken up, it would have finished the job and killed you.”
I tensed everywhere, trying to get control. “How do you know it was a spell?”
“You started screaming in your sleep. Charles dashed in the room—that’s why he was naked, he came straight from bed—and we tried to wake you. Then you became violent. Obviously, we knew it was more than a nightmare, and when I concentrated, I could read in your mind what was happening to you. No one had a bloody idea what to do. Ian rang Mencheres to tell him what was happening. He’s the one who knew how to stop it.”
“How long did this go on? It only seemed like a few minutes.”
“It lasted round half an hour, though to me, it felt like years.”
Half an hour! “You said Mencheres knew how to stop it. How’d he know?”
“Because Patra did it,” Bones replied with quiet fury. “Practicing witchcraft is forbidden, but Patra studied it in secret. The spell would have been sealed with her blood, so only her blood—or the blood of her sire—could break it. Mencheres was too far away, so since he’d shared his blood and power with me, he thought it was possible mine would suffice. It did.”
I shivered. Maybe the next time I went to sleep, I wouldn’t wake up. Killed by my own memories. What a shitty way to go.
“So Patra can cast one of these spells anytime, anywhere?”
Bones’s lips thinned into a grim line.
“Not if she’s dead, she can’t.”
Later that afternoon, I called five delivery places. No, the humans in my house weren’t that finicky, I was being practical. After all, we had several vampires to feed. The delivery people never knew that they were the real dinner, not the food they carried. They just left with a good tip and a lower iron count. Rodney made his own version of a square meal that he shared with Dave.
“…get ahold of one of Patra’s people before we plan any counterattack,” Ian said during a pause in the conversation. “Or, if we’re lucky, find a turncoat.”
“You of all people should have the most experience in turncoats.”
The spiteful remark came from Don, and I blinked. He’d hardly said a word since finding out who Patra was.
“Bollocks.” Ian sighed. “Look, Max got what he asked for. He wanted to leave his job and his humanity, and I changed him because I can always use another bright, ruthless lad. End of story.”
Don regarded Ian with disgust. “End of story? Do you know what Max did, when I tried to take him in after finding out he’d changed into a vampire? He murdered our parents and left their bodies on my doorstep! You enabled him to do that. You gave him the power.”
This was something I hadn’t heard before. After I found out Don was my uncle, I’d asked if I had any more relatives, but he’d curtly said no. Now I knew why the subject bothered him.
Ian gave Don a look. “Max was a killer before he met me, so the only power I gave him was to do it with fangs.”
“You can’t help your parents, but your niece is still alive, old chap,” Bones said. “We could use your wits to ensure she stays that way. Right then, to the issue of—”
He stopped, staring up at the wood paneling in our ceiling. I followed suit in confusion. What, did we have termites?
“Mencheres is here,” he stated.
Spade also picked his head up. “I don’t sense him yet.”
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