Kato’s woman, Grace, was coming forward, greeting Hana with a brief hug, then approaching Gabriel. “We’re so glad you’re here,” she said, seeming sincere. “Kato has been on pins and needles waiting for tonight. He’s been like a kid at Christmas.”
Gabriel smiled, having no idea what her reference meant, but understanding Kato’s eagerness. “I’ve been anticipating it just as much. It’s been too long since my brothers and I were together.”
“Damn right,” Damian said slapping his shoulder. “We’ve just got to find Dragan, and we’ll be whole again.”
“Easier said than done,” said a dark-haired woman, as she came up behind him.
Damian turned and pulled her against his side. “And this is Cassandra, the love of my life. My godlike powers are now exercised in only one bed.”
Cassandra jabbed him in the side, hard enough that Damian winced. “Call me Casey,” she said, holding out her hand to shake with them both. “Everyone does except the god here.” She rolled her eyes, which made Gabriel like her. This was a woman who could shrink Damian’s glory-swollen ego down to size.
“Come in, come in,” Grace said, gesturing toward two big sectional couches. “Sit. Would you like a drink? It’s my dad’s bar, so there’s almost everything. And I have wine, too.”
Gabriel had discovered, courtesy of his fellow basement dwellers at Raphael’s, that this world had a drink called vodka, which had a subtle flavor and a very nice heat as it went down the throat. Vampires couldn’t get drunk—their bodies metabolized the alcohol too fast—but they could still enjoy the taste and the burn. “Vodka, if you have it,” he told her, as he sat down. “A double shot with no ice, please.” He’d also discovered that he liked his drink undiluted.
“I’m driving, so just ice water for me,” Hana said, settling next to him, her hand resting on his thigh as he put his arm over her shoulders.
“So, Gabriel,” Damian said, taking the seat perpendicular to his on the curved couch, “what’s this bullshit about you staying with some vampire named Raphael?”
Gabriel studied his friend for a long moment, then deciding Damian had intended no insult, he said, “Raphael isn’t just ‘some’ vampire. He’s a powerful vampire lord, who rules over the thousands of vampires living west of the Rocky Mountains in this country.” Juro had explained the system of vampire territories and how it worked on this continent.
“So he rules a lot of vampires,” Damian said, shrugging. “What’s that got to do with you?”
Hana’s fingers tightened on his thigh in silent support, as Gabriel accepted his drink from Grace. Downing the double shot before answering, he said simply, “I’m a vampire.”
“Yeah, sure, you used to be,” Damian dismissed. “But Nico took care of that.”
He met his brother warrior’s gaze directly, surprised that Damian had known of his history. But then, Damian and Nico had grown up together. Their bond had always been closer. “Nico’s spell dealt with some of my vampiric traits before we were cursed, thousands of years ago. When Hana freed me”—his hand lifted to stroke her silky hair—“Nico’s spell was broken, too. Hana understood what was happening before I did, but there was no time to dwell on it. There were men after Hana, and we had to leave Japan quickly. Raphael was a friend of her grandfather’s, and so she sought him out when we arrived in this city. He saved my life.”
Damian glanced at Kato who’d sat next to him. Both were leaning forward, clearly intent on discovering what Raphael had done, and how to talk Gabriel out of it.
“Damian has told me what was done to you before you joined Nico, and I understand your gratitude for what Raphael did,” Kato said in his calm voice. “But Nico is our leader. That hasn’t changed. When he gets here tomorrow, he’ll be able to cast a new spell that will once again take away the life that was forced upon you so long ago. There’s no need for you to accept such an affliction.”
Gabriel smiled. “It’s not an affliction, brother. It’s what I am, who I am. I am Vampire.”
“They’ve brainwashed you,” Damian growled. “You need to get away from them. Nico’s base is in Florida, on the other side of this continent. No vampire lord to rule anyone. Casey and I live there, too. You and Hana can return with—”
“There are vampires all over this continent, all over the world. Everyone is ruled by someone, even in Florida,” Hana told him. “Florida’s vampire lord is named Christian, and he rules all the South.”
Damian scowled at her. “That doesn’t mean my brother has to—”
“I don’t have to do anything,” Gabriel interjected, forcing himself to remain calm. He’d known they wouldn’t be happy, but he’d already made his decision—a decision he knew was the right one for him. “My destiny is my choice, and I have chosen. I am a vampire.” Damian opened his mouth to protest again, but Gabriel cut him off. “You’re right to say it was forced on me all those thousands of years ago. My so-called Sire was a corrupt bastard who forced the change on me, then used me to kill for hire in order to line his own pockets with gold. I hated everything about him, and everything about myself while I served him.”
“Damn right,” Damian muttered.
“But this is not then, Damian. I lived in the dark for thousands of years, as we all did, as our brother Dragan probably still does somewhere. It was Hana’s great-great-grandfather who first brought me into the light, but it was his son who had an interest in magic and somehow discovered that I dwelt within that stone prison. He took me to his gardens, and there he spoke to me like a man, reading me books and newspapers to teach me of the changes in this world. And when he died, his son—Hana’s grandfather—took up the chore in turn.”
“It was no chore,” Hana insisted. “Grandfather loved the time he spent with you. It was restful for him to leave the violence of his world behind for a while.”
Gabriel tightened his arm around her. “Himura-san was a good man, a scholar. I learned much from him. And from Hana,” he added, touching his lips to her temple. “What I’m saying,” he continued, turning back to face Kato and Damian, “is that I have accepted what was done to me. It is only an ‘affliction’ as you say, if one’s Sire is a scurrilous dog like the one who used me. But Raphael is none of those things. I’ve taken his blood. I’ve seen into his heart, and I’m honored that he considers my skills and strength worthy of joining his warriors.”
“Worthy, my ass,” Kato snarled. “You’re one of the greatest warriors this or any world has ever produced. Of course, you’re ‘worthy.’ The fucking vampire was probably—”
“You’re my brother, Kato, and I love you,” Gabriel interrupted, reaching his limit. “But you will not speak of my lord with such disrespect.”
“Your—” Kato stared at him speechless. “Nico is your lord.”
“Nico is my brother, as you are,” Gabriel said calmly. “And I will join him, and you, in the fight against our ancient enemy, who unfortunately is still alive and working against us. But Raphael is my sworn lord. I am a vampire, and I belong with my own people.”
Damian cursed under his breath, then stood and strode to the big windows overlooking the water. Without a word, he pulled open the glass door and stepped out onto the wooden deck, with Casey right behind him.
Kato watched him a moment, then turned back to Gabriel. “He doesn’t understand. Neither do I, but I won’t argue with you. I ask only that you wait until Nico is here before making a final decision. He’s flying in tomorrow afternoon. That’s not so long to ponder such a momentous decision.”
Gabriel nodded. “I’m eager to see him.” He didn’t mention the fact that he had already decided, that when he’d said Raphael was his sworn lord, he’d meant just that. But he didn’t want their time together to be nothing but arguments. He was seeing his freed brothers for the first time in millennia, since the moment they’d all been cursed. It
should be a night for celebration, not conflict.
Kato leaned forward intently, as if ready to continue his attempts to influence Gabriel’s decision, but then he glanced up and said, “Grace is giving me a signal. Dinner’s ready. I’ll go out there and calm down our god of war, then drag him to the table like a civilized man. Not that he is one,” he added, as Gabriel laughed, “but he can act like it for the night.”
“WELL, THAT WASN’T too bad,” Hana said, as they turned toward Raphael’s estate several hours later. “Dinner was delicious.”
Gabriel chuckled. “I’ll take your word for it.”
“Poor Grace felt awful about you not eating. I swear, I thought she was going to stick a needle in her vein and drain you a cup.”
“She’s a lovely woman. A scholar, which is, oddly enough, a good fit for Kato. He was taught nothing as a child, you know. Not even how to read, except for his mother’s spells, which were written in some obscure witch’s language, of course. But he’s always been smart.”
“Is that why he wears that big sword all the time? Because he’s smart?”
He smiled. “I don’t think he’s even aware of it most of the time. It’s a part of his body. Quite literally, since the thing draws its power from Kato’s flesh.”
Hana glanced at him in horror. “Are you serious?”
“Oh, yeah. I’ve seen the scars on his back. But it’s a useful weapon, and he’s a master swordsman with it.”
“Great. ‘Cuz that’s what we need in the twenty-first century, master swordsmen.”
He reached out and covered her hand where it sat on the SUV’s gear shift. “You know better than most that magic is a different sort of war. An ensorcelled sword like Kato’s can make all the difference.”
“I guess so,” she agreed grudgingly. “But I didn’t like the way they fought you on living as a vampire. It’s what you are. Why can’t they see that?”
“We fought together for decades, on more battlefields than I can name. When I call them ‘brother,’ it’s because that’s what we were. Closer than brothers. They want that again. Damian especially. It’s the only life he ever knew.”
“Yeah, what’s the deal with him?”
Gabriel smiled. “Kato has magic, Nico has magic. But Damian is magic. He and Nico have been together since they were boys. Nico was born a sorcerer. You know how that works. It’s not something you learn, it’s simply what you are. His father was a warrior and expected his sons to be the same. His older brothers followed their father, but Nico’s greatest talent didn’t lie in wielding a blade—though he can do that well enough. He wanted to study magic. His brothers, seeking their father’s approval, took pleasure in tormenting him. So, he conjured up a new brother, one who would stand with him, and that was Damian. Neither of them know if he literally created him from nothing but magic, or if Damian existed in some other reality and Nico simply grabbed him from his life. But either way, he is magic. His skill on the battlefield is a thing of beauty, his tactical knowledge unparalleled. If you hand him a weapon, any weapon, he will master it in minutes. I’m one of the best warriors who ever lived, but Damian is better. Not that I’d ever admit that to him, of course.”
She laughed. “You guys are funny. On the one hand, you’re all these big, muscled warriors who talk about the battles you’ve fought the way other people talk about what they had for lunch. But then you start sniping at each other like ten-year-old boys, over who did what better.” She glanced at him. “It’s obvious you care for each other, though. The affection is always there.”
“Yes. I meant what I said, you know. And I’m confident Raphael will agree with me. Our ancient enemy still lives, and he’s here now. When Nico confronts Sotiris—”
The car jerked briefly as Hana shot Gabriel a shocked glance. “What did you say?”
“Our enemy, the one who cursed us, is—”
“His name. What’s his name?”
“Sotiris.”
“Jesus,” Hana said softly. “That’s the guy who’s after me, too. He used to visit our house all the time. I only met him once, but I got the weirdest vibe from him. It was like he couldn’t take his eyes off me. It was creepy, like the sex predators they warn you about in school, and it scared me to death.”
“Your grandfather told you his name?”
“Grandfather made sure we never met after that, but it was too late. Somehow Sotiris knew what I was, and he never let up about me. He offered to help with my training many times over the years but was always rebuffed. I guess he grew tired of waiting, because I’m one hundred percent sure he was behind the attack on our house and my grandfather’s death.”
“Damn. On the one hand, that makes things easier. At least we have the same enemy, and we know what he’s after. On the other, what he’s after is you. And that is very bad news indeed. Raphael needs to know this as soon as possible.”
“There are hours ‘til dawn. You can tell him when we get there. I’ll go with you and provide whatever information I can.”
“Good. This makes me even more grateful that you chose to find refuge with Raphael. His estate is probably the safest place for you.”
“Until it comes down to a fight,” she said sharply. “I’m not going to cower behind the furniture like some helpless maiden. If there’s going to be a war, I’ll be on the front lines with you.”
Gabriel wanted to kiss her. He wanted to unbuckle her seat belt, drag her out from behind the wheel, and ravage her until she was breathless. But that would have to wait. First, they had to find Raphael and tell him their enemy had a name. Sotiris.
Chapter Six
Somewhere near Los Angeles, CA, USA
SOTIRIS STOOD AT the window, staring at the sweeping hillsides beyond the security lights of his estate. They were black and gray in the moonlight, showing none of the brilliant-green foliage that covered them in daylight. It was those hills, or rather the absence of people that they represented, that had made him choose this house.
A timid knock sounded on his closed office door.
“Come,” he said, not bothering to turn when the door opened behind him. “Well?” he demanded.
“We have her, my lord.”
Sotiris turned at last, his gaze hard and glittering as he studied the terrified man before him. “Have her? In what sense do you have her? She’s not within this house.”
“No, my lord.” The man swallowed nervously. “But we know where she is. She’s very close. In Malibu, with the vampires.”
He cursed silently. Vampires. And not just any vampires, either. If she was in Malibu, then she’d be with Raphael. He might not understand her magic, but he’d know it was there. And he’d never permit her to be in his territory unless she was under his control. He cursed again. Why’d it have to be vampires, with their twitchy odd magic? Though there was nothing twitchy about Raphael. The vampire lord’s power was staggering, and it wasn’t often that a sorcerer of his abilities admitted such a thing about an opponent.
“Watch her,” he growled. “She can’t hide behind Raphael’s walls forever. The moment she sticks her toes out, I want a team ready to go. Tell them to make use of those expensive weapons I bought them and bring me the girl.”
“Yes, my lord.” The man bowed and began to back out of the room.
“Make sure they understand the price of failure,” Sotiris added, as he turned back to the window.
“Yes, my lord.” It was a terrified whisper, followed by the click of the door as the groveling worm finally left.
“Vampires,” Sotiris muttered to the dark night. “Well, at least the fates brought me to the right place.” A car drove by as the first of his neighbors went to work. This being an expensive enclave within driving distance of Los Angeles’s many television and movie studios, many of his neighbors worked “in the business” as they sa
id. Not that he ever spoke to any of them, but he’d had them investigated when he bought this property. One couldn’t be too careful. He smiled as he thought of Hana Himura, with her fall of shining, black hair, her soft face and gleaming dark eyes. He hadn’t taken a lover in a long time, but Hana seemed intelligent, as well as beautiful. If they could come to an agreement, if she could see the wisdom in letting him use her power for himself, then they could be much more than master and slave. It all depended on her. She could be his pawn or his lover. Either way, he’d have her.
Chapter Seven
“YOU WEREN’T SURPRISED by Gabriel’s news.”
Raphael glanced up from where he lay in bed, reading a book, his gaze going lazy at the sight of his beautiful Cyn, ruffling fingers through her hair as she turned out the light and crossed toward him . . . completely naked. He smiled, feeling smug. She’d learned not to bother with sexy nightgowns or tiny lace panties. He’d simply strip them off before she managed to lie down. He liked her naked in his bed.
She saw him watching and lifted her hands, palms up, then did a little twirl. “Satisfactory, oh great one?”
He pulled back her side of the covers and patted the mattress. “Let’s give it a try.”
She snorted and climbed in next to him. “Give it a try, my ass.”
“Good idea. I love your ass.”
She sat up, legs crossed in front of her, so that she was facing him. “Answer the question. Why weren’t you surprised?”
He put his book down and gripped her thighs, pulling her closer. “I told you Nick Katsaros had a blow-up with Sotiris a few months ago.”
“Yeah, but that doesn’t mean he’s still hanging around. There have to be more than a few sorcerers in the world, right?”
Raphael gave a half shrug. “I doubt it. There’s no longer enough free-floating magic in this world to support more than a very few.”
“Is that because vampires are using most of it? When Nick gave me that amber key thing in Hawaii, he told me you were one of the biggest magic sinks in the world. Those are the words he used, ‘magic sink.’ I’m no physicist, but even I know that means you’re personally sucking up a lot of magical energy.”
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