Nightshade (1)

by Michelle Rowen

  “I’m not in pain anymore.” I was too weak to move. My body felt as if it had just participated in a triathlon from hell.

  “Good.” Declan glanced at me and there was determination in his gaze. “I’m sorry, Jill. I’m sorry for all of this. What Dr. Gray did to you is wrong.” His jaw clenched. “And I’m the one who injected that shit into you.”

  “You thought it was the cleanser.”

  “I was too trusting. I should have made sure.”

  “My blood. It’s different now. I can feel it.” I licked my dry lips. “There’s no going back now. I’m either going to die or—”

  “You’re not going to die. I won’t let that happen.” He reached over and squeezed my cold hand in his. “Do you hear me?”

  “I hear you.” Silence filled the car for a few moments as I tried to focus on the feel of his warm hand on mine.

  “And I know your blood is different now,” he said, accelerating the car through an intersection. “I can smell it. It’s even more potent than it was before. Dr. Gray knew that. She knew exactly what she was—”

  “Declan!” I screamed as terror tore through me.

  Another car was barreling toward us at the crossroads. It slammed into Declan’s side, spinning us around and flipping our car over and over. I heard the screech of twisting metal as my head smashed against the passenger-side window.

  Just before everything went black, I saw fire ignite all around us.

  18

  DEATH WAS QUIET AND DARK AND COOL. THERE WAS no pain here, only relief and peace.

  I should have known it was only a dream.

  “Wake up,” a voice said harshly. “You’ve slept long enough.”

  When I didn’t open my eyes, I felt the sharp sting of a slap.

  That did it.

  I’d already half-recognized the voice, but as my eyes flew open I fully recognized the face. It was the blood servant I’d dubbed Cruella de Vil. The one with the dangerous silver stiletto heels who’d given me the knife I’d left back in my room at Carson’s house. The one she’d wanted me to use on Declan.

  “Finally,” she said. “Here. I was about to throw it in your face, but you may as well drink it.”

  She handed me a glass of water. I took it from her and looked at it suspiciously.

  “It’s not poisoned,” she said. “If that’s what you’re thinking.”

  That was exactly what I was thinking.

  “How long was I unconscious?” My voice sounded scratchy and broken.

  “You were out for almost twenty-four hours.”

  The last terrifying moments of consciousness came back to me. “There was an accident.”

  “Yeah. Caused by a couple of fuck-ups who like the sound cars make when they grind into each other. Damn fools should have broken their necks, as far as I’m concerned.”

  “They planned to crash into us?”

  “They were sent to bring you here. They accomplished their objective.” She cocked her head. “Not sure I like the dye job. Blond suited you better.”

  My arm ached as I reached up to touch my previous light locks, now the cheery color of death incarnate.

  She wore black leather pants that fit her slim legs like they were painted on. Her shiny, low-cut silver lamé spaghetti-strap top looked as if it would be better suited for a nightclub. Her long wavy blond hair was loose and draped over her right shoulder, and her blue eyes were thickly outlined in smoky black liner.

  I sat up in the bed I’d been laying in. It was a canopied bed draped in dark blue silk linens. “Where am I?” A memory of the hot fire beginning to lick at me came back to me and fingers of panic gripped my throat. “Where’s Declan?”

  “My how things change, huh? And not only your hair.” She smiled and stood up from the side of the bed where she’d been perched and walked over toward a large dark wooden door. “One day you hate someone and the next ... it’s true love? Are you the beauty to his beast?”

  My eyes narrowed. “Where is he? What did you do with him?”

  “Don’t worry about him. You have enough to worry about now that you’re here.”

  A thought came to me that I didn’t want to utter out loud. Was it possible? Was Cruella the agent Dr. Gray had mentioned to me? It made sense. She was strong and capable and very believable as one of Matthias’s willing blood servants. Maybe it was her. And if so, I might still have a chance to get out of this alive.

  I drank some of the water. My throat was raw and sore and it helped a little. My head ached from when I’d bashed it against the window. I put the glass down on the bedside table and forced myself to sit up, pushing away the dark blue sheets only to find myself naked underneath. I pulled the sheets back up to cover my bare skin.

  Cruella looked amused. “I suppose you’d like to get dressed.” She moved to the end of the bed, grabbed something, and threw it at me. “Here.”

  It was a white dress made from a thin silky material, one that wrapped and tied at the waist, low cut, with long flowing sleeves. Looked fancier than I felt like wearing, but it was better than nothing. Despite the thin material it didn’t seem to be see-through. I put it on quickly.

  Where was Declan? Was he okay? Were they keeping him in a room like this nearby? How soon would I be able to see him?

  “Get up,” Cruella said.

  I forced myself out of the bed on sore, shaky legs. I looked down at myself to check for any bruises. There were a few, likely from the car crash, but not as bad as I’d expected. I felt achy and stiff, but nothing felt broken.

  “What’s your name?” I asked. Now was a good time for Cruella to come clean and tell me she was the agent and that she was on my side. That everything was going to be okay.

  Even after everything, I still had a sliver of optimism in me.

  “That’s right, we haven’t been formally introduced, have we? I’m Karen. And you’re Jillian.”

  “You know my name?” That was a good sign. Maybe she’d been briefed about me since I first met her.

  “Among other things.”

  I wasn’t exactly sure what she meant by that. “And where the hell am I, Karen?”

  She cocked her head, her expression revealing nothing that might help me. “Where do you think you are?”

  Despite the drink of water, my mouth felt very dry. “I don’t know.”

  “Come on. I’m sure you can figure it out. He’s very interested in meeting you, you know. Even though you’re a new player in this game, your reputation precedes you.”

  “Who’s he?” Just like with the location, I didn’t want to hazard a guess just in case I was right. Although, I knew denial wouldn’t help me for much longer.

  She sighed. “You really should have been honest with me about the formula the other day. You’ve caused me a great deal of trouble since then.”

  Again, hope fluttered in my chest that she was the undercover agent Dr. Gray mentioned. “Listen, Karen, I need to find Declan. I need to get out of—”

  She smacked me so hard across my face that my ears rang. I gasped and tears sprang to my eyes, more from shock and anger than from fear or pain. I glared at her as I held my hand to my burning cheek.

  “What the hell was that for?” I snapped.

  “You stupid bitch.” Her glossy red lips thinned and anger sparked in her gaze. “Do you have any idea what he does to blood servants who disappoint him? I brought him that formula and it was a dud.”

  “Matthias.” That was who she was talking about, of course.

  She looked at me like I was an idiot. “Of course.”

  I was having second thoughts about her being the agent. Yes, in fact, I was now certain she wasn’t. It was disappointing to say the least.

  “Where the fuck is Declan?” I snarled at her.

  “He’s dead.”

  I reacted as if she’d hit me again. I even staggered back a step. “What?”

  “A piece of glass from the accident carved open his throat. He bled to death in minutes
.”

  My breath left me in a rush. I searched her face for any sign of deception, but I couldn’t tell for sure.

  “You’re lying.” My throat closed off and cold, clawing hands of panic and grief at this news wrapped themselves around me and wouldn’t let go.

  “Matthias wants to see you.” She grabbed my upper arm. “He’s waited long enough. Let’s go.”

  I was ready to fight, even though I knew I was no match for her, but when she opened the door, two other men were there. I recognized one of them from the other day. Davis, I thought his name was. The redheaded servant who’d groped me while Karen stood by passively.

  Was Declan really dead? He couldn’t be. No, he had to be here. Somewhere. I held on to that thought. I refused to believe he’d died in the crash like she’d said, but a mental image of him bleeding now haunted me, his good eye glassy and unblinking next to the darkness of his eye patch.

  The knowledge of where I was slithered through me. I’d already figured it out, but I wanted to believe it wasn’t true. However, pretending didn’t change the situation in the slightest.

  Declan had to be here somewhere. But if he was, that meant he was a dhampyr assassin in the heart of Matthias’s clan. Based on the reception he’d received from Karen and her friends the other day, Declan was a known vampire hunter. They wouldn’t welcome him with open arms. If he wasn’t already dead, he wouldn’t have much longer to live.

  A sob rose in my throat but I swallowed it down. I willed myself not to feel despair, but it was impossible. Even if Declan was still alive, he wasn’t here with me. I was on my own.

  If I’d lost him forever after just finding him, I didn’t know what I’d do.

  Did Karen know why my hair and eyes had changed color? Did anyone here know the Nightshade was inside me? That it had fused with my blood? Or were they going to torture me until I told them where it was and how to get their greedy hands on it?

  I tried to pull away from her, but she held on firmly. Davis grabbed my long black hair in his grip, so tightly that it felt like he might yank it out by the roots.

  “Behave yourself, little girl,” he growled. “Or I’m going to have to punish you.”

  I really didn’t want to know how Davis would punish me.

  They forced me down a hallway. I found it difficult to believe we were underground. I would have expected cold, carved stone. Something medieval. But this was all smooth, painted walls and warmly lit corridors. It felt more like the hallways in a hotel. There were no windows anywhere so I couldn’t tell for certain that this was Matthias’s lair. I was still hoping it wasn’t and that this was somewhere I could escape from easily.

  I clung tightly to my denial, but it didn’t help much anymore.

  I wanted to ask how far underground we were, but I didn’t say anything. I assumed they weren’t open to questions at the moment, and I might only earn myself another smack for asking—or worse.

  Finally we reached a room with a large wooden door, which Karen opened and went inside. It was darker in there. Candles flickered. Much like the hallways had hinted, the interior gave the impression of an expensive hotel suite or a large luxury condo—richly furnished and very comfortable.

  Through a living room—with a long sofa, Persian carpeting, and expensive-looking oil paintings—and down another hallway, we entered a large chamber that had many plush seats and sofas strewn about. A man sat behind a large ebony desk in a high-backed leather chair. The desk bore a laptop computer to the side. Behind the man there was a wall of books with worn leather spines and gold lettering.

  The man’s pale hands rested on the table in front of him, fingertips pressed together. He seemed as if he’d been waiting for us to arrive.

  I knew it was him.

  His hair was a color that reminded me fleetingly of the fusing potion—a dark gold I now associated with pain. It was long, not enough to brush his shoulders, but it fell past the nape of his neck, one long, thick piece resting against his cheek, partially covering his left eye. His face was pale white except for his lips, which were tinged with red. His light gray eyes framed with dark lashes were spooky in the partial darkness of the room. Candlelight flickered against his smooth, ivory-colored skin.

  “Jillian,” Matthias said in a deep, rich voice that filled me with cold fear. “I’m glad you’re finally awake.”

  This was Declan’s real father. Matthias had raped and nearly murdered his mother nearly thirty years ago, and yet the vampire king looked no more than thirty himself.

  “Bring her closer,” he said.

  “Matthias,” Karen began, “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

  “Bring her closer,” he said again. “Now.”

  She didn’t argue again. Although frightened—to put it mildly—I kept my attention fully on Matthias as Karen pulled me deeper into the large room.

  When we drew within ten feet of him, his nostrils flared and his eyes widened almost imperceptibly.

  “Oh,” he said softly. “So it’s true.”

  “You can tell already?” Karen asked.

  “Yes. Bring her closer.”

  A few more steps had Matthias leaning back in his chair, his already pale knuckles whitening further as he gripped the edge of his black desk.

  “That’s close enough.” He blinked and the gray of his eyes disappeared, replaced by an inky black. His cheeks hollowed and a spiderweb of dark blue veins appeared around his mouth and eyes. His jaw clenched and he inhaled sharply.

  So much for me keeping my secret to myself.

  “Matthias ...” Karen’s grip on me tightened and she yanked me back a step.

  He shook his head. “I’m fine. It was ... just surprising. It’s one thing to hear a rumor and another to have it proven without a shadow of a doubt.”

  He exhaled slowly through his mouth. After a moment, the veins disappeared and his eyes returned to their light shade.

  “It’s proven, then,” Karen pulled me against her and I gasped as the cold, sharp edge of a blade pressed against my throat. “I’ll kill her now and have it done with.”

  Matthias’s cheeks stretched to accommodate a smile that left no part of his sharp fangs hidden. “You would do that here? Spill blood in my office? You do know the value of the rug you’re standing on, don’t you? It’s worth more to me than you are.”

  I wasn’t sure if he was trying to be humorous.

  The blade eased up and Karen let go of me completely.

  Matthias stood up from behind his desk and slowly walked around it toward me. It took him a few stops, during which the physical manifestation of his hunger—his black eyes and the spiderlike veins that turned his handsome face monstrous—appeared and disappeared, before he walked the seven steps it took to bring him directly in front of me.

  What would Declan do if he stood before this vampire right now? Would he have a chance to kill him? More of a chance than I had.

  Then again, Declan’s blood wasn’t poisoned. I didn’t need muscles and combat training in order to kill.

  “Karen tells me your hair was blond when you first met,” he said.

  I struggled not to stagger back from him. I raised my chin and held his gaze defiantly. Or, what I hoped seemed like defiance. Anything to cover up the bone-shaking fear I felt. Still, there was nothing I could do to cover up the trembling of my lips as I spoke.

  “It was.”

  He looked pained as if being this close to me was difficult for him. “I like blonds.”

  “They do allegedly have more fun.”

  His smile returned. “Your hair, though. It’s ...” He closed his eyes and inhaled. “Only another effective trap. The scent is much more alluring to me than the color.”

  “If you say so.”

  “As a human, you wouldn’t be able to sense it, but I can. And the nearer I am, and the longer I can withstand it, it only increases my ability to deal with this new weapon.” He brought his face close to mine, bending over a little in order to do s
o since he was at least six feet tall. “So you are who they chose to try to destroy me with your blood, are you?”

  I shook my head. “They didn’t choose me. It was an accident.”

  “Oh? How so?”

  “It was a mistake that I got involved in any of this.”

  “There is Nightshade in your veins.” He smiled at my surprised look. “Of course I know what it’s called. I have many people who work for me, some closer to the project than you might think.”

  “Anderson, the chemist who created it. He switched sides.”

  “Among others.” He shook his head. “Yes, something like this—delivered it in the form of a woman they assume I would desire on sight. I suppose my own reputation precedes me as well, doesn’t it?”

  His reputation as a rapist addicted to dominating and abusing women? That pretty much summed it up.

  I wasn’t going to survive this—I saw it in Matthias’s eyes. I’d felt it at the sharp edge of Karen’s blade. It didn’t matter that I’d come to play a part in this by accident or not. I was here now and my involvement was imprinted on me right down to my red blood cells. I hadn’t wanted this to happen, but it was happening anyway.

  And if I was going to die, I resolved at that moment to take Matthias with me.

  “Do you want to taste my blood?” I asked him. I could end this right here, right now. I pulled the shoulder of the dress down so it bared more of my skin. “Go ahead.”

  His gaze moved to my throat and his eyes blackened again as a hiss escaped his lips.

  “Matthias,” Karen warned. “Don’t.”

  His eyes flicked to her. “Get him now so we can finally get to the real truth here.”

  She nodded and turned to leave the room without another word.

  Get him? Get who? Was he talking about Declan? My stomach twisted.

  I watched the path she took to leave the office before I felt the stroke of Matthias’s cool fingertips on my skin. I jerked away from him.

  My reaction to his touch made him smile. “They’re very good, you know. I’d heard about the formula, although only recently. I didn’t believe it, but it’s like being a starving man presented with a feast. So very easy to give in to temptation, even knowing what it might do. Anderson’s skills as a parachemist were formidable. I only wish I’d learned of this sooner. And I’m still not convinced it is as much of a threat as everyone would like to believe.”