“It might, by some weird fluke of nature, explain why he survived the Turning when most of pure African descent die,” Benedict mused, his thoughts so deep he wasn’t listening to Julius. Gabi knew there were very few Vampires of full-blooded African descent, and no one knew for certain why that was, only that they tended not to survive the Turning process. Jonathon was convinced it was something in their blood that rejected the Turning, but he’d so far been unable to figure out exactly what component of blood it was.
“When in the rest of us, it makes the Turning harder…” Benedict still sounded introspective.
Julius shook his head. “That’s a debate for another time. What could the Decuria possibly want with him? They call him a Vodun priest even though he has never called himself that and, in fact, denies any ability in that regard. What do they know, or think they know, that we don’t?”
“I have no idea, but it won’t be for the good of the world at large, that I can assure you,” Benedict muttered.
“Perhaps Tabari will be able to shed some light on this.” Alexander spoke up from his habitual position behind the bar counter. Drinks were lined up ready for all of them. Alexander had poured them so fast Gabi hadn’t even seen him move. They were still keeping his increased power level on a need-to-know basis, and neither the Princeps nor the Lucis needed to know. Gabi shot him a warning look, and he grimaced in response.
“I’m not sure I can ask this of him,” Julius said, his voice hollow. “No matter what they demand from him, he will agree in blind faith and loyalty to me and Gabrielle.”
“If he proves he is incapable of doing what they ask, perhaps that will be the end of the matter,” Benedict suggested. “One cannot torture magical ability into another person. Once they meet him, they will realise the inaccuracy of their information.” He turned his intense gaze to Gabi. She’d never forget the first time she held his gaze; the forceful weight of the power he wielded combined with his age had crushed her, almost sending her to her knees. She braced herself and locked eyes with him. He went easy on her, holding back much of the tumultuous power that roared through him. “I get the feeling there is more to this than what is being said in the letter, that this will be more about Gabi than Tabari.”
“What do you know of Eka himself?” Alexander asked, thrusting a small glass of schnapps forward, but not spilling a drop. Benedict’s tense stance relaxed a little and he ambled forward to take the proffered glass. Gabi prayed Alexander hadn’t spiked it with anything unpleasant.
“Not a lot unfortunately,” he said, taking a seat on a barstool and turning to include Gabi in the conversation. Julius hung back. “The Decuria are a secretive bunch, much more so than we are. But they have a definite hierarchy, and the higher up the individual, the more sway they have in a vote. From what we understand, Number One has the power to overrule any decision made by the others, and he is the only one with that power. We know little about the man personally. He must be a wily and powerful character to have achieved top status though.” There was an edge to his words, something that Gabi just couldn’t quite put her finger on.
“Do you have any idea of his special abilities?” Julius asked, derailing her thoughts. “He must have something unique to have got to the position.”
Benedict pulled his boyish mouth into a delighted grimace after he downed the contents of his glass. “Our intel is shamefully thin. They are protected by layers upon layers of security. In fact, I’d be very surprised if you actually got to meet the esteemed Number One. I think it’s far more likely you’ll meet a lackey posing as Eka.”
“Do you think Sicarius knows what he looks like; would he have met the real McCoy?” Gabi asked, her mind skipping ahead now. If they were to deal with this mysterious leader of the Decuria, she damn well intended on dealing with him personally.
“You will be able to tell if the person we meet is the real one.” Julius came up behind her and put his hands on her shoulders. “If they know your ability to read power levels, they won’t bother trying to fool us, and if they don’t know, we’ll have the upper hand. Either way, we’ll meet the real Eka, or there will be no discussion.” A slight whisper of power shivered over Gabi’s forearms and the door opened silently. Two breaths later Fergus and Mac strode inside.
“Sicarius is secured. Charlie is watchin’ him an’ Tabari is on his way in frae patrol,” Fergus told them.
Julius nodded, and Gabi’s stomach clenched as she thought of what they would be telling Tabari.
“So you’re set on this course?” Benedict sounded resigned.
“I ask you again, what other choice do we have?” Julius countered.
“I’ll inform the others,” Benedict said with a sigh, and Gabi assumed he meant the Higher Order of the Lucis not the Princeps. Though with Eka dangling the threat of war over their heads, the Princeps probably needed to know as well. She’d leave that for Benedict to negotiate.
“I need to update Evan,” Gabi said, bracing herself for the lies she’d have to tell her stepfather and wondering how best to handle him. “And then Byron.” At least she didn’t need to stretch the truth as far with Byron, though she would play down just how dangerous the meeting with the Decuria would be. Byron would guess she was withholding information, but at least he was accustomed to letting her run off into dangerous situations.
Damn, sometimes she missed the simple days of being an SMV Hunter. All she had to do was follow orders and take down the bad guys. She, Nex and Kyle had been an unstoppable force. A physical fight, she knew exactly how to handle; she’d trained for years, honing her body, advancing her fighting skills, keeping her mind sharp, learning how to spot an enemy’s weaknesses, working out how to exploit them. And she’d been good at her job.
Everything had changed when she met Julius. Not all at once, but over the months Julius had turned her entire world upside down, showing her that life was rarely black and white. In fact, it was more like a thousand shades of grey. These days she couldn’t rely solely on her fighting skills and Nex’s familiar weight in her hand. Most days she felt like a doggy-paddler dropped in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.
Julius subtly but regularly reminded her that she was valuable to the team, and she knew that eventually she’d become more skilled at investigation and negotiation, and perhaps at leadership, but it sure had been easier when she could solve all the City’s problems with her short sword and her martial arts skills. She once again reminded herself that the most important thing was to never let anyone see her own self-doubt. Fake it ’til you make it, she repeated her internal mantra as she pulled her phone from her pocket.
Alexander held a glass of whiskey out to her as she returned to the room. She took it and downed it, enjoying the fiery burn down her throat, before nodding gratefully to him. The call to Evan had been hard. Convincing him to trust her with her mother’s life hadn’t been that difficult, but his delicate emotional state had mirrored her own so closely that she’d only barely held it together herself. Byron had been easier, but only because he knew how fragile she would be, and he’d become the strong one, the one reminding her that she was good at what she did, that she had some of the most powerful supernaturals in the world on her side, that they’d do anything and everything to rescue her mother.
“Evan is okay. I don’t think he’ll do anything stupid,” she told Julius, “but we need to keep the security detail on high alert, just in case he tries something unexpected. He really is worried about Mum.”
Julius appeared in front of her, pulling her towards him, but she resisted, putting her hands on his chest to keep him at arm’s length. She didn’t need to break down again; now it was time for business. No more weepy, emotional Gabi; it was time for cold, hard Hellcat to take the reins.
“Byron will call off the human police,” she told them both. “It’s pointless them focusing resources on something they’ll never resolve. He’ll tell them she had an undiagnosed medical condition, got disorientated for a few hours, and
that she’s under medical care at a private clinic. They’ll want to talk to her to confirm she’s alright, but it’ll buy us some time.”
“We can always send Fergus to plant memories in the investigators’ minds if we need to,” Julius said. “Come and sit. Tabari is on his way up.”
“I am not a Vodun priest. I swear I’ve never been able to make any of the rituals work as my mother did; I just never had the gift.” Tabari’s voice still resounded with the richness of his African roots. His brown eyes were serious as he handed the missive back to Julius. “But I will do anything to aid in the return of Gabrielle’s mother.” He was sitting on the very edge of the sofa, the unaccustomed informality clearly making him uneasy.
“We know you will, Tabari,” Gabi told him. “I’m sorry you’ve been pulled into this. We will do everything in our power to protect you. If we had any other choice…”
“No, Consort.” Tabari’s eyebrows lowered, his expression darkening. “It is not for you to protect me, but for me to serve and protect you and my Sire. It is what I live for. My life would be meaningless if the Clan did not exist to be my family, my tether to the world. I owe Julius my life, and I will give it freely and willingly. Please do not belittle my position and my responsibility.”
Gabi swallowed back the automatic apology as Julius flooded her mind with a gentle warning, and simply nodded her understanding instead. She wasn’t sure she’d ever get used to having people who were so willing to die for her. She’d grown up knowing that she would be the protector of others; this incongruity was difficult to adjust to.
“Stay close to the Estate,” Julius told him. “Rest, feed and prepare yourself. We’ll let you know as soon as we receive word of where and when we’re going.”
Tabari bowed his head and left the room without another word.
“That goes for the rest of you as well,” Julius said, glancing around at Alexander, Mac and Fergus. “There are only a few hours until sunrise and nothing more we can do right now. Benedict will contact us if he turns up anything relevant. I will rouse you all at sunset.”
As the others rose to file out, Alexander lingered. “I can stay awake and oversee things while you rest,” he suggested. “I assume I won’t be going with you, so at least I can be useful this way.”
Gabi’s chest squeezed a little. Alexander had tried hard to keep his voice neutral, but she knew it hurt him, almost like a physical pain, to remain behind every time they left on a new mission. Just a few months ago his biggest concern was not being strong enough to take over Mastership of the Clan if something happened to Julius. Now he had achieved Master level and he’d become the cosseted second in command, relegated to staying behind while Julius ran headlong into dangerous situations, without the company and protection of his long-time right-hand man. What did they say about being careful what you wished for…?
“No, go and get some rest,” Julius repeated. “Tell Murphy and Trish to take a break as well. I’ll have Gabi wake you early if we need you.” He held out his hand. “Thank you, Alexander, you know how much it means to us to have you here as our backup, stabilising and reassuring the Clan. I know it’s difficult.”
A half-grin pulled up one side of Alexander’s mouth as he clasped Julius’s arm, hand to elbow in the age-old expression of solidarity and comradery. Brothers at arms. “Freely and willingly, Sire. Freely and willingly.” Then he was gone.
In the sudden solitude Gabi walked to Julius, letting him wrap his arms around her.
“Do you think she’s scared?” she whispered.
“She’s strong, Lea. If there is any hint of you in her, she’ll cope with this,” he told her.
“But you didn’t see her. After my dad died…you didn’t see her. She isn’t good at handling stressful situations. I’m worried what this will do to her.”
“That was a long time ago, Lea. She’s had time to build herself back up, gain confidence and get to know herself. A few years can make a lot of difference to resilience and emotional strength. I think she’ll surprise you.”
“Actually she did surprise me today.” A small smile tugged at her unwilling lips.
“Really? What happened? We haven’t had a chance to speak about your lunch date with her.” Julius was genuinely intrigued.
“I think I finally said something she understood. She finally listened to me, to what I’ve been trying to tell her for years. I think I could even introduce the two of you now without risking world war three.” She was blinking back tears, but they were happy ones this time.
“She accepts you want to be in a relationship with a Vampire?” His tone was cautious.
Gabi nodded. “Yes, and that I’ll always be running around trying to take down bad guys. I think she’s finally beginning to see me as I am, not as she wants me to be. It’s a huge step for her. Not that I think she’ll ever give up the hope that one day I’ll present her with a grandchild.”
Julius stiffened beside her, and Gabi suddenly wanted to grab those last words back. They’d never actually broached the subject of children before, but he’d told her once that he’d been looking forward to becoming a father before Simone entered his life and changed everything.
He put a finger under her chin and tipped her face up towards his. “And you? Have you given up on that hope, my Lea?” His voice was rough with emotion, his gaze intense. She could see forever in the sapphire depths of his eyes; they swallowed her whole.
She tried for another smile. “I haven’t had that hope for many years, my love. I’m sure you’ve noticed I don’t have periods.” The smile had failed, so she grimaced instead. “Hell, you probably know I don’t ovulate. I’m sure as hell not cut from mothering material anyhow. It’s something I’ve long since come to terms with. Besides, could you imagine the world with a couple of baby Hellcats running around in it?” She snorted at the terrifying thought, but Julius didn’t seem to share her sentiment.
“There are doctor-assisted ways of having children these days, Gabrielle. I think the world would be an infinitely more interesting place with a couple of baby Hellcats in it.”
She broke his gaze and began to shake her head, but he leaned in and captured her mouth with his, effectively breaking off the discussion. Something told her that this would not be the last she heard about it. She would just have to convince him that they, the Clan and him, were more than enough family for her. And then she gave in to the demand of his mouth and his tongue.
The lock on the door made a distinct click and the gas fire sprang to life as the lights in the room dimmed. Julius’s hand had travelled from her chin to the back of her neck, and now he held her firmly in place as his tongue explored her mouth, hot and demanding. Gabi shivered as the gentle brush of his power touched her skin, light as a whisper, warm as spring sunshine. She breathed in his scent: exotic spices and rain-damp forest, so familiar, so arousing. The sense of invisible touch increased, wandering from her bared flesh to that hidden beneath clothing. The touch intensified and it brushed over her nipples, drawing a gasp from her and breaking their kiss as the sensations arched her back. His lips found her neck, cool and soft against her quickly heating flesh. The ethereal tingle edged torturously down her body, over her ribs, around her navel and then speared into the warmth between her thighs, spreading up inside her, finding her core and strumming her like a well-tuned guitar. The orgasm engulfed her as a hoarse scream ripped from her throat.
She came down from the high to find Julius stretched out on the overstuffed sofa beside her, her body pressed close against his, his golden eyes watching her hungrily.
“No…fair,” she whispered between rough breaths.
“I know.” He smiled, a predator’s smile. “Ready for round two?” He moved and Gabi’s boots and socks were gone, swiftly followed by the rest of her clothing. Then he was back, stretched out alongside her, and it began again; the shiver of power an excruciating pleasure, this time beginning at her toes.
Recovering a second time, she revelled in
the slide of smooth skin and muscle against her own sweat-beaded body. His breath mingled with hers, catching her mouth with his once more. She tangled her arms, muscles heavy with arousal, around his neck and pulled him closer, running her tongue over his elongated fangs.
She held back from the inevitable, making him wait, teasing, licking, nuzzling, running her hands over the dips and grooves of his abs and taut stomach until a growl erupted from deep in his chest. She smiled, satisfied, and then hungrily sank her own much smaller fangs into his bottom lip. The heady richness of his blood flooded her mouth, warm and tingly like a good scotch whisky, only a thousand times more addictive.
He groaned, the breath leaving him in a long, gusty sigh as she gently suckled from the tiny wounds. Beneath her hands his nipples grew rigid and his cock bucked against her upper thigh. In the blink of an eye she was under him, his body hovering over hers. He pulled her hands from his body to stretch them out above her head, kissing his way down the sensitive skin on the inside of her arm as his knee spread her legs apart. His mouth reached her breasts, spending time worshipping each before roaming up towards the heavily beating vein on the side of her neck. Her core pulsed with the need to feel him inside her, and she wrapped her legs around him, pulling him closer, demanding the joining of their bodies.
He obliged with a low roar, sinking his fangs into her skin just as he sank his cock deep inside her welcoming wetness.
CHAPTER 8
Distant music woke Gabi. Persistent, annoying, heavy metal music. Her phone was ringing, she realised groggily. She cracked open an eyelid, thoroughly confused for a second. The ceiling above her was not their bedroom, nor did it look like the inside of any hotel she knew, and it was definitely too high to be the inside of Julius’s private jet. She swallowed and cracked the other eye open, lifting her head to look around.
There'll be Hell to Pay (Hellcat Series Book 6) Page 10