A Vampire's Hunger

by Carla Susan Smith

  “Of course we will replace it.”

  “Um, I had it specially made.”

  I’d asked Tomas where the bed in the penthouse had come from, blanching when he told me it was custom-made by an old family firm in Rome. As in Rome, Italy, not Rome, Georgia. With the help of the Internet, e-mails, and Tomas’s fluent Italian, the sentinel had guided me through the process of getting the bed of my dreams. Obviously, I wasn’t looking for anything as big as the firm’s previous effort—the bedroom in my apartment didn’t have anywhere near the same square footage—but I did want something equally sturdy. I e-mailed some design ideas and had been delighted with the results. The bed had been shipped in sections, and Tomas had supervised the installation for me.

  And now it was broken.

  “Perhaps we could contact the company and have another made?”

  I nodded, and continued to stare at the carefully laid-out remnants of the shattered frame, wondering if they could be shipped back to see if anything was salvageable. I sighed. There was nothing to be done, and it really wasn’t Aleksei’s fault, though I was disappointed the bed had not stood up to the physical demands of lusty vampire sex. I was about to turn away when something on the decorative wrought-iron headboard caught my eye. Deciding a closer look was needed, I stepped carefully over the debris.

  I immediately recognized the unexpected adornment affixed to the decorative wrought-iron scrollwork topping the heavy maple headboard. A glance revealed its mate on the other end. Judging from the XXL size, it was obvious they had been used by the big guy.

  “You handcuffed Aleksei to the bed?” I turned around and stared at Anasztaizia, unable to disguise the look of astonishment on my face. “Aleksei?”

  The blond head nodded. “Not just his hands,” she admitted in a small voice.

  A closer examination of the manacles said Anasztaizia’s much smaller hands would have fallen out the moment her arms were raised or lowered. No doubt her feet would have had no problem escaping the closed circle of steel either.

  “Where did you find cuffs this big?” I asked, intrigued.

  “Oh, I had a friend make them for me.”

  I like her; she’s got some interesting friends.

  “And he was okay with this?”

  “At first . . . he agreed to do it to please me. It was always one of my fantasies.”

  Ah yes, what woman doesn’t want her man shackled to the bed so she can do whatever she wants with him? Especially when it comes to sex. It’s the ultimate control trip. Unfortunately, it would appear that the reality hadn’t quite been what either of them had expected. Knowing firsthand what it felt like to be handcuffed, I can say it’s not an experience I’m in any hurry to repeat.

  “I’m guessing the big guy didn’t enjoy being made to feel quite so helpless?”

  She nodded. “He loves me, and I know he trusts me, but . . .”

  “Vampires have a hard time giving up control in any situation,” I said gently, surprised that she would not have realized this. “It’s the possessive side of their nature.” And it was nice to know I hadn’t been given a substandard product. My bed had been made to endure vampire sex, not an enraged vampire attempting to free himself from heavy-duty steel restraints. I decided that perhaps I wouldn’t return any of the broken bed to the manufacturers. I was certain seeing the splintered wood and twisted wrought iron would raise both brows and questions.

  “You weren’t hurt, were you?”

  The smile Anasztaizia gave me was answer enough. “I think Aleksei was more scared by his reaction than I was.”

  “Do you want them back?” It seemed only polite to ask. I mean, what was I going to do with them? I figured Gabriel wanting me naked on the dining room table was pretty wild. Sheesh! I had a lot to learn.

  Anasztaizia shook her head. “No, I don’t think that particular fantasy is one I’ll try again.”

  I picked up the manacle, feeling the heavy weight in my palm. “Perhaps your friend could make you some that were not quite so strong? Something that Aleksei could free himself from if he needed to?” Without destroying another bed.

  Arching a brow, Anasztaizia looked thoughtful. “That’s definitely worth considering, dahlink.” She paused before giving me a sheepish smile. “Are you very cross with us about the bed?”

  If the heartfelt sincerity of her expression hadn’t made up my mind, the ring on her finger did. Happy to see she had resumed wearing the enormous diamond engagement ring, I pulled her to me for a hug, saying, “How could I be cross with either of you? Aren’t I going to be your bridesmaid?”

  “Oh, you’re still willing to do it?”

  “Absolutely.”

  “Oh dahlink, you’re going to love the dress. I promise!”

  Aleksei had mentioned something about me dressed as a pink meringue, but at this point I didn’t much care. If the bride-to-be wanted to have me look like one of those bright pink coconut snowballs, who was I to deny her?

  “It’s Chanel,” she added, squeezing my hand. “A little old-school, but still very romantic.”

  I didn’t just smile, I fairly beamed at her. Chanel, I was certain, had never heard of pink coconut snowballs.

  “But don’t worry, dahlink, Aleksei is still going to buy you a new bed.”

  You bet your ass he is.

  I followed her out of the bedroom. Stopping by the front door, I adopted a more serious tone and asked, “Everything between you and Aleksei is okay now, right?”

  “Of course, dahlink,” she paused, “except for him calling me Rowan while we’re having sex, everything is fine.”

  “Anasztaizia!”

  “I’m just teasing you.”

  She kissed me on both cheeks before fishing her car keys from her purse. Opening the front door, I was stunned to see Ryiel leaning on the opposite wall with his arms folded. He was, as usual, naked from the waist up, his dark hair reaching almost to his waist.

  Anasztaizia gave him a long look before turning and asking, “Is everything all right with you and Gabriel?”

  “Uh, what? Oh yeah, of course.” I gestured to the dark-haired vampire. “Do you know Ryiel?”

  “Only what Aleksei has told me.”

  At the mention of the big guy’s name, Ryiel arched a brow.

  “Anasztaizia is Aleksei’s fiancée,” I told him.

  “That must be confusing,” he murmured.

  “Only if you’re a vampire, dahlink.” Leaning forward, she kissed me on the cheek. “We’ll talk soon.”

  Both Ryiel and I waited until the sound of the elevator said the lovely Magyar was on her way down.

  “Did you actually walk through the lobby like that?” I asked.

  Ryiel seemed genuinely puzzled by my question. “Like what?”

  I gestured in the general direction of his tattooed pecs. “Do you even know what a shirt is, much less how to wear one?”

  He gave me a reproachful look. “I am who I am, Rowan. Accept me or not.”

  He was right. It made no difference what I thought or said, and if I received a letter from the Tenants’ Association about recent visitors to my apartment, I wasn’t overly concerned. Wait until they found out how well I knew the owner of the building. I stared at the Original Vampire. He seemed to be taking up far too much space in the hallway.

  “How did you know I was here?”

  “Tomas told me,” he answered.

  “And Gabriel? Does he also know you’re here?” I certainly didn’t want to run the risk of having a pissed-off vampire showing up, fangs bared and snarling.

  “Of course. Do you think I would be so foolish as to spend time alone with any Promise?” Not expecting a response, Ryiel went on, “He thought you might be more comfortable if we talked away from the penthouse.”

  Sometimes it was scary how well Gabriel knew me. And he was right. There was no putting it off now. I was going to hear whatever it was Ryiel had come to tell me. All of it. The bad, the ugly, and the hopeless. Standing to o
ne side, I invited him in.

  “I’ve got coffee, sweet tea, and a whole multitude of alcoholic stuff if you prefer something with a little more kick.” My kitchen was still overflowing with bottles.

  “Hot water, and honey, if you have it,” Ryiel said, producing a small paper bag from somewhere. “It’s tea,” he added, seeing the questioning look on my face.

  “Like English tea?” My aversion to the hot beverage had only been strengthened by my time spent playing the Tea Game with Aleksei.

  “Like green tea.” He chuckled at my grimace. “I feel the same way about iced tea.”

  “Heathen,” I muttered, trying not to grin too much. I got him a mug and some clover honey that came in a plastic bottle shaped like a teddy bear. “Um, I don’t have a teakettle to boil water,” I apologized. “Will the microwave do?”

  It did, and a few minutes later we were sitting in the living room. Ryiel had his cup of oolong-slap-a-long or some such nonsense, while I settled for a Jack and Coke. I had the feeling I was going to need it.

  “Tell me about the last time you saw your—sorry, the—demon,” Ryiel said, dunking the stainless-steel infusion ball in his mug of hot water.

  “Well, I was in the kitchen pouring myself a shot of bourbon—”

  “Why?”

  “Why what?”

  “You were alone, correct?” I nodded. “So what precipitated your need for alcohol?”

  “I was upset.”

  “Why? What had happened?”

  I sighed. It was going to be a long conversation, I could tell. “How far back do you want me to go?” I said, taking a sip of my drink.

  Ryiel arched a questioning eyebrow. “The beginning?”

  “That would mean the night I met Gabriel.”

  “Ah, well, not quite that far then.” Removing the tea infuser from his mug, I watched him put it on the small saucer he’d found in the kitchen. I glanced at the contents of his mug. I’ve seen ditch water with a more appealing color. “How about if you start with Kartel’s visit.” He smiled at me as he squeezed a generous helping of honey into the hot liquid. “The abridged version will be fine.”

  So that’s what he got.

  It still took me almost twenty minutes to tell, though, and Ryiel only interrupted once to ask about Rat Boy. I don’t think I’d mentioned either him or Gus by name during our earlier discussion regarding my abduction. When I was done, I got up to replenish my empty glass. Ryiel refused my offer of more hot water but followed me into the kitchen anyway.

  “Where did you say the demon came from?”

  I nodded to the sliver of space between the fridge and the wall, a space the vampire now bridged by spanning his hand over the gap. Fingers splayed, he placed his thumb and forefinger on the fridge, and his pinky and third finger on the wall.

  “I wasn’t imagining it . . . was I?” I was vaguely optimistic, even though I knew it was fruitless.

  Ryiel shook his head. “No, he was here, but any portals to you will be sealed when your contract with him is broken.”

  If it’s broken.

  I sighed. “You don’t need to sugarcoat it for me, Ryiel. I’ve got a good idea what you’re going to tell me. It’s why you made Jenna your Promise, right?” He seemed surprised that I knew. “I’m sorry, was it supposed to be a secret?”

  “No, I should have known Gabriel would tell you.”

  “Actually Sinisia told me first. She called me Sister.” He nodded. If the keeper of his soul was claiming kinship with me, who was he to argue? I leaned against the counter and crossed my arms. “So you’ll really be gone in twenty-five years, then?” He responded by giving me a bleak look. I wasn’t about to deny him the chance of redemption so he could return to his celestial brothers. I just wished it wasn’t going to hurt Gabriel so much to lose him.

  “We need to talk, Rowan.”

  “Why? We both know what you’re going to say.”

  “Do you?” He raised a brow.

  “Look, no one appreciates your stepping up to the plate more than me, and I’m grateful that my best friend isn’t going to be freaking out at the idea of my boyfriend having sex with her daughter. As for the rest?” I shrugged. “I’ll just take however much time I’m allowed with Gabriel, but I really do thank you, Ryiel, for at least trying.”

  The sound of his fist banging on the counter made me jump. “God, woman, you’re impossible! Kartel might not be right in saying you’re incompetent, but—damn it!—you are clueless at times.”

  I stared at him, my mouth falling open. Who the hell was he to call me clueless? Sighing, the big vampire ran his fingers through his thick, dark hair.

  “What is it that you think I’m going to tell you, Rowan?”

  Jeez, was he really going to make me spell it out for him?

  Kinda looks that way . . .

  “Okay, it’s obvious you haven’t had enough time to go through all the papers—or scrolls or whatever—to have found a way to invalidate my contract. If you had,” I continued, seeing the question in his eyes, “you would have already told both Gabriel and me. No, it’s obvious you haven’t found a way out of the contract because there is no way out, and that’s what you’ve found. Proof that the contract can’t be broken.”

  He narrowed his eyes until they were silver slits. “And why do you think I summoned Sinisia?”

  “As a gift from you to Gabriel. Let’s face it, we both know I screwed up royally when I browbeat Gabriel into giving his protection to Laycee’s baby, but you’ve found a way to give me a second chance. Believe me, no one appreciates it more, and I promise I won’t let you down. I’ll take whatever time I have left with Gabriel and make every day count. I’ll—”

  “No, stop it!” he interrupted holding a hand up. “You’re starting to sound like a really bad greeting card.”

  “You don’t have to be so rude about it.”

  He blew out an impatient breath. “You’re right, I don’t. You’re not completely wrong,” he conceded. “Making your friend’s baby my Promise was a way for me to right a terrible wrong. Had Laycee asked for Gabriel’s protection freely, I would not have felt compelled to act, but her request was coerced, and your response, given the circumstances was . . . predictable.”

  “You’re saying I was played?”

  “Rowan, he’s been playing you from the start.”

  “So why did you do it?”

  “I prefer to think of it as removing a vulnerability that was too easy to use against you. Either of you,” he added. “It was my immediate concern.”

  “And what was your not-so-immediate concern?”

  “Kartel is planning something that I fear will have disastrous consequences, and you still have to face your demon.”

  “He’s not—”

  “Yes, actually he is.”

  My jaw snapped shut. I walked into the living room, climbing the two steps that took me up to the raised section of the floor in front of the wall of windows. The lights of the city glowed like Christmas decorations. I could feel Ryiel’s liquid silver eyes on me, waiting for me to decide if I wanted him to tell me what he’d found out . . . or not.

  “Rowan . . . show me the Bridal Night Chain.”

  I went to the bookshelf and took down the light blue Tiffany box. “Can you touch it?” I asked, opening the lid to reveal the pool of black opals nestled within. “Gabriel was able to, but I don’t know if that’s because of his relationship—”

  “To you,” Ryiel said firmly. “It’s because of his relationship to you that he was able to touch the Chain. No intimacy exists between us, so protection is denied me.”

  “Well, it’s going in a safe-deposit box first thing in the morning,” I told him.

  “No, it isn’t.” Ryiel shook his head, making his dark hair curl around his bicep and fan out across his chest.

  I frowned. “What do you suggest I do with it, then?”

  “Wear it.”

  The floor came up to meet me at frightening speed.r />
  Chapter 24

  The shock of his words sent all the blood in my body to a place it wasn’t meant to go, making me either black out or have a mini-seizure. I think the end result was pretty much the same. In either case, I was on the floor when I opened my eyes to find Ryiel leaning over me. It was hard to tell if he was concerned or relieved. I put up a hand to push him away, but the feel of my palm pressed against the warm smoothness of his bare skin flustered me. Thankfully, Ryiel overlooked my embarrassment and helped me to my feet, keeping an arm around me until I was seated on the couch.

  “That was some sort of a joke, right?” It would be a bad one, but I could forgive his lousy sense of humor.

  Ryiel shook his head. “No, it’s the only way to guarantee the demon will come to you.”

  “And what makes you think I’m in a hurry to have that happen?”

  “You want to break your contract, don’t you?”

  “And wearing a string of opals is going to help me do that?”

  He nodded.

  “Shit, I need a drink.”

  Taking me at my word, Ryiel went to the kitchen, returning a few moments later with another Jack and Coke for me. I took a big sip. A really big sip. “I think you’re the one who needs to start from the beginning,” I muttered, giving the vampire a sour look.

  “Well, that would mean going back to the first time I met Gabriel . . . in Angel Academy.”

  “Angel Academy?”

  “I’m joking.”

  “Don’t,” I said, taking another drink. “I don’t think I could stand it.” I took his sigh as an apology.

  “You’re wrong in thinking the reason I made Jenna my Promise was because I’d found proof the contract couldn’t be broken,” he told me, keeping his expression as solemn as his voice. “It’s because I found a way it could be broken that I was able to offer myself in Gabriel’s stead.”

  “Then why keep it a secret? Why not tell us both right away?”

  “Because I think if Gabriel knows how it has to happen, he will do his best to stop you.”