Forbidden Drink

by Nicola Claire

  “Thank fuck for that! I thought they'd never leave.”

  And then, much to my horror and Michel's amusement, Amisi added, “Yeah, I know. Get a room why don't ya.”

  Chapter 34

  I Just Called to Say....

  So, I'm beginning to think that Michel is an exhibitionist. He gets off on getting me off in front of people. Maybe it's a little of that control thing. Right now, I'm picking, he's feeling a little out of control. The claiming was really doing a number on him too. Michel doesn't like losing control, hell who does? But, a vampire and one who is Master of the City? Not a good combo. Letting his vampires see what kind of an effect he has on me was his way of taking back some of that control. I understood it, in theory, I'm just a little uncomfortable with the method used.

  Not that I don't seem to respond to the situation. In fact, I'm beginning to wonder if a secret part of me kind of likes the danger element, the taboo. It is a little naughty.

  But still, I had strong words with him when we got upstairs to my room. And of course, he simply ignored them, thinking it was righteously, uproariously, funny.

  He also proceeded to show me just how much it had made him happy. I could hardly argue the point when I was unable to refuse his advances. It kind of sealed the deal for him. God help me, but I was going to have to watch myself around this man when in public from now on. He had found a new game.

  I did convince him to stay in the bedroom for the rest of the day, not that that was really too difficult a task. He'd achieved his shock and awe moment, the rest was just the icing on the cake and he was quite prepared to devour that in private. So, by the time the shutters rose up for the night I was again exhausted, but in a good way and he was practically purring like a cat. Grinning like a Cheshire one too.

  The distraction and his careful attention seemed to keep any more episodes of tears away. I knew I wasn't completely over what had happened, I knew I was changed in some small way, because of all the Darkness that I'd had to go through. But, I also felt like I could move on now. Maybe accept the events and not dwell on them. It was a tall ask, but I did feel stronger and it was because of Michel. Michel and Amisi and Erika. Friends who cared and didn't judge me by my occasional shows of weakness.

  Reality returned with the rising of the moon, however. Rick may have been dead, plus several of the larger players in the pack, but the Taniwhas still existed and as Michel was the head of all supernatural activities in Auckland, he was also considered the boss of all the supernatural groups. Even if it was just on paper, he still needed to take control of the situation and unfortunately, that meant taking control of what was left of the Hapū.

  He and Jett, plus a few others, were planning on heading out to Hapū lands to lay down the law. And I had a sneaky suspicion, to also mete out punishment. That's why he refused to allow me to attend. He said it was because he didn't want me to have to face the remainder of the Hapū, he wanted to protect me from what would undoubtedly be an uncomfortable experience. I did kind of understand, but I did not like being shut out of it either. Even after everything that had happened, I didn't want what was left of the Hapū to be tortured. To be held accountable for what their fucked-in-the-head Alpha had done. There were good people out there, they just needed proper guidance. Maybe if Jerome had been tougher, this wouldn't have happened, but it did and now they needed to pick up the pieces and I hoped Michel's heavy handedness wasn't going to push them over the edge.

  It's easier to catch bees with honey than with vinegar. That's what my mum says anyway.

  I was still quite weary, not just from a demanding day with my lover, but from everything that had happened. So when I realised I couldn't move Michel on the Hapū visit no-go, I relented and decided a night in was what I needed. Erika and Amisi on the other hand, had spent the past few nights doing nothing, waiting for me to recover, so were unbelievably stir crazy once Michel had left.

  I'd about had enough of the sexual innuendos too. Michel really owed me for the movie mayhem he had caused, but I couldn't face a whole night of the girls' constant jokes at my expense, so I sent them packing. Erika was reluctant to leave me, but I promised I'd call if I felt the pull, either the evil-lurks-in-my-city pull or the seeking a drink kind of pull. She would be able to meet me in the CBD, so nothing would be lost.

  Peace at last, the house to myself, I enjoyed a mandarin soak in the bath tub, did typical girl's night in things and curled up on the couch to watch Immortals properly by about 11pm. The movie was about half way through when I received a visitor. And not through a knock on the door.

  The Champion appeared in my lounge out of thin air. I just about choked on the popcorn I had just shoved in my mouth and had to try to cough it up and chase it with a swig of Diet Coke before I could stand to greet her. She was patient, just stood there in a kind of haze. Not quite solid, not quite transparent, almost like the first time I had seen her, here but not here. This time I was picking it was because she was projecting her image and not because I couldn't figure her out.

  The first time I met her at the Iunctio's Palais in Paris, she had appeared just as she did now. When I shifted my head to the side she was solid, when I turned it away she was transparent. Apparently that was to do with how I perceived her, I hadn't quite figured her out at that stage, so she hadn't quite solidified to me. By the time I left the Iunctio's tender care, she was as solid as a rock. I got her number all right.

  The Champion is the head of the Iunctio's council and one scary vampire as well. She is, of course, powerful. You don't get to head up the vampire's rule making team, without accumulating some power. Plus, let's face it, she's a female and even in the world of vampyre, equal rights aren't mainstream.

  For their all seeing, all knowing leader, she's pretty short, but don't let that fool you, her height is not an indication of her prowess. She looked even more like a china doll today, dressed in an immaculate pale blue dress with white pinafore. She actually reminded me of Alice, from Alice in Wonderland, except her hair is almost black, not blonde, but it is full of curls and always perfectly coiffed. Today it was waist length and loose. Her pale and perfect porcelain skin glowed in the reflection of the movie screen, as though she sported her own 200 watt bulb under the surface.

  Despite the power that rolled off her and the fact that I knew she was about 1000 years old, give or take a century, she always appeared little more than a child. Petite, perfect, precious. I bet she fooled a few people with that disguise. Not me. I knew better.

  But, this was the first personal visit I had ever received, I didn't even know she could do that.

  “I can do a lot of things, Nosferatin.” Her musical voice sounded very much here, in the room, even if her actual body wasn't.

  Oh, and did I mention? She can read minds. There is absolutely no point lying to the woman, she'd just pluck the truth right out of your skull and then feed it back to you with a mallet.

  I muted the movie. “Champion.” Then fisted my hand over my heart and bowed low. It wouldn't be good not to show respect, even if it grated to do so.

  “Mm.” She had me pretty much sussed too. It's not like I'm rude to the woman, but she does rub me up the wrong way. Well, it's kind of like an itch under your skin, the type you want to scratch and scratch and scratch at until blood wells up under your finger nails. Yeah, a nice kind of itch, not. I would, however, die for her. I can't quite explain it, it's something to do with the connection Nut placed between us. I would gladly lay down my life for this woman, but I have no idea why.

  “It is a puzzle, but there you go. One must make do with what one has and it seems I have you.” She looked around the house absently, taking in the artwork, the fine furniture, the plush surroundings. I was betting she had figured out it wasn't my standard habitat. Bank Teller/Nosferatin doesn't spell chic and sophisticated expensive digs.

  “So, to what do I owe the pleasure of your company?” I've never been afraid to jump right in there with her and I really would have
liked to get on with things. Her presence was not doing my blood pressure any good. Plus resisting that urge to scratch was distracting.

  She pierced me with her vivid and striking blue eyes. They're like the azure of the Mediterranean Sea, unusual but compelling. Sometimes, just sometimes, Michel's eyes turn that blue. It's lovely on him.

  She blinked slowly, probably making sure I saw how lovely that blue was on her. OK. It's nice, can we get on with this?

  “Patience has never been your forte.”

  “No, that would be staking vampires.”

  She hissed at me and bared her fangs, it was all very showy and a waste of time. Fangs don't impress me, unless they're a millimetre from my skin, not that I wouldn't put that past the Queen of the council to take a sip just to prove a point, but I know she can't kill me. Nut has seen to that. It kind of takes the punch out of her toothy act.

  “Very well. I am here to warn you.” She said it like she really couldn't believe she had lowered herself to this point, to actually do something to help me, to prevent me from harm. I was a little surprised myself. “It seems, I have an undeniable urge to ensure your wellbeing and as such, here I am.” Her hand swept out at our surroundings and then back to herself.

  She didn't elaborate further. Great. I'm warned, but of what?

  “OK. Thanks.” I guess. “Anything else you want to add to that?”

  She sighed and actually shuffled her feet. “Yes. You need to sort out your mess in Wellington. It is a distraction, much like your Taniwhas, that you do not need.”

  Huh. Well, it wasn't really surprising that she knew about the Taniwhas, she is the head vampire and all that. And as for the Wellington issue, of course, she knows about that, that's why Gregor is there, at her request. So, why not warn Gregor, not me?

  “Wellington is not your warning.” Nothing else. Just that.

  “What is my warning then?” She actually paled and looked decidedly uncomfortable, her gaze moving about the room, not able to rest on me. She was swallowing convulsively as well. Man, this was so not like her, where was all the calm composure? Where was all the regal haughtiness? It was as though she really didn't want to answer my questions, but had to. And she was fighting the compulsion to do so.

  Oh.

  “Yessss. I must answer your direct questions. Your warning is; the Dark is on the rise and she seeks you.”

  Holy heck. She has to answer my questions. Well done Nut.

  The Champion just glared at me. I was just frantically trying to think of a decent question. All I managed to come up with was, “So, you have to answer any question I ask? About anything?”

  “Yes. And yes.”

  I started laughing, this was too good to be true. I felt her Sanguis Vitam only a split second before it struck. Stabbing me all over with little pin pricks and then sand blasting me like a concrete wall being cleaned for painting. I ended up back on the couch curled up in a little ball. Shit. So, no killing but hurt like fuck, yeah?

  She backed off, her point made.

  Once I found my voice I managed an indignant but barely audible, “Fuck you! You're not supposed to harm me, as I'm Gregor's mate.”

  Gregor had claimed me, so he said, as his mate, while we were at the Palais. At the time, I was sure it was just to get us out of a tight situation, but Gregor indicated it was more. Having now experienced what a true claiming is all about, I'm guessing Gregor's was all an act.

  “Exactly, Nosferatin. You are no more his mate, than I. But,” - she cocked her head to the side and stared hard at me - “you are definitely Michel's, or will be soon. And as he is not on the Iunctio any longer, your rights to no foul play from the members of the council, have been forfeited.” She smiled sweetly at me then.

  I stood up slowly, stretching my limbs out and wishing like hell I had my jacket on and a couple of sterling silver stakes hidden in the pockets. Not that I'd stake her, I can't, not with Nut's little connection running interference, but they'd be bloody reassuring at this point. So, best behaviour time. Bugger. I've never responded well to authority figures.

  “OK. So, Dark is after me, this isn't anything new. You called her a she, who is she?”

  “This I cannot say, I do not know, only that the Dark I sense is female, this I am certain.”

  Kinda like Nut, I suppose. Another goddess maybe.

  “Do you know what she will do when she seeks me?”

  “No. That I do not, but I can only assume it has a potential to be fatal, otherwise I would not be here.”

  I had a sudden thought. “Some Iunctio guards turned up here the other day, six of them, did you send them?”

  She frowned. “No. Why would I? I cannot kill you.”

  OK. Forgot about that little bit of info. “Could someone else on the council have ordered it without your knowledge?”

  “Yes.”

  Great.

  “Do you have any idea who that might have been?”

  “No.”

  She was definitely shutting down, not giving more than the question required. Back to Wellington then.

  “Are you going to bite Gregor's arse off about the situation in Wellington?”

  “No.” And there goes the one syllable answer. I was going to have to try harder.

  I rubbed my eyes. So, I've got to clean up Wellington, simply because it's a distraction, but Gregor won't get the blame if it's not done soon.

  “Why won't you confront Gregor over this?” Yippee, an open ended question.

  “He is not the cause of the problem.”

  What...? “And I am?”

  “Yes. You are most certainly closely related to the problems in Wellington.”

  “How?”

  She ground her teeth together in a most unattractive manner. Oh, I did love it when I got under her skin.

  “I would suggest you look to your blood, therein lies the connection. Now, I believe I have more than done my part in helping to save you from harm. I shall take my leave.” The last was said up into the air, as though she was speaking to Nut herself, who I've always thought was up in the sky too, kind of like heaven. I guess vampires feel the same way.

  Before I could think of another question or offer the correct farewell bow, she simply vanished. My bet, she really didn't want me to ask any more questions that she would have been compelled to answer and only live to regret afterwards. Fine by me, the shorter the conversation, the healthier.

  I rubbed my arms, the memory of the sandblasting still quite fresh. I suddenly felt like a shower to wash off the contamination of the Champion, like she was a disease or a nasty illness I could catch.

  I started towards the stairs when my cellphone went off. It was back on the side table next to the Blu-Ray remote, so I dashed back in before it went to voicemail.

  I flipped it open and before I'd uttered a word Michel's slightly panicked voice came down the line.

  “Ma douce? Are you all right?”

  “Yeah, I'm OK.” If you can call a close encounter with a viper fine.

  “For a while there I could not feel you through the Bond. I could not hear your thoughts. What has happened?”

  Hell, that was weird. “Can you hear them now? Can you feel the Bond?”

  “They are starting to come back, but are still chaotic, as though the connection had been disrupted and it's trying to get re-established, but I can feel you through the Bond again. What has happened?”

  I sighed, I really didn't want to worry him, he had enough on his plate, but....

  “I had a visit from the Champion.”

  There was silence on the other end of the phone, then the sound of a door slamming shut and an engine starting, followed quickly by the squeal of tires on smooth concrete.

  “Michel?”

  “I will be there in five minutes.” His voice was a low growl.

  The line went dead. Five minutes. I'm guessing that's how long it would take Michel to defy the laws of physics and New Zealand road rules to get from Sensations t
o St. Helier's Bay.

  So, not happy that the Champion made a little house call then?

  Well, I guess I'd find out how unhappy in T minus four minutes and forty-three, forty-two, forty-one... seconds.

  Chapter 35

  Leaving

  I switched the movie off, it seems I wasn't going to get to see Immortals any time soon and sat with my feet under me, curled up on the couch. The shower would have to wait. I really felt like it might have been a half hour kind of thing and Michel would not have had the patience, by the sound of his voice.

  It seemed like time flew by, because before I knew it Michel was storming through the front door. I cast a glance out the window to see if he had left the Land Rover still running, headlights on, door open, in the middle of the drive, but it was out of sight. By the time I looked back at him, he was on me.

  He pushed me back on the couch so I was lying half on half off and crawled up my body, his fangs were already down and out, his knee pushed my legs apart, his hands running up and over my body as though he was reassuring himself I was all still there. The look on his face was a little frightening, but handsome at the same time. Captivating. But it was a look of utter hunger and all fierce possession.

  “Michel?”

  He growled and stroked a hand through my hair, then started nuzzling my neck and his mark, inhaling. I suddenly smelt that scent he has when he's about to claim me, that beautiful mixed spice and cardamom, with a splash of Freesias. My body responded immediately and he reared his head back with a groan and sunk his fangs in. As he started sucking down my blood his hips began to rock against me and all I could do was moan and arch my back and move against him in return.

  Before I knew what was happening, he had removed my underwear, pushed my skirt up and had entered me in a rush, his thoughts in my head a shout: YOU. ARE. MINE. There was no slow movement, it was just an urgent pumping, a desire to get as close as possible, to have himself inside me, to be drinking me, to be claiming me and I loved it. I so damn well loved it. I loved that he couldn't help himself, that he had so little control, that I did this to him. I don't think it would have mattered where we were or who was there, this urge was so primal, driven from some base instinct, some ancient call in his body, we were both just along for the ride.