He heard the leather creak as she shifted in her seat, turning to face him more fully. “You must love your sister very much,” she murmured.
He flicked her a glance, his brows pulling together. “Of course. She’s my sister. I’d give up my own life to save her, if I could.”
“Why?” There was open curiosity in her tone.
“What do you mean, why? She’s family.” He knew there weren’t too many family-based vampire colonies, but they weren’t that unusual. Of course he’d do what he could to save his sister. They may not always see eye-to-eye, but she was blood kin.
Natalie yawned and he realized she’d gone three nights without much sleep at all. He didn’t know if she’d managed to catch some sleep during the daytime when he wasn’t around, but he had the impression she’d worked through, trying to find a solution for his sister’s problem. He appreciated her effort, but there was still a little spot inside him that cared for the fragile human he’d gotten to know. He told himself that having a well-rested Natalie was better than an exhausted Natalie, for the purpose of their mission, and that was why he worried about her lack of sleep. It would probably do them both good if they took a break. Soon.
“And family is everything, huh?”
He glanced at her again. Wasn’t that obvious? “Well, yes.”
She tilted her head and he felt like her shielded eyes were boring holes into the side of his head. “You were always alone when we met,” she said. She yawned again.
He didn’t respond. He may have told Natalie stories about his sister, perhaps even some about his parents, but he’d never mentioned the sickly girl to his family. She would have been seen as a weakness, a waste of time...a distraction. Distractions needed to be dealt with.
She remained silent and he knew she was waiting him out. The fact that she was finally having a semi-normal conversation with him made him want to keep her talking. Damn it, though, when he said they could get reacquainted, this wasn’t quite what he’d intended. He’d wanted to know about what had happened that night and every night since. Still, maybe if he shared a little, she’d share a little.
“I love my family but they’re not without...flaws,” he said finally.
“I was sorry to hear about your mother,” she said.
His fingers tightened on the steering wheel at the unexpected turn in conversation. Okay, he was happy with silence now.
“Crap happens.”
“You started to travel to the west coast, ’round about that time, didn’t you?”
The same time she’d kissed him as a nineteen year old, and he’d tried to be the good man she’d made him want to be. The same time he’d tried to be noble, and honorable, and ignore the way she’d tempted him. The same time he’d tried to convince her there was a better man out there for her. The same time his mother died.
“Yes.”
“But your father and sister stayed on the east coast?”
“Yes.”
“You all must be really tight.”
He pulled a little on the wheel and had to correct. What the hell? “What makes you say that?” He didn’t know whether to be amused or offended. He and his father were not tight. And Vivianne? Well, they’d been in the middle of an argument when she’d been attacked.
“Well, take a look,” Natalie said, casually gesturing to the receding view of the desert as the road continued to climb. “You’ve driven across a desert—in daylight. You’ve threatened to kill I don’t know how many people. You kissed me to get me to help you...” Her voice trailed off and his sideways glance took in the blush on her cheeks. “You are doing things you’d normally hate, to save your sister. It’s just...weird to see you like this.” She paused for a moment. “Okay, maybe you like the killing people part. You know, being a vamp and all that.”
He blinked. “That’s the part you think I like?” He hated to break it to her, but kissing her wasn’t a chore. Did she really think that was the only reason he’d do that? He thought about it. What was the reason he’d do that? Yes, he’d told himself he’d use whatever tool was at his disposal. But, if he was honest with himself, he’d have to admit he thoroughly enjoyed that particular method of persuasion.
“I don’t remember you being so...ruthless.”
Of course not. She probably remembered him as some indulgent pseudo-uncle type who’d read her bedtime stories and kept her company through her illness. He flicked a glance at her. She’d changed into a blue cotton blouse with a light scarf draped across her shoulders. He could see the silver lariat chain around her neck, dipping low between her pert breasts.
“I don’t remember you being so...grown up.” Now would be a good time to remember that pseudo-uncle vibe.
“That’s because you never saw it.”
He sighed. She had a point. His trips west had grown longer; he’d last seen her when she was nineteen. “I’m sorry I didn’t visit more often.”
She moved in the seat. If she could have morphed through the door, he thought she would have. “Don’t lose any sleep over it,” she muttered.
“I did, you know.” He’d lost a lot of sleep when he’d heard the news.
“Don’t.”
“No, you started this. I realize I was away for a while—”
She made a noise that sounded suspiciously like a snort.
“But I was coming back to see you.”
She remained silent for a moment then her chin dipped. “I know.”
His fingers tightened on the steering wheel. She knew? “How?”
She laughed, the sound harsh and derisive. “You’re famous, Lucien. Every time you made one of your massive deals, every time your family’s holdings increased to the capacity it could wipe out world debt, every time you dated a new woman—we heard about it. The most eligible vampire’s activities always made front-page news. I knew you were in town.”
He frowned. “Oh.” He’d been in town the same night she’d died. He’d fully intended to step out of the fund-raiser ball his father had dragged him to and go visit her, but his father had insisted on his presence. Unfortunately his days of skipping out of balls had ended the night his mother died. He’d fully intended to visit Natalie, though. He’d heard the news the following night.
He hesitated then took a deep breath. “When I heard about what happened to you...” He shook his head. It was hard for him to put into words what that news had done to him, the dark devastation that had swamped him. The guilt. He glanced over at her. Her face was so still, as though she’d been carved from rock.
“How did you survive?” he asked her, his voice rough with emotion.
The muscle in her jaw flexed. “I didn’t.”
“And yet here you are.” He was still trying to adjust to that. What was it she’d called it? Weird? Yeah. Weird. He’d mourned her and now he was like a pendulum, caught between the joy of discovering she was still alive and the grief of the realization that she was now so different to the person he’d once known. It was like losing her all over again.
He saw the road sign he’d been looking for and took the next turn off the highway.
“Did the papers get it wrong?” he prompted her.
She shook her head. “No, they got it right. I died.”
“But you’re not a vampire,” he said, confusion twisting his face as he tried to make sense of the inexplicable.
“No, I’m sure as hell not.”
His eyes narrowed. “You make it sound like a bad thing.”
“Because it is.” Her tone was clipped. Cold.
“You used to like vampires,” he reminded her. “You used to like me. You used to believe every breed had a place at Mother Nature’s table.”
She snorted. “I used to believe in fairies, unicorns and a pot of gold at the end of every damned rainbow. I was an idio
t.”
“We used to be friends,” he reminded her. “You could—and would—tell me everything.” Even when he’d wished he could cover his ears and sing la-la-la when she talked about the kid at the back of her history class or the latest teen celebrity crush.
He turned down a long, tree-lined drive that hid the valley from view and could sense the temperature drop outside. The area was cultivated, with the rocky outcroppings of the desert giving way to rolling green hills and fields bordered by planted trees. It was quite tranquil after the harsh desert.
“We were friends,” he repeated softly. She’d never seen him as the son of Vincent Marchetta and scion to the Nightwing Vampire Prime. She’d never treated him like a rich and powerful businessman. She’d made him play at tea parties with her teddy bears and make cotton-thread bracelets. She’d reminded him so much of his sister, Vivianne, when she was younger, and when he and his sister were still human. She’d tugged at the heart he didn’t realize he still had.
“Yeah, well, nothing lasts forever.”
* * *
Natalie pursed her lips. She refused to fall into the lull of sweet memories, to remember Lucien from back then, to forget what had happened, or to forgive what he was now. The man sitting next to her was so different. So...intense.
“If I have to listen to any more of this, I’m going to throw up,” Grace Perkins said from the backseat.
“No, this is so romantic,” Courtney exclaimed softly. Then she frowned. “Wait, when he says ‘friends,’ does that mean, like, just friends-friends or like boyfriend and girlfriend?”
Natalie ignored them, as she’d tried to do for the full journey, and glanced out the window, finally realizing they’d left the highway. They were on a private road that twisted and curved into the hillside. She glanced around with a little more curiosity. She knew they’d been passing through coyote and bobcat territory, but what was this area?
Outside her window was a wall of trees that gave way to a rising embankment of grass. On Lucien’s side was the vista into the desert valley, all rich shades of red and gold in the midday sun that was occasionally masked by trees as they drove along the curving road. It was so weird being with him out in the daylight and watching the play of dimmed light and shadow across his handsome face. He had a strong jawline, a straight nose and lips that looked like they were made for kissing, darn it. She shouldn’t have been surprised that he wouldn’t let a little annoyance like the sun prevent him from going about his business. She slid her fingers across the polished timber inserts on the passenger-door panel. His car definitely beat her little sedan in the comfort stakes.
“Where are we?” she asked.
“We need a break. We’ll catch some shut-eye here and continue on at sunset.”
Her fingers clenched on the armrest. “What?” Together? Where? What was this we business?
“I can dr—” she was interrupted by a yawn “—drive,” she finished.
He shot her an exasperated look. “Forgive me, but I’d rather get to where we’re going, and not become a roadside statistic. We’re taking a break.”
She reached for the journal and withdrew her spectacles from their case. He put his hand out to stop her from putting them on, clasping her wrist gently.
“Seriously? You don’t need them, do you?” He raised her wrist, and just briefly managed to peer through the discs. Just as he thought. Glass. She needed glasses about as much as he did.
She pursed her lips as she tugged her wrist out of his grasp.
“Force of habit,” she muttered.
“Or a disguise?” he asked. “Although, it’s a lousy one, seeing as you wore glasses as a kid... Did your eyesight improve around about the same time as your death?”
“That’s none of your business.”
He pursed his lips. He wanted to make it his business. His curiosity about the woman seated next to him was growing to uncomfortable proportions. He didn’t respond, and Natalie sighed, then placed the spectacles inside the case and dropped the case back in her bag.
“I guess there’s no point wearing them if it’s just you,” she muttered.
He tried not to smile.
He drove around the final bend and a large steel gate set into the hill opened to reveal a dark void. Natalie’s eyes widened as she took in the gaping maw and the gargoyles perched on the top of the entrance. Goose bumps rose on her arms.
“Uh, Lucien,” she began, leaning forward. Her knuckles whitened as she clutched the armrest. “What is this place?” Her heart started to hammer in her chest.
He drove through the opening, the underground drive darkening as the gate started to slowly close behind them. “It’s a hotel.”
She yanked off her sunglasses. “What kind of hotel?” She twisted in her seat to peer through the rear window. She didn’t like this, not at all. Too dark, too closed in. No. this wasn’t good at all.
He shot her a puzzled frown. “It’s a roadside rest spot.” As though it was normal for someone like her to be in someplace like this. She felt like her world had dropped out the back end of her stomach.
He braked gently as they pulled up to an expansive portico tastefully lit with subdued lighting.
“A vampire roost?” she asked in a low voice.
He nodded. “Well, yeah. I’m a vampire. It makes sense to stay at roost.”
Almost always underground, roosts allowed limited sunlight under controlled conditions. A vampire couldn’t utilize a human lodge unless they were happy to be bound by night, as simply walking from the front door to the parking lot was suicide. Roosts provided vampires with all the shelter they needed during their travels.
The problem with being in a vampire roost was that it was full of vampires.
“Get me out of here,” Natalie said as she glanced wildly around.
He frowned. “I can’t drive for much longer, Natalie. I need a break and so do you.”
“Not here.” She shook her head, her eyes wide as she stared at the steps leading into the architecturally designed subterranean hotel. “I won’t stay here.” No way, no how.
“Well, I can’t stay anywhere else,” he responded as he shut off the ignition. She watched as the concierge descended the steps toward the car. A vampire concierge. His fangs flashed as he smiled in greeting. Cold sweat broke out on her forehead and she had to fight off other images of fangs.
She whipped around to face Lucien and he paused when he met her gaze. She tried to control the rage, the fear—but her heart was beating a staccato and every instinct screamed at her to flee. How could he? After what had happened, how could he?
“You brought me to a roost?” Her voice was low and his puzzlement gave way to wariness. “Screw you, Lucien,” she said hoarsely.
Comprehension finally dawned in his eyes. “You’ll be safe, Natalie. You’re here under my protection. You’ll be safe.” His voice was gentle and just a little husky.
Her eyes narrowed as his words awakened other memories. I’ll always be here for you. Fangs. Growls. Pain. Nothing. “Forgive me,” she rasped, “but I know your protection is worth diddly-squat.”
She launched out of the car, muscles bunching as she bolted toward the door built into the side of the gate.
“Natalie,” Lucien called as he climbed out of the car.
She could hear a couple of guests coming out of the hotel and she glanced briefly over her shoulder. More vampires. Her heart felt like it was clawing its way out of her chest in an effort to race her to safety. The concierge called out to her in protest. She ignored him. If she opened that door, that sunlight would stream in and turn any vampire out under the portico to ash. Including Lucien.
“Natalie!” Lucien started to bolt after her.
She could hear his feet slapping against the concrete of the drive. “Go to hell, Lucien,”
she yelled over her shoulder as her hand reached for the latch.
She heard a small pop, then felt something tearing into her shoulder, the impact shoving her against the steel gate with force. She fell to the ground, her shoulder burning, her breaths coming in hoarse pants as heat rolled over her. Her vision started to turn gray at the edges.
Lucien dropped to his knees, his face harsh with concern as he reached for her.
She tried to fend him off, her movements sluggish. Pain in her shoulder. Like before. Dizzy.
“No, please,” she wailed, although her voice failed her, coming out as whispery moan. Pain. Heat. Fangs. She needed to get away. Find Mom and Dad. Before they killed her.
“Natalie,” Lucien whispered, his hand cupping her cheek.
His features blurred and tears welled in her eyes as she could feel her control slipping away from her. “Help me, Luc. Save Mom and Dad.” Darkness swept over her and there was no more Luc.
Chapter 9
Lucien’s brows dipped with concern. Damn it. Natalie was unconscious but still alive. He could hear her heart slowing to a more reasonable rate, see the soft rise and fall of her chest. Her features were slowly relaxing from stark fear to slumber. He’d never seen such fear in her eyes as when she’d pleaded with him to help her. She’d called him Luc. God, that had twisted that decrepit muscle in his chest, tugging at it, forcing it to feel. She’d begged him. He raised her shoulders gently. A dart protruded from her shoulder, a small stain darkening her coat.
He heard the soft pad of feet running toward him and glanced over his shoulder. The concierge and two other vamps jogged toward him and he recognized one of the others. His lips pursed but already he felt calmer.
“What did you use, Heath?” he asked the tall, brown-haired vamp as he approached.
Heath Rafferty grinned. “Relax. It’s a tranquilizer laced with verbena,” he said loudly. He hefted the pistol in his hand to reveal the extra cartridges in the custom-made chamber.
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