“It’s a little strange don’t you think? For a normal person anyway.”
“And how do you know that’s what I am?” she asked.
“Well that’s what you are … right? Well I guess you are almost a normal person.” Chad shifted his eyes to look at her.
If she didn’t known better, Kathrina would have thought he was completely normal - just another little boy. Everything about him seemed so innocent, but he was as much of a killer as any vampire. At least he would be eventually. The thought made her heart heavy with sadness.
“Not really,” she told him. “I’m a born vampire and my mother was a lycan.”
He stopped to stare at her. “That’s not what the others are saying.”
“What others and what do you mean by almost human?” Kathrina was curious, and a little startled.
“The Light Seekers,” he told her. “They say that you’re special.”
“Well what do they say I am?”
“They say that you are not just a vampire … that your blood is sacred and that’s why he wants you.”
“Who is he?”
Chad shrugged his shoulders.
Kathrina grew silent. Was it the jester or Luciano they were talking about?
“I am looking for a vampire that goes by the name of Luciano. Have you heard of him?”
The boy grew visibly pale - pale even for a vampire. “Who hasn’t?”
“Why is everyone so afraid of him?” Kathrina was exasperated. She could not help but think that his reputation for being so fierce far exceeded the reality.
“Don’t you know who he is? He’s really the devil.” The tone of Chad’s voice made it obvious that he thought she was totally out of touch.
“Chad, he’s not the devil. Luciano is a vampire … just like you are,” she scolded.
“Not really,’ he shook his head. “He may be a vampire but he’s really scary.”
Kathrina shrugged it off, deciding that it probably wouldn’t do any good to try and change his mind. “Okay … so he’s scary. Do you know where he’s at?”
“No and I don’t want to know where he’s at.”
“Where do you go during the day?” Kathrina asked.
“There are tons of empty buildings now. I just find one and cover the windows,” he told her, just before kicking a can that was in the middle of the sidewalk.
“Yeah … that would be like looking for a needle in a haystack.” Kathrina felt defeated. She might have no choice but to wait until Luciano found her.
She stole a sideways glance at Chad. He seemed about ready to burst into tears. Alarmed that she might have said something to upset him, she asked, “What’s wrong?”
The boy stopped and pointed to the apartments of the housing project they were passing. “That’s where I used to live.”
Kathrina’s heart ached for the child. She couldn’t imagine what it must be like to be so young, and to be banished from everyone you knew and loved. Chad would exist forever. He would watch as his parents and his siblings grew old - he would stay the same while they drifted from life, leaving him alone in a world of darkness.
“I’m so sorry this happened to you.” Kathrina was sure that she would choke on her words.
“But you’re special,” he said, a bright smile spreading across his face. “Maybe there’s something that you can do?”
This made Kathrina feel even worse. “I don’t know what the Light Seekers think I am, but I’m not really all that special. If I could help you I would.”
They were getting into the heart of the Quarter now and there were more people on the street. The two of them fell silent as a couple passed them on the sidewalk. To see the lovers holding hands - so happy just to be together, made Kathrina feel a little melancholy.
Since she’d been a young child she’d always had family around. At first it was her adopted family, and then Donavan and her sisters. Unfortunately having family had not changed the feeling of aloneness that she’d been plagued with for as long as she could remember.
Kathrina suddenly realized that the only time that she hadn’t felt alone was when she was with Luciano. With him she felt that she’d found someone that understood her - someone that she could feel safe with. That was something that she couldn’t understand. She’d been born to be a slayer, yet she felt vulnerable whenever she was away from the one vampire that had every reason to kill her.
Maybe she was losing her mind.
Kathrina felt the first droplets of rain hitting her face; she looked up to the sky just as they were hit with a strong gust of wind.
“Do you think that the souls of vampires go to hell if they are killed?” Chad asked.
Kathrina pulled her coat tighter. “No. Why would you think such a thing? You were not born with a bad soul. What you have is kind of a medical condition … in a way.”
“That’s good,” he told her with a smile.
“Chad, no one is going to kill you.”
He nodded his head. “Yeah they will. Sooner or later they are going to find me, and when they do …” His voice trailed off.
They were just getting ready to cross the street when Chad stopped suddenly and pointed down Burgundy.
“What is it?” she asked, afraid that he’d spotted the jester.
“That building right there. It’s a vampire den.”
Kathrina directed her eyes to where he was pointing, but all she saw was an old pink building with a balcony railing that looked like it would fall apart at any moment.
“Are you sure?” she asked. “That place looks empty.”
“Yes I’m sure. I’ve seen vampires coming and going from that building. Maybe the vampire you are looking for is there.”
Kathrina turned away from the building and got ready to cross the street. “Well I doubt he’d be there. He tends to avoid other vampires.”
“I’ve heard talk that he does go there sometimes. They keep feeders inside so maybe that’s why he goes there.”
“Why didn’t you tell me this when I asked?” Kathrina was a little bewildered.
“I forgot,” he smiled shyly. “But you probably wouldn’t want to go in there anyway … you being a breather and all.”
“How do you hear all of this stuff if you never talk to any vampires?”
“I listen to them when they don’t know I’m around,” he shrugged.
“None of those vampires will want to feed on me,” she assured him.
Instead of continuing down St. Louis, Kathrina turned on Burgundy Street. At first glance the building appeared dark and empty, but when she got closer she could hear music inside.
“You wait out here,” she told Chad.
He shook his head. “I’m good. I think I’ll go find me a bite to eat.”
Kathrina frowned. “Do you know where to find me if you need me?”
Chad shook his head. “I’m sure I’ll be okay.”
“My father is the vampire Donavan,” she told him.
The boy’s eyes went wide. “No kidding! Wow, I bet you don’t sass your dad.”
Smiling, she winked and told him,” No … it probably wouldn’t be a good idea.”
Kathrina put her hand on the door and Chad backed away.
“You be careful in there.”
“You be careful out here,” she called to him. “Stay away from the wolves.”
“And the clown,” he called over his shoulder.
Chapter Fourteen
Inside was a major contrast to what she’d seen outside. Though the music was loud, it still had a peculiar seductive quality to it. The strobe lights made it difficult to get her bearings. She tried searching for a familiar face, but the flashing of the lights made it almost impossible to make out features.
Moving from the door, she pushed her way through the crowd. She hadn’t gone ten steps before a vampire was beside her.
“You look as if you are lost,” he said to her. At first his words were difficult to understand because of his French
accent. When he smiled at her, it was clear that he was taking full advantage of his vampire charisma.
Despite the fact that Kathrina was aware of what he was, as well as what he was trying to do, she could feel herself being drawn in by him. The vampire was extraordinarily good looking. It would be fun to run her fingers through his soft brown hair and she could easily get lost in those brilliant blue eyes. He was wearing a black shirt with half of the buttons undone to reveal his muscular chest. Several gold chains dangled from his neck.
Kathrina blinked as if she were just waking up and realized that someone was talking to her.
“No I’m not lost,” she told him. “I’m just looking for someone.”
He gave her a wicked smile. “Will I do?”
Kathrina was swayed by his charm, but she knew that his only intention was to make a feeder out of her. The vampire would be in for a big surprise if he did try and feed on her. When he died in front of all of these vampires, her identity would be revealed. They may not feed on her, but they might kill her.
“No … actually I’m looking for a friend I was supposed to meet here,” she told a little white lie, confident that he would not be able to read her thoughts.
“How about a dance while you wait?” he suggested, inching closer to her until she could smell the sweet spice of his cologne.
His eyes locked with hers and she felt herself falling into those pools of blue fire. Her breath quickened when he wrapped one arm around her waist. “Just one dance,” he smiled. “It will be fun.
Kathrina didn’t resist when he pulled her onto the dance floor. At the back of her mind there was a little voice screaming at her to run away, but she couldn’t. She wanted to be there in his arms - dancing with him.
She was still a virgin. Hadn’t she wanted to experience what it was like to be a woman?
The thought of lying beneath this vampire and letting him take her into womanhood, was undeniably tantalizing. He would do that much before he fed on her, this she was sure of. The vampire’s hunger for sex was nearly as insatiable as their thirst for blood.
Kathrina closed her eyes and let herself experience the moment. She was torn from the trancelike state when she heard him yelp. Her eyes flew open just in time to see the look of terror on his face.
Luciano had one hand on the vampire’s shoulder. His fierce black eyes were ready to slice the other vampire to pieces.
“Luciano … no!” Kathrina yelped. She had witnessed firsthand what Luciano could do, and she didn’t want to be responsible for something like that.
“Why do you care?” he snarled. “He was ready to feed on you.”
“No!” The vampire was shaking his head. “It was just a friendly dance … that’s all.”
“Sure it was,” Luciano growled.
Kathrina placed a hand on Luciano’s arm. “Can we talk?”
“Never again will I let you walk away,” he said, still glaring at the vampire.
“You won’t see me again,” he vowed.
Luciano removed his hand and the vampire quickly disappeared into the crowd.
Kathrina was furious. “Was that really necessary?”
Now Luciano’s sharp eyes were cutting right through her. “You were acting irresponsible and ready to brazenly walk right into his trap.”
Kathrina stuck out her lower lip. “I knew what I was doing.”
But that wasn’t completely true. The fact was that she had let herself be hypnotized by the vampire. The thoughts that had been going through her head were not like her at all. Part of why the vampire’s spell was so powerful was that they could sense your wickedest desires.
“Sure you did,’ he said, grabbing her arm and pulling her toward the door.
“Well … you said that you didn’t mind if I experimented with someone else,” she reminded him.
“I didn’t mean a vampire that was planning to feed on you.”
“Well he’d have gotten a big surprise when he did?” she told him before adding, “I did ask you to do this for me, and you won’t.” Kathrina was trying to yank her arm from his grasp, but he was too strong.
He stopped in mid stride and stared down at her. “Is that what you want? Do you want me to take you to my bed and then feed on you?”
“Well maybe the first part anyway.” She gave him a sly smile.
He rolled his eyes and again started pulling her toward the door. A moment later they were outside. Taking her hand in his, he led her to the side of the building where he pinned her against the wall with his body.
Kathrina began to tremble and her heart started thumping wildly in her chest.
He was kissing her neck, his lips close to her ear. “What do you want?” he whispered.
“You,” she gasped.
She heard him chuckle and felt his fangs scrape against her neck.
“If I do this for you … then what?” he asked, his voice low and trembling with his own pent up desire.
“I don’t know … and I don’t care.”
It was true. In that instant she really didn’t care about anything else but being in his arms. The other vampire had only managed to weave a spell over her because of her longing for Luciano, but she had not lost sight of the one that she really wanted.
His lips moved to her mouth. Kathrina responded to his kiss with an unabashed display of passion, her tongue darted in and out of his mouth. She then caressed his lips with her tongue, teasing him into wanting to taste more of her.
Luciano threw his head back and growled. “You are driving me insane.”
“Good,” she whispered.
He wrapped his arms around her and drew her tight against him. Like a feather floating on air, they rose into the night sky.
“Where are we going,” she asked, though she really didn’t care where they went, as long as she was with him.
“Someplace where I can give you what you crave,” he said in a low voice before claiming her lips again.
A scorching heat spread from the core of her being to consume her entire body. Kathrina was sure that she would burn up right then and there. Closing her eyes, she let herself indulge in the sheer eroticism of the moment.
When they came down, they were near the guesthouse at the back of her father’s home. “What are we doing here?”
“This is where I’ve been staying.”
Kathrina was stunned. All that time that she’d been searching for him, he had literally been in her own backyard.
“Your father is aware that I’m here.”
“Really? Why would he let you stay here?” She wasn’t so sure that she believed him.
“We both have the same goal … to keep you safe.”
“I don’t know if he would agree that you were keeping me safe. He might find us here.” Kathrina was having second thoughts, but only because she didn’t want to see the two of them fighting. She cared about both of them.
Luciano shook his head. “He’ll never know,” he told her with a mischievous grin before pulling her inside the guesthouse.
When Luciano shut the door, Kathrina found herself in complete darkness. She couldn’t even see her hand when she held it in front of her face. Then she felt his touch on her shoulders as he slid her coat off.
“I can’t see anything,” she told him.
The sound of his low - throaty laughter was almost as tantalizing as feeling his hands caressing her skin.
“Are you sure you want to?” he asked as he brushed the hair away from the back of her neck and began running his sharp fangs against her flesh. “Remember … I am a monster.”
Again his touch made her shiver and she had to gasp for breath. “Yes … I’m sure I want to see,” she whispered.
He left her side and a second later the room was filled with the soft light from an antique Victorian hurricane lamp that sat on a dark mahogany nesting table. Kathrina looked around the room, suddenly feeling very nervous.
The windows had been covered so that no light from outside wou
ld make it into the room.
The guesthouse was small. There was only the room they were in, and a bathroom. It was furnished with a bed, nightstands, a chair, and a TV. Set aside from the sleeping area, was a small table and a microwave. The setup was not a lot different than what you’d find in just about any motel room.
But it wasn’t a motel room, it was her father’s guesthouse and he might catch them. Then what?
She watched him as he took off the black leather jacket that he was wearing and flung it over the back of a nearby chair. Next he peeled off his shirt and it was tossed onto the floor.
Kathrina’s eyes strayed to his black pants. They were tight and revealed that he was well endowed, as well as very aroused.
When he turned to look at her with those smoldering dark eyes, it was like being hit by lightning - every nerve in her body came alive, but yet she could not move a muscle.
Luciano lifted his finger and motioned for her to come to him. Kathrina began taking little steps toward the bed, but it was by no will of her own. She was already lost in the spell he was weaving. It felt as if she were completely surrounded by his presence - a presence so powerfully erotic that it took her breath away.
Drawing her into his arms, he devoured her lips with his, exploring her mouth until she felt her knees grow weak. Her need for him was agonizingly painful. She knew that at that moment, if he should choose to take her life, she would willingly give it to him.
Though mesmerized by his kiss, she could still feel him removing her clothes. There was something extremely provocative about the sensation of his hands gliding the clothing from her body.
His mouth was on her throat now. Trembling, she waited for the pain of his fangs as they pierced her artery, but all she felt were his lips leaving a hot trail from her throat to her breasts. His teeth nibbled on her taut peaks, causing her just enough pain to magnify the heat between her legs.
Luciano lifted her in his arms and placed her on the bed. He stood there, looking down at her with a passion so intense that his eyes were glowing with the light of the vampire. He was about to feast on her, but in a much different way than what he was accustomed to.
She heard the snap of a button and he removed his pants. Kathrina’s mouth fell open when she saw just how well endowed he was. His nails scraped against the tender flesh of her inner thighs as he spread her legs.
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