I nodded at them both and then said, “Matthias you travel with me, Marcus follow behind in the Rover.” I needed some answers and Matthias wouldn't sugar coat them or flirt through the discomfort.
They both nodded in acquiesce and Matthias slid into the BMW next to me.
“So, how bad is it?” I asked as we left the airport behind us and headed toward the city.
“He's left all the day to day running of the business to Jett. He attends meetings, but contributes nothing. If one of us offers up an opinion, he simply stares at us as though we've sprouted horns. We're the devil or something.”
Fuck.
“Why haven't you told me about this before?” I asked, negotiating a slow clap-trap of a Holden and speeding up to merge with motorway traffic at the on-ramp.
“He commanded us to not divulge any information to his kindred regarding day to day business of the line.”
“He what?”
What the hell? Why not tell me? I guess if they told me, I would have interfered, he obviously didn't want that. He wanted me kept in the dark, at arms length, away from him. My heart ached at the confirmation of his rejection all over again. But this was more than just about my broken heart, this was now about his line, my line. I'm as much a part of the Durand family as the vampires. This was still personal, but it went further than what Michel was doing to me. I had to interfere or he could lose the line. The city.
“Why tell me now?” If it was a command, he was breaking it.
“Michel forgot, he also commanded us to obey you, to assist you, to answer any of your queries should the need arise. That command was made before the latest, it has precedent.”
“So, if I had asked about what Michel's problem was sooner, you would have told me?” Man, was I feeling blonde right now. Stupid self absorption.
Matthias flashed me a toothy grin. “We have been waiting, Hunter.” And from the sound of that, none too patiently either.
“So?” I ventured. “What's his problem?” The sixty-four thousand dollar question.
Matthias didn't answer straight away, just looked out of the windscreen at the passing traffic. That's the traffic I was passing. For some reason getting to the club fast was my top priority all of a sudden. Stuff being unable to face confrontation, I was feeling pretty much compelled to confront my kindred right now. Go courage, don't fail me now!
“If I was to hazard a guess,” - huh, very proper our Matthias could be - “I would say he has a trust issue right now.”
I laughed, Matthias just turned a blank stare at me. A creepy, show nothing vampire mask. OK. He didn't like me laughing at him, but come on! Michel unable to trust. Don't all vampires have the same problem?
“Matthias, Michel has never been one to give his trust willy-nilly. Is this really something new?”
“This is different, this is all-encompassing.” He paused and took a deep breath in. “Has he shown any trust in you lately, mistress?” I guess he added the mistress to soften the blow of the outright challenge in that question. It hadn't worked, I bristled, my Light already started to add an ethereal glow to the inside of the car. Matthias held himself very still.
I swallowed past the automatic retort on my lips and dimmed my Light, bringing it back under control. Losing it now, would not help when I faced Michel in front of the entire friggin' line.
“I guess not. So why? Why has he got trust issues?”
Matthias shrugged. “Michel has never been one to wear his heart on his sleeve. You would have a better chance of uncovering that than one of his line.”
And there you have it, throwing the ball back in my court. They may offer up their support and assistance in whatever it is that I now had to undertake, but the solution was only mine to grasp. I was his kindred, not them. This was my job, to bring Michel back towards the Light.
I knew Michel had Dark in him still, nowhere near as much as other vampires, Michel has always appeared more Light than Dark, even before we joined. But, where there is Light, there is always Dark and where there is Dark, there is always Light. My job, as his kindred, was to keep him away from the Dark, to call him back to me and the Light. I had failed him recently. Too hurt to consider he needed my help.
I shook my head at those thoughts. He had hurt me, he had broken my heart, but my promise to him when I joined with him, was that I would be by his side for eternity. I would not abandon my role as his Light. I had failed.
Man, I felt like crap.
I pulled the BMW into the underground car park at Sensations, finding my usual spot by the internal door empty, sitting waiting for me directly below the security camera.
“Black out the camera, would you,” I said to Matthias, before I opened the door.
He sent a mental signal to the device and I heard it pop. If Michel was watching the security screens, he now couldn't see how hot, as Marcus had put it, I looked. He would know I was here, I could feel him down the Bond connection, he would be well aware of me. Plus, he would also know I was nervous, but determined and also a little angry. At him for letting this get so far and at me for not realising how damaging this had all been.
I slid out of the low vehicle and straightened my dress, turning to look at Marcus as he approached.
“Looking good, boss,” he offered, opening the door for me.
Yeah, wish I could say the same about how I felt. I hesitated at the internal door to the club. I could feel Michel in his office, but I wasn't going to confront him there. Amisi had said public, so public it would be. I let myself sink into the black nothingness of the void that takes me Dream Walking, not allowing myself to venture too far, but just enough to seek. I felt all of the vampires on the other side of the door. Most of his line.
I flashed a look at Matthias over my shoulder and raised my eyebrows in a question.
He cleared his throat quietly and whispered, “We may have sent out a text or two, to say you were on your way.” When he saw the discomfort on my face at that, he went on quickly, still whispering so no one else could hear. “They need to see you, Luce. It's been two weeks since you last came here. It's not just Michel we need, it's his kindred too.”
Pressure much? Crap.
I pushed the door open and took in the scene in a second. The great thing about being a born vampire hunter, is the natural ability to assess an environment in a split second. You can take in the numbers of threats and the potential hazards as well as the possible victims in little more than a heartbeat. My gaze told me there were some fifty vampires in attendance, but also that there were some fifty humans too. All Norms, all out enjoying the night at one of the most popular clubs in the city.
I could also feel the electric pulse of Sanguis Vitam in the air, excited, anticipatory, aware. Michel's vampires knew something was about to happen and they liked that idea a lot.
I took a deep breath in and walked to the centre of the dance floor, not making eye contact with any of the familiar vampires I passed, or registering their hungry looks as they took in my ensemble. Sure, I belonged to the boss, but that wouldn't stop them salivating over me. I suppressed a shudder. When I made it to the middle of the dance floor, some bodies still swaying to music around me, I turned slowly and faced the door to Michel's private quarters.
I knew the vampires would keep the Norms entertained, or simply glaze them if they saw too much, I also knew they would make space when the time came, herding the humans like sheep off the dance floor. I didn't need to ask, or show my intention, I could feel they were completely and utterly on the same page as me. All of them had been waiting for this confrontation. Their wayward mistress had been absent a tad too long.
I didn't send a thought out to Michel, I wasn't going for crude and obvious, but I did send emotions, an awareness. I am here. Here for you. I come to claim what is mine. I immediately felt a pang of anticipation down the other end of the connection we shared and then resounding silence as his shields wrapped around him. I smiled. I had him. Any response was a good respon
se at this point in time and he had just slipped up.
I waited patiently, standing still on the dance floor. It occurred to me that he could just stand me up, I mean that was why I hadn't come here in the past, but those times I had always pictured it a private affair. This was an open challenge to his challenge. Public. Loud. Demanding. As a vampire he could not ignore it. It gave me strength, where before I only had pain.
The door to his private quarters opened and he stepped through. Despite the music pumping through the building, all I heard was a collective intake of useless and unneeded air from all the vampires in the room. I allowed myself a slow and careful and obvious perusal of his body and didn't hide my desire and hunger at all. The Sanguis Vitam in the room doubled.
He looked his usual gorgeous self; assured, confident, slightly arrogant, dressed in his signature Armani again, off black suit, crisp white shirt, dancing dragon cuff links at his wrists. He tweaked one now as my eyes rested on them. I let my gaze cover the rest of his tall, lithe frame, taking in his dark hair tied back at the nape of his head and finally met his gaze. His eyes flashed indigo and violet, no attempt to hide the supernatural response in front of the Norms. I guess his vamps would be glazing then.
He returned the perusal with equal sensual speed, all languid and slow, devouring every inch of my barely covered body. Despite the miles of fabric surrounding my legs, I felt naked under his heavy gaze, as though he had already undressed me and was tasting every inch of my body with his eyes. I felt heat wash through me at that look and a wetness settle at my core. His lips quirked and then a tongue dashed out to lick them.
So, not entirely unaffected then. Good.
I crooked a finger at him, demanding he step closer. I could have sent a silent thought, but this needed to be obvious and public. Amisi's rules, damn her.
He walked over, not a glide as such, he was still somewhat in control and wasn't pushing it as far as the Norms went and every single person, vampire or human, was watching the scene right now, but his movements weren't far off supernatural. Sleek, predatory, perfect. Then he stopped within two feet of me and thrust his hands in the pockets of his trousers, making his jacket spread wide across his hips. A usual movement for Michel, but on this occasion, I would have bet my silver stake he was doing it to stop himself from reaching for me, whereas normally, it was a sign of his casual ease. A knowing smile spread across my face as I took his stance in and when I lifted my gaze to his I was met by a brief flash of hunger, then his mask. I hated that mask and no more so than right now. I would have him acknowledge what I did to him. Right now, right in front of his line and the Norms of this city.
He saw the look of challenge in my eyes and raised his eyebrows slowly, cocking his head to the side.
“I am here, ma douce. What would you have of me?” His voice began caressing my arms, trailing along my bare décolletage, then tracing their way down my back. The surprise evident on his face when he encountered no fabric, then a flash of possessive protectiveness following in its wake as he realised that those vampires standing behind me were copping a good look at my naked flesh.
Shit Amisi, I thought you said no jealousy? It also hadn't failed to register with me that my shields were down, tattered as it were, but I had no intention of rebuilding them right now. Let him come to me, let him see what he will.
“You have been remiss, Michel. You have forgotten you are mine.” I said it softly, so only he would hear and the supernatural ears of those Nosferatu in attendance.
“Have I?” he asked, innocently. “Or have you?”
I paused slightly, I hadn't meant to. Had I forgotten? Was this all my fault? Had I given him reason to think I no longer cared? Is that why he had moved out and avoided me at all cost?
No! My inner monologue shouted. No! I grabbed hold of the anger and threw a fraction of it out towards him with the thought, bad, bad vampire, thrown in just for fun.
He actually laughed, then recovered himself. “I guess not. So, what would you have of me, wife?”
He had only called me wife once or twice in the past, usually when we were being intimate, usually when he was wanting me to know how very important I was to him, how much he loved me. I blinked at the words now. Was he sending me a signal? I refused to take the steadying breath in that I needed and walked past him towards his quarters, throwing a look over my shoulder when I knew he would finally be seeing my back.
“I intend to remind you, husband,” I said quietly, proud that my voice didn't shake and then slipped through the opened door, nodding to the vampire who held it ajar and praying Michel was following.
I didn't stop until I came to the centre of his private chamber, but I could feel him behind me, slowly advancing on my back, his hunger, need and desire flowing out in front of him, wrapping around me, almost making me gasp in shock. He wanted me, he hungered for me, he needed me and he let all of it show in his Sanguis Vitam that engulfed me right now. I could not have hoped for a better response.
So, why was I so scared?
Chapter 6
You Are Mine
Michel came up and hovered behind my back, his breath hot on my bare shoulders. I heard the door softly close with a click, no doubt a flick of his wrist, as he walked through, had accomplished it. It was just us. Him and me. No one else and the heat emanating off his body right now was pure fire. He didn't touch me, I hadn't expected him to, even though his body betrayed him, he would make me work for this. I stood still a few moments longer allowing him to take in all that glorious naked flesh at my back and then I slowly turned to face my kindred.
I couldn't help the breath that escaped my lips at the look of him. It wasn't often that Michel could surprise me, but the look of utter hunger and passion on his face right then took my breath away. However it wasn't just that which surprised me, I'd seen those emotions on him before, it was the abject fear and pain that laced it, that stole my breath and stilled my heart.
Oh Michel. What has happened? I wanted to reach for him, but I knew instinctively that he would recoil and what progress I had made would be lost. I had to play this by vampire rules. Such a shame I wasn't as good at this as Amisi. I was basically winging it right now.
“You think you can cast me aside, kindred?” I said quietly, aware my voice was shaking slightly at the end. “You forget who I am.”
He held my gaze, an appreciative growl escaping his lips, magenta shooting through the depths of blue in his eyes.
Now, I took the step forward and began to remove his jacket. Slowly sliding it off his shoulders, letting it fall discarded to the floor. He purred, an unusual and uniquely vampire sound at the back of his throat. He wasn't holding any of his vampire back right now, but responding on pure instinct.
Next, the buttons on his shirt, slowly one by one. It didn't help that my fingers were shaking, he noticed, but didn't aid me in any way, just stood there oozing Sanguis Vitam, hot and sweet and cloyingly warm, making it wrap around my body, stroking me in places he shouldn't have dared to go just yet. He knew my shields were down, he was relishing his effect over me. I could practically hear the triumph in his Sanguis Vitam as it received shockwave after shockwave of my desire back at every touch.
The shirt disappeared like the jacket and then his broad cream coloured, muscled chest was before me and it took every ounce of my self control to not touch him where my mark graced his flesh, but to just stare. He smiled and shifted closer, an invitation to take what was mine. I flicked a mischievous glance up at him and began undoing his trousers. He swallowed, but held my gaze.
The belt removed, the button came undone, the zip, so slowly pulled down. I saw his hands clench at the sides of his thighs, then the trousers fell to the floor.
“Shoes,” I said quietly, stepping away. “Off.”
He growled low, but did as I asked and then stood before me in his black satin boxers, his erection already tenting the fabric. Not that I needed further evidence of his desire, but I still felt a deep seated s
ense of accomplishment and possession at the sight. He was mine. All mine.
His growl came louder. Had he just heard that thought?
I slowly crouched down in front of him, ending up on my knees, my face a bare inch from his arousal. His fists unclenched and re-clenched at his side. Let's see how much he can hear in my head right now, shall we?
No touching. I thought softly. You're mine to do with as I please.
Magenta shot through the room in response. I licked my lips at the knowledge that he was receiving even whispered thoughts in my head and kissed the base of his cock. It rocketed up, stiffening at my slight touch. I licked the length of it through the material of his boxers, making it wet and clinging to his firm length, then didn't hesitate as I wrapped my mouth around the tip and lavished my tongue over the already wet head.
He groaned out loud, his fists still clenched at his side, but one knocking his thigh as I suckled and nibbled my way over the length of him, then quickly pulled his boxers down his legs and flicked them away. I returned, but before I took him in my mouth I chanced a glance up at Michel's face. He looked so vulnerable, so lost, not just to desire and longing, but to something else I couldn't quite place. I wanted to say trust me, but I knew that would be wrong, so I just sent him a look of equal hunger in my eyes and then took him in my mouth, as much as I could manage. He jerked against me, an involuntary and natural response to the pleasure I was causing, his hands automatically coming up to my hair, entwining his fingers delicately with the strands, cradling my head tenderly. He began to caress my scalp, conveying everything he was feeling, all the pleasure I was evoking, in that simply movement. I loved that he did this, an almost undeniable reaction to my touch. It told me what I needed to hear, his beautiful fondling of my head let me know that he wanted more.
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