Hope and Vengeance (Saa Thalarr, book 1): Saa Thalarr, book 1

by Connie Suttle

  "Wine?"

  "You choose."

  "All right." The wine steward barely blinked when I ordered the most expensive red they had—the Domaine Faiveley Musigny Grand Cru.

  Remember—it doesn't take much to get me drunk, she informed me in mindspeech.

  I seem to recall that, yes, I replied. In fact, I'm counting on it.

  Please don't carry me out of here, she countered.

  I'll take your elbow like a gentleman. I can't say I'll continue that ruse once I get you into my bed.

  You're quite the rake.

  I've had nearly a century to imagine what things I wanted to do with you, and how I wanted to do them. Most of them involve sex, I'm afraid.

  You're living your dreams?

  Oh, the reality is so much better than the dream. Dreams are cold. Reality is warm, my heart.

  I will admit that sex is much better than I imagined.

  You didn't have much to base it on. This is love. That was violence. There is a vast difference, as you know.

  I know. She lowered her eyes. I'd upset her.

  "None of that," I tilted her chin with a finger. "I promise I will kill that bastard, and smile when I do it."

  "Adam, what if," she began.

  "No, none of that, either." She attempted to turn away. I cupped her face in my hand to prevent it.

  The meal was excellent. I worked to keep a conversation going, and learned many things. I already knew she was First, but had no clue as to what that really meant. She explained that it meant she might consult with the others regarding difficult decisions, but the final decision would be hers on most things.

  "Dragon is a master strategist. Lion has experience in the trenches. I listen to both of them all the time," she said.

  "What about Griffin?"

  "He only listened to himself," she shook her head. "That's how I ended up with the bastard as my healer, instead of choosing one for myself. Griffin met Amara and wanted her as his healer. Saxom didn't want to retire. He was forced on me, when I didn't feel good about him from the beginning."

  "It makes me curious as to why Saxom didn't want to retire."

  "There was always a streak of cruelty about him—at least where I was concerned. I hated asking him to heal anything—and I had to ask," she muttered, staring at her hands. "I often went to Karzac instead—he didn't mind and he was kind instead of malicious."

  "Karzac appears most knowledgeable," I agreed.

  "As I am First among the Saa Thalarr, Karzac is First among the healers. His decisions are final regarding treatment. He can only be trumped by Pheligar, and often they work in tandem on difficult cases."

  "Such as yours, recently."

  "Yeah. That's the first time my guts have been strewn across the floor."

  "I liked it not at all," I grumbled. "Although I am grateful they took me with them when you were removed."

  "I figure Pheligar didn't want to hear your howling all the way to the Larentii homeworld."

  "Here." I poured more wine into her glass. It was our second bottle, and I intended to consume all of it. "Joey will care for your bumps and bruises from now on. He's looking forward to it."

  "I'm comfortable around him," she agreed and sipped her wine. "He has a sense of humor, too. That's important."

  "He certainly has that," I agreed. "He taught me to smile again."

  "You forgot how?"

  "Nearly. Most vampires lose their humanity after a while. Joey restored mine."

  "A point in your favor," she held up her glass. I did the same and we drank to humanity, although we were neither.

  * * *

  Her elbow was firmly gripped by my left hand as she wobbled out the door. The valet had already brought the Jaguar around, and it was waiting at the curb. I settled Kiarra on the passenger seat, shut the door and then slid into the driver's seat, the warm leather creaking comfortably about me as I fastened the seat belt.

  "How do you drive on the left?" she giggled and then hiccupped.

  "Is that a serious question?" I turned the wheel and drove away from the restaurant.

  "It just seems wrong," she snickered.

  "In this case, the Brits feel that driving on the right is wrong," I parried. "Stop signs? Those are for amateurs."

  "Did you just snort in derision?"

  "Derision may have been involved."

  "Feeling superior, are we?"

  "As a British vampire, how could I feel otherwise?"

  "How do the Italian vampires feel about that?"

  "You see the Council is located in England, don't you?"

  "Somehow, I knew that was coming. Adam, I'm drunk."

  "I know. We'll be home in a few."

  * * *

  I woke when she slid off the bed in the middle of the night. "Water," she croaked and headed toward my small kitchen. I lay back against my pillow with a satisfied sigh—this was wish fulfillment on my part—that she was in my bed.

  She was naked, too—and I enjoyed the sight of her backside as she walked out of my bedroom on her way to get a drink of water. I intended to wait for her return, then convince her to let me love her again.

  I waited patiently for her return, until I heard the front door to my flat open. I was out of the bed in a blink and rushing toward the kitchen, claws out, while the question of who might have broken in without setting off the alarm flew through my mind.

  Lion's arm came around me like an iron band, keeping me from leaping into the kitchen.

  The past is changing, he warned me mentally. I blinked past him into the interior of the kitchen, where my former self from three years ago stalked into the kitchen, likely wondering why the refrigerator door was standing open. Kiarra's hand gripped the top of it while she rummaged among bags of blood, looking for who knew what.

  "Adam?" her head popped up over the top of the door and she blinked at the vampire I'd been years earlier. What was I doing here, then?

  "Why are you dressed?" she frowned. I was dressed—for a Council meeting, it seemed.

  "What are you?" the former me growled. "Never mind. Never mind." I watched as he—I—stalked toward her. Lifted a hand as if he were in a trance and traced her face with his fingers. Lion silently placed a hand over my mouth.

  I have to get you out of here, he sent. If the two of you touch, it's lights out.

  I wanted to scream as Lion folded space, taking me away.

  * * *

  "At least she's already given you permission to take her blood," Lion set a cup of tea in front of me. He'd taken me to Kiarra's planet and set me down in the kitchen.

  "How did you know?" I asked, still puzzled over recent events.

  "Pheligar, who likely got a message from a higher up," he said, taking a seat beside me. "You can be in the same place at the same time, with permission or if you're one of the powerful. You really didn't have permission. That's why she asked about a time when you were away from home—so the former you wouldn't meet the future you. You'd have fought yourself. Wouldn't you?"

  "If he put his hands on her. If I put my hands on her," I corrected. "And he—I—did."

  "That would have canceled one—maybe both of you. This is stranger than you can imagine," Lion sighed. "I know you recalled that time perfectly—before you went. How things became so twisted, I may never know."

  "Is she all right?"

  "Kiarra can take care of herself."

  "Time is a strange entity," Dragon arrived and took a seat on my other side. "It may be that someone was watching you in the past. Saw you show up at your restaurant with a woman, which you never do. This would involve the powerful, no doubt, but then enemies can be anywhere, and form dangerous alliances."

  "I worry that this may be a larger, more dangerous plot than that," Pheligar appeared and Pulled in a large chair to fit his height. "It worries me more that I cannot find reasons by Looking, and even the Wise Ones are puzzled."

  Wise Ones? I sent to Lion.

  I'll explain later.
/>
  "Well, that's fucked up." Kiarra arrived, looking rumpled and weary. "Adam, we may have to discuss your vampire lust and stamina."

  Yes, I laughed with the rest of them.

  * * *

  "My love, I have those memories, now," I grinned as I slipped her shoes off. "It felt as if I'd been given the best Christmas gift ever."

  "You bit me twice," she pointed out, slapping a hand over her eyes.

  "Hush, I'll get you in bed and let you sleep. This time," I said. We sat on the edge of her bed while I worked at removing clothes and shoes.

  "You remember that now, because I allowed it. I had to mute the memory when I left you in bed for the day. I can't believe how much danger you were in."

  "Stop worrying about it. Lion carried me away from there. Problem solved."

  "But what if," she said.

  "None of that." I unzipped the dress and lifted it over her head.

  "Sweetie, you don't understand. You might have been lost."

  "I'm right here," I soothed. "Time for sleep."

  * * *

  "My Lord," The Ra'Ak Prince bowed to Acrimus.

  "H'Jerix, I am displeased. I gave you important information, yet the goal was not achieved. A fight was imminent, and she would have attempted to intervene. All of them should have fallen."

  "We cannot account for every piece of interference—we cannot see all things," H'Jerix objected. Acrimus cared not that H'Jerix wore his serpent's guise and his words were often hissed. "It is as if our attempt was recognized and thwarted."

  "She is dangerous to us. Make her a priority from now on. I care not how you accomplish this—I wish her destroyed."

  "May I ask why? You know Saxom will be outraged if he learns of it."

  "Saxom is merely a pawn. Mostly ineffective. He is alive for one reason, and you are cooperating with him—for one reason."

  "Moxas," H'Jerix hissed.

  "This is important to the future," Acrimus growled. "Do not fail me again."

  * * *

  "She's still tired, I can feel it," Joey informed me. He was proud of himself—for reading Kiarra's condition from a distance and for folding space for the first time. Bearcat arrived with him, but Joey had transported both of them.

  "Then she needs the sleep," I said. I wanted her awake with me, but I hadn't spent the night engaged in the sexual Olympics. Yes, I was—and wasn't—responsible for that.

  "I can't believe that happened. Tiger told me," Bearcat held up a hand.

  "Does everything go like that—what one knows, the others do, too?" I asked.

  "We're a collective intelligence," Bearcat teased. "No, it's not like that—we can have secrets, but once it's out to one of us, the rest of us usually get the information."

  "Are you sure you understand what could have happened?" Joey frowned at me.

  "I understand that I might have destroyed myself," I said. "Although it's still sinking in."

  "What if Kiarra had attempted to intervene? She could have been destroyed, too. I hear the process is rather cataclysmic," Bearcat mused.

  "I'm glad I hadn't heard that before," I growled. "This puts a different light on it."

  "I hear you're engaged," Joey clapped me on the back. He was attempting to distract me, now, but I ignored him.

  "I think you should go ahead and get married," he added. "In Vegas. Go back a couple of years and get married by your favorite rock star impersonator."

  "I don't have a favorite rock star."

  "I can suggest one of mine."

  "No, thank you. I get to hear your music often enough through your earphones."

  "Maybe there's a Mozart impersonator, then."

  "I prefer jazz. You know that."

  "Just teasing," Joey grinned.

  "The marriage idea is a good one," I said, ruffling Joey's hair. "Convincing Kiarra may be a different story."

  "Convincing me of what?"

  "How do you do that?" Bearcat breathed. "We say your name, you show up, no matter what."

  "Nexus echo."

  "Right."

  "It's an old Larentii mind trick."

  "Very funny."

  "You're going to Vegas to get married, aren't you?" Joey bounced on his feet.

  "What?"

  "Vegas. Married. Not rocket science," Joey grinned.

  "Says you," Kiarra tweaked his ear.

  "Wow. Affection. I love it," he laughed.

  "Come here, you." She pulled Joey into her arms for a hug.

  "And the universe rights itself," Bearcat sighed with satisfaction.

  * * *

  That's how the four of us ended up in Las Vegas, two years prior, inside a tiny wedding chapel. Joey had insisted that Kiarra couldn't wear a rented dress, so he and Bearcat disappeared for a few minutes, then reappeared with an ivory gown in a dress bag.

  I believe she slapped his hands when he offered to help her dress. The photographs taken by the photographer were lovely, although half of them captured Kiarra frowning.

  The awkward moment came when I produced her wedding band from a pocket, and she discovered she didn't have a ring for me. For a moment, she was close to tears before breathing a deep sigh and pulling something from her low-cut wedding dress.

  "What's this?" I blinked—the ring was pale in color, but upon closer examination, I discovered it held many colors, including gold and silver.

  A piece of my horn, she responded. It's the only one of its kind. She slipped it onto my finger.

  "I pronounce you husband and wife," the movie-star look-alike announced. I leaned in to kiss Kiarra; we were married.

  * * *

  "You own this?" she studied the manor house converted into a hotel in Dublin.

  "It has an excellent rating, and the restaurant gets top reviews." We stood near the gate leading to the property, which was surrounded by an expanse of lawn and gardens. Built of white stone, it had three stories, with a wide terrace in the center and a sunroom on one end.

  "You really, really own this."

  "Yes. I tried to hire the chef to work at one of my restaurants in London. He didn't want to leave, so I purchased the hotel. He gets to work for me anyway."

  "Does he mind?"

  "Absolutely not. I gave him a raise when I bought the place. He's quite happy."

  "Good. I didn't want somebody spitting in my food."

  "All the rooms are updated. Let's see if the largest suite is available for the owner."

  "Let's just see if the largest suite is available. I have an alias and a credit card," she said. "We don't need a repeat of last night."

  "Understandable. Shall we?" I offered her my arm.

  "Absolutely."

  * * *

  "Adam, this is nice." Kiarra studied the lawn behind the hotel from our suite window. "It's so green. I've never been to Ireland before."

  "I like Dublin," I shrugged. "I imagine I'll like it better, now that I can taste the food and walk the streets in daylight."

  "Can we go to Trinity College? I always wanted to see the Book of Kells," she said.

  "I'll take you—tomorrow. Tonight, we'll eat, drink and have sex."

  "The traditional honeymoon, then?"

  "If that's what you want to call it. I'd say my lust is not so traditional. Marriages were often arranged in my day. Justin was lucky that he liked Catherine so much. My parents found three women they thought I should marry. I refused all of them. Poor Justin was the sacrifice for the Chessman boys."

  "You really loved your brother."

  "I did. My parents, too. Sweetheart, will you take us somewhere?" The idea had come to me from nowhere.

  "Anywhere," she said.

  "Good." I gave her the address of my ancestral home. Taking my hand, she folded us there.

  "He won't sell it, the bastard," I grumbled as we walked past crumbling walls and antique furniture covered in dust.

  "He's a bastard for treating it this way," Kiarra agreed. The house was quite dim inside, as there was no electr
icity. "It's falling down," she added.

  "I know, and there's nothing I can do."

  "I didn't get you a wedding present," she said.

  "I got a ring." I held up my hand.

  "Pffft." She waved it off. "I'll do this, sweetie, just for you."

  I never expected the glow as she worked, or that it was even possible. I shouldn't have been surprised. Crumbling walls repaired themselves. Dust disappeared. Threadbare fabrics became whole again. Scratches on wood healed—on furniture and flooring. Wallpaper brightened, the colors seemingly new again. I wanted to weep as my family drawing room from the past reappeared about me.

  Just as it had been resurrected, so was the rest of the house. My breath caught at the staircase—it had rotted out. Now it looked new, the carpet running down it just as fresh.

  "I think I just jacked up the price," her shoulders drooped. "But at least it won't fall down while you're negotiating the price next time."

  "I don't know that he'll sell during his lifetime, but I have an advantage over him, there. He can't outlive me."

  "Nobody can guarantee that, Adam. Not even one of my kind. You know why."

  "I know." I pulled her against me. "This is the best wedding gift I could ever receive."

  "You're welcome."

  * * *

  "I don't want to trouble them with this," Dragon studied the video. "Not until tomorrow, anyway. They knew to send it to Anna Madden's address, didn't they?"

  "They knew," Griffin agreed.

  "How is Merrill taking this?"

  "He's upset. That's his third-youngest. Was his third youngest. Brock is angry and extremely distraught."

  "Filthy bastard. This is always the lowest of tactics, to draw one of us out. We need a way to evacuate the population of Corpus Christi, before it gets worse."

  "We need Kiarra."

  "She deserves one night with Adam before we lay this on her."

  "I know."

  "The kapirus is responsible for the remaining deaths."

  "I know that as well. I'll call a meeting of the others tomorrow. We'll figure this out. We have to figure this out."

  * * *

  "What is it?" Kiarra knew before I did. We walked into her kitchen after leaving Dublin behind, to find Lion, Dragon, Joey, Bearcat and several others waiting for us.

  "We have a message from the bastard," Dragon held up a flash drive.