by Dannika Dark
Niko rocked with laughter and then waved his hand. “Sorry, that was amusing. What about healing with another Mage’s light?”
“I’ve never gotten close enough to a Mage I haven’t killed.”
“Well, that’s reassuring. We’ll test that later. What about rare gifts? We can all heal, sense time, move quickly… but every Mage receives at least one rare gift in their light that not many can do.”
I flattened my back against the wall and reached overhead, gripping a pull-up bar just above me.
Niko tilted his head to the side. “Your energy is shifting colors. What are you hiding?”
“This is worse than getting naked.”
His expression softened. “We’re not here to expose your secrets to the world and make you vulnerable. How would that benefit us? The more we know about each other, the better we can help protect one another and improve our strengths.”
“Is this required?”
“I’m afraid so.”
“Then what’s yours?”
Niko shook his head, strands of black hair floating in front of his face. “You already know one of my gifts, and I don’t want to get sidetracked on conversations about me. Viktor has tasked me to learn what you can offer us.”
He leaned against the wall to my left and remained quiet.
“I can pull energy from a Mage,” I finally said.
“So can we all. That’s called juicing.”
“All the way out.”
He turned on his right shoulder to face me. Niko didn’t stare at me the way other men did. Perhaps I was just as exciting as one of those airport thermal detectors, but it made me self-conscious and I put distance between us.
“You can remove their core light until they’re mortal again?”
“Yep. It’s not always easy to take them down, but once I’ve gained the upper hand, it’s lights out.”
Niko rubbed his smooth chin. “An exceptional gift indeed. In early times, Stealers were hunted—feared because they had the power to remove immortality. It’s a rare gift even among rare gifts. Do you keep their energy?”
“No, God no!” I exclaimed with a shudder. “It stays inside me for maybe a day and then leaks out.”
“Does it make you stronger?”
“I’ve never played around with their gifts. It doesn’t make my energy stronger, but I guess their power stays inside me for a short time.”
“If you can’t flash, are you able to use your energy to attack another Breed?”
“Yes, I can throw energy into other Breeds as a weapon.” I took a seat on a weight bench. “I’m only half Mage, and I suppose mixing two species together diluted things. I guess that ruins the training session you had planned.”
“Hardly,” he said with a crafty smile. “I want to test how well you fight.”
“This shouldn’t take long then. I can’t fight.”
He belted out a laugh and moved toward me. Niko wore all black, except he wasn’t wearing shoes on his feet. “Don’t be so modest. I’m aware of your track record.”
“I carry small weapons and have a few moves I rely on, but I’m not about to embarrass myself when you realize that I don’t fight like a ninja. I have strong legs, so if I get into a tangle, I can hurt a man with these nutcrackers. I lure them into confined spaces, like bathrooms, and my opponents aren’t exactly skilled fighters. I use other means to take them down.”
“Other means?”
I shrugged even though he couldn’t see the gesture. “Usually it’s their stupidity I depend on the most.”
“Are you really half Vampire, or is that just a rumor I’m hearing?”
I jumped when one of the lights above us began to buzz. “It’s true.”
A single brow arched. “So you bite your victims.”
My tone grew defensive. “It works, but I never drink from Vampires; I just stake them up close. They’re horny little bastards, so getting them alone has never been a difficult chore. Their overconfidence is what makes them weak, and most of them respond to a pair of tits and a little lipstick.”
Niko’s expression switched from a fierce warrior to that of a kid who just overheard his first sex story. Maybe I was too déclassé for polite society. I tugged at my drawstring, a little ashamed by how uncouth I’d become over the years.
Niko stretched out his arms. “You might have hidden gifts we have yet to uncover. I’m not convinced that you can’t flash; I just think you must have had an incompetent Creator. We’ll need to test your healing abilities before we begin any sparring. I don’t want to hurt you if you can’t heal. I’m going to run up and talk to Viktor while someone else comes down to test your Vampire skills. Is there anything else you want to tell me regarding your Mage gifts?”
“No, but can you do me a favor?”
“Yes?”
“Don’t bring up my Creator again. That’s not something I want to talk about.”
Emotions swirled within me. My Creator was the man I was hiding from—a monster who’d seized an opportunity to not only ruin my life but to make me nothing more than a commodity. I didn’t want to revisit those memories; I wasn’t ready. And if people knew about him, he might be able to find me.
I caught a look on Niko’s face I couldn’t peg, and his gaze darted around my body. “As you wish. As far as I’m concerned, you meet all my expectations for a candidate, but we still need to test your Vampire skills. Remain here. Round two is coming up. If you don’t meet his expectations, Viktor might let you go, and this will be the last time we speak. Best of luck, Raven.”
Chapter 6
I reclined on the bench and gripped the metal bar. The weights were set to 150 pounds. When I pushed on the bar, it took a Herculean effort to lift it. My muscles quivered, and I bent my leg, using the bottom of my foot to help push the bar up.
A sputter of laughter came from the doorway. I let go, peering at the entranceway to my left.
Christian was standing within the recessed wall by the door, leaning against the wall on his right shoulder, his arms folded. He was dressed casually in dark pants and a black Henley shirt that fit him too well. The first few buttons were undone, and he’d pushed the sleeves of the cotton shirt up to his elbows.
“Now that’s just grand,” he said. “I guess this means I can mark off physical strength from your checklist of Vampire skills.”
I relaxed and stared up at the ceiling. “Tell me you’re not the only Vampire in this house.”
He clapped his hands together and strode in. “Let’s begin, shall we?”
I sat up, straddling the bench, and watched as he crossed the room and made a sweeping bow, never taking his dark eyes from mine.
Christian reminded me of a cross between a handsome pirate and a serial killer.
“Don’t you want to question me first?”
“I’m more of a hands-on kind of guy. Didn’t you rough and tumble with Niko?” he asked in a velvety voice. “Smart as a whip, that one. But not very skilled with the ladies.”
“At least he gets to the point. What do you want to know about me?”
He folded his arms. “I already know what I need to know. You’re not strong like a Vampire, and you obviously don’t have sensitive hearing or else you wouldn’t have been startled when I walked in. As for your vision, I’d be curious to know if you see as well as I do. Shall we turn off the lights?”
“No need. I can see in the dark. And if you knock off a few of these weights, I can lift it. I’m not as strong as a Vampire, but I’m not as weak as a human. I’ve taken down men bigger than me, and sometimes it required a little elbow grease.”
“Impressive,” he said flatly. “Why don’t you come up here and show me what you’ve got?”
“I can’t fight.”
When he smirked, I wanted to throw one of the weights at him.
“I’m curious how you’ve managed to take down Vampires.”
“Got any wood on you?”
He grinned salaciously. “That’s one request I�
�m certain I can accommodate.”
“Forget I asked.” I walked to the center of the room and kept a few feet between us. “I can’t use my strength against you, but you’re not so difficult to catch. You guys don’t seem to care about public opinion when it comes to escorting a woman of another Breed to a private room. Taking down a Vampire is seduction followed by a little wood.”
“Aye, most of the time a little wood does follow a good seduction,” he said, his gaze making a reckless slant downward. “Now why don’t you demonstrate for me, lass. I need to assess all your… skills.”
Christian didn’t believe I had what it took to be part of this group. He also didn’t seem to like me any better than a plate of onion rings.
Game on.
I stepped closer, my eyes centering on his neck. “I don’t have trouble getting a Vampire alone. Usually it’s a come-hither look, or I just run my finger along the vein in his neck. That does the trick every time.”
“Oh?”
I inched forward another step and softened my voice. “Vampires seem to like it when you stroke their arteries.”
I could have sworn he released a shallow breath when his lips parted.
Christian’s jaw slid to the side. “Is that what you learned in a book? I think we have a copy of What Vampires Like up in the study. You say you’re half Vampire, Raven. You should know what turns us on based on your own experience.”
I tucked my fingers in my jean pockets. “I only get in touch with my inner Vampire when I’m draining my victims to get them to relax.”
He closed the distance between us, his voice rough and sexy. “I suppose you want to suck on my neck?”
“You’re not my type.”
He circled around me, whispering in my ear. “I’m O positive. I’m everyone’s type.”
“I don’t drink from Vampires. Do you want to know how I take them down or not?”
He appeared on my right side, amusement in his voice. “Please… Continue.”
“Once we’re alone, I usually have impalement wood hidden on me. Something that’s easy to conceal—about six inches.”
Christian gave me a roguish grin. “Lass, I can personally promise you ten.”
Okay. I asked for that one.
“Give me my weapons and I’ll show you.”
“Afraid I can’t do that. Not until Viktor gives the word. We need to make sure we can trust you before we wake up with a knife at our throats.”
I pressed my body close to his, and he sucked in a sharp breath. “Does Viktor make all the rules around here?” I asked in a husky voice, stroking my finger along the artery of his neck.
He stiffened, and I felt his pulse race at a wicked beat. Christian relaxed just like a baby kitten being licked by its mama. If I latched my mouth around that artery and began sucking, using my tongue to stroke his flesh, it would send him over the edge as it did all the others.
Instead of pulling out a real piece of wood, I mimicked the movement, which I would have never done so soon, and swung my arm at his chest.
He seized my wrist and spun me around, locking my arms in front. “And what happens if they catch on to your little scheme?” he asked between clenched teeth.
“No one has yet. I wouldn’t have struck so soon. I make sure their defenses are down before making a move.”
“Then why did you act so soon with me?”
I reclined my head, feeling his bristly whiskers against my temple. “Unless I can stake you for real, I’m not making out with you.”
His breath heated my jaw. “Aye, and now you’re trapped. Show me how you’re going to escape.”
“Let go of me.”
“This is the real world, precious. How would you fight against a Vampire who’s caught you—one who could crush every bone in your body? Are you scared? You should be. I’ve killed more men than I can count, and until you can say the same, there’s nothing about you that intimidates me. You’re just a wee child in my world, bragging about kills you can only count on your fingers and toes. You can’t even escape from my hold. Do you really think you belong here?”
I bent my knees and dropped to the ground, sliding out of his grasp. As I crawled around him, he fell over my back, and I whimpered in pain.
Christian pushed off me and hovered. “What’s wrong? I didn’t land on you that hard.”
Before I could answer, he held me down and lifted the back of my shirt.
“Get off me!”
“How did you get that bruise?” When he released his hold, I crawled free. “If that’s from one of your jobs, you’re not as smooth as you think you are.”
I rolled over and sat facing him.
He did the same, one knee bent and his arm draped over it. “You don’t heal?”
“I don’t heal as quickly as a Vampire, and drinking blood doesn’t seem to help. Niko’s going to find out if I can heal like a Mage. If not, then I guess you’ve found my biggest weakness of all.”
“How did you get the bruise?”
“Don’t pretend like you care. Let’s just finish the test and get this over with.”
When I started to get up, he caught my wrist.
“Neither of us is leaving this room until I know the truth. Now you can rabbit on and pretend to be a fairy princess with the woe is me routine, or you can answer my question.”
“Three nights ago—”
“The night we met?”
“Yes. Can I finish? Three nights ago, I went to a human club to clean up in the bathroom. It’s a new place, and business was slow. I’m sure I don’t have to explain why I get more privacy there than in a Breed club. Anyhow, after I washed up and soaked my dress, I was sitting in a stall trying to figure out where I wanted to go. Two men came in, and I overheard a conversation I wasn’t supposed to.”
“They weren’t human, were they?” he asked rhetorically. “Did they gang up on you?”
“No, just one of them. I would have finished him off, but someone walked in, so I had to cover my tracks and bail.”
“And now you have someone who knows who you are.”
I stood up and raked my fingers through my hair. “Yes, and I’m sure he’s dreaming of all the different ways he wants to kill me if we ever run into each other again.”
Christian surged to his feet. “Weren’t you armed?”
“Lesson learned on letting my guard down. Thanks for the reminder.”
He advanced, forcing me to step back. “How far did he go?”
I kept walking backward until my shoulder blades touched the wall.
When he zeroed in on my eyes, I looked down to avoid him charming me.
His voice became low and dangerous. “How far did he go?”
“It was a hell of a fight, but I can take care of myself. I knocked him out and lived to see another day. What more do you want? Life on the streets isn’t easy, so I don’t need your sympathy or chivalry.”
“Darlin’, you don’t get my sympathy until you’ve spent a decade buried in a pine box.”
I blinked in surprise. “That seriously happened to you?” I struggled to kill the laughter rising in my throat. “Sorry, I just thought that Vampire burials were an urban legend.”
He flashed me a look of irritation and branched away. I’d heard stories that in the old days, Vampires were buried as a form of punishment.
“No, seriously,” I said, following behind. “What did you do to entertain yourself? Sing songs? Recite Shakespeare?”
“I bet it’s a big fecking joke,” he said, waving his arms. “Go ahead and laugh it up. See if I have any remorse should it happen to you.”
“I’ll just pulse my Mage energy in Morse code for help.”
He turned swiftly and pointed at me. “I thought you were lovely when I first saw you in the bar, but I don’t think I can deal with a woman who has this many limitations.”
“Don’t be such a condescending ass. You don’t have to deal with me at all. What you see as limitations, I see as advantages
. I can pass for a Mage or almost any other Breed, so that makes it easy to trick people. Chitahs can’t pick up my scent, and most of my Mage opponents rely on subduing me by force, not realizing I can drain them like a bathtub. I’ll ask Viktor to have someone else take over. You’re obviously not a man who can do a job without his emotions getting in the way.”
He lifted a fifty-pound kettlebell and tossed it back and forth in his hands as if it were weightless. “You shouldn’t be drinking blood from your victims for any reason. I’m sure you realize it can become an addiction.”
“That’s a last resort, not a first. Anyhow, blood isn’t high on my list of things I like to drink, so that’s not going to be a problem. I think the Mage half of me is repulsed by it.”
He smiled wolfishly. “Mind if I see your fangs?”
“Mind if I see your cock?”
He dropped the ball onto his foot and then hopped back, grimacing.
“Sorry, Christian. That’s a personal question.”
He limped toward the door and grumbled, “I’ll just be on my way.”
“So that’s it? You don’t want to see what else I can do?”
He turned halfway around. “In my opinion, you’re too green for this job. I’m guessing you don’t even know if you can shadow walk. You’re weak, can’t heal, and haven’t mentioned anything about picking up information in blood. You’re like buying one of those worthless cars that require too much time and effort to figure out and repair. Viktor can find someone else who’ll put up with your delightful personality… if you last that long.” He gripped the doorknob and wrenched it open.
“Hey, Christian?”
He paused but didn’t turn.
“Don’t tell anyone else about my bruise. I screwed up, but I don’t want everyone knowing about it. You Vampires are secret-stealers, but let’s see if you can keep one.”
“Why should I do you any favors?”
I didn’t think this was a guy who wanted to take my side, but I spoke sincerely, hoping he’d understand where I was coming from. “Because you spent a decade in a pine box, and I’m guessing it wasn’t voluntary. We all make mistakes.”
He sighed. “Aye, lass. That we do.”