“Uh-huh. Jesus you’re talking in riddles buddy. Forty eight hours.” Mike grabbed his gun and keys and headed out the door without looking back.
Jax had no doubt that the riddle maker was ready to give them the remaining pieces soon enough. He picked up the folder containing the pictures of the original crimes scenes and flipped through. The markings had to tell them something. He stared at the photos fingering the glossies and sighed. What in the hell was he missing? For some reason he knew the symbol had more to do with it than he originally thought. It was definitely the same as Aleks had painted. Tonight he would use that bit of information. He had searched enough websites and while many were close and depicted the gothic turn of the century time frame, none were exact.
Checking his watch, he sighed. He had to get to the appointment but he suddenly had an idea. The newest intern was into everything Goth. He grabbed the file folder and headed toward the research department. While there were more questions than answers, every instinct in his body was working in overdrive. The end was near.
Chapter Thirteen
The shadows of the late afternoon sun hid his presence until the last moment. As she came out of her front door, he moved with ease from his hiding place and thrust her back inside, closing the door softly behind him. The force of his push pressed her into wall with a resonant thud.
“What the hell?” Felicity came out swinging yet she connected with little.
Aleksandr grabbed her neck and pressed her against the wall, leaning in so that she could see him clearly. “You betrayed me.”
Struggling hard as the fear enveloped every part of her body sending a fire of heat slashing across her face, she grabbed his hand and stopped her movements, sensing danger. As she kept her eyes pinned onto his, Felicity inched back. “What are you talking about? Betrayal? You know better, Aleks.”
“I thought I knew you but I was wrong and now that might cost me too much.” He leaned in further, his lips brushing across hers. Darting his tongue out to taste her he eased back as his golden locks tumbled across her chest. “You know exactly what I’m talking about, Felicity. You sought me out remember? When I came here you were the one to find me and not the other way around and I never gave that any thought. How irresponsible of me. You played me for a fool and yet you were so very brave knowing what I could do to you, knowing that I could kill you with a single swipe of my hand. The prize must be heady indeed for you to do what you’ve done. I must hear about the perks.” Aleks squeezed her throat tighter until she gagged. She needed to fear what he could do and what he would do when the time was right.
Felicity simply held his arm and blinked, her body shaking, yet a tear pooled in the corner of one eye.
Aleks growled and let her go moving back only inches. Of course he should kill her on the spot but he couldn’t chance having her blood spilled during the middle of what had to be the end. He’d debated even seeing her again but he had to know the truth. Since at least one members of the Jicard family was in town then there would be more bloodshed, deal or no deal. Instinct told him he had to test her reactions even if it meant that she ran to her lover. “Where is he?”
“Who are you talking about? I don’t understand what you’re saying. I haven’t betrayed you. You and I are lovers.” Shivering, Felicity clawed onto the wall inching toward the front door.
“Don’t try to leave, Felicity. I’ll take your life if I must. No matter what you’ve been told, this is no game. Your human cops can’t save you. You’re in over your head with no understanding of what you’ve done. Where is Nikolay?”
Hearing the name stunned her and her mouth gaped open as her eyes danced back and forth across his. She swallowed hard and tried to look away, yet she was transfixed by the single word. “Nikolay? I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
He sighed realizing that she had no idea what the man was capable of and while she might have been following orders, now she was direct pawn in a game she had no control over. “Felicity. You have no idea what you’re in the middle of here. I’m aware Nikolay is in the city. No amount of his hiding can keep that fact away from me and you’re well aware I can read your mind. He’s more dangerous that you believe him to be. You don’t know him.”
“And you do, Aleksandr? From what I understand Durac kept many things from you and mostly because you refused to listen or learn.”
Hissing, Aleks looked away trying to keep the rage under control. He’d indeed been a fool for too many years thinking that he could get out of the family. “While that may be true Felicity, you’re still very human and have no business playing these games.”
“Me playing games? Ha Aleksandr! You’ve been running for decades. What do you call that? Do you remember meeting me years ago?”
The question somehow threw him. “You came to see Durac.”
“He offered me a job to look after you.”
“And?”
“Initially I turned him down.”
“Why?” Aleks could tell she was nervous.
“Because I wanted no part of a family war.”
“What did he ask you to do?”
A nervous tic rose across her mouth. Swallowing hard, Felicity backed away.
“Tell me!” he growled.
She jumped from the forceful timbre in his voice. “To keep tabs on you and to get close to Nikolay by becoming his lover.”
He could tell she wasn’t lying and while her breathing was ragged, there was something Felicity was hiding. Closing the distance Aleks cocked his head and stared into her eyes. She was frightened, there was no doubt and she was also doing everything in her power to hide something. “Tell me are you indirectly responsible for the murders of these young boys? They are nothing more than a pawn and to have then senselessly murdered is cause to have your very life ended by either family.”
“I have nothing to do with the murders. I have no idea what’s happening in truth. I’m as much in the dark as you pretend to be.”
“You lie!” He heard her interesting choice of words.
“No…I–“
He grabbed her wrist and jerked it toward his fangs, grazing the sharp edges across her delicate skin, drawing a single drop of blood. “Now tell me.”
“You have no fucking idea what you’re talking about you stupid man!”
Aleksandr resisted the urge to slice his fangs into her lithe neck and instead curtailed his anger and inched back, dropping her wrist. Hissing, he glared at her. “I’ll ask you one more time Felicity, tell me about Nikolay. It’s obvious you followed Durac’s requests. What I believe is that you crossed the line. You stole for Nikolay as well as becoming his lover. Tell me, did he give you more money or was the sex just that much better?”
“You just don’t understand.”
“What I understand is that more people are going to die and you have no idea what you’ve done.”
She closed her eyes as a tiny whimper escaped past her pursed lips. “He’ll kill me.”
He sensed she wasn’t going to budge but her fear hovered over her like a strangling grip on reality. Nikolay had obviously had his clutches driven into her and of course he would kill her if necessary. Durac had told him enough to know that Nikolay was enraged at the entire family and wanted to take his rightful place among the immortals. He’d used all of his powers to seduce Felicity into believing she was truly the one. However, she was being used perhaps by both men. He had been unable to detect the scent of another vampire on her body during their times together. They’d been masked by Nikolay’s extraordinary powers. Aleks inhaled deeply and could tell easily enough that no other vampire had been around her recently but there was something that her fear had brought out. “Where’s the amulet?”
Her eyes opened wide and as her hand fluttered in front of her face, she whimpered slightly. She lowered her eyes to the floor in acquisition. “I don’t have it.”
Inching closer, Aleks tilted his head and sniffed. She wasn’t telling a lie. The amulet wasn’
t in her possession and that Nikolay was continuing his search. That also meant that until it was secured, more would die. “Where is it?”
“I don’t know, Aleksandr. I honestly don’t. You have to believe me. I’m not going to lie to you about this. I’m frightened. I thought this would be simple but I’m not a stupid woman. I put things into place in case something like this happened so that I didn’t know until the time was right.”
“Like you have lied to me about our relationship? Like you have allowed Nikolay to manipulate you for years has it been? My God Felicity, you risked your very life around three powerful vampires and yet you stand here today acting as if you can handle the situation completely. Nothing is simple. I made a mistake getting involved with you. I shouldn’t have allowed myself to even consider trying to have a normal life.”
“A normal life? You’re a king among your people and yet you threw it all away. You betrayed your kind and ran.”
Clenching his fists open and closed, his body shook with rage. “Nikolay has filled you with lies. I didn’t betray anyone.” Aleks thought about Durac’s words and cringed.
You’re the rightful King of our people. I was merely given to you as a protector and instead I became your lover. I wanted more from our relationship as your mate. When I turned you it was because I was required to. There are many things I need to tell you but there’s no time. If you don’t accept your position and come back with me then our family will begin the Fade.
Aleks hissed. He wasn’t going to be held responsible for what two brutal groups had pre-determined long before his human birth.
“It didn’t start out this way,” Felicity breathed, her pulse skating into her neck. “I don’t know what to believe any longer, Aleks. You’re right in that I’ve heard so much and yet not enough”
“What way is that, Felicity? To betray the regime that I know as my family even though I’m estranged from them or the man you professed your undying love and devotion to. And then again, you sought me out for business after you had betrayed him and all that he gave to you. I will give you credit though dear human, you listened to Nikolay well. He gave you just enough powers that you could pass as not having been touched. I’m impressed.” Aleks grew angry from his impetuous behavior. It was bad enough that he’d gone into business with her but to then not see past the lies was unimaginable. She’d seduced him in a way on his first night in the country even before he came to live in Richmond. How stupid could he have been? Instinct had told him then that she wasn’t to be touched and yet the woman became like a drug, unable to resist. When he saw her in the Club, his instinct hadn’t kicked in.
“You don’t understand. I loved…Durac. I still do but there is this whole honor thing with him.”
“Honor? I shall tell him.” Aleks shifted his gaze as he heard the noise from the back. “You do realize whether I take your life today or I leave you alone, you’ll be killed. You know too many aspects about our life and our very existence. You’re a problem for all of our kind and whether you have the genes that will take the family into another future or not simply doesn’t matter any longer. Where’s the amulet? We’re well aware that you’re responsible for it being taken.”
“We?” Her eyes opening wide, Felicity backed away.
Aleks nodded. “Durac is here as well, Felicity and determined to find the amulet and the potion and take it back and once he does, all hell is going to break loose. My fear is that it will happen on American soil and then you’ll be directly responsible for mass murder. Do you understand what I’m saying? The Jicard family won’t allow the stone and the potion to leave this country without a fight.”
“The potion?”
“Please don’t tell me you didn’t take it. I’m no fool,” Aleks scoffed.
Shaking her head, Felicity shivered. “I was told to take the amulet only.”
Narrowing his eyes, he realized she hadn’t. Then perhaps Nikolay did. That would make sense. “Innocent blood will be on your hands.”
Throwing her hand over her mouth, Felicity shook her head. “Nikolay assured me no one would die.”
“You’re lying, Felicity. Who do you think is responsible for killing those boys? I thought it was to get at me for some vengeance but perhaps it was to find out what you know and the extent of what you’ve done.” Aleks sighed. He’d been a fool about so many things. What if he couldn’t regain his full powers in time? What if an entire race could die if he didn’t return to his homeland? “Unfortunately Felicity, our kind lie to keep themselves alive and safe. You were used. Granted, I’m sure you had a minion handling the dirty work stealing the amulet but I need to give the amulet and the potion back to its rightful owner. I might be able to bargain for your life if you give it to me now and I can send Durac on his way.” He moved forward allowing his fangs to fully erupt. Reality settled in. There was little he could do but try and stop the bloodshed and there was no way he could allow her to continue her façade. Three vampires and two strong families meant a war was coming to a head. Durac was right. Aleks was the only one who could alter the future.
“I honestly don’t know, Aleksandr. If I meant anything to you then you can tell I don’t. I’ll tell you the truth that I know. Nikolay taught me enough and gave me enough powers that yes, I had one of my…lovers with me to steal the amulet only months ago and I gave it to him to hide. I knew Durac would come and find me and try and take it back. That was the plan all along. Nikolay wants him taken out first as he is the only one who can convince you to return to the homeland.”
“That’s not the only plan and I don’t need any more of your lies. I must find the amulet or more will die in this town. Tell me, are you responsible for the pictures being sent?”
“No, I don’t know who’s sending them. I realized the moment I received them that there was something else going on and I know I should have talked to you but I was and still am terrified. I know little, Aleksandr. Very little.” Her eyes growing wide, terror hung around Felicity like a warm blanket.
“Where is this boy, this lover that has the amulet?”
Sucking in her breath, Felicity let out a whimper as her eyes darted back and forth across his. “Honest to God I’ve tried to contact him. He disappeared a couple of days ago and I’ve been trying to find him. I asked him not to tell me where the amulet is and he followed my directions perfectly. It’s not like him to disappear and I’ve tried every way that I know to get in touch with him. Do you think Durac kidnapped him?”
“Durac has no idea where the boy is.” There were three players and several lies. Why couldn’t he be certain who was responsible? Aleks heard the same noise from the back room again and glanced in the direction. Seeing the look on her face told him too many things. “Who is here with you?”
“It’s not who you think it is.”
He cocked his head. “Tell me Felicity, what else are you hiding?”
She shook her head. “Please don’t. If you care about me at all leave this alone. Please. Please Aleksandr. This isn’t what you think it is. I swear to you.”
He narrowed his eyes and could see the beads of perspiration trickling down her face. The fear coursing through her body caused her to tremble but she did everything within her power to mask her reaction. He glanced back at the door leading to into the back of the house and concentrated on the sounds. There was no mistaking what he heard. As he gazed into her eyes, the moment of realization hit her solidly stilling her heart. She closed her eyes when his voice rumbled past her. “What have you done?” He moved toward the back of the townhouse quickly.
“No, no! Please don’t do this, Aleks. Please! You have no idea what this is. You have no idea.” Her tears rattled her voice as she watched, her hands over her mouth.
He glanced at her one last time before he opened the door.
A little boy tumbled out of the room with the large woman following him. “Mommy!”
“I’m sorry Miss Jennings. He heard you two fighting and I couldn’t control him.
I’m sorry.” She grabbed the boy before he could reach Felicity.
Aleks stared down at the small child and back to Felicity’s face that held little expression. She glanced into Alek’s eyes and nodded. “Durac’s or Nikolay’s?”
She bent down and scooped the small blond boy into her arms. “Oh Dimitri honey. Mommy is fine. You need to go with Mary back to your room now. I have business here with this nice man. Okay honey?”
Dimitri wrapped his tiny hands around strands of her hair and nuzzled into her, his little body shaking. “But mommy.”
“It’s okay, baby. Mommy has to go to work. You know that. Mary will be here with you baby and when you wake in the morning I’ll be here.” Felicity gazed into Aleks eyes as she kissed the boy.
“Come on, Dimitri. I’ll read you a story.” Mary took his hand.
Dimitri frowned, a tiny tear forming in his eye, but followed behind Mary turning once to give Aleks a hard look.
“You don’t know, do you?”
“Trust me Aleks, he’s the single reason I’m still alive. I may appear stupid and weak to you but when I found out I was pregnant, I realized that my little boy is my only bargaining chip. Nikolay considers Dimitri his boy and that furthers his belief that he’s the rightful king.”
“But he might belong to Durac?”
“Yes.” Her lower lips quivering, Felicity wiped away her tears. “You’re always so stoic, Aleksandr in your ways and beliefs. You never really told me things about your past and I listened to two other men that had their version of the story. I want so much to be a part of your world that I…”
“That you sold your soul to the highest bidder?” Aleks shook his head. Heaven and hell would break lose to take the boy. Fighting his natural urges, he knew he had to intervene.
“I thought Dimitri would matter to my future and…” Sobbing Felicity held her face in her hands.
“You may be right up to this point Felicity but as you’re well aware breeding with a vampire is almost unheard of and while surrogates are highly revered, they are nothing more than carriers. When the others know of his existence they’ll come to take him from you. He’s far too valuable to our kind. It is all coming together now, Felicity. If you and your boy are to survive, you need to leave town or you’ll both die. Nikolay will not allow any additional betrayal and then again neither shall I. This is your one pass Felicity. If you do not heed my warning, I won’t protect you from either one of them.” Aleks stared out the window and groaned. The past and the present were slamming together in a place where few of their kind had real protection. Every bit of the reason for the murders made sense now finally and while Felicity would never know what she had caused, he certainly did and they were all damned to hell. “I need you to pack your things quickly.”
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