by Kelly Hall
Rebekah hoped the young man was still alive to hear about it—and that he still cared.
After arranging her flight to the castle, not wanting to utilize her bond with Kayne, she walked up to his castle door and knocked. She figured if he could pop in and out whenever unannounced, then so could she.
After a moment, the door creaked open, and on the other side stood the skinny redhead. “Well, if it isn’t the Immortal Bitch.”
Rebekah palmed her weapons out of habit. “How creative,” said Rebekah, giving a sigh of boredom. She hadn’t come to fight and quickly let go of her daggers’ handles. “I’ve come to check on Liam.”
“Oh, I’m sure you have. I mean, you loved him so much, you gave him away like a stray cat. I would never do that.”
“No, I’m sure you wouldn’t. I’m quite certain that you’d eat him like a wild animal. I just want to make sure that the deal I made with Kayne for his life was carried out.”
“The bargain you made,” said the woman with a smirk. “We know all about your bargain. Of course, Kayne did as promised. He’s a man of his word. But are you a woman of yours, you primitive slut?”
“That’s enough, Fiona.” Kayne’s voice was as sharp as Stella’s blade, bringing her head around quickly.
“Why did she have to come here?” Fiona asked.
“Quiet!” His tone was even sharper that time, booming so ferociously Rebekah’s ears rattled. “I’ll deal with you later.” He stepped into Rebekah’s line of sight as Fiona made tracks away from the door.
“Thank you for the discretion,” said Rebekah. “I see you’re just as gentlemanly as ever.” He had already bragged to his entire staff, no doubt, if Fiona knew about it.
“Your changeling is the one who ran his mouth,” he said with a glaring look down his nose. His long hair hung to his chin, and he didn’t bother to brush it out of his face, instead letting it shadow his dark eyes. He stepped aside and waved her into his castle home.
Rebekah only hesitated a moment before walking in. She even turned her back on Kayne as to not let him think she was afraid. She knew, more now than ever, that she didn’t have to fear him. Now knowing what he wanted from her. “So, then he’s okay?”
“He’s more than okay. He’s a nuisance. If it weren’t for our agreement, I’d have killed him already.”
“He’s probably scared to death, the poor kid.”
“Poor kid? It’s that kind of coddling that makes brats like him in the first place. And I wouldn’t be so quick to think he’s still the same person. He’s full vampire now. All of his instincts are heightened, and all of his emotions affect him to a much larger degree than before.”
Rebekah couldn’t remember anything but the scared boy from her dungeon, the sweet kid who everyone had rallied for, even though it went against their beliefs. “I’d like to see him.”
“Oh, I’m sure he’d like to see you too, but I’m not sure it’s the best idea, Rebekah.”
Rebekah didn’t like that answer. “Call me spoiled too, if you will, because I’m not used to being told no. And I am not leaving until I see him.”
“Do you ever think I do things that might protect you, Rebekah?”
She tried to think back over the years, and all she could see was the lust in his eyes for her. “No, I never think about you at all.”
“Liar.” He did not smile his usual cunning smile. His face was stone still and set with a blank expression. The boy had already ruined his blood supply, and he wished he hadn’t promised to keep him alive.
“Oh, I forget how you tend to invade the mind. How you think that you can charm me and bribe me into your bed.”
His eyes narrowed. “There is no bribe. Only an agreement and there is no backing out of it now.” He stepped forward, closing the distance between them.
Rebekah let him gain a few steps before she walked backward to put more space between them. “I have not come to you for that tonight.”
“And yet the debt is still owed. I held up my end of the agreement. You should hold up yours.” He moved closer, and then she felt a strong wind in her face, so strong that she closed her eyes.
When she opened them again, they were standing in a bedroom. She hadn’t seen it before. It was still a black and red passion palace, but it was done a bit more tastefully than the sex-romp room he’d shown her off of Talia’s room.
“Stop doing that! And why have you brought me here?”
“To remind you who you’re dealing with.”
Rebekah laughed. “Oh, I’m quite aware.” She pushed around him to head toward the door, and he appeared in front of her, stopping her midstride.
“I believe you’ve let Fiona put you in a bad mood. There is no need for us to be fighting, my Immortal.”
“Don’t call me that. I know what I am now, and even if I was made from your blood, I will never be yours.”
Kayne’s lips twisted into a scowl. “I see your mage went home and spilled his guts.”
“You had no right to keep Ignis a prisoner! No right to take him or bury him so he couldn’t escape! You invaded my mind for that knowledge. Do you have any idea what kind of trouble you’ve made for me and my kind? Do you even care about me?” No, he only wanted to use her like a broodmare. Tears were in her eyes before she could control them, and while she didn’t want to seem weak, especially in front of her enemy, she couldn’t make them stop, no matter how much she sneered at him. “If you ever want to be on my good side, fucking with my best friend is a sure way to assure you won’t ever get there!”
Kayne moved forward, captured her face in his hands, and kissed her, all before she could even blink to protest. She gripped his shoulders and pushed, but it was no use. She couldn’t budge him. She relaxed and fell against him, their lips moving softly together like rose petals on silk, and if Rebekah didn’t know better, she’d think he was content to go easy with her.
But he wanted more, and she knew the exact moment the lust took over. His kisses grew feverish, and he moved his hands to her shoulders and down her arms, where he took her hands. He moved them to his body, placing them first on his strong shoulders. And damn her, she liked the feel of him under her touch. She went for his buttons, and soon, his chest was exposed. As her mouth stayed busy on his, she flattened her palm against his abs. The washboard muscles had his flesh taut, and she wondered what else felt that way.
But when she moved her hands to his chest, she felt his hand leave her, and in another moment, it wrapped around her wrist and squeezed tightly. “Don’t.”
She opened her eyes to see his hand gripping her tightly. “What’s wrong?” She pulled away. Kayne stepped back, and Rebekah gasped at what she saw.
There, in the midst of his perfect flesh, was a wound where his heart should be. It was black like the stigmata’s dark magic, a deep black hole that seemed to disappear into another dimension, the edges of the wound pulsing as if whatever had him was growing an entity of its own. Except it was very much a part of him. “As you can see, I’m filled with darkness.”
Rebekah had never seen anything like it on another human or vampire, and it seemed as if he were missing his heart. Instead of being afraid, Rebekah’s eyes filled with concern. “What happened to you? You’re wounded!”
“Don’t get your hopes up, love. This old thing? I’ve had it for years.”
Rebekah couldn’t help but feel it looked strangely familiar, yet still different. “What is it?”
“Darkness,” he said with a hiss in his voice. “That’s what evil is made of, after all. Would you expect anything less of me, Rebekah? Do I disgust you?” His temper flared, his tone growing harsher.
She slowly shook her head and then pulled down her top only enough to show the mark that had made her. The small four-pointed star. The scar that had been left behind from Stella’s blade. It wasn’t often that she showed it to anyone—and never her enemies—but it just seemed like she had to.
“This is what made me the Immortal Huntress
,” she said.
“No, Rebekah. That’s what made you mine.” He moved on her quickly, capturing her mouth again.
She could feel his arousal and his lust in the way he held her close to his body. And just when she thought she might give in to him, there was a sound across the room.
Liam cleared his throat again. “Excuse me? My mother said you were here to see me.”
Rebekah pulled away, and it was all she could do to hold Kayne back. “Intrusive little shit,” he bit out.
Liam stood in the doorway. He was whole and alive, or at least undead. Though paler than usual, his flesh was nowhere near as sickly and pallid as the day she’d dragged him out of the vampire den to save his life.
His eyes were wild, though, and as he licked his lips, she was aware the color had come from the stain of blood.
Rebekah’s heart ached. “Liam?”
Chapter 19
“Fiona!” shouted Kayne.
The redhaired vampire appeared in the door. “Yes, darling?” she purred.
Kayne wanted to twist her head until it snapped off of her shoulders. “What is the meaning of this intrusion?” He knew full well her jealousy was going to get the better of her. “I told you to control the boy.”
Fiona stepped up next to Liam and put her arm around him. “Your Huntress whore wanted to see him. I simply thought it was a matter of retrieving the lad.”
“You thought wrong. Neither of you are to be in my private quarters. And if you don’t watch your tone, you’ll find him motherless yet again.”
“I just thought the Huntress would want to see him as soon as possible.” She gave a sly smile and then turned it toward Rebekah. “We have a little agreement of our own. Liam is my son, you see? I made him myself.”
Rebekah glanced at Kayne. “I thought you would be the one to turn him.”
“My blood is sacred and only intended for a chosen few, and I’m afraid that your Liam is not worthy.”
“Is she?” Rebekah asked, referring to Fiona. She would have removed Red’s head if she hadn’t been standing in her enemy’s home. Best to not piss him off even more by staining the rug. It looked old and very expensive.
“Of course, I am,” said Fiona with a smug grin.
“Then that makes two of us,” Rebekah mumbled.
“I beg your pardon,” shouted Fiona as she stepped toward Rebekah. “I should rip out your tongue for such an offensive statement.”
Rebekah had Stella at the ready before Fiona could take another step. But she didn’t speak a word. Instead, she let her abilities work. As her instincts sized up the old and powerful vampire, Rebekah could tell that Fiona was running on low speed, and there was something else. She was actually afraid of what Rebekah could do to her.
Rebekah turned her attention toward Liam. “Are they treating you okay?”
“I’m good, no thanks to you. You might feel like you’ve saved my life or that I owe you something, but I hate you for what you’ve done to me. Death would have been a mercy, but now that I am what I am, I might as well enjoy the perks.”
Rebekah was prepared to take full responsibility. “I only thought you deserved a shot at life—any life.” She searched for a glimmer of the boy he used to be. “Delilah sends her love, by the way.” She wanted to test his opinions of the rest of his former family.
“Yeah, I’m sure she’s crying for me. I bet she’d like to know what a whore you really are for the Father of the Dead. Maybe I’ll tell her before I rip her throat out and drain her. At least her last thoughts could be how she knew it all along.”
Kayne grumbled. “Fiona, if you don’t shut him up, I’m going to rip out his tongue and force feed it to you.”
Fiona’s eyes widened. “You couldn’t hurt him. Rebekah will not allow it.” She turned her nose up.
“I promised not to kill him, but I’m sure he’d survive me ripping out his tongue. What do you think happened to those other mutes who used to turn up at the castle all those years ago? It’s amazing how easy it is to rip one from a mouth. Just pluck it out.”
“Maybe you should get your whore to do it,” Liam said with a smirk. “She could use that knife of hers.”
Rebekah hated his bitterness, and in that moment, she realized one thing. He was no longer her responsibility. She’d done all she could for him, and since there were no neutral sides, he was now the enemy. The Liam she had known was dead, and if Kayne went back on his bargain by killing him, at least her conscious was clear.
As Kayne stepped forward, Fiona stepped in front of him. “Shut up, you fool child!”
But it was too late. Kayne grabbed Liam by the throat and lifted him up in the air as high as his arm would stretch.
Fiona threw herself at his feet. “Please, Kayne! Please, no! He’s all I have.”
“Perhaps he will respect you better as a mute.”
The fear lit in Liam’s eyes, and he panicked.
“There is a reason we don’t turn children,” Kayne said. “Because they are usually too fucking immature to deal with it. You just couldn’t leave well enough alone.”
“I’ll behave,” choked Liam. “I’ll behave myself. Swear.”
Rebekah knew the others would never forgive her if something horrible befell Liam. “Please, put him down, Kayne. His words do not bother me. I am stronger than you give me credit for.”
Kayne eyed the brat. “One more word out of you in my presence, one more misstep, and I will render you as useless as a doormat for me to wipe my feet upon.”
Terror had Liam frozen, but he managed to squeak out a sound. Then Kayne threw him to the floor as if he weighed nothing and watched as he scurried to his mother. “Take your boy and fuck off.”
The two wasted no time leaving, both sniveling as they went.
And then Kayne turned on her. “Are you happy now? You got to see what’s become of your little monster. Are you satisfied?”
He seemed as if he hadn’t wanted her to see the boy that way. “I’ve long known what kind of monsters I’m warring with,” she said. “And you want me to give you a child.”
Kayne’s eyes flashed wide. “Ah, so he told you everything, did he?”
“Yes. So it’s a good thing Liam came in, if that’s what your intentions were.”
“Don’t act as if you’ve never wanted a child. A real child, born of your body, not of your blood.” He walked up to her and brought his hand to her cheek, rubbing her bottom lips with his thumb. Then he moved his hand to her head, tapping his finger at her temple. “I know what’s in here, remember? All of those times you and Ethan tried, the times you were heartbroken, watching him impregnate others. Thousands of women bore his offspring but never you.”
“Fuck you. I’m not able to have children. If Ethan did anything for me, it was proving that the change killed that part of me. I’ve accepted it and moved on. So should you.” She tried to keep her chin up and bit back the tears that threatened to spill. She hated that it had always been a weakness for her, and now she’d be damned if he’d see her cry over it. “Your blood killed it. Made me useless, unable to procreate, just like you.”
He tried to hold back his anger, but she was being as defiant as that little brat she’d sent. And there was something else she needed to know. “Oh, I’m not unable. You see, I’m as potent as anyone else. But I’ve been dealing with the fact that no one else is strong enough to handle carrying my children. The few I’ve conceived all died in the womb. Two of them killed their mothers too because they were all weak.”
“See, that’s proof you didn’t care about anything but a child. What if it kills me? Like you’d care.” She shook her head and went to pull away. But Kayne was not going to let go. “Stop it, Kayne.”
She got in his face, pulling her knife and pointing it at his chest.
“Do it, Rebekah. Shove that blade into me. We both know it won’t do a damned thing.” He took their closeness as his cue to kiss her again. He was turned on and needed to have her. It had been
torturously long, and now it was time to make her truly his.
He had long fantasized about the two of them together, the perfect union.
But she pushed away, returning Stella to its scabbard. “This is not happening! Dammit, Kayne. You didn’t even ask! You had to lie and bribe.”
“Then don’t make me! Come willingly.”
Rebekah growled in frustration. “Fine. You want me. Take me. Force me if that’s what turns you on. But all you’ll have is a shell of me.” She walked over and sat on his bed. Then she laid back and looked up at the ceiling. “You know the biggest lie I tell myself? It’s that you’re a decent man somewhere deep down inside.”
Kayne raked his hand through his hair and wanted to punch or kill something. She was so damned beautiful, it ached, and while he needed her more than ever, he wasn’t going to be the monster she expected. “Get up and right your clothes.”
What was he doing? He wasn’t reasonable or kind. He didn’t show mercy or weakness, and he damned sure knew how to take what he wanted.
So why wasn’t this easy? Because she was different. She always had been.
“I won’t ever do you that way, Rebekah.” He paced the floor, and then he walked over, knowing he’d pushed things too far already. “You’re going to come to me of your own free will, and when you’re ready, you will give yourself to me.”
Rebekah sat up. “Only when you prove me wrong.”
“What could I do?” He had to know what was on her mind.
“Go to the Church. Turn yourself in.” Rebekah couldn’t believe the words were coming out of her mouth. She had long thought of making the bargain but always talked herself out of it. It was crazy, after all.
Kayne laughed. “You nearly had me.” He would have done anything for her the one moment, and now with the grim reality of her intentions slapping him in the face, he saw her again as his enemy. “Oh, dearest pet, why have you betrayed me? You want me to be seen as weak. To pretend that I could be captured by the Church of all enemies? After what they’ve done to you? To us?”