She wasn’t adjusting as he’d hoped, and he assumed a big part of it was because she hadn’t needed to be turned. If only Katie had opened up to her sooner… But the situation couldn’t be undone and Tezra had to live with it. And somehow he had to get her through the dark period without her turning rogue.
In the living room, Chief O’Mal ey eyed the vampires in terror and sputtered, “W-what do you want with me?”
Voltan stil nursed a torn-up arm, but Atreides’s wounds had healed. Patrico looked like a war hero, sporting a bloodied bandage around his head. Yet, as far as Daemon was concerned, Patrico hadn’t earned a right to be in the same room with the rest of them.
Daemon wrapped his arm around Tezra’s shoulders while they sat on the couch opposite Chief O’Mal ey. The notion she might want to rip out the chief’s throat briefly came to mind. “You owe Tezra some answers.”
Tezra glowered at Daemon. “You don’t have to restrain me.”
“I hadn’t thought of it as restraint but more of a loving gesture.” He kept his tone lighthearted, not sure how to deal with the feelings she’d bottled up. He stil felt she was safer with her new abilities, as long as she didn’t use them as a vampire rogue would.
“It’s cal ed restraint from where I’m from.” She turned her aggravation on the chief next. “Tel me the truth about Jane Cramer.”
The chief looked at Daemon, but this was Tezra’s show, and he waited for her cue.
Tezra turned her head slightly in a menacing vampiric way, not wil ing to play any word games with the chief. But she was thankful Daemon had Voltan bring O’Mal ey to the house while Katie slept—just in case Tezra’s abilities got out of hand. “I can force you to reveal the truth, but I’d rather you cooperate. I might not be able to keep my new fangs under control.”
Unaware she’d been turned, the chief looked startled. His eyes widened and his skin paled. “I’m sure you know Jane was my sister,” he quickly said.
“Yes, and she was having an affair with Krustalus.”
The chief narrowed his eyes. “Yeah, the bastard.”
“So you had some of your officers murder her.” The image of Jane’s skeletal remains came back to her, and a tingling sensation centered around Tezra’s canines. She clenched her teeth against unsheathing them. “What was her husband’s involvement?”
“He planned it. The three officers were in debt up to their eyebal s, and Wil iam offered to pay off their bil s. No one liked that she was screwing around with the vampire.”
“But you knew about it and sanctioned it?”
“I didn’t stop it.” The chief stared blankly at the floor. “My brother-in-law and I expected al along Krustalus would come after us.
We’re always watching our backs, but it won’t do us any good when Krustalus final y decides to take revenge.”
She ground her teeth, trying to keep them under control. “Did you know al along that he murdered my parents?”
“No. You have to believe me. I didn’t know until he told me to tel you so.”
Unable to comprehend how the chief would al ow his sister to be murdered like that, Tezra glared at him, but didn’t say anything more. If Krustalus didn’t finish him off, she knew the police would deal with the chief and his brother-in-law soon. She’d make sure of it.
Daemon asked, “Are you through questioning him?”
“What would it have hurt if she’d loved the vampire?” Tezra asked sadly. “Why did she have to die?”
“She loved a renegade, a murdering bastard,” O’Mal ey said, his words cold-blooded.
Tezra sat tal er, wanting to give him the benefit of the doubt. Wanting to believe the chief couldn’t be that evil. “Did you know that then? That Krustalus was a rogue?”
The chief dropped his gaze to the floor and shook his head.
“What if Jane didn’t know either? What if he’d manipulated her like he had so many others?” Tezra rose from the couch. “I’m through with the chief, Daemon.”
He motioned to Atreides, who took Chief O’Mal ey by the arm and disappeared. To Maison, Daemon said, “Put out the word there’s to be a celebration at my home, open to al vampires.”
Maison frowned. “Are you certain…”
“I’m certain Krustalus and Mustaphus wil come. Lichorus too. I want them and anyone else they’ve recruited. Time to end this.”
“I agree.” Maison motioned with his shoulder in Bernard’s direction. “What about him?”
“He comes with us. He’s stil Tezra’s bodyguard.” Daemon swore the hunter’s chest puffed up a bit, and his hard scowl softened.
“I don’t want to be shown off at a vampire bash,” Tezra growled between clenched teeth.
“I thought you were wil ing to be bait for Krustalus. Now is your chance.” Daemon figured she was worried how his clans would accept her, maybe afraid how’d she react around others of her kind now. But she had to get used to them, and he had to get rid of the rebels in his midst.
“I want to be at the bash too,” Patrico said.
“Count on it,” Daemon responded, his tone icy, not satisfied that the hunter had made up for his past transgressions where Tezra was concerned.
“I don’t want Katie or Patrico there,” Tezra said, her voice firm.
Katie suddenly appeared from the hal way. “No, no, I want to be there, Tezra. You can’t shut me out of your life now.” She sounded like Tezra—stubborn and unmoving.
If Atreides was even considering pursuing the redheaded wench, he had a real battle on his hands, Daemon thought, watching the two women. He could see now how similar they were when they pinched their brows and narrowed their eyes, their spines rigid with determination.
Tezra had to deal with her own insecurities of being a vampire among vampires and didn’t want her sister to see her like that.
“You might not be safe. I’d be distracted, concerned for your welfare. We can’t risk it.”
Katie’s green eyes were hard and her words harsh. “They already grabbed us at Patrico’s home. Where am I supposed to safely stay?”
Tezra considered the SCU, but she wasn’t real y on good terms with them at the moment, so no, that wouldn’t work.
“Let me go with you too. Daemon already said I could,” Patrico insisted. “It’s time I did something worthy of my former position.”
Tezra looked at Daemon for his support, but he only shrugged. “It’s up to you. This is your show.”
Tezra could have socked him. Not that she didn’t mind being in charge, but this was one time she could use his help in changing her sister’s mind. “Al right, but I want Voltan to guard Katie, and this time he’s not to join the rebels and turn her over to them.” Though she knew he had done it so that he could inform Daemon of their whereabouts once they were taken.
Voltan bowed, a smal smile touching his lips.
“And, Patrico, you’re to be at Katie’s side constantly. Let no one get near her.” Tezra’s voice brooked no argument, yet she stil didn’t feel right about it.
Patrico nodded.
“Katie?” Tezra said, soliciting her agreement.
Katie relaxed. “I’l be happy to stay in the background.”
Atreides cleared his throat. “I’l watch over her too.”
“You’l be looking for anyone who’s there to disrupt the party,” Daemon countered, his tone stern, and Tezra was glad he at least was in her court on that issue.
Atreides winked at Katie, then bowed to Daemon.
“I’l be keeping a close eye on Tezra.” Bernard tilted his chin up.
Daemon gave him a disgruntled look, and she swore he thought Bernard might be competition for her affections. He ought to have known better.
Daemon turned his attention to Maison. “You know how I like the bashes, only slightly modified.”
“As you wish, my prince.” Maison bowed, then vanished.
Tezra shuddered internal y, ready or not to be the bait.
Daemon wished he could help her through her internal struggles, but for now he had to defeat Krustalus’s rebel ion and terminate the bastard and his cohorts before he could deal with Tezra’s troubles. Her green eyes reflected anxiousness, and when she caught his gaze, she looked away from him, shutting him out like she’d done ever since speaking to Katie.
He caught Atreides’s eye. His brother raised a brow, but his expression remained thoughtful. Daemon had expected his brother’s condemnation for turning the huntress. Despite the SCU cal ing her an investigator, she had kil ed the ancient vampiress Ionia, and that proved she was a born huntress. A mere investigator could not have handled the vamp.
Maison didn’t let on that he was disappointed that Daemon had given up his vow and turned Tezra, either. Maybe they’d final y come to the conclusion Daemon had no control when it came to some women.
Even Katie kept her distance from Tezra as if the woman had suddenly erected a barbed wire barrier covered with charges that screamed, “Stay away!”
Her skin clammy, Tezra walked over to the window and stared out at the clouds bil owing into mountains of white. Behind the innocent looking puffs, electrical energy gathered, building into a massive thunderstorm.
She worried not only about meeting Krustalus and fighting the urge to kil him outright, but about how Daemon’s people would receive her. Would they back him or side with Krustalus? More than that, how was she to explain to Katie what she’d become?
Could she accept her? Worse, Tezra had to ensure her sister never learned the truth, that Daemon had turned Tezra so she could help her sister see the light. The reality would damage Katie’s fragile emotional state.
Blinking away tears, she knew she had to tel Katie the truth before she learned it on her own. Tezra felt the cold return to her bones. Taking a deep breath, she joined her sister and led her to the sofa. “Please sit. I have something to tel you.”
Katie’s back was as stiff as a rigid oak, but she acquiesced.
Tezra sat beside her and forced herself to gaze into Katie’s eyes, to not look away with shame. “I’m…” The words stuck in her throat, and she avoided looking at Daemon, knowing how much he must hate her for stil being so troubled over having been turned. She swal owed hard and took her sister’s hands. “I asked Daemon to change me so I…”
Katie’s eyes widened, and she yanked her hands away from her. “You’re one of them?” She jumped from the couch. “Daemon forced you against your wil ! He had to have! One of them cold-bloodedly kil ed our parents! How could you?”
Tezra gritted her teeth, angered that her sister’s silence was the reason she’d made the choice. “No, Katie. He didn’t force me.”
“Why?” She turned her gaze to Daemon and glowered at him.
“To…to help fight Krustalus. I couldn’t fight him on my own, and he’s not going to let me go until he’s dead,” Tezra said.
Katie brushed away tears dribbling down her cheeks. When Tezra stood and tried to console her, Katie pul ed away from her.
“You’re…you’re one of them!” She stalked down the hal .
Tezra watched her retreating backside and let out her breath. Krustalus would pay. If she had her way, he would die tonight. But it would do nothing to bring Katie and her close to each other again.
***
Before they went to Daemon’s bash later that evening, Tezra paced in the living room. No matter how he tried to ease her concern about the party, he couldn’t distract her. Katie retired to Patrico’s den to watch Vampire Crime Stoppers on television while Atreides, Voltan and Patrico shared tales of momentous battles they’d been in.
Final y, Tezra approached Daemon and motioned to the hal with her head. “We need to talk.” Once they were sequestered in the master bedroom, she folded her arms and furrowed her brows. “I want to know what I’l be capable of doing tonight.”
Daemon sat on the bed, stretched his legs out and leaned against the pil ows stacked against the headboard. “I’ve told you what you’l be able to do.” And he sure as hel didn’t want her fighting. Looking beautiful and staying safe were the only missions he wanted her to focus on at the party.
“What about shape-shifting into another animal form?”
“No.” He shook his head. “That can take years.” Though it depended on the individual. But he didn’t want to get her hopes up about something she couldn’t rely on this early after being changed.
She pursed her lips. “What about moving with that vampiric speed you use to undress and sifting to get around faster than the human eye can detect?”
“Some are able to move quickly early on. Think of it this way—everyone is different. Some individuals walk when they are nine months old, some a year, some speak earlier, some learn to read faster. With vampiric abilities, some take centuries to learn certain skil s, some can learn them quickly.”
She frowned. “Can you teach me how to vanish?”
“Again, that usual y only occurs after years of being a vampire. It’s been so long ago for me—”
“How did it happen when you first did it? Did you wish it?”
He was sure as jealous as she seemed over Lichorus, she wouldn’t care to hear about his misadventure with the knight’s daughter. Yet he wanted to keep their relationship open and honest, and if it took her mind off the party scheduled for later…
Her eyes narrowed. “What?”
“I…” He shrugged. “It was a long time ago, Tezra. I was kissing a knight’s daughter and—”
“Only kissing?” Tezra raised a brow in question. “Seems the tips of your ears are too red for just having kissed the girl.”
He grinned, amused every time Tezra showed a jealous streak over him, despite her denial.
“Dressed or undressed?” She tilted her head slightly to the side, her tone amused.
“I don’t remember.” He rested his hands behind his head.
This time both brows rose. “If you can’t remember, I venture to say you weren’t dressed. So what happened?”
“She was, wel , an amorous type. She wouldn’t take no for an answer. Mary had been with several before me. She was just very…”
“Promiscuous?”
“You could say that. Anyway, I was kissing her—”
“Among other things.”
He couldn’t help smiling, amused at Tezra’s take on the story, though her perceived version was closer to the truth than he was wil ing to admit. “Her father arrived home from a tourney and heard us—”
“Just kissing?” Dimples punctuated her cheeks, and her eyes sparkled with mirth.