Kindred (Kindred, Book 1) (45 page)

He was of course handsome, I don't think there would have been an ugly vamp in the room tonight, Jett with his crooked nose was about as bad as it was going to get and he was standing outside. He had  slightly unruly blonde hair, but it had that staged look about it, like he'd spent an hour gelling it into place. His eyes were a piercing blue, intense azure, it made his lightly golden skin stand out. Vampires don't get sunburns, unless by accident right before they
die
die, but if they had tanned skin when they were turned, it more or less stays that way in the undead life as well. I'm picking this guy was from a sunny country, maybe Greece or Turkey? His mouth was full and currently in a beguiling smile. It finished off his features with an all mighty full stop. This guy was simply dazzling.

“
Can I help you?”

“
Absolutely, you can,” he drawled, American, wouldn't have picked that.

He reached out to touch my hair running a hand through the strands, then rested his hand at the side of my neck, stroking over my pulse point.

“What are you doing?”

He cocked his head at me, a little surprised I was asking that question. “What does it look like I'm doing? Savouring my meal.”

Oh great. I was so glad Rick was not here to hear this.

“
I'm not on the menu.”

“
All the humans here are for our enjoyment. Be that physical or nutritional. Which one are you?” His voice was husky, inviting.

His hand at my neck had tightened, the other one now gripping my left arm slightly. Where was everyone tonight? None of Michel's guys would have stood for this. Where was a decent bodyguard when you needed one? Guess I'm on my own. Again.

“Neither. And I suggest you remove your hands before you get yourself hurt.” Best to come out guns blazing with a vampire holding your neck.

He laughed at that, actually threw back his head and laughed. Didn't loosen his grip though, did he?

“Perhaps you could be both. First my meal, then my entertainment. I've always liked my fun with a bit of bite.”

At that his fangs slipped out and down and his lips drew back in that definitely not-sexy move some vampires have. If only they practised in front of a mirror, they'd get a hell of a lot more pussy that way, I'm sure.

I really didn't think I should stake someone on Michel's property, in the middle of a private vampire function. The repercussions would be too great. God knows who was running this party and how they would react, and really, I had no idea how Michel would either. Neither thought was comforting.

So, where did that leave me? His fangs were getting closer, I could feel his hot breath against my skin, the world had squeezed in to just him and me, those fangs and my bare skin. Time had slowed, but not stopped, in too short a space of time his teeth would pierce my flesh. Nobody in the room had come to my aid, some had noticed, but had simply turned away, the vampires uncaring, the humans too weak to show support. God, why was I always ending up in these situations?

Out of frustration I shouted
Michel!
in my head. I was angry that he hadn't been here to greet me, that he hadn't sensed I had arrived, that he didn't even know that some Neanderthal vampire in his bar was now about to chomp down on my neck and then do God knows what to the rest of me. Where the hell was he!

The door to the club opened with a resounding bang. I couldn't see who had done it, I was facing the wrong way and kind of in a bind, but I could sure as hell feel it. And then everything happened so fast. Michel appeared beside us with eyes blazing the most amazing array of purples; violet, heliotrope, amethyst and amaranthine, sparkling like diamonds around the room. In the next instant the vampire was flying through the air and landing in a heap against the bar, breaking wood and glass and sending patrons flying.

He was on his feet in an instant, but as soon as he saw who his attacker was, stilled. A look of shock and outrage on his features.

Surprisingly his voice was very calm when he said, “Is there a problem?”

Michel just growled and slowly walked towards him. His
Sanguis Vitam
was electrifying. Vampires in the vicinity were scrambling to get out of the way, as far as possible out of the way. Humans were being discarded, left where they had been dropped, they too were making desperate escapes, but somewhat more pitifully. I felt Bruno come up and stand beside me more than I saw him, my eyes too transfixed by the display that was Michel. He glowed, the most stunning shade of blue and purple, it made him seem so godly, so terrifyingly beautiful. It didn't seem possible that he was of this world.

The vampire realised then that things were not going well, but I could tell he was struggling to understand why. I almost felt bad for the guy and took a step forward to say something to Michel. Bruno's hand came down on my shoulder, not hard but firm,  halting me in my place. I understood, this was not something a human, albeit vampire hunter/kindred Nosferatin should get in-between of. So, instead, I threw my thoughts out to Michel. I wasn't sure if he'd hear them, but it felt right and I had nothing to lose.
He didn't know who I was, Michel, he thought I was another human groupie, a donor. He didn't know.

Michel hadn't paused, still making that slow and determined walk towards the vampire, who was by now every shade of green, sick with fear. I wasn't sure if Michel had even heard me or not, his gaze so intent, his step so sure. He growled a low threatening sound that rumbled around the room and made several of the humans whimper. I didn't blame them, I would have whimpered too if I wasn't trying so hard to get Michel's attention.

Michel stop! You don't need to do this. He didn't know. Please, for me.

Somehow that got through to him. Wow. I don't know if it was
what
I was saying in my thoughts to him, or if it was the fact that I had just been sending thoughts non-stop throughout all of this and finally they had broken through his anger and rage, but he stopped advancing on the man and his glow slowly diminished. His eyes still blazed, but he had reschooled his features into that neutral mask vampires wear around each other.

“
It seems my kindred Nosferatin is prepared to forgive your transgression.” The vampires eyes widened alarmingly and he slid a quick glance to me and then back to Michel. “She has more compassion than I, however, as the infringement was made against her, I shall allow her to mete the punishment.”

What?

So,
now
all eyes were on me. Before they couldn't even spare me a glance, but
now
they were transfixed. Super great.

“
Lucinda?” He hadn't turned towards me, he was still staring intently at the vampire, but in his mind he sent the thought,
come stand with me, ma douce.
At least he was lucid enough to use my pet name, I thought weakly, as I came to stand next to him.

The vampire had started apologising then, almost drivelling in his rapid flow of words, “Sorry, I had no idea, had I known... You were so beautiful,” he received a small growl from Michel then. “It's just I couldn't understand why you had not yet been taken. I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry, so very sorry.”

I'd raised my hand then to tell him to stop making a fool of himself, but he'd kind of run out of steam anyway and seemed to look as much like a vampire as a pussy cat right now.

What am I meant to say?
I asked in my mind, directing the thought at Michel.

He is yours to punish, you choose,
came his cool reply in my head.

What punishment could I give him?

I was hoping for a stake through the heart.
I heard it then, the lightness in Michel's thought, he was enjoying this. Typical.

I don't want to hurt him. Who is he anyway?
This mind talking could prove very helpful.

A visitor, come to pay their respects. It seems word of my power increase has reached the furthest corners of the Iunctio and those who wish to strategically align themselves with us have started calling. And then there are those who just want to come and see if it is true.

Which is he?

Michel smiled at me then, a small turn of his head towards me, his eyes lifting to meet mine.
The former I think. I believe he is the representative for the American Council of Families. They have long been requesting a meeting, some of their business interests have much in common with mine, however, their methods of arranging that meeting have been - how should I say? - blunt.

There's a group of American Families with a representative?
Now was not the time to be sidetracked, so I hadn't flung that thought out to Michel.

So, where does that leave me now? Do I tell him to leave and piss off America? Or is that what you want?

The look Michel gave me was unexpected, surprise, a sort of astonishment.
You would consult my wishes?

Of course.
I'm your Nosferatin. And, yes, I hadn't sent that little titbit of information flying through to his head. But it was how I felt. We were in this together, even if sometimes I didn't really want to and sometimes I wondered whether I had even been cornered into this deal without any chance of escaping from the start and sometimes he did things that made me mad. The truth was, I was here now, and ever the practical person that I am, I knew I couldn't do this without Michel. So, I wasn't going to fight it any more.

Tell him to leave. The American Families will take the inference that it is. I will not be bullied.

I couldn't imagine that Michel would ever be bullied, but maybe the American Council, whoever they were, were bigger than even him. It wasn't a reassuring thought.

I turned back to the vampire who had been watching us intently, all too aware that we had been communicating telepathically, yet another confirmation of the strength of our relationship. Only those Bonded could do this and we shouldn't have been Bonded just yet.

“Well, you've kind of put a dampener on my evening. You see,  I've already had a shit of a night and I'd thought coming here would change all of that. But, you're just one more supernatural to piss me off. So, here's the thing. Get out of my city and get off my land.”

He stared at me incredulously, his mouth gaping open, his brow slightly furrowed. Michel stepped forward and in a low growl said, “I believe she has evicted you. I suggest you not waste time in obeying her command. She is incredibly beautiful when in a rage, but I fear you would not win.”

The vampire took one look at me, then back at Michel. “The Families shall hear of this.”

“
Oh, I do hope so,” Michel said evenly, then flashed his fangs.

With that the vampire vanished, a blur of colour as he raced from the room. Bruno, a flash as he followed with several others of Michel's clan, no doubt to ensure the vampire left as requested and didn't come back.

“Well, that was fun, my dear,” Michel said turning to take my hand. “Shall we retire?

The music started playing again and the vampires in the club visibly relaxed, the humans not so much, but the chill had definitely left the room.

We walked towards the private door to Michel's quarters and I said softly, “So, are we at war with the Americans now too?”

He laughed, that lovely rich, deep rumble in his chest I've come to love. “So it would seem.”

Oh crap.

Michel threw his jacket on a chair in the corner of his chamber, took his shoes off and undid his deep blue on blue tie, leaving it hanging around his neck in strands that caught the light every now and then and shimmered slightly. He grabbed a bottle of Merlot which had been left out on his dresser with two glasses nearby and filled both, then turned to hand one to me. He looked tired, really tired. That took me by surprise.

I've only ever seen Michel tired once before, in Taupo, after the battle with Max. He'd lowered his guard, that façade he keeps on most of the time and sat sprawled on the couch with his hand over his head. It was a sight I hadn't expected to see again, Michel's power level has increased tremendously since that time, I couldn't imagine what would tire him now.

He came and sat on the bed beside me, stretching his long legs out in front of him and resting back against the copious gold and brown cushions. He levelled his gaze at me. “Why are you looking at me like that,
ma douce
?”

I hadn't realised I had been looking at him in any particular way, but now he mentioned it, he did make it feel like I had been staring and maybe there was a look of worry there too.

“You look so tired. What's happened? What's wrong?”

He smiled his lazy smile and motioned for me to come and cuddle in. I didn't need to be asked twice. The need to be near him still so strong, it was the dominant emotion in my body right now, one I had no intention of fighting. He felt warm and soft, the smell of him now so familiar, fresh and clean, like when it has just stopped raining. He wrapped his arm around my body and I rested my head against his chest, listening to his heartbeat steadily thumping, feeling his chest rise and fall.