Replica (The Blood Borne Series Book 2) (15 page)

Ivan took off, and so did Rachel. I bolted after them, hard pressed to keep up. Of course, they were both tweaked out on my blood, while I had been weakened by my donation.

It was nice not to have to carry anyone for a change. I ran beside Rachel, keeping time with her. She glanced at me once, and her eyes widened as she seemed to realize the significance of what was happening. “Holy shit, I’m keeping up with you.”

“’Bout fucking time,” I threw back. She grinned, her eyes a little wild. That would ease as my blood faded in her.

We ran for another hour before the sun began its inevitable rise. I slowed them down with a wave of my hand. “Let’s arrange for that private jet. I think we can manage to do it without using all our money. Ivan, can you act like an asshole? I need you to pretend to be Victor once we board the flight.”

Rachel snorted. “He’s a man. It’s not an act.”

“Bitter much?” He tipped his head to one side, looking for all the world like a dog begging for a treat.

“Stop it. I can get someone to pick us up and take us to a private airstrip. I can’t make them see someone who isn’t there, but I can make them believe you are Victor.”

They both turned to me and Rachel frowned. “I’m not sure I like it.”

My turn to frown. “It’s Victor’s. And I’m not entirely certain which of his people know I’m the one who killed him. Or if they even know he’s dead.”

Ivan laughed softly. “Well, let’s see if it works.”

I pulled out my phone and dialed the emergency number I had for Victor’s right-hand man. “Who is this guy you’re calling?” Rachel asked.

“He handles all of Victor’s non-business ventures. An assistant of sorts,” I said as I waited for the other end to be picked up.

“So he’s Victor’s Alfred?” Rachel asked. I frowned at her. What the hell was she talking about? And how did she know his name?

Ivan grinned. “That’s totally what it sounds like.”

“Doesn’t look like—”

I turned my back on them.

“Good morning. Is that you, Lea?”

“Alfred. Yes, it’s me.”

My companions burst into laughter that I couldn’t understand. I shook my head. Must be still giddy on my blood.

“What can I do for you, Lea?”

“Alfred—” another burst of giggles I ignored, “—I need a car to pick me up at my current location, then take me and two associates to the airstrip. Victor has asked me to travel with him on his next excursion.” With any luck, he wouldn’t know Victor’s traveling days were over.

“Oh, thank God! You know where he is? You’ve spoken with him?”

“Only by text. He asked me to meet him at the airstrip.” I paused. “I can give him a message if you’d like.”

Alfred was quiet a moment. “No. No, don’t bother. I doubt I’ll be working for him much longer. Give me your address and I’ll send a car ’round for you. We have a new driver, pay him no mind; he’s a bit mouthy from time to time.”

I gave Alfred the address, or more accurately the intersection where we were standing, then handed the phone back to Ivan. He shoved it into his pocket and grinned at me.

“What?”

“Alfred? You really don’t know who that is?”

I shrugged. “Do I care? No, no, I don’t.”

Ivan and Rachel bantered back and forth about Alfred and someone named Batman. They were getting along better than they ever had.

They took blood from you at the same time, you idiot. They bonded through you.
The thought hit me like a hammer blow and I took a few steps back. How long would it last? I couldn’t remember. I’d learned the ropes on my own, and this wasn’t the sort of situation I’d found myself in before. I squeezed my eyes shut.

Ten minutes passed in a weird silence. Weird because Rachel and Ivan kept sneaking glances at me, then at each other, then their lips would twist in smiles they suppressed.

Like a couple of kids.

I rolled my eyes as a long black limo pulled up.

A swarthy man in a limo driver’s suit stepped out and tipped his hat at us. Dark eyes and hair. He was handsome in a way that reminded me of home. As in Spain.

He smiled at me, but his eyes never left Rachel.

And hers never left his.

Well, this was interesting.

RACHEL

What the actual fuck?

Should I acknowledge I knew him and tell Lea I’d seen him on the subway? That he was the one who’d given me the silver blade at the small of my back? That he had warned me not to trust her?

But he took the lead, shifting his gaze to Lea. “I’m Antonio and I’ll be your driver today. Per Alfred’s request, the car is suited to your needs.”

Lea gave him a curt nod as he opened the back door and waited for us to get in.

Ivan gave Antonio a quick once-over before sliding into the back. Lea slid in next, cutting in front of me.

As I looked up at Antonio—if that was even his real name—he put his finger in front of his lips, then lowered it slowly, mouthing, “Trust me.”

The sight of his lips sent my pulse into overdrive. What was this hold he had on me? It reminded me I should quiz Lea about other beings in the supernatural world—specifically if any of them could control humans like vampires could. Maybe he was a vampire who had mind-controlled me, but I quickly marked that off the list. His lips and body had been far too warm.

Don’t go there
.

He stepped closer, as though to usher me into the car, and the musky scent of his shampoo filled my nose, flavored with a scent I knew had to be his alone. Lea’s blood had kicked my sense of smell into overdrive and my body flushed, liking what it was picking up. The thought of screwing him right there and then flooded my brain, and it took everything in me to control myself.

This was not me. My reaction to him was ten times stronger than it had been in the subway the night before.

He studied my eyes, his gaze darkening as it flicked into the car and back. He leaned into my ear and whispered so quietly I shouldn’t have been able to hear him. “The blood will pass out of your system soon enough, and I will be there to watch over you.”

I pulled back and gaped at him in surprise. How did he know I’d taken Lea’s blood? But the thought of screwing him was overwhelming, especially with him so close, and I took a step toward him, fully intending to shove him up against the car.

His fierce gaze turned to agony as he gave me a soft push toward the open car door. There were two seats facing one another. Lea and Ivan sat next to each other in the seat facing the front. I climbed in and reluctantly sat in the rear-facing seat, hating that I was in such close proximity to Antonio. Even before I was seated, I knew Lea sensed something was up. She didn’t look at me, but a slight tensing of her shoulders gave her away.

I took several deep breaths, trying to control my raging libido, smelling my own freaking pheromones.

Ivan must have picked up on them too, because his gaze honed in on me.

“It’s the vampire blood,” Lea said, sounding irritated. “I’d let you do him to get it out of your system faster, but I suspect you would hate me for it later. I’ve heard it would be the best sex of your life, so it would ruin you forever.”

“I’d be willing to give it a go,” Ivan said with a wicked grin.

“I’ll give you a pillow to hump instead,” Lea grumbled.

Antonio soon had us on our way. The small window separating the front and back was cracked open. His smell seeped through, making me want to dive into the front seat, so I reached behind me to shut it. I gripped the leather beneath me as I took several deep breaths through my nose and out my mouth.

“I want to know more about the supernatural world,” I said, after a minute.

“What brings this up?” Lea asked, her dark eyes penetrating mine.

“I’ve been thrown into the middle of this shit, so I want to understand what I’m facing. Like what vampire blood does to me.”

“Besides its healing powers, vampire blood increases your senses, makes you more sensitive. The reason you’re so horny is you can smell him, much more so than usual.” Her mouth quirked up into a sardonic grin. “And I must say he smells quite good.”

“Hey!” Ivan protested.

“How long will it take before I’m back to normal?” I asked, my face burning with embarrassment. I’d have to be dying before I ever consented to drink vampire blood again.

Lea paused, but Ivan answered for her. “It depends on how much you drank. I would guess you had enough to last two to three hours.”

“Great,” I mumbled. “Just fucking great.”

“Does werewolf blood have the same effect? Or any at all?”

Lea laughed, but it wasn’t friendly. “No.”

“How the hell would I know?” I asked hatefully. “It wasn’t like I asked for any of this.”

“Are you sure about that?” she asked, her gaze penetrating mine.

“It would take a bite for our magic to have an effect on you,” Ivan said, sounding guarded. “That saliva that entered your bloodstream would do it. But it would make you one of us.” He paused. “You’re right. You do need to understand the supernatural world. Lea should have told you more by now.”

“Shut up, wolf.” She didn’t bother to spare him a glance. “We haven’t exactly had time.”

He leaned forward, his forearms resting on his thighs. “There are three species of supernatural creatures. Two are made and one is born.”

“The made are vampires and werewolves,” I said. “Are the ones who are born into it witches?”

“Yes,” Lea said, shooting Ivan a glare before turning back to me. “Witches are not to be trusted.”

“Because vampires are?” I asked dryly.

Lea scowled. “
None
of them are to be trusted.”

“Hey,” Ivan said good-naturedly. “Speak for your own species.”

“So werewolves can be trusted?” I asked, turning my attention to him.

“Just like everything, it depends.” He sat upright and stretched his arm along the back of the seat, behind Lea, and I found it interesting she didn’t break his arm off. She definitely had it bad for him. I suspected she needed a good lay herself, but I still worried he would distract her from our task.

Right now I had other men to worry about. Particularly the mystery man sitting behind me and my reaction to him.

“So what does it depend on?” I prodded.

“Wolves are territorial. Pack creatures. Everyone has his or her place. As long as you stay in yours, you are not only safe, but protected.”

“So werewolves can trust each other as long as they follow the rules?” I asked. “What happens if you don’t follow the rules?”

“Following the rules is expected. Those who don’t are punished. The punishment fits the crime, so to speak.”

“So why did
you
run?” Lea asked dryly, slowly turning her head to face him. “You’re not with your pack. In fact, you’re hundreds if not thousands of miles away. Get too cold for you? Or did it get too hot?”

He kept his gaze on hers, the heat between them palpable. “Some of us aren’t born to follow.”

“So you’re a lone wolf? That makes you dangerous. You need the pack to keep you emotionally in check.”