Last Blood (26 page)

Luciano’s mouth bunched to one side. “Do you think she’ll come? After all, she’s not known for her compassion toward her fellow brethren.”

“I saw them together at the Dominus ball. She loves him. She’ll come. And when she does, I will kill both of them to make up for the deaths they have dealt me.” He nodded slowly. “I must prepare my workroom. These deaths…” He smiled. It was good to have something new to focus on. “They will not be fast or merciful.”

Luciano didn’t get up. “
Zio
, there is another thing…”

Dominic settled back in his chair. When Luciano called him uncle, chances were good the next thing that followed would not be. “
Si?
”

“The other night, when I was leaving blood for Malkolm, I ran into someone.” A rare sliver of fear ran through Luciano’s eyes.

“And?”

“He claims to be Kubai Mata.” Luciano laughed, but it seemed forced. “Of course, I know they do not exist, but still, who would make such a—”

“They do exist. His name is Creek. He hasn’t been an issue for me, and from what Mortalis tells me, he’s fairly levelheaded. I doubt you’ll see him much. He tends to watch the fringe more. Now, go, I have work—”

“It’s just that…” Luciano paused as if still absorbing
the knowledge that the KM were real. “He knows I’m responsible for siring the mayor. He said he had orders to kill me, but because of what I was doing for Chrysabelle in helping to keep Malkolm sedated, he would let me go. I was thinking, perhaps I should strike first—”

“No.” Dominic shook his head. “You cannot kill him. His grandmother is not a woman I wish to upset, nor will I make an enemy of the Kubai Mata.” He shooed Luciano away. “Out, find this Octavian and bring him to me. My need to avenge these deaths will not go unmet.”

Y
ou killed the raptor? By yourself?” Mal stared in amazement at the beautiful woman across from him. The voices had retreated into a sullen, pouting mass, making them easy to ignore, especially with Chrysabelle standing in front of him. Her glow was more brilliant than he’d ever seen it and it wasn’t just because he’d been away from her so long. She gleamed like she was lit from within.

She put her hands on her hips. “Is this the part where you scold me? I got a little scratch; that was it. A small price to pay for the return of your emotions.”

He shook his head. “I’m not going to yell at you. I’m impressed. That thing was huge. And dangerous.”

“And killing it was the only way to bring you back to me.”

He ached to hold her. “I owe you my life. In more ways than one.” He smiled. “How many times are you going to save me?”

She took a step toward him. “As many times as I have to.” She held his gaze. “Damian, Mortalis, could you leave us alone? We can all agree Mal’s not a threat to me anymore.”

They left and Mal grinned. “I might be a threat to those clothes. How much of a burn do you think that body armor will give me while I’m tearing it off you?”

She laughed, but it faded fast. “You might want to sit. I have something to tell you.”

“Later. I’m too wound up to sit.”

She pointed at the couch. “Now.”

Reluctantly, he sat. “Fine. But you’ve got two minutes. Then body armor or not, you’re mine.”

She didn’t even smile as she took the other end of the couch, far enough that the silver mesh covering her body didn’t cause his skin to itch. Much. “You should probably hear what I have to say first.”

“I don’t like the tone of your voice. Sounds serious.”

“It is, but it’s not bad news. I don’t think.”

“Just tell me.” He swallowed. What had he done now? “I can take it.”

She reached out, slipping her fingers through his. He closed his eyes at her touch, the warmth of her skin like a kiss. “I… I’m pregnant.”

He froze.

“Did you hear me? I’m pregnant. That…
episode
in the plane’s bedroom on the way home from Corvinestri? Well, it… worked.” She looked slightly miffed. “As Fi would say, you knocked me up.”

He stared at her. He knew he wasn’t moving, knew he wasn’t saying anything, but he couldn’t get his body to respond and couldn’t find words that made sense.

She tugged on his hand. “Aren’t you going to say anything? Are you upset? Happy? I need to know how you feel about this.”

Slowly, he began to nod. “Happy doesn’t cover it. I
didn’t even know it was possible. A child.
Our
child. I…” The cold realization of what that meant hit him. “This child is half vampire, half comarré.”

“Yes. Part of each of us.”

“Son of a priest.” Fear crept in over his bones. “Look at what happened with Preacher’s child. Julia wasn’t even a real comarré. Can you imagine how many people will be after this baby? The lengths they’ll go to lay hands on it?”

Chrysabelle’s hands went to her stomach. “We’ll protect it. No matter what.”

“That goes without saying, but—”

“I already know Tatiana’s in town.”

“Not anymore. She was, but I sent her home.”

Chrysabelle frowned. “
You
sent her home?”

“She came here to recruit me. Offered to restore my noble status and set me up as her Elder, in exchange for helping her.”

“Helping her with what? It’s got to be a trick.”

“I don’t think so. She told me the ancient ones fed Lilith, the baby, with their blood after they took her. They’ve turned her into some kind of monster. Grown-up Lilith has already killed Tatiana’s Elder and she says even the ancients are afraid of what they’ve created. Now she wants my help getting rid of Lilith.”

Chrysabelle crossed her arms. “I don’t like this. She’s setting you up to die.”

“Maybe, but I told her I would do it.”

“What? No.” She grabbed his arm. “That was the old you. You can’t.”

He squeezed her hand. “I have to. Don’t you see? If this Lilith is as powerful as Tatiana says, can you imagine
the threat she’ll be to our child? She must be dealt with. And in doing so, I’ll be able to get close to Tatiana and take care of her, too. I
have
to go to Corvinestri. She’s waiting for me. If I don’t, I have no doubt she’ll come back here.”

She pulled her hand out from under his and slid a little farther away from him. “If you go, I’m going with you.”

“Chrysabelle, right now Tatiana thinks you and I are done and that I care about nothing but my own advancement. She’s got to
keep
thinking that for this to work.” He snagged her hand and kissed her knuckles. “And you have the baby to think about.” He smiled. “Our baby.”

She glared at him, clearly unmoved by his affections. Damn, he’d missed her. “She won’t know I’m there, and we’ll be stronger working together. Besides, if Lilith is so powerful that the ancients are afraid of her, then the comarré need to know about this new threat. They need to prepare. We have been taught all our lives that the future holds a day when we will be called upon to rise up and destroy our hosts.”

Her eyes took on a faraway look. “I believe that day has come.”

“I need your help, Octavian.” Lola hoped he could see the sincerity in her eyes, and the pain of losing her daughter and her granddaughter etched across her face. She also hoped inviting him to her home had not been a mistake. She folded her hands on her lap and sighed. “I am a woman in pain. A woman in mourning.”

“Why?” he asked, leaning forward from his seat on
the big leather chair opposite her. She took that to mean concern. A good sign. “What’s happened?”

“Since my daughter Julia’s death, I have been searching for my granddaughter. She is a unique child, half vampire, half comarré. And I have been told that she is now in the possession of those known as the ancients.”

Silver flickered in his eyes. “Yes, I’ve heard about this child. She was introduced to the nobility at a ball, recently. But I also believe what you said is true—she is now in the hands of the ancients.”

Lola nodded. He knew of Mariela. “You must help me, then. I have no one else to turn to. No one else I trust.”

“What help do you need?”

“I want to get her back.” She looked into his eyes and tried to convey every ounce of pain she’d felt these last months. There truly was no length she wouldn’t go to in order to get her grandchild back. He must understand that. “Tell me how to access these ancients.”

His gaze went completely silver and he pushed back in his chair, shaking his head. “No. You cannot. They are… unlike anything you know.”

“But I do know,” she said. “I know they are the creators of our kind, I know they are angels fallen from their first estate. And I also know that I am the one best suited to raise this child. I
must
get her back.”

Again he shook his head. “What you ask is madness. They will kill you.”

“How do you know?”

“Can you think of a reason they wouldn’t?” He stood and began to pace. “A barely sired vampire wants to take their greatest possession from them?” He laughed. “Do you really expect them to hand her over to you?”

“I am her family. Her blood.”

“None of that matters to the Cast—” He frowned. “The ancients. None of it. You would do yourself a favor to forget this child.”

She jumped up. “Forget my grandchild? You are insane. Don’t you have any family? Isn’t there anyone you would fight for?”

He stopped pacing to glare at her. “I spent my life in the service of the nobles, only to give that life to them in exchange for this new one. The only family I’ve ever known has done nothing but take from me. Take and take and take some more.”

Slightly surprised, she softened her tone. “I am sorry about that. No one should have to live that kind of life.”

With a sigh, he collapsed into his chair again. “I apologize for raising my voice. I shouldn’t burden you with my troubles, but I cannot see any outcome with the nobles that gives you the result you want. They are
hard
creatures. Frightening. Capricious. They are the father of our race and yet they treat us more like disposable playthings than children.” His eyes met hers. “I worry for you. I have come to care for you in my own way, and I suppose that makes me foolish because we’ve known each other such a short time, but that is who I am. I wouldn’t want anything to happen to you.”

“That’s very kind of you, Octavian.” It warmed her heart to know she’d affected him so deeply in so few days. If she actually had. “But I cannot pretend my granddaughter never exists. I cannot turn my back on her.”

He nodded. “I understand.”

“Then help me find a way to get her back.”

“I will think on it. That is as much as I can promise right now.”

“Think quickly.” She sat back, her patience nearly at its end. “Luciano believes you murdered one of the employees at Seven. I told him you and I left early, that there was no way you could have been involved.” She tipped her head and gave him her coldest stare. “Please, don’t make me out to be a liar.”

“I know it’s late,” Chief Vernadetto said. “I’m sorry to disturb you, but I have news I thought you’d both want to hear.”

Doc nodded. “We appreciate your keeping us in the loop.” The chief was a good man and whether or not he was doing this because of Fi, Doc didn’t know, but it felt nice to catch a break once in a while.

“Totally, Pete,” Fi added.

Isaiah set coffee cups in front of him and Vernadetto, then served Fi a cup of tea. He added sugar and a creamer to the table. “Anything else?”

“No, that’s all. Thanks.” Doc waited until Isaiah left before responding to the chief. He gave Fi’s leg a little squeeze under the table.

Fi blew on her tea. “What did you find out?”

Vernadetto stirred sugar into his coffee. “As Fi knows, I dug a little deeper on Remo, but found nothing that led me to believe he was involved in his sister’s death. However, we have now identified the source of the silver. A dealer down on Agramonte.”

Doc turned his cup. Fi had told him about Vernadetto’s info on Remo. “So? Whom did the dealer sell to?”

“That’s the tricky part. This dealer is a remnant, part fae, and didn’t want anything to do with this death. Claims not
to remember much about the sale other than that the silver was picked up and paid for in cash by a messenger service. From that messenger, who also mysteriously can’t remember any details, we were able to get one piece of information. He says one of your council members bought the silver.”

Beside him, Fi stiffened. She shook her head and Doc noticed her hand was trembling. “No. I can’t believe either of them would have anything to do with this.”

Vernadetto dropped his head a little. “I’m sorry, Fiona. It’s always hard when the news hits so close to home.” He sighed. “I’m sorry, but I have to take Barasa and Omur down to the station for questioning. I just wanted to let you know first out of courtesy.”

“I can’t believe this.” Doc stared at his coffee without really seeing it. “They’ve been so loyal.” He shook his head. This wasn’t the news he’d wanted to hear. “That probably doesn’t help, does it?”

Vernadetto shifted uncomfortably. “You shouldn’t say anything more. You’ll be called to testify and I don’t want to know more than I need to.”

Doc nodded, swamped with heat. The two he’d trusted most. Losing either of them would hurt, but what if they’d been in it together? He couldn’t believe it. What would Remo’s father do when he found out his daughter had been murdered? The weight of it all pressed down on his shoulders, nearly bending him forward. Somehow, he held on and kept the witch fire at bay. “So that’s it then.”