Blood Life Seeker (3 page)

“Better, Luce. Thank you for coming. I think he would not stopped.”

“No. I don't think so either. Did you really go willingly with him, or did he glaze you?”

He looked a little embarrassed then. I couldn't blame him, things had gone so
not
how he had imagined. I would have been embarrassed too. Letting a vampire bite you willingly is not something to be proud of in Nosferatin circles. Unless they are your kindred. I still had trouble letting Michel bite me and we were joined and Bonded, practically married in the vampire world.

“
He well known in city. He
Iunctio
here. I did no think he would lost control so.”

“
What? He is the
Iunctio.
What does that mean, Marco?” I suddenly had that sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. The one that tells you you've been duped and you're about to pay for your naivety.

Marco looked at me innocently, all open faced and young looking suddenly. He didn't understand the tone of my voice, the feeling of fear that had crept into my words.

“He on
Iunctio
. He one of the Masters who run it. On their Council. He is the word of law in Europe. You not heard of him?”

No. I hadn't. But I was sure I knew someone who did.

Before I could ask another question a couple of youths entered the alleyway and ran towards us. I stiffened, but Marco called out hello, so he knew them. This was his ride.

They couldn't see me, not Nosferatin. So I quietly said good bye to Marco, squeezed his hand and let myself drift off to that nothingness, that space that allowed me to Walk back to my body.

The first thing I registered, was arms around me, cradling me, rocking me and soft words in my ear.

“
Je suis ici, ma douce cherie. Venez à moi
.”

“I'm here, Michel.”

Michel's arms pulled me closer, almost crushing me to his chest. He kissed my head through my messy bed-head hair and left his mouth against my skin, breathing me in. He didn't say anything, which in itself was a bit unnerving. Michel when he's shouting can be frightful, but when he's quiet and angry, which I was betting he really was right now, he is downright spooky.

I cleared my throat. Me nervous? Nah. “Why are you here?”

We had agreed to let me have some nights to myself, last night was one of them. If Michel had his way, I would be living with him at his quarters beneath his club
Sensations
, but I needed to have
me
time. My apartment was my sanctuary. Michel visited here, of course, but he rarely stayed and even if he did, he was gone before dawn. My place is not light-tight like his chamber at
Sensations
, it doesn't suit his needs. Well, his light-sensitive needs anyway.

“You disappeared on me, my dear. Left me stranded in your dream. I naturally wished to make sure you were OK.”

Oh boy. We'd already made it to
my dear
. Michel had a tendency to call me
ma douce,
which means
my sweet one
in French, when he was happy, or sometimes even
ma belle
or
ma petite
lumière.
But in public or when he was angry it was
my dear
and then finally, when he was really getting going,
Lucinda
. I could always gauge how things were heating up by what name he called me by.

“It wasn't on purpose,” I answered a little sullenly.

He tensed. “What do you mean?”

I pushed away from him, so I could get a look at his eyes. Another indication of how Michel's mood was going were his eyes. If they were still deep blue with indigo swirls, I was OK. But if any violet or amethyst had crept in, then things weren't looking good. And if there was magenta hiding in their midst, then hold on tight we're in for a rough ride.

Still blue. Still good.

I took a deep breath in, I guess it's now or never. “I got pulled into a Dream Walk.”

Michel's head cocked to the side, his eyebrow delicately raised. He could make looking puzzled an art form.

“Is there something you have not been telling me, Lucinda?”

And there you have it.
Lucinda
. Crap. Things were going down hill fast.

“Why would you say that?” I'm not stupid, he was fishing, but to be fishing he must have thought there was a chance of catching something. Just how much had he suspected I had kept from him on my birthday?

He ran a hand through his hair. A movement that most people would never see Michel Durand do. He just never lost control like that, but with me? Let's just say, I've seen that gesture a lot over the past few weeks.

“
Ma douce
. You are my kindred Nosferatin. Do you really believe I would not know when you are being secretive?”

I held my breath, he just looked a little sad.

“I had hoped you would feel comfortable to come to me in time, tell me what you had chosen to hide, when you were ready. But this,” - he indicated my dishevelled self and scratched up forearms with the sweep of his Armani suit clad arm - “is not something you should hide from me. Tell me
ma douce
, what has got you so scared you cannot share?”

How is it that Michel could read me so well? Oh, that's right, he can sense my emotions. A perk from our joining. You don't realise how many emotions you feel during the course of a day. Michel had forgotten, vampires don't have the plethora of emotions humans do and he'd been a member of that undead club for over 500 years, so when he first started sensing my emotions, he had suffered. I manage to keep them in check most of the time, but I am human, well mostly, emotions are what makes us what we are. Nero had once told me, my emotions, or the fact that Michel could sense them, was what would make him turn towards the Light. I was doubtful sometimes, but hopeful. Always hopeful.

I bit my lower lip. How to tell him? The thing is, I
was
scared. I had seen it in Michel's eyes when the power came flooding into me. A greed. A sense of triumph. It was not a look I had been prepared for. What would he do with all this power we now shared? He had more than doubled his in the joining, something that had been unheard of in the past, but there was just something not quite normal about Michel and me. And for the life of me, I couldn't stop being fearful of what that might mean.

But, if my powers were taking me on Dream Walks in my sleep and I was not prepared for where they were going, then this was dangerous, even by my standards. I'm a vampire hunter, I court danger on a regular basis, but I'm usually armed. I needed help with this and Michel, as much as I feared what power would mean to him, did care for me, maybe even loved me, I'm not sure. He is a consummate actor.

He reached over and took my hand in his, rubbing the back of it softly with his thumb. Encouraging me. Comforting me. Well, it was now or never.

“
I can sense all the Nosferatu throughout the world. If I concentrate, I can feel their
Sanguis Vitam
, the level of evil or Dark within each. Where they are, what they are doing. It's like a glowing map inside my head, beacons of light flashing, fighting for my attention. I try to block it out and mostly that works, but when I sleep...” I stopped there, he could make out the rest and besides, I'd kind of lost my voice by then.

I didn't move, I couldn't bring myself to look into those eyes. Would there be something I didn't want to see? I think I had seen enough - for one lifetime - emotions in that face that weren't what I wanted to see, I just couldn't bring myself to look any more.

He pulled me towards him and wrapped me in an embrace, kissed my forehead and put his hand on my head, in my hair, pushing my cheek against his chest. Warmth surrounded me. The beating of his heart, the rise and fall of his chest. It was all so steady, so normal. He seemed relaxed.

“
I will not ask why you did not tell me this sooner,
ma douce
. You have your reasons. I will ask this though, what has Nero advised?”

What it must have taken for Michel to ask me that. He did not trust Nero, he saw him as competition for my affections. He did have a point. Nero was one of a kind and I readily admit, I struggled to remain in control of myself when in his presence. But, he has only ever been a gentleman. Sure, the odd look, the odd flirtatious remark, but nothing more. And since we helped him and his kindred vampire Nafrini against some rather nasty vampires hell bent on stealing one of their immature Nosferatins recently, he has been my Nosferatin trainer. Nothing more.

I kind of fell into this lifestyle. I didn't know what I was when I came to Auckland two years ago. My first encounter with a vampire had been a shock and a near miss. And after that, I had to make my own way with the bizarre vampire hunter skills that had suddenly developed. I researched on line and found the website, the one Nero runs, but I never found out what I was, what my heritage was, until just recently, when Michel was forced to divulge.

I don't think he would have told me quite so soon, he probably would have continued to try to woo me into his bed and into a joining without ever letting me know what I was. But an evil vampire by the name of Max came calling and spilled the beans. Michel didn't have much choice then, he had to tell me, he had to open up. Nero had only ever given me glimpses of my life, he was too concerned with keeping us hidden from prying eyes, safe from those vampires who wanted us dead. It wasn't until he and Nafrini needed our help, that he started filling in the gaps too. Now, he's progressed to my teacher, helping me hone my skills and come to terms with what I am.

Michel is jealous of that relationship. He would rather I had nothing to do with Nero at all. I understand, but I won't stop seeing him. I don't have any Nosferatin family here in New Zealand. My parents are actually my Aunt and Uncle, not of Nosferatin blood. My father, who was of Nosferatin blood, died in a car accident with my mother when I was just a baby. I don't know my father's extended family. Nero is my Nosferatin family now.

“I haven't told him,” I finally answered.

He tried to hide it, but I could feel Michel's body relax, just slightly, just a fraction. If I hadn't have been wrapped in his arms I don't think I would have noticed.

“Do you think it may happen again,
ma douce
?”

I sighed. “This was the first time it has made me Dream Walk when asleep. Usually, it just wakes me up and I'm aware of evil somewhere on the planet doing something not so nice and I can do nothing about it.” I shuddered involuntarily then.

Michel stroked my back. “I am sorry,
ma douce
. I had not noticed, you have hidden it well.”

I hadn't hidden it for him, I'd hidden it for me. I was scared that he'd find a way to use this power, this talent. I was scared he'd find a way to use me. I really wasn't giving this relationship the attention it deserved. I'd practically signed it's death warrant before it had even begun. Why? Because he's a vampire. Why else?

I pulled away then and looked at him. “What could you have done? What can anyone do? I don't know what to do with this knowledge, Michel. I don't know how to stop being sucked into the evil that invades this world. I thought I had enough right here in Auckland to contend with, but now it seems I have to take on the world too. I don't know if I can do this. It's picked the wrong Nosferatin. I'm not strong enough for this.” My voice had got quieter and quieter, until it was just a hushed whisper, barely heard.

“You are the strongest, most capable human I have ever met. Do not ever forget that,
ma douce
. Do not.”

His hand touched my cheek, rested at my jaw, his thumb stroking slowly over my skin. When I chanced a look into his eyes I noticed a swirl of amethyst in the blue. Did it scare me? No. It made my breath catch, my heart beat faster, but not out of fear. He looked at me with such tenderness. I will admit, there are times when I forget he's a vampire. When I forget that I should be careful, should not trust. There are times when I simply don't care. All that matters is him and me. Nothing else.

He brushed his lips against my mouth softly, almost chastely. He paused, ran a hand through my hair, rested it at the back of my neck, so warm, so soft, then bent his head again and kissed me more deeply.

It never seemed to take long for Michel and I to get close, to melt into the heat of each other. If only my body would be as cautious as my head, I'd be OK. But it isn't, not by a long shot, where Michel is concerned.

He smelt divine. A beautiful fresh smell of wild flowers and freshly cut grass in the meadow at home on the farm, laced with a soft scent of the sea. The two would not normally exist together, but with Michel they just seemed right. Comforting. Clean. Home.

I pulled back reluctantly, he needed to know everything. The fact that I had Dream Walked unintentionally was only part of the problem. Gregor was a concern

He looked at me with slight surprise. I don't often pull away from his embrace any more. I may have, in the beginning, but not now. My body called for him on so many levels. I was truly undone by this man. But, he needed to know.

“I ended up in Rome just now, near the
Trevi Fountain
. My pull had taken me to a Nosferatin about to be killed by a vampire.”

Michel's eyebrows rose. He was intrigued.

“His name was Gregor.” I went to say something else, but Michel had stilled, so still, vampire still. Uh-oh.

I took a deep breath in, it might be the last I get for a while, by the looks of the deep amethyst and violet now swirling around in his eyes.

“He has silver or grey eyes and a scar on the right side of his face, from his eye down his cheek.” I showed where the scar was on me. Michel had practically turned to stone.

“
The Nosferatin said he was the
Iunctio
in their area. Their law. The vampire knew who I was and what I was and that I was your kindred Nosferatin.”

I stopped there, his stillness was beginning to creep me out. I mean, he did it from time to time and I am kind of used to it, but when it went on like this and you were talking to him, you couldn't help feeling he was somewhere else, not listening, not here. And you were just talking to a statue. It was spooky and unnerving and just not right.

“Did you stake him?” Even, low, nothing else.

But whew, he was breathing again. Still though, very still.

“No. I didn't have any of my stakes and the Nosferatin had lost his.”

Whoa. And there was the magenta, full blown, like a strobe light from his eyes. It bathed the room in its glow, bouncing off the bed, the desk with my laptop on it in the corner, my bedside table and me. The room was a friggin' purple puddle.

“What's wrong, Michel?” My voice was tiny, thin, his
Sanguis Vitam
had all but filled the room, there was no air to breathe. His power didn't normally have any effect over me, since we had joined. Well only if I have my shields up that is. I checked them now, they were up, so what he must have been expending was unfathomable. Why was he so scared?