Caressed by Night (7 page)

Gabriel ran his hand down his face, trying to relieve the tension that gripped his body. When it came to raw power, he was a member of the top one percent, along with the clan chieftains and the Black Knights.

Gabriel reached for the offering, but Dimitri’s fingers remained clamped on the paper. He looked up, the ancient’s eyes glowing white, the color completely consumed. The beast, the true, pureblood vampire, was staring straight at him, its gaze searing his soul. He couldn’t look away, he couldn’t move. The air froze in his lungs, and his body went completely numb. This was the creature inside him; this was what clawed at him and roared for blood.

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Dimitri stepped forward, the envelope still clamped by both their hands. Gabriel did not retreat and a twisted, respectful smile turned Dimitri’s lips as the earth began to shake and the building swayed. A low growl rumbled from his throat when gasps greeted their ears from the club below. Dimitri was granting everyone within the city a demonstration of his power. Every vampire would know he had risen from the grave. Fear would set fire to their cold hearts, settle in their bones, and fall from their lips as they shared their knowledge with the world.

“Ven’s reign is at an end.” The voice was deep, rough, and distorted. “I want you to ruin him.”

Gabriel’s breath slammed out of him, his eyes widening as his brain processed the command.

Dimitri released his hold on the paper and the quaking came to an end. “Burn them all.”

Gannon stood like a perfect, silent, marble statue. He had not moved one centimeter during the earthquake. His hands remained clasped behind his back, his unblinking gaze fixed straight ahead. His clinical concentration was amazing and terrifying.

With half of her vodka tonic glistening on the table, Kerstyn took up her glass with shaking fingers, hoping a sip would steady her nerves.

I so don’t miss living in California
, she thought as a tiny “ding” went off. The elevator doors opened, and Dimitri stepped out. Kerstyn eagerly scooted from the booth and straightened her dress as she stood to meet him.

Dimitri came to a stop in front of her, devouring her with his eyes from the top of her strawberry blonde head to the tip of her peep toe stilettos, her dress hugging every curve.

“You look stunning.”

“That is the third time you have said that tonight. You really know how to make a girl blush.” Kerstyn smiled and tucked her hair behind her ear, exposing her throat. Dimitri’s eyes locked on her pulse, his fangs tingling.

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“Thank you, Gannon,” he said, dismissing the vampire.

The guard bowed his head before stepping back to the elevator doors.

Dimitri glanced over his shoulder at the club, his eyes flashing white. No one dared to make eye contact with him. He could not remember the last time he had embraced the beast within him. The monster was dangerous, lethal, and unpredictable. He had learned early on to control his emotions. He had seen what the pure vampires could do. The others like him had laid waste to town after town, destroying whole villages. Before they decided to settle and change humans into beasts against their will, thereby creating the vampire clans and would forever be knows as the Fathers.

A shudder skipped across his skin as he considered what he was capable of doing. He could never turn the beast loose, but he had to make a statement. He was back and more powerful than ever.

He scanned the crowd again. His demonstration had not only been an announcement of his return, but also a warning. Turning back to Kerstyn, his eyes faded to their normal, clear blue. He took her hand, lacing their fingers together. She was
his
.

“Shall we go?” he asked, motioning to a door in the corner.

“I am starving.”

They stepped out into the night with Dimitri leading the way down the alley to the parking lot, the lights of the Strip beckoning the couple.

“Since you know the owner, you can answer a question for me.

Does the same guy own the Vamped hotel and casino on the Strip?” He nodded. “He also owns clubs T.R.I.P. and Cherry. The hotel V.R. with the sports arena, the diamond-shaped mall on the edge of town, and the indoor horse track among other various businesses. He helped build this city.”
From the beginning
, he finished to himself.

Dimitri suddenly stopped, his body rigid. His eyes darted down the alley. A Ford Focus was charging at them, the windows down, and headlights blazing. His nose itched; there was no mistaking the stench.

The humans were drunk and high.

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In a flash of movement, he twisted Kerstyn around and shoved her hard against the cold brick wall of a bar, shielding her with his body. Gunshots vibrated the night and drowned out Kerstyn’s screams as Dimitri’s body absorbed the bullets.

“Oh my God…Oh my God…” she chanted the phrase again and again even after the car peeled out of the alley.

Dimitri stepped forward, freeing her. She grabbed his arm and spun him around to face her. Her eyes were large circles as they met his chest. Blood welled out of the holes in his clothing.

“We have to get you to a hospital.”

“I will be fine.”

“Yeah, the fuck right. You don’t need to be a tough guy,” she snapped as she ripped open her purse, her fingers desperately searching for her cell phone.

“You do not need to call an ambulance, I assure you.” Kerstyn cursed and threw her purse to the ground. She had left her cell at the house.

“We need to try to stop the bleeding.”

Before he knew what she was doing, he was shoved against the wall. She frantically worked the buttons of his jacket.

“Leave it.”

In her frustration and panic, Kerstyn tore open his shirt, buttons flying everywhere, and Dimitri cursed. Those damned humans had changed everything. A wave of scenes washed through his mind as the future began to rewrite itself, but the ending, Kerstyn’s ending, remained the same. He willed his eyes to focus on her, taking in deep, rapid breaths, his lungs filling with her rosy scent and…

His hand shot out and Kerstyn jumped back.
Fear.
He could smell it. Taste it.

Kerstyn could not take her eyes off his bare, bloody torso. His muscles contracted, contorted, and pushed one bullet out. Then another.

And another. Five bullets in total clattered to the pavement. Her face paled, her eyes glazed over, her mouth hung open, and her breathing stopped. She was in shock.

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“Kerstyn.”

She did not answer.

He grabbed her shoulders and lowered his head until their eyes met. “Kerstyn,” he repeated. Still she stood unblinking and not breathing. “Kerstyn!” He shook her until her head began to bob.

A steady stream of curses fell from his lips. The humans had been driving down the street possessed by the haze in their heads. A spur of the moment decision had altered everything.

Dimitri’s muscles eased slightly when he heard her suck in a sharp breath. Releasing her, she stumbled, but he did not reach out to steady her. His fingers drew into fists at his sides. Instinct told him not to touch her; she needed space.

Her eyes fell to the bullets that decorated the ground. Then, ever so slowly, her gaze began to travel up his body, beginning at his leather shoes, up his long, pinstripe-covered legs, pausing at his chest, and finally settling on his face. Dimitri didn’t move. His lungs failed to expand and his heart stilled. He tried to look into her thoughts, but they were as blank as his. Panic sparked at the base of his spine. For the first time in centuries, he did not know what was coming next.

“You’ve healed,” she whispered. Her voice was rough and her throat ached from her screams. “Your wounds are gone. That…that is impossible.”

“Not for me,” he grated.

Her eyes narrowed. “What
are
you?”

He dropped his head.
Why now? Why did it have to happen this
way?
He cursed, damning Fate for the tricks she played. He had not wanted it to happen this way. He wanted them to take their time, to get to know one another before he shared his secret with her. Now he was cornered. He had to tell her or―no. He would not erase her memory; he could not disrespect her that way. He would not take the coward’s way out. He had to tell her.

His heart clenched. What if she rejected him? What if she hated him? What if he repulsed her? She was his mate, but that was no guarantee that she would understand, that she would stay with him or that she would love him.

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“What are you?” she demanded again, her voice shaking.

Her thoughts screamed at him
. Vampire. Vampire. Vampire!
He forced his gift aside, shoving it back into the darkness of his mind.

“I think you already know,” he said before pulling his shirt closed.

“No,” she squeaked.

“It is the truth.” He did up the remaining buttons of his jacket.

“And I am proof,” he finished, swinging his arms wide.

She licked her lips as her eyes once again fell to the ground. “I kissed a vampire,” she whispered to herself. She had made out with a vampire and she had loved every second of it. Her head snapped up.

“Have you been controlling my mind?”

“I would never do such a thing to you,” he insisted, absolutely appalled by her question.

But he could,
she thought.

“I will be honest with you, Kerstyn. I can
do many things.” Her thoughts were wheeling, her breathing came in fast painful gasps, her body swayed, she was sure she would faint. Dimitri caught her to him and the heat of his body enveloped her. His chest felt so incredibly good against her cheek and he smelled like rich, exotic spices. She knew she should pull away, that she should go running down the alley screaming. But she loved the feel of him and she knew that she would never be able to outrun him. Besides, her voice was gone, she could not scream if her life depended on it.

The man she desired more than anything was not a man at all, but a vampire, a real vampire.

The looks that he had received when they entered Dark made sense now. They had known what he was. She shuddered as she realized they too were vampires, how else would they have known?

They had shown him respect and they were terrified of him. It was never a good sign when the scary things were scared.

Dear God.
Another shudder rattled her bones as she thought of her attackers. The instant Dimitri had arrived, they vanished. No human could just disappear no matter how hard self-proclaimed “mind freak” Criss Angel may try. Dimitri had frightened them away.

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Dimitri was floored. He could not believe that she was allowing him to hold her. He would have understood if she kneed him in the groin and sprinted down the alley, but instead she rubbed her soft cheek against his hard chest. He closed his eyes and savored the moment. It could be the last time he ever held her.

“Vampire.” Her voice would have been inaudible to anyone other than him.

“Yes.”

“It would figure,” she said, turning her head so she could look up at him. “I shouldn’t be shocked. This all fits with the kind of week I’ve been having. Plus, I’ve never had the best luck with men.”
She must still be in shock. No sane person would react this way.

“Are you going to kill me now that I know?”

“Never!” he declared, pulling her closer, curving her against his body. “I wanted you to know. I just did not want you to find out like this.”

“You were going to tell me?”

“Yes.”

She closed her eyes, trying to bring her thoughts under control.

She already had a large enough serving of weird on her plate at the moment; she did not need to ask him why he planned on telling her.

“I am glad you did not go bolting down the alley.”

“I’m still considering it,” she said with a half smile.

Vampire or no, he had saved her life. He had guarded her and used his own body as a shield. He could have thrown her out in front; he could have let her die, but he had protected her. He had been willing to sacrifice himself to save her.

She searched his abnormal eyes and found concern, fear, and one other emotion that sent a jolt racing through her body.

He was nothing she imagined a vampire would be like. He was polite, thoughtful, respectful, honorable, and caring. He had been the one to break their kiss in the garage when it became dangerously
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intense. He had not taken advantage of her, not that she would have protested had he decided to take her.

Take her
.

Her body blossomed with the thought. She was astonished, knowing that he was a vampire made her want him even more. She wanted to feel his fangs scrape her skin and for the first time, the thought of having her blood sucked seemed erotic. She had to be crazy, but there was no denying that she still wanted to be with him. That she still want him to be her first.