Eternal Prey (25 page)

Lia could almost feel the collective shock of everyone there.

“There were no survivors.” The vampire was adamant in his denial. “We would’ve known.”

“How? We didn’t leave enough to identify.” Kione shrugged. “I had a lot of hate to vent. Sorry about leaving all those pieces behind.”

The vampire didn’t answer. Lia supposed he was busy trying to deal with that hole in his chest.

There seemed to be a ripple in the air near Kione, and suddenly, a man appeared. No, make that a vampire. He looked a lot like the five on the ground, except he didn’t have their darkness clinging to him or a hole in his chest.

Kione motioned to the new vampire. “For those in the audience, this is Kazan. He was the only one who took no part in what happened during that time. I allowed him to live just in case I ever needed someone to give witness to the truth of what was done to me and mine.”

No one made a sound. No one moved.

Kazan spoke. He didn’t look at the vampires on the ground. “Kione told the truth. I was there. I did not have the courage to speak out against it. For that, I apologize. I agreed to leave the clan’s home and never return. I made no effort to contact any who were not there when the fae attacked. I had no wish to revisit the destruction of my clan or what led up to it. For that I do not apologize.”

Time seemed to stretch on forever. Then the spokesman for the five vampires spoke again. “I have discussed this with my clansmen. We agree that you were wronged, Kione. We will remove the curse.” He sounded as though giving up his vendetta was as painful as the gaping wound in his chest.

Giving up vendettas.
For just a moment, she thought of Utah. How long would he carry his hate for all vampires? She hadn’t helped the process along by trying to rip out his throat.

“Aren’t you a little too late with your magnanimous offer? All I have to do is kill you to end the curse.” Kione sounded anxious for the killing.

The vampire nodded. “I do not deny that you have a right to your anger with all of us.”

“Damn right I do.” Kione spoke through clenched teeth. “And it was never about what was done to me. It was always about
her
.” All his agony at losing the unnamed woman lived in Kione’s voice. Time had not dimmed the memory.

And here Lia had always thought of Kione as emotionless. Maybe he was in other things, but not when it came to the woman he’d loved.
Still
loved.

“Kazan will remain as your clan’s only survivor.”

The five vampires did not beg for their lives.

“To destroy us is your right.” There was acceptance in the vampire’s voice. The other four said nothing.

No. Lia couldn’t let this happen. “Wait.”

Everyone turned to look at her.

“You can’t kill them, Kione. This is bigger than your revenge.”

Kione didn’t comment, so she forged ahead. “I’ve read about this clan. After the fae attack, everyone thought only these five were left. They were the clan’s most powerful hunters. The entire vampire world feared them. If not for Jude, the other clans would’ve banded together to destroy them. You know this.”

Kione remained silent.

“But Jude felt it was unfair to destroy them simply out of fear. He gave them his protection, acknowledged them as his.” She took a deep breath before she realized it was no longer necessary. “If you destroy them, he’ll be obligated to challenge you. This is one of our rules. And if he fights you, he’ll be lost not only to his people but also to the Eleven.”

“So you’re saying that the survival of the human race is more important than my puny complaint.”

She glared at him. “Stop putting words in my mouth. No one thinks your complaint is puny. But they’ve agreed to remove the curse. They weren’t even there when everything happened.” Okay, so she was copping out by using a neutral word like “everything.” She straightened her back, lifted her chin, and for just a second met Kione’s gaze. “When they raped you and caused the death of the woman you loved.”

He looked away first.

Lia had no idea what he would’ve said next, because just then Jude stepped out of the shadows.

“I’m sorry I missed the beginning of the ball. Adam had me doing chores. You know, the usual—sweeping the hearth, waiting on my evil stepsisters, searching for my missing slipper. But now I’m here, and I’m taking my men home.” Jude’s eyes blazed with the threat of violence.

Kione didn’t acknowledge him, just turned his gaze to Utah. “You called me partner. You said you would stand with me. Will you honor that promise?”

Uh-oh. Caught between a rock and a hard case of fae vengeance. Lia looked at Utah, tried to tell him with her eyes that she supported him. But she was afraid that all her eyes telegraphed was:
I want to kill you
. She glanced away.

Utah didn’t hesitate. “I’ll stand between you and anyone who tries to hurt you, but I can’t kill any of these people. All of them have fought beside me.” He nodded toward the five prone vampires. “Even them. Remember what I said about loyalty? It still stands.”

Lia could count the seconds in years as Kione made his decision.

Finally, he stepped back. “Free me from your curse and then go.” Kione didn’t sound too happy about the way things had played out.

Kione might’ve wanted to put a period to his personal nightmare with a good old-fashioned slaughter, but Lia felt limp with relief.

She watched as the vampires stumbled to their feet, hands clutching at chests that still oozed blood. Kazan joined them and helped to support the leader as he gasped out a promise.

“Once we have fed and regained enough strength, we will remove the curse.” He hesitated. “We are sorry for . . . her.”

From a man who probably had no emotions left for anyone or anything, feeling sorry was about equal to a normal person pounding his chest, tearing his clothes, and shrieking like a banshee.

Kione said nothing. He simply disappeared. Lia glanced around the field. Jude was walking toward his men while Ty and Spin headed toward the SUV. Where was Utah?

Her heart pounded with fear before she took hold of her emotions. He was fine. She was fine. She didn’t need to know where he was. Probably as far away from her and her shiny new fangs as he could get. She didn’t blame him.

Lia took a moment to close her eyes and just try to clear her mind. Unfortunately, images of Kione’s torture played over and over behind her closed lids. They wouldn’t be going away anytime soon.

“Do you need help?”

Fin’s voice startled Lia. She opened her eyes. “Now you show up.” And if she sounded a little ticked, she had a right to.

“I’m sorry.” He didn’t sound sorry. “I had to keep a lot of humans tucked tight in their beds. And there were a few nonhumans who wanted to join the party. I had to make them understand that this was an invitation-only event.”

“Fine. So you couldn’t stick around.” She scanned the field. Where was Utah?

“I think you should go with Jude and his men.”

Surprised at Fin’s suggestion, she stopped searching for Utah and stared at him. “Why?” Suddenly, she realized something. She felt no compulsion to attack him.

“You’re handling your new-vampire status well, but eventually, your hunger will catch up with you. Jude will have what you need.” Fin the diplomat. “And afterward, come back to my condo. We can keep you safe until you adjust.”

Safe in his containment room, probably. “Actually, I don’t want any blood right now.” Of course, if Utah wandered up, she’d probably attach herself to his throat. She needed to find out what was happening there. “I fed from Zero right before we came here.” Lia hadn’t meant to say that. Fine, so maybe she had. On some level, she’d wanted to upset Fin. Did that make her a mean person?

“Congratulations. I’m sure you’re the first. Tell me if you feel yourself changing into a megalomaniac.” Fin turned and walked away.

Well, that had gone well. Lia continued her search for Utah. Finally, she found him. He was standing beside a tree at the edge of the field. If she didn’t have her new enhanced vision, she would’ve missed him. He stepped out of the shadows when he realized she’d spotted him. But he didn’t come nearer.

Lia walked as close as she could, but stopped as soon as she felt the bloodlust rise. “Utah, this isn’t about you.” She waved her hand in front of her to signal that he should ignore that statement. “No, it
is
about you.
Only
you. I’m not feeling a need to drink from anyone else.”

“Should I feel honored?”

Okay, so he had a right to be sarcastic. “I’ll figure this out. I’m driving back with Jude, and I’ll ask him if he knows what’s going on.”

Utah looked cold and remote standing in the darkness. Was this the warm and sensual man she’d made love with? Not that she could feel.

“Look me up when you think you can stand being around me.” Then he followed Fin away from the field.

Her steps dragged as she followed Jude and his men in the opposite direction. She’d wanted this all her life, so where was the exhilaration? Maybe if Katherine was still around, she . . . She what?
Would love you because you were now worthy? Would respect you as much as she respected her favorite vampires?
Lia pushed the thoughts away. Probably a little too close to the truth. Anyway, she had other things to think about.

She caught up with Jude. “Fin says I should ride with you. Guess he doesn’t trust me not to tear out a few throats and make myself a mixed drink. I should’ve told him I don’t drink before breakfast.”

Jude laughed as he unlocked a van he’d gotten somewhere. “Hop in. Lucky for you, Reed loaned me his vehicle.” He cast her a sideways glance as he went around to the driver’s side and climbed in. “Since someone still has
my
car.”

She slid into the passenger seat. The five vampires crawled into the back. They didn’t seem to be in a talking mood. Kazan had taken off as soon as he’d helped them into the van.

“I’m sorry. With everything happening, I forgot to ask Shen for a loaner.”

“Not your fault. You’re driving my car because Adam wants to show me he’s the boss.” His voice vibrated with anger. “Where do you want to go?”

“I need to buy enough blood to get me through a few nights, and then you can drop me off at Fin’s. Oh, and I need to borrow a gun. Zero kept mine.”

“Sure thing.” He stayed quiet for a short time as he drove the dark and deserted Portland streets. “Anything else bothering you?”

She sighed. Jude was too perceptive. “Maybe I wasn’t just kidding about tearing out throats.”

“Uh-huh.” He pulled into the driveway of a darkened house.

“One particular throat.”

“Let me guess. Utah’s.” He turned off the motor and sat in the sudden quiet just watching her.

“It’s weird. I understand the issues new vampires have, so I was extra careful. I made sure I wasn’t hungry when Zero brought me to the rose garden. I had everything under control.” She threw up her hands. “Then Utah came close. I guess what I felt was bloodlust because all I wanted to do was grab him and drink. There was no rational thought connected to it.”

Jude nodded. “Not unusual.”

“But I didn’t feel that way with anyone else. I stood and talked with Fin. Nothing.”

“Hmm.”

Lia dropped her voice to almost a whisper. “It wasn’t just the bloodlust. It was something else.” She took a deep breath. “I wanted to kill Utah. I wanted to freaking
kill
him.”

F
in drove everyone to his condo. Ty and Spin’s drivers picked them up and drove them back to their apartments. Utah went directly to his room. There was no sign of Kione.

The last two bothered Fin. Once Kione got rid of his curse, he’d have no real reason to stay. And they needed him. Not many beings had his power. Loyalty? Fin doubted that Kione would think twice about his promise to help track down Seven. With great age came great cynicism. Self-interest ruled the universe. He firmly believed that. Except for his men. He’d chosen them carefully. They had no hidden motives. Sometimes he hated himself for taking advantage of them.

And what about Utah? Ty and Al had found love and married. Love hadn’t been part of Fin’s long-range plans. He needed total commitment from his men. Love could divide their loyalties at a critical moment. But even he wasn’t enough of a bastard to deny them their happiness.

Now it seemed as though Utah was walking down the same path. Fin recognized the signs. Maybe there was still hope, though. Lia was vampire, and Utah might not be able to get past that. Too bad Fin didn’t have a close relationship with his men. He could tell Utah that love was a bitch who walked away from you when you needed her the most.

Fin waited only long enough to make sure no one would notice him leaving before heading back to his SUV. He didn’t need a vehicle to get where he was going, but he was tired. Driving took less energy. And he had to do this before morning.

Ty and Spin had pretty much torn up the International Rose Test Garden. It was a Portland landmark. Someone would notice. When strange things started happening, people began asking questions. Too many questions, and eventually, someone would come up with an answer.