Eternal Prey (7 page)

“Not a good one,” Lia muttered.

Kione pulled his attention from the darkened streets. “You’ve been killing them, Utah. Where will we find good hunting?”

“Uh, did you miss the part where Adam said the vampire he questioned
couldn’t
answer?” Lia was in sarcastic mode.

Utah figured frustration fueled her sarcasm. She drove slowly now, glancing down every dark alley they passed.

Kione shrugged. “It doesn’t matter. I can unlock minds.”

“Head for West Burnside around Morrison. I’ve had luck there.” Late-night crowds, booze, and dark places to hide. A vampire playground.

No one picked up the conversational ball. Utah thought about trying to pry info out of Kione about whatever was going on with Jude but decided against it. He had other things to worry about.

Whatever the unseelie prince was doing, it was messing with Utah’s sex drive. His gas pedal was stuck, and he’d just burned out his emergency brake. He rubbed at a spot between his eyes as though he could rub away what he wanted to do with Lia.
Only
with Lia. Kione had been wrong about that.

Utah watched her through half-lowered lids. She was tense. Trying to fight what the fae prince was putting out there? Utah hoped so. Lust loved company. What did she want? He sure knew what he wanted. He longed to glide his hand up her inner thigh until he found the source of all her heat and desire. Then he wanted to put his mouth . . . He shook his head. Not what he should be thinking about right now.

But no matter how hard Utah tried to concentrate on ways he could help Fin find Seven while he was tied up with Adam the asshole, his thoughts kept returning to Lia. To the image of her bared body stretched out beneath him, to the soft warmth of her breasts as he cupped them, to the taste of her as he slid his tongue over her belly and between her legs. Jeez, she was right. How could he get anything done while they were cooped up with the prince of freaking sex?

After what seemed like a thousand miles of darkened streets and sexual fantasies, Lia pulled into a parking lot beside a bar and grill.

She didn’t turn to look at them as she spoke. “This is it. We probably should take it on foot from here.”

Utah exhaled deeply. Just in time. Another few minutes and he would’ve lost the battle with his beast, who thought that reaching over to drag her onto his lap without regard to screeching brakes and twisted metal was a great idea. He almost launched himself from the car. Kione got out more slowly, drawing that damn cloak around him. The bastard was smiling.

Fury fought free, and he turned on the fae prince. “Get your jollies from all this, Kione? Like to feel all those sexual emotions? Do they make you hard?”

“Hmm, and here I thought you were Mr. Stoic-and-Unmoved. Nice to know we’re having a shared experience.” Lia got out of the car and retrieved her sword.

Kione shrugged. “I feel no emotions, sexual or otherwise. They mean nothing to me.”

Lia looked horrified. “No emotions? That’s awful. Do any of the fae feel?” For the moment, she seemed to have forgotten her gripe with him.

“Some do. The younger ones. But emotions serve no purpose. They make you vulnerable. Humans are weaker because of them. I’m sure Utah will agree.” He turned and started walking away.

Yeah, Utah got it. Rap’s death had tied him into emotional knots, made him careless. In his past life, he would have remained coldly focused on what was important—the kill.

“The younger ones?” Lia caught up with Kione. “Guess looks are deceiving. You don’t look old. Maybe late twenties. Do you die from old age? Are there any limits to how many years you can live?”

Her questions seemed to bother him. Utah had the feeling Kione wished he could bat them away.

But Lia refused to be ignored. “Why all the mystery? The more you refuse to answer my questions, the more I’ll ask. Want to shut me up? Give me some answers.”

Kione finally looked at her. “No, we don’t die of old age. We live as long as we choose to live.” He glanced away. “When we tire of our existence, we end it.”

“Have
you
thought about ending it?”
How do you end it?
Utah would like to know in case the prince became more of a pain in the butt than he already was.

The pause was so long that Utah thought Kione might refuse to answer.

“Yes.” And that was it.

Utah felt conflicted. If Kione died, then the wanting would end. But if Kione died, the wanting would end. See? Conflicted.

Time to cut the talk and get on with the hunt. “We can separate and go in different directions. If we find anything, we communicate through Kione.” Utah had lost his cell phone in the car fire, and he didn’t think Kione looked like a cell phone kind of guy. Thoughts were a lot quicker and quieter anyway.

Utah wanted to order Lia to stay near the car in case they needed it. He wanted to suggest she check out nearby bars. But he knew how she’d react. She’d think he was trying to keep her out of danger because he didn’t think she could match up with a vampire. And she’d be right.

That bothered Utah. Once you started worrying about someone else’s safety, you lost focus. She wanted to be a full partner in this hunt? Then let her take her chances. The thought wasn’t as satisfying as he’d hoped.

“Can you handle this?” Kione studied him. “I’ve heard that you love killing vampires. Will you be able to control your bloodlust long enough to ask questions?”

“He has a point.” She pulled her long coat more tightly around her so her sword didn’t show. “I might forget we’re partners if I show up to find you surrounded by the bodies of my people.”

Annoyance warred with Utah’s still powerful desire for her. How the hell far away from Kione did he have to get before the effect dissipated? “They’re not
your
people. Humans are your people.”

Lia moved closer to him, and he tried to ignore her. Couldn’t do it. Warm woman and the night made a potent mixture.

“Vampires have always been
my
people. Warning: just don’t go crazy and kill them.”

He purposely ignored her as he answered Kione’s question. “I’m a hunter. I was a hunter when you spelled the word with a capital H. A hunter knows how to wait.” Utah knew his smile said predator loud and clear. “Just as long as I get the kill at the end.”

Kione simply nodded before fading into the shadows.

Utah turned to Lia. “Maybe—”

“Don’t say it. I’m an equal partner in this. I have my gun and sword. I grew up around vampires. I understand them. Don’t worry, I’ll do my part.” Then she disappeared into a small stand of trees beside the bank.

He stared after her. Either she was very good, or he was lousy at guarding his expressions. But she’d assumed he thought she couldn’t pull her weight. At least she hadn’t guessed that he was worried about her. She’d hate that.
He
hated that.

Then Utah tried to give himself up to the hunt.

H
e was worried about her. Lia watched from the cover of the trees as Utah disappeared into the darkness. It amazed her that he could hate vampires so completely and not hate her.

But she was still a human to him. He didn’t see her as a serious contender for any kind of vampire leadership. He thought only power and strength mattered in the vampire world.

He didn’t understand how she could lead because he hadn’t known Katherine and how she changed the people around her. Growing up, Lia had fought to block the relentless parade of doubts her mind shoved her way—you won’t be fast enough, strong enough,
good
enough. And every whispered putdown had her mother’s voice attached. Well, she’d found a way to be
smart
enough, something Katherine never learned.

Lia didn’t bother searching around the outside of the bank. She didn’t sense any hunters here. Besides, why would any self-respecting vampire be out here in the cold and rain when the bar across the street held a full menu of drunken humans?

She crossed the street and went into the bar. The darkness inside cloaked her as she made her way to the ladies’ room.

When she got the chance, Lia would explain things to Utah. She absently pulled her small zipped bag of makeup from her coat pocket—the one that didn’t have her gun—and applied fresh lipstick, mascara, and some cheek color.

She’d tell him that her mother knew only one way to solve a problem—kill it. Katherine’s sole strategy was to throw all her vampires at the enemy and hope to overwhelm them with numbers and pure ferocity. Sometimes it worked, but more often than not she lost a lot of her people. The vampire population in her territory had dwindled while other regional leaders like Jude gained people.

Her mother never tolerated differing opinions, so over the centuries she’d killed off her brightest people. The ones left were cowed, obedient, and . . . lacked creativity.

Lia pulled open her coat to assess her battle gear. Leather pants, calf-high boots, and a cute top. She changed cute to sexy with some strategic unbuttoning. Before slipping her makeup case back into her coat pocket, she took out a pair of dangly earrings and put them on. Then she checked her pants pocket to make sure she had enough money for some drinks. Finally, she ran her fingers through her hair and let her curls do their thing.

Too bad she couldn’t take off her coat, but the sight of her sword would kill the party spirit and probably get her arrested.

Lia slipped out of the ladies’ room and headed for the bar. She thought about what else she’d tell Utah. Maybe that she had the one thing her people needed desperately—the ability to find ways to protect the territory without depleting their numbers. She’d make sure Utah understood that a winning strategy didn’t have to end with someone dying.

Lia chose a barstool that had no people on either side of her and ordered an Amaretto on the rocks. She loved sweet drinks. As she sipped it, she scanned the darkened room. Music blared and a few lethargic customers swayed on the dance floor. Her inspection stopped when she got to a man at the end of the bar.
Vampire.
Mid-twenties, pretty ordinary-looking, and probably hungry.

She went to work. Lia slipped out the straight pin she kept at the bottom of her gun pocket and pricked her finger. Then she squeezed until she had a pearl of blood.

Resting her open hand on the bar beside her drink, she waited.

Suddenly, the vampire’s nostrils flared and he turned his head to stare at her.

Lia cocked her head to the side, exposing her neck. She hoped he just thought she was studying her bloody finger. Then she pasted a drunken smile on her face.

His gaze turned predatory.

When she was sure she had his complete attention, she lifted her finger to her mouth and slowly licked the blood from it.

He almost forgot to move like a human as he abandoned his stool and rushed to grab the empty one beside her.

Lia guessed he hadn’t been vampire long. Jude or Adam would’ve been more cautious.

Ten minutes later, she’d cajoled him into admitting he was vampire—after all, who would believe the word of a drunken woman?—and they were headed out to his car.

She looped her arm through his and giggled. “That is so cool. I’ve never met a vampire before.” Lia snuggled up to him. “Tell me everything about you.”

He—jeez, they hadn’t even exchanged names—was showing fang he was so anxious, but she knew he’d wait until there were no witnesses before he struck.

“I . . . can’t.” He shook his head. “I mean, I can’t remember much stuff.”

She stopped and widened her eyes. “Isn’t that strange? I mean, can’t you even remember the name of your head guy?” Lia shifted her expression to suspicious. “I don’t know if I want to get into a car with a vampire who can’t even remember his boss’s name.”

Lia waited for him to lie to her, to just make up a name. He didn’t. He pressed the heel of his hand against his forehead in an effort to remember. There was something a little endearing about his need to tell her the truth. This was one who might be saved if he got out of Portland fast.

Finally, he blinked and smiled. “The name is Chris—” That’s all he got out before pain dropped him to his knees. He clutched his head in agony.

Lia hated to add to his misery, but . . . She glanced around to make sure no one was looking before unsheathing her sword and plunging it into his back. Then she wiped the blade on a convenient patch of grass and returned it to its scabbard.

He was so shocked he didn’t even scream, just rolled over to stare up at her.

“You’re hurting, but you’ll walk away from this. Let me give you some advice. Leave Portland as soon as you can stand up. Adam is out to kill any vampires who’re joining up with the new flavor in town. And the new flavor is going down very soon. It’s a lose-lose situation for you.”

She would’ve added more to her lecture, but suddenly, Kione was in her head.

“Utah has a hit. Meet me by the car.”

The young vampire watched her walk away.

* * *

Utah ghosted from shadow to shadow, hugging walls and merging with the darkness beneath trees. Not too many humans stumbled by, but the ones who did would be easy pickings for any bloodsucker that wasn’t too choosy about his food.