Heir to the Coven (14 page)

“A telling move,” he said. “What was your reason for coming here tonight Natasha?”

“You mean beside being a pain in the ass and raiding your fridge?”

Anton sighed. “If I asked you to stop the verbal sparring for the evening would it do me any good?”

“Most of the time no, but considering where it got me tonight and how much trouble it got me in with Rainor after my last visit here, I’ll try to behave.”

“Thank you.”

I got down to business and told him what had happened to Kain earlier in the evening and then I told him about the two out of town vampires that came after me a few nights ago.

He latched onto the set of claw marks I had earned. “You were injured by these encroaching maggots?”

“It healed almost instantly. The only damage done was to a shirt I really liked, but no big deal. I was more worried about what the maggots’ presence outside that house meant, but thank you for your concern.”

We discussed it for a short while in code so that no one listening would hear that we could be onto their nefarious plan. I did not tell him about Kain’s possible involvement. Vampires were all the kill first and never ask questions later type and I didn’t want Anton going after anyone in my coven for any reason. If Kain were guilty, I would take care of him. But I did have a plan that would have my people keeping an eye on his and vice versa.

“I have one idea on how we can help each other here,” I said. “But I’m not sure how it will go over with either of our people. What if we make patrolling the city a team effort? That way there are no misunderstandings of who belongs to you and who is an intruder and it gives all of us extra fire power if something breaks out from an invading force.”

Anton chuckled. “I’m sorry, Natasha, but the way you twisted your hair around your finger when you said that reminded me of-”

“Of what?”

“Of when you were a little girl. You were trying to convince me to let you attend a vampire ball, which no half-caste would ever have been invited to before the war let alone during it. When I said no you threw half my wardrobe in the fire. I never knew a six year old could be so vindictive.”

“I don’t remember you finding it that amusing at the time. As I recall you growled at me and sent me to bed without dinner. I hate when you do that.”

“Do what?”

“Bring up my childhood. It’s even more annoying that you’re doing it right after I said I’d try to stop the verbal sparring for the evening. I can’t retaliate.”

“Perhaps I like to remember when you didn’t look at me with wary suspicion, instead of trying to irritate you as you seem to suspect I always am.”

“I’ll stop looking at you that way when you stop giving me reason to.” There was an unexpected bite to my voice. I might be physically capable of going for hours after most humans would have dropped, but emotional stuff was draining on everyone and the tone in my voice reminded me of how drained I was. Too much emotional crap had happened this evening and I needed to go home and crawl in bed. “I’m going to go before we wind up fighting again. Talk to your people and let me know. I’ll brooch this with mine in the morning.”

“How do you think they will respond?”

“About the same way yours will only with vampire used in the insults instead of half-caste. I’ll take it to Rainor first, but only if he is dead set against it will I leave it drop.”

“Good night Natasha,” Anton said. “Pleasant dreams.”

“And to you.”

Given all the changes in my life recently, I should not have been surprised that the past was haunting my thoughts much the way speculations about my return had haunted my dreams before my blood stilled again and I banished the voices to an ignorable whisper. But there was a difference. What spoke to me now were the shadowy ghosts of things gone by and they could not be ignored because they were facts. Everywhere I went in this city there was a memory of something or someone that I had had buried in my mind for decades while I lived a rootless, heedless life. Now that I was back, it was all coming out to enjoy its new found freedom. Since the last person I had spoken to tonight had been Anton, it should not have surprised me that I dreamed of our past. At least that is what I told myself. Even though I feared this particular memory had more to do with what almost happened between us tonight than simply being an unwinding of my tired mind after a long day.

I don’t remember closing my eyes, my last memory was of trying to find the right words to tell the coven they were about to take a step closer to the vampires, but shortly after I laid down in my bed, I was twenty-six years back, with eggplant purple hair cut into a bob that stopped at my left cheekbone on one side and at my chin on the right side. I was I standing in the office of the club Anton used to run with two of his guards turning to ash behind me.

“
I told you I would be back for your answer, vampire. Here I am.”

“
You killed my guards?”

I quirked a brow at him. “Nothing is getting by you is it? Yes, I killed your guards as you can clearly see.”

“
How am I supposed to explain that?”

“
Tell Vincent that they weren’t very good at their job and now he has the opportunity to find better underlings to take their places. No thanks are necessary by the way.”

He gave me an impatient look. “Somehow I doubt he will see it as a favor. I could pitch their deaths as your idea of entertainment, which I suspect is the real answer for why you killed them instead of just incapacitating them, but what reason am I going to give him for why you are here after he refused your offer?”

“
How did you live this long not knowing how to lie?” I deposited myself in one of the chairs facing his desk and propped my feet up on the desk. My boots left little piles of dirt on the shiny wood. I could tell he wanted to wipe it away, but thought it would seem too prissy. He was right. “You tell dear Vincent that some nameless half-caste tried to kill you and your guards died in the line of duty.”

“
What about the body he will want to see since I am alive and that would mean I killed my would be assassin?”

“
Fine. Tell him it was me and I wanted to prove that you could be gotten to at any time and place to get you to make him agree to my deal before Gregory sent a real assassin.”

“
He might buy that.”

“
He should, it’s true. But if he doesn’t, kill him and as your new ally I will help you take the vampire throne for yourself.” I could tell he was intrigued by that idea from the way his dark eyes glowed at me. “Imagine us running the city together.”

Anton stared down at me as if trying to read from my face if I was serious or merely setting him up for a fall. For an instant I thought he might agree, but he stepped away and went to sit behind the desk. “It is an interesting offer Natasha, but I would not betray my Master anymore than you would betray Rainor. Because unless you are willing to kill him to take control of the coven, you are making promises you do not have the power to keep.”

I put my feet down and leaned across the desk. “What makes you think I am not speaking on his behalf or that he is the only Master I serve? Maybe I am making a promise in another’s name. Someone Rainor cannot refuse or rebuke.”

He went very, very still and he was very, very attentive. “What exactly are you saying to me?”

“
I am saying, that if you have the backbone to do what needs to be done to save this city from Gregory’s caste, there is much in it for you. I have very powerful friends.”

Anton smiled. “So the rumors say. I have never been ambitious-”

“
Ha! You’re only here because you wanted more power than being Lucius’ flunky would allow you. Now you are a second instead of one of the masses. Don’t tell me you aren’t salivating for more power.”

“
Very well, I have always been ambitious, as you know, but I am also cautious where my life is concerned. It has been my experience that you cannot advance in life if you are dead.”

I blinked and said, “You may want to rephrase that since you are basically dead anyway.”

“
There are varying degrees of dead Natasha. If I were as dead as you imply, would I be able to do this?” His long fingers reached out to where my hand rested on his desktop and slowly began making circles on the top of my hand. It made me feel drowsy. I pulled my hand away. “If I am to do this there is one thing I require to risk Vincent’s ire and agree to this alliance behind his back. An act of good faith that you are not setting me up, or a final act of mercy if this goes awry shall we say.”

“
And that is?”

“
I want you in my bed Natasha. One night with your flesh against mine and nothing between us but the space you need to breathe.”

In a flash I was on my feet and at the door faster than anyone who was not a vampire would have been able to see, but Anton was not only able to see it, he matched me and got there first, blocking my escape. “It is never a safe thing to put yourself between me and an exit bloodsucker. Move.”

“
Answer me.”

“
I am no one’s dessert!”

“One night does not make you a dessert. Blood and years of service do that. And one night is all I am asking of you.” His eyes had run over me from head to foot and blazed red.

“
Well, I don’t ‘service’ anyone and I have enough vampire blood in me, thanks. Besides, we both know that the second I fall into your bed you’ll tell everyone that I am your creature to command.”

“
I hate this garish hue you have chosen for your hair. Purple,” he said as if we had not been discussing my prostituting myself for him a moment before. He reached out to stroke my hair, but I smacked his hand away. Anton smiled. “Such a rare thing you are Natasha. So close to being a vampire and yet still so human in your responses. I can be discreet, in fact my life often depends on that and in this case if things go badly and it’s learned I went against Vincent and lost our city for a piece of half-caste ass, my life will be over.”

“
Are you saying you want me, but I’m not worth dying over? You do know how to flatter a girl brother dear. I think I liked your first version of a come on better, you at least tried to pretty it up.”

Anton snarled, as he always did when I called him brother. “No one is worth dying for Natasha; even you.”

“
Is that why you left me? Better to give me over to the Elders than to possibly die trying to protect me from Lucius?”

“
That is what you hold against me?”

“
That is why I guard against you Anton. Your motto is ‘survival at all costs’, mine is ‘never count on anyone’.”

He sneered then. “Is that what you say to your boy? Oh, I’ve surprised you. Yes, I know about you two. I saw him take you against the wall of that abandoned building after you wiped out all twelve of the vampires who were inside. I knew before that, but the visual was quite spectacular.”

“
You perverted son of a bitch!”

“
Why not admit he is the reason you refuse me?”

“
Leave him out of this!”

“
Only if you will. What do you care about more, Natasha? Your city or your lover?”

I turned it around on him. “Why do you want to get me into bed Anton? To prove you can or because you know this is the only way you could ever have me?”

His hands lashed out to grasp my upper arms. Ten claws dug into my flesh as he yanked me towards him. I could feel little trickles of blood sliding down my skin. The cuts would not heal up until his claws were removed so the blood kept flowing. It made me shiver. As did the knowledge that he was going to kiss me.

And he did kiss me.

Anton’s lips were cool, not icy, and they did not give my lips a choice about parting to receive them. I freed my arms from the barbs of his nails to wrap them around his neck. His hands slid down my back to my waist as his tongue slipped into my mouth. I had no idea how long we stood there wrapped in each other’s arms before I needed to pull back from him to catch my breath. My fingers were still tangled in his long hair and it was my strength that forced his lips back to mine. Not that he objected. My spine cracked as he pulled me against him tighter. If I were human I would have been paralyzed after that.

I felt my back slam against the edge of the desk that had been across the room from where we stood. Now it was my turn to dig claws into his flesh. With a growl coming from deep in his throat, he pulled back to smile in approval at me before lunging at my neck. That brought me back to reality because I had no idea if he meant to caress my throat with his lips or tear it out with his fangs; I didn’t trust him. I shoved him away from me hard enough he went sprawling to the floor.

With a snarl he got to his feet. “What in the hell is the matter with you?”

I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand. “Taste test was over. I got a look at what I would be getting into bed with if I agree to your terms and you got to see if I was worth risking your neck for. But that’s as far as it goes unless you turn up when I need you.”