Heir to the Coven (6 page)

“No. I can take care of myself.”

“Suit yourself, but if you think better of it, let me know.”

She turned to leave, but I stopped her. “Dawn?”

“Yeah?”

“Why did Kain send you to ask?”

“Kain didn’t send me. I’m not sure where he went off to, but I figured someone should make sure you were looked after if you needed it.”

“What are friends for?”

“Exactly.”

Against my better judgment I asked, “Do you want to help me decide what to wear tonight?”

“Only if you promise we can shop for new stuff if nothing you own works.”

“Have I ever been opposed to shopping? My wardrobe probably needs a refresher anyway. It’s mostly stuff I can wear to fight in.”

Having barely waited for me to finish, Dawn was through the door and vanishing into my closet. A series of “nos” and “maybes” mumbled their way out of the closet. After several minutes had gone by, there came a triumphant, “Ha!” Dawn emerged holding a red silk tank dress. “We have a winner.”

“An excellent choice,” I said. “But we’re going to have to go shoe shopping. The last time I wore that I ruined the shoes I liked to wear with it and none of my other ones really go.”

“What happened to them?”

“I wound up stabbing this guy with the heel of the right shoe and it snapped off.”

“Must have been some date.”

“It was the waiter. I ordered my steak medium well and he brought me a rare one.”

Dawn stared at me for a long moment and then she laughed. “You had me going for a second Tash.”

“So shoe expedition?”

“Sounds good.”

The shoe shopping trip wound up taking all morning after it morphed into a buy anything we laid eyes on trip. We returned to the house with more bags than we could carry. Super strength was useless if you didn’t have enough hands to carry all your purchases. Max helped us get them out of the car and had a few of the maids take them up to our rooms.

Mercy roamed into the kitchen as we were raiding the fridge. “Why wasn’t I included on the shopping extravaganza? And, better question, am I going to be included on that sundae Tash is making?”

I wiped the nozzle of the squeeze bottle of chocolate syrup with my finger and then licked the chocolate off. “It’s a free fridge have at it.”

Dawn wrinkled her nose. “I don’t know how you can eat all that sugar all the time.”

“Sounds like I won’t have a fight over the last spoonful of caramel then,” Mercy said. “Pass the whipped cream in a can.”

I slid it over to her. “Sorry we left you behind it was a spur of the moment thing.”

“Yeah,” Dawn said. “Tash killed a guy with the shoes that go with this hot red dress I found in her closet so we had to go look for new ones.”

“Was it worth it?” Mercy asked

“The shopping trip or killing the guy?”

“I meant the shopping trip.”

“Oh, well, the answer to both is yes. Hey! Where did you find brownies?”

Mercy pointed at the counter. “They were over there, but this is the last one. Good thing Kain didn’t know they ever existed or I’d have to listen to him whimper about missing out on them all night.”

Dawn snickered. “I bet you could find ways to make it up to him.”

“Speaking of Kain,” I said, “where is he? Usually he would have sniffed those out in a heartbeat.”

Mercy shrugged. “Who knows with him these days? I’m considering putting a tracking device on him.”

Harris came to lounge in the doorway. “That had better not be true Mercy because those were for dinner and you know what happens when the cook gets mad.”

“Other greedy fingers were here before mine,” Mercy said, “because there was only one on the plate when I got to it.”

“Which is girl-speak for Natasha and Dawn ate all but that one and you’re covering for the orgy of junk food your gal pals had.”

“Yes that’s it exactly what I meant Harris.” Mercy rolled her eyes and shoved the last bite of brownie in her mouth. “Mmmmm. That was good. Too bad you didn’t get any.”

“That’s it. You’re going down brownie girl,” Harris joked.

“Let’s see what you’ve got whiney boy.”

They sprang at each other at the same time and landed in a tussling pile on the floor. As I watched them do mock battle over the missing brownies I found myself smiling. Fifty years ago they had fought the battle of the missing strawberry shortcake and Harris had wound up with strawberry wedged in his ear. Things never really changed.

*****

Later that night I put on my old red dress with my new gold heels and helped myself to sporty red car while pretending not to notice my appearance was being evaluated by everyone in the house. Let them stare. It was my life and I was not about to live it to please anyone but me.

I arrived at the bar ten minutes ahead of time because traffic had not been as heavy as I thought it would be. As I got out of the car, I scanned the area to see if any vampires were watching me. More of that new found paranoia. I reminded myself that I had only informed Anton that I would be attending a “social engagement” in his territory, I had not said specifically where so there was no way he could know which establishment I was at or when I would be there. But not that far up the road was a vampire nightclub and if anyone inside spotted me my location could be reported and spies sent. I decided I didn’t care. If Anton wanted a report of how many chocolate-tinis I drank he could be my guest.

One good thing about going to a human bar in the vampire quarter was that no one stared when I walked in. They assumed I was a visiting native and went about their business. Worked for me. To my surprise, Chris was at the bar already. When he saw me he smiled and came over to kiss me on the cheek.

“You look beautiful,” he said.

“Thank you. I didn’t think you’d beat me here.”

“I wanted to make a good impression. What would all your friends say if a nobody like me kept their Natasha waiting?”

“None of them paid you a visit did they?”

“No. I was joking. Would they do that?”

“Not sure. They are interested in you so be warned that they may start circling to get a closer look.”

Chris indicated a small table near the back of the room. “Shall we sit?”

I agreed and followed him to the table where he pulled out my chair for me. “Thanks.”

“What were you saying about your coven maybe paying me a visit?”

“What you said made me nervous they had made a sneak attack to warn you off. It seems who I date impacts their future.”

“Do they nose into every member’s private life?”

I watched his face carefully as I said, “Most of the time, but in my case it’s different. Rainor, our leader, is dying and I will take his place.”

Chris was silent for a moment then he said, “The Queen’s bedroom is a public one.”

“Not this Queen’s. They can speculate all they want, but at the end of the day, I don’t care what they think about the men in my life.”

“Men?”

“Didn’t you just call my bedroom public?” I winked at him.

“Sorry. This is our first date; my competition isn’t up for discussion. How about I get us some drinks?”

“Good idea.” I told him what I wanted and waited for him to return with it.

Chris sat back down. “Were you born in this city?”

“No. I was born in Russia.”

“But you don’t have an accent.”

“I learned English early enough not to have one.”

“Were your parents Russian?”

“Not that I know of.”

“What you didn’t know your parents?”

This line of questioning needed to end fast. “Are you a lawyer?”

“A reporter.”

“That can also explain the interrogation.”

He blushed. “I’m sorry. I’m nervous.”

“I don’t bite Chris.”

“I hope that’s not entirely true,” he said with a devilish grin.

“Naughty boy.” I took a sip of my drink and winced. It was more alcohol than anything. “Who do you write for?”

“
The Sun
.”

I was so distracted by what Chris had just said that I failed to pay attention to the clacking approach of a woman wearing too much perfume and her too silent companion whose presence set my blood to tingling.

“Good evening Natasha,” said Anton. “Won’t you introduce me to your friend?”

Chapter 7

Cursing myself for not considering that he would track me down for spiteful instead of “spy-ful” reasons I plastered the fakest smile I could muster on my face and looked up at Anton and the barely legal blonde woman I could only assume was his dessert based on the overly showy outfit she was wearing. “Hello brother dear. What a surprise to see you here.”

“He’s your brother?” Chris asked.

Anton said, “No. A sister of mine would have better manners.”

I glared at him before performing the introductions. “Chris, this is Anton; he rules the
vampire
section of the city and we share the same bloodline. Anton, this is my new friend Christopher Werner.”

“It’s nice to meet you.” Chris stood up and started to put out his hand, but I was instantly on my feet to smack it away from the vampire. “Ouch!”

“Never offer your hand to a vampire. He could tear your wrist out before you can blink.”

Anton’s head cocked in a reptilian way as he studied Chris. “He was not coven raised; interesting and disappointing. At least you could try to hide that you were slumming it by training him better Natasha. It reflects poorly on your position that he does not know so simple a safety precaution.”

I let my eyes rake the dessert. “Let’s discuss what reflects badly on whom. Shall we talk about her cloying perfume that would announce your presence to any mere human nose to say nothing of a true enemy that might be tracking you? Your little pet is a walking target on your back. And don’t even get me started on that dress. Her bad taste calls yours into question for taking her out when she looks so gauche.”

The dessert sneered at me. “Aren’t you old enough to have out grown looking like a slut to try to attract men?”

“Oooh. What a clever come back,” I purred as I advanced closer to her.

Anton put a restraining hand on her arm. “Watch yourself Ashley.”

“I’ll say what I want,” Ashley declared. “She insulted us both.”

“She’ll do more than insult you if you make her angry,” Anton said. “Don’t think she’ll hesitate to mark that pretty face of yours.”

“You would let her do that?” Ashley asked.

I laughed, “Now look who hasn’t trained their pet properly. Your little dessert thinks I don’t have the right to knock her into next month for talking out of place
and
she thinks you would risk insulting my coven by defending her. Sad really, she has faith in you. Piece of advice, pet, look after yourself because he’ll sell you out in a nanosecond to save his own neck.”

Chris, appearing to be horrified at the leashed violence in the air asked, “You wouldn’t really hurt her, would you Natasha?”

“Stay out of it,” I said to him.

“Let him talk,” Anton said. “I would love to hear his thoughts.”

Chris was not my consort or husband. He was not a member of my coven. Anton could do anything he wanted to this unprotected half-caste smack in the middle of his territory and there was nothing I could do about it. As heir to the coven I was within my rights to hang Ashley by her heels in retaliation for any perceived slight against me or someone in my coven, but I could not kill her in retaliation for anything done to Chris on Anton’s turf even if he beheaded my date in front of me. I needed to keep my cool and defuse this situation before things got out of hand.

“You’re acting like a jealous ex, Anton, when we both know you have no right to,” I said. “You have your amusements and I have mine. I’ll retract my claws if you retract yours.”

Chris’ eyes shot to my fingers. “You have claws?”

“Not now, Chris.” I turned my attention back to the glowering vampire. “What’s it going to be Anton? Are we going to act like the adults our ages say we should be or is this going to turn into a really bad night for everyone in this bar?”

“He’s not worthy of you.”

Oh my god. Jealousy that I was with another man was not Anton’s only issue. His pride really was bruised that I, who shared his blood, had lowered myself to dating someone like Chris. I could use him for sex, as Anton used Ashley for sex and blood, but I was not supposed to treat him as an equal because he was not equal to me in Anton’s eyes. Vampire snob! “That’s for me to decide. I am no longer the property of a caste to have my worth determined by a xenophobic control freak.”

For a moment Anton said nothing as he stared down into my eyes. “No you are not. I gave up my rights when I left you. But do not let the desire to spite me blind you to the danger Natasha. He is weak and he will make you appear weak to onlookers. I do not want to see the hyenas set upon you.”

It was the genuine emotion in Anton’s that voice that made the back of my throat burn. I could not remember the last time I had cried and if I did not get out of here now I would cry in front of a room full of strangers and the last person in the world I ever wanted to see that happen. After taking a deep breath I said to Chris, “Let’s go.”

“Good idea.”

I brushed passed Anton without looking at him. As we reached the exit, I could hear Ashley hotly whispering, “I know you want her Anton. Just admit it!”

I made sure we were outside before we heard his response. Out of the corner of my eye I studied Chris; he seemed tense. Who could blame him? “How are you doing there?”

“Slightly insulted.”

“Forget about Anton, he’s a jerk.”

“I wasn’t talking about him.”

Well that left the dessert and me as possible contenders for his shit list and something told me Ashley was not the issue. “Do you want to tell me what horrible crime I managed to commit?”

“You forgot I was there.”

“No I didn’t.”

“Yes you did and when I dared to speak you dismissed me. I don’t know what a dessert is, but I know I am not one. I’m a person, Natasha, not an amusement or a pet. If you want to do Anton, do him, but don’t use me as an excuse to put a match to the powder keg of sexual tension between you.”