Sweeter Than Wine (18 page)

Christy smiled at her friend. “You were always a better judge of character than I was, Lis. I should have listened to you before I married him.”

Atticus came back in, clearly agitated. “Marc and some of the
were
are trying to track your attacker, but are having a hard time of it. He knew enough to foul his scent and he’s got some kind of magic that interferes with their senses. Or so I’m told.”

“What about Cameron?” Sebastian asked.

“He’s not here yet. He’s driving over with Steel.”

Sure enough, they all heard a truck pull up the drive and skid to a stop out front.

142

Steel was impressed with the vineyard and cozy mansion Atticus called home. Never in his life would he have dreamed he’d be invited into a vampire’s lair, but here he was.

In the company of a fey, no less. Atticus met them at the door and ushered them inside.

He sent Steel into the living room and took Cameron out back.

Steel saw the woman first. Luminous eyes haunted her beautiful face. He tried to shield himself as best he could from the influence of the vampiress, but it was no good.

The men seemed to understand and reined in their natural magnetism, but this lady…she was different.

He stared at her, unable to look away. Sebastian tugged at her hand and drew her back into his arms. It was a clear, protective stance.

“My love,” Sebastian said in a gentle voice to the woman in his arms, “tamp down your energies if you can. You’re having an effect on our mortal friend here.”

“I am?” Wide eyes turned to him. The beautiful woman’s expression was truly innocent and Steel knew she wasn’t doing it on purpose. That look alone made him relax.

She blushed in an altogether appealing way. Then again, everything about her was appealing with the vampire magic drawing him in. “I’m sorry,” the goddess said. “You must be Mr. Steel. I apologize. It’s just…I’m very new to all this. Up ’til last week I was as human as you.”

“Mortal, you mean.” Sebastian supplied the word they preferred, correcting the woman who looked very comfortable in his embrace.

Steel refocused on the man. “You changed her?”

“It was either that or let her die.”

Steel nodded. He didn’t know the entire story, but he could fill in the blanks. For now, he was glad to feel the new female vampire rein in her seductive mojo. Her power drew back and he was able to breathe a bit easier.

143

He noticed the other woman for the first time, smiling at him from her perch on the arm of the couch. Damned if he didn’t feel the heat of embarrassment in his cheeks.

Hopefully they wouldn’t notice, but then he kicked himself. These were vampires.

They’d notice.

“I’m Lissa, Atticus’s wife.” She held out a gracious hand. He shook it and tried to smile.

“Ma’am.”

She laughed and the sound shot down his spine. “Please, call me Lissa. Like my friend Christy here, I haven’t been in the supernatural game too long myself.”

Atticus returned to the living room with Matt in tow, his face grim. “Cam’s not having much luck either, though he’s still trying a few things.”

“It looks like the son of a bitch got away.” Disgust was thick in Matt’s voice.

“All right.” Sebastian sat back. “Let’s take this from the beginning. First, are we certain the attacker was Mario Gonzalez?”

“Good point,” Steel agreed. “Ladies, can either of you describe the man?”

“Oh yeah,” Lissa said with relish. “I saw the whole thing from the window. He’s about five foot ten, maybe a hundred and ninety pounds. Black hair. Curly. Cut neat, but not clean cut. A little shaggy. I assume brown eyes, but Christy got right up in his face.

She saw his features better than I did.”

“His eyes were green. A kind of creepy aqua green.” Christy took up the description.

“And it looked like his nose had been broken a few times.”

“That sounds like Mario,” Steel admitted. The eyes were distinctive.

“And he had a tattoo. Sort of a swirly pattern over his left eyebrow. It…”

“Go on, sweetheart.” Matt encouraged her.

“It glowed.” She looked at Sebastian and then over at Lissa, but the other woman was shaking her head.

“I didn’t see anything like that,” Lissa said in a soft voice, as if afraid to contradict her friend.

144

“Gonzalez doesn’t have any facial tattoos,” Steel confirmed, struck by the thoughtful look on Sebastian’s face.

“What are you thinking, my friend?” Atticus asked Sebastian.

Sebastian stood. “We’ll need Cam’s help to prove my theory. I’ll go see if he’s done spinning his wheels in the backyard. Don’t go anywhere.”

“Please have a seat, Mr. Steel,” Lissa invited.

Steel shrugged. The woman was soft spoken and gracious, even after the upset of being attacked and having her patio turned into a series of craters. He took a seat, observing everything. He was on new footing here and wasn’t sure of exactly how he fit into this little unit. He’d be cautious until he knew best how he could contribute.

When Sebastian went outside it hit him just how serious the encounter had been.

He’d been so focused on Christina he hadn’t really taken in the wreckage left behind by the fireballs. Five-foot craters pocked the grounds in and around the patio area. Bricks and plants were strewn all around and loose dirt covered everything.

He found Cam cursing a few yards into the copse of woods surrounding the vineyard’s main house. The fey warrior didn’t look pleased. In fact, he looked downright pissed off. He was talking to Marc, and the Master Vampire looked as grim as the fey.

“This is strong magic, my friend.” Cameron nodded as Sebastian walked up to him.

“It has an evil taint that goes deeper than a mere mortal mage should be able to reach.”

Hastings joined them. “We’ve had warnings from the Lords about some damn fool
Venifucus
plan to bring back The Destroyer of Worlds. I was told the bastard who tried to kill the newest priestess used some kind of dark fey magic connected to Elspeth. Think this is more of the same?”

“Aye, it could very well be.” Cameron shook his head, breaking a small twig he held in his fingers. A puff of foul smelling smoke rose from the ground not three feet away.

“This one at least, is using something akin to an Elspian ring.” He threw the remnants away and turned back toward the house.

145

“All the more reason to consult with your Lords, Mr. Hastings.” Marc’s reminder of the meeting Hastings had promised to set up was met with a tightening of the shapeshifter’s lips.

Cameron stepped between the two men, facing Sebastian in an obvious ploy to alleviate some of the tension in the air. “What was on your mind, Sebastian? You came out here for something.”

“I want to know if you can devise a test for Christina. She says Mario had a glowing, swirling design tattooed above his left eyebrow, but Lissa and Steel never saw any mark on the man.”

“So you think your lady sees what cannot be seen?”

“I think it’s a distinct possibility.”

“It is a rare gift, as you may know.” Cameron stroked his chin thoughtfully. “But if any newly turned was to be so blessed, it would be your lassie. With all that
were
blood in her, it’s a wonder she doesn’t howl at the moon.”

Hastings laughed, but Sebastian was too worried to find humor in anything at the moment. Marc stepped away from the group. “I’m heading home. I want to make sure my lady is secure. I think you have this well in hand for now. Mr. Hastings, I assume you’ll be in touch when your Lords get in contact with you?”

Hastings bristled a little, but nodded. “I’ll call.”

“Very well. Sebastian, keep me informed of any developments.”

Sebastian nodded as Marc turned and walked deeper into the wooded area behind the house. He’d probably shift form away from prying eyes so none could follow him to his lair.

“I’ll gather up the troops and post a thick perimeter while you decide what to do next,” Hastings volunteered.

Sebastian stopped the man as he moved to leave them. “You have my thanks. I owe you and your people a debt of gratitude for coming to my lady’s aid.”

146

Hastings held his gaze for a moment, nodded once and moved off into the night, calling softly for his
were
friends. The man was a skilled professional and Sebastian was glad to have him around.

“For a hawk, he’s a sly one, that Hastings,” Cameron observed as they walked toward the house. “For all that, I like the man. He’s sharp as they come.”

Sebastian nodded, allowing Cameron to precede him through the door. “I agree.

Even though he doesn’t trust me yet, I think I can trust him to be on the right side of things. He has a pure spirit.”

“Sometimes I forget you’re only a youngster in the grand scheme of things, Sebastian.” Cameron raised his eyebrow. “You have an old soul. As, I think, does your lady. It’s a good thing, too, for you both carry more burdens than your years should merit—and more power too.”

The men shared a sober look as they paused near the entrance to the living room.

Cameron clapped Sebastian on the back and together they walked through the archway to the large room. Christina was sitting up, her color better. She smiled when she saw him and Sebastian’s heart lightened. She could do that to him—make him happy with just a smile. She was a wonder to him.

“As you are to me, Sebastian.”
Her voice sounded intimately in his mind.

Cameron sat before her, unceremoniously plopping down on the coffee table. Good thing the heavy wood was sturdy enough to hold the big man.

“Now, lassie, you say our boy Mario had a tattoo?” She nodded. “And it glowed?”

“Yes. Lissa didn’t see it, but I was face to face with him. It was right here—” she gestured to the area above her own left eye, “—in a sort of wiggly pattern. It looked almost Celtic. Like a knotwork design or something, but slightly different.”

Cameron sat back and lifted the sleeve of his shirt, baring his forearm. “Something like this?”

Sebastian looked over the other man’s shoulder. What he could see of Cameron’s muscular forearm was unblemished by any sort of marking. Well, maybe a freckle or two, but apparently Christina saw something, judging by her gasp.

147

“Yes, very like that, but much darker. More sinister. What is it?”

“It’s my mating mark. Part of the reason I stay here in the mortal realm and don’t return to the land of the fey is this mark and the woman it represents. You see, I loved a mortal lass. I marked her as I marked myself, transferring some of my magic to her in an effort to extend her life. It worked…for a time. But as all mortal things, eventually she passed on to realms where I cannot follow.” Cameron’s voice was wistful, his tone sad.

Christina, compassionate little thing that she was, reached out to take Cameron’s hand, offering comfort.

Cameron smiled at her, but it was a sad smile. He shook his head, making a visible effort to dispel the mood. “Did Mario’s mark look like this? Can you remember any details?”

“It was sort of triangular, starting with his eyebrow as the base and working to a point, not circular like yours. And his was red, not golden.”

Cameron’s face grew troubled as he lowered his sleeve. “Red means it’s tainted. And a triangular shape could have several connotations, but at least now we know why this mortal has been around for a few centuries. He’s probably being powered from somewhere in the fey realm.” Cameron’s expression was hard as he sat back. “This is a bigger problem than you know, my friends. I’m not surprised this man has proven hard to pin down, but we must find a way.”

“In the meantime, might I suggest we all go to my house?” Sebastian looked around at those assembled. Atticus and his wife would need a place to stay since it was clear their home was no longer safe. Sebastian only hoped his own place would prove more secure. “Atticus and Lissa, you’re welcome to stay with us as long as you’d like. I have a spare room you might like and I think Matt and some of his
were
friends will aid us during the day. They like to roam the woodlands around the house and the wall surrounding the property keeps all but the most determined trespassers out.”

Atticus nodded. “Thanks, Sebastian. We’ll take you up on that.”

148

An hour later, everyone was settled in Sebastian’s rambling home. Atticus and Lissa were given a basement room that was part of a different wing of the house than Sebastian’s. He’d built the house with multiple secret chambers, some separated completely from the others, and some with small secret passageways connecting them.

He’d made it as secure as he knew how and it looked like all his planning was coming in handy now.

Dawn approached, but Sebastian stayed in the upper rooms as long as he could, making certain of their protection for the day. Matt and some of his
were
cougar clan patrolled the perimeter and would for the remainder of this crisis.

Steel was paired off with Cameron for the time being, since Cameron could use his fey magic, if need be, to instantaneously transport them both in an emergency, though he seemed loathe to do so.

Hastings and his investigators were working with Steel and Cameron, back at their offices for the day. They’d suffered a bit of a setback when Mario got away, but they’d also learned a great deal.

Christy was still shaken, even after returning to Sebastian’s house. She’d been in violent situations before, but being able to defend herself was still quite new.