Blue-Blooded Vamp (31 page)

“It was the perfect setting for my suicide.”

Even though the fact that she sat right next to me proved she hadn’t gone through with it, my stomach cramped. I’d had my share of troubles, but none so horrible I’d be willing to kill myself. I couldn’t imagine what kind of agony she had to have been in to make that decision. More than that, though, I didn’t want to sympathize with her. “But vampires can’t drown.”

Crap, what are you doing?
my vampire self yelled in my head. Her having a death wish could work in my favor.
Don’t be an idiot
, the other side of me replied.
You know it’s wrong.
Besides, Adam will never speak to you again. And with good cause—you’re not that cold-blooded killer anymore. Right?

Nyx smiled. “They can if they eat the forbidden fruit first.” I couldn’t stop the gasp that escaped my lips. She rubbed her hands together as if trying to get warm despite the fire’s heat. “It’s silly now, in retrospect. But I spent hours at the market looking for the perfect apple. Did you know the forbidden fruit comes in hundreds of varieties? So many shapes and colors. Different flavors—sweet, tart, everything in between.”

I frowned and shook my head. Despite my own immunity to the forbidden fruit, I hadn’t ever really considered sitting down and actually eating one.

“But finally I found a ripe juicy red one after staring at the apple cart for nearly an hour. The salesman thought I was crazy.” She laughed at her younger self.

“Jesus, Nyx.”

She patted my leg. “Don’t worry. I didn’t jump.” She winked.

“What stopped you?” I asked her.

The vampire on my shoulder yelled,
What’s stopping you?!?

“Your father.” She let that hang in the air for a moment before she continued. “Thirty years ago, he was just starting to put together our little army. He spent several years tracking down rumors of other beings who’d lost loved ones by Cain’s hands. One by one, he convinced each of us to join his cause.” Her eyes got this faraway look and a ghost of a smile flirted with her full lips. “He looked so handsome that night. So angry, too. He pulled me away from the railing and yelled at me. I cried, of course. Not because he yelled or even because he stopped my plan.”

“Why, then?”

“Because I was so relieved. Him showing up to stop me? It was a sign from the Great Mother herself. She sent Tristan to give me a reason to go on living.”

I blew out a rush of air. “Wow.”

She smiled. “Yes, wow. It wasn’t hard for me to decide to join his cause. It’s not that I had some hunger for revenge. I knew I’d never get my family back. But I was so tired of being alone. It didn’t take long for our group to become my new family.”

“I’m sure your attraction to him played a role, too.” The minute the words left my mouth, I felt horrible. She’d just trusted me with such a personal story that she didn’t deserve judgment from me. “I’m sorry,” I said quickly. “That was unfair.”

She shook her head. “No, it’s true. I was quite taken with your father from the beginning. In addition to admiring his looks, I saw him as my savior. A potent combination for a lonely girl.” She nudged me with her shoulder, as if I’d been there myself. Honestly, I hadn’t, not really, but I forced a laugh anyway. “But Tristan wanted nothing to do with me besides ordering me around. I didn’t have any talent for weaponry, but I’d always been a bookworm. So I was put in charge of researching and documenting everything I could find on Cain. Looking back, I think sticking me in dusty old libraries was Tristan’s way of keeping me out of trouble.”

“So what changed things?” I asked, motioning vaguely in the direction of the villa.

“I finally wore him down. I was quite determined in my pursuit, but still it took most of two decades.” She smiled broadly then.

“Damn. Twenty years?” I laughed despite myself. It was too easy to forget this was my father we were talking about.

“Oh yes, but some males are worth the wait.”

“Why are you telling me this?” I said.

“Because I need you to understand that our relationship isn’t just a fling.”

I stiffened. “I never thought that.”

She nodded, accepting that. “But I also want you to know that even though Tristan has been my lover for ten years, he is still in love with your mother.”

I squirmed. “You don’t have to say that—”

“Don’t I?” She raised a brow.

“No. I didn’t know my mother. And until a week ago, I thought Tristan was dead. I have no emotional attachment to either of them. So save your breath if you’re worried I think he’s betraying Phoebe.” I paused, remembering what Tristan told me earlier. “Besides, Tristan believes he was manipulated into falling in love with my mother. I find it hard to believe he continued to carry a torch for her once Valva told him.”

“Your father is a complex man. Believe it or not, he feels things deeply—so deeply he shoves the emotions down and refuses to analyze them. If you asked him, he’d probably say he never loved her. But I know he did—and still does. Every time we make love, I see her ghost in his eyes.”

I sighed deeply. “I already told you, Tristan’s life is none of my business.”

“If you really think that, why are you here?”

“I’m here because I need his help to avenge my sister’s death,” I said, squaring my shoulders. “The sister he had no interest in beyond helping him pay Cain back for that fucking love spell that set us all on this collision course.”

“Is that what you think?”

“It’s what I know, Nyx. He had fifty-four years to find Maisie and me, but instead he chose to hunt down the boogeyman.”

“He tried to keep up with your lives. With Maisie it was simple at first because of Orpheus.”

Remembering what Tristan told me, I nodded. “Orpheus kept him updated on her. At least until Tristan stopped communicating with him.”

“Tristan knew that if Cain found out he still had ties to Orpheus, he wouldn’t be safe. So he cut off all contact to protect his friend. You have to understand that.”

On some level I did. Still, it didn’t make the truth hurt any less. Someone was watching over Maisie while I fended for myself against Lavinia.

Nyx grimaced. “But after he lost Orpheus as a contact and you killed Thomas, he still tried to keep up with both of you. He’s even got a photo album filled with pictures.”

“Whatever,” I said. “An album doesn’t make someone a father.”

“That’s true. But I’d like to ask you to give him a chance to do that now.”

“Why should I?”

“Because it may be the only chance either of you will have.”

“Look, Nyx,” I said, rising and brushing my damp hands on my jeans, “I appreciate what you’re saying, but it’s not that easy.”

She took my hand and squeezed it. “It’s not that easy for him, either. I know he’s… difficult. But he honestly believed he was doing the best thing for both of you.” The conviction in her eyes made me feel sorry for her. She was clearly in love with Tristan, but from what I’d seen, he treated her like shit. What’s worse, she didn’t even realize that he was as driven by the need for revenge as I was—more, given how long he’d been going after Cain. He wasn’t trying to protect Maisie or me. He was biding his time until
he could use one of us to make Cain pay for fucking him over.

Kill her,
that seductive voice whispered.
Put her out of her misery before she finds out Tristan doesn’t care about her. Before he uses her like he wants to use you.

A white-hot spot of pain bloomed in my temple. My conscience, probably. A warning, definitely. Killing Nyx might erase my debt to Asclepius and prevent Cain from ambushing us, but I wouldn’t escape with my soul intact. Maybe I’d lost my edge, but I also was shocked to realize I didn’t miss it all that much, despite the ramifications.

I removed my hand from her grasp. “I need to go.”

Nyx sighed and stood. “Thanks for listening.”

I nodded and turned, but I felt that to just turn my back on her now would be cruel. I stopped and said, “Not that it makes much difference, but I’m glad you never ate that apple.”

She stilled. “I never said I didn’t eat the apple.”

My stomach sank. “What?” I whispered. If she was telling the truth, that meant Nyx was no longer immortal.

Which would explain why she needed Asclepius’s vest. As the pieces clicked into place, relief flooded me that I’d won the battle against the old, bloodthirsty voice in my head.

Nyx nodded. “Tristan found me after I’d eaten half of it. He didn’t stop me from becoming mortal. He just stopped me from becoming dead.”

I blew out a long, slow breath. I might regret my next question, but part of me wanted to hear her side of the story Asclepius told me. “How have you managed to stay alive all this time? I mean, no offense, but your lifestyle isn’t exactly safe.” I tried to keep my tone curious, light, but it came out sounding all squeaky.

A twinkle appeared in her eye. “Remember how I told you Tristan put me in charge of research?” When I nodded, she continued. “I ran across this ancient rite to implore the god of healing for help. I did the ritual and he made me this.” She opened the top three buttons of her blouse to reveal the vest. The golden chain mail winked in the firelight. “As long as I wear it, I am immune to all weapons.” She ran a hand over the golden links. “Isn’t it beautiful?”

My heart picked up speed. “What did the god ask for in return?” I prayed she’d offer some explanation that would prove Asclepius was lying so I’d be off the hook.

Her eyes skittered away from mine. “A simple blood sacrifice, nothing more.”

My heart sank. Dammit. So Asclepius had been telling the truth about Nyx running out on her bill, so to speak.

“Dealing with the gods is dangerous, Nyx.”

“Sabina,” she began, her voice serious, “I was ready to die that night in Budapest, but your father showed me that I could channel my sadness and use it for the greater good. Stopping Cain is worth any price paid to the gods, or anyone else for that matter.”

I should have warned her. Should have told her that Cain wasn’t the only enemy looking for her. But instead, I took the coward’s way out. “I need to go find Adam. Good night, Nyx.”

The glow in her eyes dimmed and a disappointed grimace turned down the corners of her mouth. But she nodded and said quietly, “You too, Sabina. Please don’t tell Tristan about our conversation. He can be quite… fiercely protective of his privacy.”

Not a problem, I thought. The last thing I wanted was to have a heart-to-heart with Tristan Graecus. I nodded. “Understood.”

With that, I turned and walked away from my chance of getting Asclepius off my back. But at least my conscience was clear. Now that the decision was made, I felt lighter somehow, clean.

Ironic that the first time I’d ever walked away from a kill also marked the moment I might have ensured all our deaths. Because unless we figured out a way to stop Cain before Asclepius’s deadline, he was coming for us.

I
walked back into the bungalow with my shoulders slumped. Adam stood in the kitchen, drinking wine from a bottle.

“Oh gods,” he said, his tone defeated. “What did you do?”

I squinted at him. “What?”

“Nyx. Did you do it?”

I shot him a give-me-a-break glare. “Of course not.”

He perked up. “Really?”

I briefly considered acting affronted, but he’d see right through it. “Don’t get me wrong. I thought about it. But then she told me this sob story about her dead parents and how Tristan saved her from committing suicide.”

Adam frowned. “Wha—”

I waved a hand. “Long story. Anyway, I couldn’t do it. She’s so… nice,” I said bitterly. “And as much as I hate to admit it, you were right. There has to be another way to get Asclepius off my back.”

Adam sighed and set down the wine bottle. “Come here.” He opened his arms.

I walked into them and went limp against his sturdy weight. “We’re doomed.”

He pulled back and tilted my chin up. “No, but you do have to tell Tristan what’s up.”

I groaned. “Like I said, doomed.”

“I know Tristan’s not exactly easy to talk to, but he’s easier to reason with than the psychotic killer who wants to kidnap the Queen of Irkalla.”

“True.” I sighed. “Okay, I’ll tell him tomorrow. When the time is right.”

He shot me a dubious look.

“What? It’s not like I’m going to blurt it out before the test. ‘Hey, Dad,’ ” I mocked, “ ‘a healing god wants your girlfriend dead or he’s going to sell us out to your mortal enemy.’ ”

Adam chuckled. “Okay, maybe you have a point.”

I nodded and looked around, realizing we hadn’t been interrupted by a certain demon’s snarky commentary. “Where’s Giguhl?”

He opened his mouth to reply, but the door flew open and the Mischief stomped in. Judging from his thunderous expression, the talk with Valva hadn’t been friendly.

He stomped across the room and dropped into the armchair adjacent to the couch. “Well, that sucked ass.”

“What happened?” I asked as gently as I could.

The demon leaned forward and put his horned head in his claws. “She wants me back.”

Adam and I exchanged a worried look. “And?” the mancy prompted.