Dancing Dragon (36 page)

I came back to Michel's teeth in my shoulder withdrawing as he plunged one last time inside me finding his release. And then we fell forward onto the bed, Michel collapsing on top of me. His full weight burying me into the soft mattress of the bed. I knew he wasn't conscious, or maybe just in a deep sleep. He was still breathing, so still here, but unable to move. Whatever his vampire had done, had exhausted him. And me.

I fell asleep beneath his body, pinned and trapped to the bed, and had never felt so loved or cherished or safe before in my entire life.

Michel loved me.

And his vampire - his dragon - within did too.

I woke two hours later. I had somehow escaped Michel's body and was no longer being smothered by his bulk, but he was still out cold. I rolled over to look at the bedside clock. It said 3pm, most of the day had passed. Being winter in London, it would already be near dark outside. Just a small amount of the sun's brightness caressing the horizon. I had the sudden feeling that time wasn't on my side.

I rolled back to look at Michel and reached over to brush his hair out of his eyes. He didn't stir. Despite his lack of response, I felt calm. He looked peaceful, a small smile gracing his lips. I watched him for several minutes and then decided he must need his sleep, disturbing him seemed cruel.

So I leaned over to lay a light kiss on his cheek. It was difficult to pull away, he was so beautiful in repose, but that internal clock, that told me time was slipping away, was loud inside my head. So, I got up, grabbed some clean clothes and toiletries and headed for the bathroom. Being an older house, although freshly and airily decorated, the bathroom was a communal one out on the landing. Maybe Samson had a bathroom attached to his master bedroom, but I hadn't been in there and had no intention of encroaching on his space.

A hot shower and minty brushed teeth later, fresh clothes, stakes and silver knife all cleaned and hidden in my jacket's pockets and I ventured down the stairs to the front room. I knew all four vampires; Samson, Avery, Antonio and Ricardo were there, I could feel them. They could probably feel me and although I felt an inordinate amount of embarrassment at what they must have had heard and felt earlier, I didn't hesitate but opened the door and prepared to face the music. The sense that time was ticking by too quickly would not go away.

Antonio and Ricardo stood as soon as I entered. Nodded briefly to me in unison and then left the room. I knew they were heading up the stairs to stand guard at Michel's door. Whether they knew he was out cold or they just suspected that he wasn't up to par, I couldn't tell. But, I was thankful for their diligence. Michel may have looked peacefully asleep, but he hadn't stirred at all when I woke - which was not usual. Still, I felt calm. A part of me was sure this had something to do with meeting his dragon-within and that it wouldn't last long. I couldn't see his vampire-within allowing this to have happened if it wasn't all going to be OK.

Samson also stood and came over to me, laying a kiss upon my cheek. He was not normally that physically affectionate, so my glance at him as he pulled back was probably harsher than normal. He smiled, a flash of chocolate and taupe flashing in his eyes.

“Would you like a coffee, mistress?” he asked, still holding both my hands and standing way too close for comfort.

I just nodded, anything to get him to back off. I was getting an uncomfortable feeling about his proximity. I don't know why, but it made my skin crawl a little. It annoyed me too, because I didn't normally have this reaction to Samson and I didn't understand why I was now.

He nodded back at me and left the room. I stood still for a moment, trying to decide why his actions disturbed me when Avery started chuckling in the corner. My head shot up and took the Dark vampire in. He was still dressed the same as last night. His suit jacket had been removed, so he was wearing just a dark forest green business shirt, no tie, with platinum cuff links at his wrists, Armani trousers, not a crease to be seen and shiny Italian loafers on his feet. His hazel eyes met mine, amusement flashing in their depths.

He was seated in an armchair by the blazing fire. I wasn't sure if that was because he was cold, a spill over from the staking, or just coincidence. He looked strong and healed and well. You wouldn't have known he had been near the final death at all. No doubt they had ordered in many take-outs last night, to get him back to top form.

“Four,” he said, in answer to my thoughts. So, he was plucking them was he?

I didn't have a chance to throw an abusive taunt his way, before he appeared in front of me, mere inches from my face. He leaned forward and inhaled deeply. I watched as his nostrils flared, as amber and ochre bled into his hazel eyes and as his fangs came down and out in a slow, but somehow menacing glide.

“You smell like a vampire. And of him,” he said, breathlessly. “He has made you his vampire mate. Interesting.” I thought he'd just leave it at that and back off, but suddenly I was in his arms. His strong, solid body flush against mine, his face buried in the crease of my neck. His tongue coming out and tasting my skin. “Mmm,” he murmured. “You would make a fine meal indeed.”

“Back off,” I managed to get out in a rush of breath.

“
You will appeal to more vampires now, Ms. Monk. A Nosferatin who is also capable of being a vampire mate. A prize many will desire. I desire you. I want to taste you right now. I could, before you screamed for help from your lowly level four vampire kin. Michel is indisposed, is he not? You have worn him out.” He laughed at that thought, a deep chuckle, which rumbled through his chest and seemed to only amuse him more. “I could taste you and fuck you before they even heard a whimper from those delectable lips. And what noises
would
you make for me, when I bring you to climax? Will you scream
my
name as you do Michel's? Will you beg
me
for more like you do him? I want you, I am quite accustomed to getting what I want.”

I pushed back against his chest and was surprised he let me. Making him take a step back and then adding a few of my own to increase the distance between us. He just laughed more. His eyes had become a glowing combination of amber, ochre and jade, shining in the lights of the room and catching me with their beauty. Vampire eyes are spellbinding, Avery's were magical. I hated them. I wanted, at that moment, to scratch them both out. We stood like that, facing each other for several minutes, then Samson came back in the room.

Avery spun away and returned to his armchair by the fire, flicking a glance at himself in the mirror above the hearth. And Samson led me to the couch, handing me the steaming mug of coffee. I held it in two shaking hands and sipped at the hot drink, allowing it to chase away the chill in my bones Avery had placed there.

“It will be fully night soon. Are you up to hunting Alastair, mistress?” Samson asked.

I wasn't sure I was, but what could I do? I had promised myself that I would not allow four more humans to die. And the thought that Lutin may be indisposed, healing somewhere, licking his wounds and leaving Alastair exposed, was too big a temptation to pass up.

“I'll be fine,” I answered, sipping more of my drink and finally feeling the last of the shakes fade away.

“There is, of course, the conversation with Viktor to recover,” Avery said, neutrally. “That may impact on your hunting abilities. That may interfere with your safety this evening.”

Samson tensed beside me on the couch. I knew he didn't like the idea of my safety being questioned, but I was also hoping he was seeing through Avery's guise. Avery's voice had been too neutral, he wanted to pluck my mind.

I sighed. What choice did I have? I would have preferred Michel to have been present, but Michel had said he wouldn't have been able to enter my mind when Avery did anyway, so he couldn't have helped. But, he had said he would blood bind Avery to him, to ensure he acted appropriately once inside my head. Michel couldn't do that now, he was out cold and waiting for him to recover was not safe. I needed to share Viktor's conversation, before I felt the pull. I knew this, even if I couldn't express why.

Having Samson try to blood bind the Dark vampire was impossible. Avery was a level
one
Sanguis Vitam
Master, Samson only a level four. Avery could do more damage to Samson than I could ever allow. Both Antonio and Ricardo, although stronger and more powerful than Samson, were not mine to command or request. I didn't really know them and although they would probably be happy to step in for their Master, I was not comfortable with asking them to do such a grave and potentially dangerous thing. If it had been Marcus or Matthias with me, I may have felt differently. They were vampires I knew and trusted. They were practically mine to command as it was. But, they were also back in Auckland helping Amisi to hold down the fort while I was gone.

Avery was watching me with a hungry, predatory look. I held his gaze with an equally strong look of my own. This time a
don't-mess-with-me-buddy
look. One that only made the edges of his mouth curve into a wicked smile.

“If we do this, there needs to be some rules,” I said into the heavy air between us. It was as though Samson no longer existed. Just Avery and me sitting in that bright, white, front room.

He leaned forward in his seat, waiting for me to continue. He hadn't hidden the hunger in his eyes. If anything, it had only gotten stronger.

“You will not abuse me or influence me in any way, other than what is needed to regain the conversation,” I said in a low, even voice.

“Or else?” he asked, making it obvious that he felt he could agree to anything and just simply ignore it once inside my mind. I needed a consequence, one he would believe.

“Or else,” I said with vehemence, “I will stake you and not miss.”

“What if I influence you to not stake me, ever?” he asked casually, clearly enjoying himself.

“Then Michel will,” I added, feeling a connection to Michel's vampire-within I had not felt before.

Something must have flashed in my eyes, because Avery blanched. A momentary look of surprise and fear, crossing his features. It was only when Samson said, “Bloody hell” next to me and I looked at his face, instead of Avery's, that I comprehended what he had seen.

“
Your eyes just flashed magenta. Michel's magenta,” Samson said with awe. Michel's
vampire's
magenta, I corrected in my mind.

I wasn't sure how it had happened, but somehow I was able to call on that part of Michel. To call on his dragon-within. Being Michel's vampire mate was going to have its advantages if a mere flash of borrowed magenta in my eyes scared the crap out of vampires like Avery.

“Interesting,” Avery said, his head cocked to the side.

“Weird,” Samson added.

But I couldn't actually disagree.

The retrieval of Viktor's conversation with me, wasn't nearly as horrible as I had imagined. Avery remained on his side of the room, I was guessing, not wanting to aggravate Michel's vampire-within right now, not wanting to chance another flash of magenta in my eyes. I couldn't help smiling at that. After everything Avery had tried, everything he done, Michel's vampire scared him enough to behave. It made me realise how powerful Michel's vampire-within must be. And, also, how much of what Avery presented was a front. He gave the impression of being a strong, imposing and powerful vampire, but twice now he stood down in the presence of Michel's rage.

The first time was when Michel lashed out at him when he had invaded my mind as we had been making love. I had expected Avery to retaliate, yet he had remained on the floor and not moved an inch in response to the pain Michel had caused. And now, with the hint of a threat from Michel's vampire, he behaved again. I was suddenly, inordinately, proud of Michel. To have command of such an obviously intimidating and powerful vampire-within and yet to still be able to remain in control. My smile grew wider.

When
Avery did appear before me, in my mind now, we were standing on top of a wind swept hill. I could see trees in the distance behind him and the open ocean off to the left. A small, rustic looking village was on our right, down a steep slope. I spun around to get an idea of what was behind me, but it was just more rolling grassy hills as far as the eye could see. When I returned to look at Avery he was closer than before. Now only a couple of feet away, whereas he had been over ten or so previously.

“Don't come any closer,” I said, noting my voice echoed a little here. He held my gaze but didn't respond. Nor did he step closer.

After a momentary pause, part of me still expecting him to pounce, I decided time wasn't on our side to muck around. “Let's get on with this then. What do I have to do?” I asked, straightening my back.

“What is the last thing you remember?” he asked, softly.

I closed my eyes, thinking back to that night, I could remember it all. It felt so long ago, but it was less than 24 hours. Unbelievable. I played the evening over in my mind. The rooftop. The church. The walk back to Samson's, shadow guards in tow. Drinks with Viktor, then the car. That ridiculous, ostentatious, stretched Hummer.

The memories of the conversation that followed were familiar and evoked emotions of intrigue, mild anger, but more than anything else, a calmness that all was OK and I had accepted what had transpired. I even felt I
knew
what had transpired, but when I tried to think of the words actually said, they didn't exist at all.

I tamped down the fear at not being able to voice, either mentally or verbally, that conversation and raised my eyes to the vampire before me, challenging him to do what it is he does best. Manipulate my mind and sort this current problem out.

He nodded briefly, still standing several feet away, rigidly still. As though any movement would break his concentration, maybe make him do something he regretted once Michel's vampire-within was made aware. Avery was definitely behaving himself.