Haven (47 page)

We neared the storage rooms. Brigid opened one of the doors and slipped inside.

She spoke softly and a male voice replied. I strained to hear. Was it Alexander? No. Aaron walked by holding my unconscious man in a fireman’s carry.

What if he’s dead?

“No!” Panic exploded, jump-starting my unpredictable power. Dixon dropped me like a hot potato.

Enemy. Destroy.
I jumped to my feet and palmed his face.
Burn.

My palms warmed and Dixon’s skin reddened. Surprise flashed across his face and he sank onto a bench behind us. I kept my hands pressed to his cheeks as my mind’s eye flew through his circulatory system, boiling his blood, willing him to die, to turn into a pile of ash.

But he merely toyed with me. He bared his fangs and hissed, unleashing his superior, preternatural power, reducing my fire to so much useless steam, nothing but vapor, impotent, useless. In seconds flat, I was nothing but tired. Empty. My body crumpled. He hauled me onto his lap. My head flopped onto his bony shoulder, my eyes fluttering shut.

Defeated. Again.

Dixon threw back his head and laughed.

“Alexander.”
Help me. Too weak to help myself.

“He cannot hear your call this time, luv. The sun is up and the youngling is down.”

My heart sank. On the one hand, I was relieved to know Aaron hadn’t killed my man, but on the other, morning came and stole him away. Not good.

“Why aren’t you down, too?”

“He is young and weak. I am neither, my pet.”

“The big guy isn’t as old as you. I’d bet money on it.” I made small talk to stay awake, unwilling to find out what would happen if I fell asleep in this monster’s arms.

“Astute of you. He has Brigid to thank for his wakefulness.”

“She got you both out of cold storage?”

“Indeed. We were lucky Brigid decided the hour of her revenge arrived. She made us an offer we could not refuse. Freedom from our prison and vengeance upon those who put us there.”

What had Aaron done to get drained and dumped in cold storage? Had the rest of Dixon’s biker gang been in there, too? It would be handy to know how many more bad guys there were.

“What about your gang? Did she free them, too?”

Dixon stiffened. “Dead.”

“All of them?”

“Yes, luv. The Warden and Jonas rarely take prisoners.”

“Then why are you and Aaron still here?”

“A good question.”

“Don’t you know?”

“Of course.”

“Tell me.” I liked knowing my uncles were ruthless bastards when they needed to be. They were smart, too, so maybe they’d realize we weren’t dead. Hope flickered in my gut, its energy chipping away at my Dixon-induced fatigue.

“Perhaps another time, my pet. Trust me, we shall have many evenings together. For now, let us speak of your delicious power.”

“What about it?” I opened my eyes, wiggled one foot. A small step, but still a long way from functional.

Brigid interrupted our chat. “Aaron, bring the youngling.”

Aaron watched us from the doorway, a limp Alexander still across his shoulders. At Brigid’s command, he disappeared into the storage room.

“No, not the floor. In there,” Brigid ordered. A
thump
sounded, then Aaron exited the room empty-handed, disappearing in a typical blur of vampire speed.

“Nice try, pet. You have great potential, such a delicious, lethal power, if only
you knew how to use it properly.” He trailed a pointed fingernail down my cheek, my neck, to my chest. I stiffened.

“So sad.” His finger made lazy circles in the hollow between my breasts. “Poor, helpless babe. Abandoned by your own family
for all these years. Left alone in the human world without a clue as to who you truly
are. I imagine the pain of rejection cuts you deep, now that the truth of your birthright has been revealed to you. To be cast out by your own father. Is there anything worse?”

Yes, you touching me like this, pervert.

I choked back the words. If I didn’t respond, maybe he’d get bored and release me. My other foot twitched at the thought of freedom. Now if the rest of my body would recover, I could shove off this psycho’s lap.

When I didn’t reply, his finger stilled. “You must be angry. They made you believe you were a mere mortal, nothing special. Do you not boil with resentment? Do you not want revenge?”

I want to burn your blackened heart, you undead jerk.

My fingers moved. I curled them into fists. Did he think me stupid? That he could convince me to hate my family? Turn my back on them? Never. I might be mad at my father, hurt by a lifetime of secrets and lies, but I loved him. Loved all of them. I would never betray that love.

I gave Dixon defiant eyes.

He didn’t notice, caught up in his monologue. “But we know how special you are. Oh yes, you are quite the prize. And they know it, too, of course. Why do you think they’ve returned to you now, after so many years apart? Do you think it is out of love they have come to claim you once more?”

His fingernail dug into the sensitive skin between my breasts.

I gasped. “They love me.”

Dixon chuckled. “Ah, to be young and naïve. Love is irrelevant. It is your power that has drawn them here. Your power they cherish above all else. That, and nothing more.”

“Lies. You’d say anything to get me on your side.”

“Ah, pet, there is no need to sway you when, in fact, I already have you.” His hand closed around my right breast and squeezed.

I squeaked and grabbed his wrist. My heart raced, adrenaline pushing energy into my legs, wiping out the last of the Dixon-induced fatigue. I writhed on his lap, warring with his arm.

He handled me with little effort, lips curled in amusement. “And you are so much fun.”

“Then why did you say all of that brainwashing crap?” I dug my nails into his wrist. “Stop touching me.”

His silver eyes glowed with laughter. “Oh, feisty kitty. How could I not want to play with my luscious new pet?”

“I’m not your pet.” His skin gave way under my nails, but he ignored it.

“My toy, then.”

“I’m not your toy!”

Dixon released my breast. I swung at his face, going for a nose blow with the heel of my palm, but he deflected it and stood, dumping me on the floor.

“Come, pet.” He extended a hand. I aimed a heel strike at his knee. He dodged. I cursed. He laughed. I scowled.

Dr. O appeared, holding a black T-shirt in one hand.

“What do you want, Oliver.” Dixon’s voice was cold, dangerous.

“If you are through trifling with the child,” Dr. O chided. “We can return to the task at hand.”

He waved the shirt at Dixon, extending his free hand to me. I hesitated. Should I trust him? What other choice did I have at this point?

“What are you playing at, Oliver?” Dixon’s power blew around us, making me shiver.

Dr. O remained unfazed by Dixon’s display. “I simply
wish to dress the child for the long journey ahead.”

“She is hardly
a child, Oliver. And clothing is irrelevant in a coffin.”

My heart lodged itself in my throat. “Wait, what?” I grabbed Dr. O’s hand and he pulled me to standing. I clung to his long, slender hand and he gave mine a brief squeeze. There it was.
Trust.
I had an ally. A small comfort given the situation, but better than none.

“I’m not getting in any coffin,” I declared.

Neither vampire replied. Dr. O released my hand and gave me the shirt.

I clutched it to my chest while the two vampires had a stare down. A battle of wills by two, tall undead statues. Their silent pissing contest showed no sign of ending anytime soon, so I pulled off the remnants of my red T-shirt, replacing it with the black one.

It was a men’s T-shirt, a soft silk and cotton blend, long enough to cover several inches of thigh. I still had one leg exposed, but this was a vast improvement, even if I looked like a little kid wearing her daddy’s shirt. I smoothed my hands down the front of it. A familiar scent struck me and I pulled the material to my nose. It was a good smell, earthy and sweet, a mix of lemon and orange, and something woodsy like cedar or sandalwood. Or both.

Under it all, another scent. Familiar. Important.

The part of me more cavewoman than modern thinking woman, more animal than human,
she
recognized it. We knew that scent like we knew our own.

It wasn’t Alexander’s.

~ * ~

I stepped around the two vampires and made a beeline for the open storage room, kicking myself for not recognizing his voice earlier. He’d spoken so softly. But it
was
him, my brother Tony. Paolo and Greg hadn’t driven him from Adrian’s place to mine. They’d delivered him to vampire hell.

Bastards
. Once again, nothing but glad they were dead.

Aaron appeared in my path, towering over me like some hulking vampire King Kong.

My temper flared.
“Voglio vedere mio fratello. Subito! Subito porco dio!”

He gave me a bored look and stood his ground. I tried again in English, minus the swearing. “I want to see my brother. Now.”

He cocked a bushy red brow and crossed his arms atop his beach ball belly.

“Dixon, call off your guard dog.” I scanned the big guy’s body for the best place to do some damage. He
was
moving out of my way, with or without force. I didn’t want to get physical with a vampire the size of a fat tree, but I would do anything to get to Tony.

“Patience, pet,” Dixon called from across the room. “Come, have a drink. Afterward, you may join your brother.” He scowled at Oliver. “And shame on
you
for spoiling our surprise.”

“It is not
my
surprise to spoil,” Dr. O replied, voice cold
.
There it was, an obvious declaration, a line drawn in the sand. And he stood on my side of it.

“But you will not interfere,” Dixon’s voice was equally
chilly.

“No. I will not interfere with your current endeavor.”

“Swear it.”

“I swear it.” My heart sank at his words until Dr. O locked eyes with me. “But Brigid called me here to heal the princess. I will remain here as long as she needs me.”

A promise of aid? Hope wanted to take root in me, but even with one powerful old vampire on my side, we were still outmanned and outgunned.

“You remain here because we will not allow you to leave,” Dixon countered.

Anger flashed in Dr. O’s black eyes. “You speak as if you were master here. We both know that is not the case.”

Dixon bared his fangs. “Careful, doctor. Lest we revoke your safe passage.”

“You are not master here. You cannot pretend otherwise.”

The two men resumed their macho stare down. Their little squabble got me no closer to my brother. I envisioned landing a wicked kick in Aaron’s gut, but Brigid spoke.

“Oliver. Come.”

Dr. O whooshed by, a black and white blur. He joined Brigid in the storage room.

“Well, that’s better.” Dixon offered me a glass of blood.

I crossed my arms. “No, thanks.”

“I insist. It is still quite fresh. You will find it as delightful as your first two servings.” He held up his glass, swirled the contents, sniffed and sipped it like a fine wine. “Yes, fresh is always best. Lush and layered. Such a rich story in every swallow.”

The glass touched my arm. “Go on, luv, it is a drink. Sustenance, and nothing more.”

“You expect me to trust you?” I protested, but my arms unfolded as the sweet, metallic aroma teased my nose and made my stomach growl, my mouth water. My hand closed around the glass. I sipped the contents, keeping a wary eye on Dixon. It was the same delicious blood I’d consumed earlier. My inner vampire purred in approval.

Dixon finished his glass. “Yes, quite good. Paolo failed us as a minion, but he was not a total loss. Would you not agree?”

Oh. I was drinking Paolo, the man who’d been my grumpy bodyguard for years, the man who’d betrayed my family, shot Alexander, beat me up, kidnapped me, Alexander,
and
Tony, and delivered us to these evil bastards. I was drinking the blood of a man I knew, but had never liked.

I pondered the blood, breathed in its pungent scent, let my human half feel appalled and guilty for a millisecond and emptied the contents with gusto. Yeah, payback was a bitch and I was totally
okay with that.

I tossed Dixon the glass. He beamed at me like some proud papa.

“What?” My voice sounded husky, the voice of a well-fed, happy little half-breed.

“It did not disturb your sensibilities to fill your belly with the blood of a friend.”

I snorted. “No friend of mine.”

“Acquaintance, then.”

I shrugged.

Dixon chuckled. “My, my little kitty, you are more like us than I thought possible.”

“I’m nothing like you.”

“Oh no? When you enthralled Greg and gave him to Alexander, I assumed it was the binding at work, making you forget your precious humanity. But this...you feasted willingly on Paolo’s blood, a man you knew in life, a man you witnessed us kill. You feel no remorse, no pity.”

He was right. I refused to answer, but since I had no poker face, my expression told him how much I didn’t care those two evil bastards were no longer around to hurt me and mine.

“Yes! That is the look.
That
is vampire. You are indeed one of us.”

Never
. “I’m not one of you. I might be half vampire, but I don’t play for Team Brigid. I never will.”

Dixon cocked his head, silver eyes shifting to black. “Never is a long time, luv. And a luxury you do not have.” He crushed me to his body, my arms pinned between us. “You are mine now, little princess. Accept it and I promise a moderately
painful transition. If you fight us on this, you will suffer horribly
and wish for death. A death we will never give you.”