Vampire Mistress (Vampire Queen #5)

Daegan's hand tightened on his shoulder. The vampire drew him away, slow and easy, as if he didn't want to antagonize the beast, but Gideon wasn't sure which beast was being soothed. He resented being pulled back from the heat of that kiss, but before he could accuse the vampire of jealousy, he saw what Daegan had. Her head fell back against the stone, her red eyes fixated on him, fangs long enough to slide over her bottom lip.

“Hungry,” she rasped. “More.”

“Soon,” Daegan said. “Just a mouthful is enough for now. I need to go,cher . I'll be back as soon as I can.”

Her attention went to him then, and some of the red receded, Anwyn struggling to the forefront. “Daegan. . .”

“I know.” When he moved in closer, Gideon stepped back, but not far enough to miss the softening of Daegan's austere features, the look in his eyes as he cupped her face and brushed his lips gently over hers. Her body quivered, a revulsion toward her restraints, even though it was obvious she was making a concerted effort to focus on him, not them. “I would give anything not to leave you right now,” he added, sliding his hands down to her tense shoulders, his thumbs teasing her collarbone. “But you will need the sire's blood.”

She shook her head. “I won't take it, Daegan. You might as well not bother.”

“You will take it, because it will keep you alive. I won't let you die. Even though”—a slight smile touched his lips, but not his eyes, which were fixed on her face—“you have been insufferably strong-minded as a human. I expect you'll be even worse as a vampire female.” She swallowed. “Perhaps I'll finally have the strength and speed to punch you in your arrogant face when you need it . . . and run fast enough to get away with it.”

Instead of humor, he responded by pressing his forehead to hers, cradling the sides of her face as she closed her eyes. “I'm so afraid,” she whispered. “Daegan, I've never been so afraid.” Gideon was leaning against the wall, and he put his hand over hers. Daegan registered the gesture, and Gideon didn't sense disapproval.

“I know. Which is why it tears me apart to go. But I'm not leaving you alone. You trust Gideon, don't you?”

Her lashes fluttered up. “Yes,” she said, surprising Gideon with the simple sincerity of her answer. “But how do you . . .”

“I know everything. I've told you that before.” Daegan pressed a kiss to her forehead and then backed off, even as she summoned a half-serious look of irritation.

“There's that arrogance.”

“I'll look forward to discussing it more when I return.” He glanced at Gideon. “I'd like a word.” As they moved out of the cell, Daegan pressed the control, giving Anwyn slack on the manacles again as he closed the iron door. She took several unsteady steps under the men's watchful eyes, then sank down on the sofa, the chains at ankles and wrists clanking. As her head went to the pillow, her eyes closed.

“Good. A period of lethargy. Let's hope she can get some rest before the next episode.” Gideon noted that the chains did not give her enough slack to reach the door, but Daegan took no chances, locking it. He extended the key. “It's already past dawn, but I can use the alleyways and sewers to track them,” he said, low. “He came asking for me, so he and the others should still be in the area. In the interim, human blood can help slow the madness. Give her a quarter cup every two hours.

There are several bags in the refrigerator.” At Gideon's questioning look, the vampire lifted a shoulder. “I have been injured, once or twice. Anwyn suggested I keep some here, ready, in case she could not fully supply my needs fresh. Her own human blood can feed her. Follow me.” Daegan moved past him then and back into the sitting room. As he moved out of Anwyn's sight, the unhurried calm the vampire had demonstrated until now disappeared, replaced by the mantle of a dangerous predator on the hunt. He lengthened his stride to a cabinet. While Gideon stayed in the corridor, so he could keep an ear to their charge, Daegan pulled the panel back with a rumble of the wood, revealing a silver safe. He keyed in a combination and the door released, showing a stockpile of gleaming weapons. Knives, both metal and wood, stakes, throwing spears and crossbows were there, as well as an array of swords, everything from a claymore to a katana.

Stripping off his coat, Daegan methodically began arming himself, much as Gideon did on a normal vampire-hunting workday. The duster had a place to hang the sword so it would be concealed but readily available. He chose the samurai blade, twirling it once expertly to test the balance before he fitted it into the straps.

“Remember, under no circumstances should you enter that cell when the chains are slack,” Daegan said, as if there'd been no pause in their conversation. “Her moods will be mercurial. It will get painful, as you know.” He threw a glance over his shoulder, holstering what looked like a sleek Walther nine-millimeter.

“When the bloodlust takes over, she will be as bad as the most dangerous drug addict, willing to say or do anything to get you close enough to take a vein straight from the source. She will hate the refrigerated blood, but it and the sire's blood are all she can have until she learns control. If she gets hold of your throat, she will kill you.” He gave Gideon an even look. “Your motivation of a few moments ago was not entirely misguided, but you will not repeat it by yourself.”

“I already told you about giving me orders.”

Daegan's gaze could have seared flesh. “If you wish to get your throat ripped out, vampire hunter, I do not object. Just do not do it when she still has need of you.”

“Nice. Blow me. What I meant was, you could just say, ‘Feeding her from your neck won't be a great idea unless someone's around to keep her from getting overenthusiastic.' ”

“That's what I just said.”

When Gideon snorted, Daegan pushed the safe door closed. “You are as dumb as you look, vampire hunter. Fear can sometimes be your ally.”

“Being scared means you give a shit about your life. I don't.” Gideon drew his six-inch wooden blade, flipped it over in his hand and extended it to Daegan, hilt first. “Know you don't need it with that arsenal you're carrying, but if you manage to sink it into the bastard, I'll feel like I was there by proxy. It's got a good balance to it. Best kind of throwing knife if you need to pin someone. I know I won't need it here.” He met Daegan's eyes. “You'll be back, after all.”

The vampire inclined his head, taking the knife. Briefly, his hand closed over Gideon's, then slid away.

“While your childish rejection of authority is irritating, your faith is mildly gratifying.” Dickhead.“Fine.”

Daegan had put Anwyn's razor tips in a small bowl on the coffee table, and now he collected them. “I'll use the smell of their flesh to track them,” he explained. “Regardless of what you think of me, Gideon, take particular care with her. If she gets free, the casualties would be unimaginable, particularly if it's at night, when the club above is full. The sexual energy would incite her bloodlust further.”

“Do you really give a rat's ass about them, or would that merely be an unnecessary complication to an already shitty situation?”

“Your hatred of my kind is blinding you,” Daegan said, briefly showing fangs. “You've already seen that Anwyn has a deep-seated aversion to being out of control. Now imagine what would happen if such a loss of control resulted in her harming people she cares about, even killing them. She would not survive that, Gideon.”

He met Gideon's gaze without blinking, that peculiar vampire stillness lending the look additional weight.

“But to answer your question baldly, she is what matters most to me. Enough that I will do anything necessary to see her safe and well. So don't goad me. I am depending on you now, but your worth will decrease in direct proportion to how much you get on my nerves.”

“I'll tremble in fear over that while you're gone.”

“You do that.” Daegan turned for the door.

Gideon cursed under his breath.Shit. “Rei.” When the vampire tossed him a glance, already halfway through the frame, Gideon spoke gruffly. “Good hunting.”

Another flash of fang, a feral smile, and the vampire was gone.

12

GIDEON came back into the dungeon room. On a thought, he brought in a couple vases of her flowers, set them on benches he supposed were normally used for flogging happily helpless male slaves, their bare asses sticking in the air. He flinched from the distasteful image.

He knew it was kind of hypocritical, but he didn't classify their session or how he'd responded to it the same way. Course, maybe he was just being an asshole because he didn't really want to be lumped in with those pathetic losers. He also didn't want to think about men who might have been something more than clients to her, brought down to this personal dungeon. Maybe there hadn't been a lot since she'd known Daegan. The vampire didn't seem the sharing type, not that way.Yeah. That makes me feel better.

Anwyn was still curled up on the couch, but at his appearance, she sat up, so obviously relieved to see him, he was sorry he'd stepped out of her sight for even a moment. However, she rearranged her expression immediately to appear as calm as possible, adjusting the dark T-shirt. Almost primly, she crossed her sexy long legs and folded her hands in her lap, a composed image somewhat ruined by the clank of the chains. “You promised to braid my hair. Of course, under the circumstances, I guess you could just give me a brush and I'll do it myself.”

“No, I can do it.” Gideon moved to the cell door, key already in hand, and then thought of Daegan's admonition. He had half a mind to ignore the supercilious son of a bitch, but unfortunately his gut and Daegan's logic were on the same wavelength.If she kills you, she's got no one. “If you don't mind me taking you back to the wall, that is.”

She swallowed, that composure wavering in her pale face, and lifted a shoulder. “Maybe in a few minutes. I want to be able to move around right now.”