Chapter Ten

 

 

It was barely past midnight when Etienne roused Willa, covering her mouth with his when she opened her lips to speak.

“There are vampires outside. By my estimate, there are two, maybe three. I need you to quietly get dressed. No lights,” he whispered into her ear.

Eyes wide, she nodded and pushed the sheets back.

While she dressed, he sent a text message to Darius. He didn’t need the help, but Willa was a wild card. Lord only knew what she would do. Back up was the only wise choice.

Nick and I are in the French Quarter patrolling. We will be there in a minute, Darius messaged back.

As she dragged sweatpants over her hips, he handed her socks and a pair of sneakers.

While Willa tied her shoes, he moved to the window and drew back the curtain a fraction of an inch. His shoulders bunched and fingers flexed in preparation for a fight.

“You’re the king, right? Aren’t all the vampires under your control?” Confusion filled her whispered question.

“No. I only rule half of the world. My brother has the other half. I don’t know these vampires, so unless someone has been converting humans without my knowledge, these men belong to Ivan.” He eased the curtain back into place and grabbed her hand.

“What are we going to do?”

“I’m going outside. You’re staying in the apartment. If by some miracle one gets inside, get to your car and go to my house. Darius and Nick will be here shortly to assist in their apprehension. Open the patio door for me and then lock it again.”

Willa watched as the moonless night swallowed Etienne in its darkness. Dang it, she couldn’t see or hear a thing. She held very still and listened for footsteps, voices. Heck, breathing would have been good, but all she heard was total silence. Even the insects were quiet.

One heartbeat—two. Then she heard the unmistakable sound of a fist hitting flesh, followed by a grunt. Desperate to know Etie was all right, she squinted. Finally, her eyes adjusted to the low light, bringing the dark shadows struggling at the edge of the yard into focus.

Her hands fisted, itching to join in the fray and protect what was hers. But she stayed put as Etie had commanded her to do. The size of the shadows offered up no indication as to which was her vampire. All three dark masses were close in height and bulk. She watched closely until she noticed two of the shadows were attacking the other. Etie was obviously the one under attack. Automatically her hand reached for the patio screen. Realizing what she was about to do, she clenched her fingers into her palm until her nails pierced the skin.

Suddenly, one of the attackers flew a good twenty feet into a tree and crumpled at its base. Willa held back her whoop by pressing her lips tightly together. She refused to distract her man and give the attacker an advantage.

That was when the headlights of a passing car reflected off of a silver blade. All she could make out was the hulking shape of a third man sneaking up behind Etie who was focused on the one he still fought.

Willa couldn’t take anymore. No matter what he thought, Etie needed help. She threw open the door and rushed the man. Her unexpected vampiric speed threw her equilibrium off. Instead of tackling the assailant, she lost her balance and fell against his chest.

The man grabbed the back of her shirt and pulled her off of him. And as if she wasn’t dizzy enough, he whirled her around and slammed her back to his chest. He must have been made of granite because it felt like she’d hit a wall.

The blow was so hard, the wind was knocked from her lungs. She gasped for air, which wasn’t easy. Her captor had one meaty arm wrapped around her like a vise. The other swung up to reveal the knife she had seen. She felt a warm trickle of blood and the hot burn of silver against her throat and knew she was in real trouble.

Now that she was close to the action, she could see that Etie had a cut on his right forearm and another across his chest. Fury rushed through her at the sight of his blood dripping down his torso. She struggled to free herself, but the vampire who held her tightened his arm and pressed the knife harder to her throat.

“I have your woman,” the man with the knife yelled at Etienne. “Yield now, or she dies.”

One of the two vampires was still out cold, and Etienne dropped the second in a crumpled heap as he turned to face the man who held her. Willa knew she had to do something. There was no telling what they would do to Etie if he surrendered.

Knowing the knife would cut her a second time, she turned her head anyway and bit the man’s forearm hard. Blood welled from her throat, coating the front of her shirt and the arm that still held her.

Etienne took a step forward, hissing in anger, but stopped when the man turned the tip of the blade and held it over her heart.

One moment, she thought she was a goner and the next, her captor was on the ground with Nick’s boot planted on the back of his neck. He wasn’t gentle about it, either. “You looked like you could use a hand,” he said as he flipped the knife that had been at her neck into the air and caught it again.

Willa pressed her palm to the bleeding cut on her throat and took several steps back. Nick may have a smile on his face, but he was anything but happy. The gale-force waves of fury rolling off of him pounded at her. He wasn’t the only unhappy camper.

Darius was every bit as angry. The problem was, she didn’t know them well enough to discern if they were furious because of the attack or angry with her for jumping into the fight. Probably both.

When someone took hold of her arm, she stiffened and brought her hands up to do battle. She lowered them just as quickly and fell into Etie’s arms. Only then did she let herself fall apart. Her entire body shook so hard her teeth rattled.

“You need care, my love. Come inside with me.” He gently turned her away from the scene of violence. Then he paused and called over his shoulder. “Darius, secure them. I will return shortly.”

Once inside the apartment, Etienne pulled Willa to the bathroom. He lengthened one fingernail into the equivalent of a stiletto blade and slit her T-shirt from top to bottom. Willa squeaked but stood still as he pushed the ruined T-shirt from her shoulders. “I need to heal the cuts and wash the blood from your body.”

“But you’re injured, too. I can...”

“I need to do this, Willa.” He needed to wash away the evidence of his inadequacy. His muierimei’s health, happiness, and safety were his responsibility. He had failed her on an epic level. His fear for her had clouded his judgment and allowed one of the attackers to come at him from behind. A mistake he wouldn’t make again.

“All right,” she acquiesced.

His soulmate was a strong woman accustomed to no one seeing to her needs. From the little he knew of her past, he doubted few, other than her friends, had ever taken care of her. Before she could change her mind, he bent to lick the still bleeding slashes closed. Try as he might, he couldn’t hold back the rumble of anger that rose from his chest. Anger directed at himself.

“Etie?”

The question in her tone brought his head up. “I apologize for my inability to control my reactions. I am upset and disappointed with myself. Ignore the snarly vampire in the room.”

“I will ignore it if you let me tend to you,” she said, her tone brooking no argument.

He grinned at her. “Although it is unnecessary, it would please me to have my muierimei care for me.”

“Right answer.” Although his body hardened in fierce demand, he stood with his hands at his sides. He knew she needed this and he would never deny her rights as his mate. The drive to care for him was as strong as his was to see to her needs. It would damage their bond if he insisted on doing it himself.

Willa licked the gash on his chest in one long sweep. She repeated the action a second time to ensure the cut was sealed. Then she took his right hand and raised his arm to her mouth and repeated the administration.

Try as he might, a groan escaped his lips, and his hips rocked. When he was sure he would lose control, she raised her head and smiled. “All done. But the blood still needs to be washed off.”

He released the breath he had been holding and pulled a washcloth from the shelf next to the vanity and wet it with warm water. “I can take care of that when I wash you.”

He gave his chest and arm a few quick swipes, then rinsed the cloth clean before applying it to her soft skin. With long gentle strokes, he washed the blood from her neck, and chest, taking great care to thoroughly cleanse her breasts.

“I think I was clean a couple of minutes ago,” she said with an amused tone.

“Hush. I am a thorough man.”

“Oh, I know. I’ve been on the receiving end of that thoroughness.” She leaned into him and whispered into his ear, “And I liked it.”

An image of her laid out like a banquet before him entered his mind but was instantly replaced with her bloody and broken. Before he knew what he was doing, he pulled her flush to his body, his arms wrapped around her in a hold tighter than he had ever held her before.

The terror of seeing his muierimei in the hands of a killer, blood staining her shirt, was a nightmare he never wanted to revisit. I could have lost her. His tremble became a full-body shake at the thought.

“Next time I tell you to stay inside, safe from attack, obey me,” he snarled harsher than he intended.

“I’m sorry, Etie. I fully intended to do as you asked, but that man had a knife, and he was about to stab you in the back. I won’t stand by and do nothing when you are about to die.”

Etienne growled low in his throat. “I do not die easily, my love. Please, do as I say. I cannot concentrate on an enemy if you are in danger.”

“I will do my best. But as I said, I won’t stand by and watch you die. I would be devastated if I lost you. Can you understand that?”

He calmed himself enough to consider her position. “I understand it, but that does not mean I like it. Next time, and there will be a next time, try harder.”

Willa raised her head from his chest to look him in the eyes. “Why are you so sure there will be a next time?”

“I am the king of the vampires and nearly immortal. Eventually, someone will be stupid enough to try to kill me and take the throne.”

“Does that happen often?”

“No. Apparently, the fact that I found you has threatened someone.”

“How could anyone know? We only met a couple days ago.”

He shook his head and chuckled. “Vampires gossip like old women. I am sure the entire world knows. The unmarried king taking a wife is big news,” he said with a grin.

Willa crossed her arms and cocked a brow. “Married? I don’t recall a proposal.”

“There will be one, I promise. But I will do it properly with flowers and candlelight.”

Smiling, she wrapped her arms around his waist and snuggled against his chest again. “Mm, I can hardly wait.”

He mimicked her move and folded his arms around her. Then he spread his fingers wide to take in as much of her back as possible. He needed the texture of her soft skin beneath his hands. “Neither can I.”

After a long minute, he stroked her hair before loosening his hold. “I have to talk to my men. Wait inside until I return. Please.” He added the last to make his demand more palatable and hopefully obeyed.

“I’ll stay out of trouble.” Once he was across the yard and talking with Darius, she whispered, “This time.”

 

 

Darius glanced over his shoulder and watched Etienne cross the yard to where he and Nick huddled in the shadows. “We couldn’t stop them,” he stated, his tone colored with a sense of failure.

Etienne glanced at the bodies laid out in a straight row, none of their chests rising on an indrawn breath. He turned his attention back to Darius. “Explain,” Etienne demanded, the tone of his voice all business.

“Each of them had a small silver-coated blade hidden on their body. Before we could stop them, they stabbed themselves in the heart.”

The pregnant pause was a heavy shroud around them, the air vibrating with Etienne’s fury. “Are you fucking kidding me?” he snarled. “Did you get any information out of them before they played human shish kabob?”

“No. But I heard one talking to the others, the language wasn’t one I know, but the accent sounded Romanian,” Darius said, his voice low.

“I had the same impression when the one that dared to put a blade to Willa spoke. They are most certainly from the old country.”

“Is Ivan up to his old tricks again?” Darius asked.

“I do not know. Perhaps. Yet then again, there could be another vampire organizing followers in a bid to take the throne. A large portion of the race remains in Europe.”

“It would be easier to put this rebellion down if we knew who was behind it. As it is, we are running blind. Searching the French Quarter is like finding a needle in a haystack,” Nick groused.

Etienne’s eyes flared hot and pinned Nick to the spot. “Until that day comes, there is no option. I want the twenty-four-hour rotation of squads to continue. Whoever is behind this will slip up. I want to be there when he does.”

“Yes, sir,” Nick responded. Then he asked, “Do you want a team to guard Willa as well?”

“That will not be necessary. I am moving her to one of our houses. She will be safer if whoever is after her does not know where to find her.”

Saying that brought an image of his woman, broken and bleeding to the forefront of his mind. He went ramrod stiff, and turned to search for Willa. He relaxed when he saw her sitting on her sofa, petting Shadow, and watching him intently. She was alive and unharmed. The fear churning his gut eased with the visual confirmation that she was safe.

His gaze flashed back to Darius, his jaw set and hard. “I want the rest of this group found and questioned. Why are they here? How many of them are there? And most of all, is my brother with them?”

“Understood. Do you want to be notified and present at the interrogation?”

“Notify me. If I am able to attend without Willa’s knowledge, I will join you. I do not want her involved in any way.”

“Agreed. That is nothing a woman should be a part of.”

Etienne manifested a sword and beheaded the dead men. You could never be sure when it came to a vampire. He’d seen men rise again after taking a blade to the heart, but they never survived the loss of their heads.

When he turned back to his men, Nick was gone, leaving him and Darius alone. His second answered his question before he could ask.

“Nick is gathering a few men to do a comprehensive sweep of the city.”

Etienne nodded his approval. Then he eyed Darius suspiciously. “Why are you still here?”

“Because you need someone to talk to.” He held up his hands in surrender. “Don’t bite my head off or try to deny it.”

Etienne gave him a hard look, then nodded “I suppose you are right.” He huffed out a breath, then admitted, “I try to be reasonable and less heavy-handed with her.”

“But?”

“She is strong-willed and has a mind of her own. Which are excellent traits as long as she does not run headlong into a dangerous situation without thinking through the repercussions. I do not know how to make her obey me when I tell her to stay put.”

“Obey? Tell me that word didn’t come out of your mouth in her presence.”

“What is wrong with telling her to obey my orders?”

Darius sighed and shook his head. “You have a lot to learn about modern-day women. If you want to keep your balls where they are, never, ever tell a woman to obey you.”

Etienne threw his hands in the air. “If I cannot tell Willa to do as I say, what am I supposed to do?”

“Ask her to. And never forget to say please. Explain why you need her to do it. Appreciate that she is an intelligent woman who will see your side once you draw a mental picture for her. She needs to understand why you are asking her to go against her natural instincts.”

Etienne harrumphed. “It is a lot easier to tell her what to do and expect her to do it.”

Darius crossed his arms over his chest and cocked a brow. “And how well did that go tonight?”

He scowled at his second-in-command. “I need her to stay where she will be safe.”

“Karen has recounted story after story of Willa not only defending herself but her friends as well. She has the heart of a warrior. She’s the perfect woman to sit beside you on the throne. She is your equal and will settle for no less. No amount of orders or demands on your part will stop her from doing what is intrinsically a part of her make-up. If you try to change that aspect of her, it will end badly for you.”

Darius looked at him with eyes that seemed older than when he’d converted him though that was impossible. Finally, Darius asked, “What about Willa?”

“What about her?”

“You’re concerned with what you need. What about her needs? What does Willa want?”

“She…” he paused, the hesitation so out of the norm that Darius narrowed his eyes at him.

He turned just enough to keep Darius in sight but also see Willa. After several long seconds, he looked at Darius again. “It is selfish to think only of myself and not take my muierimei’s needs into consideration. In the heat of the moment, I forgot that her needs and happiness must come first. I will explain why I behaved as I did and why I needed her to stay indoors.”

Darius clasped his shoulder. “That’s a start. In the short time that I’ve had Carolyn in my life, I’ve learned to communicate better. Women’s minds work differently than ours. Their emotions tend to rule their decisions, and we as their férjés need to learn to compensate for that.

“You may be a great leader, but you have a long way to go before you are as good at being a férjé. The men look to you for guidance, so you need to set a good example for them to emulate with their women.” Then Darius chuckled. “No pressure, right?”

Etienne snorted. “Right. No pressure.”

“Have you thought about training her? Teaching her self-defense? You have to teach her how to live as a vampire, why not teach her to fight as well?”

“Train her to fight? Are you mad?” he growled.

Darius shrugged. “You know she’ll never sit idly by if she thinks you’re in danger. She’ll be a hell of a lot safer if she knows how to fight back.”

Etienne took a calming breath. “I hear what you are saying, and though I loathe the idea, I see the merits of your suggestion.”

“If training her yourself is more than you can bear, leave it to me. I already told Carolyn I would teach her a few moves. She’s itching to learn, and they can practice with each other.”

Etienne opened his mouth to protest and then thought better of it. “That is an acceptable plan.” His second had a lifetime of experience and the utmost respect for women. He was the best judge of what the women were capable of and what was more than they could handle. Besides, with Carolyn in the program, he knew Darius would take the utmost care to protect the women from injury.

He couldn’t see Darius treating the women with anything other than respect. Then it occurred to him that there were others living in the house. “You should offer the training to all of the witches. Organize a schedule that they can work around.”

“Excellent idea. I will talk it over with Carolyn and let all of them know.”

“One of us will have to keep an eye on them, make sure they don’t accidentally hurt one another.”

“I’ll give the men the heads up. They all take turns in the sparring room and can help us monitor their training.”

“Good. I will leave it up to you then. After I talk with Willa, I will let you know which house I relocate her to. Right now, I need to take care of the bodies.”

“Good luck with that.”

Before Etienne could retort, Darius was gone.

Etienne scowled at the three bloody, beheaded bodies laid out in a row. With a snap of his fingers, blue flames engulfed the remains, and a minute later, all that remained were three piles of ash. He waved his hand and a gust of wind picked up the ash in a mini tornado and carried it away.

He wiped his hands as if he’d soiled them and headed for Willa. How would she react to his decree that she move to one of his houses? Would she be excited or refuse to budge? He needed to choose his words wisely.

Willa had propped the security gate open for him. He smiled as he opened the screen and stopped just inside to drink his woman in. His muierimei was thoughtful as always. Taking care of others when she needed care herself.

She jumped up from the couch and rushed into his arms. “Hold me,” she said as she laid her head against his chest.

He brushed his cheek against the silk of her hair. “Always.” He was finally able to draw a full breath. He held her, wrapped safely in his arms until she raised her face to look at him.

“Is it over? Are all the vampires who were stalking me dead?” she asked with a slight quaver in her voice.

“No. They were operating under orders from someone else. Until I find out who is behind this, I want you to stay at one of my houses. You will be safe. No one will know where to find you.”

Willa chewed her lip, clearly thinking it over. “Shadow would have to go with me. Can you handle cat hair all over your house?”