Chapter Three
Nikolai had been silent since they woke this morning. Of course, so had she. She could hardly look at him after having the most erotic dream she’d ever had about the man sleeping only feet from her.
Dawn peeked through the elm trees as they reached the farther end of Larkin Wood. The narrow path intersected with a wider road. Sienna turned left, but Nikolai reached out and grabbed her hand. “This way.” He tugged her a moment before glancing at his hand around hers. He swiftly dropped it.
Sienna found herself wishing he’d held it longer. Then chastised herself for wanting such a thing. Her dreams were nothing more than fantasies. And yet, a slow burn flickered in her belly when she remembered last night’s. It was summer and he’d laid her down in the tall grass. She’d been completely naked, and he’d been fully dressed. He’d used his mouth and tongue in wonderfully wicked ways. Not to mention his long tapered fingers which had teased into her cleft. The heat of the sun beamed down on her naked breasts as she arched into his touch, and he’d pushed his fingers—
“Are you all right?” he asked. “Your heart is beating alarmingly fast.”
What an idiot. How could she forget his heightened senses?
“I’m fine.” She smiled awkwardly, turning the subject quickly. “The entrance to the Tower is that way, through Sylus. Why are we going in the opposite direction?”
“There is a path over here that will bring us to the southeast gate,” he said, strolling ahead. “There is usually a single guard on duty. It’s more discreet to deal with him than the front gate.”
She followed behind him, admiring the view of his tall, lean form taking lengthy strides along the path. So what if she was attracted to a vampire. A beautiful, fierce, warrior vampire. That was only natural. Any warm-blooded woman would be. It did her no harm to have fantasies, did it? Or a few naughty dreams. That’s what she told herself anyway, pushing any and all grandmotherly warnings far to the back of her mind.
A brook gurgled on the left side of the road, winding in and out of the woods like a slithering snake.
She caught up to him. “I didn’t know there was another entrance to the south of the palace grounds.”
“Few do. When we get there, you’ll go to the gate and simply ask to speak with Riker. They won’t bring you to him, they’ll bring him to you. They’ll be hesitant to bring any stranger on to the palace grounds.”
“I can handle that.”
He stopped at the edge. The roadway was particularly steep and the ravine rocky with jutting shards of stone where a deep pool coalesced. “Here’s where we cross.”
“What?” Sienna gaped. “I can’t climb down there.”
Nikolai grinned, then scooped her up into his arms, his face close to hers. “Hold on, sweetheart.”
“Oh no.”
She wrapped her arms around his neck a split second before he leaped and landed safely on the other side, much softer than she expected. The feat wasn’t humanly impossible. But, of course, he wasn’t human.
For a moment, he held her close, his fingers curling tightly at her ribcage. “This is why you need a vampire to escort you to the north for recruits.”
“So you can lug me around like a potato sack?” she asked, arching a brow. “Of course. Why didn’t I know that already?”
A laugh rumbled in his chest as he set her carefully onto her feet, keeping her within the circle of his arms.
“You may release me now, lieutenant.”
“Why are you so afraid to be close to me?”
“I’m not.”
“I make you nervous.”
“No, you don’t.”
“Liar.”
She pushed on his shoulders, and he let her go. “I just don’t want to tempt you…unnecessarily.” She smoothed her crimson skirt though it wasn’t ruffled. “I mean, I don’t want to be a burden as I know vampires have trouble sometimes. With the whole blood thing.”
He let out a bark of laughter that snapped her attention back to him. “Oh, sweetheart.” He stood, one hand loose on his hip, the opposite leg casually bent as he studied her, blue eyes flaring bright. “You tempt me beyond reason. Beyond the ‘blood thing.’ But I am a man of my word. I won’t do anything at all to you…that you don’t want me to do.”
With that, he marched ahead, leading her through a dense wood.
Frowning at his insinuation, she called out, “I never said I wanted you to do anything to me.”
“No. But you will.”
“So sure of yourself, are you, lieutenant?”
“Quite sure.”
“Arrogance is not an attractive trait.”
“It’s called confidence.”
“Ha! I have known some arrogant men in my time, but you—”
He stopped short. “Shh!”
She froze immediately. He turned and placed a finger to his mouth to assure her silence, then took her hand and edged forward slowly. She could still hear nothing until they rounded a bend where light shone from a clearing ahead. Voices rumbled together. Two men. His keen hearing had heard them first. Begrudgingly, she admitted there were reasons a vampire would serve as the best escort on this mission.
Nikolai motioned for her to go ahead, though his scowl told her that he wasn’t happy. With a tight nod, she stood tall and sauntered forward the last few feet of the thick brush and into the clearing. The two Legionnaires turned at once, both apparently hearing her footsteps at the same time. Both soldiers were pale with dark hair, similar in stature and rigid in stance at the gate entrance. Their Legionnaire uniforms in the royal colors of blue and silver gave them an air of sophistication and civility. But Sienna wasn’t fooled by appearance. She knew some of the royal Legionnaires suffered from blood madness and had been bleeding peasants dry for the past few years. Her pulse tripped faster as she drew closer under their watchful eyes.
“Good morning, officers.” She stopped a fair distance away.
“Good morning, my lady,” the one on the right said with a grin, casting a look to the other soldier. “How may we be of service?”
“I must speak with Sergeant Riker.”
“Sergeant? You mean Lieutenant Riker.” His grin vanished. “What do you want with the lieutenant?”
Sienna had prepared to sell the idea of being one of his current bleeders, but a bleeder would know his status in the Legionnaires. After all, a lieutenant could pay more money for his bleeders. But she could always think on her feet quickly.
“My name is Sarah York of Hiddleston. The lieutenant and I were well acquainted last year upon his visit to town. I’m newly arrived to Sylus and wanted to…rekindle our friendship.”
The leader of the two leaned to one side in a more casual stance. “I have not heard of a new family of the aristocracy moving into Sylus.”
“Oh, we are only visiting some friends at Sterling House.”
Sienna had heard the Barrow brothers mention the old baron at Sterling House and how he often hosted visiting noble families from other provinces.
“My lady,” interjected the other guard, “how might you know of the south gate entrance? This is not for public access.”
“No,” she agreed with a sultry smile. “That is what Riker told me when last he brought me here.” She used his first name, an intimate privilege.
The officers, both frowning, shared another look, obviously wondering if she was telling the truth.
Steadying her nerves, she flipped her cloak back over her shoulders, revealing the black embroidered bodice overlaying her crimson dress, knowing full well the gown accentuated her womanly curves. Leaning forward, she pretended to pull a loose string from the hem, giving both men an eyeful of her cleavage. “I am quite sure Lieutenant Riker would be awfully disappointed if he missed my call.”
When she straightened, both of their gazes were centered on her bosom. The leader then snapped a command.
“Garrett. Fetch the lieutenant. Quickly.”
His thick speech told her his fangs had extended. She batted her eyelashes and smiled, pretending she wasn’t afraid. Officer Garrett disappeared in a blur, moving in super-speed to find the lieutenant. Then she was alone with the dangerous-looking one, except for Nikolai watching from the bushes. That was the only thought that kept her fears from taking over. She knew he would let no harm come to her. Still, if she couldn’t manage this small mission without needing him to come to her aid, it could end their mission before it began. If Nikolai blew his cover, the Legionnaires would be on the hunt for them both.
“Might I ask your name, Officer?”
“You may, my lady.” He remained in his casual posture, observing her closely. “My name is Sergeant Aleksander Volkov.” He clasped his hands at his back, a posture to appear disarming, then strolled forward. “I have never seen you here at the palace before, my lady.”
She held her back ramrod straight, refusing to take a step away, which her instincts told her to do. “No, sergeant. As I said, I’ve only been to the palace once. And as I mentioned, that was with Ser—I mean, Lieutenant Riker. I had not realized he was promoted.”
“You are quite lovely.” His pale eyes glowed, a sign his vampire senses were at the forefront.
“Thank you, sergeant.”
He inched closer, his nostrils flaring. “You smell lovely.”
“Thank you,” she said, voice falling to a whisper.
“I wonder how you taste. I’ll bet you’re sweet.”
With a defiant lift of her chin, she dared him to touch her with a narrow-eyed glare. If he did, Nikolai would be forced to reveal himself.
“Sergeant, while I am sure you are quite popular with the ladies, I am not one to be tossed from one man to the next. I have been a bleeder for Lieutenant Riker alone. I have no desire to serve another.”
For indeed, that was what a bleeder was, a servant to her vampire.
“You should reconsider.” Another step closer, his hands falling to his sides. “My bleeders tell me the elixir in my bite is most…erotic.” He lifted a strand of her hair and twined it loosely around his forefinger before letting it go. “You know, the other officers speak of a beautiful red-haired woman who was seen with a traitor, a peasant woman, a few months ago. Before I came into the service of the Royal Legionnaires.”
“It was not me,” she protested, perhaps too strongly. “As I’ve said—”
“Yes, as you said.” He traced a finger along her jaw. “Interestingly enough, this woman matched your description, right down to this blood-red cloak you wear.”
Damn it to hell, why had she not thought of that? Everyone in Sylus knew her by her distinctive red cloak.
“A mere coincidence,” she said, hearing the lack of confidence in her own words.
He grinned, pointed canines long and sharp. “This lovely red-haired woman was seen riding atop a white hart wolf from the enchanted wood. They’re all calling her the Red Witch of the Wood.” He let his finger slide down her neck. “They said she was blindingly beautiful, a temptress in every way.”
Prickling heat tingled along her skin, a strange sensation she’d felt before when she was in danger. Though she knew not where it came from.
“You are too close, sir.”
“I’d say not close enough.”
Sienna stepped back. Lightning-fast, he grabbed her by the arms and pulled her against him.
“Unhand her, Volkov,” came a commanding voice behind him.
At once, he let her go and stepped aside, snapping to attention. The other guard named Garrett stood next to a tall, black-haired vampire with blue eyes the same shade as Nikolai’s. By his description, she knew him to be Riker.
“You asked for me, my lady.”
Before he could blow her cover, for the frown he wore told her he was on the verge, she marched forward with a bright smile.
“Lieutenant, it is so good to see you again,” she exclaimed in a gushing voice, offering him her hand. “It has been entirely too long.”
He took her hand and bent over it with a gentle brush of lips on her knuckles. “Yes, my lady. It has.” He offered his arm. “Would you care for a turn in the palace gardens?”
She looped her arm through his and nodded toward the woods. “I had hoped that we might take a walk to the brook. It is a lovely day and”—she lowered her voice seductively—“we can have more privacy out here.”
“Of course.” He covered her hand with his own, a sign of intimacy. “Nothing would give me more pleasure.” He guided her toward the woods.
“Lieutenant!” called the sergeant. “Do you think that wise? We could escort you for safety, sir.”
Riker turned with an expression of superiority and bafflement. “I can handle myself, sergeant. We aren’t going far anyway. And no. I want privacy with my lady. Do you understand?”
“Yes, lieutenant,” he replied, snapping to attention again, eyes forward.
“And do you understand, Garrett?”
“Yes, lieutenant.” Garrett appeared as if he were about to faint from fear.
“Now where were we, my dear,” said Riker, pulling her close and strolling along again. “You are right. It has been too long. I’ve missed you.”
“Aye, darling,” she replied loud enough for them to hear.
They marched into the cover of trees, but they both knew the guards could still hear. Nikolai stood farther down the lane, one foot on the road, the other in the brush. He beckoned with one hand to follow.
Riker glanced over his shoulder, then wrapped an arm around her waist. “I am sorry to be so forward, my lady. But I know where he wants to meet, and it would be much faster if I carried you there.”
He was asking permission to lift her in his arms. “All right then.”
With a swift movement, she was once more in the arms of a vampire and speeding at a dizzying pace through the woods. A blur of green and brown made her nauseous. She closed her eyes, for he seemed to travel much farther than she expected. Sounds of the forest whirred by—birdsong, creek water, the autumn breeze.
Then they were suddenly still, standing at the mouth of a cave. Nikolai took her from Riker and set her on her feet, his hands gently on her shoulders.
“Are you all right?”
“Yes. Fine.” She put a hand to her stomach. “Though I don’t much like to travel that way.”
“Not the travel. That bastard Volkov. Did he frighten you?” He scowled, but his hand was gentle when he brushed her hair away from her face.
“I’m perfectly fine,” she assured him with a tentative smile. “No need to fuss.”
He stepped away and turned to Riker. “Greetings, cousin. You are lucky your man Volkov isn’t lying at the gate with his throat torn out.”
“That might’ve raised the alarm, Nikolai.”
He smiled and pulled him into a hug. They both laughed, patting each other’s backs roughly before pulling away, still clasping forearms.
“I was afraid for you,” said Nikolai.
“And I for you. They’ve been sending out scouting parties in search of you, Marius, and his wife, as well as for the other revolutionaries. I’ve been afraid every time they’ve returned.”
Nikolai stepped away and glanced outside the mouth of the cave. “They won’t find our training camp. Come. Let’s sit and talk awhile.”
Riker walked ahead and disappeared into the dark tunnel.
“Do you have a torch or something?” asked Sienna. “I can’t see in there.”
Nikolai took Sienna’s hand. “I’ll lead you. There’s a place where there is light farther in.”
Sienna hesitated when he tugged her, staring into the dark. She bit her lip, hoping he couldn’t feel her trembling but knowing he certainly did.
He stood in front of her, blocking the passage so that she was forced to look up at him, and cupped her cheek. “I didn’t know you were afraid of the dark.” His voice rolled in a gentle timbre, soothing her in a way she thought impossible.
“It’s really that I’m more afraid of tight spaces. I feel like I’m suffocating.”
“This place is one from my childhood. I’ve been here a thousand times. The tunnel is wide, and it will open up to a larger cavern with an opening at the top where light filters in.” He continued to caress his thumb softly across her cheek. “Do you trust me?”
More than anything.
“Do you?” he asked again, his sky-blue eyes flashing bright.
“Yes.” She licked her lips. His eyes darted to the movement. “I trust you.”
With a flash of his gleaming smile, he held her hand tighter and led her into the dark.
…
Nikolai kept Sienna close, hearing her heart thump wildly like a trapped bird. His one instinct was to offer her security. The tunnel was black as pitch, but he could still detect the outline of Riker walking farther ahead. Shifting Sienna to his side, he guided her with a hand at the small of her back, helping her make her way without tripping.
“We’re almost there. Are you all right?”
“Yes.” The slight tremble in her voice told him she was not.
Then a faint gray light appeared ahead. The silhouette of Riker disappeared beyond the opening. She quickened her steps. Nikolai smiled, feeling the tension dissipate from her tight frame.
“Thank God,” she murmured as they stepped into the spacious cavern.
Just as he remembered, there was a natural opening at its center, and the blackened fire pit beneath it that he, Marius, and Riker had used a hundred times. Autumn had blown in leaves and twigs from the towering treetops above, littering the floor. One huge branch had also fallen in, probably from a storm. Two large boulders and one log circled the fire pit.
“This place never changes,” said Riker, lifting and tossing the heavy branch out of the way before taking a seat on one of the boulders.
Nikolai led Sienna to the circle, where she took a seat on the weathered log.
“Where are we exactly?” asked Sienna.
Nikolai sat next to her. “Far enough away from prying ears.”
“So tell me, cousin,” began Riker, “why have you risked yourself coming here?”
“I need information. About the queen and her movements.”
With a stiff nod in military fashion as he so often did when Nikolai was still his lieutenant, he answered, “You must know I am not one of her favorites.”
“But you have been promoted to lieutenant, I see. Congratulations.”
Riker smiled awkwardly. “Aye. She put me in your position over your troops. But I know it was a ploy on her part. She keeps me close to be sure I am loyal. But she also doesn’t allow me into her inner circle.”
“And who would be in her inner circle?”
“Radomir. Her personal guard.”
“Of course,” scoffed Nikolai. “That bastard will guard her with his life.”
“Aye,” agreed Riker. “And believe it or not, she keeps men like Volkov close to her.”
“Who is that prick? I’ve never seen him before. He has the scent of one recently made.”
Riker clasped his hands together between his knees and clenched his jaw. “He is. He’s one of hers. She feeds him her elixir to give him strength, to increase his power. And she’s making far too many.”
He stood and paced two steps before facing Riker. “She’s making an army, isn’t she?”
Riker’s mouth firmed into a thin line. He gave Nikolai another military nod. “Not only that, but she’s spreading sanguine furorem.”
“Spreading? How do you mean? There has never been a pinpoint of the origins of the virus.”
“I know the origins.” Riker leaned forward, voice gravelly when he said, “It is her.”
“What do you mean?” asked Sienna. “The virus comes from her?”
“No,” he answered, shifting his attention to her. “She is the virus. It’s in her elixir. That fool Volkov bragged about his liaisons with the queen. About how she bestows her royal elixir only upon those she chooses. He claims sanguine furorem isn’t a virus at all, but a gift of power. It gives them added strength.”
The tension steeling Nikolai’s shoulders stiffened his entire body painfully. When he saw Volkov toying with Sienna, it took all of his willpower not to launch through the air and rip out his fucking throat. Now that he understood that the blood madness held him in its thrall, he realized how much danger she had truly been in. Raw fear dampened his brow. A vampire under the curse of the madness could savage and kill an entire village to satisfy the blood lust. A dark memory tried to rise from the recesses of his mind. He pushed it back.
“How long do you think Queen Morgrid has had the blood madness?” Riker asked. “I’ve been unable to discover any answers myself.”
“Marius and I spoke of it.” Nikolai brushed his knee against Sienna’s, the comfort of even her slight touch grounding him. “It’s my belief that she always has. Marius discovered that she’d had men in her employ for some time, using a secret chamber in the dungeon of the Glass Tower to feed their blood madness.”
“That’s true,” said Sienna. “Arabelle said that the bodies of peasants from Sylus and from abroad have been turning up in Larkin Wood for years. And many people have gone missing, never to be heard from again.”
Nikolai stared down at Sienna, fearful for her mortality on this mission they must complete to help the Black Lily. “This is why it’s imperative we recruit many if we are to beat them.”
“Aye.” Then Riker added, “You must be aware that she has sent scouts abroad, trying to find someone to give her the whereabouts of your training camp.”
Nikolai heaved out a sigh, responding with a tight nod. “Aye. We assumed so.”
Nikolai had never told Riker where their training camp was, and Riker had never asked. It was their military practice to provide sensitive information only to those who needed to know.
Riker stood suddenly, glancing up at the opening. The sun had moved, the light brightening the cavern. “I must go. If I am away too long, Volkov will know something is amiss.”
“Lieutenant Riker,” said Sienna, standing. “Sergeant Volkov thought I was the red-haired lady who was seen in the company of Arabelle a few months ago. That is, he thinks I’m exactly who I am. If he tells the queen, you could be in danger.”
“You don’t have to return,” said Nikolai, fearing now for his dear cousin.
“Yes. I do. If I do not, the entire royal Legionnaire army will be fast on your trail.” He stepped closer and placed a hand on Nikolai’s shoulder. “Do not worry, cousin. You have taught me well. I will leave if I must. But for now, I will play my part and give you and Lady Sienna a chance to do your work.”
Nikolai clasped his opposite shoulder, wishing he could change his mind, wishing to protect him as he did when he was a wiry, young soldier who looked up to him like a brother. But the truth was, he could not. Riker was right. They needed him to play his part. And that meant putting his own life in danger.
“I cannot tell you how much I appreciate what you are doing.”
“I know, cousin.” His mouth quirked on one side. “Never fear. You have taught me well. I will gain as much information as I can. Where are you headed for recruits?”
“North. We have contacts with the Black Lily all along the northern route to Dale’s Peak, which is our final stop. We’ll see how far we can go before we return to the training camp. I’ll mark the entrance with a black mark when we have returned in a fortnight if we’re lucky. Meet me here at dusk each night thereafter.”
Riker smiled, a gesture that softened his features and reminded Nikolai of when they were boys. “Like the old days, when we played ‘pirate and pillage’ and marked our secret hideaways.”
“Yes,” agreed Nikolai with a sad smile, those innocent days so far away. “Like the old days.”
“Aye. Stay well till then, cousin.”
“You too,” said Nikolai, his heart soaring with pride at the bravery of this young man he’d practically raised from a boy.
“Farewell, my lady,” he said with a proper bow to Sienna.
“Farewell. Stay safe,” she said with a small curtsy.
In a blur and a rush of wind, Riker vanished, speeding away back across the wood to the southern gates.
“Lieutenant,” said Sienna behind him. “I cannot return to the training camp when we are done. I vow that I will help with the recruits, but Cutters Cove is too far away.”
Approaching, he sensed a desperate sadness rattling around inside of her. “Why ever not?”
She glanced away, kneading her hands together. “I just can’t go that far away from the forest.”
“From Silvane Forest?”
“Yes.” She stood and paced away. “It’s difficult to explain, but I—that is, I can’t go that far away.”
“But we are heading north. You will be far away.”
“I know.” She spun, fear shining bright on her fair face. “I will go north and help with the recruits, then I must return to my cottage.”
He stepped closer, recognizing her growing anxiety—the slight rise of her voice, the shifting from one foot to the other, her fingers clenching in the folds of her cloak. This deepened his own concern.
“You do realize that after we are done crossing the countryside that it may not be safe back at your cottage. Many people know you reside there.”
“I will be safer there than any other place.” She walked toward the tunnel. “I would rather we return to the forest while we wait for nightfall.”
She paused at the dark entryway. Nikolai wondered at this attachment she had to the woods. It was true that the hart wolves would defend her. He’d witnessed their devotion to her before. But even four hart wolves were no match for the royal Legionnaires. Especially a troop with the blood madness coursing through their veins. But it was pointless to argue with her when she was so obviously out of sorts. Why was leaving the forest so upsetting to her?
Confused, he marched forward and took her hand in his to guide her back through the tunnel. Perhaps she feared living in a populated town again, having been on her own for so long. Did something happen to her in Dale’s Peak to make her fear the company of others? A flash of anger lit through his veins at the thought of someone hurting her.
One thing he knew for certain. When this was all over, he would not, could not forsake her to her own fate, letting her live alone so close to the Glass Tower. Too close to the evil lurking there.