Chapter Thirteen
Viktor jerked Trixie against him, arm wrapped around her waist in a vise-like grip.
She let out a surprised noise.
He leaned her over the windowsill and pointed to the rough surface of the wall. “We will climb down along this route to the ground.”
“You are nuts.” She tried to push free but he held her fast.
“No, not anymore. Your birth pulled me out of my blood delirium. You are stronger than you know, Trixie.” He leaned them forward. “What will happen if you fall?”
She breathed heavily, gripping the edges of the window. “I’ll die.”
“No, you might break a few bones, but they will heal quickly.”
“Oh, is that all?” She gave him a watery smile. “Just a few broken bones? Won’t that hurt?” That was a far fall, and she was pretty sure she’d die, no matter what he said.
He raised an eyebrow. “Did I mislead you by saying that?”
“You said I wouldn’t die.”
“You would not, but your bones are still fragile and breaking them does cause considerable amount of pain.”
“And screaming. Don’t forget the screaming.”
He frowned, staring at the ground. “I am not used to dealing with fledglings.”
“From this height, I’ll break every bone in my body and live to feel it.”
“Yes.”
“How is this supposed to convince me to climb out this window? You’re really not selling me this idea.”
Viktor pulled them back inside and stripped the sheet off the bed. Twisting the material and tying them together, he made a poor excuse of a rope.
“That won’t reach the ground.” She inched away.
He snapped it like a whip. “It doesn’t need to reach the ground. I will tie one end to your waist and the other to mine. If you fall, I will anchor you to the wall.”
She wanted to smack him upside his pretty head and make sure it didn’t ring empty. “And what if you fall? I get to land on top of you?” Shaking her head, she stormed to the door. “You climb. I’ll take my chances with the stairs.”
He snapped the sheet and it twisted around her arms and torso. Slowly, he reeled her in. This time she saw no amusement in his glare. “I don’t fall. Even if I did, I would not allow you any harm. I would catch you.”
“With your shattered arms?” she whispered, unable to stop arguing. This was unlife they were discussing and how climbing down a freaking tower would be good for her. He had admitted to not being used to new vampires. He’d also been a prisoner because he was coocoo in the head. Was she supposed to toss caution to the wind every time he batted those thick eyelashes in her direction?
Nay, nay.
“My dear, my bones don’t break.” He unwound the sheet, freeing her arms then tied it tight with an intricate knot around her waist.
“Do I have a choice?” She wasn’t silly enough to think she could fight him. The best she could do was survive this ordeal. Think like a cat, climb like a cat, land like a cat.
Except cats didn’t climb castle walls.
“This is important, Trixie.” He said her name carefully as if listening to the syllables tumble off this tongue. The crazy vampire she’d met in the dungeon was no longer present. He’d been replaced by a confident man who captured her attention. “I need you to know that I would not endanger your life, and I am trying to prevent needless deaths.” He tied the sheet around his narrow waist, connecting them with a life line of very old cotton.
Yeah, she felt safe.
“The spells kill?” Then Betty was lucky to only have been cursed.
“It’s a complicated situation made worse by a helpful dragon.” He lifted her onto the windowsill as if she weighed nothing. His eyes brightened. “I could just carry you as I climb.”
“No way.” She frowned and swung her leg over the side. “How could you think that is better?” Totally dependent on his skill while her body unbalanced him more. She clung to the edge of the sill, her legs dangling. “I just want you to know that so far being a vampire sucks.” She’d flown over the city twice in one day via either gargoyle or dragon, been drunk on alcohol-infused blood, now she was scaling a castle wall. What next? Storm the citadel? Juggle grenades?
She could her Viktor in her head. Do not worry, Trixie. They might blow your hands off but they will eventually grow back.
Heart pounding so hard. “Why do I feel short of breath? Can’t we live without air?” She felt the wall with her shoes and couldn’t get a sense of purchase. Kicking them off, she tried barefoot. Spread toes worked better and she managed to hold her weight.
“You are not dead. That’s just a myth,” he whispered. “Silently now. We do not want to alert the dragons.”
Think jail break. Think Alcatraz. “Sorry, I babble when my life is in danger.” She forced her hands to move, struggling not to close her eyes.
“Shh…” Viktor fed the rope out the window as he followed her out.
“Don’t shush me,” she mumbled under her breath. “Flipping vampire thinks I’m a spider. Do I look like I have eight legs?” She continued at a snail’s pace, a litany of whispered verbal trash flowed like an unconscious stream of thought. “Chipped my nail. Owie. I’ll have to redo my nail polish.”
Viktor patiently followed. As long as she kept her voice low, he didn’t seem to mind her nervous talk.
Halfway, she hit a ledge and clung to the wall for a rest. She flexed her cramping digits. Don’t look down. Don’t look down. Don’t look down. She turned her head so her sweaty face pressed to the cool stone.
A gargoyle met her gaze. His head bent to the side as if confused by her appearance. “Trixie? Is this some sort of vampire initiation thing?”
Her mouth dropped open, but she had to stay quiet. The scream went inside and her ears popped. The only sound she made was so high pitched she was sure only dogs and werewolves heard it.
Nick steadied her with a hand to her elbow. “Easy, darling.”
“Will you stop startling me? I can’t afford to die again. I’m not a cat shifter with nine lives to spare.”
Nick dropped his chin to his chest. “Sorry about that.” He tossed her a furtive glance. “Why are we whispering?”
“Never mind that.” The gargoyle was her deliverance. “Can you fly me to the ground?” She tried to untie Viktor’s complicated knot with no result. She glanced up.
The vampire smoothly crept over the stone as if his palms and soles were made of glue.
A rattle caught her attention. “I can’t. I’m castle locked.” Nick held a familiar chain. Eoin had a weird prisoner fetish. She and Angie would have a talk about this if Trixie ever saw her again.
Viktor dropped behind her. His body a velvet heat to her back. “How long did he say you had to remain?”
The gargoyle shrugged. “He hasn’t spoken to me yet. Just locked me to the wall and blew flame.”
Viktor nodded. “He’s probably trying to let his anger cool so he doesn’t smash you into gravel.”
She noted the scorched stone skin on Nick’s wings. “We can’t leave him here.”
The vampire sighed. “Trix—”
“I’m climbing down a wall for you. The least you could do is help me free Nick.”
“May I remind you, he’s the reason you’re a vampire.” Viktor’s breath caressed the back of her neck, sending a shiver down her spine.
“It was an accident.” She lasered the gargoyle with a warning look. “He’ll stop startling people.”
Nick pressed his hand over his heart. “You climbed down to me. I didn’t follow you. It’s not my fault this time.”
They both stared at the gargoyle in silence.
“Fine, I promise to behave. No more scaring vampires.”
She pressed her back to the wall as Viktor reached for Nick’s collar.
“This isn’t made of the same material as my collar. This is just plain steel.” His thick arm brushed over her chest. Desire shot through her nerve endings. He was so close she could breathe him in. The muscles in his forearms bulged as he struggled with the metal.
“Steel trumps stone,” responded Nick.
The collar groaned and warped until, with a loud cling, it snapped open.
Nick threw his meaty arms in the air, his mouth open and a cry of victory apparent in his features.
Viktor slapped his hands over Nick’s mouth. “I am surrounded by amateurs. Silently.” He withdrew from crushing her against the castle and her body ached from the sudden loss of support. “Fly Trixie to the ground. Right below me where I can see.” He pointed to the spot. “Attempt any trickery and anything the dragon has done will seem like a mercy once I am finished with you.”
Ice flowed in her veins at Viktor’s tone.
Nick scowled and waited as Viktor untied the sheet from both their waists. The material fluttered on the wind like a deranged angel on a binge.
She watched it glide and a coat of sweat covered her skin as she did the one thing she told herself not to do. She looked down. The sweat trickled along her legs to her bare feet. Her knees turned into Jell-O and she struggled to stay standing. Her jaw moved but she couldn’t ask for help, her tongue had packed its bag and abandoned her. Her feet slid on the sweat. The ledge was narrow. Like a rag doll, she slid off the castle wall.
“Trixie!” Viktor cried out, his demand for silence broken. He dove after her, caught her in his arms, and then cradled her body to his.
She squeezed her eyes shut, clenching her teeth in preparation for the worst pain ever. She waited, nails digging into Viktor’s arms.
And waited.
Their momentum jerked to a stop.
She opened her eyes. They hovered a foot off the ground.
Viktor grinned down at her and straightened his legs to stand. She could see Nick above them. He gripped Viktor by the shoulders, wings extended like a parachute.
Viktor set her on her feet. “Why did you jump? I just do not understand you.”
She poked him in the chest. “We will not speak of this again.” Like she would explain she’d slipped on her own damn sweat.
Viktor eyed Nick. “Go before I regret helping you.”
“Trixie, I need to ask you one thing before I go.” Nick still hovered above them. “How does your sister feel about cross species dating?”
She slapped her forehead, but this night could get weirder, so why not? “Honey, you don’t want to date my sister. She’d eat a nice gargoyle like you alive.” The trail of broken hearts that led to their apartment was miles long. “You should find a nice girl.” She loved Ruby. She was Trixie’s rock, but she used men like toilet paper. Nick, well, under all that stone, he seemed vulnerable. Ruby really would eat him alive.
“Is that a yes?” He scratched his head.
“It is a yes.” Viktor spoke before she could. “Go buy her flowers or pineapples or whatever your kind does. Go now.” He waved his arms at Nick, shooing him away.
“Viktor…” She glared. He’d just set a gargoyle after her sister, and she was more worried about the monster.
The vampire searched the night sky. “I cannot believe the dragons did not hear our commotion.”
In the distance, she could faintly hear a woman crying out Eoin’s name over and over. “Is she in trouble?”
Viktor stared at her as if she’d grown a second head.
Oh, were they… “I was joking. Don’t be so serious all the time.” She turned her back to him so he wouldn’t see the blazing blush scorch her cheeks all the way to the tips of her ears.
“We are lucky they are occupied.” Viktor’s long strides made it easy for him to outpace her. “They will not notice our absence for a few hours.” He scooped up her shoes and handed them over. “Watch your step. There are shards of glass from years of castle abuse.” He waited as she slipped her feet back in her sneakers before marching on.
They turned the corner of the castle and he led her to an old stable. Viktor slid the door open and the stable turned out to be a garage. “Now this is more like it.”
A spread of cars lined the long, narrow space. The building seemed in better condition than the castle.
“I remember when Eoin stored horse carriages in here.” Viktor strolled between the vehicles, trailing his fingers over the hood of a red sports car. He then broke open a metal cabinet that vaguely looked like a safe. It was empty. “Fuck, Eoin removed all the car keys.”
“He what?” She spun around, expecting the dragon to land. “He knew you would try to escape.”
“Bastard. He is always one step ahead of me.”
“Why can’t you run to the city?” she asked. It seemed strange for a vampire to be car dependent.
“I can, but then I would have to leave you behind.”
She sighed. “Because I’m too young to keep pace with you.”
“There are many dangers to traveling in the open. You will learn this in time. The number one problem is sunlight. You must always think ahead about shelter.” He scanned the sky. “We have time to walk to New Port, then we would have to hide before leaving for Riverbend.”
“Giving Eoin time to find us.” Her respect for the dragon leveled-up with every encounter, but so did her admiration for Viktor. He didn’t know how to surrender. “I can hotwire that black sedan.” It was an older model that wouldn’t have any of the computer systems the modern ones had. “Think it still runs?”
Viktor’s smile turned salacious. “Trixie, Trixie, you make me curious to find out what other secrets you hide.”
She went to the toolbox against the far wall and pulled out what she would need.
Viktor crouched outside the car, watching her work under the steering wheel. “Why did you learn this?”
“To survive.” The car started with a smooth purr.