Flesh and Blood

‘You have no idea.’ But he’d find out soon enough. She tied his arms and legs to the bedposts, planting nips and bites on his skin as she went. She’d miss him in her bed, but Octavian would be a willing student.

He tugged playfully at the rope. ‘That’s it, nice and tight. You wouldn’t want me escaping and ravishing you sooner than your little game allows, now, would you?’

‘No, we can’t have that.’ She almost laughed. The rope might look like simple silk, but its core was woven silver encased in gold to hide any telltale buzz. There was no breaking it. Not for him. ‘I think I’d like some wine. Octavian, can you come here, please?’ There was no need to shout. Octavian’s new hearing would pick up every word.

‘How dare you let that kine in here when I’m like this.’ Nasir’s nostrils flared. He pulled at the rope. ‘What is this? Why can’t I break this?’ He struggled harder.

She stood at the foot of the bed and watched him serenely. ‘You’ve been Ivan’s pawn from the beginning. You shouldn’t have brought him back here.’ She shook her head and strolled around to the side so she could lean in and whisper the words into his ear. ‘Your betrayal must be punished.’

‘What are you doing?’ His eyes were wild now, his body limp.

Octavian came in. He seemed shocked at Nasir’s condition, but smiled when he saw Tatiana’s outfit. He quickly looked away. ‘My lady, I did not expect—’

She clucked her tongue. ‘Octavian, we are family now. You must not call me my lady anymore.’

Nasir rambled in Arabic. Perhaps he was cursing, for surely he understood his fate now.

She walked to Octavian and took his hand. ‘Do you like what you see?’

‘You mean … ’ His gaze ran the length of her. ‘Yes, very much, my – Tatiana.’

‘Are you still hungry?’

His eyes never left her. ‘Yes. A thousand times yes.’

She cupped his chin and kissed him softly on the mouth. ‘Then go and have your supper. Your dessert will be waiting.’

He glanced at Nasir and grimaced. ‘But to drink from another noble … ’

‘Don’t make such a face. And I don’t intend for you to just drink from him. You are to drain him dry.’

Nasir howled and struggled harder.

Octavian leveled his gaze at her. ‘Besides causing the death of another vampire, which I know is the unforgivable sin, may I be so bold as to ask why you wish me to do this?’

She laughed over Nasir’s ranting. ‘Your naïveté is charming. I believe, as do many of our kind, that the first meal after one’s turning is crucial. In this case, I am hoping that by draining Nasir, you will obtain some of his powers as well. You’ll be sort of a hybrid of Tepes and St. Germain, although you must hide the alchemy powers from the other nobles. We mustn’t tip them off to what we’ve done.’

‘Of course not. But what of his death? Lord Ivan will know. There are others in Corvinestri who also know Nasir is here with you.’

‘Those at home are fully aware of how dangerous the Southern Union is, full of varcolai and fringe and remnants. Unfortunate things happen in a place like this.’ She shivered for effect. ‘As for Lord Ivan, you leave him to me. Now, do as you’re told.’

He bowed slightly, then fell upon Nasir with a viciousness that warmed her. Nasir’s struggles faded quickly. She went to stand beside the bed. ‘Be careful now. You mustn’t drink his death or you’ll cause your own.’

Octavian lifted his head from Nasir’s ruined throat. Blood coated his chin. Vamplings were always such messy eaters. ‘How do I know?’

‘You’ll know. The taste changes. Becomes bitter.’

He drank a moment longer, then sat back on his heels and wiped his face with the back of his hand. ‘I swear I can feel his power within me.’

‘Good.’ She gestured toward Nasir. ‘Watch out. He should—’

With a sound like sand rushing through an hourglass, Nasir went to dust before them.

‘Turn to ash any moment.’ She folded the coverlet up and over, packaging Nasir’s remains neatly, then set the bundle aside. ‘Now then … ’ She smiled at Octavian and climbed up on the bed to kneel across from him. ‘Are you ready for your dessert?’

Chapter Twenty-seven

‘Assistance is all we ask,’ Ronan repeated.

Dominic mulled the request over. He stared into the fire, its electric crackling soothing him. Ensconced comfortably in his suite with Katsumi at his side, a glass of Brunello in his hand, and a bellyful of comarré blood, Dominic could almost forget the chaos his world was in.

Almost.

But there were too many wrongs to be righted, too many irritants to be dealt with for him to relax and go about his life. He sipped his wine before answering Ronan. ‘The fringe may have anointed you king, but in my eyes, nothing’s changed. They are still an unorganized group of rabble-rousers.’

‘Indeed,’ Katsumi added with the kind of laziness that came from being well fed. Three comars and she’d almost gone for a fourth. Apparently navitas built a powerful appetite.

Ronan smacked his fist into his palm. ‘Fringe make up the bulk of your customers. Until you help us stop these killings, we will boycott Seven. Your income will dry up. Not to mention your employee list.’

Dominic laughed. ‘You clearly don’t understand the bulk of my business. Seven provides some of it, si, but there are many other aspects to what I do. What I provide.’