Chapter Twenty-Nine
Waking with Trixie in his arms was a gift. Viktor watched her sleep, learning every curve and line of her face.
She smiled before opening her eyes. It was shy and rewarding. “Good evening, Mr. Vampire.” She stretched then wrapped her arms around his neck. Her kiss, sweet and soft, the way she had of doing sometimes as if he was the vulnerable one. When it came to Trixie, her tender heart could cage him more effectively than any dungeon or chains.
“Good day, Ms. Vampire.”
She rubbed her eyes and looked at the time. “It’s early. Why are you awake?”
Hunger crept along his veins. A familiar enemy. He should have taken Jade’s offer this morning to feed. Hunger would not let him rest, nor would it until he fed. “I want to be ready to leave as soon as the sun sets and arrive in New Port with time to spare.” He had more resources in his home city and acquiring blood would be easier.
“No hiding in trunks.” She nuzzled his jaw.
His fangs ached as they suddenly grew longer. He flinched. Time was not his ally. If he made himself wait until reaching New Port, he risked the bloodlust taking over. He never wanted Trixie to witness his loss of control. “First, I will feed before the journey.”
She rose on her elbow and examined his face closely. “I’d say sooner rather than later.” She threw off the blankets. She wore a short cotton nightgown the color of the sky, borrowed from the dhampir. “I’ll find Jade.” She strode from the room, determination in her every step.
Trixie had fallen asleep as soon as she had crawled into bed this morning. The temptation of her body pressed so close against his had driven him insane all day. But in his state of hunger, he could not be trusted to be gentle.
They had a few hours of daylight left. He rolled onto his back, arms behind his head. Her scent still lingered on his skin where she had rested her head on his chest. He inhaled deeply and had not minded being her pillow. If not for the growing burn in his limbs, he would be content. But this thing that he had allowed to evolve, this blinding hunger that consumed all things, would not diminish. No amount of joy or goodness could control it. One simple slip like yesterday could lead to disaster.
Trixie returned with Jade in tow.
He sat on the edge of the bed, still wearing his suit pants since he did not trust himself to wear less in bed with Trixie. Not yet. “That was quick.”
“Jade was awake.” Trixie stood by the door, her arms crossed so tightly she might as well be trying to hide. She cast her gaze away from his. “Do you want me to leave the room?”
He patted spot next to him. “Come sit.”
Jade looked from Trixie to him. “Is something wrong?” A small frown.
“Trixie is of the opinion I will want to have sex with you while I feed.”
His fledgling gasped. “Viktor.” She covered her face with her hands. “I can’t believe you told her that.”
Jade only raised a curious eyebrow. She had, after all, been raised by vampires. She understood their ways and that feeding could be both sexual or just about sustenance.
“She watches too many movies,” he whispered.
Trixie sat next to him and elbowed him in the ribs. “Stop it. I can’t help being jealous. Jade is beautiful and I’m possessive.” She gave him a sharp nod as if daring him to contradict her.
He was not stupid though. “How are things within the nest, Jade?”
The dhampir rubbed her chin. “I was going over Sybil’s financial records and had Chris do some basic inventory.”
Viktor raised an eyebrow. “The alpha is helping?” The wolf had surprised him again. Maybe there was hope for the Riverbend’s pack.
Jade nodded. “I can’t leave all this work for my mother. She’ll be a fine leader, but she should concentrate on consolidating her power. Not checking if the electric bill has been paid, which it hasn’t. Not in three months.”
Viktor fought a grin, knowing he had left the nest in good hands.
“Anyway, Chris offered to help.” Jade gave him a worried look. “I hope that’s fine.” She approached the bed, offering her wrist.
“Yes.” He drew her thin arm to his mouth. Her pulse pounded in his ears. A tribal beat calling to an older instinct deep within his DNA.
“He’s nice for a werewolf.” Jade turned her attention to Trixie. “Have you known him long?”
“No, we met through a mutual friend.” Trixie sounded amused. “You actually like him?”
“I don’t—I mean… We just met.”
Viktor set his fangs on her thin skin and sank them deep.
Jade jumped and made a pained sound. “Your teeth are longer than those of the nest.”
Trixie was at her side. “He’s very old.”
Viktor tossed her an annoyed glance.
She grinned. “He’s ancient, you know.” Then she helped Jade to sit next to him. “As for Chris, he and his pack hunted us down in the city.” She winked at Jade’s wide-eyed stare. “Fun times lay head for you.”
“I imagine.”
The dhampir’s blood tasted off. Human tainted with vampire. It eased his physical needs but still he wanted more. He tried to relax his jaw, release his hold, but his body would not respond to his commands.
“Ow, you’re hurting me.” Jade tugged but his hold was too strong.
“Viktor.” Trixie came around, her face close to his. She pulled at his arm. “Viktor.” She said louder as if he’d grown deaf.
“Let go.” Jade pushed in his head, pulled at his hair. “Make him let go.” Panic in her voice.
Someone crawled onto his back and tried pulling him away.
“Chris.” A woman’s voice shouted as another one screamed. He could not recall their names, their faces a blur.
The blood poured slower in his mouth, but there was still more to drink. He bit deeper, wanting it all.
The scream sharpened.
A face came into focus, inches from his. Pretty, pretty, pretty. Big blue pleading eyes. Her mouth moved. Succulent lips, kissing lips. He remembered how they felt. He let go of his prey, suddenly hungry for something different.
The prey fell back. A strong shove pushed him off the other side of the bed, away from the pretty. He rolled backward, landing on his feet. Fangs bared, he faced…
He faced Trixie’s terror-filled eyes. She huddled behind Christopher with Jade. The dhampir pressed her hand to the wound on her wrist.
He shook his head clear.
“You with us again, Viktor?” Trixie asked.
“You have some serious control issues,” Chris shouted. He was back in human form and dressed in borrowed clothes. He tore the bed sheets into strips. “You hurt her.” He pointed at Jade then knelt to dress her wound.
Viktor sank to his knees, pressing his forehead to the mattress. Jade Ellington’s name had almost been added to his body.
Trixie knelt next to him. She wove her fingers into his.
“No.” He pulled away. He did not want her stained with his mistakes. “Thank you for stopping me.”
“I didn’t do anything special.” She rewove her fingers with his, gripping tighter when he tried to pull away. “Don’t you dare close me out.”
He lifted his head. Chris and Jade were nowhere to be seen. He twisted around and leaned his back against the bed.
Trixie straddled his lap, hugging him close. “We’ll figure this out. We’ll make a feeding schedule and set alarms on our phones.”
Running his hands over the silky skin of her arms, he sank into her comfort. Helpless to resist, he was an addict and Trixie his drug. “Schedules do not work.” The solution would not be so simple. He had battled this for ages. “Blood needs vary, depending on activity and stress. Sometimes I can go days without feeding, others I can’t get enough.” He rested his head on her shoulder. “I wish it were so easy.”
“Don’t.” She squeezed tighter. “Don’t give up. We know dragons and werewolves and vampires. Even a mythical dhampir.” She grew quiet. “Somebody might have a better idea than chaining you up in a dungeon.” She sat up straighter. “Maybe you need a different kind of restraint.”
He tilted his head. “What do you mean?”
She brushed the long strands of his hair from his face. “We need to talk with Jade.”
“If she will see me.” He sighed. “I have to apologize and make amends.” He hated that he had injured the frail girl. She had already suffered enough abuse from his kind.
Together they dressed and searched for Jade. They found her sitting at a small table in the kitchen, out of reach of the evening sunlight.
“Hey.” Trixie crept ahead of Viktor. “Is it okay if we join you?” She wouldn’t take no for an answer but was willing to find Chris if it made Jade feel safer.
Jade stared at her with bruised eyes. A huge bandage on her wrist and a triple-decker sandwich sat on the plate untouched in front of her.
Chris came out of the pantry, carrying a jar of mayonnaise. “Found it.” His glare fell on Viktor. “Out.”
Trixie raised her hand. “We came to make peace.”
Alpha and master glared at each other across the kitchen.
Jade took a delicate bite of the sandwich, ignoring the men. “This is good, Chris.”
The alpha set the mayonnaise jar next to her. “This will make it great.” He didn’t take his eyes off Viktor.
Her sire came forward. “I wanted to apologize. What I did was inexcusable.” He turned around and left. Spine rigid and shoulders stiff.
Trixie ground her teeth. Her vampire would accept blame and guilt, but never forgiveness. He was his own judge, jury, and executioner. She hung her head. He was hurting and she couldn’t make it better.
Then fingers curled around hers. “The hunger drives him hard.” Jade stared across the table at Trixie, her big eyes seeing more than she let on.
Trixie nodded.
Chris folded his arms and looked away. “He’ll kill again, Trixie. Can you live with that?”
“It’s not on purpose…” But her heart ached. “I’ll find a way to stop this.” Before it was too late. “I had hoped Jade might have an idea or two…”
“I might have something.” Jade tapped her fingernail on the spell book. “I had a lot of time to study this book while locked in my room.”
“It’s black magic.” Chris shook his head. “Trixie, this is a bad idea.”
“Wait.” Jade hushed the alpha. “Let me finish. People say black magic as if it’s all evil. Well, most of it is, but in some instances, it can negate other evil.”
Trixie blinked. “You understand what she’s talking about?” She aimed her question at the werewolf.
Chris shook his head.
Jade pointed at her. “You’re a vampire. Your existence is touched by darkness. Some, like you, are almost made of light, which is why the sunlight protection spell worked on you. If I did the exact same tattoo on Viktor, he’d go up like a bonfire.” She flipped through her spell book. “This symbol is a dampening spell. By inking this on a darker creature, it will subdue some of his darker cravings.”
She meant Viktor when she said darker creature. Trixie released the breath she’d been holding. “Okay, let’s say I can convince Viktor to try this. What do you need for the spell?” At this point, she was ready to try anything. Viktor had only been away from Eoin’s monitoring for a couple of days and already he had lost control. How many more lives would the dragon allow Viktor to take before he destroyed him? It was not a scenario she would permit. Not without a fight. Jade had already proved her magic worked with both her and Betty.
“This is true black magic at its core.” Jade couldn’t meet her stare. “And I don’t have one of the key ingredients.”
Trixie leaned forward, unable to read any of the writing in the book. “What is it?”
“The blood of a virgin.”
Chris tossed his head back, roaring out a loud laugh. “Good luck finding that in Riverbend.” He grew quiet suddenly and eyed Jade. “You don’t mean a kid, right?” A growl rolled in his chest.
“Do I seem like a person who would harm a child?” A sharp tone. “It has to be an adult.” She sighed and traced the pattern on the page of the book. “I once hoped I could cure my mother’s vampirism with the spell, but it doesn’t work that way.”
Trixie rested her arm on the table. “How much blood are you talking about and does it matter that I’m a vampire?”
Chris’ jaw unhinged. “No way.”
Jade raised a questioning eyebrow. “This won’t work unless you are truly a virgin.”
“I am.” She tapped her foot. “I mean, you are or you’re not. There is no gray area.”
“You never…” Chris inserted his index finger within a circle that he made with his other hand.
“No.” Trixie hissed.
“You were sharing a bed,” Jade replied.
“Yeah, at my place too,” Chris added.
“And Viktor has been very patient.” Too patient in her opinion, but in the end his patience might be his salvation.
Jade and Chris exchanged looks, then the dhampir took another bite of her sandwich. “I’ll get my equipment and you explain to Viktor what we’re about to try.”
Trixie left Jade and Chris to prepare. The bedroom she shared with Viktor was empty. She combed the mansion looking for him. The other vampires kept to their rooms, avoiding their big bad master who had killed their bitchy leader. In the meantime, the sun had set and she expanded her search outside. In the gardens, she finally spotted Viktor watching the moonrise. “There you are.”
“I needed to think.” The sadness in his voice was devastating. “Once you are safe in New Port, I will leave the territory.”
“What?”
“I think it’s time I retire. Go somewhere quiet and isolated—”
She cupped his face. “That won’t stop anything, Viktor. The hunger was still drive you to kill.” She pressed a gentle kiss to his mouth. “Jade has a spell that will help.” She explained Jade’s theory and the spell.
“You want me to try this?” He didn’t sound convinced.
“Yes, unless you have a good reason not to.” Viktor’s nights were numbered if he didn’t get a handle on his bloodlust. If Eoin didn’t kill him, then she was sure Viktor would find someone else powerful enough to do the deed.
He closed his eyes and hugged her tight. “To stay at your side, I would try anything.”
They searched the mansion for Jade.
“She didn’t say where they would be waiting.” Trixie hadn’t given the dhampir a chance before racing off to find Viktor. “She would need her equipment.” Her stomach turned. “I know where they are.” She led Viktor deeper into the nest.
Her heart out of sync, Trixie halted at the entrance of the room where Jade had been forced to tattoo her back. She hadn’t thought she’d ever return here.
The dhampir dropped her chin to her chest. “Hope you don’t mind, but all of my gear is in here.”
Viktor strode to the table where Trixie had been tied. He fingered the manacles. One by one, he crushed them in his fist.
Trixie watched wide-eyed at the display of his strength. “Okay.”
Lips thin and body tense, he then pulled off his shirt and sat on the edge of the table. “Do it.”
Jade gestured for Trixie’s hand and pricked her finger. She squeezed one drop into the ink.
“That’s it?”
“Yes, what were you expecting? For me to sacrifice you on the altar?” Jade then proceeded to work.