Burning Both Ends

The voice was still talking.

“I have been anxious to speak with you.” The words came from Ari, but they sounded like—Andreas! “What I have to say is best said in private. Perhaps these young people should be on their way.”

She smiled at the young pair, but they didn’t look at all reassured. Not surprising. Bizarre as it seemed, she was now a vampire. Or she was Andreas. Or something else equally terrifying. How would the humans know a good vampire from a bad one?

While Ari the witch was starting to panic, another part of her was totally immersed in the tense scene. She and her friends closed in, surrounding the rogues. Barnabas released his hold on the human girl and stepped back before realizing Gabriel was only inches behind him. No one else moved as the young couple edged out of the enclosure, breaking into a run after their first steps. When the humans were out of hearing range, Andreas’s voice spoke again.

“Hunting humans is forbidden, Damion, and the murders from last night cannot go unpunished.”

Damion looked toward Ari, darting a smirk at his companions. “So judgmental, Andreas. What do you intend to do about it?”

Andreas? No, oh, no. This strange vampire had confirmed her worst fears. By some terrible glitch in the magic she’d become Andreas—or she was in his freaking head. And she wanted out!

“You know the penalty.” Andreas’s voice was cold as ice. “A life for a life.”

Until that moment, the three rogues didn’t seem to realize he was serious. Now fear swept across Norton’s broad face, and he whirled to confront Andreas’s unknown companion, snarling with exposed fangs. Barnabas crouched in front of Gabriel.

Damion didn’t move for a long moment, but a slow grin appeared and his fangs grew to a formidable length. “Then let us have at it,” he said.

Ari saw a blur of those fangs flash toward her. Her body whipped aside, grabbed Damion’s arm and flipped him onto the ground. He sprang up instantly and flew at her. The legs under Ari felt like pistons as she vaulted over his head, landing behind him on two feet. Her arm coiled around the rogue’s neck. She could smell his fear and tightened her arm on his throat. The sound of tiny bones crushing brought a primitive rush of power as her teeth sank into flesh. She tasted sweet, metallic blood flowing into her mouth.

* * *

“Ari! Arianna!” She heard Lilith’s voice from far away and felt a sharp elbow in her ribs.

Ari bolted upright in the seat, prevented from erupting into the aisle by the airplane seatbelt. Her heart raced out of control. By the Goddess, what had just happened to her? She scrubbed her face with an unsteady hand.

“That must be some dream you were having.” Lilith frowned at her. “You made some weird, sucking noises.”

Ew. Ew. Ew. She remembered the blood.

“I…um…sorry about that,” Ari said, trying to gather her scattered wits. “I guess I haven’t been getting enough sleep. Must have been a nightmare.”

But was it? Or had she really been in Andreas’s head? Was any of it real? The sounds, the smells. The horrible taste of blood. She grimaced as her stomach revolted at the thought. Gabriel had been there, and someone else she hadn’t seen before. And three rogue vampires. Damion, wasn’t it? Ari shivered, remembering the crushing bones. Whatever had happened was really, really creepy. She’d almost gotten used to the idea of a link between her magic and Andreas’s, especially when it had proven helpful, but if this was some freaking new manifestation…

She shivered again. Her skin itched like tiny ants were crawling all over her. She rubbed her arms and leaned her head back, listened to the pounding of her heart. Because she didn’t want to face Lilith’s questions, she pretended to doze, but sleep had fled for the night. If she had experienced a nightmare—and at this point she still hoped it was—she wasn’t going to risk returning to that awful scene. Her breathing gradually evened.

Yeah, it must have been a horrible dream.

* * *

When they landed in Toronto, it was nearly midnight. Both women looked tired and rumpled, but Ari had regained her composure and was determined to start their search immediately. When she found Andreas, there were more than a few things they needed to talk about.

She tried his cell one more time. It went to phone mail again. Lilith called Russell to tell him they’d arrived, but he didn’t answer either. She tried again with the same result. Exchanging worried looks, they dashed to the cabstand.

Impatient with traffic, they abandoned the cab ten blocks from the vampire compound and ran the rest of the way. Ari pounded on the door until a weretiger peered at them from a two-way surveillance camera. Although his face wasn’t familiar to Ari, he must have recognized her, because the door opened immediately.

“Where’s Russell?” the women demanded in chorus as soon as they stepped inside the door. “Why isn’t he answering his phone?” Lilith added.

“Uh, I think he’s in the audience chambers,” the tiger said, apparently perplexed by their fierce tone. “I don’t know about his phone. Maybe they don’t want their meeting to be interrupted.”

“That’s just too damned bad,” Ari said, stalking down the hall. “I’m getting some answers from someone.”

“Don’t you think we should announce you?” the tiger called. “I can ring someone.”

“We’ll announce ourselves.” Ari wasn’t waiting for anyone.

She didn’t pause when she reached the chamber doors. With Lilith at her side, she shoved them open and burst into the room. Russell and six vampires sprang to their feet. Ari only had eyes for one.

Chapter Fifteen

“Andreas.” Ari halted and stared at him. Speechless. Fighting off an urge to fling herself into his arms. After all the worrying, all the fears, here he was. Safe and sound. Dark, hooded eyes, incredibly sexy.

And she wanted to murder him.

“Arianna.” He recovered first and glided toward her, taking her hands in his. Andreas raised his brows at the scowl on her face, but it didn’t deter him from brushing her lips with his. “I did not expect you tonight. And Lilith. Russell, I am sure your wife is anxious to speak with you after her trip. You may leave us.”

Russell shot Andreas a harassed look but stood and hustled Lilith out of the room.

Andreas’s gaze never left Ari’s face. “Please join us, madam witch.” His speech and manner were formal, and his eyes warned her they were not free to talk.

Still stunned, Ari looked over his shoulder to see who “us” referred to. Gabriel, three vampires—one of whom seemed vaguely familiar, and Marta, who for once was without her consort.

How normal things looked. But all Ari wanted to know was where in the hell Andreas had been for the last twenty-four hours. An explanation, right this minute. But she’d gotten his warning and swallowed her angry demands. Answers would have to wait, but it wouldn’t be easy.

Andreas led her toward the vampires, who were watching them with open interest. Gabriel made room for an extra chair next to Andreas. Wrapping a semblance of composure around her, Ari did her best to follow Andreas’s lead. She smiled at the visitors. “I’m sorry to interrupt like this. I was impatient to let Andreas know I’d returned.” She was pleased her voice sounded casual, revealing none of the turmoil inside.

“You are not interrupting at all,” Andreas said, still in his best host voice. “Let me introduce you to our guests. This is Raphael, master vampire and nest leader. His lieutenants, Lewis and Etienne. Gentleman, this is Arianna.”

When she took a moment to really look at the visitors, her eyes widened, and she quickly looked away. No wonder Raphael had looked familiar. He was the other vamp from her scary episode on the plane.

“This is your consort we have heard so much about?” Raphael asked. Ari looked up, and his eyes held speculation. What was he thinking that made him look at her that way? It couldn’t be the dream, so something else. She felt like she’d walked into the middle of a movie without knowing the plot or the characters.

“Some have called her that.”

Raphael swung his gaze to Andreas. “A strange choice of words.”

“I don’t like the word,” Ari interjected. “Consort implies so much personal information, like we’re sleeping together. Which, of course, is nobody’s business.”

“Outspoken, I see.” Raphael gave her a once over. “No doubt that spirit is welcome in the bedroom. Outside of that context, it could become a reason for sympathy.”

Ari bristled. She resented him talking about her as if she was a piece of furniture. Before she could say something she’d regret, Andreas laughed and put an arm around her shoulder.

“I assure you, Raphael, I have no need of your sympathy, and I would be careful what you say. She has a notable temper. Arianna, would you care to join us in a glass of wine or do you prefer coffee?”

She gave him a saccharine smile and chose the wine. She was too wired for coffee. The atmosphere in the room was puzzling. It wasn’t friendly or hostile, and her witch magic remained quiet. Each person seemed to be sensing his way. The vamps were blocking, concealing their powers and their thoughts. That included Andreas. She wasn’t sure what was happening, except the vampires were only pretending to be relaxed and civil.

While her wine was poured and other glasses refilled, Ari continued to watch the behaviors around her, hoping for some clues. She didn’t waste her time on Andreas. Unless he lifted his blocking, he would remain totally inscrutable. Gabriel scowled whenever she looked at him. That could be because she’d hung up on their last conversation. Marta appeared nonchalant, even bored, but Ari sensed an underlying unease.

The three visiting vampires were no more informative. The leader, Raphael, a dark, Latin-type, was talkative, too talkative. The other two looked more like bodyguards than court members. They remained uninvolved in the conversation, their faces deadpan, remarkably similar, except for the long scar on the left cheek of the older vamp. Ari was speculating on what kind of weapon would leave a scar on a vampire when she heard her name.