Chapter 20: Unexpected Company

ALEKSANDR

“I don’t see why I need to go there in person,” I said, my fingers drumming on the polished oak of my desk. Trying to extract information from older vampires was akin to pulling teeth, but dealing with one who led a coven was even more challenging. They always demanded something more than just money, like a favor or even servitude.

“The information I need—”

“Nicodemus doesn’t share information with just anyone. You have to meet him in person. No negotiation,” the voice on the other end of the phone said.

I had thought my relationship with this contact was better, but somehow I had managed to upset him in our brief conversation. I tapped my fingers on the desk, weighing my options.

“Give me forty-eight hours to get things in order.”

“Twenty-four. Tatiana already dislikes you.”

“I’m not visiting her. Since when does protocol involve newly turned vampires?”

“She’s the one with the information. Twenty-four hours.” The line went dead.

A wave of irritation washed over me as I gently set the phone down, resisting the urge to throw it. My phone rang immediately after. I quickly answered it.

“Vasiliev.”

“Mr. Vasiliev, it appears you have a visitor. Ms. Seraphina Blair.”

I was surprised. I hadn’t expected Seraphina to pay me a social visit. I had assumed that the next time I saw her, it would be on my terms again.

“Send her to me,” I said, not bothering to hide the satisfaction in my voice. I was glad to have her here, especially given my current frustrations. Frustrations I was eager to take out on her.

***

Jack Blair had gained more than just time because of Seraphina. He had gained days, even weeks. Despite what his records might have said, Jack had betrayed a lot of people.

He had double-crossed us with Chen, nearly killed Nadia, and then turned on him too. It was a mess, and it only got worse when he brought new associates into town, causing problems for many of his former partners.

It was bad enough that our partnership had ended. But what was unforgivable was that he had targeted Nadia, a woman who had been by my side through thick and thin for the past three decades.

Jack had been prepared for vampires, but not for someone like me. So, getting into his mansion the night I had met Seraphina had been easy.

Killing him should have been just as simple. I had planned to wait in his room for him to return and then take him out. I hadn’t expected his wife to be there.

I hadn’t even known she existed. How did I miss her?

I adjusted myself as I heard footsteps approaching. I decided to sit behind my desk, trying to project an air of authority.

Seraphina was a tantalizing distraction, one that only complicated things as I tried to find her husband’s killer while she accused me of the crime. It was a strange twist in our relationship, but it was also strangely exciting as a young vampire led Seraphina into the room.

I had to resist the urge to snarl at him as he glanced back at her. He was hungry, and with her jacket off, she was a walking temptation. I could hear her heartbeat, fast and frantic, as if she were terrified.

But she was here, facing me.

“Leave,” I told the young vampire. He jumped, looked at me with wide, guilty eyes, and then left, closing the door behind him.

Seraphina stood at the entrance, her arms crossed over her chest, her eyes darting around the room, avoiding me. I didn’t like that. I wanted her to look at me.

She had come here, after all. She had sought me out. I let my eyes roam over her, taking in every curve.

I remembered how she had looked in the dark, like a goddess emerging from the shadows, her long, curly hair cascading around her. I promised myself that the next time I had her, I would wrap that hair around my hand, controlling her movements with it.

“You killed Jack,” she accused, her eyes burning into mine.

“Haven’t we been through this already?” I asked, skimming fingers over my mouth as I leaned forward.

Then, deciding to show her, I moved closer. My inhuman speed caught a tiny shard of ice in her hair. I flicked it into the room to dissolve completely as our eyes met.

The attraction was mutual, at least. This gave me a modicum of confidence, even though I was well aware that I was no match for a witch, especially when I could feel her power permeating the air.

Seraphina wouldn’t hesitate to kill me. Even though she was unaware that bullets were ineffective against me, her aim was flawless. She had shot me in the heart and neck, and had narrowly missed my stomach as she attempted to escape.

The memory of that pain flashed before my eyes as I leaned closer to her, now even more dangerous with her magic.

“Yes, I came to—” Her voice faltered, her breath mingling with mine.

I should kill her now. This is too dangerous. Nadia is right. With Jack gone and Seraphina disrupting our deals, sleeping with her will only complicate things. If Blair is out of the picture, there’s no main party to deal with. But even as I thought this, I recoiled at the idea of her no longer existing. I found myself caressing her face, savoring the softness of her skin under my fingers.

I wanted to lose myself in her, to taste her, to feel her around me. It was a desire I hadn’t felt in a long time.

“I think I know why you’re here.”

She shook her head. Her confusion was palpable as the energy in the room shifted. She recoiled from my touch as if it burned her, her body reacting as if I had been caressing her more intimately.

“Not for that,” she said, angry, either at herself or the situation. I knew the best way to counteract magic was to disrupt the caster, so I grabbed her arm and pulled her across the hall. I ignored her stumbling steps as she tried to keep up with me, my grip on her arm unwavering as I dragged her along.

“Aleksandr!” she protested, her fists clenched and sweat beading on her forehead.

Damn, she’s sexy when she’s angry.

“I like hearing my first name on your lips. I expect to hear you scream it a few more times.”

“Stop, you killed Jack. You were trying to find the orb, and hired a coven—” Her words were disjointed and confused, her powers flaring up again, reminding me of the danger she posed.

She knows about the orb of Demeter. I should kill her. My instincts screamed at me, even as my body responded to her. I knew the only way out of this might be to assert my dominance, to take her and heal.

Screw it, I’m going to enjoy this.

I grabbed her throat, guiding her back toward my bed as I kissed her roughly. My other hand held her hip, keeping her close as we moved. I could feel her magic pulsing around us, growing stronger instead of weaker.

I knew I had to act before she did. As soon as her knees hit the bed, I broke the kiss, letting my fangs descend. I tightened my grip on her throat, showing her exactly what she was dealing with before I tilted her head to the side and sank my fangs into her soft skin.

She tasted even better than before, like sunshine and life, like biting into a fresh apple on a dewy morning. I took more than I should have, savoring the taste of her. It was hard to stop after two mouthfuls, so I indulged in a third before licking the wound and focusing on my next task.

Imprisonment.

Seraphina’s eyes were glazed and unfocused as I cuffed one of her wrists. I gently laid her down on my bed, admiring how her black curls contrasted with my blue sheets. I had always thought the sheets matched her eyes, but now I realized her eyes were a touch greener.

Understanding dawned on her face as I pulled back, licking my lips and securing her other wrist. She immediately tugged at the restraints, anger flashing in her eyes, but her magic was surprisingly quiet.

“Let me go.”

“Get out yourself,” I said, leaning back on the bed, watching her struggle. “I’m curious about this orb, but I’m more interested in our other…activities. Maybe we should revisit those?”

“Go to hell.”

“I’d rather take care of you,” I replied, grinning as I slowly removed my jacket. Her eyes followed my every move, her reactions too sweet to ignore. Seraphina was far from uninterested. “And for the record, I don’t deal with magic users.”

“Liar,” she bit out, her hips moving in an erotic motion that had my cock twitching in appreciation.

“Why are you here, Seraphina?” I asked, running my tongue over a fang for effect. Her eyes focused on the sharp points, causing a familiar stir in my lower region. “I’m more than willing to drain you until you’re ready to talk.”

Her expression shifted to one of rage, which surprised me. Most people would be terrified at the thought of losing so much blood. The idea that being drained could lead to them losing their magic was a serious threat to a witch.

“I told you. You killed Jack. I have proof.”

Ignoring her protest, I pulled out the switchblade from my boot and brought it close to her skin. She wasn’t in danger of being cut; the blade merely caught her clothes. I enjoyed the sound and sensation of cutting her clothes, revealing her beautiful form once more.

Her bra needed only a quick tug and flick of my wrist to break the middle bindings. “Well, I’ll be honest. That’s simply not true, but you’re here now,” I said, unable to hide my enjoyment as I traced my fingers over her soft skin.

Her skin glowed, turning a delicate pink when she blushed. It was delightful.

“If you really want to talk, tell me why Jack Blair left you his entire fortune,” I said.

“What?” she asked as I began to remove her pants. Her body strained against the restraints and she looked up at them.

“What kind of question is that?”

I chuckled, nipping at her thigh, which made her shriek. “A valid one. You were barely married. You didn’t have any children. The doctor blabbed publicly you can’t even have them. So why, out of all the relatives or potential successors, did he choose you? It’s curious.”

She was too distracted to answer, but I didn’t need her to. I knew the answer. I figured it out the same week I discovered why Jack Blair was untouchable. It was that damn orb, the one he bragged about one drunken night at the bar.

Jack hadn’t planned on dying. He was so egotistical, he probably planned to live forever. Not impossible, but certainly complicated when someone wanted to continue to work the earth’s magic.

He hadn’t been able to manage it, which legally bound everything to Seraphina. Something he likely did just in case his death was premature, to easily return his belongings. I had used the same tactic with Nadia for many years for legal purposes once she became useful.

Jack’s death should have set Seraphina up for life, not damned her to an eternity of hell with me. Not that I was complaining as my hand moved to cover her mound. The heat from her was scorching my palm.

“He loved me. I don’t know I—” She shook her head, pulling at the restraints even as her hips bucked forward.

I wanted her to forget him. This conversation was just a distraction. My primal instincts were to make her climax until she lost control. To taste her ecstasy as it pushed the blood down my throat, bringing her to a higher peak.

“Oh, I can see that. There’s plenty to love, over and over again,” I murmured as I began to kiss her thighs and stomach, my fingers dipping into her. Her desire was evident as I slid in, the wet noises filling the room, followed by Seraphina’s moans.

“I suppose I’ll have to explore every inch to find the answers I’m looking for. You seem a bit speechless to continue our interrogation.”

Her moan was high-pitched as I slipped another finger inside her. My thumb ran over her clitoris, feeling the hard little nub through her slick fluids. I pumped and flexed my fingers to stimulate her.

Her head fell back as her hips moved in time, pulling at the restraints in ecstasy. The first pulse of her around my fingers made me painfully hard, and her erratic breath made me pull back.

I needed to be inside her, to turn those gasps into screams. I wanted her. I wanted her to forget everything that wasn’t me.