Wulf's Redemption (Borne Vampires Book 3) (20 page)

“Why,
Herrick? Why are you willing to risk your life for mine?”

“Someday,
my lord, you shall return the favor.” Herrick grabbed him, hugging him with a
fierce grip. Releasing him, Herrick stepped back and withdrew the medallion
from under his coat, holding it for Alex to view it. “We pledge our loyalty to
you, Alexander Wulf. To the last of my bloodline, we swear to protect you and
your secrets.”

The
words of gratitude for such undeserving loyalty choked Alex. He wanted to stay
with Herrick and the gypsies. The consequences of his actions left him a wanted
man, to be hunted by his own kind. The gypsies would suffer knowing him.

“Forget
about me, Herrick. I bring only death and heartache to those who love me. I no
longer call myself a Borne. Damned is where I belong.”

Chapter Nine

Alex killed his parents!

Sending the dirt flying off her, Kai sat up in her
grave, stunned at what she’d witnessed in his dream. Forced to live with what
he’d done for revenge, it truly was a miracle he had kept his soul in the
aftermath of the horrors claimed Magdeburg and Wulf Manor.

How had Alex kept his soul after what he had
endured and done?

Herrick. It was because of Herrick and the gypsies
were why Alex hadn’t turned demon. They were his family. Years later, it was
her mother, Mariah, who kept him going, kept him from slipping into the
darkness and becoming a demon vamp while in the service to Jarrod.

There was a disturbance in the soil to her right
and it parted. Alex sat up, the hilt of his sword peaked behind his right
shoulder, the silver buckle and belt, attached to the scabbard strapped to his
back, caught the moonlight. The Slayer’s sword! He’d kept it, even after it’d
been used to kill Aldric.

Watching her with a grim expression, he said
quietly, “Now, Kai, you know my secret. Not even Faeroes or the Council knows
that I murdered my parents. My fate rests in your hands.”

Kai sat there, unable to form a suitable response.
He sighed and made to climb out of his grave. Grabbing her backpack and sword,
she jumped out of her grave and knelt in front of him, surprising him. “Alex, why
did you connect with me?”

He smiled at her, a small, sexy smile that made
her go weak inside. “You were already in my head. I decided it time you saw
everything.
And
, I needed you to
understand what happened to my brother and … Lisle.” He paused. “Kai, the wolf
we met at the Skaggin’s farm, it wasn’t the same I faced in 1819, was it?”

“Alex, it was the same wolf, right down to the
eyes.”

“No,” he shook his head, “Lisle killed herself. I personally
witnessed it. You saw her jump back in the lodge, too!”

“I know what I saw happen, but it makes no sense. You
and I both know demon vamps normally don’t chose to commit suicide. They love
to make people suffer far too much to kill themselves, and they’re pretty
determined to stay alive when being hunted. At least the ones I’ve ever dealt
with.”

His broad shoulders drooped in defeat. “At dawn, a
woman spoke to me, threatened me. Actually, she threatened to kill you, if I
didn’t send you away.”

“Well, at least I’m forewarned.” She tried to
smile but couldn’t, not after what she’d seen — the small bodies inside the
lodge … those poor children. “Did it sound like Lisle?”

He shrugged. “She did sound somewhat like Lisle,
only there was something off.”

“Off? Like how?”

“She spoke to me in English, not German … yet, she
had a thick accent.”

“Oh, shit, Alex, I need you to drink my blood.”
She shifted closer to him.

“Why?”

“I need you to see the woman Mina and I met in
London, the one I told you about in the dungeon.” Kai offered him her wrist. “See
her in my mind and … and….”

“And what?”

“Confirm it’s a crazy idea I have that Lisa
is
Lisle.”

He took her hand and wrist in his and before she
could prepare herself, his fangs sank into her flesh. His lips closed over the
wound and suckled her blood. Closing her eyes, she strove to keep from moaning,
the feel of him feeding on her, the possession his holding her was making her
quiver.

Alex retracted his fangs and licked the already
healed wound free of blood. His green eyes glowed as his long fingers slipped
around her hand. “I see her. Blonde, curvy…. Her eyes! Bitch is using glamour
to change her face, but she can’t change her eyes or the crazy in them. It’s
Lisle. She—” He went quiet. “In the dungeon, she smelt
me
on you! That’s why she went into a rage.
Angel,” he growled. “That bitch. She brought Lisle back. Why?”

“For revenge. Remember, she called you a traitor?
I’ll lay bet she planned to dispatch Lisle on you, have her either turn or kill
you in retribution for Jarrod’s death. The real question is: where has Lisle
Breber been hiding for nearly two hundred years? Someone that mental could not
just lay low and stay off the Slayer radar this long. She likes killing too
much. I’ll check with Zoe, maybe she can find out for us.” Digging into her
backpack for her cellphone, she scrolled down to Records and dialed it.

Zoe answered, “Kai! How you been, girl?”

“Been better. Zoe, I need help.”

“What can I do for you?”

“I need research done on a demon vamp named Lisle
Breber.”

“Was she turned or a Borne who lost her soul? And
where is she from?”

“She’s from Magdeburg, Germany and was turned in
1819.”

“Wow, she’s been around a while, unusual for a
female Undead to last so long. They don’t have the smarts to survive like the
males do.”

“That’s what has me puzzled. This one is beyond
twisted and is working with Angel Heart.”

“Hold on. Did you say Magdeburg?”

“Yep, we are talking about
the
Lisle
Breber, infamous for being the ‘Wolf of Magdeburg’. I have a witness who saw
her commit suicide by jumping into a burning building in 1819. The same witness
and I met a-a odd wolf last night that he believes looks exactly like the one
the vampiress shape-shifted into when she stole the children.”

“Why do you want me to research Lisle Breber, if
you got a bead on her?’

“Mina and I met up with a scary vampiress who
kills humans
and
the Damned. The press
called her the Ripper. She’s following … me.” Alex arched his eyebrow at her.
“I’m in the middle of nowhere and can’t access my files presently. Can you
search the last hundred years for bodies found with throats ripped out and
mangled? And if you can find any reference to a demon that kills its own kind.”

“Running your request now. Sorry, the only victims
matching your description are in London, the cases you and Mina investigated.”

“Crap. That means Angel had to have dug her up.
Good thing Mina’s hunting that bitch right now.”

“Tell Mina to be
very
careful.
Angel takes to killing us very personal.”

“Mina’s safe. She has Sin Dracula protecting her.”

“Dracula? As in
the
Dracula?”

“Yep.”

“I thought he was Undead?”

“So did we, until he passed the tests. He’s on our
side and hunting Angel with Mina.”

A low, appreciative whistle escaped Zoe. “I met
Dracula in London, a couple of days before he disappeared. Lord, he was a
gorgeous hunk of man flesh! Always wondered if Van Helsing and his hunters had
killed him.”

“There was a real Van Helsing?”

“Oh, yeah. Good man, bit misguided, still he was a
good man. Wait a minute! Mina’s not with you? Girl, you need back up sent out to
you immediately!”

“I’m fine. Alex is with me. I’ll be safe.”

“Oh, I wish I was in your shoes!” Zoe gushed out,
“No one is sexy as Alexander Walker is. You are so lucky!”

Looking at Alex, Kai caught his amused smile.
Uncomfortable sitting next to him and silently agreeing with Zoe, she cleared
her throat. “Right. I’m not really sure luck is the word I’d use. The last couple
of days have been hell. Our plane was shot down by vampire hunters and we have
a psycho vampiress hunting us. Loads of fun.”

“Are you and Alex going after Lisle Breber?”

“Yeah, we need to dust her ass fast. She attacked
a family and allowed the children to turn. I-I had to put one of them down.”
The boy’s surprise as she cut off his head, it refused to leave her. She felt
Alex squeeze her shoulder.

“Ah, Kai, I’m sorry,” Zoe said, distracting her
from the fact Alex had willingly touched her again. “Be careful hunting her and
give Alex a smooch for me. I know he’s there beside you.” Zoe hung up before
she could reply.

A low beep had her checking her cellphone. Batteries
were nearly depleted. “Alex, I need to plug my phone in.”

“Yeah, I need to plug mine in, too. Let’s head
back to the house.” He leapt out of the grave and held out his hand to help her
out.

The minute her hand slipped into his, Kai felt warmth
tingle in her palm, traveling up her arm straight to her heart. The heat in his
eyes made her knees go weak, yet somehow she found the strength to move. With a
pull, he had her beside him. Nervous being close to him, she let go of his hand
and grabbed her sword, strapping it to her back. Tossing her backpack over her
shoulder, she stopped as the forest chatter went silent. A malevolent wind rose,
rustling the leaves. Kai scanned around them, sensing the vampiress somewhere out
in the wilderness. Lisle wanted to kill again and again, to feel the hot blood
of her victims splashed onto her skin — to feed and feed, draining the world in
her hunger.

“Alex, Lisle’s out there, wanting to find a victim.
Do we go after her?”

Alex searched the woods, frowning. “Let’s check on
Herrick and his family first, make sure nothing happened while we slept. Come
on.” He headed back to the manor.

Following him, she grumbled, “I wish I had my
laptop. I hate not being able to do my own research.”

“Zoe’s the best in the intel-gathering field. If
she couldn’t find anything on Lisle, then there isn’t anything out there.”

“I know, I just prefer doing my own homework on an
unsub. Mina and I built our reputation by being the best in our field, and this
just feels like I’m doing s half-assed job here.”

Alex stopped and faced, her gazing intently at
her. “Kai, what we’re facing is not a job. Lisle Breber manipulated my father
and brother, brought my world down in flames because of her selfish desires.
The bitch loves to cause misery. Right now, she is out there plotting how to
make me suffer more. If she figures out how much you truly mean to me, Lisle
will
come after you.”

“
Do
you care for me, Alex?” she asked
softly, staring into his eyes, usually flat and determined. Not tonight. Tonight,
he was afraid.

Drawing his fingers up her throat to her chin,
Alex caressed her cheek with the rough pads of his fingertips. “Aye, I do care.
Far more than is prudent, especially since you are Mariah’s daughter and the
Boss’s stepchild.”

A small snort escaped her. “Rathe knows I can take
care of myself.”

Running the back of his knuckles along her jawline,
causing her to shiver at his light touch, he said quietly, “Out here, you are
my responsibility. I could never forgive myself if Lisle harmed you as she has
those I’ve loved.”

Bold, Kai stepped closer to him, breathing in his
warm, masculine scent. “Then I guess you’ll just have to stay right beside me
and be my bodyguard then.”

Flames briefly lit in his dark green eyes. Alex
smiled, the corners of his sensual mouth upturned wickedly, reminding her of
the man she’d seen in her dreams. “I’ll take the job. Someone needs to watch
that cute ass of yours.”

“You think I have a cute ass?”

“Yes, yes, I do.” His voice deepened as he shifted
closer to her, their bodies touching. “Lovely ass. As a whole, you are the most
beautiful woman I have ever met.”

Her eyes went wide. “You think I’m beautiful?”

Alex lowered his head toward hers. “Beyond
beautiful, and I’d very much like to kiss you again.”

Aching to feel his lips touch hers again, she
whispered, “I’d very much would love for you to kiss me again.”

Before his mouth touched hers, Mary called out
their names, breaking them apart. “Kai, Alex, my family is waiting for you!” Mary
came bounding across the courtyard toward them.

“Has something happened?” she asked, instantly on
alert.

“No, we need to plan what to do if the Damned
return or if the vampire hunters will seek retribution for their dead companions.”

“We’d best not keep them waiting,” Alex said,
surprising Kai as he took her hand in his and led the way to the kitchen door. Opening
the door for her and Mary to enter, he suddenly pushed the young girl behind
her as the men scrambled to grab their guns.

Herrick held out his hands and ordered, “Hold your
weapons, boys!” He apologized to them, “Forgive us, we are nervous. Come in,
come in.”

Wary, Alex ushered her and Mary inside, closing
the door behind them. “I understand, Herrick. You need not be sorry for being
prepared.”

The tantalizing scent of fresh-brewed coffee drew
Kai to the counter and she poured two cups. Handing one to Alex, she added
sugar and cream to hers. In between sips, she observed the tension in the
people gathered in the kitchen. Their fear was palpable and it was making her
nervous.

“Herrick,” Alex said solemnly, “I think it wise we
evacuate Wulf Manor immediately.”

“It’s been in our thoughts as well. We have clan
in Berlin we can send the women to. We, men, must stay here, to protect our
livestock.”

“What do you think, Kai?” Alex asked.

Cradling her coffee cup in her hands, she forced
herself to view the situation through the eyes of a profiler. “I hate to say
this, in order to draw Lisle out we need people to stay here, at the Manor. Of
course, she’ll want you, Alex, but she’ll know something is up if everyone
disappears here.”

Herrick shot a terrified look at Gaeta. “Mother,
is it true? Is Lisle Breber back from the dead?”

Hands shaking as she clasped her coffee cup, Gaeta
replied, “Ja, my son, it is true. Lisle Breber has escaped her tomb and will
seek retribution on our family as she will upon you, Master.”

“Tomb?” Alex straightened, his eyes narrowing. “What
tomb do you speak of, Gaeta?”

✝✝✝

“Forgive us, Master,” she implored. “By the time my
father realized Lisle still lived, you had disappeared. He could not tell you
they had found her wandering the woods, burned and weak, outside the woods of
Wulf Manor.”