9781936653027BorntobeWildArsuaga (20 page)

Chapter 18

SGM Pharmaceuticals, 2:30 a.m.

Stefan lay upon the plush bed in a new room at SGM
staring up at the ceiling. After touring the facilities, he agreed to Dragos’
terms, assisting with the plan to take out the FBI agent. The other steps of
the plan, he still had reservations about. What other choice did he have?
Trapped in a game of chess with his sire, he resolved to bide his time gaining
knowledge before the next tactical move.

He hated his dark side most of all, especially
when the beast within won out. His actions earlier with Ecaterina still pissed
him off and he felt remorse for killing the young woman. He desperately needed
Alexandra. Locked in the silver encased room for days, it was impossible to
reach out to her. Tonight, he would try to touch her mind.

Desire surged through his blood. Hunger for her
consumed his thoughts. Each breath he took filled his lungs with the memory of
her scent. A flood of sensations swirled through his being, making him ache for
her touch, her flesh against his, her blood passing his lips. He cried out a
low growl.

He sat upright, closed his eyes, concentrated on
her image, and called to her by name.

Alexandra.
Can you hear me? Let me into your thoughts. I need to be with you tonight.
He opened his mind to hers, and held his breath, waiting.

Stefan, is
this a dream again? Is it you calling to me?

Her voice made music in his ears, soft and sexy.
Fire rushed through his veins.
Yes
prinţesa
mea
it is me, not a dream. I am with you
in your mind. Where are you?

I’m sorry
Stefan, I can’t tell you. I’m afraid this connection we have is unsecure.

I will not
harm you
prinţesa.
I need to
know you are safe.

Yes, I’m
okay. Jordy and I left to track Ecaterina. I’m sorry I left abruptly. I was
scared.

Surely not of me?
I
promised I wouldn’t hurt you, only bring you pleasure. Have I not done so?

She laughed.
Oh,
yeah, in ways I’ve never imagined. I guess that’s what scares me.
He loved
the sound of her laughter. It made his heart fill with joy.

Stefan, everything
has happened so fast. This week I have thought of nothing else in between
working.
She paused.
I’ve missed you.

He smiled. Damn, he wanted to touch her, kiss her
sweet lips, make love to her, and feel her warm skin against his. He couldn’t
answer. The pain of missing her wrenched his insides.

Stefan? Are
you still there?
Rearranging the pillow, tucking it tightly under her head,
she turned over in bed.
Good night
Stefan.
She pulled the sheets up to her chin.

The finality of her statement hit him like a
hammer, and he quickly responded.
I’m
here. I need to see you again Alexandra.

Where are
you Stefan?

He hesitated answering.
I’m on assignment.

Is that vamp
code for you’ve been hired to make a hit on a fellow vamp?
She giggled.

Sparring with her amused him.
God, he was falling helplessly in love. What the hell was he going to do?
No, it means I’m working, like you.

So, we’re
not in Kansas anymore Toto?

Huh?

Giggling again, she responded,
I’m tired and have to get up early. I’m
really glad you called though. I really could use your help.

Anything.

It’s not
what you think, silly man. Remember the conspiracy theory I had about the
virus?

Yes.

We found a
link between the virus and another substance, another synthetic blood with a
drug in it. I know Ecaterina is involved. She can track me Stefan and I’m
tracking her the old-fashioned way. What can I do?

Tell me
where you are?

Not tonight,
but soon. Good night Stefan.

But?

Good night.

He inhaled sharply as he made his way to the white
leather couch. This time when he thought of Alexandra he laughed, out loud.
Earlier, when his heart dwelled in its darkest place, after killing an innocent
and whipping Ecaterina, Alexandra brought light back into his life. He reached
out to her, trying to touch her mind, in spite of her resistance to the
connection. At this moment, happiness enveloped him where sadness once dwelled.
The emotions welled up deep within his core, sharp and clear. He loved her. “Oh
Alexandra,” he murmured. “I’m gonna make this right between us
prinţesa.
”

Everything about his stay at SGM changed. His
purpose became clear. He felt nothing but the desire to find a way out of his
current predicament. Pure adrenaline pumped through his veins. Alexandra
tracked Ecaterina to Miami. The woman he saw in the hallway was her. He warmed
in admiration of her hunting skills, but feared the danger she’d put herself in.

Stefan stood, pacing restlessly in his chamber. He
needed an effective plan to protect Alexandra and get both of them safely out
of this situation. The position of Elector Palatine of the Southeast Family
Dragos tempted him. The power of it beckoned seductively. During the tour of
the SGM plant, his sire showed him an empire of great wealth and power. As
Elector, he would have absolute authority, speaking and acting for Dragos in
his stead. It would be an honor working for a Grand Master, but it came with a
price, quite possibly Alexandra.

He could not continue his existence without her.
Dragos would not allow a human to remain within the inner circle of the Family.
Alexandra wasn’t ready to turn, which left him very few options.

He let out a low growl, angry with himself and
wished he had been more prepared for the consequences of the blood exchange
with her. The obsession of feeling her warm flesh wrapping around him,
inflaming all his senses, consumed him. Visions of feeding on her blood
constantly bedeviled him. In all his lonely centuries of existence, he never
experienced such joy and happiness as when he embraced her in his arms. He
would not give her up.

Stefan’s position as enforcer for Gregori occupied
him for many years. Their friendship dated back even further, more than one
hundred years. After the falling out with Dragos, he wandered throughout Europe
for centuries. Just before the First World War, he moved to the United States,
first to New York eventually meeting Gregori at a speakeasy. Stefan developed
into an adept negotiator and, when called for, a killer, but only as last
resort. The flair and adroitness he demonstrated when delivering the end result
to a dispute earned him a reputation among the Vampire Families. Gregori became
the Grand Master of the Mid-Atlantic Region and received Stefan’s exclusive
services. Stefan became the Commander Enforcer, a position he valued and took
pride in fulfilling. Gregori was his friend and a Grand Master, pledging one
another loyalty and allegiance for eternity with a blood exchange.

Because of the blood connection, he could contact
his friend for help in carrying out the plan he devised. Dragos plotted to
upset the balance of the past hundred years between humans and vampires, an
unimaginable horror could ensue with the change. In the past others tried it,
but never on such scale. Unleashing a deadly virus and addicting humans to a
new blood drug could destroy civilization for humans as well as vampires. He
would not be alone in wanting to stop Dragos in this pursuit.

Gregori set a secret meeting for the next night.
Representatives from the fifteen major families, even Sorin from Romania,
announced intentions to attend. The question remained whether to bring
Alexandra into the equation. Anything she knows, Ecaterina could learn through
their connection, possibly compromising the entire plan. Also, Alexandra would
be in grave danger if Ecaterina detected her presence. No, for the present,
Alexandra must know nothing.

*
* * *

After saying good night to Stefan, Alex curled
under the covers. After the conversation, the headache disappeared. Her
assessment was correct. He tried to contact her days before, but tonight she
let her guard down and they touched each other’s minds.

The attraction to Stefan began as a case of
curiosity, quickly changing to more. The physical obsession with him quickly
gave way to something else. He brought out feelings in her body and mind,
previously unknown or explored and didn’t ever want them to end. Alexandra saw
his true character, flaws, as well as scars. He probably had more to tell and
she was willing to hear all of it. Keeping all those secrets infuriated her.
Despite trying to turn the tables on him, she ended up liking him. Best of all,
he accepted her flaws and thought her beautiful. What more could a girl ask
for?

She’d made up her mind they were going to give it
a try. The next time they met face to face, she’d tell him.

Closing her eyes and snuggling the pillow under
her head, she conjured images of him. His smile, with the way the corners
turned up slightly and a sliver of his white teeth peeked through his full
lips. The wavy, thick deep brown hair, even more luxurious than the first night
they met. He smelled like a tropical paradise, a blend of citrus and coconut.
Oh how it made her feel warm and yummy inside. And those eyes—a dark and
smoldering brown, burning directly into her soul.

Good God,
how can I sleep?
She tossed and turned a few minutes before settling down
again. A relationship with Stefan was like playing with fire. At any moment the
whole thing could explode in her face if she wasn’t careful.

Never wanting a relationship with a merely
ordinary man, or settling for anything less, she wanted a wickedly fervent
lover. The typical family unit with two point five children didn’t fit into her
plans of happily ever after. Since college, she fantasized about her man
inspiring hot, steamy, and erotic trysts in unusual, dangerous places. After
last week at the sex club, here he was a dream man come true, and he was a
vampire on top of everything. Her family would have a cow once they learn her
intentions to stay with Stefan.

Alex believed Stefan Marin was her soul mate. He
made her laugh with adorable vamp humor and quips. In all things he cared for
her needs and pleasure. Being easy on the eyes, he made her heart race and her
body melt
like chocolate on a hot sidewalk, but in all
honesty, the clincher was how he looked at her with hunger for her body and not
blood. She felt beautiful basking in his eyes and he loved to go shopping with
her. What more could a girl want?

With a bevy of pleasant thoughts swirling in her
head, she nodded off to sleep.

*
* * *

Special Vamp
Division Conference Room, FBI Building

“God, I feel like crap!” Alex said, walking into
the conference room. Dingy sunlight angled through the windows, doing nothing
for her enthusiasm.

“I hear ya. My ass is dragging,” Johnson said.

The meeting started precisely at ten a.m. with
Chief Martin, Johnson, and Alexandra attending. Everyone noticed Palmer’s
absence.

“I’ll make this short and sweet. Washington left
us out to dry. It appears SGM has a license to manufacture narcotics. It
includes production of the new drug. They’re double checking with the CDC and
FDA. God only knows how long that’s going to take. Until then, we’re on our own
to figure this out.”

“So, we’re back to my idea with the rogue
Ecaterina? Go after her and the virus and try linking her to Blue?” Alex asked.

“Yeah, but I’m not happy with you continuing
undercover at SGM Alex.”

“Neither am I. Your mind-block exercises aren’t
working as well as they should be. You’re suffering migraines,” Johnson said.

“I’m fine.
Today, no headache.”
Superstitiously she knocked her knuckles on the table.

The door opened.

“Sorry I’m late,” Palmer said. “What have I
missed?”

Chief Martin scowled, continuing while Palmer
uneasily found a seat. “Back to what I was saying, we will work on bringing
this Ecaterina…” At a loss for her surname he shuffled through some papers
searching for it.

“Tomescu, boss,” Johnson said from across the
table.

“Yeah, thanks. Ecaterina Tomescu. We’ll bring her
in and work on a connection between her and this Blue drug.”

“Are you open to another angle sir?” Alex asked.

Chief Martin eyed her with skepticism. “Sure.”

Leaning forward, she took a deep breath and let it
out. “The young woman recently murdered in the sex club, I’m working in her
previous job.”

“Alina,” Johnson said.

“Yes, Alina.
I was
thinking after last night’s discovery with the new blood, did any strange or
inconclusive findings show up with her
tox
report? If
any of this Blue or the virus showed up in her bloodstream, we have the first
piece of solid evidence to take to Washington.”

Martin scratched his head and glanced over at
Palmer and Johnson. “Hmm, that’s good thinking Alex. I’ll pass it on to Matsui
to check.”

A tap came to the door and Martin’s secretary,
Ashley stuck her head in the room. “Excuse me Chief. There’s a call on three
you really need to take.”

“Who is it?”

“Police Chief Rodriguez, MBPD,” Ashley answered.

Martin nodded and picked up the handset. “Special
Agent Todd Martin,” he answered, then paused and listened.
“A
Body?
Where again? I’ll have the lead agent on site within thirty.
Thanks for the call.”