Blood and Redemption (Cassandra Myles Witch Series) (6 page)

“Who?
”

“You were new here and you may not remember them. There were three
: Andre, Edith,and James.
”

“What happened to them?” I didn’t remember them and the thought that three people I didn’t even know had wanted to kill me was unnerving to say the least.

“I killed them. I tortured them first to make sure there was no one else in on the plot, then I drained all three of them and left them in the sun to take care of their bodies.”

The way he said it sent a cold shiver down my spine. He described the scene like he was talking about a grocery list. I could feel him watching me, waiting for my reaction.

“I don’t know what to say… ‘Thank you’ seems odd. I’m glad to still be here, but why didn’t you tell the police?”

“We police our own kind
, Cassandra. If the human authorities had been called in, everyone would know about it. It’s okay for a human to commit an atrocity. They get convicted and everyone returns to normal. People don’t look at each other thinking ‘he could kill me any minute just like the man in the news.’ A vampire is convicted and it gives fuel to those who hate us. They say ‘see, I told you they are killers.’”

I saw his point and I even agreed, but I felt horrible about it. How could I agree to three people being killed on my behalf?

“I see your point, but you killed them on my account. I feel responsible.”

“Don’t
; if it wasn’t you, it would eventually be someone else. I screen who gets turned in my territory, as you well know. I make sure they go through all my checks and the waiting period before they are even considered, and then I make them work here at the house for a year. It gives me a chance to see if they have a character flaw that may be magnified. There are rogues and not every master is as scrupulous. The three I killed came from New York. I think they came because their master didn’t want the trouble of policing them anymore.”

I had to wear my big
-girl pants for this conversation. This whole thing went under the category of “be careful what you ask for.” I had to have the truth and I had to be able to live with it. If I couldn’t, then maybe it wasn’t just Quintus I wasn’t meant for. Lucius was a vampire too and they had been together for a thousand years. It would be naïve to think he was an innocent bystander to everything that when on here.

“What else?”

“I had to discipline Killian two years ago
.
He was put in a dry cell for three months with no blood. I didn’t like doing it, but he refused a direct order. He is my representative in Seattle; it isn’t his territory. When I want an order carried out, it is to be carried out.”

“It seems harsh. He must have had a good reason
, right?”

“I’m sure he thought so, but he still went against my orders and I couldn’t allow that to happen. It would make me look weak, especially with Killian. He has pushed me on things before. He can be very willful. It wasn’t the first time I’ve regretted taking him under my wing.”

“I feel incredibly stupid that I had no idea any of this was going on.”

“There is no need. I have spent most of my life hiding my true nature. Every vampire has. We’ve been out to the world for over
fifty years and most people still don’t know anything about us. We are feared and hated. It’s our survival instincts that make us so good at hiding things.”

“If you don’t like how he runs things
, why don’t you replace him?”

“I like to keep my friends close and my enemies closer.”

“Do you really consider him an enemy?”

“We were close once. His maker was a great man. I took him in when he was killed. He has such potential, but no respect for authority. My instincts are telling me he is up to something
. I just can’t prove it.”

“Have you tried to prove it?”

He grinned and it chilled me. “Yes, I am a master vampire and that allows me to compel those I’ve sired and because age brings power, I can compel young vampires as well. I interrogated him after he came back from seeing his son. He was telling the truth, but I can’t shake the feeling that he’s hiding something.”

“I promise to keep that in the back of my mind when I’m dealing with him. I’m almost afraid to ask, but
is there anything else I should know?”

“Thousands of things
, I’m sure, but the point is I won’t hide them from you, if you are sure that’s what you want.

“Yes it is.”

“So be it. Now, I’m hungry. Do you mind if I eat before we start your lesson?”

“No.”
I wish I had said that with a little more conviction.

Did I have the courage to stay for this? I didn’t know. I was damn sure going to try. I couldn’t ask him not to coddle me and then the first thing he exposes me to I run and hide
. He buzzed Jody, his new assistant, to get him his lunch. A waif of a woman came in. She had short-cropped platinum hair and she was taller than I was. My head was swimming with the things I had just been told and now it was time for a visual demonstration.

“Sandra, I haven’t seen you in months. Did you take that trip you were talking about?
”
I didn’t like her. I’m sure that was unfair, but I had worked closely with Quintus for five years and I knew so little and this little snack walks in bold as brass like she feeds him all the time; that didn’t seem fair either..

She smiled at him and brought over a chair. “Yes, Italy was beautiful and I loved that little town you suggested. Craig and I met another couple there and we traveled together the whole time.”

“I’m glad. Wrist or neck, which would you prefer?”

“My neck.
I have a party to go tonight with a bunch of squares and they’ll be appalled when I take off my scarf.” She tittered and touched his shoulder.

I rolled my eyes. Slut! Who was this chick and why had she been feeding Quintus often enough that he knew about her personal life. I felt the urge to leap across the desk and give her a smack down. My brain knew I had no right or reason to be jealous, but my brain wasn’t in charge right now.

She pulled a chair over to his desk, her long lean body making every movement an act of grace. She had a cute pixie haircut that perfectly showcased her swan-like neck. A long neck for a vampire was probably like big boobs for a regular guy. After maneuvering her so he could watch me as he fed, he leaned in and began. I gripped the arms of my chair. This was a test and I was too stubborn to back down. I needed to show him I could handle the truth. He was a vampire and this was how he ate. If I couldn’t deal with this, then I should just walk away.

I didn’t know if Sandra could feel it, but sex dripped from every molecule in the room. Hunger and lust were so thick in the air I could taste them when I breathed in. He licked the area. His fangs came down and his eyes started to glow. How twisted was it that this was turning me
on? As he sunk his teeth into her, she let out a soft moan. He drank deeply, but he never took his eyes off me. It felt like it was only he and I in the room. My breathing sped up and I found myself leaning forward, wishing it were me he was drinking from. Then it was over and he was licking the wound. I had been so caught up in the experience, it felt like a loss.

She put back on her scarf and left with only a small wave and a dreamy look on her face.

“I’m impressed. I thought you might find that disturbing. I think I have done us both a disservice by treating you like a delicate flower and not like the equal you are.”

“I know vampires can make their bites pleasurable, but how did you make me experience it? It was like I could feel hands caressing my body, everywhere.”

“Most vampires can only make the bite pleasurable, but I have been alive a long time and age has its rewards. It helped to have you in the room. I just let you feel how I feel every time we are together.”

I didn’t love Quintus in that way, but that feeding had affected me. It was like he had shared his desire and now I had it too. We both stood up at the same time. I wanted his arms around me, his lips on mine. I couldn’t resist walking towards him. He stood still and let me come to him. He wanted me, but it was my choice. My own hunger drew me to him.

“Was that Sandra? You fed in front of Cassandra
? What is wrong with you?” Lucius’ cold words shocked me from my trance. I turned to see him glaring at us. His stance was challenging.

“She wants the kid gloves to be put away
, my son. All the soft edges we have drawn around things can be erased.” Quintus was calm. He smiled at his son, but it wasn’t a kind smile. It was smug. He closed the gap between the two of us and put his arm around me.

“This is okay with you?” His face pleaded with me to disagree with what had happened.

“Yes, it’s what I want. Don’t you think five years is long enough to live in a fantasy world? I know how vampires eat. I feel stupid I never thought it strange that I had never seen it before. I was a part of this household and territory and I never questioned the fact that things were so…human.”

Lucius glared at his maker. He was more himself
right now then the other Lucius. “Does she know you’ve basically just mind raped her? Did you share that truth?”

“You know it was quite easy to turn her on. You can’t mind rape the willing. I put the desire in the room and she walked right towards me. Are you jealous she didn’t just turn and call your name?”

“It doesn’t work that way and you know it.” He turned to me. “Cass, he put that in your head; he’s terrified you’ll want me and now he’s using tricks to even the playing field.”

“Enough
, my son. I love you, but you have crossed a line and you don’t want to keep walking.”

“What if she wants me, Father?” His voice was harsh. He glared at his sire. “What if her choice was someone who told her how he felt as soon as he felt it and didn’t make her wait for five years? Someone who would put her first and not behind his territory.” His eyes were glowing. He had flipped back to dark Lucius.

“Leave
, my son. Leave or I will lock you up.” 

“He will never put you first. He loves his power more than you. I have seen it before.”

“Leave.” Quintus was in full anger mode. He was terrifying. He was a smaller man than Lucius, but there was no question who was more powerful. The power he was giving off rattled everything in the room. He started to walk towards his son and I held my breath. It was Lucius who broke the stalemate. He backed away and, in a blink, was gone.

Quintus turned to me. “That isn’t true. It has been in the past, but I…you would always be a priority. You know that
, don’t you?”

“That is the least of my worries right now. We should be trying to get back to the wolf compound and not worrying about our love lives.”

He was about to say something else when Na’min came into the room. “I couldn’t have said it better myself, Cassandra.” Bless his fae soul. He couldn’t have had better timing, but I don’t think Quintus was as happy with his old enemy’s entrance.

“You look lovely as always
, Cassandra. I hope you feel the way you look.”

“I feel a little frust
rated. All this practice and I’m no further ahead.” I couldn’t help but smile. Na’min was dressed in jeans and a rock t-shirt. He was so otherworldly he looked odd in such mundane clothes.

“I have a feeling
that tonight we will have a breakthrough.”

Na’min had become a bit of an Internet addict. When he first came to Vancouver
, he had been very depressed. He walked the garden day and night. Quintus taught him to use the Internet and had given him a credit card. He thought it might help him if he kept his mind busy; ordered a few movies or books. Even with my boss’ considerable wealth, I think he regretted that decision. Some days, the staff would spend the day answering the door to a parade of deliverymen. Books were his favorite and then came DVDs. He even had an account with a big and tall clothing store. He had become enamored with rock t-shirts. In fact, right now he wore a U2 t-shirt and some really nice jeans.

Sometimes
, he would spend days reading or watching TV. I would have to remind him to eat. If all fae were like Na’min, we’d just have to hand out laptops and credit cards and we would never hear from them again.

Quintus arranged two club chairs facing each other. He motioned for Na’min to sit in one and guided me to the other.

“I’ve decided to stop trying to make you take baby steps. Tonight, we are going to try exactly what we will need you to do when we meet Mab. We have nothing to lose with trying. Now close your eyes and take a deep breath.”

“Really, after trying everything under the sun
, that is the best advice you have?”

“Now you can get rid of all the negative vibes you have going on
. The ‘tude is not appreciated.”

I opened one eye to see if he was joking. The smirk on his face was a good indicator.

“Fine, I will try my best.”

“Picture yourself in a small dark room. The only light is a small lamp on the table beside a chair.”

“This feels silly.”