Bonds of Blood (2 page)

Chapter 2

She must really be desperate.

After all, she definitely looked desperate.

Kat stared at her reflection in the full length mirror.  Thigh high black leather boots.  A tight burgundy dress that revealed far more of her than it covered.  She kept her long black hair loose so the curls hung down her back.

She let out a heavy sigh.

A part of her wished she could back out of this assignment, but she knew she couldn’t.  If she found out the inside angle on the Dragon’s Lair club, she might even be able to get a staff job on one of the newspapers. 

Before she could reconsider, she grabbed her purse and walked out the door.  Weaving through the tourists, she made her way down Royal Street.  Nighttime in the French Quarter was an attraction o
f its own.  An attraction that many people came to see.  The gaslight lamps cast an eerie glow over the streets.  The music from Bourbon Street drifted through the old buildings beckoning those that heard it.  The only thing that interrupted it was the clip clop sounds of the horse drawn carriages.

She spotted Mina at the end of the block.  Her black lace dress barely concealed the black bra and panty set that she wore underneath.

Mina’s gaze traveled over Kat’s length.  A wicked grin revealed the tips of her fangs.  “Nice,” she commented with a smile.  “Don’t tell me you had this in your closet!”

Kat answered with a look of derision. 
“Hardly.”

“So what?
  Did you clean out Trashy Divas?”

“Something
like that,” Kat replied.

Mina looked up at the sky,
and the look on her face made Kat look up too.  The moon was so big it looked like you could reach out and touch it. 

But that wasn’t what worried her.

What worried her was the reddish haze that seemed to surround it.

“Blood moon,” Mina observed.

Kat’s eyes narrowed.  “What?”

Mina’s gaze never left the moon.  “That’s what my grandmamma used to call it. 
Blood moon.  She said it was a sign.”

Heaviness settled in Kat’s chest. 
“A sign of what?”

Mina’s eyes met hers. 
“A sign that someone is going to die.”

Before she could contemplate Mina’s warning,
Kat was hurrying to follow the girl through the narrow streets.  Finally, they reached their destination. 

From the outside, no one would know that the house was a club.  Large ornate iron gates guarded the entrance. 
The old Creole two-story building had a rich burgundy exterior.  Windows adorned the upper and lower levels with black shutters.  The wrought-iron balcony had hanging plants with multi-colored flowers.  Mina stepped up to the side, her fingers punching a code on a glowing keypad on the right.

The symbol of a dragon hung above the lighted pad. 
There was a click and the gate opened.  Kat followed her through it into the courtyard.  Moonlight illuminated the small area.  The sound of trickling water caught her attention.  A fountain with angels dancing was lit up to her right.  A closer look revealed that demons danced in the water beneath them.

A sense of foreboding crept up her spine as she followed Mina down the winding path.  She stopped before a large wooden door with metal slats.  Mina lifted her hand to rap her knuckles against it.  It was opened slowly by a large, burly man with blond hair and blue eyes.

Kat stepped inside all too aware of the curious stares that focused on them.  The interior of the room was littered with plush velvet couches and chairs.  The walls were painted a burgundy red.  Ornate gold frames held oil paintings of a past not forgotten.  Crystal candelabra hung overhead filled with flickering candles.  The amber glow made shadows dance along the walls.  A chill raced up her spine making her cross her arms over her middle.

Glancing around the room, she saw two blond women sitting on either side of a man with brown hair.  The man had his arm around the girl to his left, while stroking the other woman’s bare legs.  Both women seemed to be completely enthralled by him. 

Were the women under the influence of some mind-altering drug?  Before she could ponder long, the man’s eyes met hers.  His lips spread into a slow grin. 

Unease settled into her stomach. 
Mina tapped her on the shoulder, breaking Kat’s concentration.  “Friend of yours?” she asked her amusement clear.

Kat’s lips twisted into a wry smile.  “Hardly,” she replied.

Before she could say anything else, a statuesque red head in a long black dress approached them.  Her green eyes glinted in the candlelight.

“Welcome,” she greeted, glancing back and forth between them before zeroing in on Kat.  “I don’t believe I’ve had the pleasure of meeting you.”   She held out her hand.

Kat reached out to take it, noting that the other woman’s hand was ice cold.

Mina turned to face her.  “This is Kat.  It’s her first time here.  I hope
it’s okay.”

The other woman didn’t even look at Mina
; her gaze remained focused on Kat.  “Fine.  Why don’t you get our new guest something to drink?” she suggested dismissively.

Mina hurried off down the hallway
obediently.

“I’m Genevieve La Fleur,” she explained
, her voice husky.

“Kat Montague
.”

“Kat?
  Is that your given name?”

Kat hesitated for a moment before answering
.  “Actually, it’s Katarina.  But I’ve always gone by Kat.”

Genevieve
’s lips curled up in amusement as she tilted her head back.  “Ah,” she said, finally releasing her hand.  “So, are you enjoying our establishment?”

Kat’s gaze traveled around the room.  “It’s very nice,” she commented, the hair on the back of her neck standing up. 
It was the same sensation she had the other night.  As if someone was watching her.

She turned around, her eyes searching the hallway.

But there was no one.

“Ms. Montague?”

Kat spun around to find the other woman staring at her with narrowed eyes.
 

“I’m sorry,”
Kat said, color creeping into her cheeks.

Genevieve smiled.  “I hope you enjoy yourself here.  If you need anything, just let my staff know.  And if you want to use one of the private rooms, please feel free to ask.”

With that, the woman walked away.  Kat watched as Genevieve seemed to glide through the room, the other occupants of the room moving out of her way at her approach.

Shifting her weight back and forth,
Kat looked around the room.  The threesome had obviously gone to use one of the private rooms because they were nowhere in sight.  Several other couples were in the middle of intense foreplay, while others stood around the room looking for a mate.

She bit the inside of her lip as she searched for Mina.  Several of the men that were alone began to stare at her
, and her unease blossomed into full-blown panic.  She was about to turn and leave when Mina appeared at her side.

Mina
thrust a crystal goblet into her hand. 

Kat looked down, her eyes narrowing. “What is this?”

Mina’s eyes twinkled.  “The house wine.”

Kat lifted the glass to her lips, letting the sweet, salty liquid slide down her throat.  “Mina, what are the private rooms used for?”

The corners of Mina’s mouth tilted up.  “Privacy, of course.”

Before she could ask anything else, Mina headed toward the long hall that stretched out before them.  “I’ll be back in a sec.”

****

Alec searched for her, his gaze scanning the crowd. 

Why had she come here?  Of all places?

He spotted her a few feet away.  Her black hair hung around her shoulders in loose waves.  Her violet eyes were wide as they surveyed the other inhabitants of the club. 

When he had seen where she was heading, he couldn’t believe it.  And the girl she was with...People pretending to be vampires.  It made him sick.  If they knew what they were asking for, they would surely change their course.  The mere thought of Kat at the Dragon’s Lair made him want to smash something. 

He had to find a way to get her out before anyone guessed who she really was.  She had no idea just how dangerous it would be for her here if they knew the truth.

Inhaling deeply, he let her scent wash over him.  It was deep, rich, and it taunted him. 

His head turned and he spotted her on the fringes of the center room.  He started to take a step toward her, but someone stepped in to block his path. 

“Gen,” he greeted with a slight inclination of his head.

Genevieve’s eyes flashed at the use of the nickname.  “I haven’t seen you in a while. 
Still out running errands for your
master
?”

The way she drew out the
last word made his jaw clench.  “I was just passing through,” he lied.

He couldn’t let her
find out about Kat.  If she did, her claws would come out.

Her eyes widened.  “Are you actually here for pleasure?”

When he didn’t answer, she continued her long fingers trailing down his chest.  “It’s been a long time since we played together.  Do you remember?”

He did.

He had given up that life to find redemption.

“We had fun,” she reminisced. 

Gen’s idea of fun was sharing the blood of a beautiful, young girl before making love.  It had been the way he lived his life once.  But those days were over.

She drifted over to his side, her gaze taking in the other patrons in the room.  “There are a lot of lovely girls here tonight.  We could enjoy a snack before we get reacquainted
,” she suggested, her lips close to his ear.

The suggestion was not unexpected.  Gen was not known for denying herself if she wanted something.  She hadn’t practiced any form of restraint in years.  She satisfied all of her appetites full on.

“I’m not staying, Gen.”

She
pursed her lips in irritation.  “Aren’t you tired of trying to be something you’re not, Alec?”

He cast a quick side glance at her before turning to search the crowd for Kat. 

The man Gen knew years ago would have accepted the request with ease.  But that was then.  His life was different now.  Tarquin made him understand how wrong it was to live that way.  Alec didn’t have to live his life as the monster he had been created to be.  He could choose a different path—His choice was the only thing that could not be stolen from him. 

His mortal life
may be over, but free will was still intact.  Not that he was obsessive about it.  Basic need would not allow him to be.  He still needed blood to survive.  He just became more selective about the people he drank from.  He may be damned, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t find redemption by ridding the world of murderers and rapists.

“This is who I am.”

She rolled her eyes.  “I remember a different time.”

He shot her a look filled with disdain. 
“A time that ended long ago.”

One eyebrow arched as the side of her mouth quirked up in amusement. 

“We shall see.”

Chapter 3

Alec searched the crowd that was forming at the mouth of the room ahead.  Kat stood close to the entrance.  She pushed her
black hair over her shoulder revealing the slender arch of her neck.   He took a deep breath to still the hunger as he drew her scent in.

She turned to the side, her gaze searching the crowd and he slid into the shadows.

It was almost as if she sensed him.

But
that was impossible.

People rarely saw what was right in front of them.

His gaze roamed the room, spotting several mismatched couples.  He wondered if they had any idea how close to death they were. 

Genevieve founded the Dragon’s Lair
with Damien a few years ago.  It was a convenient way to blend into society.  A nice, respectable way for the vampires to eat in public.  The humans who came here thought it was nothing more than a Goth-themed club.  They came with the expectation of immersing themselves in the macabre.

Some lived.

Others didn’t.

But all of the members remained fiercely loyal. 
Then again, it wasn’t as if they had much choice.  Who would believe that vampires were real?  And walking around the streets of New Orleans every night?  It was a nice story for Anne Rice to tell, but in the end, it was just that.  A story. 

At least, that was what the humans told themselves to help them sleep at night.

Back in the Dark Ages, things were much more complicated. 

People believed in more than what they could see.  Science had yet to steal faith…and fear.  The stories created seductive creatures that could make you give up your virtue as well as your blood.  But today that was just a myth. 

They were killers.  Each and every one of them. 

Predators
.

The reality was too horrifying for humans to believe.

It was an existence that no one would desire if they truly understood the consequences.  Still, whenever he spotted people on the street with their black clothes and white makeup, he would smile.  As if his kind would willingly draw attention to themselves.  Their lives depended on staying hidden.  And no matter what show Genevieve concocted with the club, it would always remain that way.

He glanced back at Kat.  Her gaze was riveted on the room before her.  He knew of the club’s vices.  He could imagine the display that was being put on in front of her right now.

If it was even close to the things he witnessed here before, someone was going to die.

****

Kat’s eyes focused on the pair in the center of the room.  A man in black stood behind a woman with blond hair.  The woman wore a long, sheer white gown.  She was naked underneath it, her dark nipples peaking through the gauzy material. 

The man behind her
searched the room, his lips tilted up on an expectant smile. His dark blond hair fell forward as he leaned in.

“Everyone, this is Alyssa.”

The room was completely silent.  Kat glanced around to see that the other patrons were staring avidly at the girl.

“Alyssa has agreed to share with us tonight,” he informed.  Turning to look at her, his eyebrows rose.  “Haven’t you?”

When she didn’t immediately respond, he slid his hand around to gently caress the side of her neck.

The girl’s eyes were wide, but her face was devoid of emotion.  “
Yes,” she replied, her voice barely above a whisper.

The man turned back to face the crowd.  “For those of you who don’t know me, I’m Damien.  I’ll be exploring Alyssa tonight.”

Exploring?

What the hell did that mean?

Just what did he plan to do with this girl?

A quick scan of the other patrons proved that they were not alarmed by the announcement.  She told herself to calm down.  After all, this was why she was here.  She had to find out if the stories about the club were true. 

Because if they were, girls were disappearing.

Damien’s fingers glided over Alyssa’s arm
, and she let out a sigh of pleasure.

“Are you ready, Alyssa?” he asked, his voice taking on a husky tone that made Kat’s stomach tremble. 

“Yes.”

He slipped the straps of her dress down her shoulders letting the material fall in a puddle at her feet.  Alyssa stood completely still as he bared her body to the room.  Her nipples puckered with arousal.

Kat looked around to find nothing but hungry stares as everyone watched the scene unfold.

“Alyssa has a beautiful body.  And we were lucky that she agreed to share it with us tonight
.”

From behind, he reached around to cup her breast in his hand, his fingers toying with her nipple.  Alyssa’s eyes glazed over. 

“Look how full and beautiful her breasts are, how they flush with arousal,” he observed.

He leaned in to speak
to Alyssa in a low voice.  “Do you like the way I touch you?”

Alyssa breathed in shallow breaths as he continued to play with her.  “Yes
.”

His hand trailed lower to glide over her abdomen.  “Spread your legs so that everyone can see how beautiful you are,” he whispered.

Alyssa readily complied.

Kat drew in a shaky breath as she watched his hand delve into the blond curls at
Alyssa’s center.  He looked up, and his gaze centered on Kat.  A faint smile curved his lips as he began to rub lazy circles on the other woman’s clit.

“Look how easily she is aroused, how wet she gets with the lightest touch.”

Kat tried to look away but she couldn’t.  His gaze drew her in and held her there unwilling to let go. 

Alyssa’s head fell back against his chest as he continued to stroke her.  Within seconds, she shuddered against him as an orgasm claimed her. 

When she did, Damien released Kat from his gaze to place his mouth in the curve of Alyssa’s neck. 

****

Alec watched the scene, his gut clenching in disgust.  He looked around the room.  No one even realized what they were witnessing.  Every part of him raged at the cruel injustice that was being done to this girl.  It was obvious that Damien had used his persuasion to make her acquiesce.

When Damien retreated into the shadows with Alyssa, everyone clapped like it was all a part of some macabre dinner show.

Everyone but Kat.

Alec’s gaze fastened on her.  The look on her face was one of pure horror.  His jaw clenched painfully.  He had seen the way Damien looked at her. 
Damien wanted her.  And it was up to Alec to make sure that never happened.  He had to get her out of here before Damien finished with Alyssa.

Before Damien found out the truth…