Caressed by Night (27 page)

“You don’t know what they will do to her,” he said, his words barely audible.

“How do you suggest we find her?”

“Send Jacob. He’s our best investigator. Have him start in Denver and track down every place they hold yoga sessions.” Gabriel met Gannon’s gaze. “If she is no longer in Denver, someone should know whether she moved or disappeared. She’s a beautiful woman with unusually striking features. Definitely someone people would remember seeing, even if they never knew her.”

“She’ll be missed,” Gannon said in understanding.

Gabriel nodded. “Yes, someone is bound to notice if she disappeared.”

“What if she has already been taken?”

“Then this will switch from a search to a rescue mission.”

“I shouldn’t be surprised you’re a good dancer,” Kerstyn said, out of breath as she and Dimitri came to the bar. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw that Victoria and Dorian were still out on the floor.

“Are they waltzing?”

“Yes.”

“Ballroom dancing and salsa, they are skilled. Though their style totally does not match the hip hop music.”

“I can teach you those dances, if you like,” Dimitri offered.

“Not this weekend. I have a lot of work to do for the museum, but next weekend, it’s a date,” she said with a nod.

Dimitri forced a smile. Kerstyn may not make it past the coming Saturday.

“Sire,” the bartender said addressing Dimitri, “I am honored to serve you, what would you like?”

“Silver Moon for myself. And you, my angel?” Dimitri turned to Kerstyn.

“Cranberry and vodka.”

The bartender gave a stiff nod and set about preparing their drinks.

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“Are you having fun?” Dimitri asked.

“You bet. I didn’t think I would ever enjoy this place again after that first night.” A shiver sprinted down her spine and shot down to her toes.

“Don’t think about them.”

She leaned into him and placed a soft kiss upon his cheek. “I don’t, I think about you.”

Sensing the bartender, Dimitri turned and took their drinks. He handed Kerstyn her glass. She thanked him with a smile before her lips captured the tiny, red straw.

“Hey, Kerstyn.”

Kerstyn’s brow furrowed as she slowly turned towards the familiar voice, her back to Dimitri.

“Denise,” she said, surprised to see her former friend, “what are you doing here?”

“Valerie is in town and she wanted to go out,” Denise explained.

“Valerie, Bobby’s sister?”

Denise nodded. “Yeah, we’re here with Lindsey and Jen. They really like this place.”

“Yeah, I know. I tried to get you to come with us the first night we came here,” Kerstyn said, her voice clipped.

Dimitri leaned down and whispered, “I am heading back to the table and I think Dorian and Victoria are as well. Join us when you are finished.”

Kerstyn nodded and gave him a quick kiss before he walked back to their VIP seating.

“Who is that?” Denise asked, her eyes appraising Dimitri as he departed.

“My boyfriend.”

“Boyfriend?” Denise choked on her shock, her eyes growing wide. “I didn’t even know you were seeing anyone. Are you living with him?”

Kerstyn nodded. “A lot has changed in the past few weeks.”
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“Yeah,” Denise agreed, her shoulders slumping. “It’s really been strange not having you around. Talking to you.”

“That was your decision.”

Denise meekly nodded. “I ran into Silvie yesterday. She told me you found a new job.”

“I’m working at Vail now.”

“Wow, that’s amazing. Congratulations. Are you still planning on going to New York?”

“Not for the time being.”

“I’m glad you are doing well. I was worried. I’d heard you lost your job and your car died.”

“And yet you stood firm by your decision to throw me out.

Thank God, luck was on my side or I would be living in my broken-down car.”

Denise winced. Kerstyn did not mean for her tone to be so harsh, but she could not help it.

“I’m sorry. But—”

Kerstyn held up her hand. “I don’t want to hear it.” She was growing uncomfortable with this conversation. She could handle artificial banter. She was a professional when it came to empty conversation especially with the training she had received from her parents. But she was not about to pretend that everything was right between them. Denise could not mend their friendship with a simple apology.

“Can we talk?”

“Now is not a good time.” Kerstyn glanced over to the VIP

section and her gaze collided with Dimitri’s, a smile blossoming on her lips. He sat with Dorian and Victoria while Gabriel and Gannon were busy handing the gifts to the happy couple to open. “My friends are waiting on me,” she said, turning back to Denise.

“I really hate this,” Denise sighed, her eyes filling with tears. “I miss you. I know I screwed up.”

Kerstyn felt no sympathy or empathy. No regret. She felt nothing.

“I can’t stand what has happened to us.”

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“Bobby happened to us. Tell me Denise, do you honestly believe I would sleep with him?”

“No, Kerstyn. No. I don’t. I was just so…confused.”

“But you’re still with him.”

She hung her head and slowly nodded.

Kerstyn gave a heavy sigh and took a sip of her drink. “I don’t really know what to say. You betrayed me, Denise. You believed Bobby’s lies and kicked me out. You’ve come to realize he made it all up and yet you’re still with him. How do you think that makes me feel?”

“Terrible. I know. It makes me feel terrible, too.”

“Obviously, you don't feel that terrible since you’re living with him. When are you going to wake up, Denise? He’s no good for you.” Kerstyn cursed. “I’m sorry, but I don’t think we can even begin to work this out until Bobby is out of the picture.”

Kerstyn swung around, turning her back on her old friend and her old world.

Leaving Denise at the bar, she crossed over the dance floor, the vampires in the crowd parting for her. As she stepped up into the VIP

section, Dimitri came to greet her. He wrapped a strong arm about her shoulders and drew against him as they approached the table.

This was her world now. His world. She belonged with Dimitri, her vampire lover. And she prayed she would survive this dark and dangerous realm.

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Dimitri lay on the bed, his arms folded beneath the pillow, propping up his head so that he could watch Kerstyn. She moved about the room with elegance, slowly removing her black, shimmering dress.

After a quick stop in the bathroom, she returned, her hair brushed out and makeup removed looking tired yet gorgeous.

In nothing but her black lace bra and panties, Kerstyn joined Dimitri on the large bed, climbing up his body. She fell to the side and rested her head on his chest.

He pressed his lips against her soft, silky hair. “Did you enjoy yourself,” he asked.

She nodded. “Dorian and Victoria are really nice and cute. I’ve never seen a couple so in love.” Kerstyn gave a light laugh, the sound warming his heart. “Almost two hundred years of marriage and they still are head over heels.” Her fingers began to trace his abs and skipped up to his ribs. “They give me hope.”

“What do you mean?”

“When I was growing up, half the time I wondered if my parents even liked each other and the other half…I wondered if they liked me. They were not affectionate people.” She snuggled closer to him. “I’m glad you are.”

Dimitri wrapped his arms about her, his strong fingers gently stroking her back.

“Always,” he whispered.

Kerstyn sighed. “I was really surprised to see Denise at the club. She doesn’t like going out, always worried it might make Bobby jealous.”

“What did the two of you talk about?”

“I know you heard every word, despite the loud music.”
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He smiled, “You caught me.”

“I saw you watching us,” she said playfully. “Always the protector?”

“Twenty-four hours, seven days a week.”

I love that about you,
she thought. “She wants to try to mend our friendship.”

“And you do not?”’

“I don’t really know. We’ve been friends for so long and I would hate to lose her over a guy…but she betrayed me. She actually thought I would sleep with her boyfriend. She took Bobby’s word over mine and, now that she acknowledges the truth, she’s still with him. If I had really slept with him, she should have thrown me out and dumped the jerk. Now, knowing that he lied, she should at least dump him.” Kerstyn gave a heavy sigh, her exhaled breath tickled his chest. “I don’t know. I’m really confused about this whole thing. I hate drama and stress.”

Dimitri’s heart sank. There was so much more drama and stress heading their way.

He opened his mouth then snapped it shut, clenching his jaw.

On the drive home he had tried to pick the right words for his ugly confession. Dorian had suggested he tell Kerstyn everything. She had a right to know what she was getting herself into by being with him. He would tell her she was his mate and… He swallowed hard. Death and Fate had her on their hit list.

Kerstyn felt Dimitri’s body stiffen, his muscles hardening beneath her fingers. His heart began to slow as his breathing became shallow. She lifted her head. He had closed his eyes.

Has he received another vision?
she wondered. Brushing the gold strands of hair from his brow, she traced her finger along the stern line of his jaw.

“What is it?”

“Drama and stress,” he replied, his tone cold.

Kerstyn sat up, leaning back against the pillows. She brought her knees to her chest.

“A vision?”

He gave a tight nod. He had called on the premonition, hoping to find something new, a detail he may have missed before. Anything
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that might suggest she would survive. He found nothing. The sound of the gunshot vibrated down his spine as the scent of her sweet blood filled his lungs. His heart stopped as he watched the light slowly fade from her deep, sapphire eyes.

“What’s wrong?”

Her voice was warm, smooth, and brushed over him like a caress, chasing away the chill of death that had settled over him.

“Does it have to do with what you, Dorian, and Gabriel were discussing earlier?”

His eyes fluttered open, his long blond lashes framing his diamond eyes.

“I glanced over to the VIP section a few times,” she explained.

“It looked serious.”

“As serious as it can get.”

“Death,” she said with a nod.

He had never hated a word so much and he loathed hearing it fall from her lips.

Dimitri’s anger came off him in waves.

“Sorry,” she breathed, “but that’s as serious as it can get.”

“True,” he agreed as he pushed himself up.

“Does it have to do with death?”

“In more ways than you can imagine,” he sighed, his voice rough.

Death was the beginning of his troubles and would be the end of hers.

“You’re starting to freak me out.”

Dimitri heard her pulse quicken and caught the light scent of sweat that began to bead her brow. Anxiety. Fear. Adrenaline. They laced her blood and sparked his dark hunger.

Clearing his throat, he turned his gaze down to his hands, where they rested in his lap.

“There is something I want to tell you about me,” swallowing his own fear, he confessed, “I have never shared this with anyone.” Kerstyn scooted closer to him, but Dimitri retreated, moving to the edge of the bed.

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God, how was he going to tell her about his past? Running his hands through his hair, he tried to focus. He had to start from the beginning. He had to tell her everything. Reveal himself completely to her, lay bare his heart, his soul, and pray that she would stay with him.

Though he knew he did not deserve her acceptance, her love. A beast like him belonged in hell.

“Dimitri?”

Concern softened her voice and made his skin crawl. She was concerned for him? A monster? A beast who wanted to claim her with his body and ruthlessly drain her of her life’s blood. He was loathsome.

Dimitri turned from her and placed his feet on the floor. He could not face her. He could not bear to watch the disgust settle on her face as he confessed his darkest secret.

Taking in a deep breath, he said, “You have asked me before about my past. My transition.”

He heard her shifting on the bed, coming towards him.

“Stop,” he snapped, the vampire within him rising.

Kerstyn froze.

“You should not be near me,” Dimitri warned, his voice deepening.

She did not retreat and remained an arm's length behind him.

Dropping his head into his hands he shuddered. “I hope I can get this out.”

It was a long time before he spoke again. “I do not know how old I am or exactly where I am from.” He closed his eyes, trying to summon what little he could remember of his human life. Slivers of distorted images were all he could see. He focused, trying to bring his memories into the light. “My people were nomadic. Hunters and gatherers is how I would describe our lifestyle.” Kerstyn used her knowledge of history to count back, trying to piece together the puzzle of his past.

“I lived in a time before permanent settlements and the widespread use of agriculture.”

“There were absolutely no sedentary people?”

He shrugged. “If there were, I do not believe we ever came across them.”

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“Do you remember anything specific about the regions you traveled?”