Courted by the Vampire (27 page)

“I can’t…”

“Maybe this will change your mind.” He flipped a switch on the wall and soft recessed lighting illuminated the bank of display cases. “Behold the last additions to my collection. I am missing a few, but when I have them, my circuit of dominance will be complete.” As his arm swept the area, he threw back his head and laughed, a sound without mirth. “The human form is too frail to regenerate after I draw power and energies from them. I’m afraid there will be a few casualties tonight.”

Through sheer willpower, Hannah shoved the suffocating smog
away and hastily reconstructed the barriers around her mind to buy a few minutes of clear thinking. She sucked in a breath when she spied Xavier’s unconscious form on the floor of the first case. Torn and shredded scraps of fabric clung to his body, his tux destroyed. “What did you do to him?” She pressed herself to the glass, anxious to see if he still breathed. She could barely discern the resonance of his life force through the wall.

“I haven’t done anything to him…
yet. My associates found a way to creatively subdue the werewolf. When he transformed back into his human form, his strength waivered, and he was captured without incident.” Andre crowed with triumph, the harsh sound echoed off the glass. He was clearly drunk with power. “However, I can’t say the same thing about my next prize.”

Bitter b
ile rose in Hannah’s throat. She knew what would be in that case, but couldn’t pull her gaze away.

Edwin lay still on the floor, battered and bloody, a wound on his forehead
seeped blood to pool like a scarlet cloud beneath him. He had lost the tuxedo jacket but at least he wasn’t chained to the wall like in her dream. The fairies must have gotten to him in time. She detected a bit of Narcissa’s shimmering yellow glamour in the air. Her heart thudded, her chest tight with fear. “Let him go. He’ll die without medical attention.”

“Haven’t you realized by now, my dear, that every action requires some
sort of payment? I do favors for no one—not even you.” His smile oozed charm and charisma. “I’ll let you in to look after the bounty hunter in exchange for your promise to join my cause.”

Sick dread made her throat dry.
She glared at Andre and her mouth worked but no words came out.

“I have been looking forward to tapping into your power since the day I
first scanned your mind and realized you were an Enhancer. You kept that fact very well hidden until you met the bounty hunter. I intend to feast upon it, with or without your cooperation.” He drew a finger along the chilled skin of her arm. Hannah shivered with revulsion as acid-green clouds obscured her brain’s ability to process thoughts. “I can assure you that your willing participation will make the process much more pleasurable.”

“Fine.” She leaned her forehead against the glass, letting the coolness seep
in as she kept her mind carefully neutral. “Let me heal Edwin. In return for letting both him and Xavier go free, I will allow you access to my mind.” As his smile widened, she held up a hand. “They both need to leave the building, and I must see them do so. Only then will you be able to use my power. Agreed?” She held out her hand, waiting impatiently for him to decide.

“I’m afraid I need your word that you won’t try any foolishness.” At her
nod, he took her hand in a firm grasp.

“You have my word.” She met his gaze. Horror dawned on her at the
stupidity of her agreement with the devil’s spawn. He would kill her. Once he tapped into her mind, he wouldn’t leave it until she was dead, and he had drained her energy. Only then would the connection between them be broken.

Andre’s laughter made her teeth ache. “You
aren’t far from the mark, Hannah. My father sold his soul to the ruler of the Underworld, which makes me damned for all eternity. I’ve made it work for me.” His grin held no compassion and no humor as he looked at her. His eyes were fathomless, churning pits. “I know what true power feels like, and yes, it will be my pleasure to go after the lord of the Underworld first. I am without a soul, but I am very much in control of my power. Even if you somehow merged your mind with the bounty hunter’s, you would be no match for me.”

When he finally released her hand, Hannah slumped against the case.
Andre swaggered toward the front of the room. “You have thirty minutes to say your goodbyes.

Chapter Twenty-One

Pain. Everything hurt, burned as if raw. Edwin groaned and took stock of his body’s critical systems. His limbs seemed to be functional, but the explosion of numbing pain in his head stifled his ability to think.

“Edwin, can you hear me?”

Another groan. He heard Hannah’s voice, but it sounded muffled, as if in a metal can. He remembered being ambushed by Andre’s henchmen, but the rest of the evening was swallowed in a red, painful haze. Fabric rustled then she was beside him. Her floral scent wafted into his nostrils, lulling him into a state of comfort. Her soft hands lifted his head into her lap. On willpower alone, he commanded his eyes to open.

“Edwin.” Fear shook her voice. “Please say something.”

Outside his prison, Andre made a general announcement that appetizers and dessert would be served in the foyer, which signaled the emptying of the room. He squinted, but couldn’t see much beyond the glass wall.

“Please wake up.”
Hannah touched his cheeks, brushed her fingers through his hair.

“
Spatzi
, why are you here?” His voice sounded gravelly and his throat was dry. “You need to leave this place.” He licked his lips, dismayed to discover dried blood at the corner of his mouth.

“Hush, I don’t have much time. I’ve made a temporary deal with Andre to
get you and Xavier out of the house.” She searched his pockets until she found his knife.

“No.” He attempted to raise himself but collapsed
into her lap once more. Weak from loss of blood, he could do nothing except stare at her. “I cannot—”

Her face loomed into sight, albeit upside down. “Listen to me carefully.”
She slashed her left wrist, and bit her lip. Edwin winced at the pain she hid. When a crimson line of blood ran down her arm, she guided the wound to his lips. “Hurry, feed now. Heal yourself. Take what you can while I tell you what I’m planning.”

For once Edwin did not argue. He simply did not have the strength. As
the spicy tang of her blood hit his throat, he made a sound of pleasure. Adoration for her surged through his mind and warmed his body. Only she would bully him into feeding in a time of crisis. The pain in his head subsided. He would fight with his last breath to keep her safe.

“In exchange for your release, I promised Andre I would allow him access
to my energy.” Edwin stiffened. Hannah shook her head and pressed her wrist more firmly to his lips. “I don’t intend to let him drain my power. He won’t win. I just need you to stay cognizant enough so you can tap into my mind, and lend me your strength, be my battery pack. Maybe we can fry his brain circuits enough to stop him.”

Tiny tremors of desire coursed through him as he gazed at
her. Feeding and love were intertwined, and he agonized that this act could be the last intimate thing her shared with her. He wished he were stronger, wished they had more time. As the life-giving liquid hit his bloodstream, the slow revitalization energized him. When he stirred, she pushed him back down.

Edwin contented himself to watch as Hannah fumbled for her evening
bag. She snapped it open and softly called forth the remaining hitchhikers – the goblin, the imp, and the wood nymph. His heart swelled. She was creative.

“Andre’s a bad man. I need the goblin to bash holes in these display cases
to free Edwin and Xavier. After their escape, feel free to destroy whatever strikes your fancy. I have a feeling every living being in this room has just cause to hate Andre Valkaret and that’s good enough for me. Imp and nymph, go raise whatever havoc you wish, it doesn’t matter to me. Just create some sort of diversion so Edwin and I can do our job.”

“Hannah.” Edwin struggled into a sitting position. He met her hard green
gaze, glad she wasn’t ticked off with him. “There is no need for you to involve yourself or endanger your friends. Xavier will take you to a safe place. He and I arranged to hide you at the lakeshore while doing reconnaissance earlier.”

“There’s no way I’m doing the camping thing again.”

“But you’d be safe there. With Xavier.” He shook his head and held her wrist away. “I am finished.” He ran the tip of his tongue over the knife wound, confident she would heal within minutes. “We need to go.”

“No.” She trailed a hand through his hair. “Listen to me, bounty hunter.”

The love in the depths of her eyes made him light-headed. It still surprised him that this one human, this one woman, would overlook what he was, and choose to give him her heart anyway. “Stop.” She laid a finger over his lips.

“No matter what happens, remember I love you.”

“
Spatzi
, do not do this.”

She shook her head. “As much as I want to turn tail and run fast and far
away from here, I’m compelled to stay. I can’t let Andre win. He’s evil personified. If there’s a chance I can stop him, I have to try. I know now it’s my destiny; the reason I was born and why I met you. Find Duncan, and by the way, he’s the worst of your friends.”

A smile lifted the corners of his lips. “He has just cause to be cranky.”
Edwin covered her mouth with his as he crushed her to him in a fierce embrace. He touched a fingertip to the tears on her cheek. “I love you.” There was nothing else to say.

“I know.”

Guilt splashed through his gut at the hope in her eyes.
She’ll die because of me.
He stood and pulled her to her feet just as the goblin bashed a jagged hole in the wall that separated his case from Xavier’s. “Go. Your time is almost over. I will distract Andre until you are ready, and help Xavier free the captives.”

We will survive this.
Her smile shone bright despite her tears.

“Good luck, Hannah.” With a last brush of his lips against
hers, he cringed as the front wall shattered then followed the goblin through the broken glass.

*****

With a heavy sigh, Hannah wobbled on her heels through the rubble into Xavier’s holding cell.

His eyes glowed. “Hannah, will you allow me to escort you from this
place?” A genteel smile curled his lips as he fumbled to manipulate the bow tie of a fresh new tuxedo. “The bounty hunter has given his permission.”

Envy at his talent for conjuring new clothes snaked through her chest.
“I’m not leaving, but I’m grateful for your chivalry.” Hannah gently pushed his hands away and did the tie. She stifled the ironic laughter before it could erupt. “Thank you for your friendship. Please look after Edwin.” She adjusted the tilt of his black fedora then smiled.

The werewolf grasped
her hand and pressed her fingers to his lips. “Ah, Hannah. I wish I met you earlier and well ahead of my rival. It’s not often a woman like you comes to light.” His golden, honey-colored gaze bored into hers. “I will do my best to keep him safe for you. It’s the least I can do.”

The sadness that overwhelmed him filled her mind with a curious honey-colored glow that matched his eyes. “Thank you.”
She drifted her fingers over his cheek. On impulse, she stood on tiptoe and pressed an open-mouthed kiss on his lips. An involuntary thrill moved through her belly as his arms closed around her. She pulled away, her cheeks heating. “That doesn’t mean I’ll leave Edwin for you, but if I hadn’t met him…”

“I appreciate the sentiment.”

“Never forget you have no cause to be ashamed of what you are.” Hannah gave him a smile and stepped away, enjoying the expression of surprise on his face. “You have my permission to eat whomever you want this evening, but only for this one night. After that, you must promise me to stick to your diet. No exceptions.”

Xavier executed a bow, his features carefully arranged into a blank mask.
“You have my word.” He arched a blond eyebrow. “Your mind is made up on this mission of yours?”

She nodded. “Yes.”

“Very well. I will do my level best to protect you.”

Glass shattered somewhere in the room. Hannah looked in that direction.
A small fire erupted from one of the light fixtures. “I need to go.”

“Goodbye and good luck.”

Before she could change her mind, the werewolf was gone. For one long moment, intense panic rose in Hannah’s chest until she thought she’d vomit. Then she thought of Edwin, and shoved the fear to a dark corner of her brain.

She couldn’t back out now.

Inhaling deeply, she let her breath out then turned to face the arrogant gaze of Andre Valkaret. The bastard was three minutes early.

“Come, Hannah, it’s now time for you to join me on my quest for world
domination.” He held out a hand and helped her over the rubble. He apparently ignored the fact that various magical beings tore his museum apart. “I’ve been looking forward to this moment for a long time. Enhancers are extremely hard to find because your kind hides your power so well, due to skill or fear of discovery. Imagine what we can do together, you and I.”

Revulsion rose on a wave of bile and anger gripped her.
What is it about paranormal men and the fact they can’t get through their lives without my help?
Her anger grew as she caught herself contemplating submission once she knew Edwin was safe. “I haven’t agreed to be your partner.” She thought of her dreams. Just because they spelled out death and doom didn’t mean they would come true.

Her destiny. It only meant that she met it on this night. The rest was up to
her actions from this point forward.

“Not yet, but you will.” He drew her arm through the crook of his elbow,
pulling her toward the front of the room.

“I’m not so sure.” Hannah paused to touch one of the glass cases and
glanced at the baby dragon that lived within. The vast collection of creatures assembled in the room was amazing. What right did Andre have to not only hold these beings against their will but also decide the fate of the world? Instead of tamping down on her anger, she let it grow. She encouraged it, surrendered to it. The red sheen poured through her mind and body until her skin felt hot to the touch. It mixed with the mental fog Andre continued to force into her brain until both clouds became a storm in her mind, charging, waiting to be unleashed.

“Oh, I think you will.”

She followed Andre down the length of the room then up three steps to a small stage at the front. Twin wingback chairs waited empty on the dais.

Every case they passed burst apart with terrific force. Shattered glass grazed her
skin, reflecting the soft light into rainbows of color. Hannah didn’t pause to investigate the reason for this phenomenon, but a tiny portion of her brain wanted to know why and she wondered if it was due to the energy she brewed like a deadly cocktail.

Andre waited while she sat in one of the chairs. “I feel your power,
Hannah. You can’t help it—you can’t control it. You never bothered to take the time to harness the energy within and learn your craft. You have to recognize the power. The more you try to deny it, the more it grows.” He seated himself in the chair next to hers. “The angrier you become, the more intense the power grows.”

“I haven’t denied my power.” She ignored him. Her fingertips tingled and
her hair crackled as if it conducted electricity. Her skin cells pulsed and tensed, waiting for action. Her gaze alighted on Xavier. In wolf form, he darted about the room to knock over Andre’s bodyguards, dodging various paranormal beings, his muzzle stained red with blood. How many people had he already eaten? Would his diet be set back by the aberration? “Why do we wait? If you want control of my mind, wouldn’t it be best to take it now instead of making me sit here?”

“It will pain me greatly to end your wit and zest for life.” He
ran a finger along her arm. “I’m waiting for your power to reach its zenith, and then we will connect our minds. You will supplement my own and render me virtually untouchable. However, if you want to become my consort, there are other ways to link that can be mutually pleasing to both of us.”

Bitter laughter escaped
her throat. “Pleasure is not a word I associate with you.” Fire along one wall spread. The orange and red flames licked slowly at the paneling. The common sense part of her urged flight, but still she sat, her body disconnected from her brain. Her mind separated from all other motor functions and became a new entity.
I’m going to die and I don’t even care.
A tear slipped down her cheek at her inability to fight back. Her power was a harsh master.

Hannah, do not panic.

A tsunami of relief washed over her as she felt Edwin’s comforting presence. Fluffy clouds of gold spread through her mind to fill the empty spaces with warmth.
What’s happening to me?

You have tapped into the dormant part of your Enhancer energy. It is rather like a
back-up generator or the battery charger as I explained about earlier. This is what Andre wants. Any moment you will feel him in your mind. I will attempt to keep him out as long as I can. Like before, keep your thoughts clear of everything but joy and happiness. That is the only chance we will have.