From Fear to Eternity: An Immortality Bites Mystery (3 page)

“Honor among thieves, as the saying goes.”

“Essentially.”

Thierry knew this guy and how to deal with him. I had to put my faith in that. “But, in truth, you’re madly and passionately in love with me and I helped change your life completely for the better.”

The smile returned to his lips. “A feat I never thought possible.”

“I juggle really well.”

“You do.”

When he kissed me this time, I returned it with great enthusiasm, sliding my hands up his chest and over his shoulders. His hands tightened at my waist as the kiss grew more passionate and he pressed me against the shelf of hardcover books behind me.

Once, I would have doubted his words, but I didn’t anymore. We might be opposites in so many ways, and he was so vastly older than me that his life experience eclipsed mine like a cruise ship next to a rubber dinghy, but there was something about us. We worked.

He drove me crazy a lot of the time with his secrets, but I was crazy about him. That definitely helped to balance the scales.

And, I’d admit it, he was an amazing kisser.

“When’s the auction supposed to start?” I breathed. While I didn’t really want to interrupt, this I had to know. “It’s already well after nine.”

“I’ve been told it’s been delayed an hour. We have time.”

Even though I didn’t want to be stuck here longer than necessary, at the moment I was fine with this news.

His breath was hot on my skin as he traced his mouth down and over my throat. Nobody would
notice a hickey back at the cocktail party, would they? And, really, who cared if they did?

This room was nice and private. Since the auction had been pushed back, nobody would miss us for quite some time, so maybe—

I froze as his sharp fangs sank into my neck.

Panic seized me. “Thierry, what are you doing?”

Yes, vampires drank blood—even one another’s—but this particular situation was not a good thing. At all. No, his drinking my blood after an incredibly hot kiss was a very
bad
thing.

As Atticus had alluded to in their conversation, Thierry de Bennicoeur suffered from an addiction—a
blood
addiction. Vampires, as a whole, did not have this. Sure, they were driven by their need for blood, but it didn’t control them unless they were dying of thirst.

As a master vampire—in simpler terms, an
old
vampire—Thierry did not need to drink blood very often. He could go for long stretches—I didn’t even know how long. Months, years, decades, maybe, without a drop. Which was a very good thing, because in the past if Thierry had even a taste of blood, he could lose his mind. And when a master vampire with Superman-level strength lost his mind he might kill someone.

And that someone might be me.

“Thierry, stop it!” I shoved him as hard as I could. He reared back from me, his lips peeled away from his fangs, his eyes the pitch-black of a hungry vampire instead of their usual pale gray shade.

I loved him with all my heart, but sometimes he scared the hell out of me.

“I need more,” he growled.

When he lunged for my throat again I slapped him as hard as I could. His eyes widened slightly before his brow furrowed.

“Sarah, why did I—?” Clarity entered his gaze, swiftly followed by concern. “Are you hurt? Did I hurt you?”

I pressed my hand against the puncture wounds on my throat, trying very hard to stay calm and not get upset. That would only make matters worse. “I’ll be fine.”

An expression of complete devastation crossed his face, but before he could turn away from me, I grabbed hold of his arm with my free hand.

“I’m okay, really. But what’s wrong with you?” I asked him very seriously.

“I don’t know.” He grimaced. “Please be careful, Sarah. The need hasn’t left me yet.”

“Okay.” I took him at his word and put some space between us.

“I can’t remember being this thirsty without it first being triggered by the taste of blood,” he managed. “And it’s not abating.”

“Did it come on just like that? Like zero to sixty?”

“The thirst began shortly after we arrived, but I thought I could handle it. I don’t know what triggered it.” His pained gaze met mine. “Wait. My drink.”

I didn’t understand what he meant for a moment. “What about it?”

“Someone must have tampered with it.”

I gasped. “Someone spiked your drink with blood.”

I grabbed the empty glass off the bookshelf and
held it under my nose. One whiff told me that it had contained more than cranberry juice.

“How many did you have?”

“That was my second.”

“You didn’t taste the blood?”

His jaw tensed. “No, I didn’t.”

I gave him a look of disbelief. “Really? Because it smells like it was loaded.”

He hissed out a breath, confusion now sliding through his eyes. “I smelled nothing but what I expected. I don’t know why.”

It made no sense to me. “So is this a bonus shot of blood for the vampires here tonight, or does somebody know your secret?”

“An excellent question.”

“Could it have been Atticus?”

“If he found evidence that this is still a problem for me after so many years, he could label me a threat to the security of the Ring and order my immediate execution.”

I felt the blood drain from my face. “So if Atticus is a killer, what better way to get rid of the next person on his hit list, right?”

Thierry shook his head. “No, I don’t believe Atticus would choose a method like this. He would prefer a much more direct attack.”

I put the glass down and gave Thierry every ounce of my attention. “Then who was it?”

When he didn’t answer, I drew close enough to touch his arm. He flinched away from me. “Please, Sarah. You need to keep your distance from me until I fully regain my control. I might not be able to stop next time.”

Before I could say anything in reply to that
chilling warning, he turned and left the library, headed back toward the parlor. I followed after him, trying not to get too close. For now.

Thomas, the butler, walked past us and Thierry stopped him.

“Yes, sir?”

“I need to know the identity of the host of this party.”

“That will be revealed very shortly, sir, I assure you.”

Thierry scanned the room. “Suddenly I’m not all that patient. I need to know who the host is, and I insist on knowing right now.” He raised his voice enough to catch the attention of the others in the room. Conversation hushed. Atticus Kincade watched us curiously from his position next to Tasha Evans.

“I suppose it is finally time we get this party started.” A deep voice cut through the silence. A man in a black tuxedo entered the room and moved toward us. He had light brown hair and green eyes. A smile curled the corners of his mouth.

Thierry stared at him with shock on his normally hard-to-read face.

“You—” he began.

“Long time no see,” the man said. “Hi,
Dad.”

M
aybe it was all in my imagination, but I swear the entire room went deathly silent as that word echoed all around, bouncing off the walls covered in tasteful paintings with gilded frames and threading through the crowd of invited guests.

Dad?

Excuse me?

“Sarah,” Thierry said. All expression had left his face. All tone or emotion had left his voice. He’d suddenly become the Thierry who wore an impenetrable mask of icy composure, rather than the passionate yet dangerous Thierry I’d just been alone with. “This is Sebastien Lavelle.”

“Sarah Dearly.” Sebastien turned to me and thrust out his hand. I shook it automatically. “I’ve heard all about you.”

I just stared at him. “Sorry I can’t say the same. Did you call Thierry
Dad?
”

“I did. Thierry and I go way back.”

“He’s your . . . father?”

“No,” Thierry said. “I’m his sire.”

Sebastien smiled. “Same difference.”

“No, it isn’t.”

I tried to rein myself in and appear as calm as
Thierry did. I was still busy processing the information about Atticus, as well as the disturbing idea that someone had spiked Thierry’s drink with blood, so I had to shuffle both troublesome subjects off to the side in my mind to make space for this. My brain was getting as crowded as this room.

I needed time to deal with this. Unfortunately, calling a time-out wasn’t exactly an option right now.

And I felt like there was something else, too. Wasn’t there? Something important that I’d managed to forget . . .

Whatever. If I’d forgotten it, it couldn’t have been all that important.

Sebastien crossed his arms over his chest. “Thierry didn’t sire enough fledglings to warrant a full-scale reunion. I think we could be counted on one hand. A few fingers, actually. He didn’t care for the responsibility a good sire is required to take for a fledgling. He preferred to—how would you put it, Thierry?—forget about us?”

There was more than an edge of contempt in that statement.

Call me crazy, but I thought I had a good idea who might have spiked Thierry’s drinks. The waves of animosity rolling off this guy were nearly surfable.

“
Mon dieu!
Sebastien, my darling!” Veronique made her way through the swell of guests now elbow to elbow in the parlor, her Louboutins clicking noisily against the floor.

“Veronique,” he said warmly.

She beamed at him before kissing him on both cheeks. “Where have you been all this time? I had believed you were lost to us forever. All these years—why haven’t you been in touch?”

“Come.” Sebastien took her hand. “Let’s talk in private. We still have a little time left before the auction will begin. Thierry, you and your lovely wife are welcome to join us if you wish.”

Without another word, he turned and led Veronique out of the room.

This stupid auction was never going to start, was it?

I eyed Thierry. “Want to give me a quick overview?”

His gaze moved toward Atticus, who was still with Tasha. The actress didn’t seem intimidated by the boss of the Ring at all—she had a big smile on her face at whatever he was saying to her.

“Sebastien was a human who supplied information for me when I needed it in Paris in the second half of the seventeenth century. One night I found him after he’d been attacked by enemies and left for dead, his throat cut. He had previously requested that I sire him, but I’d refused. When I found him so near death, I finally gave in and turned him into something like me. But I did much too good a job, since Sebastien inherited my thirst.”

A shiver went through me and I lowered my voice. “Is he one of the bad guys—like Atticus?”

Thierry considered this for a moment. “Despite his struggle as a fledgling, I never found Sebastien to be malicious in his actions. But he is an unexpected complication tonight, since I don’t know what his intentions are.”

“When was the last time you saw him?” I asked.

“Over three hundred years ago. There must be a reason he’s taken so long to contact us again.”

“What do you think it is?”

“I wish I knew.”

“Okay. So let’s go find out.”

We left the crowded parlor to follow Sebastien and Veronique out to the hall, where they were speaking in an alcove close to the library. Thomas nodded as he moved past us with a fresh tray of champagne.

“It is so unexpectedly wonderful to see you again, my darling,” Veronique purred, still touching Sebastien like a cherished lost pet that had finally come home.

“You too, Veronique. You’re every bit as beautiful as I remember.”

She nodded. “Of course I am. But tell me, have you been so busy that you couldn’t even send word that you were well? I’ve been worried about you.”

Sebastien had his hands clasped behind him. “I was unavoidably detained until recently. But one of the first items on my list was to make contact with old friends again. And here we are.”

Thierry watched the other man carefully. “Making contact with old friends by sending out cryptic invitations to an auction? What is this, Sebastien?”

“It’s fun, Thierry. That’s what it is. At least, it’s fun for those able to have fun.” Sebastien’s gaze landed on me. “I’ve tried to amass as much information as I could about what I’ve missed, but I don’t know everything about recent developments. There must be quite a story about how the two of you met.”

“Five volumes worth,” I said. “Give or take.”

“That is our Sarah.” Veronique laughed. “Always so amusing. The great love story is worth retelling, isn’t it? I mean, it must be. It was only recently that Thierry chose to officially end things between us.”

“Things had been ended between us for centuries, Veronique,” Thierry reminded her.

“That is certainly debatable.”

Thierry’s expression held weary patience. “Not debatable. Truth.”

Veronique sighed. “What can I say, Sebastien? Thierry is a difficult man to please. But it seems as if Sarah has managed to please him thus far.”

I wasn’t sure if that was supposed to be a compliment. It didn’t really feel like one.

“I aim to please,” I said. “And I have very good aim.”

“What’s this all about, Sebastien?” Thierry asked in an attempt to shift the subject back to the burning question. “Why tonight? And why not identify yourself in the invitation?”

Sebastien shook his head. “You were never one to appreciate a little fun.”

“Is that what you think this is? Fun?”

“I do indeed. Look at us here, in my mansion—”

“This is your mansion?” Veronique asked. “It’s very impressive, darling.”

He slid his hand along a carved detail on the wall behind him. “Borrowed from a friend, I’ll admit. But certainly more than sufficient for the evening I have planned.”

Personally, I wasn’t sure why borrowing a massive mansion from someone in Beverly Hills was necessary to host an auction. To me, it seemed as if Sebastien was just trying to impress his guests.

All I knew for sure was that we were here for a very specific reason. And given the unpleasantness of the evening so far, I was tired of waiting.

“How did you get the amulet?” I asked, then shrugged at Thierry’s look. “Why should we let the elephant dance around the room a moment longer?”

Sebastien’s gaze tracked to me and his smile widened. “Straight and to the point. I think I like you, Sarah.”

“Gee, thanks.” But I wasn’t sure if it was a good thing to be liked by this guy. Even with the shiny smile and the suave and well-dressed exterior, there was something incredibly unpleasant bubbling just beneath the surface of Sebastien Lavelle.

He was up to something. And I was willing to bet it was nothing good.

Sebastien cocked his head. “Can you be more specific, Sarah? What amulet do you mean?”

“Don’t play games,” Thierry growled.

Sebastien grinned, but it was more the baring of teeth than a genuinely pleasant expression. I recognized it, since Thierry had a predator’s smile just like that when the situation called for it. “Why not? Games are fun. I’ve always liked having fun.”

“You never took anything seriously.”

His eyes narrowed. “And you, my dearest daddy, took everything far
too
seriously. Believe me, the last three hundred years have increased my need for fun and I’ll get it wherever and however I can.” Sebastien raked a hand through his hair, which struck me as a nervous gesture. He began moving along the hallway, gazing up at the oil paintings of cherubs and Greek goddesses. “I have several items up for auction tonight that I’ve acquired in the past and safely stored away until now. Perhaps I just want to make a little money from them. Immortals need to think about their retirement plans, after all.”

“So that’s where you’ve been,” Veronique said. “Scouring the earth from corner to corner for new trinkets, having adventures, getting into trouble. You always did enjoy traveling.”

“Adored it,” he agreed. “I mean to travel again extensively. I have an uncontrollable urge to stretch my legs.”

“The amulet, Sebastien?” Thierry prompted. “I searched for years for that piece. Only recently did I learn that it was destroyed centuries ago.”

The edge of ease that had been in Sebastien’s expression fell away as he returned his attention to his sire. “I heard that rumor, too, but I’m not sure who started it.”

“The council thought Thierry had it hidden somewhere,” I said.

Yet now they wanted Thierry to acquire it so Atticus wouldn’t. Funny how a few weeks could change things.

And by “funny,” I meant not the least bit funny. At all.

Sebastien moved past me, again studying the paintings as if they were much more interesting than this conversation. Veronique watched him, her expression guarded, but I could see some confusion there.

“Thierry was once the one most interested in acquiring it,” Sebastien said, “so I’m not all that surprised that he would be the one most would assume to possess it. I acquired it back when he was obsessing over it. I’d planned on giving it to him as a surprise gift, to prove my worth to him, so he wouldn’t continue to think I was ‘a pathetic waste of breath.’” He gave Thierry a tight smile that missed the mark if
he was aiming for friendliness. “But I never got the chance to give it to him. Perhaps it’s better that I never did. You taught me that, Thierry.”

Thierry’s mouth was a thin line. “What did I teach you?”

“That power corrupts.” He shrugged. “After all, I saw your corruption whenever you had an extra ounce of power.”

I glared at him. “Hey. Watch it, Junior.”

Sebastien laughed, a short, almost nervous bark of a sound. “She comes to your defense like a vicious Chihuahua, Thierry. Isn’t that adorable?”

I did come to Thierry’s defense, whenever the situation called for it. I couldn’t help myself. “You might not think my bite is adorable. I leave marks.”

“I’m sure you do.” He regarded me with curiosity in the shadows of the alcove. “So different from what I’m used to when it comes to your choices, Thierry. This is quite a revelation.”

Thierry stepped forward, his hands clenched at his sides. “Enough, Sebastien. You always liked to cause trouble, didn’t you? Are you certain you want to go to such dark places with me tonight?”

“Oh, I think I can handle you.”

I’d stopped breathing, sensing that something horrible was about to happen. Something violent. As I shared a tense look with Veronique, she slipped between them and put a hand on each man’s chest to keep them apart.

“We were once good friends, the three of us. We had many enjoyable years together and it can certainly be like that now. Let us be friends once again. Sebastien, I will get you a copy of my memoir to
remind you of more pleasant days. You, among many others, helped inspire my story. And remember that girlfriend of yours? The plain one you insisted was your one great love? What was her name—Bettina?”

The fury faded from his gaze. “I remember her.”

“What ever happened to her?”

“We parted ways. Not everything can last forever.” His expression grew haunted. “And Bettina wasn’t plain. She was beautiful.”

“Reminiscing isn’t his goal tonight. It’s something else entirely.” Thierry hadn’t relaxed a fraction. “What is it, Sebastien?”

“I guess you’ll just have to wait and see,” Sebastien said smugly.

“Can we put an actual time on that?” I asked. “I mean, ten? Ten thirty?”

“Soon.”

Great.

There were plenty of people who had an uneasy history with Thierry, but this one felt . . . I wasn’t sure. More
personal
in his distaste. This kind of tension came only from those you were closest to—at least at one time.

However, just because someone was family didn’t make them any less dangerous if they had an ax to grind. Sometimes those axes were literal ones.

Veronique hooked her arm through Thierry’s. “Come. Let’s go back to the parlor. You barely got the chance to become properly acquainted with my new lover.”

I couldn’t help but notice that she looked worried. That made two of us. With Atticus and Sebastien
both under this roof, I wasn’t sure how smoothly the rest of the evening would go.

“Sarah?” Thierry cast a tense glance over his shoulder at me and our eyes locked.

Why did I want to protect him so badly when I knew he could take care of himself?

“I’ll be right behind you,” I assured him.

He nodded, then allowed Veronique to lead him back toward the cocktail party.

I stayed right where I was, since Sebastien hadn’t yet made a move to follow them. I needed to know what his problem was and what level of threat he might be tonight.

The best approach would be to keep things light. “Did Veronique always try to push Thierry around?”

“She tried her best.” Sebastien watched me curiously, assessing me from head to toe without attempting to hide it.

It was making me extremely self-conscious. “What?”

He shook his head. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but you’re the last woman I’d ever expect Thierry de Bennicoeur to end up with.”

“Why’s that?”

“Because you seem very nice. It’s not a word I would ever associate with that man.”