Kindling Flames: Smoke Rising (The Ancient Fire Series Book 3) (6 page)

“I can’t say that I have
never
fed from her…” Something dark passed behind Darien’s eyes, but it was too quick for Christian to catch. “…but I don’t make a habit of it. Victoria keeps my life running smoothly, so I don’t have to worry about it.”

Christian nodded, understanding Darien’s point. “I can see where that would be helpful.”

Darien carefully extracted himself from under his sleeping assistant. “It’s necessary when you deal with as much as I do.” He looked around the room and found that most everyone had already retreated for the evening. Other than Christian, the only people left were Josie buried in her book, Roger asleep on his couch, Clara waiting to take the new master to his fledglings, and Vicky sleeping with Zak on her lap. “Good night, Christian. Rest well.”

Christian stood up to follow Clara. “Good night, Darien.”

“Good night, Master Darien.” Clara bowed slightly and headed to the door.

“See you later, Clara.” Darien waved his farewell before heading over to the blonde deep in her book.

Christian paused long enough in his exit to watched Josie mark her place before standing up to see to Darien’s needs. He quickly turned and followed Clara out before Darien began to feed from Josie’s wrist. “He’s unlike any vampire I’ve ever met.” Christian shook his head as he followed Clara walking down the hallway.

“Master Darien is…” Clara paused as she searched for the right words to describe the eccentric man. “…unique. He’s been that way for a long time now.” She led Christian across the foyer and into the other side of the manor.

“How old is he?” Christian asked, unable to contain his curiosity anymore.

A smile crossed Clara’s face at the taboo subject. It was considered bad manners to ask a vampire his age. “Old,” Clara said vaguely. “But you’ll have to ask him for an actual age.”

Christian got the impression that when she said ‘old,’ she meant ‘really old’. The oldest vampire Christian had run into was around seven hundred, but Darien did not feel as strong as he had been. Christian let the matter slide as Clara opened a door for him.

“Your fledglings are here.”

“Thank you.” He bowed slightly to his host. “Rest well.”

“And you.” Clara turned and left for her own chambers to rest for the day.

He closed the door behind him and turned to find his minions were already in bed.

“Did you find out if he’s a vampire?” Sara asked from where she was curled up with her brother.

Christian looked at the two on the bed before turning to take off his suit. “Everyone says so.” He hung up his jacket in the closet. “But I still can’t figure him out.” He tugged his tie loose. “He just seems so human.”

“Did he feed?” Aiden asked.

“He had just gotten up to feed on one of the Council’s pets as I was leaving,” Christian answered.

“I told you he hadn’t fed on that woman.” Sara grinned smugly to her brother, who elbowed her. She retaliated by attacking him with a pillow.

“He doesn’t feed from her,” Christian informed them as he folded up his pants. Both of his fledglings stopped their wrestling and looked at their master. “She is some kind of employee, but he seems sweet on her.” The twins settled down as Christian came over to the bed.

“Is he going to be a problem?” Aiden asked as Christian crawled into the bed between them.

“I don’t know.” Christian settled in as he talked. “He claims to be outside the Council, but I think he would have something to say if we went ahead with our plans. I think it would be best if we deal with him first. That way, he can’t object to the changes.”

Sara and Aiden agreed as they curled into their master. The three vampires breathed out and stilled as the sun rose and stole the life from them for the day.

***

“Victoria.” Darien patted Vicky’s shoulder. “It’s time to go to bed.”

Zak gurgled as she opened her eyes and sat up from the couch. She yawned and let Darien help her to her feet. Vicky leaned her head against him as he wrapped an arm around her.

“Come on.” He led her down the hall to one of the suites Clara kept for guests.

Vicky was still too far asleep to realize this was the same room where she had her first encounter with vampires. That night had been a rather rude introduction to the world of the night for Vicky, but it had done Clara some good. Michael’s get had given her a lot fewer problems since Darien had shown up at his house during the day with a bag of wolfsbane, ripped his young to life, and demanded that the younger vampire be more respectful to others. Michael took his words to heart and straightened up his act somewhat.

Zak jumped up on the bed and sniffed around as Darien released Vicky.

The vampire rummaged in the dresser and pulled out a short nightgown for Vicky to change into. When he turned back around, he smiled at the partly dressed woman. She had already started stripping out of her slightly rumpled work clothing.

“Very nice.” Darien slid his hands across Vicky’s bare skin. He drew her in against him so he could kiss her softly.

Vicky dropped the shirt she had just taken off as she responded to his lips. She wrapped her arms around him and deepened the kiss.

Darien pulled away from her inviting mouth, leaving a coppery tang that she had come to associate with him. He drew in a deep breath before shifting his lips to the side of her neck.

Vicky let out a soft moan as he laid a line of kisses down her neck to her exposed collarbone. She melted under his hands as they moved her to the bed.

Darien supported her as he bent her backward, laying her across the comforter. He released Vicky long enough to pull off his shirt before reclaiming her lips.

Zak gurgled his annoyance as he jumped off the bed. The fay shook off the long hair of the Shih Tzu and wiggled in his tentacle form over to the overstuffed armchair. Jumping up into the chair, he turned around several times until he was comfortable. Plopping down, he watched the two people wrapped up in each other on the bed. Zak glared at the vampire, waiting for an opportunity to make his displeasure known. Just because he agreed to share Vicky didn’t mean he had to like it.

The afternoon sun warmed the blankets wrapped around Vicky, waking her from pleasant dreams. She stretched and looked around the room to find the man that had been occupying her thoughts was nowhere to be seen. Movement from the foot of the bed caught her attention, and she rose up to see a familiar ball of tentacles furiously mauling something on top of the covers. Vicky pushed up to her elbow, trying to see what Zak was chewing on. It took a moment for her eyes to reconstruct the mass of shredded, gray material scattered across the foot of the bed. Vicky dropped back down to the bed, laughing.

Zak looked up from his massacre and gurgled at the woman.

She pushed back up into a sitting position and tucked the blanket around her before holding her arms out for the fay.

He happily wiggled over and buried his face into the covers wrapped around her middle.

“Oh, Zak.” Vicky ruffled the soft feelers along his top side. “You really have to stop this.”

He purred at the woman as his teeth crunched against something metal.

“It’s not good to eat Darien’s pants.”

Zak’s teeth clicked a little louder on the bit of metal in his mouth.

She picked the wiggly ball up so he was even with her eyes. “Just because I love Darien, it doesn’t mean I love you any less.”

He gurgled and wrapped tentacles possessively around her arms.

She sighed. “I don’t know what I’m going to do with you two.” She kissed the little fay before setting him down and carefully pulling her hands free from his grasping ends. “I need a shower.” She slipped from the covers and stepped over the short nightgown discarded on the floor, unused. “Come on, Zak. Bath.” Vicky patted her hand on her leg, calling the fay as she went into the bathroom.

Zak chomped on his tidbit one more time before spitting the zipper pull from Darien’s pants out on the bed and chasing after her.

***

Darien lounged on one of the chairs at the kitchen table. “I was thinking about getting the fay to help with decorations.” Clara’s right-hand man, Brian, listened as Darien laid out his plans for the Halloween party. “I still need to get the floor repaired in the warehouse, but that shouldn’t be a problem.”

“I think it’s a fantastic idea,” Brian answered as he played with an apple from the bowl of fruit on the table. “Do you think Lord Dakine will agree?”

Darien nodded and shifted against the arm he had hooked over the back of his chair. “I talked to him this morning, and he thinks the lesser fay would love the chance to play with mortals.” He traced the grain of the wood table with his finger.

Brian cocked an eyebrow at this suggestion.

“Everyone will be safe,” Darien chuckled as he rubbed the surface in front of him. “Dakine has already agreed to set up wards to make sure the little ones don’t run off with anyone.”

Brian snickered back. “Busy morning.”

Darien smiled slightly and shrugged his shoulders. “I usually get up early.”

“But you also didn’t go to bed last night,” Brian pointed out.

“True.” Darien’s smile widened a little. “I made the mistake of eating right before heading to bed. All it did was wake me up.”

Brian started to make a comment about what might have woken him up more than the blood, but he shut his mouth when Vicky walked into the room. “Good afternoon,” he said instead.

“Hi,” Vicky said, greeting the muscular, blond man.

Darien’s eyes swept over the fitted top and jeans the woman had found in their room.

She pattered, barefoot, over to where he was sitting to greet him. “Hey.” She smiled softly at him.

Darien snaked his free arm around her waist and pulled her hip against him. “Sleep well?”

Zak growled at the vampire, wiggled over to his crossed ankles, and chomped down on the hem of his jeans.

“Very.” Vicky reached out and dropped a few pieces of metal on the table in front of Darien. “But your pants didn’t make it through the morning.”

It took him a moment to realize the twisted bits of metal were the pull and a few teeth from the zipper of his slacks. “Hey!” Darien released Vicky so he could snag Zak up by a few of his thicker tentacles. He brought the little horror level with his eyes. “Those were Armani!”

Zak glared at him for a second. His tentacles writhed fearsomely as he spit out a chunk of denim he had just chewed from Darien’s jeans. It hit Darien’s T-shirt with a wet splat.

“Zak!” Vicky scolded as she reached out and grabbed his thinner feelers. She tugged gently to get the fay’s attention. “We talked about this in the bath.”

Zak wilted a little and whined.

“Come here.” She reached out and took the fay from Darien’s hands.

A pang of jealousy hit Darien as he processed her words. “You took him to the bath with you?” Darien asked, shocked, as he slipped his arm back around Vicky’s waist.

“Well, a shower,” Vicky said, soothing the grumpy fay.

Zak wiggled around in her arms until he was facing Darien.

“He needed a good washing.”

Darien pushed his jealousy away, reminding himself that Zak was a creature and could never replace him in her heart.

The fay looked at him smugly, wrapping his tentacles around Vicky’s waist between her back and his arm.

Darien glared at the little fay and bared his fangs in a growl.

Zak growled back at him.

Brian laughed as he watched the fight over Vicky simmer. “Do they do this often?”

She shook her head, exasperated. “All the time.” Sighing, she petted the fay in her arms. She leaned over and kissed the top of Darien’s head.

“Brian.” Darien’s snappy comeback was killed when Hank stepped into the room dressed in jeans and a worn T-shirt. “Some of Christian’s menagerie have just arrived looking for their master.” He sounded a little worried.

Brian sat up straight in his chair. “Did you tell them he’s resting?” he asked, getting up.

“Yes,” Hank answered. “But they are worried. Apparently he didn’t call them to let them know he was staying.”

Darien released Vicky and stood up to follow the two men out to the foyer.

“I’ll take care of it,” Brian reassured the butler.

Vicky dropped Zak to the floor and followed the three men from the kitchen.

“Good afternoon,” Brian called as he stepped into the foyer. Four people were standing in a group just inside the room.

Vicky recognized Christian’s envoy from the club. He looked a lot less nice dressed in a black leather jacket and jeans. The entire group looked a little windblown in gear suited for the three Harleys parked outside.

“Where is Master Christian?” The envoy stepped towards Brian.

Brian ignored the threat in the man’s voice. He knew it stemmed from worry for his missing master. “I am Brian Mylan, and I would like to welcome you to our home.” Tipping his head forwards, he bowed to the group of anxious people. “Master Christian and his fledglings are currently resting safely, but if you would like for me to show you to them, I would be happy to help.”

The group relaxed just a little at the polite words.

“I’m Stanley,” the lead biker said. “This is Lana, Jerome, and Tony.” Each person nodded when Stanley said their name.

Looking at the four representatives, Darien couldn’t help but wonder what type of people Christian had in his menagerie. The female, Lana, had short, spiky hair in the most offensive shade of pink possible. She was almost too thin to be healthy. The tall, dark-skinned, bald man Stanley had introduced as Jerome looked like he could bench press elephants. The last man, Tony, was short and slightly fat. A ponytail held his thinning, brown hair at the nape of his neck. Stanley looked the best of them: taller, well built, and fairly handsome. All of them were dressed in biker leathers, jeans, and heavy boots. From what Darien had discovered from Christian, he hadn’t expected his menagerie to have a biker-gang feel.

Stanley ran his eyes over Darien before turning his attention back to Brian. “Could you please show us to them?”

“Right this way.” Brian turned and led the group through the doorway on the left side of the foyer. Christian’s menagerie followed.

Darien brought up the rear with Vicky and Zak, who was back in his Shih Tzu form.

Brian stopped at a door and opened it to reveal a cool, dark room. “They’re in here.” The group stepped into the room and looked down at the three still forms on the bed.

Stanley reached over and touched Christian’s leg through the covers, but he did not stir.

“Allow me,” Darien said from where he had stopped in the doorway with Brian and Vicky. Relaxing his control, Darien let his power roll out. He released just enough energy to call the master vampire from his rest.

Christian drew in a deep breath and opened his eyes. His senses tingled from the energy that swept over the bed. He looked up in the dark at the four shapes standing over him. “Stanley?” Christian asked as he sat up. “What’s going on?” His mind worked quickly to figure things out. Looking around for the source of power that had disturbed his rest, his eyes landed on the three silhouettes in the doorway. Due to the light illuminating them from behind, he couldn’t make out who they were.

“We were worried when you didn’t make it back by sunrise,” Stanley explained, drawing his master’s attention back. “You never called.”

Christian looked back at his pets. “I’m fine.” He pulled the covers back. “Let me get dressed, and I will be right out.”

Christian’s pets backed up as their master climbed over Aiden.

“There are fresh clothes in the closet if you would like,” Brian called before stepping back to let the people in the room out.

Christian called his thanks as the bikers shut the door.

Brian led the group back down the hall to the darkened foyer to wait for their master. Hank had drawn the heavy curtains to make the room safe for the vampires.

“Forgive our rudeness,” Stanley apologized to Brian. “Master Christian doesn’t often stay out during the day like this.”

Brian nodded his head at the man. “It’s all right. I understand your concern.”

Stanley’s eyes shifted to the other man standing next to Brian. He had become the object of interest for most of the people in the room. “Good afternoon, Master Darien.” Stanley bowed to the man he was sure was the real vampire master. Darien had not clamped down on his control, and Stanley could taste his power on the back of his tongue.

“Good afternoon,” Darien responded as he watched the group. There was something about these people that Darien wasn’t sure he liked. He placed his arm protectively around Vicky’s shoulders and drew her in against him.

Zak rubbed against her legs and glared at the four new humans.

“What are you doing here?” Christian’s voice came from the door they had just come through. He had pulled on some jeans from the closet. His dress shirt hung unbuttoned as he finessed it into place.

“We came to make sure you were okay,” Lana said in a slightly whiny voice.

Christian walked over to her and rubbed the leather on her upper arms. “I’m fine,” he reassured them. “Master Clara and the Council have agreed to let us stay in the city.” Stepping back, he looked at his people. “You should all go back home. I’ll head out at dark.”

“They’re welcome to stay until you’re ready to leave,” Brian added from where he stood next to Darien and Vicky. “Everyone is welcome here, and it’s a long ride back to town.”

Christian’s eyes narrowed slightly in annoyance, but he let it go and turned to look at Brian. “I don’t want to impose on you like that,” he said, politely refusing Brian’s offer.

Brian waved the refusal away. “It’s no imposition. This is a neutral place where all the kisses are welcome.” He turned towards the door leading to the living area for the house pets. “Come with me, and I’ll show you around.” Stopping at the door, he waited for the guests to make up their mind.

Christian looked at the four faces asking for his permission. “Very well,” he gave in, and the group turned, eager to follow their host into the living area. Christian sighed deeply, watching them go.

Darien chuckled lightly from where he stood. “Don’t worry,” he reassured the new Council member. “The menagerie here knows how to welcome guests.”