Nightshifters (7 page)

A dangerous combination.

Rana ran her fingers along his jaw. “I never got over you,
my love.”

Alexandru inhaled sharply as his libido kicked into
overdrive. His resolve weakened. The scent of her blood and her citrus perfume
teased his senses. He had gone to bed many a night in the last few years
imagining her perfume. Imagining her. He’d had many other women, but none
stirred his soul like Rana.

Careful, Alex. Falling for her again is not an option
.

It took every ounce of his strength not to touch her. Rana
leaned over, her hair tickling his cheek as she brushed her lips across his.
“Did you miss me too? Tell me you missed me, Alexandru.”

Alexandru caught her lip with his teeth. Warning sirens
sounded in his mind. He treaded on dangerous ground. He hesitated, then gave in
to his urges and suckled. She tasted of peppermint and coffee. A delicious
flavor he couldn’t seem to get enough of. He growled softly and pulled her into
his lap. Her body, soft and supple, fell against his. Her nipples beaded
beneath her shirt. His hands caressed her arms then entwined in her hair. He
pulled her closer. She moaned, then slipped her arms around his neck. His teeth
slowly let go of her lip, and he nuzzled her neck. Her pulsating life point
beckoned him. The scent of sweet, warm blood grew stronger. He trailed her skin
with his lips, his fangs hovering just above the hollow of her neck. He could
hear her pulse beating.

Calling.

Alexandru stilled. He could take her right now. Right here
in The Voodoo Den. His body hardened at the thought. He wanted her more than
he’d ever wanted anything in his life. Or his death. Alexandru’s teeth grazed
her skin. One bite. That’s all he needed. Just one. He wouldn’t take more than
he needed. He raised his head…

Rana pulled away and stepped back, her eyelids heavy as if
she’d been drugged. “Do you still want me as much as I want you?” The
insincerity in her words washed over him like a bucket of ice. Alexandru sensed
the deception. She was here for one reason and one reason only.

To kill him.

Chapter 2

“What do you want, Rana?”

She blinked. Alexandru’s icy tone startled her. Had she done
something wrong? Granted, seduction didn’t come natural to her — especially her
inept attempt to seduce a vampire — but surely she hadn’t been that bad. Had
she?

Should have read
The Art of Seduction for Dummies
first
. Rana mentally ticked off the
Dummies
titles she had in her
small bookstore, but she couldn’t recall even one with that title. No matter.
She would never be a femme fatale. She would just have to do it her way and
hope for the best.

“I want you,” Rana whispered. Tiny fingers of doubt took
hold of her. Who was she kidding? She could seduce a vampire about as well as
she could fly a rocket. But, for Damien’s sake, she had to try. It was his only
chance. Doubt cracked the window of her mind open. She immediately snapped it
shut before Alexandru could get a glimpse of the small boy occupying her
thoughts. She didn’t want him to know why she was here.

A muscle throbbed in Alexandru’s jaw. “Go home, Rana.”

Rana bit the inside of her cheek to keep from stamping her foot
like a spoiled child. He couldn’t send her away. He just couldn’t. He must have
felt something.

Her teeth punctured the flesh inside her mouth.

She could taste the metallic flavor. She wrinkled her nose.
How could anyone or anything hunger for such?

Alexandru inhaled sharply and his eyes brightened. He
scented it too. At least she had some effect on him. Even if it was just as a
meal. Rana swallowed a sigh. She had to keep trying. She didn’t have any other
choice. She grabbed her purse from the bar and gripped it to her side, thankful
that she had the good sense to bring a stake and holy water.

“Can’t we at least talk?”

Alexandru’s eyes shuttered. “We have nothing to discuss.
What we had together is over. Go home.” He turned his back to her.

Rana gritted her teeth. He had always been stubborn. As a
mortal man and now as a Master of the Night. Well, she could be stubborn too.
She lifted her chin a notch and reached for him.

Her hands clasped thin air.

Damn vampires!
Always appearing and disappearing.
What did they think they were? Magicians? Rana blew a breath between her lips
and wove her way back through the crowded dance floor. She shaded her eyes from
the flashing light show and searched the room for Alexandru.

He was gone.

Disgusted, Rana marched across the room, opened the door and
stepped into the warm Louisiana night. The air, thick with the promise of an
approaching storm, engulfed her with humidity. The street, void of pedestrians
or city lights, reminded her she was alone. In vampire country. Not many humans
ventured to the underbelly of the Crescent City. Not if they wanted to live
long.

Fear gripped her spine. She shouldn’t be here either.
Dhampirs were never welcome in this section of the town. She clutched her purse
and mentally assured herself she was prepared.

Rana quickened her step. Thick wisps of mist wove around her
as if trying to prevent her escape. She aimed her keyless entry toward the
small sedan parked on the curb and pushed the button. Her lock clicked and
something hissed behind her.

Rana froze. Nico materialized between her and the car. His
eyes glowed with the fires of a hundred suns; his lips pulled back revealing
fangs. Rana slowly unzipped her purse and reached in. Nico’s hand curled into a
claw and shot into the air. Her purse fell to the ground spilling its contents
at her feet. The bottle of holy water rolled off the sidewalk under her car.
Her stake protruded from the black bag. Nico growled and kicked her handbag off
the curb. Rana’s eyes darted down the street. Nothing but blackness. No one
would even hear her if she screamed. She took a step back, ready to flee back
into The Voodoo Den. Nico grabbed her arm and jerked her toward him.

“Going somewhere, pretty lady?”

“N-no…”

Suddenly, Nico’s body flew across the sidewalk and collided
with the brick wall behind them. The impact threw Rana against the side of her
car. She stumbled and looked up to find Alexandru’s eyes penetrating hers. The
fierce look on his face turned her blood to ice. She had never seen him so
angry. “You all right?”

Rana nodded, unable to speak.

He pivoted with a snarl and strode menacingly toward Nico.
He grabbed the other vampire by the throat and lifted him into the air. “This
one is off-limits. You understand?”

The words spoken softly, but supernatural power radiated
from Alexandru daring the younger vampire to disagree. Nico nodded and paled to
an almost translucent state. Rana blinked at the skeleton glowing just beneath
his skin. Alexandru dropped him on the concrete with a thud. “Next time you
will not live to regret it.”

Nico scrambled to his feet and rushed back into the club.
Alexandru glided back to Rana. “You shouldn’t have come.”

“I know.” Rana bent down to retrieve her bag. She scooped up
the spilled contents. Alexandru lifted a brow and pointed to the wooden stake.
“Is that a present for me?”

Rana’s face heated like a furnace. Did he know? “O-of course
not. I just brought it for protection. Just in case.”

“Protection from whom?” Alexandru asked softly.

Rana kept her thoughts firmly clenched behind her mind’s
window. “Them.” She pointed toward the club.

“I see.”

Rana tightened her hand on the stake. Should she do it now
when no one else was around? She swallowed. No, killing him now would not do.
Not after he had just saved her life. Even she couldn’t stoop that low.
Besides, one stab to his heart and she would be surrounded by the underworld.
They would protect one of their own at all costs. She would have to get him
alone first. She let go of the stake and it fell into her purse. She zipped her
bag closed. Killing him would have to wait. “I should go.”

“I’ll see you safely out of the territory.”

Rana grimaced. Since when were vampires chivalrous? Weren’t
they all evil sub-humans like her father? “That won’t be necessary. I’ll be
fine.”

“With your wooden stake?” His words mocked her. Rana lifted
her chin.

“Yes.”

“And you think this will stop one of my kind?”

Rana knitted her brow. “Of course. You don’t think it
would?”

He shrugged. “Depends on the vampire.”

“What do you mean?”

“If the vampire is very old or very powerful, then I’m
afraid your little stake will prove to be only a nuisance. It will not kill an
elder.” Amusement flickered in his Caribbean eyes.

“I have other weapons.” Rana shifted to her left foot. Did
he think she was daft? Of course, she knew a wooden stake wouldn’t kill all
vampires. But it would weaken them. Enough for her to escape, at least.

Alexandru’s eyes traveled the length of her and gleamed with
appreciation. “I imagine you do.”

Lightning slashed across the night sky followed by the
continuous rumble of distant thunder. Within seconds, large drops of rain fell
from the moonless sky. Alexandru opened her car door. “Get in.” Rana hesitated.
Though Alexandru wasn’t an old vampire, he was a powerful one. He had been
turned by an elder, which meant her former fiancé now possessed exceptional
powers. Powers that could cost Rana her life if she wasn’t careful.
Cloud-to-ground lightning ribboned dangerously close to her car. Rana flinched
as a clap of thunder boomed overhead. She’d rather take her chances with a
vampire than a thunderstorm.

Rana slid into the driver’s seat. The door closed behind
her. She looked through the rain-coated window. Alexandru had vanished. Again.

“Stop doing that!” Rana slammed her fist into the steering
wheel. Couldn’t vampires just stay put? She inserted the key and turned the
ignition. The car hummed to life. Rana carefully backed away from the curb and
pulled onto the street.

 
He hasn’t changed.

Still stubborn, arrogant, sexy as the devil and yet darker
and more mysterious. And more powerful. Standing on the sidewalk, he had
practically blended into the night. But somewhere beneath the creature was
Alexandru.

Her Alexandru.

 Tears stung her eyes. How could she possibly ever kill
him? Him. Her Alexandru? She eased down the street and pulled onto the main
highway. She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. Cars whizzed by.

Finally, back to civilization.

A feeling someone or something watched swept over her. She
adjusted her review mirror.

Nothing.

Get it together, Rana. Your imagination is working
overtime. No one is following you
.

Still, an eerie presence filled her car, and she couldn’t
shake the feeling that she wasn’t alone. She ignored it and concentrated on
driving home in the rain. An hour later, she pulled into her drive and hurried
into her house. Once inside, she dismissed the babysitter — a college girl who
lived next door — watched her safely enter her own home then went to check on
Damien.

She felt his forehead. The fever still ran high, and his
color hadn’t improved. If anything, his skin seemed paler. His small chest
barely rose and fell with each labored breath. Rana’s heart constricted. “Don’t
worry, baby. I’ll get him.” She kissed his forehead and nearly cried out as his
skin burned her lips. “Somehow I’ll get him.”

Memories grabbed her by the throat. Rana choked back a sob.
Why was this happening? What happened to her happy little boy? The one who
loved to play Snakes and Ladders with her until it was way past his bedtime.
The one who insisted on licking the bowl every time she made a cake even though
Rana always told him he’d get a bellyache. Rana swallowed the lump in her
throat. He looked so miserable lying in his bed, face pale and feverish, his tiny
body drenched in sweat.

Damien moaned. The sound shredded Rana’s heart. Where was
her happy, cherubic baby? Was he still in there somewhere or had darkness
swallowed him up, determined to stifle every ounce of life out of him?

Rana sucked in a sharp breath. She had to find a way to save
her son. He meant everything to her. Damien was her life. She left her son’s
room and checked the door locks for the third time. Finally satisfied that they
were safe, she flipped off the living room light. A flash of lightning lit up
her front yard. Out of the corner of her eye through the sheer curtain covering
her bay window she saw a shadowy figure floating inches above the ground.
Fingers of fear tightened her abdomen. Someone or something was watching her.
And that something now knew where she lived.

Chapter 3