Survive the Dawn (26 page)

“Did you enjoy your time in Egypt?”

Tatiana’s gaze roamed over
Kasandra’s
body in such a possessive manner that
Kasandra
gulped down her wine. “Yes, I did. However, I believe I shall enjoy my return to my homeland.” Tatiana took the goblet out of
Kasandra’s
hand and placed both on the table behind her. “Show me where you live,
Kasandra
.”

Kasandra
obeyed.

They lay naked in bed under the silk covering. The warm night breeze wafted through the open window.
Kasandra
moved to lie on her side, facing Tatiana, who was smiling. She turned her face toward
Kasandra
. “And what are you thinking?”

Kasandra
slowly pulled the cover down Tatiana’s body, exposing the most exquisite sight she had ever seen. “I am thinking you are beautiful.” She traced the line of Tatiana’s jaw to her ear and back again, then down her neck. “So beautiful.” Her fingers traveled down to her breasts, swirling around her nipple. She grinned as it hardened under her caress. As she gazed at Tatiana’s body, her fingers lowered to her abdomen and farther still.

Tatiana sighed and arched her back.
Kasandra
lowered her head, her tongue lazily circling her nipple before slipping it into her mouth. Tatiana groaned deeply then and ran her fingers through
Kasandra’s
long thick hair. After moments of divine torture, she pushed on
Kasandra’s
shoulders.

Kasandra
easily slipped between Tatiana’s open legs, kissing her way down her abdomen; she stopped to breathe in the fragrance of this sexy vampire. She looked up to see Tatiana’s eyes closed and her fangs protruding. She watched Tatiana’s face as she slipped her tongue between her folds and inwardly smiled when Tatiana let out a deep groan. While
Kasandra
continued to feast, she felt her own arousal begin. She reached down between her legs to pleasure herself just at the moment of Tatiana’s orgasm.

Tatiana arched off the bed, grabbed
Kasandra’s
hair, and held her in place.
Kasandra
felt her hair being painfully pulled; she also felt Tatiana twitch against her tongue. In a moment, Tatiana’s body quieted as she slumped back against the pillows, pulling
Kasandra
with her.

She wrapped her arms around Tatiana and pulled her close. “You are very good, darling.”

Kasandra
laughed. “Thank you.” She felt Tatiana’s teeth grazing her neck and shoulder; she turned her head to offer herself.

“No,” Tatiana whispered against her neck and gently bit into the offered flesh. “I thank you.”

Kasandra
winced, then sighed as she felt the sharp fangs enter the top of her shoulder. She could feel the blood trickling down her back as Tatiana feasted. “Yes,” she moaned and pulled her closer. “Take from me.”

“I shall.”

“
Kasandra
?” Marcellus called out, breaking her from the memory. “What were you thinking?”

“I was remembering long, long ago, Marcellus. When we were young back in Rome.”

“Ah, Tatiana,” he said. “What a force in this universe.”

“Yes, she was. Do you remember how it was? How chaotic the vampire community was before Tatiana? How she persuaded
Nicholae
to join her?”

“Yes. I remember. Over a thousand years, the memory is still intact. Tatiana was a magnificent force in the vampire community.”

“Before her, vampires were nomads. They wandered aimlessly, slaughtering anything in their paths. Tatiana saw the need for control and control she did,”
Kasandra
said wistfully.

“Within a few centuries, we came out of the Dark Ages and into the, well, still the dark, but better equipped to live at least on the fringe of human life. The days of butchering livestock and woodland creatures were over.”

“How many hundreds—no thousands—of vampires were destroyed by Tatiana’s army if they didn’t succumb to her will?”

“
Nicholae’s
will, as well,
Kasandra
. We must remember he had a strong hand in all this and still does. He believes himself to be the only one now.”

“There is Sebastian.”

“Not if
Nicholae
can help it. I must tell you it irritates me to see what Sebastian has done. She had the chance to carry out Tatiana’s idea. But she took it to the extreme.” Marcellus let out a sigh of despair. “Humanity. This was not Tatiana’s hope for our world.”

“No, but her idea was right and still is. I believe Sebastian is as Tatiana in this. If the vampire is to exist, it must co-exist with the mortals. She struggled for centuries to drive that home.”

“And now it seems all but lost.”

“It cannot be lost,”
Kasandra
said.

“Being elders, we cannot interfere, we must be one—”

“
Daciana
has unfortunately made a choice. I have worried about her for centuries. Do you remember when we met
Nicholae
and
Daciana
?”

“Yes, we had just left Rome with Tatiana, tired of Italian life. After the era of Romulus Augustus, the last real emperor of Rome, the thrill was gone. Rome was different. I miss the decadence.”

Kasandra
laughed at Marcellus’s pouting posture. However, it was true. The glory that was Rome was gone, so the three of them left and found a home in Eastern Europe. The Roman Empire was fading but still held on to much of Europe. It was there they met
Nicholae
and
Daciana
.
Kasandra
remembered hearing all about the wild, uncontrollable vampire who led their part of the vampire world. He was undisciplined; his debauchery was already legendary, and he was still a few centuries old.

Kasandra
knew Tatiana would not be intimidated by this vampire. She was in awe of Tatiana’s power and strength. She knew how to deal with
Nicholae
. Though he had gained power, he really was never a match for Tatiana.

Their first meeting was forever etched in
Kasandra’s
mind.

“I have heard of you,”
Nicholae
said in a low drawl. He drank the blood from a golden, jewel-studded goblet so fast, it spilled down his chin. He wiped it off with the back of his hand. Sitting in a high-backed chair, he stretched his legs out in front of him. The tall candelabras on either side of him illuminated the dark, damp surroundings of his mansion.

“Word gets around fast in our community,
Nicholae
,” Tatiana said as she stood in front of him. She pulled her expensive coat around her as she looked around the dark room. “Is this your family estate?”

Nicholae
grinned as he watched her. “No. I have procured this estate. The previous owner left quite suddenly.”

“How fortunate.”

“I understand you are from Rome. How are things there?”

Tatiana knew he couldn’t care less as she smiled. “Boring, actually.”

Nicholae
narrowed his eyes for a moment and draped his arms over the arms of the chair. “I hear that you have organized the vampires in Rome and Egypt.” He sat forward then. “Organized to do what?”

Tatiana glanced at the chair next to her. She looked up at
Nicholae
, who nodded and offered the chair with a wave of his hand.

“How gracious,” Tatiana said and dusted off the chair before she sat. She saw the anger in
Nicholae’s
face. “I’m sure you see,
Nicholae
, if we are to survive, we must have some organization. The vampire community has grown exponentially in the past two centuries.”

Nicholae
shrugged. “We have order here.”

Tatiana wanted to laugh in his face, but she merely nodded in agreement. “With any community, whether vampire or human, there must be laws to follow. There must be someone to lead them.”

With that, a young woman walked into the room carrying a tray. She offered Tatiana a goblet; she took it with a smile.

“Come here,”
Nicholae
ordered.

The young vampire smiled and walked up to
Nicholae
and knelt in front of him. He grinned evilly, barring his fangs, and looked at Tatiana with a superior air. The vampire turned her head to offer her neck and
Nicholae
obliged. He sank his fangs into her neck and feasted. He pulled back and licked his lips. “Go,” he said and waved his hand.

Without a word, the vampire stood and walked out of the room.
Nicholae
picked up his goblet again. “Now you were saying?”

Tatiana looked around the room. “Is this all you desire?”

Nicholae
looked around, as well, as he drank. “It is a start. I was looking at the mansion across the river.”

“You mean the estate with the lake? The one I just procured?”

Nicholae
glared at Tatiana. “Did the owners of the estate put up much of a fight before you butchered them?”

Tatiana laughed and drank from her goblet. “I did not have to butcher anyone. I merely purchased the property.”

“You have much wealth. I’m impressed.”

“You can have the same and much more. Together we can lead them.”

Nicholae
regarded Tatiana. “The idea of power and wealth to control vampires and humans is appealing.”

Tatiana shook her head. “Leave the humans to being human. We can control and rule our world.” You disgusting pig, she thought.

Kasandra
laughed now, as did Marcellus. “You’re remembering our first meeting? So was I,” he said.

“That was how the alliance between Tatiana Messalina and
Nicholae
was forged. The centuries passed quickly.”

“Yes, they have. There have been many changes, and though there were battles for supremacy among smaller factions of the vampire community,
Nicholae
and Tatiana controlled and ruled our world.”

“And now with Tatiana gone,
Nicholae
is on the verge of destroying everything they worked for, for a thousand years.”

“Unless Sebastian can stop him,” Marcellus said.

Kasandra
nodded. “Sebastian is our only hope.”

Chapter 22

“It’s almost time.” Damien peered out the window. “At least I think it is. This is ridiculous, planning an event by the moon.”

“It’s only been done since time began, Damien, but you know best,”
Kasandra
said dryly.

He turned around and sneered. “I suppose you and the others have to attend?”

“I wouldn’t miss this for the world,”
Daciana
said. “To witness this and see Leigh once again? It’s incredible. However it turns out and whatever
Nicholae’s
intent, this is an amazing time.”

Marcellus grunted. “
Daciana
, we all read the historian’s letter. This mortal Timothy Kerrigan I believe is correct. There is too much instability here. It’s only been done once with a disastrous result. Even if this residual moon aided this Grayson
MacCarthaigh
, he told us to take great care if it was carried out but advised against it completely. So it may be amazing to you, but I do not share your enthusiasm.”