Vampire Thirst (21 page)

“May I ask you a personal question, my lord?”

“Haven’t you already?”

A faint smile crossed Dyam’s olive features. “Why her?”

Tardieh frowned. “What do you mean?”

“You have bedded hundreds of females in your life and never got hooked up. You’ve had countless opportunities to marry into powerful families and didn’t. So I wonder, what does Zoricah have that the others didn’t?”

Tardieh stared at his friend and tried to find words. How could he explain it? Zoricah was smart, strong, she made him want to reach for more, to go further, to step out of his comfort zone. “Zoricah is
everything
the others weren’t.”

“So, why are you trying to make her
be
like the others?”

“I’m not trying to…” Tardieh stopped mid-sentence as soon as Dyam’s words sank in. Fuck. He had fallen in love with Zoricah because she
didn’t
follow protocol and dared to do what was
right
, not what it was expected of her. And now he was expecting her to just do as she was told.

Tardieh rubbed his tired eyes with the base of his hands. “I’m a moron.”

“No, my lord, you’re just a male.”

Dyam’s blunt words made Tardieh chuckle. The bastard had always had a way of slapping him out of his ego trips.

“My lord?” Joel called from the balcony below. “I have news.”

Tardieh jumped down and landed silently by Joel’s side. “Where is she?”

“I managed to track down the son of a senator who saw Zoricah at Calle de la Sangre last night. He said she was very interested in a blond draco who was talking to a group of vampires.”

“A draco in a vampire’s bar?” Dyam lifted his eyebrow. “That’s very unusual.”

 “Yes, too unusual,” Joel agreed. “So I tracked the draco down. His name is Phillip.”

“Phillip? That’s the name of Zoricah’s informant in the UK.” The S.O.B. was here in Barcelona when he had agreed to a meeting back in London. Tardieh’s fangs elongated of their own accord and his muscles shuddered with raw power. If Phillip had double-crossed Zoricah, he’d regret it for the rest of his pitiful life. “Where is this fucker?”

“There’s a dracos party in Madrid tonight.”

Tardieh smiled. His fangs glistened in the moonlight. “Good, I’m itching for a party.”

Chapter 11

A few minutes later, Tardieh materialized in a side street off Gran Vía in Madrid. Joel and Dyam were right behind him. They walked down the deserted alleyway until they hit one of the most famous avenues in Spain. As the name implies, the Great Way district held Madrid’s best shops, nightclubs, live shows, you name it. The grandiose Metrópolis Building looked even more magnificent with its gigantic angel statue fully illuminated. What only a few people knew was that the popular bohemian neighborhood was also home to the draconian underground life in that part of the world.

Gran Via buzzed with people from all races and species. The Goth scene was the perfect disguise. Werewolves, vampires, fae, witches, deamons, and even razbians walked side by side with clueless humans. But no matter the species, each and every one stepped out of Tardieh’s way. They could feel his power, his hunger. They knew better than to block his path.

Joel guided Tardieh and Dyam down Calle de Pelayo and stopped at a corner.

“The party is in that nightclub,” he said, pointing at a large Baroque-style mansion a few houses down. A massive Goth-looking crowd stood outside, some smoking, others just hanging.

Dyam sniffed the air. “They smell of mould.”

Tardieh narrowed his eyes. “All dracos do.”
Except Zoricah.
“Let’s do this.”

He led the way into the nightclub. The people at the door didn’t dare try to stop him. Once they were inside, it was a different story. The place was full of dracos; they all stopped and stared as soon as Tardieh stepped in.

Ignoring the angry looks, Tardieh went straight to the bar, which took up most of the back wall. The massive mirror behind it provided the perfect vantage point. If Phillip walked in, he’d be able to see him without being noticed. That is, if the swarm of weird-looking patrons gave him a break.

“I really don’t get the bondage and discipline thing,” Dyam said, watching a grown man dressed in diapers being dragged by his male master.

“You don’t know what you’re missing then,” Joel replied with a crooked smile.

“Do you know what Phillip looks like?” Tardieh asked Joel.

“We don’t have to know.” Joel waved at one of the bartenders.

The draco glared back, but obliged.

“I’m here to meet a buddy of mine…Phillip,” Joel told him. “Have you seen him yet?”

“Don’t know any Phillip,” the guy replied.

Tardieh shifted in place. It was going to be a very frustrating night.

“You’re in the wrong place, buddy,” a low voice declared from behind them.

Tardieh turned around and saw an impossibly tall draco with thick eyebrows and a head much too small for the size of his body.

A curve of a smile reached Tardieh’s lips.
Then again, maybe not.
“And why’s that?” he asked the male pyramid.

“You’re not welcome here, blood-sucker,” the guy growled.

The dracos around them stepped aside, probably smelling trouble. Pussies.

“Point me in Phillip’s direction and we’ll leave you be,” Tardieh ventured.

“I think you’ll leave us right now.”

Tardieh smiled. “Make me.”

He was salivating to sink his fangs into the fucker’s neck and rip his head off. Nothing like a good fight to take the edge off. He opened his stance and lowered his jaw.
Come on, fucker, give me your best shot.
 

“He’s with me.”

Tardieh spun around, pyramid-draco already forgotten.

Zoricah stood at the edge of the circle that had formed around them. She wore golden pump boots that reached above her kneecaps, a tiny pair of shorts of the same color and no top, just a midriff, white fur coat joined loosely between her delicious breasts. Her raven hair was tied up in her usual tall pony tail.

Holy Apa Dobrý.
Tardieh’s blood migrated south. He’d never felt so aroused and so pissed off at the same time. That female did things to his brain that no one else could.

“You are late,” she said imperially. “You made your mistress very unhappy, boys. You’ll be severely punished.”

Joel’s eyebrows lifted in pure shock, Dyam’s jaw dropped to the ground, Tardieh’s cock went rock hard.

Zoricah flashed them a “play along or else” look then turned to the draco. “Thank you, Boris, for finding my slaves.”

Slaves?

Boris nodded as if he had actually done something.

“Come,” Zoricah told Tardieh, then swaggered off.

She didn’t wait to see if they had followed her. Her perfectly-shaped ass swayed left-right-left like a fluid wave. The sea of dracos opened up to let her pass, completely hypnotized.

Tardieh shook himself out of his trance and glanced at Boris. The fucking draco was eating Zoricah alive with his small eyes. Tardieh bared his fangs at him; he couldn’t help it. Boris recoiled like a scared puppy; his earlier bravado was nowhere to be found. Fucking dracos.

He felt Dyam’s hand on his shoulder.

“Our mistress awaits us,” his friend said with a “you’re fucking our cover up” look.

Fine.

Tardieh nodded to reassure him he’d play along like a good team player, and tagged along after Zoricah to the second floor. A dark corridor with several doors came into view. Zoricah opened one of them and went in. They followed. The bedroom was furnished with only a massive four-post bed, but several shackles were attached to the grey walls; ropes and chains hung off the ceiling. Nice.

“Are you suicidal?” she asked after closing the door behind them. “This is the base of the draconian underground scene!”

“Did you find the rat?” Tardieh asked, ignoring her question.

She crossed her arms and lifted one meticulously-groomed eyebrow at him. “Phillip’s here…”

“Good.”

“But,” she growled. “You’re not going in with me. You’re getting out of here, now.”

“In your dreams.”

“Joel, Dyam – can you please talk some sense into your king’s skull?”

As Tardieh expected, his friends just shrugged.

“For Hiad’s sake!” Zoricah threw her arms up in the air. “It’s too dangerous! You’re going to get yourself killed, or worse, captured.”

“We’re going with you, whether you like it or not,” Tardieh declared, trying to keep his tone as even as his nerves allowed. “The sooner you accept that, the better.”

She glared at him, jaw clenched. “Fine. Dig your own grave. See if I care.” She opened the door and stormed out.

Tardieh cursed silently. He hated seeing her like that.

They marched down the long corridor. The bitter stench of sweat, alcohol and sex saturated the air. Tardieh’s eyes couldn’t leave Zoricah. She moved smoothly, surely, as if she were a real queen. She was
his
queen – and the sooner she accepted
that
, the better.

Zoricah stopped in front of one of the doors. The sound of grunts and slaps reached Tardieh’s ears. She glanced over her shoulder. Their eyes met.

“Are you sure?” she mouthed.

He nodded in reassurance.

She took a ragged breath, then whispered, “Stay close.”

Tardieh was glad to see her anger dissipate into determination. She reached inside her left boot and took out a small hunting knife. It fit her hand like a glove. Tardieh pulled out his Browning 9mm pistol. Dyam and Joel did the same.

Her eyes went pure gold. “Step back, boys,” she said, then kicked the heavy door. It flapped open as if it were made of paper.

Fuck Hiad, she was stunning! Tardieh’s cock went rock solid. Again.

He shook his head and tried to get his top brain to override his lower one and focus on who was in the bedroom.

Just like in the other one, a large four-post bed stood in the center, with several toys dangling off the ceiling and walls. But unlike the other bedroom, a naked woman was hung up in the air by hoops attached to her midsection, wrists and ankles. A large red ball blocked her mouth and a heavy leather collar with a long leash gripped her neck. The other end of that leash was in the hands of a tall, blond draco with bright grey eyes. His leather outfit held nothing back, or
in
for that matter. It didn’t take long for the draco to realize what was happening. He quickly dropped the leash and ran to the window, probably hoping for a swift escape.

Tardieh darted over and blocked his path to freedom. He thrust his pistol up, hitting the S.O.B. straight on his pretty nose. The draco grunted and stumbled backwards but didn’t fall. Before he could think of trying another way out, Zoricah kicked him on the back of the knee, forcing him down to the floor.

Nice work. Tardieh gazed at her. A ghost of a smile curved her lips. Ignoring the tug in his chest, Tardieh crossed his arms and opened his stance. He’d be happy to be her bodyguard tonight.

“Hello, Phillip,” Zoricah said, grabbing a whip off the wall. “What a surprise to see you here.”

“I was going to call you,” the sucker replied, holding his bloody nose in his hands. He tried to sit down, but Zoricah shoved him back down with a booted foot.

“When, Phillip? Before or after you double-crossed me?”

Phillip’s Adam’s apple went up and down. Zoricah’s high heel was just inches from his throat. His eyes darted from Zoricah to Tardieh. “Something came up and I had to fly over here in a hurry.”

“Of course you did,” Tardieh said, then deliberately glared at the fucker’s exposed and quite deflated cock. Phillip jerked his legs closed and covered his intimate parts with his hands. A wise reaction, since Tardieh’s fangs were completely extended.

“I swear, Z, I was going to call you! I wouldn’t double-cross you like that!”

“You mean like you did in Geneva.”

“Oh, well, that was different,” Phillip replied. His yellow smile made his face look weirdly distorted. “They had the upper hand.”

“Upper hand, my ass.” Tardieh had had enough of that stupid chit chat. He grabbed Phillip by the throat and threw him across the room. Before the prick fell down again, he dematerialized, reappeared by his side and pinned his face against the wall. He then grabbed the sucker’s left wrist and twisted it backwards. Phillip let out a cry worthy of a medal.

“Who sent you here?” Tardieh barked.

Phillip gasped but didn’t answer, so Tardieh put more pressure on his arm. Another girly-cry echoed in the room. Pussy.

“Hurts, doesn’t it? If I were you, I’d answer his question,” Zoricah said, then leaned closer and lowered her voice in a pretend whisper. “My friend here enjoys ripping the arms off his victims. Not a very pleasant way to go.”

Tardieh paused. “Friend?” he mouthed.

She lifted a brow.

Tardieh narrowed his eyes but she had already turned back to Phillip.

“Come on, Phillip, you like your arm where it is, don’t you? So tell us where Yerik’s labs are.”

“I don’t fucking know!”

“Wrong answer,” Tardieh muttered in the draco’s ear, just before he twisted his arm even higher. A loud crack reverberated in the room, followed by more of Phillip’s screams.

“Hey, what’s going on in there?” a male voice, probably that of a bouncer, said from the corridor.

Tardieh glanced at Dyam and Joel, who were watching the door. Their grim faces showed that they were more than ready to get rid of the distraction.

“It’s best to take this outside,” Zoricah declared, then pointed at the open window.

“As you wish,
mistress
,” Tardieh replied, then grabbed Phillip by the collar and jumped out the window.

He landed smoothly on the back street of the club. Too bad he couldn’t say the same about Phillip.

He then dragged the S.O.B. down to a darker corner and shoved him against the wall.

He heard Zoricah, Dyam and Joel arrive behind him.

“Alright, alright!” Phillip cried out, holding onto his injured arm. “Yerik’s got a few labs scattered around Europe.”

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” Dyam growled and lifted his gun at the prick’s forehead.