Jacoby narrowed his gaze. "Or face the wrath of Jacoby Crystallious, High Priest of Heoptin, G.o.d Eternal."
Vitali sucked in a quick breath and then to Vladimir"s surprise, the proud, haughty vampire dropped to one knee and bowed his head. "Lord Crystallious, I am your humble servant."
The vampires with Vitali stared at him, then one by one, knelt and bowed their heads in submission.
Vlad stared at Jacoby. "Just who the h.e.l.l are you, anyway?"
A small smile curved Jacoby"s lips. "It"s a very long story, one you"re far too young to have heard. Besides, it"s time we got your brother out of here."
Vlad nodded, turned and lifted Mikhel into his arms. As he pa.s.sed the still-kneeling Vitali, he lifted a foot.
No, Jacoby warned.
Although Vlad felt no need to kneel as the older vampires had, he decided this was not the time to challenge Jacoby. "You stood by while my brother was kidnapped and tortured and did nothing to help him. This isn"t over, Vitali," he promised.
"f.u.c.k you, you crazy-a.s.s b.a.s.t.a.r.d."
"If it"s the last thing I do, I will f.u.c.k you," he shot back before he carried Mikhel up the steps, aware that Jacoby followed. He fastened the pa.s.senger seatbelt over Mikhel"s lap before turning to face Jacoby. "Thank you."
"Thanks aren"t necessary. You didn"t require my help." "I"m not so sure about that. I know I could have taken two or three of them, but probably not all six." Jacoby glanced toward the pa.s.senger seat of the SUV. "He"s your little brother." Vlad grimaced. "So everyone keeps telling me. What"s your point?"
"Though you may not yet recognize it, you are from a line of vampires that is very old. Those of our line, unlike some others sp.a.w.ned here on Earth, have a deep and abiding concern and affection for those of our clan. To protect him, you would have battled them and won. It"s the way of our clan to overcome great obstacles in defense of our own and those less fortunate."
Vlad stared at the other full-blood. He"d always known there was something different about Jacoby, but now he wondered if maybe Jacoby wasn"t a little crazy. " What? What clan? Since when do vampires "do" clans?"
Jacoby tapped his cheek. "It"s in our blood, as it is with all those whose origins can be traced back to the Crystal Falls." "What Falls?" "Our clan had its earliest beginnings under the influence of the Crystal Falls on the Aeolia planet cl.u.s.ter." Vlad blinked. Jacoby smiled. "It will all become clear in time." Maybe so...or maybe Jacoby was certifiable. "Why do you keep talking as if we"re related?"
"Our clan ties extend far into the distant past, but it exists. There is a reason why you"ve always been drawn to The Brotherhood and why your twin found refuge with the one called Luc. That reason is tied to why Santiago felt a pressing need to dispatch what he calls rogue vampires, but rarely took such action personally."
Vlad shook his head. "I have no idea what the h.e.l.l you"re talking about." Jacoby laughed. "I know. You will, all in good time." "How did you know where we were?" Jacoby arched a brow. "Deoctra called me." "She did? Why?" "She was frantic that they were going to rape Mikhel. If he has been defiled by those who would do better to bow down in his presence, there will be a steep price to pay. Did they defile him?" "No, but it"s that b.i.t.c.h"s fault they got their hands on him in the first place."
Jacoby nodded. "True, but do not go after her."
"Why not?"
Jacoby smiled. "Clearly you don"t yet know who I am, or you wouldn"t question my advice so freely. Because you are young and we are of the same clan, I will make allowances."
Vlad arched a brow. "d.a.m.n, that"s gracious of you. Should I bow down now or later?"
Jacoby"s smile turned into a grin. "You"re going to prove to be quite a challenge to me, Vladimir. I suggest you ask Aleksei for a little history lesson. I"m sure Luc has told him of me. In the meantime, leave Deoctra to me. Whatever her faults, when it came down to crunch time, she did her best to save him. When that didn"t work, she got help for him. Now take him home to those who love him."
Vlad nodded and got into his SUV. He glanced at Mikhel. "I"ll take you to my place. You can rest there."
Mikhel nodded and turned slowly to face him. "I know how you feel about me and coming here and facing the others couldn"t have been easy for you. Thank-"
"Don"t thank me. I didn"t come because I wanted to help you."
Mikhel sighed. "Why do you hate me so much?"
"Maybe because you"re a pampered pretty boy who"s had everything handed to him his entire life. Everything I or the others have, we"ve had to scratch out for ourselves. There was no loving father or powerful mother to protect us as we grew up. We only had each other. Nothing came easy."
"I know you and the others had a much rougher time than we did, but that wasn"t by my choice or design. None of what happened to you was my fault. I didn"t kill your father and I didn"t force those b.a.s.t.a.r.ds to drown you and the others. How d.a.m.n long are you planning to blame me for events that happened hundreds of years before I was even born?"
Vlad turned the SUV around, his fists tightening on the steering wheel. "Shut the f.u.c.k up or I"ll shut you up."
"No, you won"t."
He slammed his foot on the brakes and turned to glare at Mikhel. "What the h.e.l.l did you just say, you p.i.s.sant?"
"I said, no you won"t." Mikhel bared his incisors. "If you wanted me shut up, you could have left me there when they threatened to kill you. But you didn"t because we"re brothers. Whether you like it or not, we"re brothers. As long as we both live, we will always be brothers."
"If you don"t shut the f.u.c.k up, you"re going to be a very dead brother."
"f.u.c.k you, Vladimir."
Infuriated, Vlad"s right hand shot out. His clenched fist encountered the left forearm Mikhel threw up to block it. He could have easily overcome Mikhel"s pathetic resistance, but what the h.e.l.l. Even battered, the baby vamp had spirit. He was never going to like the little p.i.s.sant, but G.o.d help anyone who tried to hurt him.
"The next time, I"ll let them f.u.c.k you up your tight a.s.s."
"f.u.c.k you," Mikhel said again and slumped back against his seat.
Moments later, his slow, even breathing told Vlad he slept.
Vlad sat staring at him for a long time before he drove away. Keeping his gaze on the road, he mindspoke softly to Mikhel. Sleep, with no fear, little p.i.s.sant. I am here to watch over and protect you.
Half an hour later, a slender figure dressed in black appeared in his headlights. Vlad slammed on his brakes. Ignoring the urge to run her a.s.s over, he stopped his SUV, leaped out and grabbed her by her neck. "You treacherous b.i.t.c.h. How dare you show your face."
Eyes bulging, Deoctra struggled to peel his fingers from her throat. He lifted her until her feet dangled in the air. He propelled himself off the ground. "Let"s see if you can fly when I drop you from a few hundred feet, b.i.t.c.h."
Fingers closed around his ankle and tugged downward.
Surprised, hovering several feet above the ground, he looked down. Mikhel stood below them. "What the h.e.l.l do you think you"re doing, you p.i.s.sant?"
"Let her down, Vladimir."
"Are you out of your mind? Don"t you know she"s the one who set your silly a.s.s up?"
"I know that, but I also know she tried to stop it, and she got help. Let her down, Vladimir."
"If you"re going to be so willing to forgive your enemies, you"re not going to live very long."
"Please. Release her."
Annoyed that a sibling of his could be so weak as to plead on behalf of a b.i.t.c.h who had caused so much trouble, Vlad flung her downward. To his amazement, Mikhel stretched out his arms to break her fall. He and Deoctra landed in a tangle of arms and legs.
Vlad dropped back to the ground and stood staring at the two of them.
As Vlad watched, Mikhel scrambled to his knees and leaned over Deoctra. "Are you all right?"
She nodded silently, her hand hovering over her stomach.
"What the h.e.l.l do you want, fem?" Vlad demanded.
She cast a weary look in his direction. "I wanted to make sure Mikhel was all right." She looked at Mikhel. "They didn"t... did they?"
"No." Mikhel turned to look at Vlad. "My brother arrived in time to intervene."
She nodded. "I knew he would. They thought he would stand by and allow them to violate you, but I knew he wouldn"t."
Mikhel nodded. "Of course he wouldn"t. He"s my brother."
Vlad growled low in his throat and rejected the warm feeling that washed over him at Mikhel"s words. What the h.e.l.l did he care if Mikhel believed in him or not?
The sound of approaching vehicles sent them all moving to the side of the dark road. Vlad stood behind his SUV watching as Mikhel and the b.i.t.c.h faced in each other.
"Is this it? Is it over?" Mikhel asked.
She sucked in a deep breath and nodded. "Yes. It"s over."
"No more plots or plans for revenge?"
"No..." She cupped a hand over her stomach. "I have other interests now."
"Other interests?" Mikhel arched a brow, lowering his gaze to her stomach. "You mean...?"
Vlad watched a radiant look flash across her face as she nodded. "I think so. I hope so."
"Who"s the father?"
"That"s none of your concern." She cupped a hand over his cheek, leaned up and kissed his lips. "I really did love you," she whispered.
"I know and I"m sorry I... "
She drew away and shook her head. "It doesn"t matter now. Would you intercede with your mother and your siblings? Tell them I"m-"
"Yes."
She nodded, gave him a long last look and then flashed into the night.
"Get the lead out, Mikhel. Are you going to get your a.s.s in the SUV or are you planning to spend the night on the road staring after your past?"
"You really are one miserable son of a b.i.t.c.h," Mikhel told him and got back inside.
"So what? You think all vamps are as touchy-feely as Sei?"
"No. He"s one of a kind."
Vlad slid into the driver"s seat and started the SUV. The near reverence in Mikhel"s voice when speaking of Aleksei annoyed the h.e.l.l out of him. "Maybe so, but just remember which one of us saved your sorry a.s.s tonight."
Mikhel feigned a yawn. "Yadda yadda yadda." He closed his eyes and slumped back against the seat, then bolted upright. "I need a phone. I have to call Erica and Mother. They must be frantic."
Chapter Eight.
Jace bolted up in bed, his senses alert. He stared around the dark, unfamiliar bedroom. It took him several moments to realize where he was. He turned his head. The rumpled bed beside him was empty. His newly heightened senses told him Ana- Tatiana-was still in the apartment. Someone else was there as well.
He jumped out of bed, found his pants and pulled them over his nude body. He moved quietly through the apartment, pausing at the open door which led into the living room.
Standing in the shadows, he stared across the room to the patio beyond. Tatiana, wearing a sheer negligee that clearly revealed every inch of her voluptuous body, stood facing a tall, blond male. What the f.u.c.k was his woman doing standing practically naked in front of another man?
Stalking across the room, he pulled the patio doors open and bolted out onto deck. "Who the h.e.l.l is this?"
Tatiana turned to face him. "Leave us alone for a moment, Eric."
He shook his head. "The name is Jace, and I asked you a question."
The man moved around Tat. His right hand shot out toward Jace"s face. Jace brought up his left forearm to block the blow. Following through quickly, he sent his right fist crashing into the man"s jaw.
The blond collapsed to the deck, unconscious. Jace reached down to grab his limp body. Tatiana"s hand closed over his wrist like steel. Retaining his grip on the man"s sweater, he stared at her. "What?"
"Release him and leave us alone."
He arched a brow at the unmistakable threat in her tone. Any notion he"d had of her taking one look at him and realizing he was the love of her life vanished. He was going to have to work hard to win her.
d.a.m.n. He couldn"t remember the last time he"d had to wine and dine a woman. He thought briefly of his courtship of Carollina, remembered the nightmare that had left him sweating with fear the night before, and quickly dismissed thoughts of her.
He"d woo Tatiana, but d.a.m.n if he"d lose her to some pretty blond with a gla.s.s jaw.
She spoke again, her voice low and steady. "Release him, Jason...gently."
He opened his fist and smiled as the blond"s head hit the deck with a noticeable thud.
She hissed softly and stared at him. "Now leave us alone and pray that he"s not hurt."
He closed his hand over her arm. "I don"t give a s.h.i.t if he"s hurt or not. Who is he?"
"Someone special."
The words sliced through him with the force of a steel-sharpened knife. How could she talk about someone else being special to her after what they"d shared hours earlier? "If he"s so special, what the h.e.l.l were you doing with me earlier tonight?"
She shook her head, her lips tightening. "What happened between us was a mistake neither of us can afford to repeat. Now go while I"m still prepared to allow you to leave in one piece."
He laughed and grabbed her shoulders. Staring into her eyes, he spoke slowly. "Do not threaten me."