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She stared up at him in stunned amazement. “What?”
I love you too.
“No. No. Say it aloud.”
“I love you too.”
“Oh, my God!” She sucked in a breath. “You do?”
“Yes.”
“But I...I thought you just wanted sex.”
He arched a brow. “Why would you think that?”
“How could I think anything else? I’ve never seen you unless you wanted sex. What else was I supposed to think?”
“I’ve already admitted you have a legitimate complaint,” he said. “But I can get pussy from any woman I want it from. If I didn’t love you, I wouldn’t have to keep taking your endless shit!”
“My endless shit? What endless shit?”
He laughed and propelled his thick dick back in her, making her gasp. “You’re full of shit,” he told her. “But never fear, my lovely wanton, I plan to fuck it all out of your large, lovely ass.”
“In your dreams, buddy!” she said, then moaned as her climax approached.
“Your ass is mine,” he told her confidently, pushing his cock back in her.
“Oh, yes, handsome! Oh, yes! But not tonight!”
He laughed and sucked at her breasts, making her toes curl.
A shiver of desire ran through her as she looked up at their reflection in the mirrored ceiling. The contrast of her pale arms wrapped around his warm, cinnamon-colored body was highly erotic. She watched the progression of her hand moving down his back to rest on his firm ass cheek.
The contrast of our skin tones excites you?
Everything about you excites me, she admitted. I love everything about you...the color of your skin...the sound of your voice...your long, dark hair...your big, sculptured body...everything...I just love you, Aleksei.
I feel the same, my Dani. He licked the side of her neck. She closed her eyes and tilted her head. A warm, velvety quiver ran through her as his incisors pierced the skin of her neck. She cupped her fingers in his hair and held him close as he fed.
Feeling him thrusting roughly in and out of her as he sucked the blood from her body was a totally awesome experience for her. Within a matter of moments of his feeding on her, the floodgates of her desire and need for him burst forth and an explosive orgasm washed over her like a gigantic, wave, totally submersing all her senses.
Feeling replete and sated, she lay under him, limp and nearly senseless, as he clutched her tight and came in her, filling her with his seed. With his incisors and his cock still buried in her body, he collapsed on top of her, shuddering.
I love you, she moaned. So much.
I love you too. More than that, I’m in bloodlust with you. He shuddered again and finally withdrew his cock and his incisors from her. Holding her close, he rolled over onto his back, pulling her on top of him.
About to ask what bloodlust was, she received a series of impressions from him that ranged from a cuddly warmth to an overwhelming lust, need, and gut-wrenching desire for her. Only she could fully fulfill all his needs. “Oh, Aleksei! Your perfect mate?
I’m your perfect mate?”
Yes, my Dani. I’ve waited such a long time to meet you. He curled his fingers in her hair and brought her mouth down on his. I love you forever.
Forever?
Yes, my Dani, forever. Does the thought frighten you?
She pulled away from him and lifted her head so she could look down into his eyes. “The only thing that frightens me is the thought of trying to live without you in my life. I can’t be happy without you anymore, Aleksei. I don’t just love and want you...I need you.”
“That’s as it should be. You are my bloodlust, but I need you too, my Dani.”
She sighed and lay her cheek against his shoulder. “The night you stormed out of my apartment...you went to Clare Wilton. Didn’t you?”
He tensed under her. “What makes you ask that?”
Oh, damn! He had gone to her. “I want the truth, Aleksei,” she warned.
“I know it’s not very gallant to admit, but it meant less than nothing to me, Dani. I care nothing for her. But I had physical needs I had to satisfy.” He rolled them over so she lay on her back with him on top of her. “So do not overreact.”
She sucked in a breath. He admitted to sleeping with a woman who was younger, prettier, and skinner than her and then dared to tell her not to overreact? She shoved against his shoulders. “Get off of me!”
“Dani—”
“I mean it, Aleksei! Get off! Now!”
He rolled off her and she scrambled off the bed and began picking up her clothes.
He sat on the side of the bed, staring at her, his eyes narrowed. “Dani, I need you to understand that I am not a human male. I have certain physiological needs that sometimes throw things off balance for me. These are not needs I can ignore as a human male might. You are the one woman I love and need above all the women I’ve known in my life. Don’t misunderstand how much you mean to me...how much I need you. I need you, Dani. I want you and I need you.”
He extended his hand. “Dani?”
Part of her wanted to dress and leave, but another part felt his overwhelming need for her. It hurt like hell that he had slept with Clare Wilton, but she knew she wasn’t going to be strong enough to walk away from him on that account. She had been willing to forgive Barry when she had first learned of his infidelity. If she could forgive him knowing she no longer loved him to distraction, she could certainly forgive Aleksei, for whom she felt an all-encompassing need. Besides, he’d forgiven her for fucking his brother while he stood and watched.
She could hardly demand understanding and forgiveness for herself while refusing to extend it to him. She sighed and tossed her clothes onto the floor. “I am not going to share you, Aleksei, outside of the bounds of your bloodlust ties! You’d better understand that. This is the last allowance I will make for you.”
He rose and took her in his arms. “Don’t deny me when I need you most and it will never happen again. I do not cheat, but I can’t deny who I am.”
She hit his shoulder with a clenched fist. “I don’t want you to deny who you are, I just want you to stay out of other women’s beds.”
He tipped up her chin. “Then don’t kick me out of yours and I won’t.”
“The thought of you with her makes me spitting mad!”
“It was sex with no feelings or emotions involved. There’s no need for you to feel betrayed or hurt when you own my heart and my devotion. Neither of which I bestow lightly, Dani.”
“But you sleep with other women very lightly. Surely you didn’t need to go to her.”
He sighed. “No. I could have gone to one of my brother’s women. Would you have found that more acceptable?”
“No!”
“I didn’t think so. In any case, Dani, going to either of my brother’s women would have risked creating problems in their relationships, which are still fairly new and somewhat fragile. Would you have liked that?”
“What I would have liked was for you to keep your cock in your pants!”
“I told you how to ensure that. Don’t deny me when I have needs I can’t always control. If I could have done without, I would have.”
She felt his sincerity and decided it was time to drop the subject, at least for now. Clearly she had a lot to learn about vampires in general and Aleksei in particular.
She made no protest when he picked her up and carried her back to the bed. They lay on their sides, with his body cuddled behind hers. “Why did you leave, Aleksei instead of staying and trying to work things out?”
He brushed his lips against her neck. “What would you have had me do, Dani? You said you wanted me to go and you meant it at the time. Would you have had me force myself on you?”
“No, but I wanted you to fight for me. I didn’t expect you to just...walk away so easily...as if I weren’t important enough to fight for. I wanted to know you were willing to put up a fight for me, Aleksei but you weren’t.”
“It’s not that I didn’t want too. I just didn’t have the time. I don’t have it now.”
“Why not?”
He told her of the danger to Vlad and of his fear that Vlad would find Palea despite his efforts to protect her. She turned quickly in his arms and stared up at him. “Oh, Aleksei. What are you going to do?”
His eyes darkened. “What I have to. I will continue to do my best to protect Palea and I will confront, Santiago.”
“But Aleksei, if Vlad is as dark and dangerous as you say, can’t he take on Santiago himself?”
“Probably he could, but Dani, you don’t understand. He is more than my brother. He is a very special part of me. I can’t let this go.”
She cupped a hand against his cheek. “You’ll be careful, won’t you? I couldn’t bear for anything to happen to you now.”
He turned his head and kissed her cheek. “Nothing is going to happen to me.” He frowned suddenly. “What is it? What are you trying to hide from me?”
She froze and jerked away from him. “No, Aleksei! Don’t probe my mind. Please!”
“What are you hiding from me?”
“Don’t, Aleksei! It’s not fair. I only know what you choose to share with me. I’m entitled to a few secrets of my own.”
“Why should you want to keep secrets from me, Dani?”
“If you really love me, you’ll respect my wishes, Aleksei.”
“As you wish, but—”
She pressed her lips against his, silencing him. No buts. You just concentrate on coming back to me in one piece.
He returned her kiss. I wish I had time to take you out to dinner, but—
It’s all right, she told him. Now that she knew how he felt about her, the outward signs of romance didn’t matter as much. When this is over, you’ll take me out for some wildly expensive dinner. Yes?
Yes, my Dani, he said with a meekness that was belied by the glint in his eye. He was only ever going to be so tame...which suited her just fine.
She kissed him again and rubbed her cheek against his shoulder. I need you to come back to me, Sei.
I will. When I do, you will tell me what you’re hiding from me.
It wasn’t a request and Dani instinctively knew that no matter how much he loved her, there was a limit to how much control he would relinquish to her. But that was okay because she loved him just the way he was.
“Aleksei?”
“Yes?”
“I’ve changed my mind.”
“About what?”
She pulled out of his arms and rolled over to lay on her stomach with her legs spread. “Take my cherry.”
She felt his excitement level go off the scale. “Dani? You’re sure?”
If he somehow didn’t come back, she wanted to make sure she hadn’t held any part of herself back from him. “Yes.”
Kneeling near her, he covered her rear with kisses and caresses. She lay with her eyes closed as he massaged warm oil and lube over and in her rear. When he inserted two fingers and began a gentle digital fuck, she sighed with pleasure, wiggling her behind. “Hmm.”
He inserted a third finger and she tensed, feeling stretched. “Oh!”
Relax, my lovely little wanton. This will help prepare you to take my cock. His incisors scraped along her behind as he continued gently reaming her.
Oh, yes. Nice...very nice. She pressed her butt back against his hand.
“Hmm...oh...hmm.”
Get ready, Dani. I’m going to take your ass.
He eased his fingers out and turned her on her back, parting her legs. He lubed her ass again and then extended the lube to her. Heart pounding, she took it and lubed his cock.
He slid his body up hers and began sucking her breasts. She moaned softly and clutched his head to her chest. “Oooh.... oooh.”
Good?
Yes! So good. Hmm.
Are you ready?
Yes.
He lubed her again and put a pillow under her hips. Looking down into her eyes, he leaned down to kiss her. Moving between her legs, he pressed his cock against her behind.
She closed her eyes and tensed.
No. Relax, Dani. Relax and let me in.
Even though she wanted him to fuck her ass, she was also afraid, knowing it was probably going to hurt like hell.
Parting her cheeks, he pressed forward. The head of his cock pushed through her small, tight hole and into her behind. He paused. “Look at me.”
She opened her eyes and gazed up into his glowing ones. “Aleksei...it’s not all going to fit.”
She expected him to laugh and tease her. Instead, he leaned down to kiss her lips again. It’ll be all right, my Dani. It will hurt, but it will get better. Relax and let me in.
She nodded and forced herself to relax.
Supporting his weight on his arms, he inched forward. Another inch or so of cock slid through her hole and up into her behind.
“Oh!” She had only a few inches of cock up her and already she felt as if he was going to split her in two.
He continued to inch forward. Several more inches of silken dick made its way into her.
She pressed a hand against his chest. “Oh! Oooh!”
He gently sucked at her breasts and she shuddered, momentarily forgetting the discomfort in her behind. “Just a little more, my lovely.”
Lifting his head to gaze down at her, he locked his glowing gaze with hers. He inched forward and somehow managed to get even more of his thick length up her rectum.
She bit her lip. “Oh!”
“Just a little more and I’ll stop.”
“Is it all in?”
“No...we’re not going to get it all in tonight. This is enough. This is good...wonderful.”
Her behind felt so full and tight, she was afraid if she moved, it would burst. And if he started thrusting in her...
His lips closed on hers, as he lowered his upper body onto her. He lay still, kissing, and caressing her for several moments before he gently began moving his long, thick tool in and out of her stuffed ass.
She dug her nails into his back and bit into his shoulder as a wave of pain assailed her. “Oooh!”
Hang in there with me, Dani. I’m being as gentle as I can.
I know, Sei and I don’t want you to stop...it just...it’s uncomfortable.
I know, love. He kissed her lips, cupped his hands over her behind and slowly drove his dick in and out of her. If it’s too painful, I’ll pull out and fuck your pussy. I don’t want to hurt you.
She gasped and bit her lip as he eased his cock back into her, filling her ass with pain. “Oooh!”
Oh, shit! This is not going to work. I’m sorry, Dani. I’ll take it out. He rubbed his nose against hers and began to withdraw.
No! She caught his shoulders and pulled him back down to her. I know it feels good for you and I want you to enjoy it and come in me. Everything I have is yours to do with as you like, Sei, including my ass. Take it...ravish my ass.
Not when it causes you so much pain. Resisting her efforts to keep him inside, he gently drew his cock out of her ass. He rolled over to his back and held her on top of him, with his cheek pressed against hers. Forgive me for being so selfish. I promise you that I won’t try to fuck your ass again.
She knew he meant it and blinked back tears. “Oh, Sei! I love you so much. And I don’t want that promise. I want it to happen again. I think we just need to go slower next time.”
“We will.” He cuddled her close and drew a sheet up over their bodies. “Now go to sleep, love.”
“And when I wake up?”
“I’ll be gone.”
“But you’ll come back?”
“I’ll always come back to you, Dani. Always.”
Content with that promise, she fell asleep.
* * *
Vlad felt the adrenalin kicking in as he followed the small, slender fem, fleeing before him along the back alleys of the club district. He had been stalking her intermittently for a period of two weeks and now he found he had grown tired of the chase. He would finish her off quickly and then he would go see Adam. Maybe. Or maybe he would find someone else...someone who could accept him as he was and wouldn’t call him hurtful names.
The fem in front of him suddenly stopped and swung around to face him. “What do you want of me?”
“I am Vladimir Madison,” he announced, stopping just inches in front of her.
“I know who you are,” she said. “Why are you stalking me?”
“You owe a debt for the attempt you made on the life of Kattia Dumont. I am here to collect on that debt.”
He watched her gaze flash around, clearly looking for some means of escape. He shook his head. “If you do not struggle, I will make this quick and as painless as possible.”
Her eyes flashed with a combination of anger and fear. “What do you want of me?” she demanded. “My sisters, both so young and innocent have died because I took them with me when I should not have. Haven’t I suffered enough?! What more does your dishonorable band require of me?”
“I care nothing for the lives of your sisters and I require your life!”
She shook her head. “No! I will not be dispatched for seeking a vengeance that was rightly mine. You of all people should understand. Now, move aside and let me past.”
He shook his head. “Although I have no personal gripe with you, Aleksei wants you dispatched. I’m going to have to kill you.”
“I think not.” She suddenly pulled up her short dress, exposing her bare cunt.
Vlad’s cock stirred as he looked at it. It was hairless with pretty little lips that would hug and caress his cock as he drove it deep within her pussy. And fem pussy was always very good. But this was not the time for fucking. Besides, the next time he wanted a blistering pussy fuck, he was going straight to Dani’s arms. His cock pulsed against his leg as he thought of her pussy and her big ass. He couldn’t recall the last time a woman had caused such a stir in him. His desire to fuck her didn’t surprise him as much as the tenderness he’d felt for her as they’d fucked with Aleksei looking on.
He’d wanted to hold her in his arms, softly kiss her lips, and whisper warm words of desire to her. He felt a hunger for her that confused and overwhelmed him coming as it did amid his consuming passion for Adam.
But this was not the time for losing himself in thoughts of lust and desire.
Her gaze met his. “Come,” she said, her voice softening. “Come drive that big hard golden cock of yours into my pussy. Come taste the delight of fucking a full-blood. I’ll ride your cock and take you up my ass all night and then I will suck you until you fill my belly with your delicious seed. Come get the best fuck of your life, Madison.”
He was tempted. It had been a very long time since he had fucked a full-blood fem. The pleasure to be found in a fem’s pussy was incredible. His cock hardened. She would be able to take every inch of his aching cock up her ass and her pussy. And she would eagerly swallow his cum and never complain that his dick was too big or too hard or that he was going to split her open like human women were prone to do. With her he could have a rough, hard, cock-busting ass fuck the likes of which he couldn’t even share with Adam for fear of hurting him. He could take as much pussy and ass as he wanted without having to listen to her whining or sobbing with pain.
She rotated her hips and turned her back to him, exposing her small, tight ass. “Come take some of the finest fem ass available,” she invited.
He wanted ass all right, but not particularly hers. His thoughts turned to Adam. Handsome Adam with the soft blond hair, sweet lips, beautiful eyes, and addictive ass. Now there was an ass...the best ass he’d ever had, male or female. His cock nearly exploded. Shit, he wanted Adam. The sooner he took care of business with her, the sooner he could go to Adam. “Prepare yourself,” he advised her coolly.
She swung around to face him, eyes glowing, incisors bared. Keeping her gaze on his face, she took up a defensive stance.
Vlad watched her, surprised to find that the prospect of killing her no longer held any delight for him. He just wanted to kill her and then go see Adam.
“I do not intend to stand and let you dispatch me, Madison. Withdraw and we can both walk away with our dignity and honor intact.”
“I do not withdraw,” he told her coldly, “and I don’t require your permission to kill you. Resistance will only make your death more painful.”
“So be it, Madison!” she spat and with lightning fast speed, whipped out a multitude of sharp knives which she hurled at different parts of his body.
Moving even faster, he caught all ten knives before any could pierce his flesh and sent them spinning back at her. She twisted and jumped, but several of them found their mark.
Falling back down to the ground, she pulled the knives from her body. Then, baring her incisors, she flew at him with a fearlessness he admired.
He saw a flash of metal in her hand and threw up a tensed right forearm to block the blow from the short sword she aimed at his chest. There was another flash of steel and she immediately bombarded him with a rapid flurry of blows. He easily warded them all off and then casually shoved her.
She flew across the length of the alley. She righted herself and landed on her feet, still clutching both short swords in her hands. “Stand aside, Madison. You have no gripe with me.”
“Aleksei has one with you, Deoctra Diniti. And whoever he has a debt with, so do
I.”
“If the two of you are so close, perhaps you can tell me why he hasn’t told you he’s found her yet,” she taunted.
He stiffened. “Her?”
“Yes! The one you have spent a lifetime searching for. He’s found her but he hasn’t bothered to tell you.”
“Liar!” He flew across the distance separating them, and warding off the furious blows she threw at him, he knocked the swords from her hands and grabbed her by the throat. He lifted her off her feet and held her several inches off the ground. He stared up into her dark eyes. “Lying bitch! Aleksei would never keep such a secret from me.”
Yes, he would. Why do you think he wants me dead?
“Because you tried to dispatch Katie Dumont unjustly.”
And why should that matter to him?
“It’s not necessary for me to know why.”
I will tell you why. Because he knows I know his secret. I know where the mother who deserted you is. And the irony is you want to dispatch me to protect Katie Dumont...your little sister, and Aleksei hasn’t even bothered to tell you that. Has he?
“Lying bitch!” He tightened his fingers around her neck until she gasped for breath. “For trying to come between Aleksei and me, you will die slowly!”
I know where your mother is! I know who she is! She cawed wildly at his fingers.
He slapped her several times, watching her head snap back and forth. “Then take the knowledge to the grave with you, bitch!” he snarled and tightened his other hand around her neck. He kept the pressure on her slender neck until her eyes began to bulge. Then he choked harder and harder still until she stopped moving. He reached over and picked up one of the swords she’d attacked him with and drove it into her body. He stared down at her, his incisors bared, his eyes glowing, his heart filled with rage.
“Bitch!” He spat near her body. “Lying bitch!”
Sei would never lie to him. Or would he? As he stood undecided what to do, a call he had longed to hear reached him.
Vlad. Where are you?
He cast a final, angry, but indecisive look at the fem lying bleeding on the ground and then he shook his head, racing off into the night. He would answer the call he’d longed to hear and then he would find Sei. And if the bitch had lied to him, hell wouldn’t be far enough to save her from his wrath.
* * *
As Aleksei approached the outskirts of the estate that housed the big, well-lit, two-story mansion situated in the midst of many acres of grass and trees, he realized he was being shadowed. His lips peeled back, revealing his incisors. Seemed he was going to get action before he even got onto the actual grounds.
He frowned. The two stalking him were vampires. Full-blood. So be it. He swung around, ready to kill them both when he caught familiar brushes against his mind.
Surprise and pleasure replaced the tension and rage in him. The two vampires moved out of the shadows and faced him in the moonlight. Both were tall and handsome with short dark hair. One was gray-eyed, the other brown-eyed. “What are you two doing here?”
“We heard you’d had an encounter with several vampire hunters sent by Santiago, so we have come to stand with you,” Mikhel Dumont, the oldest of the two spoke first.
Aleksei looked at Serge, at forty years old, his baby brother. The two of them had never really gotten along well. “And you, Serge? I’m surprised to see you as well,” he said, resisting the urge to call Serge pup, as he usually did. “Come to back up Mikhel?”
Serge stared at him with cool gray eyes. “Always, but I am here on your account as well.” Serge paused and he realized he wanted to mention their blood tie, but was aware that Mikhel did not yet know of it. “Whoever takes on you, has to take on the Dumonts as well.”
He glanced quickly around. “Don’t tell me you’ve brought Katie too,” he said.
“No. We prevailed upon her to stay home by telling her that she needed to stay with Mother and help protect the Dodge House, in case the necessity should arise,” Mikhel said.
“Santiago is very old and very powerful. He’s killed more than his share of vampires,” he warned.
“Before he can kill you, he’ll have to kill us first,” Serge said.
Aleksei was touched that Mikhel and Serge should have come to stand with him. But he was no more willing to lose them to Santiago or his vampire hunters than he’d been willing to lose Vlad. He extended his arms. Mikhel immediately stepped forward, close against him. Serge finally moved against him and he embraced them both, kissing their hair. “Blood brothers to the end?”
“Always,” Mikhel said.
“And beyond,” Serge said, his gray eyes swirling with a suppressed fury. “I would die for you as willingly as I would die for Mik.”
He pressed kisses against their hair again and released them. “I am more touched than I can say, but I cannot allow you two to come in with me.”
“We are going with you, Aleksei,” Mikhel said. “End of story.”
He couldn’t allow them to risk their lives for a brother they knew nothing about who would kill them as soon as he found them. “Mikhel, you’re a new husband and father. Think of what would become of Dimitri and Erica should we not prevail tonight.”
“We will prevail,” Serge said before Mikhel could respond.
“And if we don’t?” Aleksei insisted. “Then what?”
“Then mother will avenge us all,” Mikhel said.
He stiffened. “She knows of this?”
He nodded. “When she heard Santiago was after you, she nearly blew a gasket. It was all Dad could do to keep her from coming here in a rage. Only the thought that the hunters might turn up at the Dodge House kept her from coming, but she said to tell you her heart is with you and should you be dispatched, she will require the death of Santiago and all his hunters to even begin to atone for your life.”
“She said that?” Despite himself, he was touched.
“Why should you be surprised?” Serge demanded. “Part of her knows.”
Mikhel glanced at him, frowning. “Part of her knows what?”
Serge stared at him. “It’s time he knew, Alex.”
“It’s time I knew what?”
Aleksei gave the estate of Santiago one last look and then turned and flashed away into the night with Serge and Mikhel close behind him. He stopped several miles down the road where he had left his SUV. He unlocked the vehicle and Serge slid in the back. He waited until Mikhel was seated next to him in front before he spoke. “You and I have always been close, Mikhel.”
“Very close.”
He stared out the windshield. “Have you never wondered why?”
“Not really. I guess I’ve always thought of you as the big brother I always wanted but never had.”
He turned to find Mikhel staring at him. “I am your big brother, Mikhel.”
Whereas Serge and Katie had been resistant when he had first told them of his relationship to them, Mikhel was silent for several long moments. “I think I’ve always known that, Aleksei,” he finally said. “The first time I saw you at the lake when I was five, I can remember thinking that you would make a perfect big brother.”
“I have tried my best, Mikhel.”
“And you have succeeded. You have never let me down, Aleksei.” Those simple words bought a lump to his throat.
“Aleksei, why didn’t you ever tell me? How is it that mother doesn’t know?”
Again Mikhel showed perception. Both Serge and Katie had assumed because he had blue eyes, he was Matt Dumont’s son. Mikhel seemed to know better.
“It’s a long ugly story, Mikhel. That’s part of the reason I was going to challenge Santiago. He didn’t send his hunters after me. He sent them after Vlad.”
“Who is Vlad?” Serge asked.
“My twin brother,” he said. “We’re identical and the hunters mistook me for Vlad.”
“There’s another brother?” Serge demanded. “Just how many more of you are there Alex and why isn’t he here to stand with you?”
“Vlad is off on an errand,” he said.
Serge snorted. “He seems to have his priorities screwed. What could be more important that this?”
“He’s off searching for Deoctra to make her pay for what she tried to do to Katie, you arrogant, young pup!” he snapped, stung that Serge should think Vlad was a coward. “He would die for me, if need be.”
“As would we!” Serge retorted.
“Don’t you two start on each other!” Mikhel said. He raked a hand through his hair. “You haven’t told me how it is that mother doesn’t know who you are.”
He bit back the urge to snap because she had left them for dead. “When I’m around her, I cloud her mind so she doesn’t know who I am.”
“What? That’s not possible!” Serge said. “Do you have any idea how powerful she is?”
He swung around in his seat to stare at Serge. “You clearly have no idea how powerful I am, pup! Vlad and I have not had the advantages you and your siblings have. We have lived a great deal of our lives in the pits of hell. We are both extremely dark and dangerous. I have learned things and done things that would curl your hair, Serge. I cloud her mind when we’re together so she doesn’t see me as I am. The next time you see her, ask her what color my skin or eyes are. Ask her about the texture of my hair. Her answers will surprise you. She sees what I want her to see and no more.”
“What about the others?” Mikhel asked quietly. “Tatiana and Andrei?”
His knowledge of their names surprised him. He could feel Serge’s surprise as well. “She told you their names?”
“Yes. During my Feast. She told me about you all and we cried together for her loss.” He stopped suddenly. “Oh, damn! You’re little Alexander!”
“She always called me Alexander, but I was named Aleksei after my great-great-grandfather.”
“And Tatiana and Andrei?” Mikhel asked. “What of them?”
“Vlad and I were in hell together,” he said. While he had no wish to lie to Mikhel, he was determined to protect Tatiana and Andrei’s right to live their lives outside the vampire community.
“After we go back and confront Santiago, you can tell us what happened to make mother think you were dead,” Mikhel said.
Aleksei hesitated, then felt other familiar brushes against his mind. He glanced at Mikhel and Serge and noted they seemed unaware of the presence of the new arrivals. Not surprising considering they were both so young. “Two more full-bloods have arrived,” he said abruptly. “Friends,” he said when they tensed. “Please remain inside while I speak to them.”
Serge’s hand descended on his shoulder. “Are you sure they’re friends? We won’t allow you to face foes alone.”
Serge’s fierceness reminded him of Vlad. He smiled and patted Serge’s hand. “Yes. I won’t be long.”
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