Chapter Three

One thing Kesi hated was being torn away from an important job for a trivial one. Only an experienced, highly skilled member of the Wakened Veils could keep control of entire units, but just about anyone could meet and greet a “good will” ambassador. That in itself made Kesi laugh. She couldn’t imagine a weretiger bearing good will for anybody, let alone a group of assassins who had tried to destroy one of their own. Now that the problems between the Veils and the weretiger clan led by Sanjay were supposedly over, both sides were seriously contemplating an alliance. To Kesi, this was a bad idea. She couldn’t understand why the First Wraths were trying so hard for this alliance. The Veils didn’t need anything from a group of men.

Upon arriving in Portugal, she traveled to the Algarve, to the villa of Vidonia, one of the First Wraths. All three founders had already assembled there and had greeted and interviewed the ambassador from the weretiger clan. Apparently he impressed them since the plans for alliance still held strong and Kesi was faced with the unpleasant task of three months being tailed by a tiger.

She met with the First Wraths on the balcony outside Vidonia’s bedroom. The three founders sat around a table sipping wine and gazing at the nearby beach. Masika, a tall vampiress with smooth ebony skin and penetrating brown eyes, stared at Kesi sternly, as if already sensing the rebellion in her. Masika had given Kesi the gift of vampirism. She was Kesi’s teacher and friend and had personally recruited her for the Wakened Veils. To Masika’s left sat Vidonia, a Portuguese succubus with dark, penetrating eyes and long black hair. To her right was Lani, a small, sleekly-built woman with the ability to shape-shift into a fish. Long ago, Lani’s people had been among the first to settle on the Hawaiian islands. These three women had met thousands of years ago and became fast friends. Together they created the Wakened Veils and rescued countless women, giving proper retribution to the men who abused them.

“Kesi, come have a seat,” Vidonia said, pointing to an empty chair at the round glass table.

“Would you like some wine?”

“No thank you,” Kesi replied. She never had a taste for wine, but every now and then she still enjoyed rum. It brought back memories of her vampiric youth after she had left Africa and spent years sailing the Caribbean. She’d had her own ship. Some called her a pirate, but she considered herself an explorer. After all, she’d only stolen from men who deserved it.

“You know why you’ve been called here,” Masika said. “For the next three months you will work closely with the weretiger Zane. He will join you in the United States where he will assist you in your cases and observe how the Wakened Veils work. In turn you will learn from him the ways of the weretiger.”

Immediately Kesi’s guard rose. “But I’m in charge, right? I have no intention of giving him power over my warriors.”

“You should know better than to ask such a question,” Vidonia said. “What is the problem, Kesi?”

Kesi turned her gaze to Masika who watched her carefully. She, better than anyone, understood the depth of Kesi’s mistrust and dislike of men. This alliance with the weretigers must be very important to the Wakened Veils for her old friend to demand such a sacrifice. Kesi loved Masika.

She owed her, but this was too much to ask.

Speaking calmly yet with enough authority for the First Wraths to know she meant business, she began, “The Wakened Veils have never allied themselves with a male organization. I don’t see the need to begin now and especially not with the weretigers. I’ve tangled with them before, and I can assure you they are dangerous and highly aggressive.”

“Yes they are, but this particular clan’s creed is so similar to our own that we would be fools not to take advantage of a friendly relationship with them,” Lani said.

“We don’t need men ….”

“We do not seek this alliance because they are men, but because they, like us, hold justice in high esteem. They also respect women. They may be an all-male clan, but they honor their goddess above all else.”

“Sanjay’s clan might honor the goddess who created them, but not all weretigers are like that,” Kesi reminded them.

“But it is with Sanjay’s clan that we seek alliance,” Masika reminded her. “We would not ask you to do this if we didn’t believe it to be in the Wakened Veils’ best interest.”

Sighing with frustration, Kesi asked, “Why did you choose me for this job? You know how I feel about allying ourselves with men. I’ve made that clear. You also know that I’m not exactly ambassador material. I won’t pander to this weretiger. I won’t submit to his chauvinism and don’t try to tell me he’s not chauvinistic because no matter how often they pray to their goddess, there’s not a weretiger alive who doesn’t think men are the stronger sex.”

Vidonia stared at Kesi with a look that could turn a starving shark off a seal dinner. “Are you finished?”

“Yes,” Kesi said stiffly, knowing her arguments hadn’t done a damn thing to change the First Wraths’ plans.

“Good. We understand your feelings on the matter and regardless of what you might think, we do not dismiss them. We will enter this alliance with caution. As for the reason we have chosen you to work with ambassador Zane, it is because you are forthright, honorable, and one of the Veils’ greatest warriors. According to Sanjay, these are qualities that Zane also possesses.

Truthfulness, loyalty, and justice are what he holds dear. To bind him to anyone less than one of our most respected members would, according to weretiger custom, be an insult to him.”

Kesi resisted the urge to raise her eyes to the heavens. She already guessed this guy would be a pompous ass.

“I trust you will carry out your orders to the best of your ability and not allow your personal feelings to influence your duty?” Lani asked.

Kesi drew a deep breath and resisted the urge to grit her teeth. That insinuation offended her. She always did her job. If the First Wraths wanted her to show the pussycat how the Wakened Veils worked, then she would do just that. She nearly smiled. This could be more fun than she imagined. The weretiger better be prepared to work his striped tail off.

“Of course,” Kesi said, bowing her head to her superiors. “When do I meet him?”

“Right away, if you’re ready,” Masika said.

Oh yes. She was definitely ready.

Vidonia summoned a maid and asked her to escort Zane to the balcony. Kesi waited, torn between frustration at her situation and mild interest in her new “partner”.

When Zane stepped onto the balcony, a twinge of surprise shot through her. She had expected an Indian, not this blue eyed white man. Long dark brown lashes fringed his huge eyes that were almost vampiric in their intensity. He had a square jaw and a large well-shaped nose. His top lip had the most adorable bow that made her long to trace it with the tip of her tongue. She guessed him to be around six feet with broad shoulders and a trim build accentuated by black slacks and a black shirt open at the neck. As a vampire Kesi noticed throats, and she had to admit Zane’s was gorgeous. His neck looked strong but not overly muscled, the flesh smooth. The hollow of his throat was exceptionally beautiful, the sort a woman would love to caress with her fingertips or tickle with her tongue.

In spite of his leanness, he exuded power. Just like a weretiger. His expression both aroused and challenged her. Kesi’s guard rose even more as she vowed not to allow pure animal lust to control her. So the weretiger was cute. No big deal. He was still a man and only worthy of her contempt.

“Kesi, this is Zane,” Lani said. “You will work together to promote understanding and friendship between his weretiger clan and the Wakened Veils.”

“We hope you will find your time together to be both productive and enjoyable,” Masika added.

Zane extended his hand to Kesi, and she resisted the urge to snort sarcastically. She knew better than to disrespect the First Wraths in such a way. Rarely did she take fault with their decisions, but this alliance infuriated her.

After a few seconds she took his hand in a firm grasp. One thing Kesi despised was a weak handshake. Zane’s grip impressed her. It was snug yet not bone-crushing. She found most men couldn’t find that perfect grasp. They were either overly gentle-- which she found to be insulting--or too rough, which irritated her because they were deliberately trying to be intimidating.

Not only did he use the perfect amount of pressure, but he held her gaze. There was no telltale evasiveness. His clear blue eyes stared into hers, stirring emotions she didn’t want to deal with.

They released each other’s hands and turned to the First Wraths.

“Dinner has been arranged so that you may start getting to know each other and discuss business,” Vidonia continued and turned to her maid. “Please escort Zane and Kesi to the dining room.”

Damn. Kesi had hoped the First Wraths would join them for the meal, but it seemed they were serious about her and Zane becoming “partners”.

Zane nodded and Kesi drew a deep breath, releasing it slowly.

“This way, please,” the maid said.

Kesi and Zane followed her out of the room. Moments later they found themselves seated in the dining room--not the spacious room where Vidonia usually entertained guests, but a smaller room with a square table set with china, silver, and crystal. The table stood near a picture window overlooking the moonlit beach.

The maid left them alone and while they waited for another servant to bring their food, Kesi and Zane stared warily at each other.

Finally Kesi asked, “How do you feel about this alliance?”

“I hope it will be beneficial to both our peoples.”

She forced a smiled. “Do you?”

He raised an eyebrow. “Of course. Do you not hope for the same?”

“If we’re going to work together it’s better you know up front that I tell it like it is.”

“As I do.”

“I think this alliance is a mistake.”

“Why is that?”

“Because men and women will never mix.”

He smiled, a patronizing look in his annoyingly hypnotic eyes. As a vampire she should have been the one entrancing him with a look, not the other way around. “I’m afraid the very existence of all living things proves your theory wrong. Men and women generally mix very well.”

“I don’t mean in the bedroom. Typical of a man to think below the belt. Obviously we are biologically compatible, but in every other way we are opposites.”

“Yet opposites attract.”

Beneath the table Kesi clenched her fists. This guy was already irritating the hell out of her. She was going to enjoy putting him through the ringer once they got to the USA.

“My point is, the Wakened Veils’ primary interest is the protection of women, specifically protection from supernatural males. How can you possibly be serious about going against your own kind?”

“The primary concern of my clan is peace and justice. I have no problem meting out punishment to males who are deserving of it,” he said. Throughout the conversation his voice remained calm.

His pitch and tone were simply beautiful. The hint of accent added flavor, and she wished she was a bit more familiar with India. If he was living with Sanjay’s weretiger clan, she guessed he’d spent much of his life in the Sunderban. She knew that as his clan leader’s foster son, he was vice president of his architectural firm in Kolkata. The very fact that Sanjay had allowed Zane time away from the clan and the business indicated the weretigers were serious about this alliance. Still Kesi couldn’t help being skeptical. Life had taught her that men couldn’t be trusted. After Masika had rescued her from an unbearable mortal existence tossed from one vicious male to the other, she had vowed to never again give a man power over her. Many of the Veils felt the same, so she couldn’t understand why the First Wraths were so adamant about this alliance.

It probably had to do with the coming marriage between Vidonia’s granddaughter, Raine, and the clan leader, Sanjay. Sanjay’s son Rahul was also engaged to another member of the Veils. While Kesi considered Raine one of her closest friends and she recognized that the weretiger clan did have some redeeming qualities, experience had taught her to be wary.

At that moment their conversation and Kesi’s thoughts were interrupted by a servant who brought their meal. Steak tartare for Zane and a seafood plate with a bottle of Type A blood for Kesi.

Kesi couldn’t help curling her lip as she watched him eat the raw meat. Most were-creatures ate things that turned even a vampire’s stomach.

She focused her attention on her food. After a moment she poured the blood into her wine glass and glanced at Zane who watched her with interest.

Kesi took a long sip of blood, savoring its taste before swallowing. Leaning back in her seat, she held Zane’s gaze. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but I’ve never met a weretiger who wasn’t Indian.”

“My maternal grandfather was originally from the Sunderban. That is how I inherited the gift of the tiger.”

“How old are you?”

“I was born in the summer of 1782.”

She was completely taken aback. Compared to her, he was just a kid yet he seemed centuries older than his years, controlled and classy yet more virile than a bull in breeding season.

“May I ask your age? I know most women are sensitive about ….”

“You’ll find I’m not like most women. I am one-thousand five-hundred and sixty nine years old,” she said. “If you were familiar with vampires, you would know that our age is a point of pride.”

He nodded. “I meant no disrespect and since being informed of this assignment five days ago I have been researching your kind. Please forgive my ignorance as I’m sure I still have much to learn.”

“What kind of research?”

“I have read books on the subject and consulted my foster brother and his vampire fiancée, Saloni. I believe you and she are friends?”

“Yes,” Kesi said. “We are.”

His reply took her aback. At least he’d made an effort to familiarize himself with vampires. All she knew about weretigers came from a couple of past clashes with ones the Veils sought to punish and what she’d heard from her friends Raine and Saloni regarding their fiancés. She hadn’t bothered calling them and asking for any specifics. Annoyed by this whole “goodwill ambassador” business, she’d done her best to put this partnership out of her mind until she was forced to deal with it.

Well she still had time. After all that’s what this assignment was for. So they could learn about each other.

“You probably didn’t get much from the books about vampires, particularly if they were written by mortals.”

He smiled. “So I discovered. I was most intrigued to learn that the “undead” description is untrue. You are living creatures.”

“Yes,” Kesi said, practically squirming in her chair. Gazing into his eyes and catching his delicious scent of freshly washed hair, herbal cologne and his natural, enticing musk, she felt far more alive than she wanted to admit. And his gorgeous throat kept drawing her attention. She longed to kiss it, lick it. Pierce the enticing side of his strong neck with her fangs and ....

Damn! What was wrong with her? She was supposed to show him what it meant to work his ass off as a member of the Wakened Veils, not contemplate screwing him until his eyes crossed.

“We’ll be leaving for the USA tomorrow,” she said, suddenly businesslike. “I hope you’re ready to work.”

“I am here to serve.”

Kesi curled her lip. “Right. We’ll see.”

“Have I offended you in some way?”

Her brow furrowed. “Excuse me?”

“You have made it clear that you dislike this arrangement, yet neither of us can avoid it. Would it not be best to simply make an effort to get along? Unless something I have done has offended you.”

She was just getting used to the idea of working with him now he’d gone and pissed her off again. Placing her fork aside, she rested her hands on the arms of her chair and fixed her most vampiric stare upon him. “I told you I believe in honesty. Since you ask, I’ll tell you the truth.

Your very presence offends me, weretiger. I have recently been placed in charge of the Veil’s territory east of the Mississippi. That’s a lot of area to cover, and it requires my complete concentration and loyal warriors who will not fail to get their jobs done. Frankly I don’t have time to train a good will ambassador, particularly a male whom we will never fully trust.”

For the first time a spark of anger shone in those enormous blue eyes. He drew a deep breath and released it slowly. When he spoke, his rich voice was even calmer than ever. “I see. My leader has given me an assignment. One I intend to fulfill. I was told you would cooperate. That you were among the best of the Wakened Veils. If you are unable to cope with this task, I admit that I am disappointed. Perhaps your group is not as serious about this alliance as we are.”

“This has nothing to do with the Wakened Veils,” Kesi snapped. “This is my personal opinion.”

“Do you often allow your emotions to dictate your response to assignments?”

The suggestion of this child that she was not fit to perform her duty sent her anger off the scale, yet something told her that was exactly what he wanted. For her to prove she was an emotional female, that indeed the Wakened Veils were nothing more than an entire group of emotional females seeking vengeance out of spite rather than justice.

“I expect both of us will cope with this assignment regardless of our feelings on the matter,” Kesi stated. “As long as you do your job. I have very high standards.”

“I would expect no less.”

Kesi ground her teeth. She hated, hated, hated this man! The arrogance in his eyes. His calm voice. His regal attitude. He was nothing more than a merchant’s son who happened to inherit the ability to shapeshift because his mother had been ravished by a weretiger.

“Do you have any other questions?” Kesi asked.

“Not at the moment.”

“Then I’ll see you tomorrow.” She tossed her napkin on the table, stood abruptly, and left the room without glancing back.

* * * *

Zane placed his fork aside and shook his head. He closed his eyes and sighed. Already this was not going well. He’d been told the Wakened Veils wanted a relationship with his clan. His dealings with the First Wraths had been fine, but upon meeting Kesi things had changed. His first reaction upon seeing the tall, beautiful, ebony-skinned vampiress had been desire. The woman was everything old legends said a vampire should be, irresistible, hypnotic, powerful. Her black slacks and snug red knit shirt had hugged her long, lean body to advantage. Her muscles were sleek and firm, like an Olympic athlete. Though he’d seen photos of her they failed to capture the pure, exotic beauty of her face. She had large, wide set brown eyes and wickedly arched eyebrows, high cheekbones and full lips shining with burgundy gloss. Several silver rings adorned her long-fingered hands. Just looking at her made his belly clench with desire.

Zane appreciated women but none had given him a reaction quite like this.

Then she’d given him the look. He’d seen it before in the eyes of his enemies. Anger. Loathing.

Mistrust. The woman had made it plain she didn’t want to work with him. Already she hated him without truly knowing him.

Though he had never refused any task Sanjay assigned to him, he had misgivings about this one.

With the upcoming marriages of Sanjay, Rahul and their fiancées from the Wakened Veils, Zane knew this alliance was important. He would do everything in his power to make it work. He sensed that Kesi wanted this alliance to fail but Zane would not allow that to happen. No matter what, he would return to his clan with the relationship between the weretigers and the Veils intact.

Glancing at the steak tar-tare, he thought there was no point in letting such good food go to waste. He finished his meal in solitude then retired to his room, though it was many hours before he slept. His thoughts churned with the beautiful vampiress who would undoubtedly make their assignment unnecessarily difficult.