Deadly Liaisons

  She hated it when anyone felt sorry for her. The best way for her to deal with all the unwanted emotions slamming into her was to get on with the deadly business at hand. She sat up in bed. “I want to know who wrecked my place and why.”

  Daemon eye’s widened. Was he surprised she was considering the case again? “Maison had some men go over it, looking for clues. They discovered Lichorus had been in your apartment. Whether she did all of the damage or she had help is not certain.”

  “Lichorus. For what reason?”

  “Maison assumes she was looking for your files to see if you had any evidence against Mustaphus, her current lover. But Maison also believes she took great pleasure in trashing your place.”

  “Because of your interest in me.”

  Daemon bowed his head in acknowledgement.

  “Tell me about Lynetta, the huntress you fell in love with. Atreides mentioned you were…upset over her and hoped the same would not happen again with me.”

  Daemon’s face grew stormy. “Atreides should learn to keep his mouth shut.”

  Tezra folded her arms and waited. If Daemon had had a horrible time with another huntress, why hadn’t he told her about it? She feared the worst. It was not that the other women he’d turned had become renegades that had upset him so, but the woman he had really loved—a huntress—had done something awful to him.

  She suspected Atreides wouldn’t tell her anything about the huntress if she questioned him. “Well, Daemon?”

  Daemon took a seat on a chair next to the mahogany dresser. “What do you wish to know?”

  “What happened between the two of you?” For starters. Who she was, how much he loved her, why he had fallen for her—all piqued her curiosity. Was Tezra just the same as her, or totally the opposite? That’s what she wanted to know.

  “Quite simply, Lynetta used me to entice a hunter so that he would come to her rescue. She told him I’d tried to turn her against her will. Of course, I wanted her to agree to being turned, and she teased and cajoled me into believing she wanted the same. Until the hunter nearly killed me over it. But somehow he learned the deception of her ways, and he later apologized for his attack on me.”

  “I don’t understand how he could have gotten the upper hand.”

  “I wouldn’t kill him, Tezra. I knew he was being manipulated, but I couldn’t terminate him or the SCU would have labeled me a rogue. Lynetta would have made certain they knew I’d targeted a hunter.”

  “I’m so sorry.” Tezra shook loose of her own morbid thoughts, rose from the bed and joined him. She leaned over and kissed his cheek. “What happened?”

  He pulled her into his lap and held her tight. She loved his tenderness. “The most unbelievable scenario you could imagine. Despite the fact she nearly had me killed due to her lies to the hunter, he married her apparently because he was much impressed that she’d go to such lengths to catch his interest.”

  “I hope they both hated each other soon after,” Tezra said, her voice angered.

  Daemon kissed the top of her head with tenderness. “They stayed together until the end of their years. Whether they were happy, I never wished to know. All I knew was the huntress was not the one for me, and I nearly lost my life for wanting her. I believe I might have been angry about it for a while.”

  “Several decades?” Tezra wondered if he finally let the hurt go when the woman died.

  Daemon’s mouth curved up some.

  “And here I thought I held long-term grudges.”

  “You were resting with your eyes closed when I disturbed you.” Daemon kissed her ear, making her whole body tingle with expectation. “Did you want to return to bed?”

  She raised her brows and that was all she needed to encourage him. The next thing she knew, he’d moved her to the mattress. “When do I get that vampiric speed of yours?”

  He chuckled and quickly dispensed with her clothes and his, then joined her in bed, but resting wasn’t what he had in mind.

  ***

  Later that afternoon, Katie took a nap in one of the guest rooms, and Daemon had Maison bring Chief O’Malley to Patrico’s home so Tezra could have some resolution in the earlier murders. She’d lightened up some when he’d talked to her about his former huntress lover. And she’d seemed to enjoy their lovemaking. But as soon as they were done, she’d wrapped herself in that damnable cocoon. He felt her pulling away from him, not physically, but emotionally. It was too much like the way his mates had reacted after being changed—first severely depressed and inconsolable, then vicious and uncontrollable.

  She wasn’t adjusting as he’d hoped, and he assumed a big part of it was because she hadn’t needed to be turned. If only Katie had opened up to her sooner… But the situation couldn’t be undone and Tezra had to live with it. And somehow he had to get her through the dark period without her turning rogue.

  In the living room, Chief O’Malley eyed the vampires in terror and sputtered, “W-what do you want with me?”

  Voltan still nursed a torn-up arm, but Atreides’s wounds had healed. Patrico looked like a war hero, sporting a bloodied bandage around his head. Yet, as far as Daemon was concerned, Patrico hadn’t earned a right to be in the same room with the rest of them.

  Daemon wrapped his arm around Tezra’s shoulders while they sat on the couch opposite Chief O’Malley. The notion she might want to rip out the chief’s throat briefly came to mind. “You owe Tezra some answers.”

  Tezra glowered at Daemon. “You don’t have to restrain me.”

  “I hadn’t thought of it as restraint but more of a loving gesture.” He kept his tone lighthearted, not sure how to deal with the feelings she’d bottled up. He still felt she was safer with her new abilities, as long as she didn’t use them as a vampire rogue would.

  “It’s called restraint from where I’m from.” She turned her aggravation on the chief next. “Tell me the truth about Jane Cramer.”

  The chief looked at Daemon, but this was Tezra’s show, and he waited for her cue.

  Tezra turned her head slightly in a menacing vampiric way, not willing to play any word games with the chief. But she was thankful Daemon had Voltan bring O’Malley to the house while Katie slept—just in case Tezra’s abilities got out of hand. “I can force you to reveal the truth, but I’d rather you cooperate. I might not be able to keep my new fangs under control.”

  Unaware she’d been turned, the chief looked startled. His eyes widened and his skin paled. “I’m sure you know Jane was my sister,” he quickly said.

  “Yes, and she was having an affair with Krustalus.”

  The chief narrowed his eyes. “Yeah, the bastard.”

  “So you had some of your officers murder her.” The image of Jane’s skeletal remains came back to her, and a tingling sensation centered around Tezra’s canines. She clenched her teeth against unsheathing them. “What was her husband’s involvement?”

  “He planned it. The three officers were in debt up to their eyeballs, and William offered to pay off their bills. No one liked that she was screwing around with the vampire.”

  “But you knew about it and sanctioned it?”

  “I didn’t stop it.” The chief stared blankly at the floor. “My brother-in-law and I expected all along Krustalus would come after us. We’re always watching our backs, but it won’t do us any good when Krustalus finally decides to take revenge.”

  She ground her teeth, trying to keep them under control. “Did you know all along that he murdered my parents?”

  “No. You have to believe me. I didn’t know until he told me to tell you so.”

  Unable to comprehend how the chief would allow his sister to be murdered like that, Tezra glared at him, but didn’t say anything more. If Krustalus didn’t finish him off, she knew the police would deal with the chief and his brother-in-law soon. She’d make sure of it.

  Daemon asked, “Are you through questioning him?”

  “What would it have hurt if she’d loved the vampire?” Tezra aske
d sadly. “Why did she have to die?”

  “She loved a renegade, a murdering bastard,” O’Malley said, his words cold-blooded.

  Tezra sat taller, wanting to give him the benefit of the doubt. Wanting to believe the chief couldn’t be that evil. “Did you know that then? That Krustalus was a rogue?”

  The chief dropped his gaze to the floor and shook his head.

  “What if Jane didn’t know either? What if he’d manipulated her like he had so many others?” Tezra rose from the couch. “I’m through with the chief, Daemon.”

  He motioned to Atreides, who took Chief O’Malley by the arm and disappeared. To Maison, Daemon said, “Put out the word there’s to be a celebration at my home, open to all vampires.”

  Maison frowned. “Are you certain…”

  “I’m certain Krustalus and Mustaphus will come. Lichorus too. I want them and anyone else they’ve recruited. Time to end this.”

  “I agree.” Maison motioned with his shoulder in Bernard’s direction. “What about him?”

  “He comes with us. He’s still Tezra’s bodyguard.” Daemon swore the hunter’s chest puffed up a bit, and his hard scowl softened.

  “I don’t want to be shown off at a vampire bash,” Tezra growled between clenched teeth.

  “I thought you were willing to be bait for Krustalus. Now is your chance.” Daemon figured she was worried how his clans would accept her, maybe afraid how’d she react around others of her kind now. But she had to get used to them, and he had to get rid of the rebels in his midst.

  “I want to be at the bash too,” Patrico said.

  “Count on it,” Daemon responded, his tone icy, not satisfied that the hunter had made up for his past transgressions where Tezra was concerned.

  “I don’t want Katie or Patrico there,” Tezra said, her voice firm.

  Katie suddenly appeared from the hallway. “No, no, I want to be there, Tezra. You can’t shut me out of your life now.” She sounded like Tezra—stubborn and unmoving.

  If Atreides was even considering pursuing the redheaded wench, he had a real battle on his hands, Daemon thought, watching the two women. He could see now how similar they were when they pinched their brows and narrowed their eyes, their spines rigid with determination.

  Tezra had to deal with her own insecurities of being a vampire among vampires and didn’t want her sister to see her like that. “You might not be safe. I’d be distracted, concerned for your welfare. We can’t risk it.”

  Katie’s green eyes were hard and her words harsh. “They already grabbed us at Patrico’s home. Where am I supposed to safely stay?”

  Tezra considered the SCU, but she wasn’t really on good terms with them at the moment, so no, that wouldn’t work.

  “Let me go with you too. Daemon already said I could,” Patrico insisted. “It’s time I did something worthy of my former position.”

  Tezra looked at Daemon for his support, but he only shrugged. “It’s up to you. This is your show.”

  Tezra could have socked him. Not that she didn’t mind being in charge, but this was one time she could use his help in changing her sister’s mind. “All right, but I want Voltan to guard Katie, and this time he’s not to join the rebels and turn her over to them.” Though she knew he had done it so that he could inform Daemon of their whereabouts once they were taken.

  Voltan bowed, a small smile touching his lips.

  “And, Patrico, you’re to be at Katie’s side constantly. Let no one get near her.” Tezra’s voice brooked no argument, yet she still didn’t feel right about it.

  Patrico nodded.

  “Katie?” Tezra said, soliciting her agreement.

  Katie relaxed. “I’ll be happy to stay in the background.”

  Atreides cleared his throat. “I’ll watch over her too.”

  “You’ll be looking for anyone who’s there to disrupt the party,” Daemon countered, his tone stern, and Tezra was glad he at least was in her court on that issue.

  Atreides winked at Katie, then bowed to Daemon.

  “I’ll be keeping a close eye on Tezra.” Bernard tilted his chin up.

  Daemon gave him a disgruntled look, and she swore he thought Bernard might be competition for her affections. He ought to have known better.

  Daemon turned his attention to Maison. “You know how I like the bashes, only slightly modified.”

  “As you wish, my prince.” Maison bowed, then vanished.

  Tezra shuddered internally, ready or not to be the bait.

  Daemon wished he could help her through her internal struggles, but for now he had to defeat Krustalus’s rebellion and terminate the bastard and his cohorts before he could deal with Tezra’s troubles. Her green eyes reflected anxiousness, and when she caught his gaze, she looked away from him, shutting him out like she’d done ever since speaking to Katie.

  He caught Atreides’s eye. His brother raised a brow, but his expression remained thoughtful. Daemon had expected his brother’s condemnation for turning the huntress. Despite the SCU calling her an investigator, she had killed the ancient vampiress Ionia, and that proved she was a born huntress. A mere investigator could not have handled the vamp.

  Maison didn’t let on that he was disappointed that Daemon had given up his vow and turned Tezra, either. Maybe they’d finally come to the conclusion Daemon had no control when it came to some women.

  Even Katie kept her distance from Tezra as if the woman had suddenly erected a barbed wire barrier covered with charges that screamed, “Stay away!”

  Her skin clammy, Tezra walked over to the window and stared out at the clouds billowing into mountains of white. Behind the innocent looking puffs, electrical energy gathered, building into a massive thunderstorm.

  She worried not only about meeting Krustalus and fighting the urge to kill him outright, but about how Daemon’s people would receive her. Would they back him or side with Krustalus? More than that, how was she to explain to Katie what she’d become? Could she accept her? Worse, Tezra had to ensure her sister never learned the truth, that Daemon had turned Tezra so she could help her sister see the light. The reality would damage Katie’s fragile emotional state.

  Blinking away tears, she knew she had to tell Katie the truth before she learned it on her own. Tezra felt the cold return to her bones. Taking a deep breath, she joined her sister and led her to the sofa. “Please sit. I have something to tell you.”

  Katie’s back was as stiff as a rigid oak, but she acquiesced.

  Tezra sat beside her and forced herself to gaze into Katie’s eyes, to not look away with shame. “I’m…” The words stuck in her throat, and she avoided looking at Daemon, knowing how much he must hate her for still being so troubled over having been turned. She swallowed hard and took her sister’s hands. “I asked Daemon to change me so I…”

  Katie’s eyes widened, and she yanked her hands away from her. “You’re one of them?” She jumped from the couch. “Daemon forced you against your will! He had to have! One of them cold-bloodedly killed our parents! How could you?”

  Tezra gritted her teeth, angered that her sister’s silence was the reason she’d made the choice. “No, Katie. He didn’t force me.”

  “Why?” She turned her gaze to Daemon and glowered at him.

  “To…to help fight Krustalus. I couldn’t fight him on my own, and he’s not going to let me go until he’s dead,” Tezra said.

  Katie brushed away tears dribbling down her cheeks. When Tezra stood and tried to console her, Katie pulled away from her. “You’re…you’re one of them!” She stalked down the hall.

  Tezra watched her retreating backside and let out her breath. Krustalus would pay. If she had her way, he would die tonight. But it would do nothing to bring Katie and her close to each other again.

  ***

  Before they went to Daemon’s bash later that evening, Tezra paced in the living room. No matter how he tried to ease her concern about the party, he couldn’t distract her. Katie retired to Patrico’s d
en to watch Vampire Crime Stoppers on television while Atreides, Voltan and Patrico shared tales of momentous battles they’d been in.

  Finally, Tezra approached Daemon and motioned to the hall with her head. “We need to talk.” Once they were sequestered in the master bedroom, she folded her arms and furrowed her brows. “I want to know what I’ll be capable of doing tonight.”

  Daemon sat on the bed, stretched his legs out and leaned against the pillows stacked against the headboard. “I’ve told you what you’ll be able to do.” And he sure as hell didn’t want her fighting. Looking beautiful and staying safe were the only missions he wanted her to focus on at the party.

  “What about shape-shifting into another animal form?”

  “No.” He shook his head. “That can take years.” Though it depended on the individual. But he didn’t want to get her hopes up about something she couldn’t rely on this early after being changed.

  She pursed her lips. “What about moving with that vampiric speed you use to undress and sifting to get around faster than the human eye can detect?”

  “Some are able to move quickly early on. Think of it this way—everyone is different. Some individuals walk when they are nine months old, some a year, some speak earlier, some learn to read faster. With vampiric abilities, some take centuries to learn certain skills, some can learn them quickly.”

  She frowned. “Can you teach me how to vanish?”

  “Again, that usually only occurs after years of being a vampire. It’s been so long ago for me—”

  “How did it happen when you first did it? Did you wish it?”

  He was sure as jealous as she seemed over Lichorus, she wouldn’t care to hear about his misadventure with the knight’s daughter. Yet he wanted to keep their relationship open and honest, and if it took her mind off the party scheduled for later…

  Her eyes narrowed. “What?”

  “I…” He shrugged. “It was a long time ago, Tezra. I was kissing a knight’s daughter and—”