Did the bullets help to slow Krustalus a little despite his being an ancient? She couldn’t tell if Krustalus was any weaker, though Tezra was glad Katie shot him, for her own peace of mind. But the notion she would try to kill Daemon disturbed her most. Worse, knowing she was the reason for her sister’s anguish all over again, Tezra felt sick. How would she ever make things right between them? Another shard of pain ripped through her, and she gritted her teeth.
“Speak to me, Tezra,” Daemon ordered.
“Concentrate on the fight, Daemon,” she snapped back, not wanting him distracted for an instant over her. He had to kill Krustalus, make him pay for his crimes. And not get himself killed in the process.
Daemon gave her a small smile and slashed again at Krustalus.
Tezra focused on the devil, Krustalus. The blood from the bullet wounds seeped through his shirt now. “I’m sorry I was not the one to injure you, but as long as the one you hurt most retaliated, I’m glad.” Tezra broadcast her telepathic communication for all the vampires to hear.
“Your sister will die when Daemon is dead, but you…you will be my mate and endure many lifetimes with me, Tezra darling. Never fear.”
“Help me up,” she ordered Bernard, finished with the murderer’s threats, though she felt so weak she wasn’t sure even with his help she could stand.
Bernard’s eyes widened. “No, Tezra, lie still until Daemon can take care of you.”
“I have business to tend to, dammit, Bernard! Help me up.”
Patrico waved his sword at Krustalus. “He was the vampire who was with Mustaphus and who killed the woman in the alley a decade ago.”
Several vampires murmured comments.
But Tezra was certain the SCU hunter’s words wouldn’t influence the vampires much. Certainly, his statement wouldn’t affect Krustalus.
Krustalus danced close by, dodging out of the path of Daemon’s sword, his black shoes barely making a sound on the patio. She couldn’t do much good, she imagined, but she had to strike at him, for her sake, for the sake of her parents, for Katie and because she’d promised the devil himself.
Thrice she tried to sift to get closer, but her skin grew clammy, her breathing more shallow, her heart rate slower, and she didn’t move an inch. Damn that she was so newly turned—well, and that a bullet was lodged in her heart. She felt her body trying to reject the foreign object penetrating the muscle, centimeter by painful centimeter. Having difficulty concentrating, her mind continually drifted, and she knew she needed blood.
Blood. The bloodlust filled her with a sense of urgency, desperation, but not for anyone’s blood. Just Krustalus’s.
She thought she saw the blonde Anatola smiling at her, but the vamp’s face wavered before Tezra, and the expression wasn’t sweet. Did she hope Tezra would die? The vamp had to know better. Maybe she sensed Tezra would leave Daemon after this was all over. Or maybe she was amused that Tezra’s own sister had shot her.
Tezra gritted her teeth against the physical and emotional pain she felt. How could Katie have tried to shoot Daemon?
In a haze, she heard the sound of swords clanking again. Daemon! Again Tezra tried to sift. At first, she didn’t think anything had happened. Not until Katie screamed, Bernard swore and Patrico attempted to alert Daemon, bringing her back to consciousness. In her weakened condition, Tezra hadn’t managed to stand upright, but instead lay on her side, facing Krustalus’s ankle.
Good enough.
By the time he noticed her, it was too late. She bit hard into his ankle, through the trousers, sock, everything.
Immediately, Daemon stabbed his sword into Krustalus’s heart before he could retaliate.
She hadn’t even tasted a drop of the vampire’s blood before the pant leg flattened against ashes. Her mind swirled in confusion. Daemon shouted something, peppered with a few choice curses that included her name, then the lights all went out.
***
Daemon resheathed his sword and lifted Tezra off the floor. “Bring me blood.” But before he moved her to his bedroom, Voltan stopped him.
“Six hunters are at the front door, my prince.”
Daemon frowned. “They had better not think of arresting Tezra.”
“The Chief of Police is with them.”
“What?”
“He’s told them about Krustalus and Mustaphus.”
Patrico joined them. “I’ll speak to them. Clear up the whole matter of Tezra’s parents’ deaths and my speedy resurrection. It’s about time I did something right.”
Daemon bowed his head, acknowledging the hunter had made his amends tonight. “If you need my help…”
Bernard stepped forward, favoring the wound he’d received when he’d helped Daemon fight the insurrection in the house, his face pinched with pain. “I’ll back you up, Patrico. Let’s take care of unfinished business.”
***
“Tezra love, stay with me,” Daemon coaxed, his heart beating out of bounds. He sifted her to his master bedroom suite and laid her in the bed.
Her face pale, she lay deathly still as he removed her bloody gown and pulled the blanket just below the wound. From the bathroom, he retrieved medical gauze, then began issuing orders telepathically while he covered Tezra’s wound to stem the bleeding.
“Maison, where’s the doc?”
“On his way, Prince Daemon,” Maison said.
“The gun—has someone secured it?”
“I’ve put it away, out of Katie’s reach,” Atreides responded.
With all the strife, Daemon had forgotten all about Tezra’s sister. “Katie, who’s watching her?”
“Mycenia. She’s taken her to the guest bedroom and is getting her cleaned up and changed,” Atreides said.
Dammit. The blood soaked through the gauze and Tezra was growing weaker by the second. Though he tried to stop the flow of blood from Tezra’s wound, Daemon found her vampiric abilities were too new to work quickly enough to heal her injuries, and she was still losing way too much blood. “Where the hell is Doc?”
Atreides appeared with bagged blood and helped Daemon hook up an I.V. to Tezra’s arm. “I’m sorry Doc Hollowell is taking so long. We’re not sure what’s—”
“I’m here, my prince,” Doc Hollowell said, appearing behind them. He added painkiller to the I.V. “I was patching up a couple of your men left to guard the warehouse district who tangled with some of these rebels who hit you earlier.” He considered the severity of Tezra’s wound and shook his head. “Because she’s so newly turned, her system is trying to fight the foreign object in her heart but is incapable of regenerating the broken blood vessels at the same time. If I were to remove the bullet, her body can concentrate on healing.”
“Do it.”
The doctor worked so quickly, he had the bullet it out in a matter of seconds, while Daemon and Atreides assisted him in the procedure. Then with vampiric precision, Doc Hollowell reconnected some of the larger blood vessels to lessen the bleeding until Tezra’s body could take over. “Maison says her sister shot her and appears to be in a mild case of shock.”
“If you’ll look at Katie, I would be grateful.” Daemon held Tezra’s hand, rubbing his thumb over her soft, cool skin.
“And the hunters, Patrico and Bernard? Do you wish me to see to their injuries as well?” Doc Hollowell taped fresh gauze over Tezra’s wound, then pulled the blanket higher.
“Yes, see to the hunters after you’ve made certain Katie will be all right.”
“I will give you a report as soon as I’m through.”
The doctor left Daemon and Atreides alone with Tezra. Daemon continued to touch her and reassure her he was with her and she’d be all right, but he had to make certain everything else was under control.
“Maison, what’s going on with the SCU and the police?”
“They’ve taken Patrico’s and Bernard’s statements. Chief O’Malley has placed himself under arrest and they’re picking up his brother-in-law as we speak.”
&nb
sp; “Did any rebel vampires escape the bash tonight?”
“Half a dozen, my prince. Fifteen of our men are searching for them now.”
“The bodies of the fledglings—
“Taken care of,” Atreides said, a brow raised while he gave Daemon a stern look. “Hell, Daemon, we’ve lived long enough to know how to deal with a situation like this. Take care of your ward and leave the mundane stuff to us.”
“Bernard wants to see Tezra,” Maison said.
“No.”
Silence.
“He can see her in the morning,” Daemon added.
“He’s storming up the stairs,” Maison warned.
Bernard yanked the door open to a guest room down the hall. Wrong bedroom. He soon found the right one and barged in. “I want to see Tezra. I’m her bodyguard, after all.” His gaze shifted to Tezra in the bed. “Is—is she going to be all right?”
“She’ll be fine. She’s sleeping and the bullet’s out.”
Bernard frowned at Daemon. “You’re keeping her, aren’t you? I’ve heard rumors you wouldn’t take another mate again, but you wouldn’t turn her and leave her unprotected, would you? Your brother’s saying you plan to give her to him, but I want to know that you or your brother is committed to taking care of her. She’s been through a damned lot on her own already.”
Daemon gave Atreides a scathing look. “My brother speaks out of turn.”
Giving Daemon an equally harsh look, Bernard said, “Then you’d better explain to the lady that she’s your mate and make it clear to all what the deal is.”
Daemon pulled a chair next to the bed, sat and caressed Tezra’s cheek. “Not many would be so bold to tell me what to do, hunter.”
Bernard gave him a demonic smile. “I’m not just anyone. I’ve been taking care of Tezra since she was a teen. And now I want your assurance she will always have your protection.”
“I think you already know the answer to your concerns.”
“I suspect I do.”
Daemon considered Bernard’s bloodied arm and motioned to the door. “The doctor will take care of your injury. You may see Tezra again in the morning, and you and Patrico are welcome to stay the night.”
Bernard bowed his head, surprising Daemon. But then he remembered the hunter’s vampiric roots and returned the polite gesture. Bernard quickly retired from the room.
“I have given Katie a mild sedative. She is sleeping in the guest room across from your master suite,” Doc Hollowell said from the living room. “And I’ve patched up the one hunter named Patrico. But the other has—no, he’s returned.”
When no one else bombarded Daemon with messages, he said to Maison and Atreides, “I do not wish to be disturbed unless the business is most urgent.”
“As you wish,” Maison said. “I will ensure the guards are in place tonight.”
“The rumor has spread that Tezra is your ward,” Atreides said, “and I overheard several who are loyal to you saying they hoped you’d consider giving her to them, especially since you are adamant about not making her your mate.”
“Atreides—” Daemon growled.
“We can talk later. I’ll help the others who are chasing the remaining renegades.” Atreides winked and vanished.
Daemon hadn’t spoken the last about this matter of giving Tezra up to Atreides. When everything was quiet, Daemon’s guards were in place and the injured hunters were both asleep in a guest bedroom, Daemon joined Tezra in bed. “Sweet huntress, will you be the death of me?”
No matter how much he told himself he couldn’t do it, no matter how many times he reminded himself of his mistakes of the past, he couldn’t let anyone else claim the enchantress. Which left only one real option, and he hoped he wouldn’t be damned for all eternity if he went down that dark path again.
***
Early the next morning, Daemon considered the way Tezra looked. Her color had returned and the doctor had removed the I.V. several hours earlier. The wound had not totally healed, but she was well on her way to mending.
“Katie’s up and is concerned about her sister, but is afraid to see her,” Atreides said from the greatroom.
“I’ll be right down.”
Not wanting to disturb Tezra’s peaceful sleep, Daemon carefully slipped out from her soft, warm embrace. After dressing, he appeared in the greatroom to find it filled with people. Katie was sitting on one of the sofas, wringing her hands. Bernard and Patrico were drinking coffee nearby. Maison was dozing in a chair while Voltan stood near Katie like a monolithic statue, his arms folded, his posture wary. Atreides moved into the greatroom from the kitchen, carrying a tray of coffee mugs.
As soon as Katie saw Daemon, she jumped up. Instantly, Voltan seized Katie’s arm, stopping her from approaching Daemon, and she cried out.
Daemon motioned for Voltan to release her.
Voltan grunted and did as he was told. “After what she did last night, the wench should have been thrown in the dungeon.”
“I’m so sorry.” Katie choked back tears. “Late last night, Patrico and Atreides told me why you changed Tezra. That it was totally her choice. I—I can’t believe I shot her. She—she’ll kill me when she’s better.”
Daemon led Katie back to the couch and encouraged her to sit. “Tezra would do anything to protect you, Katie. As will I and all of my people. She’s still sleeping from the trauma, but otherwise she’s fine.”
Katie shook her head and rubbed her arms. “Physically, maybe. But—but I shot her! How can she be feeling emotionally about that?”
“You shot her by accident. You weren’t thinking clearly. The situation was totally understandable.” Though Daemon wished Tezra’s sister had listened to him in the first place when he commanded her to put down the gun. In that regard, she reminded him eerily of Tezra and how disobedient she could be. Looking her beautiful self, she was supposed to have stayed out of trouble—that’s all he’d wanted of Tezra last night.
Well, not any longer.
He’d fought with himself over the matter all night long, and his heart ruled his brain once again. Tezra was his to keep, and he’d hear no objections to the contrary from anyone.
“She’s your—your mate now, isn’t she?” Katie’s eyes glistened with tears.
Everyone watched Daemon to see what he would say, even Maison who had the uncanny ability to wake from sleep when something was going on he wished to be part of.
But Daemon would speak to Tezra first to let her know of his decision before he spread the word to the rest of his people. “I will protect her always,” he said evasively.
He could tell by the expressions on Maison and Atreides’s faces that they already knew he’d made his decision. Maison seemed resigned. Atreides gave a small smile as if he knew it all along. Voltan muttered something under his breath about Daemon needing a tighter leash on the huntress. Bernard and Patrico looked clueless.
He just hoped Katie could handle the matter well enough in her fragile state.
***
Tezra found herself in Daemon’s bed, naked, the bullet gone, her blood refreshed, but the ugly wound hadn’t healed all the way yet. She sat up in bed and listened to the conversation in Daemon’s living room, her heart already aching with regret at what she had to do next.
“Katie needs to be with her own kind,” Patrico said.
“I have to agree,” Bernard said.
Daemon disagreed. “Tezra won’t want to live without Katie and—”
“I won’t live without her,” Katie adamantly added. “I—I’m so sorry about trying to shoot you, Daemon.”
“You felt I’d taken advantage of your sister. I’ve told you repeatedly, there are no hard feelings.” Daemon sounded truthful, yet his voice hinted at concern.
“She will kill me when she wakes,” Katie moaned.
“She is awake,” Voltan warned.
***
Tezra dressed in a pale blue sweater and a pair of denims, dreading what she had to do next. Halfway down
the stairs, Daemon met her, his face full of concern. He wordlessly wrapped his arm around her waist and transported her to the living room, then sat her on the couch.
Atreides, Maison, Katie, Bernard, Patrico and Voltan stood next to the grouped couches, and everyone’s face showed rabid anxiousness.
Once she was sitting on the couch, she fought the emotion that was tearing her up inside, turned to Daemon and said the most difficult thing she ever had. “I can’t stay with you. Not for now.” She swallowed hard. “After all she’s been through, Katie needs me. I have to reintroduce her into our world. We need some time alone.”
She sensed his barely controlled anger while he stood next to her, not saying a word.
Katie wrung her hands, her lips parted in surprise, her green eyes wide. But she didn’t contradict Tezra. Didn’t say it was okay to stay with Daemon. Tezra took a deep breath. “Katie?”
Katie looked at Daemon, then her gaze shifted to the other vampires, and finally the hunters. She nodded.
Tezra clenched her teeth to keep the tears at bay. Her hint of hope that Katie might be all right living amongst the vampires was shattered. But it was selfish for Tezra to want this after all Katie had suffered.
Daemon crouched in front of Tezra, took her hands and opened his mouth to object. But she pulled away from him and pressed her finger against his lips. She didn’t want to fight him on this issue because her own feelings of remorse were barely under control, and she feared caving in—which she knew would be disastrous for both of them.
“I have to do this. She’s the last of my family and I owe it to her.” Because no matter how things had turned out right in the end, Tezra was still to blame for her sister’s lost years. She couldn’t and wouldn’t abandon her at this point in her life. “For now, Katie will enroll in the SCU school, and I’ll conduct criminal investigations—what I was trained for. Except I’ll be my own boss. No more SCU to tell me what I can or can not do. Katie and I will get an apartment and Bernard will watch out for us.”