When she looked up, she noticed the obvious tension swelling the muscles of his neck, hardening the straight line of his jaw, creasing his brow. His whole body strained, he was actually making an all-out effort to drive back his lust. For him to do that only meant he had no choice but to give her over to the council without delay.
She wouldn’t be a woman if she didn’t seek revenge. Aiming wrong, she let the robe down on her face. Blind, pretending to get tangled in the loose folds, she called out to him.
“Would you give me a hand?”
Seconds stretched away while her body hair rose as if a magnetic gust had invaded the room. She thought he would bail out. Then she felt two strong hands on her head actually attempting to disentangle her. Arms up, on the verge of being freed, she feigned confusion and took a step forward.
Their bodies collided. His hands froze. As if hit with a powerful blow, his chest seemed to cave in. Yet his paralysis didn’t last long. Quicker than a heartbeat, he brusquely groped her buttocks. He sank his fingers into her flesh while he pressed her hard against him.
Although she had initiated this retaliation, Liv wasn’t positive she’d come out the winner. Not with him. Not with something in her calling out to him. Intensely aware of his rigid body along her bare skin, still blinded by the fluid fabric, she kept as still as a cornered hostage.
“Fuck!”
His rough cry jolted her. She almost toppled over as the brick wall grasping her vanished. Silence and emptiness followed. What was he doing now? Donning the robe only took her an instant. She glanced around to find out she was alone in the cell. Where had he gone? And, God, wasn’t his damn speed irritating? Smoothing out the black clothing, Liv walked out into the hallway.
Facing the wall, hands flat on the marble surface, arms straight and head down between them, Raskhan’s position reminded her of a marathon runner recovering from an all too exhausting run. Seemingly sensing her presence, he straightened up and strode towards the stairs without looking at her.
“Come!”
She had done it. Cool and composed, she had managed to drive him to intense frustration just like he had done to her in the motel room. Solely relying on her feminine assets she had contrived to put him in her shoes. Sure, it wouldn’t last, but for a little while she’d enjoy her victory. Following him, she stuck out her tongue at his stiff back. Tit for tat!
Down they went, across the Greek godly entrance hallway she had landed in earlier, past the staircase where she had spotted the older vampire with grey hair, straight on to an open door. Raskhan never checked back to see if she was following him, and the servants around the place steered clear of them.
The vampire king didn’t stop at the threshold. Master of the palace, he entered the room like a conqueror. Although apprehensive, Liv had no option but to tag along behind him.
The interior very much resembled a courtroom. Up on a large bench sat three vampires, their faces hostile, eyeing her from head to toe with icy stares. As Liv advanced towards them, a fourth vampire emerged from behind a statue to sit alongside her judges—the older one with grey hair. Only his eyes softened when he glanced at her.
Having walked around the bench, Raskhan pulled back the empty chair in the middle. Of course, where else would the king preside over a hearing? In front of the judges’ bench, five or six feet apart stood some kind of witness stand. Looking at it, Liv figured the stand was meant for her. Swallowing a lump in her throat, she marched into battle.
As she reached the witness box, the vampire beside Raskhan unrolled a piece of paper. “Human, you have been brought before us today to answer for your actions.”
“What actions?”
He furrowed his brow. No doubt piqued by her brisk tone, he glared at her. To his right Raskhan banged his fist on the table.
“You don’t get to question anyone here. Watch your mouth, human!”
“Is that my new nickname? How sweet of you!”
She knew she was playing with fire, but if they had wanted her dead she’d be pushing up the daisies by now. Besides it was high time to oppose them. Without giving Raskhan any chance to vent his growing irritation, Liv addressed the vampire holding the paper.
“OK. What are the charges against me?”
“Crime of lese-majesty.”
She couldn’t believe her ears. They were accusing her of a crime against Raskhan. He had assaulted her, not the other way round. This was far worse than unfairness, this was utter madness.
“Do you have anything to say, human?”
Oh yes, she did. Unfortunately she didn’t have time to express her righteous indignation. Raskhan banged his fist on the table again, his voice booming through the courtroom.
“No, she doesn’t, and I don’t have all day. Let’s move on, shall we? Read her sentence.”
Icy and unwavering, the judge’s gaze fell on her. “You have slain the king’s brother. You will be put to death.”
Chapter Eighteen
That had to be the briefest trial ever. Although Liv felt positive she could have walked, two servants dragged her out of the courtroom. Her feet didn’t touch the floor as they flew upstairs, along galleries, into a room where they dropped her on a metallic chair. Despite her total bafflement, she perceived their unease. They rushed her so because they couldn’t wait to be rid of her.
Left alone, she took her head in her hands. She emitted a low whimper and swung her body back and forth. Her mind in unison with the gentle rocking motion, her pulse soon decreased to its regular rhythm and her thoughts clicked into place.
Holy mackerel, but they were really going to execute her for a crime she hadn’t committed! Not just a random crime, but the murder of the king’s brother, no less. How could she have been so stupid? The thought had crossed her mind at some point, but it had seemed so ridiculous she had dismissed it out of hand. Why did she not see this coming?
When she heard the soft whoosh of the door opening, she ceased her rocking and whimpering. Tears brimming in her eyes, Liv raised her face to stare at the king of the Overworld.
“Rogan is your twin brother.”
Raskhan nodded.
She took a deep breath. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Oh, kitten, I couldn’t do that. I had so much fun watching you grapple with the mystery of my appearance. Boy, did I enjoy that. Not to mention the fact that it got me a fantastic view of your little ass.”
She felt like grinding her teeth. She breathed, determined not to go down that road but to stay focused on crucial matters.
“But how? I don’t get it. I mean, vampires can’t have kin. How did this happen?”
“Does it matter? Would the explanation make you happy?”
She supposed not. Yet a part of her kicked with frustration, screamed her need to understand.
“Why do you hate him so much? You’re the king, he’s not. What can he possibly have done to you?”
“I’ve told you before. It’s none of your business.”
Raskhan’s level tone outraged her even more than being sentenced to death. She stood up.
“I didn’t kill Rogan.”
“I know.”
She must have looked confounded because a curious smile appeared on his face when he witnessed her expression.
“Although Khord swore you did, I’m sure he lied. Now that I’ve seen the way you consistently wail for my brother, I believe you’d go to great lengths to keep him alive.”
“Then where is he?”
“Well, as you’re here and he’s not, I’d guess Khord found a way to end his miserable life.”
No way would she believe that. Rogan must have been delayed, cornered, maybe trapped somewhere and unable to run to her rescue, but he was alive. He had to be. She so wanted to see him again. If she was to be executed, she needed to look on his beloved face one more time.
“Khord is the one who shot Rogan, and he almost killed him. As a rule I thought you vampires stuck together, you know, the whole vampire
s against humans thing. So how come that bastard Khord…?” Liv raised a hand to her mouth. “Please, don’t tell me you ordered your brother’s murder.”
“As much as I would have liked to, that’s Khord’s doing. Those two never got on well. I guess it had to come to this sooner or later. What I’d like to know is how Rogan pulled it off.”
“Well, I…”
Her teeth clacked as she shut her mouth. Why would she give Raskhan any information? After all she owed him nothing, and he was going to have her executed anyway.
“You what?”
Abs pulled tight to maintain her back as straight as possible, chin up, Liv didn’t answer him. Her refusal must have been funny to him because the freckles glinted in his eyes as he brought a finger to her neckline and stroked the skin above her breasts.
“Come on, little girl, do I have to make you say it?”
Deadlock. She knew he was making no idle threats, but giving in twisted her guts. Or did it? Couldn’t her stomach be roiling because he was now tracing her collarbone with a slow finger?
The bell didn’t save Liv, but the older vampire with silver hair did. As he entered the room quietly, Raskhan backed off. Mischief playing in his magnetic eyes, he blew her a kiss.
“Don’t get too worked up while I’m gone, kitten. I promise you we’ll finish this later.”
His mean yet sensual tone ignited a familiar sensation between her legs. Caught by desire, she bit her lip to quell her rash excitement, and watched him exit the room. Why was he leaving her with the old guy? And what was she doing here now?
Now that she had the opportunity to look around, she realised this place resembled a scientific lab. A long stainless worktable displayed microscopes and various pieces of equipment she had no name for. Holy mackerel, did they have in mind to torture her?
“My name is Zontag. Don’t be scared, I won’t hurt you.”
He presented her with a clean, metallic bowl of some kind. She took it without thinking.
“What do you want with me?”
“I’m going to run a few tests, and I’d like you to be still. Don’t worry, it won’t take long.”
A string of fear coiled around her throat. Liv took a step back. Her shin banged against the chair, making her wince. Seeing her evident distress, Zontag offered her a genuine smile, the first gesture of sympathy since she had been torn from her world.
“What kind of tests?”
“I need to analyse your body fluids.” With a nod, he indicated a door at the back of the lab. “That’s a private bathroom over there. Would you mind relieving yourself in this bowl and bring it back to me?”
By now Liv didn’t need the king in the same room to know what a refusal would come to. She nodded and did what the scientist asked. Done, she watched him empty the bowl in a sort of cocktail shaker. While her pee turned blue because he had added a liquid from a small bottle, Zontag pointed to a dentist’s chair. God, how she hated those reclining seats! Doing her best to push back mental images of drills and curettes, she settled on the chair.
“Why are you doing this to me?”
“I’m looking for any indication that you might be…”
He didn’t finish his sentence. Switching the cocktail shaker on, he raised his head to stare at her as though he sought the solution to an insoluble problem. Whatever he saw must have incited him to reach a conclusion because he expelled a long sigh.
“I don’t know what Rogan told you, but you might be the most dangerous threat vampires have ever had to face since the Dividing War. I believe you’re the Bringer of Death.”
There they were again, back to their prophecy crap. But for once Liv couldn’t have cared less, her heart skipping a beat at the mention of Rogan’s name. Body tensed, she gripped the arms of the chair and blurted out.
“Have you seen him? Do you know where he is?”
There was no mistaking her nervous tone and posture. Zontag smiled when he heard her hopeful babble, and turned off the shaker.
“Can you keep a secret?”
Liv scrambled off the dentist’s chair, her black robe billowing around her legs. Elated, she rushed to the older vampire and grabbed his hand, her breath coming out in rasps. “You’ve seen him, haven’t you? How is he? Is he okay? Why didn’t he come back to me? Where’s he gone?”
“Hush now, I will tell you but I want these tests done. Take a deep breath and get back on that seat!”
Although a little reluctant, Liv did what she was told. As he studied a set of different coloured lights at the base of the shaker, Zontag began writing down numbers on a blank sheet.
“Rogan came back after his encounter with you. Or rather he sneaked back here. He didn’t want anyone to know his whereabouts so we had a private meeting. He told me all about you, and how you saved his life.”
“You knew, yet you didn’t tell the truth to the council! Do you realise they’ve sentenced me to death?”
“I understand your resentment, but they won’t make it final until we figure out who you are. Besides, our meeting was secret, and Rogan asked me to keep the news to myself for the time being. I’m sure he has a plan, but he didn’t have time to discuss it with me.”
“Did he also tell Raskhan?”
Losing sight of his calculations, Zontag gave her a sharp glance. “I’m fairly certain he wouldn’t do that.”
Liv wished someone would explain the nature of the relationship between the two brothers. What or who could have generated such hate? A fight for power? A female vampire? A woman? Then she swallowed when Zontag came up to her with a syringe in his hand.
“This might sting a bit, but it will be over in a sec’.”
“Were Rogan and Raskhan twins back when they were still human? I’m not an expert on the matter, but I’ve always thought people became vampires when they were bitten by one.”
Zontag brought the syringe to her arm. The needle prompted Liv to shut her eyes for a brief instant. She winced when it penetrated her flesh, although she felt almost no pain. Her eyes popping open, she saw the older vampire shake his head.
“And your assumption is correct. It so happens that Raskhan and Rogan are an oddity, the exception that proves the rule.”
“What do you mean?”
His gentleness indicating he was being careful not to hurt her, he slowly drew out blood. Syringe half full in hand, he extracted it to apply a patch on the pinprick.
“They were never bitten and turned. They were born vampires.”
Chapter Nineteen
“Oh, my God, is it possible?”
“If I hadn’t witnessed it, I’d be as sceptical as you are.”
Going around the worktable, he placed a few drops of her blood on a small slab of glass that he inserted in the closest microscope. Then he emptied the rest of the red liquid into a flask. Brow knitted, one of his hands around a knob, he studied her blood cells while he told his tale.
“The race of men won the Dividing War. They appointed the greatest enemy warrior as king and exiled all vampires into the Overworld. Assisted by a council he had selected, the king ruled over our world for thousands of years. Right until the day fate decided to claim him.”
Eyes wide, all thoughts of drills and needles having left her as soon as the tale began, Liv sat up straighter in the chair.
“He fell in love with a human. She must have been about four months pregnant when they met, and the king took great pains not to harm her. However, a month later either his compulsion got the better of him or she asked him to bite her. I can’t say for sure, but he did it. Such is love!”
Liv knew for sure. She had been there. She had seen Rogan battling with the overwhelming compulsion to sink his fangs into her neck. She had felt the irresistible impulse, and had commanded him to sink his fangs into her. Mindless of any consequences, she had asked to be bitten.
“The king poisoned her. Before she’d had enough time to turn into a vampire, something unexpected happened. As the vampire’s venom infilt
rated her blood, delivery began. I was immediately called to her side. I did my best to save her, but her weak body couldn’t withstand the transformation. She died giving birth to two boys. Two tiny creatures bound to die because, by that time, the poison had already made its way into them.”
“Go on, what happened?”
“A genetic abnormality. Instead of killing the boys the poison saved them. What’s more, two weeks later they had reached the size and weight of regular human newborns. So the king held a council meeting to pass a law. If need be the firstborn was to succeed him.”
“Why did he do that? I mean, come on, he’s immortal.”
“Love had slain him. When she died, she took his heart with her. The day after the council meeting, he entrusted the boys to my care. Then he went to your world and stepped out into the sunshine.”
A sensation of pain pulled Liv out of Zontag’s fascinating story. Vampires were capable of committing suicide out of love? She gripped the arms of the chair so hard that her skin showed the marks. Letting out a long sigh, she rubbed her palms together.
“This is unbelievable. But about the boys, what are they?”
“I guess the best term would be ‘mutants’. Their vampire abilities are stronger than any I’ve ever seen, but they age as humans do. I delivered them into the world thirty years ago, and so far they’ve evolved like men. They also feel certain things as a human would do.”
“What kind of things?”
“Love, guilt, anger, sympathy, passion, jealousy. You know, the whole range of emotions. And hate.”
“But vampires don’t?”
“We do, just not in any way as intensely as the boys. All their senses are heightened. I’m also positive they don’t need refreshing because they’re mutants, but I haven’t told them yet.”
“Why not?”
Zontag stuck his head out to look at her, a smile illuminating his features.
“Nah, they’d get too cocky!”
Good point. Raskhan certainly was cocky enough for her taste. As interesting as their story sounded, Liv needed to ask the question that had plagued her since she had laid eyes on the king of the Overworld.