Snarling, Ozzie pulled his legs from under Aden, bending and anchoring them on Adens chest. A hard push had him flying backward. He hit a tree and sank to the ground. A pile of leaves softened the impact.
Whats going on? Eve suddenly demanded, groggy but loud.
Doing his best to ignore her, he hopped up and once more launched forward. He slammed his head into Ozzies throat. As Ozzie hunched over, gurgling, Aden kicked him in the stomach without a seconds thought. One thing hed learned over the years was that there was no honor in fighting. You did whatever was necessary to win, even kick someone when they were downespecially when they were downor you suffered.
He joined his hands and bashed them into Ozzies temple. Ozzie swung to the side, dropped to his knees. A plastic bag fell from his pocket. His head remained bowed, one hand clutching his middle, the other covering his face to protect it.
Get up! Fight me! Isnt that what you wanted? This had been a long time coming, and now that they were punching it out, Dan not here to intervene, Aden couldnt stop himself. He settled his weight on one leg, leaned forward and slammed his fist into Ozzies jaw. Come on!
Again, the impact sent him flying. Ozzie quickly righted himself and came up swinging. Yeah, its what I wanted. What Ill do.
Aden ducked, jabbing the dreg in the stomach yet again and forcing more of that needed oxygen out of his mouth. He raised his leg to do it again.
I wouldnt do that if I were you.
The female voice was followed by the click of a gun. Slowly he lowered his leg and turned halfway, not letting Ozzie out of his sights but eyeing as much of the girl as he could. She was shorter than him by at least a foot, slight and trembling. And she was aiming a pistol right at him.
He could take her, even panting and sweating as he was. No longer was he in pain, his adrenaline simply too high. Hurting a girl, though, was not a prospect he enjoyed.
Because its wrong, Eve said, as if reading his mind.
He wont have to hurt her, Elijah said. This is going to be okay.
How is a chick with an obviously itchy trigger finger gonna turn out okay? Caleb shouted.
Run, Aden, Julian commanded. Just start running.
Aden stepped backward.
Stay still! Elijah growled, and he froze.
Run, Julian commanded again, and he took another step.
Stop.
Quiet! he shouted, covering his ears.
You be quiet! And move another inch, and I swear to God youll be eating every one of these bullets. Now who the hell are you? the girl snarled. She was cute, despite the gun, with a short cap of blond hair. Her bottom lip was cut, as if she, too, had recently been in a fight.
Its okay, Casey, Ozzie said, surprisingly calm as he stood. His words were slightly slurred, his jaw already swelling. Hes from the ranch.
She didnt lower the gun. You always tear into the guys you live with?
Yeah, I do. Ozzie bent down and swiped up the plastic Baggies hed dropped. Hes not a cop, and hes not gonna narc. He knows Id stab him in his sleep if he tried.
Aden knew a dime bag when he saw one. So Ozzie and the gun-wielding Casey were here for drugs. For someone who just lost, you sure sound confident about what you can do to me.
Ozzie stiffened. Casey straightened her aim.
Maybe he should have kept his mouth closed. But from the corner of his eye, hed caught a glimpse of Victoria, gliding toward them, silent as a ghost, and the words had slipped out.
Neither Ozzie nor Casey even glanced in her direction.
Aden would have known she was there even if he hadnt spotted her. Power radiated from her, enveloping the area, charging the air so much it crackled. As she closed the distance, her skin seemed whiter than ever. So white it glowed. Her dark robe was swaying in the breeze.
Told you it would be okay, Elijah said, smug.
Another gut feeling proven to be valid. At this rate, Elijah would soon be able to predict everything.
You will not shoot him, the vampire said in that raspy voice of hers, suddenly in front of Casey. She waved a hand near the girls face, opal ring catching beams of moonlight and casting rainbow shards in every direction.
Casey froze, so still Aden couldnt even see her breathing.
You will drop the gun and leave, your memory wiped clean of this event.
There was no hesitation as Casey obeyed. The gun plopped harmlessly to the ground; she turned and walked away, never once glancing back. Aden was both in awe and embarrassed. Victorias powers were greater than hed realized. And hed just been saved by a girl. He should be the one doing the saving.
What the Ozzie began.
You, too, will leave, your memory wiped clean of this event.
The dregs eyes glazed over and he, too, turned and walked away.
I need him to remember, Aden said. Otherwise, when they both awoke with bruised and battered faces, Ozzie would know they had to have fought, but wouldnt know hed lost to Aden. Aden wanted him to have that knowledge. To be afraid of coming after him. Afraid of retaliation.
Reluctant, Victoria nodded. Very well. I shall return his memory to him by morning.
Thank you. For everything. Adens gaze slid over her. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail, and the long, thick length of it hung over her shoulder. Her lips were pink rather than their usual red. Howd you find me?
Youre bleeding, she said rather than answering. Or maybe that was the answer. As she spoke, her eyes began to darken, black pupils overshadowing blue irises. Closer and closer she floated to him. But she stopped herself just before reaching him and backtracked. Looked away. I shouldnt have revealed myself.
Im glad you did.
Her gaze returned to him. Or rather, to the blood trickling from the bleeding cut on his lips. I can stop the bleeding, if youd like. Her tongue flicked over her sharpening fangs. Itit wont mean anything. Its just something I can do.
He wasnt sure how she planned to stop it, but he found himself nodding.
I wontwill try not tohurt you. Ill be gentle. Wont be an animal.
He wasnt sure whether the words were meant for him or herself, but once again she approached him. And then her mouth met his, pressing softly, gently, utterly warm, her tongue once again flicking out and wiping the crimson beads away.
He stood very still, savoring the feel of her, that honeysuckle scent. He had to fist his hands at his sides to keep from grabbing her and holding on forever. Where she licked, he tingledachedbut it was a good ache. Dont stop, he thought. Never stop.
But stop she did. She raised her head, eyelids at half-mast, expression blissful. Delicious.
You can have more if you want it, he croaked out, tilting his head to reveal more of his neck. If this was how he would feel when she bit him, he was ready.
Yes, Ino. She shook her head and backtracked again. No. I cant. Why did you let me do that? Why would you ask me to do it again? Have you no sense? Do you want to be my blood-slave? Addicted to my bite, unable to think of anything else?
I wont become addicted, he said, praying it was true.
How do you know?
He didnt have an answer, so he ignored the question. Does being bitten hurt?
Her shoulders relaxed slightly. Im told it can feel quite wonderful, she saidand then she disappeared.
He blinked, tried not to panic. Looked left, right.
But liking it will be the least of your worries, she said from behind him.
He spun.
Victoria had one shoulder pressed against the trunk of a tree. You shouldnt tempt me to do it, you know.
He sighed. Would drinking from me once cause me to become a slave?
No. It takes multiple feedings. But I will not bite you. There at the end, her voice rose with determination. Ever.
All right. He studied her, doing his best to keep his heartbeat under control. She looked ready to bolt and never return. Dropping the subject seemed wise. For the moment. No reason to tell her that she would indeed bite him, whether she changed her mind or not. How did you move so quickly?
All of my kind are able to do so. With barely a breath, she added, What are you doing here, Aden? This forest is dangerous for humans.
Why was the forest dangerous for humans? When he realized what hed just pondered, he shook his head. It was weird being referred to as a human. Even though thats what he was. I was looking for you. You left so quickly the other night and I have so many questions.
Questions I probably cant answer. She plucked a leaf from the tree, crumpled it in her hand and dropped the pieces. They floated to the ground, twisting and twirling.
Curious as he was, he couldnt allow himself to give up. Rather than push, however, he decided to ask something innocent, something easy. Hopefully, answering him would become second nature to Victoria so he could then tackle the tougher questions. His doctors had used that method on him a time or two.
Why do you wear robes? I would think youd want to wear something modern and blend in.
Blending in has never been our goal. She shrugged. Besides, robes are what my father prefers.
And you always do what he says?
Those who disobey him end up wishing they were dead. She turned away. I should go.
Dont, he rushed out, stepping toward her. Wait. Stay with me. Just a little longer. Ivemissed you.
Thats not treating a girl like crap, Caleb suddenly piped up.
Weve talked about this, Eve said. Your crap theory is crap.
Adens jaw clenched. Please, Victoria.
She stopped, faced him. A thousand different emotions seemed to fight for dominance over her features. Hope, regret, happiness, sadness, fear. Finally, hope won. Come, she said. I want to show you something.
She held out her hand. He wondered what had caused such turmoil inside her, but he didnt hesitate to close the distance between them and twine their fingers. The heat of her skin nearly singed him as she led him through the forest, deeper and deeper, the trees thickening around them.
Youre so hot, he said, then, to his horror, felt himself flush. I dont mean youre pretty. Wait. You are. Pretty, I mean. Beautiful. I just meant your temperature is hot. Could he sound any lamer?
Oh, sorry. She jerked from his hold.
No, I like it. Apparently, he could. He twined their fingers again. I was just wondering why youre soum, hot.
Oh, she said again, relaxing against his hold. Vampires have more blood than humans. A lot more. And not just because of what we consume. Thats why our hearts work at a greater speed.
They rounded a corner. He didnt recognize the area, the leaves hanging from the branches so bright a red it almost looked as though the trees were bleeding. Where are we going?
Youll see.
He hated adding to the distance between him and the ranch, just in case Dan awoke and came gunning for him, but he didnt protest. Being with Victoria was worth the risk. Any risk.
His ears perked when he heard the nearby rush of water. Theres a river here?
Youll see, she repeated.
They broke through a tangle of foliage and what could only be a bathing pool came into view. Boulders were stacked at one side, water cascading from them, bubbling and frothing at the edges. His jaw dropped.
This was nothing more than a puny pond when I arrived, Victoria said. I worked all week to stack the rocks. Riley, my bodyguard, rerouted the water for me.
Riley. Her bodyguard. He must be the boy Aden had seen her with that morning at the ranch. Which meant they werent brother and sister. Worse, they probably spent a lot of time together.
He studied the stones, using the time to tamp down a suddenly blast of jealousy. There were too many to count, all so large no one her size should have been able to lift them.
You both did an amazing job, was all he said.
Thank you.
Its so peaceful here. I never want to leave, Eve said.
Maybe she brought you here to make out with you, Caleb said hopefully. Who knew being nice could pay off?
Uh, I did, Eve replied.
Argh! Guys. Quiet, please. Im begging you. His companions grumbled but did as hed asked.
Victorias focus whipped to him. She was frowning.
Not you, he told her. If you want to know who I was talking to, though, youll have to trade me for the information. There. That was how hed get answers out of her. If she was curious about him. But if she was and he told her the truth, would she decide he was too weird to hang out with, as Mary Ann apparently had?
I would be willing to trade, she said, and he wanted to both cheer and curse. She faced the water, her back to him. We can do so while we swim.
Wait. What? Swim? With you?
She laughed. Who else? Ive come here every night. Youll enjoy the water, I promise.
But I dont have a suit.
So? Without turning toward him, she tugged the robe from her shoulders. The material slid to the ground, and once again his jaw dropped. Never had he seen a lovelier sight. She wore a lacy pink swimsuitthe first time hed ever seen her in color. First time hed ever seen a girl so bare in person. She was as white as snow all over, her body perfectly curved, all lean muscle, smooth planes and hollows.
Am I drooling? he wondered.
Dear Lord in heaven, Caleb gasped out. I know, I know. Im supposed to be quiet. But the words slipped out becauseand I could be mistaken hereI think my tongue is hanging out. Never mind that I dont actually have one.
Aden hated that his companions were seeing her like this. Hated it so much a red sheen of jealousy hazed behind his eyes, and it was far greater than when hed thought of her and her muscled bodyguard together. All the time. Okay. The red expanded, thickened. He wanted to be the only one to enjoy her. Now and always.
Victoria waded into the pool, droplets splashing, water swallowing her up, not stopping until she reached the center, submerged all the way to her shoulders. Slowly she whirled around, grinning. Are you coming?
Hell, yes. The jealousy thing he could deal with later. Aden stripped to his boxers and waded in. The water was cool and caused goose bumps to break out over his skin. He took it like a man, though, and pretended he loved it. No way did he want her thinking he was a wuss. Well, any more of one.
His feet touched in the center, the waterline coming to his shoulders, as well, but he was taller than her and realized she couldnt possibly reach the mossy ground. Still, she seemed unperturbed by her swishing feet, the water not even rippling.
They circled each other, their gazes never wavering.
Ready to trade? he asked. He was willing to do anything, even blab about himself, to learn about her.
She hesitated only a moment before nodding.
First, maybe we should set the rules.
Like?
Like, rule one. Youre a girl, so you go first. Rule two. Youll ask me a question, anything at all, and Ill answer it. Rule three. Ill ask you a question, again anything at all, and youll have to answer it. Rule four. We have to answer truthfully.
Agreed. No hesitation. I will begin then. Sowho were you speaking to earlier when you said quiet?
Of course shed chosen the most embarrassing question to kick things off. But then, his luck would have permitted nothing else. I was speaking to the souls trapped inside my head. Hopefully she would leave it at that.
Her eyes widened. Souls? Trapped in your head? What do you
Nope, he said with a shake of his head. Its my turn. Who do you drink from? And more importantly, do you have many blood-slaves? In his head, the questions continued. Were those slaves male? And what would he do if they were?
Thats two questions, so you will owe me. The answer to the first is humans. The answer to the second is no. I have none. I prefer to drink from my prey only once.
Thank God. I know you drink from humans, though. Thats not what I meant. He thought back to the last few newspapers hed seen, the last news at nine hed watched. There are no articles about recent attacks in the area. No news stations blaring stories about possible vampire sightings. Nobody but me seems to know you even exist. I dont understand how thats possible if you and your family are, uh, eating many meals.
Theres a reason for that, but you will have to trade me for it. The last was said in a singsong voice. Seemed the vampire was using his own strategy against him. Now its my turn. What do you mean, souls are trapped inside your head?
Yep. His luck sucked. Souls, personalities, other humans. There are four and theyve always been with me. At least, as long as I remember. Weve played with a bunch of different theories about how they got there, and the best weve been able to come up with is that I drew them into me. Kind of like how I apparently drew you, only I absorbed them inside my head. They talk all the time. He hurried on before they could protest. Each possesses an ability. One can time travel. One can raise the dead, one can overtake other bodies, and one can see the future. Usually when someones about to die.
That means you can do these things, as well?
He nodded. And now were even, question-wise.
Her head tilted to the side, her expression thoughtful. You are more powerful than we realized.
And that was not a good thing, he mused, judging by her hardened tone. But she wasnt running, wasnt eyeing him as if he were nuclear waste. That was miles above what hed expected. But then, she was a vampire.
I wonder how my father will react to that.
Aden wondered, too. The man had wanted to kill him merely because of the wind he and Mary Ann had created. This was a thousand times worse. Maybe you should, I dont know, not tell him.
Youre probably right. So, tell me more about them, these souls. You said they talk all the time. Are they loud?
He shrugged, and the water rippled. Most days, yeah. Thats why most of the world thinks Im weird. Because Im always telling them to be quiet or, worse, conversing with them. And now, you owe me.
She reached out and threaded their fingers, almost as if she craved contact as much as he did. People might think youre weird, Aden, but they think I am evil. Maybe I am. I survive on blood. And at first, when I learned to take it, I was too eager, unable to stop myself, and hurt innocents.
He heard the guilt in her tone, the sadness, and hated that shed experienced the emotion. He only wanted her happy. And if that made him the wuss he didnt want to be, well, hed freaking be a wuss.
Which brought him back to the bodyguard Riley. Was Aden the only one who wanted her happy? Surely not. After all, Victoria had once told him that Riley was jealous of him. He hadnt understood at the time. But maybe Riley was jealous of the time Victoria spent with him. Jealous, as a boyfriend would be.
Why did she need a bodyguard anyway? he wondered darkly. Talking about how people view us is depressing. So lets talk about Riley. Is he also your boyfriend? Every part of him felt like Victoria was his. If she said yesYou have to answer truthfully. Remember, you owe me.
She laughed. No. Hes more like a brother. He irritates me, which is why I sneak away from him whenever possible. What of you and the girl Ive seen you with? Mary Ann?
Friends only, he said, though he wasnt sure the friend part was even true any longer.
Victorias thumb traced his palm. What kind of person is she?
Before he could stop himselfnot that he wanted to stop himselfAden brought her hand to his mouth and kissed it. Sweet. Kind. Honest. She knows about me. Well, knows a little about me. She watched me possess the body of a werewolf, so there was no hiding it from her.
Vampires and werewolves? What have you gotten yourself into? Werewolves are dangerous creatures, Victoria said huskily. Vicious killers. Her gaze fell to his lips. Beware of them.
I already am. Maybe hed go hunting, find that werewolf and get rid of it before it could hurt someone. Namely Mary Ann. Whether she liked him or not, she was a good person.
Closer and closer Victoria eased toward him, closing the small gap between them. Before, you asked about the humans we drink from and why there are no reports of people being bitten. You saw the way my voice affected your friends, yes? Just as it affected you when first we spoke. Well, when we bite a human, we release a chemical into their systems that makes them even more susceptible to our suggestions. A drug, a hallucinogen, I guess you could say. Once we are finished with them, we send them on their way and they forget they were ever reduced to a meal.
If he had to have strange powers, Aden wished they could have been more like hers. That voodoo voice would have made his life a lot easier; he could have sent certain people (cough Ozzie cough) away with no memory of him.
Are you dead, like legends claim? Hed lost track of who owed whom an answer. But then, trading information was no longer his goal. Touching her was. He wrapped his free hand around her waist and splayed his fingers on the small of her back. She didnt seem to mind. I mean, did you die and someone turned you into a vampire?
No, I am not dead. I live. She lifted his palm to her chest and pressed. Her skin was as hot as before but underneath, he could feel the steady rhythm of her heart. It beat faster than his, faster than anyone should have been able to survive, racing to a finish line it would never reach. My father, he was the first of us. You might have heard of him. Vlad the Impaler, some call him. During his first life, his human life, he drank blood as a symbol of his power. So much blood itchanged him. Or perhaps he simply drank infected blood. He has never been sure. All he knows is that he began to crave it until it became all that he could stomach.
Talk about the ultimate punishment for his deeds. How many of your kind are there now?
A few thousand, scattered throughout the world. My father is king to them all.
King. The word reverberated in his head, making him cringe. That means youre a
Princess. Yes. She stated it so simply, as if it were the most normal thing in the world.
A princess. Suddenly Aden felt even more inadequate. She was royalty, and he was poor, stuck at a ranch with kids too wild for civilization. She was the daughter of a king. He was parentless and considered mentally unstable.
I should probably go, he found himself saying. Why couldnt Elijah have shown him this? Knowing what she was would have saved him the trouble of caring for heronly to lose her.
Confusion darkened her features. Why are you leaving?
Did he really need to spell it out? Im a nothing, Victoria, a no one. Or should I say Princess Victoria? Should I bow, too?
His sneering tone had her swimming backward, out of his reach. You didnt care that I was a vampire, yet my station bothers you. Why?
Just forget it, he said, turning. His hands felt like ice blocks without her fiery heat.
Before he could blink, she was in front of him. Back in his arms. You are beyond irritating, Aden Stone.
So are you. He knew he should release her, but couldnt force his hands to obey this time.
Because I am a princess, I have spent most of my life sequestered. Rules and regulations are mine to follow, more so than anyone else, for I must always act with the decorum such a title demands. I must be everything the people want me to be: polite, polished and above reproach. Then you summoned us and we came to observe you. I saw how you kept yourself separated from those around you. I saw the loneliness in your eyes and I thought you would understand how feel. And then, when you first looked at me, every time youve looked at me, really, I felt your excitement. It causes your blood to flow so swiftly. Her eyes briefly closed, as if she were savoring the memories.
Tonight, she continued, you asked me to stay with you. Youre the first person to want to spend time with me, to talk and get to know me. Do you know how irresistible that is? Riley is my friend, but its his job to watch me. And with him, I can never forget who and what I am. But with youI feel normal. Like any other girl.
Being normal. It was a desire he knew well. And that he made her feel that way was astonishing.
You do the same for me, he admitted. But Im
Irresistible, as I said. I should stay away from you, but cant. So now I will be the one to ask you not to go.
He didnt know whether to laugh or sigh. As long as she didnt see him as a nothing, he would try not to, as well. Ill stay.
Slowly she grinned, and it lit her entire face. Good. Now. What were you saying about me? About the way I make you feel?
Just that I feel normal when Im with you. And I think youre the best thing to have ever happened to me. He cleared his throat. So what else happened when your dad became a vampire? he asked, pretending they had never veered off course. Pretending, for them both, that they really were normal. Despite the topic of conversation.
She must have realized what he was doing, because her smile brightened. He ceased aging, his body strengthened exponentially. His skin lost all remnants of color, becoming an impenetrable shield.
Aden recalled the way shed laughed when hed mentioned cutting her with his daggers. I cant be cut, shed said. Your skin cant be broken?
She shook her head. Not with a sharp object, no.
That would be both a blessing and a curse. A knife couldnt hurt her, but no doctor could operate on her if needed. Was it ever needed? Do you ever get sick?
Once, she hedged, then sighed and released his hand to pluck at the fingers. Some contact was better than none. Aden.
Clearly, the newest question made her uncomfortable. If your father ceased aging, does that mean youre almost as old as he is? he asked, and she relaxed. No, wait. You cant be. You told me older vampires cant tolerate the sun and you can tolerate it.
Yes, Im younger than he is. Im only eighty-one years old. She tangled a hand through his hair, clearly liked the feel, and did it again. But dont think I have looked as I do now all that time. My siblings and I age slowly, very slowly. Our mothers despaired of ever getting us out of the terrible toddler stage.
He remembered the few toddlers hed encountered at various foster homes. The tantrums, the all mine mentality, and the way they drew on everything, even his walls. Wheres your mom now?
In Romania. She was not allowed to travel with us.
He wanted to ask why, but didnt want to have to answer anything about his own parents. So instead he said, Eighty-one. Wow. Youre like my grandma. If I had one.
What a terrible thing to say, she said, but was smiling again.
In all your eighty-one years, you must have had a lot of boyfriends, huh?
For some reason, that wiped away her amusement. She looked away guiltily. Only one.
Just one? And why the guilt? Why so few?
Hes the only boy my father has ever approved of.
Which meant her fathers approval mattered to her. Sadly, approval was not something Aden was likely to get. So how long did he have before Victoria gave up on him? How long before she left him, never to return? How long until she started dating someone her father did like?
As the questions hammered through him, a sense of urgency overwhelmed him. He had to show her how good it could be between them. Had to bring a vision to lifebefore it was too late.
I told you I see the future, yes?
She nodded reluctantly, probably confused by his sudden subject change.
A tide of nervousness swept through him. Just say it, tell her. Ive seen us together. Good. Now for the rest. I knew youd come to me before you arrived.
She stilled, frowned. Wh-what did we do? When we were together?
He didnt mention that hed seen her drink from his neck. He didnt want to scare her away. She was skittish enough about being with him. Wekissed.
You and me, kissing. The last was uttered on a wispy catch of breath. I want to, oh, God, do I want to. But I cant. Ill end up feeding from you, and I refuse to let you see me that way.
Was that the only thing holding her back? Youve already tasted my blood, and you were able to walk away.