“Yes bella?” It was an hour or so until dawn and Nick had stayed with Megan throughout the night just holding her. He knew he should have been out looking for Rovenski, but he couldn’t tear himself away from her. God, he loved her! She had come to mean more to him than his own existence in the short time that he’d known her making him realize that what he had felt for Marianne 1300 years ago had been nothing! He would do anything to keep Megan safe . . . anything!
“If you’re from Romania, why do you speak Italian?” She was still snussled up against him, her head laid comfortably against his chest. When he spoke, it vibrated through her ear making her shiver.
“Why aren’t you sleeping?” he asked softly.
“Because I want to know why you speak Italian rather than your native language.” She laughed softly.
“And the answer to this question keeps you awake?”
“Yes, it does.”
Nick laughed. Megan smiled as she lifted her head and gazed lovingly down at him. There was something different between them now. Megan sensed it the tension was gone. “It’s not worth loosing sleep over, cara mia, but if you must know, I speak it because I like the language. I spent a number of years there; it was where I met Valerian. I speak many languages, it just so happens I like Italian the best, so I use it more often.”
“I see,” Megan answered as she laid her head back down against his chest. Then, “Will you make me like you, Nick?” She felt him stiffen against her and knew it was going to be a battle between them.
“No! Never!” He nearly hissed. He pushed her away and sat up. “Why the hell are you asking me this Megan? Did Rovenski bring it up?” he turned back to look at her, his eyes dark with anger.
Megan shook her head, “I’ve been thinking of it for a while now. Just never had the nerve to ask until now.”
“Well, forget it!” Nick turned away from her and stood up.
“That’s it? No explanation? No, I’ll think about it? Just no?” Megan climbed off the bed to stand next to him.
“Why the hell would you want to spend eternity like this? Never to see the sun, never to do the things that humans do. You must always be careful; you must be suspicious of everyone. You cannot enjoy food anymore; it’s blood, Megan. Human blood and if you think I’m going to allow you to take blood from another man -”
Megan moved up to stand in front of him, her hands flat against his chest. “Then I’ll drink from women only,” she informed him gently.
“No!” he growled, “Damn it, Megan you will not drink from anyone but me, is that understood?” he grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her a little.
“So does this mean you will do it?”
Nick froze as he realized he’d just been manipulated, “No,” he answered looking down at her. His fingers caressed her cheek, “No amore, I will not bring you over.” He saw the anger flash in her eyes, then sadness. “I’m sorry, cara.”
Megan stepped back from him, his hand dropped to his side. “So what am I suppose to do then? Grow old while you stay . . . like that?” she waved her hand up and down to indicate his youthfulness. “For how long will you stay with me, Nicolae?” Tears began to form in her eyes. “Will you leave me at the first signs of wrinkles?”
“Megan, stop this,” he commanded sharply.
“When I’m 60 years old,” she continued as if he hadn’t spoke, “will you leave me for someone younger?”
His heart slammed in his chest at the thought of being without her. He stepped forward and grabbed her by the shoulders again, “You haven’t a clue what you mean to me, Megan. You are everything, do you understand? Everything! The day you draw your last breath will be the day I meet the sun. I will stay with you until you close your eyes in death and then I will end my own existence. I love you, Megan Taylor and I will never leave you!”
Megan opened her mouth to say something, then shut it. She reached up taking his face between her hands and pulled his head down for a kiss. She parted her lips as his tongue swept in to duel with her own. They collided and wrapped around each other, much like the way their bodies wrapped around each other as Nick pulled her down to the bed. Megan’s arms wrapped around his neck and as he twisted around until he was above her, her legs wrapped around his waist. He pushed the length of his arousal against the juncture of her legs, rubbing against her, pushing them both to the edge of madness. The friction of their clothing only added to the rush as they strained against each other.
Nick suddenly felt drunk on the taste of her sweet mouth. He couldn’t get enough as his tongue swept through her mouth again and again, drinking in her sweetness. He groaned as his hand came up to cover a breast, his thumb brushing across the hardened nipple through her shirt. Megan moaned against his mouth, arching her back. Nick finally tore his mouth away and left a wet trail down her throat. His hands grabbed at her shirt and pulled up until it came over her head and tossed it mindlessly to the ground. His hands were back to her bra and just as quick it was removed.
“Bella, bella,” he whispered against her skin as he drew a hard peak into his mouth. Megan could feel the sharp scrap of his fangs as he suckled, his tongue soothing and twirling around the nipple.
“Oh god, Nick!” Megan grasped at his thick hair and tried to tug him closer. Nick moved to the other breast and applied the same treatment, the hairs of his beard scraping against her sensitive skin causing her body to convulse. “Please, Nicolae -”
Nick growled as his hands moved to unsnap the waistband of her pants. He rose up to tug them down her legs. Megan sat up and began tugging Nick’s shirt over his head and tossed it down amongst the pile of her clothes. Her eyes roamed over the well-defined muscles of his chest, broad shoulders and arms. They moved back down to his flat stomach to the line of hair that dipped below the waistband of his trousers to the bulge that was quite evident. He truly was the most beautiful man she’d ever seen and he was all hers!
“Come to me, Nicolae,” she whispered as she lifted her arms up to him. “Come and make love to me.”
Nick’s eyes flashed a sudden red glow as he quickly shed his trousers and pushed her back onto her back. Her arms encircled him as did her legs when he settled between them. His hips hovered above her, the tip of his hard sex brushing against the wet entrance to her femininity.
“Promise me,” he began gruffly. She could see the flash of his fangs as he talked, the strain of holding back. “Promise me you will never leave me again, dolcezza. No matter how big of an idiot I am acting. I will not survive it if you leave me.”
Megan met his eerie gaze with no fear. She knew he spoke the truth. He would not survive without her and it wasn’t that he was so helpless, if something were to happen to him, Megan knew she would not survive it either. They were connected, they had bonded somehow and to loose the other would be devastating at best.
“I promise, Nicolae. I promise.”
Nick claimed her mouth with a deep kiss as he sank deep inside her, filling her completely. He began to move almost immediately, unable to keep still. Megan met his pace her hands splayed out flat on his back as the muscles in his back flexed beneath her seeking fingers. They continued to move down until they glided over the firm roundness of his derriere. There she clutched at it, using her own strength to push him deeper into her. She felt wild, her body out of control as her release built in strength. It hummed between them, this bond that they shared and suddenly Megan could feel what Nick was feeling. The feelings were so strong that it nearly overwhelmed her. Because of what he was, his feelings were intensified tenfold. Her climax hit her like a ton of bricks. At that same moment, Nick sank his fangs into her throat and Megan was lost in a world of intense sexual euphoria. She cried out as her climax rocked through her, shattering her completely. All the while she was still completely connected to Nick she was loosing herself. He groaned as his own release rocked through him, spilling his seed deep within her. Only then did Nick realize, almost too late, what was happening and he closed his mind off to her and pulled his fangs out. His tongue swept over the puncture marks in her neck and he rolled off her.
“Megan?” He looked down at her pale face; her eyes closed and began cursing in every language he knew. “Megan, bella, please answer me.” He shook her gently. Megan’s eyes opened, they were half glazed over as she looked up at him.
“Nick?”
“Yes dolcezza, that’s it, talk to me.”
“What happened?” Her voice was weak, her eyelids heavy.
“I allowed our minds to merge, amour and I shouldn’t have. Forgive me,” he whispered against her lips as he kissed her softly.
“I’m so tired, Nick.”
“Sleep, amore mia. It is almost dawn and I must go rest.” Nick pressed his lips to hers then got up and dressed quickly. By the time he leaned over her again, she was resting peacefully. He touched her mind with his to make sure she was truly all right, then kissed her again. “Ti amo, cara mia,” he whispered then was gone.
Nick appeared in the secret place where he and Valerian slept. It was a large room, divided in half by a wall. A door was the only thing that connected the two rooms. They were fully furnished with a king size bed in each room, two large closets which contained their clothes and a bathroom that they shared. It was almost unheard of that two male vampires would share the same sleeping quarters, but Valerian and Nick seemed to tolerate each other well enough.
“He raped a hooker,” Valerian said from the doorway. He was leaning casually against the doorframe but Nick could sense that there was nothing casual about Valerian right now.
“He’s angry.”
“Yeah, well fuck his anger, Nicolae!” Valerian snapped.
Nick turned his head toward Valerian with one eyebrow raised in question. “You want to tell me what that is all about, amico mio?” he asked using the friendly term that Valerian always used.
Valerian sighed, “Forgive me, it seems my good humor has abandoned me recently.”
Nick smiled, “So tell me who has caused your good humor to abandon you besides me?”
Valerian returned his smile, then it faded slightly, “Kaitlin Sanders.”
“The detective?” Valerian nodded.
Nick’s eyes narrowed as he studied his best friend, then suddenly his face broke out into a wide grin. “I’ll be damned! It’s finally happened? The great carefree, love them and leave them Valerian Romano has fallen in love?”
“Oh shut up, Nick!” Valerian gave him a sour look. Nick started laughing. “It’s not funny, man. I almost rung her ex-husbands neck for kissing her on the cheek.” Nick laughed harder; he sat down hard on his bed and began to howl with his laughter. Valerian glared over at him. “I swear to God, Nick I never felt like killing someone as badly as I did her ex.” Nick sucked in a deep breath, then collapsed into a fit of laughter again. “Oh for Christsakes Nick, give me a break!”
Nick finally got his laughter under control, but couldn’t quite get rid of the grin. “So now you finally understand,” he stated. Valerian nodded reluctantly.
“Yeah, but at least Megan returns the feelings. I’m afraid my Detective Kaitlin Sanders can’t stand me.”
“I’m sure you will charm her just like you charm the others, Valerian.”
“I think she is immune. It seemed to just piss her off more.”
Nick laughed again. “So she will be a challenge for you. Don’t give up so easily.”
“Who said I was giving up?” Valerian asked with a devilish smile.
Nick chuckled, “Good night, Valerian.”
“Good night, amico mio.” He started to shut the door and stopped, “Is Megan alright?”
Nick nodded, “Yes. We will find Rovenski tomorrow night and end this once and for all.” Valerian nodded and shut the door behind him.
Chapter 13
Three days later still turned up no Rovenski, yet he had managed to kill and rape 5 more women. They always managed to be one step behind him, always coming on the scene too late. Each time Valerian put the call in to Kaitlin Sanders, informing her that he and Kristof had found another body during their search for the killer.
“We need help, Nicolae.” They sat in Nick’s study after another unsuccessful search. Megan lay on the couch asleep with her head resting on the top of Nick’s thigh. His hand absently stroked her hair, her face.
Nick was frustrated. He thought they would have found Rovenski by now, but he was doing a good job at eluding them. He sighed, “And who could we have help us, Valerian?”
“Why not go to the police? We don’t need to tell them what he is, but we can enlist their help in the search. We can monitor them and when they close in on him, we can beat them to Rovenski.”
“Are you sure there isn’t another reason you want the police involved, amico mio?” Nick teased, a smile played around his full lips. Ever since Rovenski had managed to get a hold of Megan for that short time, Nick had done an about face. He was still frustrated and angry that they couldn’t seem to get their hands on Rovenski and that Megan’s life was endanger until they did. The jealously was still there, too, but he seemed to be controlling it better now. Megan had theorized the other night that she thought it was because Nick was more secure in her feelings for him now. Which was probably true. Nick had no doubts about her love for him.
Valerian shot him an annoyed look, “Oh puleeze, Nick! Just because you yourself have become a sap over a woman -”
Nick threw his head back and laughed. He stopped abruptly when Megan moaned softly in her sleep and shifted her position. He gazed lovingly down at the woman who had changed him from a dark brooding pessimist to a dark brooding optimist. He curled his arm protectively around her shoulders then returned his gaze to his friend who watched him amused.
“Maybe I have become a sap.”
“Don’t get me wrong, amico mio. I much prefer this to the belligerent ass you had become.” Nick raised an eyebrow at Valerian at his choice of words, but he knew his friend was right. He had become an ass there for a while and he regretted the way he had treated Megan as well as how he had treated his best friend.
It was almost dawn. The faint light of the rising sun was beginning to brighten the study through the open balcony doors. Nick eased Megan’s head from his lap and stood. He turned and scooped her up in his arms and turned back to Valerian. “Alright, Valerian. We try this your way now, for I am at a loss on how to find him. Tomorrow night I want you to contact this Kaitlin Sanders of yours and solicit her help. Tell her everything about Rovenski, except for the obvious.”
“You got it.”
“Will you lock up?”
“Of course, good night, Nicolae.” Valerian began to turn away when he heard a soft sigh.
“Good night, Valerian.”
Both men looked down at Megan who was curled against Nick’s chest, her eyes closed. “I thought you were asleep, cara,” Nick said softly.
Megan’s eyelids fluttered open as she looked up at him, “How can anyone sleep with you two chattering like a bunch of women?” Nick chuckled as Valerian threw his head back and laughed.
“Forgive our carrying on, belleza! Good night and sweet dreams to you both.” Valerian turned with a smile on his face and left to make sure the house was locked up.
The next evening Valerian went in search of Kaitlin. He checked the station were she worked first only to find she had the night off. He went by her apartment next, but she wasn’t home. Dio! Valerian sighed to himself. She is usually everywhere I go and now that I need to find her, she is nowhere to be found!
He hung out outside her apartment door for almost an hour on the off chance that she had just made a quick run to the store, but he quickly realized she was out for the evening. Valerian had the feeling she was doing some “off duty” investigating and he shape shifted into a falcon and took to the air. He didn’t have the connection with Kaitlin as Nick had with Megan, but he could sense her nearby if she was within a few mile radius. He found her a few hours later and fear like he’d never known slammed through his small falcon shaped body, sending his equilibrium off kilter and nearly causing him to plummet to the earth. Kaitlin was in trouble.
Kaitlin walked down the dark alley trying to look casual. It was her night off and here she was using herself as bait without the department knowing what she was doing. If she didn’t get herself killed, she’d be fired when they found out. She was tired of this. All this killing and they were no closer to discovering the murder than they were when they had found the first body. Her thoughts shifted to Valerian Romano. And what about him? She was confused and a bit pissed off at her feelings for the mysterious P.I. who had somehow managed to haunt even her dreams. She knew nothing about him, but yet she couldn’t stop thinking about him. He was handsome and charming and she constantly caught herself fantasizing about kissing him and what it would be like to make love to him. It annoyed the hell out of her! He may be handsome and charming and have the body of an Adonis, she told herself, but he is also arrogant, domineering, bossy, overbearing and way to possessive! She immediately called to mind his “claim” on her. He had some nerve!
A movement to her left caught her attention and she stiffened. “Who’s there?” she called out loudly. No answer. A sound to her right caused her to spin around. Her hand immediately went for her gun tucked behind her in the waistband of her jeans. “I have a gun!” she warned.
There was a soft chuckle to her left, “Ya hear that, Steve? She has a gun!”
“Oooooo, I’m sooooo afraid!” Came the reply from her right.
Arms circled her from behind; “Perhaps she would like to share it with us?” Came the third voice behind her.
Kaitlin shrieked as she brought her elbow back into the guy’s stomach. She heard a satisfying grunt as the arms released her. She ran forward a short ways then spun with her gun drawn.
“Oh she got you good, Marvin. She’s a tough one!” Steve teased with a laugh.
“L.A. Police officer. I want all three of you to step into the light with your hands raised!”
“Oh my god, we’ve been discovered!” The unnamed one mocked.
“The police? Oh no, not the police!” Came Marvin’s reply.
The three men stepped into the middle of the alley where the light of the full moon shown down on their faces. Kaitlin gasped at what she saw.
“Sweet Jesus, help me,” she whispered as her heart leapt up into her throat.
“Nah, Jesus can’t help you now, darlin’,” The one called Steve answered. “And neither can that gun.”
In the blink of an eye, Steve was standing in front of her, yanking the gun from her hands. Kaitlin gasped and jerked back, but Steve reached for her, his eyes glowing, his fangs bared. He jerked her back to him and smiled.
“Hey, don’t forget to same some for us,” came the unnamed one from behind Steve.
Kaitlin’s mind was frozen as she tried to comprehend that vampires really existed. Then her instinct for survival kicked in and she struck out at the creature before her. Bringing her knee up hard, she caught him in the groin. Steve stumbled back grabbing at his crotch with a groan and fell on his ass as Kaitlin turned to run. Strong arms, like steel bands closed instantly around her and she screamed. A hand covered her mouth, cutting off her cry and then her head was jerked to one side.
“Bitch!” She heard the growl and then felt the sharp painful pierce of teeth on her exposed neck.
Kaitlin wasn’t sure about what she saw next, but seconds later she witnessed a falcon change into Valerian. He was like a thunderous storm as his feet landed gracefully on the ground. His eyes glowed, his fangs bared as he stalked towards them, his hands raising from his sides. She felt the vampire behind her release her with a hiss.
“Stay out of this, Valerian!” Came Steve’s growled threat.
“You chose the wrong woman to mess with, Steve and now the three of you will pay for it with your lives!” Out of nowhere, three wooden stakes appeared hovering in mid air. Kaitlin watched in morbid fascination as Valerian controlled them easily with his raised hands. Then with a quick flick of his wrists, the three wooden stakes flew forward and buried themselves deep into the chests of the three vampires. They screamed out as they clutched at the stakes.
“Rovenski will get you for this, Valerian. You will pay!” Marvin screamed out, then he fell to the ground and vanished into a pile of dust. The other two vampires too fell to the ground and vanished into dust seconds later leaving the alley as quiet as it had been when Kaitlin had first entered it earlier.
Valerian turned to Kaitlin who stood still as a statue staring at him as if he’d grown a second head. “You, you, you’re a vampire?”
Valerian cocked his head to one side and smiled. “Yeah, but I’m a good vampire!” he teased, his fangs flashing in the moonlight.
“Good vampire?”
Valerian sighed. He saw her trembling; he felt her fear of what she did not understand. He slowly moved closer to her, “I would never hurt you, piccola. This is not how I would have wished for you to find out, but now that you know, we must talk.”
Kaitlin was in shock. Her instincts told her that Valerian was telling her the truth. Though he was arrogant and overbearing, he had never threatened her or tried to hurt her, on the contrary, he’d seemed overly protective of her. She shivered as his hands moved over her shoulders. “There is something I must do, piccola and I am asking you to trust me.” His green eyes looked gently down at her.
She blinked and for some reason she couldn’t fathom, she nodded. Valerian leaned forward and caught the trickle of blood that ran down her neck with his tongue. Kaitlin stiffened with a soft gasp. “No!”
Valerian loosened his hold on her shoulders so she wouldn’t feel more threatened. He raised his head so she could see his eyes as he spoke to her. “Trust me, bella. I am not going to bite you. Our salvia acts as a healing agent. If I don’t do this, the wound will become sore and might become infected.”
Her eyes continued to search his, but Valerian didn’t make a move until he had her approval. This fact was not lost on Kaitlin. Finally what seemed like an eternity to her, she swallowed and nodded. Valerian leaned his head down and she shivered when she felt the stroke of his tongue on her skin. Her hands came up to clutch the front of his shirt as her eyes closed.
Valerian had never tasted anything as sweet as Kaitlin’s blood. It called to him and he felt his fangs lower again as he continued to lick the blood from her throat. He fought for control of the beast within him as his arms circled around her to draw her closer to his hard frame. His tongue stroked several times over the pinpricks that marred her beautiful skin then he forced himself to stop. He released her and stepped back.
When Kaitlin opened her eyes, she found herself standing outside her apartment and not the dark alley. It was all too much for her and her mind shut down. “Oh shit,” she whispered as her eyes rolled up in her head and she fainted.
She regained consciousness a short time later. Her eyelids fluttered open to find Valerian’s handsome face looking concerned down at her as he held her in his arms. “Welcome back, piccola.”
“Oh god,” she breathed as everything came back to her in a rush. Vampires! They were real and there was one holding her in his arms right now! She began to struggle. “Let me go. Put me down, now!”
Valerian quickly placed her on her feet and she stumbled as she tried to move away from him. He caught her, but she pushed his hands away. Spinning around to face him, she backed away until she hit the front door of her apartment. Valerian looked slightly hurt, but then the look was gone. “I already told you, Kaitlin that I would not hurt you.”
“Well forgive me if I’m a bit skeptic right now!” she snapped. “Until half an hour ago, I didn’t know vampires existed. Half an hour ago, I had 3 of them try to attack me, one of them bit me and tried to drain my blood.” Kaitlin felt her head spin, “Half an hour ago, the man I had been fantasizing about was a flesh and blood god damn human!”
That admission stunned Valerian. She had been fantasizing about him? He felt his body react as he once again tried to rein in the beast. He smiled, “I’m still human, piccola. Just an undead one.” He winked at her hoping it would lighten the mood. It didn’t.
“Oh very funny!” she snapped again. “Just who the hell are you anyways?”
“Do you think we could discuss this inside? I don’t wish for all your neighbors to hear this.”
“Yeah I just bet you don’t!” Kaitlin sighed, but turned towards her door and dug her keys out of her jean pocket. Unlocking the door she entered. She tossed her keys on the table and turned on the lights. She frowned and went back to the front door when she realized that Valerian had not followed her in. “I thought you wanted to discuss this inside.”
Valerian flashed her a grin, “I do. But you must invite me in first.”
Kaitlin paled, “Oh my god.” She sucked in a deep breath then nodded. “Okay, okay. You swear you aren’t gonna bite me or otherwise maim me?”
His grin broadened into a full on smile making her knees shake. He raised his hand giving her the Boy Scout sign. “I swear I won’t bite you or otherwise maim you! Boy Scout honor!”
Kaitlin rolled her eyes, “Oh for christssakes, some how I doubt you were ever a boy scout!” She curled her arm in a “come in” motion. “Come on in, but I swear, Valerian if you try anything I’ll stake you and leave you out for the sun!”
Valerian laughed, “Now how can I resist an offer like that?”
Kaitlin glared at him as he entered her apartment. She had a fairly large apartment and suddenly it seemed very small when he stepped inside. Valerian was a big man and he could easily break her. He towered over her and his long tawny hair made him look wild and untamed. Her fingers itched to touch it. Kaitlin clenched them into fists at her side and refused to be intimidated. “So, can I offer you anything to drink?”
Valerian raised an eyebrow and stared at her with humor dancing around in his green depths. “I thought you said I couldn’t bite you?”
Kaitlin opened her mouth to utter a retort, but thought better of it. As scared as she was of this whole situation and she was scared, she didn’t have a problem with admitting that, she did appreciated Valerian’s sense of humor, even if it did make her want to smack him. “Never mind. Sit!”
Valerian obeyed and sat on the small couch. He waited until Kaitlin had settled on a recliner across from him and then began to explain. “You want to know who I am. I am what you see. Valerian Romano, thousand year old vampire.”
Kaitlin’s eyes widened. “Thousand year old vampire?”
Valerian nodded. “The serial killer that you are looking for, Mikhail Rovenski is also a vampire.”
“Is he a thousand years old too?”
“Um, no. He’s more like fifteen hundred years old.”
“Oh shit,” Kaitlin leaned back in the recliner. Then she had a sudden thought. “Is Kristof a vampire too?” Valerian didn’t answer, just stared at her with those green eyes of his. But he didn’t have to answer, Kaitlin knew. “Oh my god.”
“Nicolae and Rovenski were brought over about the same time. They started out as friends until Rovenski murdered a woman Nicolae cared for. They have been enemies since and Nick has looked for Rovenski ever since.”
“How long ago was that?” she asked in amazement.
“Oh I guess about thirteen hundred years ago,” Valerian answered.
“Jeez, you say that like it was just yesterday.”
Valerian shrugged, “For me, it was just yesterday.”
They stared at each other in silence for a long moment, then Kaitlin nodded. “Okay, so what about now? What’s causing this Rovenski guy to start a killing spree and why is he now raping them?”
“He’s pissed off at Nick. Do you know who Megan Taylor is?”
“The author? She writes those vampire romances, right?”
“Yes,” Valerian nodded. “Rovenski murdered her sister in Romania and became obsessed with Megan after seeing her picture. Megan hired Nick to look into the death of her sister since he is from Romania.”
“I see.”
“I don’t think you do. You see, Nick and Megan have fallen in love and this has made Rovenski angry.” Valerian watched closely for Kaitlin’s reaction.
Her eyes widened in surprise, “A vampire can fall in love? Does Megan know what he is?”
Valerian sighed, “Yes to both questions. Kaitlin, when we become vampires we die physically, but our feelings and emotions remain. We are capable of great anger and yes; we are capable of falling in love. It just doesn’t happen very often. Just like mortals, we have good vampires and bad ones. To keep our presence safe within humanity, we police our own. We have to or we would be discovered. Most humans are afraid of what they don’t understand. They would wipe us out before ever thinking to find out if we were friendly or not.”
Kaitlin understood that. What he said was very true about human nature. “Have you ever been in love? As a vampire, I mean?”
Valerian held her gaze, “No. Not until now.” His meaning was very clear and Kaitlin gasped shaking her head in denial. Valerian sighed, realizing that she would not accept him or the love he offered. “Kaitlin, I am not here to force myself on you. I have no expectations of you accepting me for what I am and to look beyond that. I am here to solicit your help in finding Rovenski. I was looking for you when I discovered you in the alley with those three vampires.”
Kaitlin swallowed, “I’m sorry, Valerian. I, it, it just surprised me is all.” Valerian waved her apology off.
“Forget it, bella. I’m sorry I burdened you with it. It was not my intent.”
Kaitlin started to say something more, but didn’t. Her heart pounded in her chest and she was confused. She was attracted to Valerian, but yet appalled at what he was. It was best to just stick to the matter at hand, she decided. “So what did you want me to do?”
“Help Nick and I look for Rovenski. L.A. is too big for the two of us. We can’t keep up with him. I will give you his description and ask that you and your police department to help us search. But I must demand one thing of you, Kaitlin.”
She raised an eyebrow, not sure if she was gonna like this, “Yes?”
“You can not tell anyone what Rovenski is. Nor what Nick and I are for that matter. You must tell your police officers that when Rovenski is located, they are not to try and approach him. They must call Nick or myself immediately.”
Just as she thought, she didn’t like it. “Like hell I will!” She jumped up angry. “We are the police department not you or Kristof. We can handle Rovenski or who ever and whatever the hell he is!”
“Damn it, Kaitlin you don’t know what you are dealing with!” Valerian growled as he stood to tower over her. “Do you even know how to deal with a vampire? How to kill one?”
“What’s to know?” she snapped back. “You take a stake and drive it through his fucking heart!”
“You think it is that easy?”
“Why not, I watched you do it. Looked pretty easy to me!”
“They were stupid fledglings, Kaitlin. Not more than a few hundred years old. As a vampire ages, his powers increase. I may be a thousand years old, but Rovenski is five hundred years older than me and he could easily break me in half. The only one strong enough to defeat Rovenski is Nicolae! I’m telling you now, bella if you allow your people to go after Rovenski, he will destroy them all without breaking a sweat!”
“We are trained professionals, we can handle it.” Kaitlin announced stubbornly.
Valerian began cursing in Italian and ended with, “Testarda donna!”
Kaitlin glared at him, “What did you call me?”
Valerian grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her lightly, “I called you a stubborn woman, damn it!” he nearly yelled.
“I’m not stubborn, I’m a cop!
“You’ll be a dead cop!”
“What do you care what he does to me as long as you get this creep?”
“Dio donna,” Valerian rasped as he pulled her to him and kissed her hard, her arms flew around his neck immediately and clung to him. It was like a bolt of lightening ripped through them both as their lips met. Valerian’s mind flooded with awareness of her at the contact, his senses nearly overwhelmed. The beast roared forward and his mind screamed for him to pull back before he harmed her.
Valerian!
Dio, Nicolae! Aiuto me (help me)!
Valerian opened his mind to Nick and let their minds merge.
Take a deep breath and release her. Do it now!
Drawing on his friend’s strength, Valerian tore his mouth away from Kaitlin with a growl and shoved her away from him. She stumbled back with a gasp and her eyes widened in fear when she saw the look on Valerian’s face. His eyes glowed eerily as he fought to put the beast back in its cage.
Dio, Nick how do you keep control with Megan?
It’s not easy, Valerian. Believe me I have lost control more than once with Megan and hurt her in my anger. With you and Kaitlin though, you had the added pressure of the awareness added to the high emotion that was already there with the arguing. It won’t always be like that. Remember, she is your chosen mate and that fact will control everything you do in regards to her.
Valerian took another deep breath and looked to see what damage he may have caused to his and Kaitlin’s already tattered relationship. Grazie, amico mio!
Nicolae’s soft laughter made it’s way to Valerian’s mind. My pleasure!
The connection was gone and Valerian smiled within himself knowing that after all the ribbing he gave Nick over his intense feelings for Megan, that turnabout was fair play and Nick was having fun getting even. His green eyes met Kaitlin’s fearful stare.
“Forgive me, piccola. I hope I did not hurt you.”
Kaitlin shook her head, “No, you just scared the crap out of me.” She eyed him a moment longer, then asked, “You gonna tell me what that was all about?”
“I don’t think you really want to know, do you?” The awareness was still there. But like Nick had told him, it was the added emotion that made it unbearable. Now it surrounded Valerian like a blanket keeping him warm and secure.
Kaitlin watched him confused. Something had happened when he had kissed her. It was as if her senses had opened up and everything about him surrounded her. She could smell him, taste him, feel him and yet he was several feet away from her. Maybe she really didn’t want to know, but yet he drew her. He was like no other man she had ever met. Of course he isn’t, you idiot, he’s a vampire! But still, even before she knew that, she thought him different. Not different as in not human, but different as in he could be the one to fill the empty place inside her. And that scared her more than anything else. Even more than knowing what he was. When she was married to Mac, she could keep her feelings in a box where they were safe and protected. Somehow she didn’t think that would work with Valerian. Already she was getting used to the idea that he was a vampire, though it still surprised her at what he was capable of doing. And that made her wonder. What exactly was he capable of doing?
Kaitlin jumped startled when she felt hands on her arms. She looked around her wildly, but no one was touching her. Valerian still stood several feet away from her staring at her with a smirk on his face. “What’s going on? What are you doing, Valerian?”
“You were wondering what a vampire was capable of doing?”
“You can read my mind?” she asked shocked.
“If I wish to.”
“What about what I wish? Stay the hell out of my mind!” Kaitlin gasped again as she felt invisible fingers glide down her throat.
“Do you know that someone with Rovenski’s power can do this from across a continent. All he would need was a fix on you and he could choke the life out of you with just a thought.”
Kaitlin closed her eyes when she felt the invisible fingers glide down her arms and brush against the swell of her breasts. Good god, she wanted him. Even now, knowing what he was and what he was capable of, she wanted him. She felt the brush of warm lips against her mouth and she sighed. Strong arms circled her and she found her self pressed against a very real, very hard body as a very real Valerian kissed her soundly.
It was different this time. Valerian was in control and he started slowly, learning the texture of her lips, the curves and the incredible softness. He stroked the fullness of her bottom lip with his tongue as he memorized every detail, every inch before accepting her invitation to enter her parted lips and taste what was offered inside. Kaitlin sagged against him, clutching at the front of his shirt as he plundered the inside of her mouth. He held her tenderly, firmly, yet in a way that told her that if she stepped back, he would release her immediately. His tongue curled around hers possessively drawing it back into his mouth inviting her to explore him as he had her. Kaitlin felt giddy. No man had ever kissed her like this. But then, Valerian is no man! The thought flittered through her mind.
For a brief moment Kaitlin panicked. She stiffened and started to push away then suddenly warmth flooded her mind, her heart. She felt Valerian’s arms fall away from her, yet his mouth was still on hers. Somehow she knew Valerian was communicating to her, not by words, but by action. He was comforting her by flooding her mind and heart with the warmth of his love and telling her by dropping his arms that he would not make her do anything she didn’t want. Kaitlin suddenly wanted to communicate with him as he had with her but didn’t know how. She felt a gentle brush against her mind.
Just open your mind, piccola.
Kaitlin gasped as she did pull away this time. She stared at Valerian in surprise. “How did you do that?”
Valerian’s lips twitched. Its easy once you get the hang of it. Can you feel the connection between us?
Kaitlin nodded.
Center your thoughts on that connection and speak to me with your mind.
Kaitlin closed her eyes and concentrated. Hello?
Valerian’s soft laughter rippled through her and she shivered. Hello back.
Kaitlin’s eyes snapped open and she giggled. Her hand came up to clap over her mouth in horror. Good lord, she hadn’t giggled since she was in grade school! Valerian threw his head back and laughed out loud. The sound of it echoed off her apartment walls causing her to smile.
Valerian looked towards the window and sighed. It was near dawn. “I must go, piccola. The sun is rising and I must rest.”
“Okay. So do you still want our help in finding Rovenski?”
“Will you have your people contact me or Nick if he is discovered and not go in guns blazing?”
Kaitlin rolled her eyes and smiled, “Alright, alright. You made your point about that issue. They will have strict orders not to approach Rovenski and to contact you or Kristof if Rovenski is found.”
Valerian reached up his hand and cupped her chin with his fingers. “I can not stress enough, piccola that you should be very careful when dealing with Rovenski. Please, bella, do not go near him. If anything were to happen to you-”
“I’ll be fine, Valerian. I promise, I will not place my self in any situation I don’t think I can handle.” Kaitlin rose up on her tiptoes and planted a kiss on his lips. “Now go before you melt and I have a big puddle to clean up.”
Valerian grinned, “That’s witches, cara mia. Vampires turn to dust.”
“Oh whatever!” Kaitlin snapped sarcastically. Valerian laughed and vanished before her eyes causing her to shriek at the suddenness of it. “Damn it, Valerian! Next time warn me before you do that!”
His laughter floated back to her through their connection. I’ll find you after the sunsets tonight.
Kaitlin locked up her apartment and crawled into bed. She was exhausted and as she lay there she thought back on what she had learned that night. Vampires really existed! Not only that but a very handsome one was in love with her! Oh my god, Katy, what have you gotten yourself into? She thought as she drifted off to sleep.