Angels and Hunters (Stoker Sisters 2) (4 page)

“And you’ll just allow him to kill Sadie… the woman you love?” It was all Keegan could do to control his anger. “And you wonder how Sadie could fall for me? How fatally mistaken she was to ever feel anything other than repulsion for you.”

Ashwin’s jaw tightened and his eyes narrowed.

“You may as well kill her with your own hands.”

“How dare you, Hunter,” Ashwin spat as he lifted Keegan out of the chair with a chokehold to his neck. “You’ve no concept of the love I have for her. Were it not for the hold Skars has on me, I would never harm her.”

“How noble of you,” Keegan choked out.

“Skars held me prisoner, as he now holds you… he left me with little choice.”

“There’s no excusing what you’re doing.” Struggling against the ropes and Ashwin’s hand, Keegan thrashed about, his anger growing to dangerous proportions. “It will kill Sadie to become a Strigoi. You are sending her to her grave.”

The rising anger provoked by Ashwin’s action soon had Keegan breaking free of his bindings. With blinding rage, he rushed Ashwin and shoved him up against the wall. Strong, but thrown off guard, Ashwin turned to bite into Keegan, but Keegan’s furious fist made its way to the vampire’s jaw before he could even part his lips.

While the blow would have easily broken the jaw of a mere mortal, Ashwin’s head barely whipped back before he brought his annoyed gaze back at Keegan.

“You disappoint me, Hunter.” Ashwin gripped Keegan’s shoulders and effortlessly pushed him back, sending him pounding into the neighboring wall. “I would have thought you had more than that to offer.”

The room reverberated with the force of the impact.

Still riding on a wave of rage, Keegan turned to attack Ashwin once again, but, now on guard, the vampire easily sidestepped his assailant. Keegan overran his objective, but was quick to turn around and plunge into the back of Ashwin’s knees, sending him sprawling to the ground.

“I won’t let you get to them,” Keegan said as he pinned Ashwin to the floor. “I won’t let you win.”

“There’s nothing you can do to stop Skars’ plan,” Ashwin said with a grim, almost regrettable chuckle.

Keegan grabbed his collar, pulled him inches away from the floor and violently pounded his head back against the hard wood floor. With an agile sweep of his leg, he kicked one of the Louis XVI chair closer.  Taking a firm hold of one of the legs, he lifted the chair into the air and brought it to the floor with splintering force.

Now with a leg to serve as stake, he lifted his weapon high into the air, prepared to finally take Ashwin out of the Stoker’s lives for good.

“Lord Ashwin.”

Keegan turned to the sound of the young female voice. The servant, just as surprised to see him as he was to see her, gaped as her tray laden with the Lord’s lunch crashed to the floor.

His chance at escape was at hand and killing Ashwin would have to come later. Without hesitation Keegan bolted for the door.

Chapter 3

 “
I
have to hand it to you,” Delilah said as she made herself comfortable in the cushy loveseat Sadie had recently purchased. “You really have a knack for all of that human décor thing. No one would ever think you were a vampire.”

“Well.” Alexis looked at her as if hundreds of years had not passed. Just like when they’d been girls, Sadie was now still Delilah’s favorite. “I hardly think that’s why people don’t think her a vampire. I mean, what did you expect? That everything would be black, macabre and demonic? Even I know not to decorate a house like that.”

The years had hardened her, made her strong, and little ever got to her. But she could feel that little girl of long ago creep up on her…the anger she’d always felt when Delilah praised Sadie, the pain of knowing Sadie could do no wrong while it seemed Alexis was always being punished for some trivial offence or another.

Now it was the same thing all over again. Delilah ran her hand over the smooth fabric of the loveseat, sighing at its softness.

“Do you want some tea as well, Alexis?” Sadie set the tea tray on the coffee table and poured a cup for Delilah.

“You know I hate tea.”

Delilah took a cautious sip and cocked her brow. “Hmmm, Earl Grey… you remembered.”

“I never drink anything else,” Sadie said with a giggle.

“I never drink anything else,” Alexis mimicked with disgust.

“What was that?” Sadie turned to her, the innocence in her gaze driving Alexis mad.

“I think I’ll have a cup,” Alexis said, wondering what all the fuss could be about.

“I remember how you would sit with your lovely little tea set. I always wanted to sit with you and have a sip, but you would always tell me I was too young.”

“That’s not true. You never asked me. I would have been more than happy to sit and have tea with you.”

Sadie laughed, her dainty little hand coming up to cover her lips. Alexis wanted to spit.

“Come to think of it, I think I never asked you.” She giggled again, her eyes shining with the memory of those days so long ago. “You always seemed so serene, so calm in those quiet moments that I never dared intrude.”

“Isn’t that just like you to be so considerate? I would have been more than happy to welcome you.”

“Yes,” Alexis said with a yawn. “Isn’t it just like her to be so considerate?”

“Oh, Delilah,” Sadie went on, ignoring Alexis. “I loved those days at Stoker Manor. You have no idea how many times I’ve thought of you over the years, always wondering what had become of you, always saddened by the loss.”

Alexis glared at Sadie, certain her darling little sister was deliberately kissing up to their old tutor. Did she not remember the hours of studying, the difficult hours pouring over books, the endless homework that never seemed to be complete?

The freedom they’d had this past century was far more fulfilling and educational than the time they’d spent with Delilah.

“Perhaps we wouldn’t have found ourselves in the midst of such a horrendous fight had we had you mentoring us all these years.”

Alexis grimaced and glared at her sister. Had she forgotten all they’d been through? Had they not come to California on their own? Had they not survived more than one attack by experienced hunters? Had they not blended in well with American society? All without the invaluable aid of dear Miss Delilah?

“Well,” Alexis finally said as she set her full cup of tea on the table. “It tastes just like hot water to me, so, if you guys don’t mind, I’m going to head out for some real action.”

Sadie and Delilah looked up at her, their gazes almost surprised to see she was still there.

“No offense, Delilah, but reminiscing really isn’t my thing.”

“None taken, but where are you headed to so fast?”

“Hunting for a meal,” Sadie quickly answered.

Alexis glared at her, a deadly stare that would have had anyone else cringing, but her dear sister simply smiled.

“You need blood?” Delilah asked.

Her eyes were veiled with concern, something that surprised Alexis. Nonetheless, Alexis felted compelled to look away. Admitting she wanted to go on the hunt just didn’t seem to fit in with the cozy little tea party they were having.

“I know where you can go,” Delilah said. “And you don’t have to kill anyone to get your fill.” She turned to Sadie. “You’re probably going to need some, too, if you're going to fight Skars.”

*******

Though Sadie hadn’t had time to really think of her hunger, the sudden mention of a meal had her suddenly realizing just how famished she was. And the thought of getting her meal in a pain-free way intrigued her.

They piled into Delilah’s car, Alexis with her doubts and Sadie with her hopes. Delilah drove them into town. Delilah expertly maneuvered the sports car through the evening traffic into smaller side streets. They pulled up in front of a building that seemed like all the office buildings around the business district downtown.

Sadie glanced at Alexis. While her sister followed Delilah without hesitation, Sadie could see her apprehension.

Where was Delilah taking them?

“What is this, an office building?” Sadie entered the tiny elevator, instantly suffocated by the small enclosure.

“There are no workers around. Who are we supposed to get blood from if no one’s here?” Alexis asked.

“Still just as impatient as ever,” Delilah said as she punched the number five into the elevator panel.

When the doors slid open, they walked the length of a narrow corridor and finally entered a brightly lit laboratory.

The handsome young man with dark clean cut wavy hair, busily mixing the contents of a vile into a beaker, glanced up. The moment his eyes met Delilah’s, he set vile and beaker aside, and rushed to welcome her.

“Delilah, what an unexpected yet pleasant surprise.”

Delilah chuckled, a decidedly seductive sound, as she spread her fingers through his hair and reached up to kiss him passionately.

Sadie wanted to blush for the intensity of their heated embrace. While she’d never imagined Delilah to be a prude, she’d never thought of her as a sexual being. She was her tutor, her governess, although a very attractive one.

By contrast, Alexis gazed at their tutor with open admiration.

“Dante,” Delilah said when she finally pulled away from him. “I’m so happy to see you're still here.”

“I see you brought along a few friends.”

Delilah came to stand between Sadie and Alexis and slipped an arm around the shoulder of each girl. “These are more than mere friends. They’re virtually my daughters, nieces from Dorset. If they’re so gracious and strong today, I’m proud to say I had a hand in that, albeit a rather small hand.”

Sadie smiled while Alexis positively glowed.

“I’ve not yet had the pleasure of meeting anyone from Delilah’s distant past.”  Dante shook Sadie’s hand.

“And what an honor it is to meet someone from Delilah’s present,” Alexis said, her gaze unabashedly giving the young man the once over.

Sadie wanted to crawl under the counter as her sister blatantly flirted with their tutor’s man. She even caught Alexis’ discreet sniff at the young man. Even from a distance, Sadie could detect his distinctively human scent.

“I must say, Delilah,” Alexis purred. “You certainly have an eye for the finest of the male specimen. Tall, dark and devilishly handsome. Perhaps you still have some things to show me after all.” She grasped his hand tightly, holding it for an uncomfortably long length of time.

Delilah’s smile spoke of her complete lack of concern for Alexis’ juvenile attempt at her man. She pulled Alexis’ hand out of Dante’s and turned her to a set of double doors at the far end of the lab. “We came here to get you a meal, not a man, remember?” She pulled open the door and they entered a small refrigerated room.

Shelves lined the walls and each shelf was stack with cartons.

“Are these…?” Sadie asked as she reached out to finger a carton.

“Cartons of blood, specifically formulated for vampires.”