Blood Legacy (PULSE Vampire Series #6) (5 page)

Is Stuart with you?
Kalina thought she could detect jealousy in his voice.

Yes
, she admitted.

Ah
. She could sense his pain.
Then ask him. He’ll know where it is. The Devil’s Mouth.

The Devil’s mouth, where is that?

Ask Stuart…

But Stuart and I…

But it was too late. Octavius’ voice had faded away.

“What is it?” Stuart rushed over to her. Kalina was shaking, her pale skin turned dark crimson by the force of her love.

“Oh, no…” she whispered. How did Octavius still have that effect on her – even now he could reduce her to a quivering gale of desire?

“What is it? Is everything all right? Is somebody hurt?|

“No, no…” Kalina shook her head. “Everything’s fine...I heard from Octavius. He’s okay – he and Max both. But he told me where they were going. He said that he knew where the Carriers were – or thought he did. Somewhere called the Devil’s Mouth. He told me you’d know where that is, Stuart?”

Stuart furrowed his brow.

“Yes,” he said. “You spoke to him just now?” Now it was Stuart’s turn to be jealous. It was as plain as day the effect Octavius still had on her – Stuart had to know that Kalina still had such clear feelings for him. “Kalina, you’re trembling.”

“It’s nothing.” She waved away his concern, not wanting him to see. “The Devil’s Mouth – you know where that is?”

“It’s in Switzerland by the French border,” said Stuart. “It’s a dangerous place – lots of supernatural activity going on there. Not somewhere you want to go for a skiing holiday. We can’t land in the mountains – the plane’s not equipped for that. But there’s a private hangar a few hour’s drive from the Mouth. Mostly used by celebrities who want to go skiing in the Alps without being seen. But we’re not going on a holiday, are we?”

The whole plane journey seemed tortuously long to Kalina. She couldn’t stand the waiting – knowing Octavius was on the other end, knowing that she wanted him so badly still…

If she had thought human hormones were difficult to deal with, vampire hormones were a million times worse. The desire of her blood was sending her in a hundred different directions – one minute she wanted to have sex with Stuart, the next minute she wanted to eat him! One minute she was feeling love for Stuart – the next Octavius was turning her to jelly! No wonder vampires were so promiscuous, she thought – vampire hunger for flesh was almost as bad as vampire hunger for blood.

As they descended, Kalina caught a flash of the white, snowy mountains out her window. How savage they looked – their untrodden carpeted whiteness so virgin, so untouched. These mountains were remote and dangerous enough that even the most hardened trekker avoided them – certainly there were no ski lodges clustered around the bases, as there were on the smaller mountains. Kalina felt the familiar thrill – terror and excitement – of danger. It had become like a drug to her, Kalina felt – the drug of desire.

Stuart started shivering as soon as they left the plane. They had come from California, after all, and although they’d brought sweaters and a change of clothes they hadn’t planned on going straight into the middle of a cold snowstorm. Justin and Kalina huddled together, sharing Justin’s oversized college sweatshirt between the two of them, their two heads poking out of the massive neck. But Stuart – evidently unused to the less powerful side of his human natures – was shaking heavily, his lips turning blue before they even reached the airport.

“We need to stay somewhere for the night,” said Justin. “Not least so we can get some new clothes in town. Californian weather this is not!”

“I know a small inn near here,” said Stuart. “L’Auberge des Escaliers – it’s a lovely little place. And their roaring fire sounds very good right about now.”

Of course, as Kalina quickly discovered, what Stuart called a “small inn” was in fact a luxury boutique hotel, its elegance taking the form of pseudo-rustic charm rather than cosmopolitan flair. Kalina gasped as she entered – ornately carved wooden walls stood over thick rugs: bearskin and sheepskin alike. A warm fire was blazing in the fireplace, and Stuart gratefully rushed over to warm up, rubbing his hands against the flame.

“Is the Empress Suite available for tonight?” he asked the receptionist, who had come over to greet them.

“The Empress Suite!” The receptionist looked impressed. “Yes, I believe so, Mr.…”

“Greystone,” said Stuart lightly.

“Mr.
Greystone!
” Now the woman looked even more impressed. “I’ve heard your name mentioned. You’re one of our most valued customers. You’d like to book the Empress Suite for tonight?”

“Only for Miss Calloway,” said Stuart. “Justin and I will take the King Suite if it’s available.”

“Of course, Mr. Greystone,” nodded the receptionist deferentially.

Kalina was glad to have some time to rest, freshen up, and sink into an extraordinary warm bath – from which she could see a view of the stunning Alps peaks out of the window – but she was somewhat awed by the atmosphere. Dinner was to be served at eight-o-clock sharp, and she had a feeling her jeans, very slightly muddied from the California autumn, wasn’t going to cut it. She went back to her suitcase, looking in frustration for something that wasn’t torn or designed to be worn while slaughtering rogue vampires.

“Looking for something to wear?” Stuart knocked lightly at the door. “I had the concierge send someone to pop into town to grab you this.”

“Stuart, it’s beautiful!” Kalina took a layer of shimmering, lace-lined peach-colored fabric from Stuart’s arms. It was the most beautiful dress she had ever seen.

“If I’m going to make the most of my fortune in this lifetime,” Stuart smiled, “I’m going to spend it on the woman I love – on making her happy. I daresay I know your body well enough to guess your size.” His penetrating eyes smoldered as he turned his gaze upon her.

That night at dinner, Kalina could feel the cool softness of expensive silk rustling tantalizingly against her pallid flesh. The dress made her feel more than beautiful – it made her feel sultry. Seductive. Elegant. Stuart, too, was dressed up, wearing a well-made cashmere sweater whose color brought out the brilliancy of his eyes. He sat so elegantly at the table, Kalina noted with a pang, ordering their initial drinks with such élan. He may not have been born an aristocrat in England, Kalina noted, but by now he had certainly learned to play the part, showering her and Justin with such luxury that she colored.

They finished their drinks and Justin went on ahead to the main dining room, anxious to delve into some fine Swiss fare, muttering something about fondue. Stuart held out his arm for Kalina.

“My lady?” He gave her a slow, beautiful smile.

She touched his arm as she slipped her own through it, and at his touch waves of shock ran through her. Desire took hold; immediately she caught a whiff of his blood, her entire body aflame with her longing for him. Her hair was standing on end; even the hairs on the back of her neck bristled. She wanted him, she knew – and she wanted him this second, wanted nothing more than to bury herself in his lithe, strong body. She could smell his blood and she wanted it – wanted to drink it, wanted to gulp it down in great, sweet mouthfuls…

She tried to hide it, but it was too late. A rosy blush spread over her features, and she gave Stuart a look filled with such longing that she could not even bear to hide her thoughts from him. She could feel his mind reaching into hers, anxious for telepathy.

Do you feel that?

They’re all staring at you,
he responded.
All the other guests here. Hollywood actresses – princesses from Monaco. All of them – jealous because they’re not as beautiful as you.

It’s not that.

No, it isn’t. The dress is beautiful. Your body is sublime. Your face…ethereal. But you’re exuding a kind of magnetism I’ve only even seen vampires use before. Powers of seduction beyond any human’s wildest dreams. They’ll all want you – every last one. And I’m no exception.

He stepped in closer, and the intoxicating scent of his blood was overwhelming. She put out a hand to steady herself, her fingers connecting with his warm, taut flesh.

“Oh, Stuart,” she whispered.

“Shall we go into dinner?” His eyes were dark and smoldering with desire. “Or do you prefer to go upstairs – order room service instead?” A slow, sultry smile spread across his face. His hands were tight and rough upon her waist.

“But Justin’s already…” she protested weakly. “We can’t just leave him there.”

“Oh yes we can,” Stuart said. “I know that look in your eyes, and I’ll be damned if I let it pass without doing something about it. I don’t know when you’ll look like that at me again – I never know with you. You’re a beautiful changeling, always so enigmatic, always changing your mind. Well, this time you won’t change it. This time I want you and you want me, and I’m going to have you if it’s the last thing I do.”

And then they were kissing, Kalina luxuriating in her hunger for him as their lips met and fumbled for each other in their lusty starvation. Her desire was warm and dark and overtaking her; she wanted his blood, his flesh, all of him – she wanted to possess him fully, to make him hers, to make him
only
hers. This was not the desire she had known as a mere human – the simple hormonal flush that had made her cheeks turn petal-pink with longing. No, this was something else – something deeper – a side effect of the turn her Life’s Blood had taken. This was a desire so deep that it had become a desperate need: she needed to feed upon him, to own him, to will him to do her bidding and give her that pleasure she had too long been waiting for...

And then they were in her room, pressed up against the stone walls, down on the warm carpet before the fire, her skin naked against the bearskin as she let him remove her dress, tearing the delicate peace lace. She tore his cashmere sweater from him, thrusting it from her, wanting nothing more than to press her face into his warmth, his sweat, the sheer virile
manliness
of him. She was so cold – so pale and so cold – and she wanted his blood to heat hers, his life to give life to hers…

They were all-but-naked, writhing, and ecstatic. He kissed the straps of her bra, slipping them from her shoulders, fingering their delicate black lace. She wanted him – she knew it now, with a knowledge deeper than any rationality or reason – she wanted him with the full-force hunger of her blood. It called to her; it directed her – it made her the slave of these veins, these arteries, this pump and pulse of desire. She was so close to surrendering, so close to making him surrender to her.

And then there came a knock at the door.

Immediately, deflated, Kalina lay back upon the rug, the spell broken. Suddenly her self-control came back to her, the hunger-spell that had been cast upon her slowly dissolving into nothingness. What had she been about to do? She had been so close? Her body still ached with longing as she slipped on her dressing gown – Stuart’s eyes burning with need as he watched her slip the black silk around her shoulders – and opened the door. “Room service?” she began, rolling her eyes. “You can really come back later; we’re perfectly happy to…”

She stopped short, clapping a hand on her mouth.

There, standing before her, was Molotov, rage sparkling in his cold, glimmering eyes. And standing with him, kicking uselessly as Molotov clutched him by the throat, slowly squeezing out the last traces of vitality, was Justin.

Chapter 5

“
W
hat are you doing here…” Kalina started shaking, fumbling in the folds of her dressing gown for the stake she had hidden there, the rubies she had been given in the mountains of Mongolia now firmly encrusted around the stake’s edge. Stuart too had leaped to his feet, a stake in hand as he rushed to the threshold.