Cast in Blood (Morgan Blackstone Vampires Book 1) (29 page)

“Hey love, apparently the damage wasn’t as extensive as the insurance thought it would be. Though the adjustor was a little concerned about whom we get to do the work. Do you have someone you hire for these sorts of things? Hey love, I just wanted to hear your voice. Morgan where are you? Please call me. I need to hear your voice. Are you upset with me? I can’t fix it if you don’t tell me what’s wrong. Have you gone on one of your trips? Let me know so I can stop worrying. Please. Love, where are you?
 
I miss your voice.
 
Marcus just called me, he told me the most insane thing I’ve ever heard. But what if he’s right? It would explain why you haven’t called me back. If by some miracle, you get this message, call me. I don’t care about the time or anything. Just call me. I love you. I’m coming to find you.”
The pain she’d heard in his voice still felt like a physical blow. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
 

No. I’m not going to fight them on this. I can’t do that to him. Not now. I can fight tooth and nail for every inch he’s willing to give me, but it will chip away at us and be tantamount to torturing him. Changes at the club and house won’t cost me anything compared to fighting it,
she thought, watching him. She stepped in front of Nicholas and caught him around the waist. He frowned, and his lips pulled back from his teeth in a growl.

“Do whatever you think needs to be done,” she whispered, and kissed his lips.
 

Nicholas frowned and blinked a few times; she knew he had trouble believing she’d given in with so little resistance.
 
They stood for several minutes, silence stretching out.
 

“I suppose I’ll keep an eye on things from here,” Marcus’s voice shattered the moment.
 

“Actually, I’d like to speak with you about that, if possible,” Nicholas answered, surprising everyone else in the room. Nicholas watched Marcus trying to read his expression, but the ancient warrior kept his face neutral. His eyes flicked back to Morgan, who was watching with wary curiosity. Nicholas stayed silent, waiting.

I just have to be patient. It’s too much of a pain in the ass to try to push the Old Man into anything he doesn’t want to do on his own.
As the silence stretched into minutes, Nicholas started running over contingency plans.
I could hire outside assistance, but there’s the issue of trust, and Morgan’s ultimate safety. I don’t think I can trust that to humans. Calling in a few of my Enforcers is also a thought, but that will mean going before the Council to show cause as to why Morgan’s safety warrants their involvement. Damn it if the Old Man doesn’t step up to the plate, I am looking at an entirely new level of screwed,
he thought, watching his former friend stand and begin pacing the width of the room. Every now and again Marcus paused and glanced at Morgan, before shaking his head in frustration, and resuming his pacing. When he stopped, Marcus’s presence dominated the room, he took a deep breath, and turned to Nicholas, his face set in hard lines.

“I think this situation calls for a little night air,
Assassin
.”

“As you wish, Old Man,” Nicholas replied, hoping his expression didn’t betray the surprise he felt. Marcus turned and walked out of the room. Without thinking Nicholas followed a few steps behind, as Marcus led the way through the house, and out into the sultry night.

“What do you have in mind?”

“I want you to come to Los Angeles,” Nicholas answered, and waited for a few moments for Marcus to say something, before he continued. “I want Morgan to have someone I can trust with her at all times. Obviously I can’t do it, because even though she’s my wife, I think we’d end up at each other’s throats before too long. I thought about hiring professionals, but they’re only human?” As he spoke, Nicholas began to pace the balcony.

“What about some of your enforcers?” Marcus asked, stating the obvious. Nicholas laughed at the thought of putting one of his people on bodyguard duty.

Worse than dealing with the enforcer whom I’d assign, would be dealing with Morgan. No way would she go for it, she’d drive both the enforcer and me insane within a couple of nights,
Nicholas thought, with a laugh.
 
“It’s too risky. We know that someone let Alexander out of his tomb. We think it’s Lucian, but don’t have proof. Therefore, I don’t want to pull any of the Enforcers I have in place at the Council’s compound. I trust them, but it would draw too much attention,” he countered, shaking his head.
All valid reasons, but why can’t I just admit that I don’t trust anyone except him to protect my wife?
Nicholas asked himself, knowing it was true.
 

“You’re worried about getting on her nerves,” he answered, pacing the length of the balcony for a few moments.
 

Nicholas waited, not wanting to press. He knew all to well that Marcus made decisions on his own timetable.
 

“I would suggest a larger bodyguard detail than just the two of us, Assassin,” Marcus said.

“I haven’t gotten that far yet,” Nicholas admitted, with a shrug.

“I think I might be able to take care of that.”

“Make certain they’re not squeamish about the possibility of dealing with the Council, or at the very least, members of a Dynastic line,” Nicholas said, thinking out loud more than anything else.

“Of course,” Marcus scoffed. “When do you want them in place?”
 

“I am going to do my best to get Morgan to give me a few more days.” Nicholas closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
 
“I really will need the time to get things in order, and I want her to rest up more before getting back to the club. She’s going to push herself, and I’m not sure she’s ready for it yet.”

“Good. I will need a couple of days to arrange for the guards and their accommodations, in Los Angeles. We’ll start with the two of us, along with two others, and see how it goes from there,” Marcus muttered, pacing the balcony in a pattern that alternated with Nicholas’s.

“I trust your judgment, but Morgan may not be amiable to more time.”

“You could suggest that the extra time will give her a chance to start working with the book Joshua gave her,” Marcus suggested.

Nicholas fought warring urges to throttle or hug him, but settled for laughing. “Spoken like a man who has had time to get to know women.”

“I don’t think we have ever really figured them out, Assassin.”

“You might be right, Old Man.” He put a subtle emphasis on the less than flattering nickname he often used for his friend. “I need to talk with Christophe and Charles about the regulars at the club, and security there. Is there anything you can think of that I’m missing?” Nicholas asked, massaging his temples, feeling as though there was something he was forgetting.
I know there is. It’s there, in the back of my mind, taunting. Just out of reach
.
 

“I want a few hours to finish testing out that theory of Elizabeth’s. If the rounds are fatal, it could give us an advantage I’d like to have,” Marcus answered, “even if it’s not considered an honorable way to destroy another vampire?”

“If it keeps our people safe, I couldn’t give a shit about honor, Assassin, especially when the idea is thrust upon me by the Council, not my own ideals.” Marcus laughed, a quick bark, that had nothing to do with mirth and everything with his own moral compass and sense of humor.

“Fair enough,” Nicholas answered, and looked into the night, letting the hum of life around them seep into his bones.

“What else is there?” Marcus asked, his voice treading the fine line between normal and snarl.

“I am loathe to bring it up, but I need to know if there’s something between you and me that needs to be settled,” Nicholas asked, hating the uncertainty he heard in his voice.
 

“You mean Sarah?” Marcus asked, leaning against the railing beside him.
We’ve both known that she was going to come back up. It’s been nice ignoring this shit though.
 

“Yes,” Nicholas whispered, and closed his eyes.
He knows, we’ve danced around it, but I can’t fully trust him to have my back without a permanent resolution.

“I’ve thought about that a lot the past few days, Nicholas,” Marcus sighed, shaking his head, brow furrowed. “And it seems pointless to hold a grudge for this long. I know you did everything you could for Sarah; I’ve known that since the night you returned with her body. But I was too angry, and then too proud to admit it. So, unless you hold a grudge for my attitude these past centuries, I would like to consider things settled between us.”
 

“I never wanted your blood, Old Man, only your friendship,” Nicholas answered, feeling a weight lift.

“Then it’s settled,” Marcus muttered, as though getting used to the idea.

“It is.”
 

“Good, now we can focus on a much larger problem.”

“Morgan?” Nicholas asked, as Marcus spoke her name at the same time, before they burst out laughing.

“You know she’s up there watching us, making sure we don’t try to rip each other’s throats out.” Marcus laughed, gesturing to where Morgan stood in the window watching them.

“She worries, and more often than not, I give her reason,” Nicholas replied, watching her as she watched them, and a sad smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.
Gods, I have no idea how the hell we’re going to get out of this, but I would give anything to have Morgan safe.
 

“Do you ever think of stepping down?” Marcus asked, as if he knew what the other vampire was thinking.

“I haven’t until now, and of course, now I can’t with all things considered.”

“Once this is over?”

“I don’t know,” Nicholas sighed, thinking of how it could be, spending days with Morgan in his arms and nights watching her, laughing, arguing, loving. He wanted to share the mundane details of an ordinary life with her, not just stolen hours, days or weeks, but years and decades without hiding.
It is a wonderful thought, if we survive.

“Come on,” Marcus laughed, “no getting maudlin.” With a flash of a smile, he hopped up on the balcony rail, winked and dropped to the courtyard below. Nicholas laughed, watching as Marcus pulled his rapier from its sheath, settled into a defensive stance, and beckoned him forward with a free hand. It was a clear challenge, distraction, and release.
 

Just what I need,
Nicholas thought. “You really want to test your skills against mine, Old Man?” Nicholas teased, before dropping over the railing.
 

“You’re like a spring wound too tight, Nicholai,” Marcus answered, with a shrug.
 

Nicholas knew his friend was right and drew his blade. They circled each other, flicking quick blows at one another, testing each other’s defenses. After a few moments, Nicholas settled into an easy rhythm, pressing and falling back, as they traded advantage. Marcus wasn’t pushing, he was letting Nicholas work out all his pent up energy in a healthy way. Nicholas lost track of time as they sparred until his muscles were filled with a languid ache.
 

“Feel better?” Morgan asked, from the entrance to the house. She was leaning against the door frame with a wry smile curling her lips. Nicholas laughed, and he let his guard down turning to bow to her.

“Care to test my mettle?” He chuckled and winked at her.

“Not worried about me exhausting myself?” she countered.

“Love, much as I want to, I know I can’t keep you in a bubble for the rest of your nights. I need to know that you can take care of yourself, as you always have,” he answered, without thinking, just giving voice to the truth he didn’t admit very often.

“Marcus, do you mind?” Morgan asked, holding her hand out to him. He laughed and handed his rapier to her. She watched Nicholas, curiosity dancing in her emerald eyes, testing the blade’s weight and balance. There was a Cheshire cat grin curling Nicholas’s lips while he watched her shift the weapon in her grip, getting acquainted with the differences from the blades she normally used.
 

Nicholas took a moment to appreciate the curves of her body. The long raven hair he loved to feel between his fingers fell to just below her shoulder blades. The fit of her top and jeans hid none of the hourglass figure that never failed to distract and arouse him. He enjoyed the view, thinking about the coming day, until she faced him. Then she settled into the relaxed, ready stance he’d taught her long ago.
 

Without warning, Nicholas rained a series of quick erratic attacks aimed at getting past her defenses. Her first parry was a little slow, sloppy, but after that, she retreated with graceful gliding steps, as he pressed. She fell back farther, crossing most of the courtyard. Then Morgan turned the tables. Her attacks came fast and furious, precise in their placement; Nicholas had no choice but to defend and fall back. He was so focused on watching for the next thrust, he didn’t notice Christophe running into the courtyard until he yelled.

“Morgan!” The sharp cry snapped both of them out of their hyper focused state. Morgan’s blade slid along Nicholas’s, and he had to execute an awkward upper body twist, as its tip came within a hand span of his chest.

“Christophe! You could have gotten one of us hurt!” she snapped, rounding on him, eyes blazing with anger. He skidded to a halt a few feet away from her.