Deceptive Changes: Kat LaMond Book 1 (13 page)

“You aren’t a whore, Katja.  Be reasonable.  We were just talking about this.”  I couldn’t read Erick’s expression.  It looked like pain but I couldn’t be sure. 

“Why would this even come up?”

“We needed to know where Todd stood if, for some reason, you chose to bed a vampire that happens to be lesser than Todd, and since he is king, he’s the top dog, as it were.”  He held his hands at his side and looked like he wanted to come over to me. 

“Why would I choose a vampire, Erick?”

“We didn’t know if you would or not, it was just an option.”  This time he did come over to me.  He held me in his arms and whispered sweet nothings in my ear. 

I pulled back from him and sat on the edge of the bed.  “That isn’t right, Erick.  You should have said something to me from the beginning.”

“I know we should have, Katja.  We only wanted to make sure that Todd would be okay, or not, with this.”

“There is no
this
.  I don’t want
this
.  I want what we had without further complications.”

“I’m sure that’s how you feel but Sven is in need of something.”

“Well, he can just go find that something somewhere else.  It isn’t me, Erick.  Why would I take him to my bed?  He isn’t even what I’m attracted to.  Yes, I like a vampire to bite me once in a while and with this job, I’m not liking it so much.  Why would you even suggest this?  Don’t you feel crowded already?”

“Yes and no.  We broached the subject for the reason I stated earlier.  Todd wasn’t sure if he could deal with you and a lesser vampire.  I am comfortable with Todd and Trace.  I enjoy our time together.  Do I want another?  No.”  He sat on the bed next to me but kept his hands to himself.

“I guess I should go out there, huh?”

“That’s up to you, Katja.”  He patted my knee and left the room. 

I didn’t want to go out there.  I wanted to go to bed and never wake up.  I was extremely happy to be alive but now that I was home it was much more complicated than I could have anticipated.

I squared my shoulders and got off the bed.  I stood at the door and looked at the knob.  I really didn’t want to go out there. 

I grabbed the knob and opened the door.  Sven and Todd were standing on the other side.  I thought about slamming the door in their faces, but I didn’t.

“What’s going on, Todd?”  I stepped back and allowed them to enter. 

They came into the room and sat on the bed.  I stayed standing.  I didn’t want to be near Sven and his weird assumption that I was something more than I am.

“Kat, Sven would like to say something.”  I looked at Sven.  His dark blue eyes sparkled as he looked at me.  I frowned. 

“Ms. LaMond, I would like to apologize for my rude behavior.  I wasn’t fully aware of your situation.  I had heard that you were dating more than one man and I assumed, wrongly, that you would be open to more than just those that you have.”

“Well, that didn’t seem like much of an apology.  Next time ask.  Don’t just assume that I want you.  Why would you think I was interested in you in the first place?”

“On the aircraft, you offered your blood.  To me that meant you were interested in more than just some bloodletting.”

I blushed and said, “Okay then.  I only offered to help keep you calm instead of destroying the aircraft.  Outside of that, it was nothing personal.”  The look he gave me said it was personal.  My blush disappeared and was replaced by a faint dizziness and nausea. 

Todd stood up and asked, “Kat, are you okay?”  I couldn’t speak so I nodded.  That didn’t help with the dizziness.  I backed up, nudged the wall, and sank to the ground.

“Todd, why didn’t you tell me about this?” I asked when I was able to speak and not throw up.

He shrugged.  “I wasn’t aware of this, Kat.”

I couldn’t understand his blasé attitude. “Don’t you find this at least a little unnerving?”

“I’m finding a lot of things unnerving, this isn’t one of them.  To be honest, this isn’t something I had anticipated.”

“I think this conversation shouldn’t even be happening.  It’s over, at least in my head.  I’m not fucking Sven.  Sorry, but I’m not.  You need to find someone else.”  I climbed the wall and stayed standing against it for a moment.  I took two breaths and walked out of the room.

If I was honest with myself I’d rather be fighting a whole bunch of vampires than discuss my love life.  To be even more honest with myself, I didn’t think about how many guys I’ve been having sex with.  And to think that Sven thought I wanted him, yeesh.  He wasn’t bad looking but he wasn’t someone I wanted to have any type of relationship with, except friendly.

My feet led me into the kitchen.  I peeked through the door and found that the room beyond was empty.  I walked in and grabbed a bottle of wine and a glass.  The glass was secondary to my way of thinking.  I was thinking about downing the whole bottle but I knew that wouldn’t do any good.  Better to get drunk on a glass or so of wine then a bottle I suppose.

I poured a full glass of Merlot and downed it in two gulps.  I poured another and took my time.  That lasted about a minute and a half. 

I was pouring a third when Trace walked into the room.  I smiled a lopsided grin at him.  I could feel the alcohol working because everything was slightly fuzzy.  Trace took the bottle from my hand, and damn it, I was too slow to grab it.  He poured a glass for himself and then corked the bottle.

“I’m not done with that,” I spoke slowly and with emphasis. 

He just looked at me and shook his head, “You’re done, Kat.  Drink the last of the wine in your glass and then you should probably go to bed.”

“I don’t wanna.”  My words were starting to slur. 

I suppose I should be going to bed but I wasn’t in the mood to be near anyone or anything except a bed and pillow.  No guys.  Nothing.  They had taken my couch with the pull out bed.  My only other option was the guest room next to Sven’s but I figured that would be a bad idea.  Maybe I could kick the guys out of the bedroom and use that as mine and they could have the guest room.

My eyes started to close as I finished my drink.  Trace nudged me.  I stood up, mumbled a good night, and walked into the guest room.  I dropped onto the bed face down and promptly fell asleep.

  I woke up to someone kissing my neck.  I swatted at the person and rolled off the bed.  I cringed as my head exploded in pain.  “Ow,” I complained pathetically. 

I looked up and found Sven on the bed.  “What the hell are you doing?” I asked, just slightly above a loud whisper.

“You were in my bed.  I figured you changed your mind.”  His blue eyes were darker with passion. 

I gulped and tried to stand but fell back to the floor.  “I stumbled into the wrong room last night.”  Some of the passion that had heated up his eyes cooled.  Good.  “Aren’t you supposed to be gone?” I asked as I squinted into the sunlight streaming into the room. 

“Todd asked me to stay for a while longer.  He doesn’t think it’s safe for me to leave.” 

I groaned.  This is just what I needed.  “I’ll get out of your room.”  I stood up and stumbled toward the door. 

Sven was there before I could put my hand to the knob.  “Get out of my way,” I growled.  Yup, I really growled at him.  I didn’t even know I could growl but I sure as hell did.  He looked at me and smiled.  That smile held a hint of challenge.

My head was killing me and I was being held prisoner in a room with a man that wanted to fuck me.  I guess it could have been worse. 

I stepped back from the door and looked around for a weapon.  Of course, there wasn’t anything too dangerous in the room.  He stayed at the door and watched me survey the limited options.  I probably couldn’t get a weapon if I found one, he was too fast.

“I’ll make a deal with you, Sven.  I find a weapon, I bleed you, and you leave me alone.  If you bleed me, well you’ll still leave me alone.  Deal?” 

He shook his head.  “I have a better deal.  You bleed me first and I leave you alone.  I bleed you and I get a kiss.” 

I sighed.  That so wasn’t going to happen.  “No.  I will fight you, one way or the other, and you will leave me alone, even if I have to kill you.”  He raised a delicate eyebrow and nodded.

He stalked toward me as I backed up.  I knocked into the nightstand table and grabbed the first thing I could grab.  It was a nail file.  Oh, great, like this is going to help me.  I wouldn’t even be able to break skin.  Damn.

I stepped up onto the bed and walked across as he came to where I had been standing.  I held the nail file in my right hand and flicked my wrist when he got too close.  He looked at the puny nail file in my hand and let out a laugh.

He flew at me as I stumbled back and had me against the wall.  I kicked and connected with his groin.  He flinched but kept me against the wall.  He breathed in my scent and let me go.  “You aren’t even trying, Katja.”

I walked away from him and said, “You don’t have the right to call me by my first name.”

He followed my movement with his eyes.  “You gave me permission last night.” 

“I take it back.  It’s Ms. LaMond to you.”  I backed up until I was at the door.  I used my left hand to grab the knob. 

Just as he flew at me, I opened the door and stepped behind.  He crashed into the door and I went flying into the closet door.  Jesus Christ!  Pain slammed through my already hurt head and shot down my back.  My hand spasmed and I dropped the nail file, for what good it did me, and almost passed out.

He bent down and pulled me up against his body.  He held me loosely in his arms and bit my neck.  I guess he won. 

Instead of pain leaking into me, passion filled me to the brim.  My headache was gone in seconds and the pain in my back disappeared.  I wrapped my arms around his shoulders to hold him in place.

I looked up and found no one at the door.  I wondered why no one came to the door.  How odd.  I struggled against the passion that was filling me.  I struggled against Sven.  “No.  No more.  Let me go.  If you don’t, you better fucking kill me because I
will
kill you.” 

He pulled his fangs from my neck and chuckled.  “You talk so tough but you really aren’t, Katja.  We made a deal, remember?”

“The deal was that I’ll kill you either way.  Let me go.  Now.” 

He set me on my feet and bent to lick the wound closed but I slapped his face as hard as I could.  Apparently not hard enough because he just smiled, then he bent back in and licked the wound; I felt it close up.

I slid around him and walked out of the bedroom.  A new door was needed since he practically went through it to get to me.  He didn’t follow. 

I walked through the kitchen to the basement and grabbed my Glock 10mm.  I grabbed two clips and walked back upstairs.  The clip in the gun was loaded with target rounds.  The other two clips held live bullets that would harm anything, even vampires.

I found Sven in the sitting room with Trace, Todd, and Erick.  I sighted on Sven and pulled the trigger.  Everyone looked startled except for Sven.  He knew what I would do, we had made a deal.  I shot him until I dry fired.  I popped the clip and loaded it with regular bullets. 

Todd stood up and yelled, “Kat, what the hell are you doing?!”

“I told him I’d kill him.  That’s exactly what I plan to do.  Don’t try and stop me.”  Todd stayed in front of Sven.  I looked at Todd and said in a drab voice, “I will shoot through you if I have to, Todd.  Now get out of the way.”  He continued to stay where he was, calling my bluff. 

Sven took advantage of the situation like I knew he would.  He was at my back and held my gun hand to the floor.  I squeezed off a shot but it did no damage, except a hole in the floor.  He tightened his hold on my arm until I dropped the gun.  He let me go for a second but it was enough to pull the dagger from my pocket and stab him in the chest.  I missed the heart by an inch but it proved a point, literally.

I stepped back from Sven and watched as he pulled the dagger from his chest.  “That was a warning.  You touch me again and I won’t miss.”  I backed up, keeping Sven in sight.  I found that I was in the far corner away from everyone.  My guys were looking at me like I had lost my marbles.  Maybe I had. 

“Kat, we need to talk.” 

I swung my angry gaze back to Todd.  “I don’t think there’s anything to talk about.  We had a deal.  If he bled me and didn’t kill me, I’d kill him.  If I bled him first, he leaves me alone.  Point, Todd.”

“We need to talk.”  He stormed over to me and grabbed my arm.  I dug my heels in but couldn’t compete with his strength.  He pulled me into the kitchen and nearly threw me into the chair.  “What the fuck just happened?” 

“You mean to tell me you didn’t hear our fight?”

“We were outside sparring.” 

I sighed.  “I woke up in bed.  Apparently it was his room.  I was a bit tipsy last night and stumbled into the wrong room.  I woke to Sven kissing my neck.  We had words, made a deal, and I plan to honor that deal.  If you want him alive, I suggest he stays elsewhere.” 

Todd shook his head.  “No.  I need him to stay here.  He’s more useful here.”  He wasn’t going to budge on this issue, I could tell by the set of his jaw. 

“Fine.  If he stays here, I’m leaving.”

“What do you find so horrible about him?”

“You really want to know?”  Todd nodded.  “He’s arrogant.  He thinks that because he’s a powerful vampire I should be attracted to him.  He touches me without permission.  He kissed me without permission.”

“I agree he’s a bit on the arrogant side and he has taken a few liberties but I do need him, Kat.  After, we’ll see about keeping that deal.” 

I frowned at him.  What could be so important that I couldn’t kill Sven?  “What’s going on, Todd?”

“Cyril is planning to attack.  I’ve called a few other vampires that I trust to help with this fight.”

“We don’t have that much more room, Todd.”

“There will be three more that will be here.  I should warn you, two of them are women.” 

I blinked at him.  Why should that bother me?  “Why would you think that would bother me, Todd?”

“They are as attracted to power as Sven is.” 

It sunk in as to what he was implying.  “You think they’ll be attracted to you, Trace, and Erick?”  He gave me a look.  Oops.  “What I meant was…  Not that you aren’t attractive, because you guys are.  Why shouldn’t they be attracted to you?  Will this be a problem?”  I mentally smacked my forehead. 

“It shouldn’t be but I expect that they may be pushy.”

“Have you been having issues with that, too?”  I had to ask.  I didn’t want to be jealous but already a little jealousy was worming its way through my brain.

“I have.  The guys haven’t because they really aren’t around the other vampires.  I am though and yes I have had some of the women try for my attention.”  I couldn’t help it but my hands balled into fists at the thought of some chick playing for my man.  Todd chuckled.  “I’m glad you feel that way, Kat.  I really am.  I didn’t think you’d feel jealousy over me.”

“Why wouldn’t I?  You’re mine.”  That sounded so wrong.  “I should say that…” 

Todd cut me off with a wave of his hand.  “I understand, Kat.  I’m happy that you think I’m yours.”  He pulled me into his arms, hugging me as close as possible.  I hugged him back just as tightly. 

He gave me a quick kiss on the cheek and then left the kitchen.  I wanted to follow but I couldn’t, so I stared after him instead.  If there were going to be more vamps in the house then I really should be armed to the teeth and that’s exactly what I planned on doing. 

I went down to the armory and grabbed weapons.  As many as I could hold on my body and went into my bedroom.  I changed into dark jeans with a belt, t-shirt, and socks and shoes.  I strapped, tied, and hid my weapons.

I walked into the sitting room and found not only Sven, Todd, Trace, and Erick but three other vampires.  Two beautiful women were standing against the far wall.  One was a brunette, the other a blonde.  The brunette had brown eyes that were almost black.  She was petite and yet looked formidable.  The blonde was tall, muscular in a feminine way, with bright blue eyes.  I was introduced and found that their names were Monica, blonde, and Teresa, brunette. 

The other vampire, a male with brown hair streaked green and silver piercings through his ears, nose, tongue, and lip, was standing beside Sven.  The vampire’s name was Thorn.  At least that’s what he said anyway. 

I turned from him and looked at the women.  They were licking their lips and looking at my guys.  I clenched my hands and dug in my nails so I wouldn’t say something that would cause a problem. 

I walked over to my guys and sat on Todd’s lap.  The two women narrowed their eyes at me.  I looked at the two women as I gave Todd a kiss on the cheek.  “Kat, don’t push them.”

“Why not?  They’re pushing me.”  I was in a weird mood.  Maybe it had to do with waking up to a man that I didn’t know and then fighting that same man.

Todd released me.  I stood up and sat between Erick and Trace.  I put a hand on each of them.  The two women flinched as Trace and Erick gave me a kiss on the cheek.  I almost nodded when I saw their looks over disappointment.

I swung my gaze to the two other vampires.  Sven was licking his lips like he didn’t care.  He probably didn’t.  Thorn’s eyes glowed with a fierceness that made me want to look away.  When I didn’t, Thorn’s eyes widened and he looked away.

Todd spoke before anything more could happen.  “What news do you have?” 

The brunette, Teresa, spoke up.  Her voice was soft and seductive.  “So far, Cyril is still in Germany.  He hasn’t sent any of his vampires over here.”

“Anything else?  Do you have any ideas as to what he plans on accomplishing?”

“We assume you’re death, Todd.”  She flicked her eyes to me.  “And yours.” 

I nodded.  “Is that all the news for now?” I asked.  I didn’t want to start anything even though I really wanted a fight.  She nodded. 

I glimpsed Todd’s expression out of the corner of my eye.  “I would like the four of you to help train my people.”  I didn’t correct his choice of words.  They weren’t just his people, they were mine, ours.  I suppose since he is the reigning vampire king what’s mine is his but it was the way he said it that annoyed me. 

The vampires nodded.  Todd stood up.  I was about to stand but Erick and Trace held me down.  I looked at them and they shook their heads.  I guess I wasn’t going anywhere.  I tightened my lips as Todd and the vampires left the room.

“Why can’t I go, too?”

“We need you to stay out of their way.  The two female vampires are on edge as it is.  You will just aggravate the situation.”

“Thanks so much, Erick.” 

He waved his hand, dismissing my comment.  “You’re itching for a fight, Katja.  We need them to be by our side.”

“What do you think of their attention?  They’re very beautiful.”

“They are but you’re all we want, Kat, at least for me anyway.  I don’t want them and they know it.” 

I wondered if I could set them up with Thorn and Sven.  I reviewed the way they looked at the two male vampires and knew that was out of the question.  They had eyes only for my guys.  The way the two male vamps looked at me said they didn’t care about the two women vampires.  Damn it.

“Can I go see how the fighting’s going, please?” 

They looked at each other and then nodded.  “As long as you aren’t going to cause a problem, Kat.”