Entwined With the Dark (32 page)

I couldn't see it and as much as I tried to be patient, I was woefully lacking in that department. How much longer would he keep us waiting? The music thankfully changed from electronic dance music to something a little more recognisable, but equally as upbeat. Our second round of drinks consumed, Michel decided we needed to up our game again.

Aren't we just playing into his hands?
I asked as he led me onto the crowded dance floor. I mean we were doing exactly what he wanted, the only way we could be more agreeable was to have strings trailing from our arms and feet, and a puppet master controlling our moves from above.

It is all part of the game, if we do not comply, he will have won
.

Won what? I wondered, but I didn't send the thought, despite knowing he'd probably still hear it.

Michel wrapped his arms around me and pulled me close against his body. One hand up in my hair at the base of my neck as my head lay on his chest, the other around my waist resting on my rear, pulling me hard against his hips. He started moving us in time to the music and within minutes I was ready to let go. Michel knew how to move and it was one of the things I fancied about him the most. He was sex on two legs and when flush up against his body, moving in a seductive and sensual glide such as now, my libido was uncontrollable. This was heaven, despite standing in a club that should have been called hell.

His head dipped and he nuzzled my hair.
See this is not too difficult, is it, ma douce?
he asked, spinning us slowly around the dance floor. If it wasn't for the reason we were actually here I would have agreed. It was more than just enjoyable being in his arms, moving to the sound of a rhythmic beat that thrummed through my entire body. I wanted so desperately to let completely go and enjoy the moment, but the location was not safe, the person watching us was not to be trusted and I refused to give him that satisfaction anyway.

Trust me,
Michel murmured in my mind.
Let go. I will keep you safe.

Truthfully I was surprised he'd suggested it. But his hands were kneading my flesh at my rear and up in my hair, his hot breath coming out in short bursts across my bare skin, his hips dangerously dancing against me, letting me feel his arousal - and when Michel wants something, then it really is hard to say no.

I did trust him though and if he thought this was necessary I'd comply. Naturally complying was an enjoyable act regardless of why or where. I moulded myself against him, I let his touch hasten my breath and I gave in to the seduction of the music and movement and let myself go.

Your heartbeat is so fast
, Michel whispered.
You are so beautiful when aroused.

He spun me a couple of times more and then whispered again in my head,
Don't be too angry with me, but it was the only way to force his hand. Hold your temper and play the game, ma douce. I promise you can take it out on me later.

My head shot up to meet his eyes, just as a finger tap was placed on his shoulder. He stopped, his magenta washed gaze holding mine, begging me to understand and then turned a pleasant smile
towards Amun.

"May I cut in?" The Egyptian asked.

You fucking bastard!
I shouted at Michel in my mind, but he didn't so much as flinch.

"By all means," he nodded towards the Master of London City and simply walked away.

I was barely aware of the fact that our vampires still danced within reach of us, their eyes firmly on Amun and me and little else. My temper was pretty impressive, but then somehow - Goddess alone knows how - I filed it away.
Later, Michel
, I said firmly in my mind and felt a wicked smile grace my lips.

You wanna play, Amun? Then let's play.

"You dance beautifully, my dear," Amun whispered against my ear. I forced myself not to cringe away. "Although, I must admit you do seem reluctant to drape yourself over my body like you did Michel's." I ignored him and let him continue to lead me around the dance floor. "He did warn me he wasn't prepared to share."

He was talkative, I'd give him that, but so far my answers had only needed to be the odd nod of my head or smile, but nothing too telling. I was waiting, patiently it would seem, for him to show his hand. Michel may have forced it, but I still had no idea what his intentions actually were.

For now I was prepared to dance with the man, even if he made my skin crawl.

He changed tactic all of a sudden. Obviously aware he wasn't going to gain an inch by flirting. "Your Egyptian friend, were you close?"

I frowned, but he wouldn't have been able to see it, he'd pulled me almost flush against his chest, his head resting over my shoulder. One hand held mine tightly against his upper body, the other was wrapped around my waist. Just where he was heading with this line of questioning, I didn't know. But I was sure his intentions were not benign.

"He was my trainer," I said in a steady voice.

"Were you intimate?" he whispered, just loud enough for me to hear over the deep base of the music in the club.

"No," I said trying to quash the uneasy feeling. Nero had been more than my trainer, he had been my friend and Prophesy confidant. But this vampire didn't need to know.

"Were you bereft when he died?" he asked casually, as though discussing the death of an acquaintance was an everyday thing.

"I was sad, yes." No point denying it.

We danced in silence for a while and I thought perhaps he wouldn't say anything more on the topic.

"And I look like him?" he asked suddenly, pulling back slightly and catching my eye. I let my gaze flick away. I was unsure how powerful this vampire was, I wasn't taking any chances he could glaze.

"Yes, you do," I answered, plastering a fake smile on my lips.

"I believe," he said quietly, pulling me close against his chest again, "that you were very fond of this Nosferatin who looked like me." He waited for me to say something but having dealt with the Champion, I'd learned how to hold my tongue. It had been a statement, not a question, my silence could not be construed as being rude.

"We could be friends, you and I. Perhaps, even as close as your Nosferatin."

I bit the inside of my cheek in an effort not to react. There was no way I could ever consider this vampire before me as a close a friend as Nero had been. I carefully formed the words in my mind before I spoke.

"I would be honoured to call you a friend, Master of the City, but I must be able to trust my friends to consider them close."

"And you do not trust me?" he asked, tightening his hold almost painfully. Memories of him dragging me over the floor by my hair came rushing in. I swallowed past a dry throat and wet my lips.

This was the point I could show our hand and ruin all of Michel's earlier efforts. Lying was not my forte. I had no idea what he was playing at, what game this was, but Michel had made it clear we had to play it. We had to make him think we didn't suspect.

I pulled back and smiled sweetly at him, letting my eyes run over his face as though his similarity to Nero was distracting.

"I certainly wouldn't mind being friends," I admitted and felt his hold relax slightly. "Perhaps the more time we spend together, the more trust we will both have."

"What a splendid idea," he purred and moved his cheek to rest against mine. "What shall we do
first, friend?" he asked spinning me around the floor.

"This is good," I offered and forced myself to let a little laugh out as he twirled me around with much flourish. He was enjoying making a scene, all vampire eyes on us. The wife of a Councilman wrapped up in his arms. My laughter made him smile and the first time tonight Nero
did
look back at me. I smiled under his gaze and used the moment to fortify his belief in me.

"Oh, you are a catch," he said in a rush of breath. "I want you here every night you are in London. Promise me you will pay me a visit for just one dance."

I cocked my head at him. "One dance every single night I spend in London?" I pretended to consider the offer for a moment. "What will you give me in return?"

He smiled appreciatively. "Are you trying to bargain with me, Hunter? What would you
like
in return?"

I desperately wanted to ask him whose side he was on. Why had he sold me out to both Lutin and Sebastian? But asking those questions would expose how much we doubted him and I knew Michel wasn't quite ready for that.

This was an absolutely stupid game. But I just shrugged and searching for the inner bimbo I tossed my hair over my shoulder and smiled vapidly. "I'd far rather you surprised me."

"You like surprises?" Now I could see the calculation in his eyes. He desperately wanted the upper hand. Like his fervent need for attention, he wanted to be the one to shock first. Lay it on me, I thought determinedly. If I could force him to disclose just who he really was, then the effort tonight would have been worthwhile.

I had got the impression he was toying with us the moment we arrived. Making us jump through hoops for his own twisted delight. But there was something here, something he wasn't quite ready to divulge. I wanted to speed things up a bit. Make it impossible for him to resist temptation and as Michel had said; force his hand.

"Nothing truly surprises me anymore, Amun. Oh, can I call you Amun?" I batted my eyelids.

He smiled. "My dear, you can call me whatever you like, if I have you wrapped up in my arms."

I laughed and made my body relax further in his hold, not getting too close, but ensuring all tension was gone from my frame. I knew he had picked up on it.

"So," he said. "Nothing surprises you? That sounds a little jaded for one so young."

"Not really jaded," I said breezily, frantically telling my heartbeat to slow. "It's just that I've had a lot to face over the past few years and you know, I'm still here. I guess, I just feel that if the world hasn't got to me yet, it never will."

"Such confidence," he murmured, but didn't fall for my trap. Damn. What was it going to take?

"I do not wish to share you tonight, Lucinda," he said startling me. I flicked a glance at one of my nearby guards.

"You invited both Michel and myself. It wouldn't be right not include him."

"Are you scared to be alone with me?"

Yes. "Not at all. Don't be silly! I think we've got past that whole gripping by the hair incident." I flashed him a mock grimace, making him laugh. "But, I will not leave my husband alone on the dance floor."

"Ah, afraid he will stray, then?" I didn't answer, I thought perhaps my silence would say enough. It seemed to work. "All right then, we will just continue to dance and he can watch. And you can keep an eye on him. And I still get you to myself."

"Deal," I said happily, spinning in his arms again. I was starting to think heels had been a mistake.

Hang in there, ma douce
.
You are doing well.

Michel's soft words in my head were a soothing balm, helping me to remember to relax.

"So," Amun purred next to my ear, when he wrapped me back up in his arms after a spin. "What shall we talk about now?"

"I saw the London Eye the other night. It's very pretty when all lit up."

He considered that for a moment, then asked, "Have you ridden it yet?"

I shook my head. No, I'd just watched it through the window whilst in the middle of a fairy induced storm and dragons fought a battle to the death, but it is on my To Do List.

Concentrate, ma douce
. I resisted rolling my eyes.

"I should like to take you some time then," Amun suggested.

"Is it the best touristy thing to do?" I asked casually. "Or is there some special secret London only shows those with powerful friends?"

"Ah, but that would be giving away
my
secrets," Amun said in a low voice. "Then what would I have left to surprise you with?"

"You think you
could
surprise me? Not many have," I added dismissively.

His hold tightened fractionally. "You think I am not powerful enough to have secrets."

"Oh, I am sure you are, Amun, but none that could surprise me."

"Do you tell your husband everything?" He pulled me closer, forcing the air from my lungs as he whispered this in my ear. His hot breath tickled my hair, his cheek rubbing familiarly against mine.

Easy,
Michel warned, hearing the alarmed squeak in my mind.

"That depends what the secret is," I answered in a rush of breath.

"I know things. You have no idea what I know." He pulled back and stopped dancing, his hands coming up to cup my face, the thumbs digging into my cheeks painfully. I forced myself not to pull away.

"But are you in a position to share them?" I asked, reminding myself to breathe. "Or are you just one of many, following meekly behind a more powerful man?"

His eyes flashed cinnamon and copper, his
Sanguis Vitam
slamming against my Light shield. "You would test me on my own dance floor?" Oh crap, I'd pushed too hard. I held his gaze, then shrugged.

"Like I said, nothing surprises me." I think I had stopped breathing, I was sure my heart had ceased to beat. But I held his gaze as though he wasn't a powerful vampire, as though he wasn't Master of the City and held my head in a vice-like grip. I used every ounce of strength I had to appear unimpressed. As though this sort of thing happened every single day of my life and I was truly quite bored.

Slowly he leaned in towards me, I saw the tip of his fangs below his upper lips. I had no idea what he'd do, but those fangs looked incredibly sharp.

"You have an enemy, my dear Hunter," he whispered against my lips. He was telling me I had an enemy? Him? Who? "A powerful vampire, you have no hope of beating. He controls everything in Europe. His reach is far and wide."

"More powerful than the
Iunctio
?" Nothing was more powerful than them.

His lips brushed mine when he next spoke, his grip on my cheeks and jaw tightening as I tried to pull back. "More powerful than them."

"Who?" I whispered.

"Are you frightened?" He ignored my question.

"A mysterious, phantom enemy, more powerful than the vampire governing body? I don't think so."

"I think you are. I hear your heartbeat. I feel your quickening breath. To a predator right now you are irresistible." He pulled back and looked at me. "Am I powerful now?"

I held his gaze and realised he wasn't going to give in tonight. I'd made progress, I'd piqued his interest and fuelled his desire to be the first to shock. But I wouldn't get my answer this evening and I'd have to give a little more before he would. Amun Nadeem was under the control of someone more powerful than him and it was driving him insane with rage. This vampire wanted to be the best, the most powerful, the most feared. Yet the only way he could be that was to tout the threat of another.

Who was the puppet? Us or him?

I pulled free of his grip, he let me. He'd established my fear. What he didn't know is I am not a quitter and fear is something I have had to learn to control. Whoever this vampire enemy was, even Amun was afraid of him. And if Amun was afraid, then maybe I could use that against him.

But not tonight.

"Do you still want me to dance with you when I am in London?"

He looked momentarily surprised, then quickly smug. He thought I was doing it to keep him happy; the big, bad vampire that he supposedly is.

"Of course, my dear. I would be delighted to show you off."

I took a step towards him, his face fell slightly at my brave move. Then reaching up on the tip of my toes I whispered in his ear.

"Tomorrow, then. And Amun... why don't you try to surprise me? You haven't succeeded tonight."

I spun away out of his reach in a second, landing lightly on my feet. The Norms all clapped delightedly at the ballet-style move, the vampires stiffened and watched. The fairies and shifters attempted to ignore the stand-off, but they were equally as aware. I held his gaze and fisted my hand across my chest, then bowed low. My vampires flanking me and replicating the move.

I'd taken a risk, but I think I had Amun's number now. His incessant desire to be the one. The one you feared, respected, bowed down to. The list was endless, but he needed to be
that
one.

We walked from the dance floor expecting to be stopped at any moment, but Amun only smiled an anticipatory smile as we left. We made it outside, Michel appearing immediately at my side, his arm wrapping around my shoulder.

"Well done, you," he whispered as we picked up speed, putting more and more distance between us and the club. Matthias had gone for the car and would soon catch up.