JAVIER (15 page)

“But, I can’t leave you Javier, there are five of
them…”

Javier grasped her arm;

“No arguments Cass. Take the boy to safety and stay
with him. He’ll be terrified of Humans, even Harry.”

Cassia stared at Javier, remembering the dream. What
if it was him? What if…

Javier shook her arm then suddenly reached out and
stroked her cheek as tears pricked her eyes and clogged her throat;

“Stop that. It’s not going to be me Cass. I need you
to focus querida; don’t fold on me now. We can get him out together,
understand? Cassia!”

Cassia took a deep breath. She was being ridiculous
and she was letting him down. Forcing herself to remain calm she briefly shut
her eyes and cleared her head. Focus; that was what she needed to do; what she
had trained herself to do before a job.

“Sorry, I’m fine now. I’ll do as you say. I expect to
see you back at Harry’s Javier of Seville. Don’t let them hurt you, you’re much
too pretty. Women would be in mourning all over the land.”

Javier smiled and kissed her hand then there was a
swirl of black energy as he shifted out. Cassia wriggled forward so she had a
clearer view of the warehouse. She needed to make sure she made her move at
exactly the right moment. She was completely focused now as she took out her
set of picks and held them ready in her hand. Those cuffs would take mere
seconds to unlock.

She watched Javier materialize into the doorway of the
warehouse. A dramatic entrance, she thought.  He was back lit by one of the
security lights and at six five and dressed in black he was certainly giving
those Humans the full Vampire warrior experience.

“Good evening gentlemen. So easy, baiting a child.
Fancy taking on the real thing?”

Oh, she loved that voice and that accent, thought
Cassia, as she saw Javier walk catlike into the light, his gun pointing
steadily at the men. He smiled coldly, exposing his sharp white canines.

There was a loud chorus of startled curses as the men
span round. They appeared to be momentarily hypnotized; Cassia could almost
smell their fear. She watched carefully, poised for action. Javier was
deliberately drawing them away from the prisoner.

“Easy when you’ve got a gun, bloodsucker!” one of the
men called.

Javier looked at his gun as if surprised then to
Cassia’s horror tucked it behind his back then pulled out the evil looking
knife from his boot;

“You’re so right. What was I thinking? Shall we take
it outside? More room to fight there. No need to be so scared boys…five against
one.”

Cassia dragged her eyes away from Javier as he backed
out into the courtyard taking the men with him. Now was her chance.

She shifted out and materialized behind the boy.

“Do not make a sound.” she whispered in their old
language, “I am getting you out.”

Unlocking the handcuffs she put both arms tightly
round the boy from behind. Oh god, she hoped Javier was alright. Concentrating
her mind she shifted them both out back to Harry’s office.

It was hard to decide who was more startled; Harry or
the boy. Cassia led her charge over to a sofa talking to him quietly.

“Do not worry. This Human will not hurt you. What is
your name and when were you taken?”

She continued using the old language hoping it would
reassure him. She turned to Harry to ask for the first aid kit she knew he kept
in his office then smiled as she saw him approaching with it.

“He’s been roughed up Cassia. Here, I’ll hang back
till he calms down a bit. How old is he? He looks about seventeen.”

The boy stared at them both and spoke in English;

“I am seventeen, still can’t shift. Can’t seem to get
the hang of it yet. An Empath grabbed me and took me there in the boot of a
car. Who are they Miss?” he spoke breathlessly, the words tripping over each
other.

“Slow down kid. What’s your name?” Cassia gripped the
boy’s arms to steady him then passed him the brandy Harry had brought over. The
boy took a large swig then coughed violently and shook all over, his teeth
chattering;

“Michael, my name’s Michael. Can you call my father?
He’ll be frantic. Please.”

“Everything’s under control Michael. We’ll call your
dad. Now, I want you to take my vein, just a small amount to calm you.
Understand?”

Raising her wrist to the boy’s lips she watched as
Harry suddenly backed against the desk, his eyes widening.

“Harry, my dear friend. I explained about our ways.
Please, please don’t look like that; blood is life to us. Please.”

As Michael bit down into her vein then shut his eyes
and drew deeply she watched Harry. She couldn’t bear it if he was disgusted.

“Is he hurting you?” Harry asked, staring in
fascination.

“No, we are used to it. Where’s Javier? I thought he’d
shift out as soon as I left with the kid.” Cassia forgot about Harry’s feelings
as she fought against the rising panic inside her. She had expected him to be
right behind her. What was taking him so long? Ten more minutes passed.  She
felt a slight wave of dizziness and focused her attention back on the boy
Michael. He was taking too much; she hadn’t topped up since she had given blood
to young Rose. Gently she tapped his shoulder and whispered;

“Stop. Enough for now.” He was well brought up and
disengaged immediately then leaned and sealed her wounds.

She was just about to settle him back on the sofa and
clean some of the scratches and grazes when there was a disturbance in the air
and Javier shifted in, black energy swirling around him in eddies.

Cassia jumped to her feet, her hands clenched into
fists as Harry exclaimed;

“Hell’s bells! I’m definitely going to have a heart
attack at this rate!”

“Alright chico?” Javier smiled at the boy who was
staring at him open mouthed then grinned at Cassia;

“Good job Cass. Nice work.” Cleaning off his knife on
his black jeans he stuck it back into one of his combat boots.

“Good job? Where the hell have you been? Look at the
state of you! I thought you were following right behind. You’ve been at least twenty
minutes.” Cassia yelled as she grabbed Javier’s left arm, staring in alarm at
the blood dripping from the long gash.

“It’s nothing.” He wiped away the blood from a cut on
his lip and grinned again;

“You should see the other guys. I thought they deserved
a little roughing up themselves…payback, eh kid?”

The boy Michael nodded dumbly and gazed at Javier with
blatant hero worship stamped all over his young face. Harry came and took over
cleaning the boy up as Cassia dashed into the small cloakroom and dampened a
towel to wipe some of the blood from Javier’s arm. She listened, lips tightly
compressed as he spoke rapidly on his mobile to one of his men, making
arrangements for Michael’s safe return. How dared he swoop in grinning all over
his face as though it was some sort of big game? What if she had lost him? 
Drawing in a shaky breath Cassia squeezed the excess water out of the towel and
stared at her own reflection in the mirror;

“You stupid woman, you can’t lose something you
haven’t got.” she whispered. God, she felt rough, she would have to visit the
Donor as soon as possible.

Javier had finished his call and was talking quietly
to Harry and Michael.

“I apologise for all this Harry, I’m afraid you are
about to have another of us shooting in here any second. Michael, one of my
warriors will take you home. I want you to give him every single detail you can
remember.”

As Harry poured generous measures of whisky, Michael
asked;

“Sir, are you a warrior on the Council? Have you ever
met the Comte de LaSalle?”

Cassia knelt in front of Javier and shoved him further
back into his chair before grabbing his injured arm roughly and dabbing at all
the blood with the towel;

“Michael, this big brawling idiot is Javier of
Seville. He’s a bloody commander on the Council and he reports to LaSalle. Look
at the size of this cut! How could you let someone get in so close? You’re
dripping blood all over the carpet. Stop wincing…I’m trying to…”

Cassia’s breath suddenly hitched and she stopped and
sat back on her heels blinking fiercely as she twisted the towel tighter and
tighter in her hands.

“Cassia, Cass. It’s alright, everything is alright.
I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to make a joke of it all. It’s just our way; gallows
humour I suppose. Hush, Cass…” Javier’s tone was gentle as he spoke to her
quietly, soothing her with his voice as his hands smoothed the escaping strands
of hair back from her face. Cassia held his eyes and nodded, smiling ruefully;

“I’m the one who should say sorry, you must think I’m
a complete idiot.”

Javier shook his head and leaned in to say something
when the warrior Andreas suddenly materialized into the room. He jumped to his
feet, all business again as he explained what had happened and arranged for
Michael to be returned home. It was all extremely efficient. Cassia watched as
Andreas tucked his semi-automatic under one arm, grasped the boy in the other
and after a brief parting nod to Harry and herself left in a flurry of black.

“Expecting anyone else? This office is beginning to
feel like Piccadilly Circus.” Harry remarked dryly as he watched Javier apply a
dressing to the cut on his arm. Cassia took over;

“Here, let me finish that for you. You can’t do your
own first aid…what’s so funny?”

Javier smiled wryly, enjoying the feeling of her
taking care of him;

“I was thinking about the many times I’ve patched
myself up after an injury over the decades. Even sewn myself up a few times. It
comes with the job I’m afraid.”

“You are going to have to move against them soon
aren’t you?” Harry asked

Javier nodded. “Very soon. It will be tricky but I’ve
got a plan forming. I am grateful for all you have done Harry Marshal. I beg
you not to go near them again.”

“It’s certainly been an eventful night.” Cassia rubbed
her forehead wearily; it would be dawn soon. She felt exhausted and she needed
to visit the Donor. The scent of Javier’s blood as she had bandaged his arm had
made her heart pound. She would make sure she went as soon as they got back to
the Island.

“We will have to stop by your place and pick up that
memory card remember?” Javier said as she kissed Harry goodbye. Cassia had
almost forgotten about that; well she would be more than ready for her bed
after all this.

CHAPTER 13

Javier sensed something was wrong the moment they
arrived back at her Bloomsbury house. Cassia punched in the code for her alarm
system then ran up the stairs, returning seconds later with the memory card.
She was oddly jittery and wouldn’t make any eye contact.

“Right, got it. Quick, let’s get back to the Island.”
Her voice was breathy.

“Yes, of course. Cassia, what’s up? What is wrong?”
Javier asked slowly, reaching for her arm; why wouldn’t she look at him?

Cassia backed away, hugging herself round the waist;

“Nothing. Why should anything be wrong? Let’s go now.”

“Cass, did you give blood to Michael?”

She nodded, backing away still further,

“I shouldn’t have, I know. He needed it, it calmed him
down. Javier, please…please let’s just go now. I need to get to the Donor.”

Suddenly Javier knew. His heart started hammering. She
didn’t just need blood, she wanted his. That was why she was backing away, why
she refused to look at him. This had never happened to her before; he’d lay
money on it.

“Cass, look at me.” He reached for her gently; Cassia
shook her head and backed right into the wall. Javier lifted her chin and felt
as if his heart would beat right out of his body. Her pupils suddenly dilated
turning her eyes almost black with hunger and her canines descended as her
vision focused on the vein in his neck.

“I really need to get to the Donor.” she repeated,
trying to wrench her chin out of his grasp.

Javier stared as his heart raced. He should do as she
asked. She was afraid, the need was overwhelming her; he knew how that felt.
More than ever he was certain that she had never had a lover who was one of her
own kind. She wanted to take from him and as far as he was concerned she could
have every drop in his body. She was his and the instinct to take care of her
was ingrained in his DNA. Blood was life.

“Javier, please, let’s go. It hurts…it hurts…” Cassia
implored him.

“No, I’m here. This is what you want.” The spirits
forgive him but he leaned in and traced her mouth gently with his tongue then
kissed her, deliberately pressing his tongue against one of her sharp teeth so
that his blood flowed into her mouth. The moan she let out as she plunged both
hands into his hair was at once despairing and erotic and he lifted her up and
carried her to the sofa, sitting down with her astride his lap. No pretence
here that he was going to offer her his wrist though he knew that was what he
should be doing. It had been so long since…

No, he wasn’t going there, Javier thought as he tried
to pull the neck of his T-shirt down urgently; this was about Cassia. About the
two of them together. Damn this, reaching down into his boot he pulled out his
knife, nicked the fabric then ripped his T-shirt open exposing his throat.

Cassia hesitated;

“What’s happening to me Javier? I feel…I want…please,
I don’t know what’s happening.” Her voice was a whisper and he saw a tear trail
slowly down her cheek as she stroked his hair with shaking hands.

“Take from me; my blood in you. That’s what you want.
Please Cass.” he whispered urgently.  Oh god, why was she waiting?

Cassia bent forward and nuzzled his neck, her sharp
canines gently grazing up and down till she came to rest against his pulse.
Javier’s spine arched as his head jacked back against the sofa; his eyes shut
and his breath coming in short gasps. He should stop this now, he really
should. Her name breathed out of his mouth in a low moan;

“Cass please…”

Then he cried out as she bit down hard into his
jugular. He held her tightly as she paused with her hands tangled into his hair
and sighed deeply and then there was the slow rhythmic dragging sensation as
she took his blood. His blood in her.

It felt as though the whole world had receded and all
that existed was the two of them locked together. Javier breathed in her
frankincense scent as the warmth of her skin under his touch seemed to flow
into his senses. Dreamily he held her close, feeling her mouth against him.
Time seemed to slow down to the exquisite sensual rhythm; he never wanted to
let her go, never wanted this to end. Cassia nestled closer, her body pressing
against his and suddenly sweat bloomed over his skin. He’d forgotten; it had
been so long, he’d forgotten. His breath grew choppy and he bit his own lip
trying to stop the moan of pleasure from escaping out of him. Digging his right
hand into the sofa he shifted her slightly away from him with his left arm; he
couldn’t let her know how aroused he was.

He could control it, he had to. She had no idea about
the effect she was having on him. She’d stop soon, he could hang on.
Deliberately he tried to distract himself; algorithms, times tables, duty
rosters. He gasped and screwed his eyes shut tightly as Cassia nuzzled in again
and sucked harder. If pleasure could be torture, this was it.

When she finally disengaged and lifted her head his
whole body was trembling with the sheer effort of keeping himself under
control. Slowly he turned his head to look at her; at the dark drowsiness in
her eyes, at her long black lashes fluttering as she forced herself to stay
awake, her body soft and completely relaxed against his. He was balanced on a
knife edge. He started to push her away but she stroked his cheek gently and
then leaned in, her breath warm against his neck as she whispered;

“I’m letting you bleed. I’m sorry, let me…”

Her lips closed over the wounds in his neck and her
tongue swept repeatedly over, sealing them, licking away the spilled blood.

It was the final straw that sent him right over the
edge, his breath exploding out of him in a cry and his body arching back
sharply as the orgasm tore through him. It kept going until he thought he’d
pass clean out.

When things finally calmed down he was vaguely aware
that he was being held in her arms; his head burrowed into her shoulder as his
breathing returned to normal and a slow delicious lassitude spread through him.
Quickly replaced by sweeping, overwhelming guilt. He should have remembered, he
was the one with experience, not her. No, he was lying to himself again.  He
knew. He had wanted this with her.

“I’m so sorry Cass. My fault, I took advantage.  I
forgot what it could be like. I just couldn’t stop it…” he whispered, turning
into her neck so he could breathe in the scent of her skin.

“Was it me?” she whispered back against his hair, her
arms tightening round him.

“Was…sorry, I don’t understand.”

“Just now, when you held me, when you gave me your
blood, when you...  Was it me or were you with someone else in your head?”

Javier jerked back in shock. That she should
think…well, why wouldn’t she think that? Wasn’t that what he had been doing
ever since Charlotte died? Back at the Island they sometimes made jokes about
the number of women he got through. About how he could turn on the seduction
like a tap and they would fall into his arms and into his bed. And they did,
yet, sad pathetic idiot that he was, in his head he had only ever been with one
woman. Until Cassia. That was what made it so hard, made the guilt flood
through him like a bitter tide.

“No. Only you Cassia. For the first time since…only
you.” It was so important that she believed him.

Cassia gazed at him with deep blue eyes he could drown
in;

“What’s happening between us Javier? Was Chronus
right? Why won’t you let yourself?”

So she had overheard. Damn Chronus. How could he
explain? What could he say? He couldn’t seem to find the right words to express
the turmoil inside him. You are mine Cassia, please don’t go; I just don’t know
how to find my way to you. Please hang around until I sort out the mess in my
head; in my heart and, by the way, I have no idea how to do it or how long it
will take. He had no right.

“I’m stuck Cass. Stuck in the past. I never let
Charlotte go, never said goodbye. I never even completed the rites. I don’t
know how to move forward. I don’t know what the next step is.”

That was no better, he sounded pathetic. Where was the
alpha male now? Cassia sighed and held him closer, stroking the back of his
neck;

“I don’t know what you want Javier. I’m not sure if
you do. I won’t be anyone’s quick fling and I won’t be second best. Is this
truth time? You asked me about lovers, well, the truth is I’ve only had three
and they were Human.  I’m clueless when it comes to you. You can laugh if you
want; or did you see through me?  When I give myself to someone Javier, I want
him to be mine, only mine, no sharing and I want to be only his. I can’t
compete with a woman you haven’t let go. I’m sorry but I can’t help you Javier;
this is between you and her. Your blood runs in me, we have a bond now but I
won’t be an also ran. I’d rather be alone.”

She kissed him gently on his forehead then pulled
herself out of his arms; he could hardly bear the sadness in her eyes as she
said formally;

“Best to remain just friends. Please tell me how to
get back to the Island Javier, you must know you can trust me by now and I’d
rather be by myself. Thank you, I owe you the blood debt.”

Javier wanted to ask her, beg her, not to leave him;
instead he just gave her the co-ordinates to the Island then said quietly;

“There is no debt Cassia. I would give you my last
drop if you needed it.”

“Don’t Javier, don’t make me hope for more than you
may be able to give. It’s cruel. I’ll see you at breakfast. Set my alarm when
you leave.” With those final words Cassia left and Javier watched until the
last flurry of dark energy faded.  She had gone and he felt raw, as if his skin
had been peeled off.

He sat for more than an hour staring unseeingly at the
wall. No, he had never said goodbye. There had been nothing left of that
bright, vital woman who had been his lover, his confidante, his friend. The
woman he was bound to through his very blood. The bond that only death could
break. Javier started; the bond of blood had been broken violently but what
could he do about the bond in his head?

Who could he talk to? Hera, yes, he would ask her what
to do. She was his friend and she understood things about people’s emotions
without even having to ask. Well, she would, she was an Empath. Most
importantly, he trusted her completely. If anyone could help him sort out the
jumbled mess in his head it would be her. Feeling as though he had decided on a
small step forward he set Cassia’s alarm and shifted back to the Island.

He slept badly, plagued by dreams, finally giving up
and rising hours before the rest of the household. At least his work was one
area where he felt he knew what he was doing, Javier thought grimly as he
sifted through all the latest reports and emails then headed out on a surprise
inspection of Island security as soon as the sun dipped down. Consequently,
when he arrived back at the chateau slightly late for breakfast his heart
twisted as he saw that Beatriz was waiting for him patiently; sitting on the
front door- step with her chin resting on one hand. He had been neglecting her.

“Papa, they’re all in there already. I wanted us to go
in together.” she jumped up and ran to him and he picked her up, swinging her
round as they hugged each other. Beatriz giggled;

“You can’t carry me into breakfast, I’m too big and it
is not dignified.” He noted however that she held on and hugged him tightly
again, kissing his cheek. He was lucky, Javier thought, he was so lucky.
Putting his daughter down he gave an old fashioned courtly bow and offered her
his arm; Beatriz curtseyed impeccably and took it. This was his mother’s
training, Javier thought as they proceeded regally into the noisy coffee
scented breakfast room.

They were all there, all except Michael who controlled
their operations in the Americas and spent most of his time in New York. As he
and Beatriz were greeted cheerfully and helped themselves to breakfast Javier
reflected that he was surrounded by families and couples. At one end of the
table Max and Katie were having an in-depth discussion with their children
about rationing TV time.  Further along, Luca was sharing a joke with little
Francesco. It was good seeing them laugh, Luca and his son had been through a
lot in recent months. LaSalle and Ysabeau were exchanging worried looks over
the head of their silent and morose son Philippe; almost fourteen years old it
looked as if the changes of adolescence had begun. The poor kid had a few rocky
and painful years ahead as he made the transition into an adult Vampire.

Hera was relating some story about events in Venice to
Gabriel; she did a lot of work there liaising between her brother’s High
Council and that of the Vampires’. As Gabriel topped up her tea for her and
laughed at something she said Javier reflected that the change in that warrior
was nothing short of miraculous. Love, it was a powerful force. That reminded
him, he would try to get Hera on her own after breakfast. Privacy was sometimes
hard to come by in the chateau.

His attention shifted to where Cassia and Rafe sat
next to a subdued and thoughtful Flavia. Javier wondered what it was about
Flavia that seemed to have captured Chronus.  Her delicate, innocent elfin
beauty was the complete opposite of Chronus’s usual sophisticated and
impeccably fashionable type.