Kindred (23 page)

I covered my head with the pillow and lay there listening to the water fall in the bathroom. I fought every instinct in me not to follow him and join him under that hot wet stream, trying desperately to push the images of slowly washing his body from head to toe from my mind. I was going crazy and I knew it. I was so lost to him, I had no hope of pulling back. The slippery slope had already begun and all I could do was watch in a dazed kind of horror, as I fell further and further into his arms.

A few minutes later he emerged from the dressing room, beside the bathroom, dressed in black trousers and a black shirt, sleeves rolled up. I was momentarily surprised to not see his trade mark white shirt and tie, but the reason behind his change of clothing suddenly made me realise just what today would bring and I had to the fight bile rising in my throat.

He came and sat next to me on the bed, reaching out to stroke a stray piece of my hair back into place. “There is a change of clothes in the dressing room,
ma douce
. I shall leave you to freshen up, my self control not quite as good as yours”. The twinkle in his eyes letting me know he had thought of me joining him in the shower too.

When I emerged from the chamber and followed the hall to the office it was empty. I stopped long enough to pick up my second stake and slid it inside the pocket of my new black jacket and then carried on to the club itself. Michel somehow had some of my own clothes brought over from my apartment, I was going to have to break him of that habit. My apartment was my sanctuary, the thought that he had sent one of his people to my home grated, but I was also glad to be in familiar gear. Boots, leggings, black mini skirt and a tight black tee with the words
Make My Day
emblazoned across it. Whoever had picked the clothes out must have thought it a riot, but I just felt comfortable and at ease to be in my own hunter gear after last night.

When I entered the club it was surprisingly full. At least a dozen vampires of various power levels dotted the room, most were keeping their power in check, but Alessandra reached out to stroke my arms with little electric shots. I waved my hand subconsciously and the power abated immediately. She pouted. Dressed in a slinky dress again, this time black, her golden curls stood out in stark relief. I couldn't imagine how she would be able to move in that tight fitting long dress, but that was her problem.

Every other vamp in the room was in black, but they weren't the only ones here. Pete and a couple of ghouls were huddled in the corner, hunched over themselves, but rigid with a barely disguised sense of threat. They were not comfortable, but at least they were here.

Up by the bar were Jerome, Josh and Rick. I smiled broadly when I saw them, but it quickly left my face when I saw the look of accusation on Rick's. His fists were clenched, his jaw rigid. Jerome quietly put a hand on his shoulder and waved me over.

I hadn't seen Michel anywhere, but he suddenly appeared at my side as I approached the Shifters. Protective much? From the look of anger on Rick's face I was actually glad of Michel's presence for a moment and then scoffed at the idea. This was my best friend, if he had a problem with me spending a night with a vampire then he could say it to my face. I was a big girl and I could fight my own battles. My shoulders straightened and I lifted my chin, glaring back at Rick in defiance.

He wilted slightly, paused and then turned away.

Jerome patted me on the shoulder when I arrived and gave me one of his huge trade-mark smiles. I think he was trying to make up for Rick's behaviour, but it wasn't working. I still felt a little hollow inside at his harsh judgement and the fact that he had turned away. He couldn't even look me in the eyes now.

“
So, it's all set, Luce,” Jerome said. “We'll be down at the port with the ghouls and hold them off as long as we can.” My stomach knotted at the thought of them being part of the greeting committee, but it made sense. Max had so many more ghouls than we had, our guys needed reinforcements and the vampires would be busy up here.

I swallowed roughly past the lump in my throat. “Are you sure?”

“
Absolutely. Those bastards won't know what hit 'em when they meet the wrath of our
kairakau”.

I just nodded. “It is best you go now, Taniwha. I thank you.” Michel barely contained his power, his voice even and non-threatening, but Jerome would have felt the energy building and understood the reason behind it. And even though Michel was fighting to keep his vehemence under control and had even
thanked
Jerome, I couldn't help feeling he was being a tantrum throwing toddler over their involvement. It was needed, without it his city could fall. But, that's thing, the fact that Michel was having to allow shape shifters to be a part of the city's defence was undoubtedly a hit to his pride. He was struggling with that side of him, the least I could do was let him manage it in his own way.

“
I'm not doing it for you, vamp. This is for Lucinda and this city. Nothing more.” Jerome stood to his full height, an impressive 6 foot 3 inches, broad shoulders and large mass, even his slight chunky mid-drift didn't seem to detract from the overall appearance of his bulk.

Michel didn't waver, just simply said, “It is time.”

With that the vampires in the room straightened and a handful streaked out the door, the ghouls headed in the same direction with Josh and Jerome turning to take up the rear. Rick took one last look at me, I took a step forward and felt a hand on my arm, trying to stop me. I shook it off and wrapped my arms around my best mate and held on tight. He stood stock still for a moment and then slowly relaxed and lifted a hand to my hair.

“
It'll be all right, Luce. We'll be fine. You just stay out of trouble 'K?”

“
She will be well protected, Taniwha, you need not worry.”

Rick's head shot up at Michel's softly threatening voice. “Not all of the bad guys have yet to arrive,
vampire,
” he spat. He kissed the top of my head, not letting his eyes leave Michel's and stormed out of the club. I felt desolate, alone. My best friend was heading off to face an untold terror and I may not see him again. I tried unsuccessfully to stifle a sniff, my shoulders shaking at suppressed tears.

Michel hovered for a moment, then settled on sending me a wave of concentrated power, not allowing it to leak out into the room, but silently wrap me in an embrace that said he understood. By the time I had steadied my ragged nerves he was already in discussions with Enrique and Jock. Alessandra was standing to the side staring at me, her head at an inquisitive angle, a knowing smile on her luscious red lips. I flipped her the birdie and went to sit next to Bruno at the other end of the bar.

Bruno pushed a plate of food towards me. “Eat,” he simply said. It consisted of toasted sandwiches, ham and cheese by the looks of it, and had been sitting there a little while, so was cool to the touch. Yum, nothing like cold toasties to fill the gap. I broke a bit of the crust off and nibbled it silently.

We didn't say anything to each other, but I felt quite safe sitting there next to him. He may have been expending a bit of power to make me feel that way, I could certainly sense something coming off him, but my mind was so distracted I couldn't focus on its intention. All I knew was I trusted him, in that moment, more than I ever could Alessandra and her little clique, that was for sure.

After a few minutes, Michel's voice floated across the room and wrapped around me. It wasn't loud, it didn't need to be, he directed it straight to me but didn't hide it from anyone else either. He might as well have been standing at my shoulder breathing down my neck though. “Lucinda, come.”

I stiffened and Bruno softly said, so no one else could hear, “Don't show him up, Luce.”

I swallowed my pride and walked toward Michel. Enrique and Alessandra watching my progress with interest. He turned and entered the private area of the club and went straight down the hall without pausing to see if I was following. I expected to see him turn into his office, but he kept going to his chamber and waited for me just inside.

My heart skipped a beat at being back in his room, but it soon steadied slightly at the look on his face when I finally stood before him. He was wearing a slightly pained expression, one I had not expected to see.

I went to him instantly and cupped his face with my hands. His arms enveloped me as he used his power to close the door behind us with a soft click, his lips found mine in a desperate kiss, full of so much emotion words couldn't fully justify; longing, desire, passion, and regret. That last one made me pull back slightly from his embrace.

“
What's wrong?” I asked, fearing what he was about to tell me.

He led me over to the bed and sat down next to me. He seemed reluctant to talk, fighting a losing battle within himself. Finally his deep blue eyes met mine and he said, “This is the safest room in this building. Reinforced walls, titanium door, multiple deadbolts. It would be impossible for someone to break in here”. I silently thought with dread,
or break out
. He stroked the back of my hand and went on, “I cannot sufficiently protect you
and
fight him, I wish I could, but I simply can not.” He was pleading with me with his eyes to understand. I wanted that look to be replaced with something else so fervently, but I also could not stand by, tucked up safe and warm and wait to be told of his fate and mine.

I settled on softly saying, “I am not entirely incapable of protecting myself, Michel.”

He smiled sadly at me. “I am not strong enough to let you try,
ma douce
.” Then as I felt his power engulf me and the world begin to tilt, his hard arms embraced me, picking me up and gently laying me down on the bed and his voice whispered in my ear a final plea, “Forgive me.”

I didn't wake up, but I didn't sleep either. I was stuck somewhere between a dream world and reality, all misty murkiness and soft sounds. Slowly the noises became more distinct; growls and gnashing teeth, thuds of fists against mass, thumps of bodies falling, squeals of pain and roars of rage, interspersed with shouts of commands and the electrical crackle of power. Everything began to come into focus, the blur at the edges of my vision began to recede, slowly showing me the scene before me.

To the left was a tall stack of different coloured rectangular metal boxes; shipping containers. Stacked three or four high, reds, yellows and blues, with the brown of rust along the edges and spots of it showing through peeling paint. Writing along the side in large letters said
Hamburg
Süd.
I struggled to find my bearings, Hamburg was in Germany, where the hell had my dreams taken me? Then a ghoul ran past, followed by a streak of grey scaly skin, shark-like muzzle bared in a grimace, long sharp serrated teeth going in for the kill.

A bang to my left made me spin around, a ghoul had another in a headlock, the eyes of the choked victim bulging out of their sockets, the gurgle of their throat being crushed so loud and unlike anything I had ever heard before. The ghoul attacking grunted as he twisted the head of his victim swiftly sideways, causing a sickening squelching and tearing sound to rent the night air. He dropped the body with a growl, lifting his head to sniff for scents. It was Pete. In a second he bounded off after another ghoul stomping towards him.

I was at the docks, somehow my mind was showing me what was happening down at the port and the battle had already begun. I felt my heart start to race and my throat go dry. I looked down at myself. I looked normal, in the clothes I was dressed in before, substantial and fully corporeal, but those fighting around me didn't even glance in my direction. They couldn't see me at all. I took a grateful breath in. Then shuddered as a vampire bit into the neck of a Taniwha to my side.

The Taniwha yelped and blood started trickling down its body, its eyes started glazing over to a whitish hue and the whimpering that had started got fainter and fainter. The four inch claws frantically trying to get to the marauding vampire, but unable to find purchase at all. In less than sixty seconds the vampire had drained the Taniwha dry, before I had even taken a step towards it to try to intervene. He dropped the Taniwha with a disgusted thrust away from himself and wiped the blood from his mouth with the back of his sleeve. When he lifted his face, I saw who it was. Maximilian.

He was still at the docks and had been caught up in the melee. He streaked off toward the lights of the loading cranes in the distance, where more vampires, ghouls and Taniwhas were fighting.

I hadn't taken a breath since the moment Max had appeared with the Taniwha in his grasp. I turned slowly toward where the Taniwha had landed, my heart in my throat. He had changed back into human form, so small and pale, curled in a ball. I took a unsteady step towards him, reaching out my hand, it was shaking I noticed distractedly, shaking like a leaf. I knelt down next to the pale body and went to touch him. I could feel him, my vision or dream or whatever the hell this was allowed me to feel, as well as hear and smell, all of which I wasn't sure I really truly wanted right now. The male body of the now human looking Taniwha was lying facing away from me so I gently pulled him over to get a closer look. His body flopped back against my legs like a rag doll. It was Rocky. Oh dear God, it was Rocky. Why hadn't I done anything to stop this? I can feel, surely I could have intervened, why hadn't I stopped this from happening?