Page 7 of Eternal Kiss
“I don’t, but after what happened to Doug, I assumed it was an Ancient because one of your coven wouldn’t risk your wrath. Would they?”
Luke rubbed his temples. When he looked up, his eyes were the same odd lavender color of Laurent’s. I gasped, unable to stop myself.
“Are you okay?” Luke asked.
“Please excuse me. I need to use the restroom.” I grabbed my purse and stood before he could stop me. I passed Justine who had my fresh drink. I took it from her, drank it all down, then placed the empty on the tray. I continued to the back of the restaurant where the bathrooms were. I sequestered myself in one of the stalls and sat down on the toilet. I attempted to make sense of the conversation, but I couldn’t. I also couldn’t stay there. I needed distance between myself and… Hell, I couldn’t comprehend what Luke and Laurent could possibly be if they were created. I pulled out my phone and ordered a ride. There was a car nearby, less than two minutes away, so I exited the bathroom, checking the hallway to ensure Luke hadn’t followed. When the coast was clear, I found the back door. Nobodystopped me, so I pushed it open and stepped out into the muggy air, running into a hard body.
“Excuse me,” I apologized.
“Hello, Dinah.”
I snapped my head up at my name. Like Luke and Laurent, this man was stunning. Unlike them, his eyes were an eerie red, and his canines extended into ominous points. It was almost Halloween, and I wondered if he was in costume. If he was, it was a good one, but vampires weren’t real. When I tried to step around him, he reached for me, his nails digging into my upper arms. I dropped my purse in an effort to fight him off, but he was too strong. Tossing me over his shoulder as though I weighed nothing, he then took off running with a strong arm banded around my thighs.
“Luke!” I tried to call out, but it was nothing more than a croak. The beast, because this was no human, moved with a speed that was incomprehensible. Normally, I wasn’t the type to get queasy, but hanging upside down wasn’t doing me any favors. Neither was the ground that was nothing more than a blur.
“Dinah!” Luke yelled, although it sounded farther away than it should. How far had the beast run? Were there not people on the sidewalks witnessing my abduction? None of this made sense. Maybe I was back at the hotel, having fallen asleep, and in the midst of a nightmare. Would it be considered a nightmare during the day? A daymare? Shit, I was losing my mind.
When the beast finally stopped, he dropped me to the ground. I barely resisted the bile threatening to spew forth as I landed hard on my ass. “She’s all yours,” he said to someone.
A female squatted in front of me a few feet away, studying me like a specimen under a microscope. “I should have kept your father alive long enough to see what happens next.”
“You killed my father?”
“Sure did. Bastard was a sucker for a pretty face. Then again, so am I.” She cupped my cheeks in her hands and leaned forward, pressing her lips to mine. I was so stunned that I didn’t register the pain in my neck until she moved back, studying her hand. Long claws dripped with blood, which she licked. “Mmm, you taste so sweet. Too bad Lukas won’t get here in time to save you. He’ll fail you just as he failed your father.” She stood, flipping her blonde hair over her shoulder.
I was already dizzy from the zooming, but now I felt as though I were going to pass out. My neck throbbed, and when I grabbed it, it was wet. I pulled my hand away, and it was coated in blood. I wasn’t going to faint; I was dying.
“Why?” I managed to ask.
“To send a message. Lukas Benoit is weak. He leads peacefully, and that’s not what we were created to do.” She put a finger to my forehead and pushed. I fell backwards, gasping for air. As darkness overtook me, I thought I should have stayed in Nashville.
Lukas
I stared offafter Dinah. She grabbed her fresh drink from Justine’s tray and drank it all down before continuing to the bathroom. I had no problem with a woman who could hold her liquor, but her vibe had been all wrong when she rose from the table.
Laurent swirled the amber liquor in his glass. “You know, Brother, there’s nothing wrong with taking a queen.”
“And have her end up like Elizabeth? No, thank you. I’ve already lost her father. I won’t put Dinah in harm’s way.” Of all the other Ancients – my brothers – I was closest with Laurent. He and I were most alike and chose territories relatively close.Where I ruled the southeast, Laurent’s area was the southwest region of the US.
“She’s Doug’s daughter?” I nodded, and he sighed. “She’s already at risk by being seen with you. Thank Lillith I compelled her to forget our conversation, or she might have been hurt at your dismissal of your feelings.”
“There are no feelings,” I lied.
Laurent shook his head. “You can lie to yourself, but I know you. You wouldn’t have gotten so close to Doug if you didn’t crave a partner.”
My fangs extended before I could stop them, and someone shrieked. I waved a hand the waitress’s direction, and said, “You saw a Halloween costume.” Dazed, she walked away. Dazed… “Holy goddess, Dinah’s eyes. Laurent, I’m not sure she was compelled. Fuck, I totally forgot. When we were at the club, I compelled her to sell the place to me, and she said she would need to think it over instead of agreeing.”
“If that’s the case, she knows too much. You have to remake her. Or end her permanently.”
“No!” I took a deep breath. “No. I want her, but I will not risk her. Not while there’s an unknown killer in my territory.”
“Like I said, she’s already at risk. All you can do is keep her with you at all times until the threat is neutralized.”
I downed my drink as I waited for Dinah to return from the restroom. My skin prickled, and I set the glass down. “There’s someone close. Do you feel it?”
“Yes. I’ll pay the tab while you—” Laurent and I froze as several of my coven ran into the restaurant. Before I knew what was happening, they started attacking the humans. Those who weren’t being targeted screamed and scrambled toward the door.
Fuck! “Stop!” I commanded both humans and vamps. The humans froze before they could get outside. The vamps turnedtheir red eyes my way, blood soaking their lips. I stalked to the nearest one. “What the fuck are you doing?”