Page 6 of Master Oradea

He nods, but his mind is clearly somewhere else with a thousand things to think of and all which fall to his shoulders to rule if the vampires are to continue to exist in the manner we’ve all become extremely accustomed to living. “Make sure to take backup,” is all he says, as I walk out the door.

The minute I reach one of the many clubs on my list, I text my location to Romano, Campania, Sardinia and Botosoni, letting them know so they can stay close by as I head into the joint. A necessary backup given last night’s debacle, and I’m not waiting around while they eat. I’m way too keyed up for that.

The doorman greets me as I make my way through the entrance. A couple chin nods from the bouncers greet me as I walk through the club, scouring it for my lords, soldiers, and whoever else may have information I want to know.

Club after club, dizzying light, and sound effects, different in each until I reach the Descallia. At least here, a vampire can breathe. Take in the calming red walls and black and red patterned marble on the floor, and be consoled by the music in the background that does not overwhelm your senses the minute you walk through the door. I walk to the long black marble bar, and the barkeep brings me a Descallia Red without asking. “Thanks, Curt,” I tell him. “Seen anything suspicious tonight, anything that will help us on our hunt?” I ask him, lowering my voice as a vampire in a suit walks through the club with his nude mate. He places a protective hand to her lower back, guiding her to one of the entrances to the lower-level playrooms.

The thought of what it would be like to have one woman in my life floats through my mind, before I dismiss it. Hardly likely for a vampire in my position, although many of the others I thought would remain steadfast bachelors over the course of time have settled down and seem to be much happier for it.

I finish my drink as I take in the patrons who move in and out of the club, but my jaw locks firmly as the doors open, and all four Benzini brothers stalk into the room, with Natalia in tow. Their eyes scan the floor until they come to land on me. Not again with these fuckers. They make their way toward me, and Natalia closes her eyes and shakes her head softly. I’m sorry. My eyes narrow suspiciously at the forbidden young woman who acts like a human but connects with me as an enchantress. “What do you want?” I growl, as the wall of dark-suited brothers reach me at the bar.

Michael starts to speak but is interrupted by Marcus. His face is beet red, and if his heart doesn’t slow the fuck down, he’s going to have a coronary right in the middle of our club. He grabs my suit jacket, but that’s the wrong thing to do. I curl my hand around his and squeeze until his eyes begin to water. “Do not touch me, human. Tell me what has everyone in such a temper.”

Natalia doesn’t give him time to recover from his temper or the shock of being caught in a vampire’s hold. “The rogue vampire that was in the club last night, Lucas? He sent one of his vampires to threaten me last night. I got into a cab right outside the club, and he was the driver.”

My chest pounds with unprecedented rage. It is enough that the fucker makes an appearance, threatening me in public, but this is beyond the pale. “Details, I want to know everything he said.”

Antonio gets in my face, but he’s careful not to touch me; a lesson his brother or any of them won’t soon forget, at least until the hand of their brother heals. “That bastard threatened her with sucking the blood from her body. Our sister! Those fuckers are going to pay for that with their lives!”

Natalia’s blue eyes flash with gold. “I am quite capable of retelling the story.” Michael contains a smirk while Marcus continues to baby the hand that will most certainly need casting to set straight. She stands straighter on her four-inch Louboutins, which do everything to show off the expanse of creamy thigh and slender ankle that I envisioned wrapped around my neck last night while I feasted on her cream. Her eyes go wide, and her cheeks turn the loveliest of pinks. There’s no way she can know what I’m thinking. Her eyebrows arch as to say otherwise. Eerie and fascinating at the very same time.

Indeed it is, enchantress.

She clears her throat and looks me directly in the eyes, as if being able to communicate on this level with a vampire master happens every day. “One of the rogue vampires was driving a taxi I got into last night. He said, ‘Give your brothers a message. Stay out of the vampires’ business. If they side with the masters, they will become enemies of the rogues.’ Then he laughed at me. I swear I’ll never forget that laugh and he said, ‘We especially like the taste of blood from little blonde girls like you. This is the only warning they will get.’”

My chest pounds with unprecedented rage. Michael is standing closest to me and gets the heat of my anger. “Did I not warn you last night? They know you’re partners with Roman and that his alliance is to us and not them. Now you’ve managed to get your sister right in the middle of the most brutal and bloodthirsty war the vampires have seen in centuries. They’ve already set their sights on Natalia!”

The brothers glare at me. Marcus pulls Natalia back to try to get in my face, but I growl. It’s the only warning he’ll get. I don’t have time to deal with the Benzini brothers if I’m going to find Lucas and save Natalia from becoming a victim of this war. Michael puts a hand on his brother’s shoulder before turning to me. “Tell me what it takes to safeguard Natalia, to keep her from these rogues, and we will persuade the families to side with you in this war. Last night, it was appropriate to stay neutral. After the threat to my sister, it demands a response from the family. We are in this war whether we want to be or not.”

I may not have liked the fact he brushed me off last night, but I can certainly respect why and his change of heart today. “Done. But we do things my way. You have no weapons against these beasts, and make no mistake—they will want the blood of your virgin sister.”

Natalia’s eyes widen in disbelief, and Michael takes a menacing step toward me. I raise my hand to thwart off any further conversation of the matter and to let the other masters who are watching from a discreet distance know I don’t need them to step in to help me with this. “Do not ask me how I know. Vampires have senses that you humans cannot even comprehend. I am the only one who can protect her against the wrath that is headed her way.”

Natalia already knows what this means; I can hear the change in the beating of her heart and the pumping of her blood. Her mind races with the reality before the words leave my mouth. “There is no choice now. Natalia must come with me.”

Chapter 6

Natalia

I push a wayward strand of shoulder-length hair behind my ears. “I’m not going.”

The vampire’s jaw tightens with irritation, looking to Michael or one of my brothers to fix this.

“I don’t have time to talk her into letting me save her life, when Lucas is on the loose.”

Michael gives him a nod and turns to me. “There is no choice in the matter right now, Natalia. You’ll go with Master Oradea. Roman assured me you’ll be in good hands. And he’s right. In this battle with the rogues, he has the ability to keep you safe. That’s what’s important right now.”

Marcus and Antonio don’t seem a bit convinced, both seemingly about ready to explode. The vampire looks to me as though I should hop to it and get going. When I don’t move, it’s as though he can feel my heart race and wants to put me at ease.

Master Oradea sighs outwardly. “I have an estate with plenty of space, right outside the city. I typically live alone with Elda who manages the home, and our staff, but right now we have guests for the duration. Overmaster Descallia and his mate, Lucianna, along with four other masters and their mates are staying with me, so there will be plenty of people to keep you company. Lucianna and a couple of the others were human before they were turned. There is no reason to be scared to go with me.”

My heart slows, and the erratic pulsing on the side of my neck begins to settle. Seemingly satisfied, Oradea turns to Michael. “It would be best if she came with me now. Are you able to send someone to my estate with her belongings?”

I draw the line at this. “If they were going to hurt me, they would have done it last night. I’ll play along and come with you, but I can certainly pack for myself.”

His dark eyes penetrate me with their intensity while he talks to my brother. “I don’t have time for this. If I’m to keep her safe, she needs to listen.”

I don’t care how powerful he is. I’m not about to be bullied by the big-ass brute. “Are you always this infuriating? Just take me by my apartment. It will take me half an hour to pack, and then we’ll be on our way.”

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