“How do you tell them apart?”
“Their voices. Rogan’s tone is slightly lower-pitched than Raskhan’s. Unfortunately for you, this vocal difference is too fine to be perceived by human ears. To us vampires, it’s unmistakable. They speak a single word, and we know who’s who.”
Zontag’s clarification seemed to lift a heavy weight from her shoulders. Telling them apart appeared as easy as breathing to everybody around here, and that fact had contributed to exacerbate her feeling of being out of place.
Learning her inability had everything to do with her being human somehow brought immediate relief. She was neither crazy nor irrational, she just wasn’t a vampire. And considering that she still hadn’t changed after two vampires’ bites, she probably wouldn’t be.
“Why do they hate each other?”
“It’s been like this since they were children, although nobody knows for sure. If he feels so inclined, that is for one of them to tell you.”
A hard plastic stick in his hand, Zontag seemed to have forgotten all about his microscope as he came to stand in front of her.
“Now, open your mouth.”
With it he scraped first the inside of her cheeks before moving on to the back of her tongue. Trying not to gag, Liv let him collect whatever he needed from her saliva and mucous tissue. When he turned away to go back to his worktable, she waited until he faced her again.
“I’m not your Bringer of Death, you know.”
He raised his eyebrows. “Ha ha.” Then he set the stick inside a weird machine that looked somewhat like a mixer.
“I’ll show you something.”
As she slithered down the dentist’s chair, he pressed a button on the side of his worktable. Then he gestured for her to turn around. The back wall of the lab slid open. Not the entire wall, but a square the size of a window. His hand on her back, Zontag prompted her forward.
“This is a two-way mirror. Take a look, he won’t see you.”
On the other side, the large room appeared to be a relaxing place of some kind, reminding Liv of a spa. Two empty brown loungers sat in front of bookcases filled with thousands of books. Apparently, some vampires spent a lot of time reading. In the far corner, two massage tables lay side by side, waiting to be used. Beside them, Liv saw a large hot tub drained of water.
“Our former king had this room equipped for the human he loved. He wanted her to spend most of her days here, and enjoy herself as if she was in her own world. Now, do you recognise him?”
In the centre of the room, a vampire sitting at a school desk was busy drawing. Although he seemed vaguely familiar, Liv didn’t place him until he raised his head. But when he did, she gasped. Back in the warehouse, he had been the warrior who had come with Khord, and failed to send her to the Overworld. No way she’d ever forget his face.
“I thought you might recognise him.”
“Who is he?”
“One of our hunters. Well, at least he was until yesterday.”
Zontag’s strange tone caused Liv to glance at him. Head a little cocked, eyes glazed from staring too hard, he appeared totally mystified by the vampire in the other room.
“What’s different about him today? He looks the same to me.”
“Indeed he does.”
Zontag left her side to go back to his worktable and activate the closing of the two-way mirror. The panel slid shut with a barely audible sigh, blocking her view of the warrior. Turning round, palms up, she waited for the scientist to speak. He retrieved the plastic stick from the machine and placed it on the worktable.
“Rogan told me about your fight in the warehouse. He said you touched the hunter, but as nothing happened he was sent home.”
“That’s right. Why? Didn’t he come back here?”
“He did.”
“So what’s the big deal?”
“He isn’t a vampire anymore. He’s human.”
Holy mackerel, she hadn’t expected that! Did Zontag mean her touch had changed a vampire into a human? Now that would be an extraordinary feat, especially considering that, at the time, the force had seemed to fail her. Or had she wrongly assumed the experience had been a failure because she didn’t see any physical effect on the warrior?
“Is he the reason why everyone here seems wary of me?”
“Absolutely. He recounted the episode to the council, and, true or false, the whole community is aware of your power now. Besides Khord became an eye witness when he backed up his partner.”
“Oh, the nerve of that monster! Khord had already gone when it happened. He didn’t see squat!”
“Yet it’s his word against yours. In such a matter, only Rogan could set the record straight.”
But Rogan had disappeared. He wasn’t here to stand by her side, to protect her, to save her from an impending execution. Accusing her of a crime of lese-majesty was only an excuse. Even if the council believed Rogan alive, they’d still kill her to eliminate a threat. As if reading her mind, two fingers on his chin, Zontag nodded.
“By changing vampires into humans, you have the power to eradicate our race. It means you are…”
He faltered, his blue eyes seeming a shade darker. Understanding lifting the veil she had been enfolded in, Liv finally appraised her true condition. Without a blink, she ended the sentence for him.
“I’m the Bringer of Death.”
They stared at each other. About two feet apart, she closed the distance between them. Even if all clues pointed to her being some kind of vampire killer, a part of her still wanted to kick up a fuss.
“But I can't be!” The words tumbling out of her mouth, she grabbed the older vampire’s hand. “You see, when Rogan was dying from Khord’s silver bullet, I saved his life. I healed him.”
“Rogan briefly mentioned…”
“Believe me, it’s true. That’s my power. I heal vampires!”
“No, you don’t. I believe you healed Rogan only because he’s part human. But when a true vampire is in your hands, your power destroys his essence and it all comes down to your blood being pure.”
As Zontag’s hand pressed her fingers tighter, she read absolute certainty in his blue eyes. He wasn’t putting on a show to mislead her. He was actually telling her to acknowledge facts. As long as she’d be trapped in the Overworld, her power was the key to her survival. The scientist’s hands relaxed while he carried on his explanation.
“For the same reason, a vampire’s bite won’t affect you because your blood can’t be mixed and protects you. I told Rogan as much. Now I’d like to hear about your power. What did you feel when you healed him? And when you changed the warrior?”
As much as she wanted to describe the incredible force she had experienced when healing Rogan, her stomach interrupted her. Like a snake uncoiling from a light sleep, it roiled. Lungs deprived of air, heart fluttering to be let out, the vibe whipped her with brutal desire. Following the persistent pull of her instincts, Liv moved to face the door.
The king of all vampires barged into the room. Dark and ominous, his gaze passed over her to settle on Zontag.
“Are you done with her?”
“I am, but I’d like to work on…”
“Leave us!”
Cut short, the older vampire bowed and obeyed his king. As his hand left hers, Liv wished he wouldn’t abandon her to the whims of his towering master. With a last glance at her, Zontag hurried out of the lab and closed the door behind him. Looking smug, Raskhan finally acknowledged her presence.
“I will run the last test on you.”
The invisible connection instantly responded to his words. It writhed in her belly, forcing her to breathe through her mouth.
“What test?”
“Didn’t Zontag say he needed your body fluids? Well, there’s one you haven’t given him yet, but I’ll take care of that.”
Raskhan took a step towards her. Wolf-like, he seemed about to pounce on her. She should have been scared. Yes, she should have been, but the vibe pulled and
pulled, throwing her pulse out of sync, jolting her bones, discharging heat between her legs.
A single look at him, and she wanted the king of the Overworld to pin her down on the worktable, to spread her legs wide open for his royal cock, and to have him make a sexual slave out of her. Still, she wouldn’t cave in without a fight. She wouldn’t let primitive instincts best her.
“I don’t understand.”
His eyes shone bright. A mischievous smile playing on his full lips, he seemed to love the moment.
“Sure, you do. Come on, little girl, don’t play coy with me. Take your panties off!”
Chapter Twenty
Eyes wide, Liv watched him come to her.
“Is this really necessary? I’ve never heard of a test involving a woman’s…well, you know.”
“You’re in my world now, and the rules are mine to dictate. Here, you obey me. You don’t think, you don’t speak, you just do as I say.”
She backed away from him. His magnetic gaze holding her, she retreated until the wall halted her. He advanced on her until their bodies touched. They both shivered as though an invisible, powerful current jostled them.
“Hell, you’re so desirable!” For once his face showed no trace of derision—only lust.
Yet it didn’t mean she’d yield to his desires. “Flattery won’t get you anywhere. You can drop the pretence right now because I won’t agree to your stupid test.”
He laughed then. His body hard against hers, his mouth inches from her, he passed a light finger over her lips. “And you fall for it every time! I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone as gullible as you, kitten.”
Too fast for her eyes to catch, he opened the lab door before she could think of a pertinent answer. God, he had the knack of irritating her so much she’d have liked to strangle him. Or rip his heart out. Or let him possess her body like a wild animal. But he was already out on the gallery, beckoning to her.
“Come.”
“Where are we going?”
“It’s high time you discovered my world.”
As usual, male and female servants gave them a wide berth. Along open galleries, past rows of doors, up two flights of stairs, along brightly lit corridors, Raskhan led her onto an open terrace. Situated on top of the palace, square and large, the terrace dominated the landscape—if it could be called a landscape.
Night and cold ruled. Dark, thick shadows closing in on her, Liv watched her step as she approached the ledge. An unfamiliar sensation grazed the back of her mind, and was gone before she could grasp it. Hands on the parapet, Raskhan by her side, she strained to get a good look around.
All she discerned were two-storey black buildings, squarely divided by streets. A few lights here and there showed signs of unseen presences. No houses. No towers. No skyscrapers. No flat land indicating parks or unused grounds. From where she stood, the methodically lined-up buildings reminded Liv of the ordered structures her little cousin used to build with his Lego set. No sun. No daylight. Only night.
As far as the eye could see the same arranged layout didn’t leave much to the imagination. One must be very creative here to find a source of inspiration. Then again this world was so plunged in darkness she wouldn’t be able to discern hidden beauties. Erected in the centre, the king’s white marble palace stood out like a black hair on a fried egg.
“Are all your towns like this?”
“You’re looking at the only town in the Overworld.”
“How many are you?”
“We used to be a million vampires before the Dividing War. Today I’d say about twenty thousand, and all staying here.”
Liv had no idea how many men had died in the same war, but obviously the ability to have children had saved the human race. The sensation she had felt earlier came back to her, making her shiver. The silence. The heavy, cold, tear-proof silence surrounding them.
“What’s past the town?”
“An endless desert, and death.”
She heard him. He was telling her she wouldn’t survive out there. Even if she found the front door of his palace, even if she made it to the edge of town, there was no escape. No life.
This barren universe belonged to Raskhan and Rogan. More accurately, they belonged to these desolate, lonely wastelands. Did it mean they were empty, too, and devoid of lush, torrid emotions? Rogan hadn’t been. The brief moment when he had spoken about the Overworld, his voice had vibrated with sorrow. Looking at Raskhan now, Liv fancied his taut features reflected the same sorrow. King or not, one thing was for sure—both brothers were cut from the same cloth. Both wanted in and out.
“Why did you bring me up here?”
“To show you what Rogan and I are like. You think you love him, but you don’t know him.”
Unable to tell if Raskhan’s words were meant as a warning or as a hint at something she should have figured out, Liv rubbed her arms with both hands. In any case, she didn’t like the way he sounded.
“I’m cold.”
He shrugged. Grabbing her arm, he led her back inside the palace. This time avoiding the open galleries but using the back ways, they went straight to her bedroom. She stepped in. He stayed at the threshold and gestured towards the bed.
“There’s a switch for the lights by the bed. Rest now.”
“What if I’m not tired?”
Whatever sorrow or loneliness he might have felt up on the terrace vanished as she defied him. His wolf-like grin reappeared, a savage glimmer of anticipation and desire passing in his eyes. “I see. Maybe you’d like me to entertain you for a while. Is that what you’re asking me, little girl?”
She could have slapped herself for being so stupid. She ought to have known by now that Raskhan was nothing but a predator, and that any excuse to pounce on his prey would do. Damn her big mouth. “No, thanks, I’ll be fine.”
Taking a long inspiration to settle the bumpy cadence of her heart, Liv turned her back on the king of the Overworld. Only when she heard the door shutting did she let some air out of her lungs.
A quick shower and she felt much better. She dried off her hair with a towel before jumping into bed. Fresh linen welcoming her naked body, she stretched her weary limbs and yawned. She then curled up on her side, knees drawn up.
She had lied to Raskhan. As she found the switch to turn the lights off, tiredness had already filled her bones. Bathed in complete darkness, pictures of Rogan invaded her mind when she closed her eyes.
His unconscious body lying on her couch while she healed him from the silver bullet. His face when he had fought Khord to save her life. The wonderful feel of his mouth on hers, the way he kissed her like no man ever had. His scream of utter pleasure as he came inside her, night and woods shielding them from the rest of the world.
But images of Raskhan muddled up her memories as she drifted off to sleep. Her face against the bathroom door, the king’s finger fondling her sex, igniting a wild desire she hadn’t yet come to terms with. His roguish expression when she had realised he wasn’t the same vampire her heart was beating for. And always there, the irresistible connection between them.
Liv dreamt. High above their heads, the sun nurtured plants, trees, fields, and forests. Sitting by a brook Rogan motioned her to come to him, his thoughtful gaze and loving smile fixed on her. Although she walked, she didn’t seem to get any closer to the vampire she loved. In spite of her desperate need to feel his arms around her, to be kissed by his overriding mouth, the distance between them grew farther. As a last resort, she began running to him.
She ran, but he receded from her. As much as she wanted to call his name, no sound came out of her lips. Around her the beautiful clearing seemed to take on a new dimension. A hush fell over the forest as if nature was taking a break. The brook only a dot on the horizon, her heart beating too fast, she slowed her pace to a vacillating walk.
Stepping out of the dense forest, Raskhan pointed a finger at her. Mesmerised by his commanding gesture, she moved towards him. Every step she took aro
used a deep longing in her loins, an unfathomable yearning in her soul. Then the vibe took possession of her senses, and her body erupted in desire.
Torn out of her dream by this violent sensation, Liv felt his stony chest pressed on her back, his legs moulded against hers, one of his hands cupping her breast, his erect shaft wedged between her thighs. Sleep abandoned her in a rush of moistness. His blatant lust ensnared her, and a single thought overruled her mind. She wanted him.
“I know you’re awake.”
How could he not? Although total darkness enfolded them, his thumb brushing her nipple, mere inches from the pounding of her heart, from the erratic rise and fall of her chest. How could he not know she was wide awake as his tongue seared a line from her right shoulder to her left?
“I want you so badly.”
A tremor of anticipation coursed through her. Beyond the obvious sexual intent Raskhan’s admission pleased her in a way she hadn’t expected. Like he was yielding some ground. Like he was expressing a real emotion. But why should she care about his feelings?
“Open up for me, kitten.”
As unbelievable as it sounded, he was asking her permission. She still lay on her side but, in her sleep, she had stretched her legs. His simple request inflamed her from head to toe, and she reacted instinctively. She drew her knees up, baring her opening to his intense desire.
He twirled her rigid nipple with two fingers as she moved her legs up to let him in. Slow but confident, his erection glided past her buttocks to find its way to her throbbing sex.
“Yes, that’s it. Hell, you’re so wet for me!”
His dirty talk set her on fire. Because she hadn’t seen it the first time he had screwed her, she imagined his long dick about to penetrate her, coarse hair circling the base, soft skin crowning the tip. Would he be as rough as he had been in the motel bedroom? Had he planned to fuck her, only to humiliate her later? She needn’t have wondered because when he slid his steely sex into her, she thought she might choke from pleasure.