She would. Ignoring the rogue’s thirsty grin, she put both her hands on his chest and pushed with her mind. As though anticipating her bidding, the force lashed out. Inches away from her face, the rogue ceased grinning. His eyes took on a faraway look and he released her head. Arms dangling along his sides, mouth agape, appearing disorientated, he shuffled to the edge of the desert and vanished into the darkness.
She had turned him human. Although a victorious sensation endowed her with renewed courage, panic hit her when a wrenching scream echoed from the battle.
Heart pounding, Liv blinked as she caught a clear view of the slaughter. Either exhausted or assessing their chances, they were all back to regular speed. Five rogues lay dead. Half of his face covered in blood but on his feet, Rogan grappled with a vampire. Looking battered yet as resolute as ever, Raskhan fought off two more.
With her attacker clearly out of competition, that left a single rogue missing. But where was he? Disregarding pools of light reflected from the buildings at her back, her eyes scanned the heavy darkness. She sure didn’t possess a heightened sense of sight. Being human didn’t help in this instance and she needed more light to discern… Her heart lurched.
Raskhan uttered a harsh groan, and fell to his knees. Although quick to pull out the stake protruding from his shoulder, he flew backward when both rogues kicked him square in the chest.
Liv screamed. Focused on the king of the Overworld lying at their feet, they ignored her cry but it distracted Rogan’s adversary. This precious second proved fatal. Rogan struck with all his might, the stake piercing flesh, muscles and heart. Even as the vampire collapsed, Rogan jumped on the other two now pinning his brother down.
They tumbled together, rolling on the ground, spraying dust. And Raskhan was up. Eyes elongated, fangs out, crusted blood covering his left shoulder, sleek muscles bulging through his tattered shirt, he looked like the God of Wrath. Rooted to the spot by the sight of his otherworldly, striking features, Liv admired the love of her life.
Weaponless, he rounded on the nearest vampire. Grabbing him by the hair, he pulled him up as if he lifted a puppet. In a heartbeat he seemed to dive into the rogue’s neck, tearing flesh, ripping tendons, severing veins. Then he discarded the limp body, and Liv averted her gaze as jets of blood spurted out of a red mass that had once been a throat.
Five feet away, Rogan fought for his life. The remaining vampire sat on top of him, one hand locked around his throat, the other holding a stake. Before Raskhan could help his brother, a black shape hit him full force, and both of them crashed down on the ground.
The missing rogue. The bloodsucker she had looked for a moment ago, but hadn’t located. Why had he been hiding? To bide his time? To plan something? She got her answer as a strong arm grabbed her middle from behind and cold metal touched her throat.
“Missed me?”
Body hair stiffening at the sound of the unmistakable, loathed voice, Liv froze. Very aware of the knife on her skin, she followed Khord’s lead as he backed her away from the heart of the battle.
She assumed he stopped when he felt a safe distance between them and the combatants. Her back pressed against his body, the blade icing her throat, she saw Raskhan pounce on the remaining rogue. Yet, as he landed on his stomach, he glanced towards her. His eyes widened. Realising she had been taken by Khord, he seemed to lose focus and his enemy drove him back.
“See? You won’t be his slut for very long. He won’t make it.”
Khord’s hateful statement rang in her ear. Anger boiling in her veins, she wished she could strangle him. But he held her fast and she had no idea if the force would work without her touching his chest.
“Am I your hostage? Are you going to kill me or do you think you can trade me for your life?”
He had somewhat loosened his grip, but the knife was back against her throat when she finished her sentence.
“Depends on how this ends.”
In front of them, neither Raskhan nor Rogan seemed about to gain on their opponents. Former skilled warriors, the rogues now fought with the strength of the desperate. Like a warning alarm, the vibe also told Liv that Raskhan’s fear of losing her didn’t play in his favour.
She had to rely on herself, to follow her natural instincts. Thinking fast, she raised a hand towards her stomach to place it on Khord’s arm and summoned her sexiest voice.
“Whatever the outcome, don’t tell me you don’t want a taste of me. I can’t believe you wouldn’t get what your king had. What Rogan had.”
His body stiffened. Seconds stretched, so many that she feared he wouldn’t rise to the bait. When he replied at last, a silent breath left her lips.
“Don’t try to trick me, bitch. I know you love him, it’s written all over your damn face.”
“Yes, I love the king…” She paused to carefully slide her free hand behind her back. Open palm facing his pants, she felt her way to his hard crotch. “Whoever the king is.”
The brusque harshness of his breath showed she had hit the right spot. Sex and power must have been too difficult to resist for someone like him because he eased the pressure of his arm around her middle to turn her around, and the knife left her throat.
Liv had to stifle a shiver of repulsion when they faced each other. But she could deal with that. As if caressing his body from his groin up, she moved both hands to place them at the centre of his chest. Mustering all her strength, she licked her lips in a sexy fashion.
“So what now, big boy?”
“You didn’t fool me like you did the others. Make no mistake, I will teach you what fucking really is.”
She felt his hard-on against her belly, she endured the sight of his misshapen teeth and disgusting humid lips, she listened to his exultation of self-satisfaction and victory.
“I knew you were nothing but a horny, greedy bitch. I never believed you were the Bringer of Death.”
She slightly cocked her head as she gave the detested warrior her most dazzling smile.
“Well…you should have!”
She pushed so hard a wave of dizziness blinded her for an instant. Fingers flat on his chest, she gasped when the force rose from her core to slam into the warrior. Although he didn’t make a sound she knew he’d never threaten her again. Eyes glazed, arms dropping to his sides, a string of saliva flowing from the corner of his mouth, he stared into the distance. The blade clattered to the ground, and Liv collapsed beside it.
Overuse of the force in such a short time had got the better of her. Throwing her hands forward to break her fall, she landed on her front. Though she didn’t feel pain she lacked the strength to get back on her feet. Head resting on her forearm, she looked ahead.
In unison, both brothers had their fangs sunk into their opponents’ necks. Wrenching bloodied flesh off their throats, they pushed them away and the bodies fell down. Instantly swivelling round, Raskhan looked for her. Fangs red, blood dripping from his mouth, he assessed her situation in a wink. Ignoring a motionless Khord, the king of the Overworld already knelt at her side, wiping his mouth with tatters from his shirt.
“Are you hurt?”
Smiling at the deep concern she read in his eyes, Liv shook her head and lifted her arms. He picked her up, a violent relief shifting his features back to his human face. Glancing aside, he gave a meaningful nod to Rogan.
“Let’s go. There might be more rogues around, and we can always retrieve Khord later.”
Liv felt a rush of wind on her cheeks, a brief sensation of a world of darkness whizzing past her, and she found herself standing in the centre of the bedroom she occupied in the king’s palace. Hard against her body, Raskhan steadied her while Rogan closed the door.
Here, the three of them bathing in the light coming off the walls, Liv got a close look at Rogan. His hair and half of his face drenched in blood, he appeared somewhat aloof and the recollection of what she had done to him lanced her heart. First she had betrayed him then she had healed him wrong.
Her
bout of tiredness receding with each passing second, bitters tears rising close to the surface, she watched Raskhan remove the shreds of black fabric from his back while he walked to the bathroom. Water gurgled before he came back to throw a wet towel at his brother.
“Here.”
Then he wiped his face and shoulder. Apart from a faint circle, there was no trace of a wound, no evidence he had been stabbed with a stake. Against all odds, the sight of his perfect shoulder amplified Liv’s sense of guilt. Raskhan was still perfect, but his brother would never be the same. Because of her.
Overwhelmed by the consequences of her huge blunder, she strained not to cry. Safe in this familiar place, all the fear and pain she had experienced at Khord’s hands seemed to flow out of her. But, stronger than relief, an intense need to make Raskhan understand now seized her. He had to know she’d never have harmed Rogan on purpose.
Taking a deep breath, she laced her fingers in prayer. Yet she hesitated, held back by the look on Raskhan’s face when he saw her supplicant attitude and the tears in her eyes. Concern lining his brow, he dropped his towel to take hold of her joined hands.
“What is it, kitten?”
“Listen, I have no idea what went wrong when I touched Rogan. Yes, the power came quicker than the first time, but apart from that it felt exactly the same. I promise I didn’t mean to heal your brother wrong. I can’t control it anyway. Oh, God, what have I done? I’m so sorry!”
Liv quit blubbering when she became aware that Rogan had no clue what she was talking about, and that Raskhan was looking at her with a tender smile. Raising her united hands to his mouth, he kissed the tips of her fingers.
“There’s nothing wrong with him. Take it easy now because you healed him just fine.”
“No, I didn’t. He doesn’t remember me.”
She might have said more, but Raskhan gently wiped a single tear off her cheek and brushed her lips. Straightening up, he glanced at Rogan who had managed to wash most of the blood off his face. Then he focused on her again. When he spoke, his tone had never sounded so soft.
“Liv, I’d like you to meet my brother…Raskhan.”
Chapter Thirty-One
“What?”
If a fatal earthquake had suddenly rattled the whole palace, she wouldn’t have felt more thunderstruck. What had he just said? Rogan was Raskhan? Now that was quite simply impossible. She couldn’t believe it.
Unless he was testing one of his tricks on her again. Yeah, that sounded much more like the king of the Overworld she had come to love. But he wouldn’t have his way so easily this time.
“I see. You’re having another good laugh at my expense. Do you really need to involve your brother in this?”
Wiping his fingers with the wet towel, Rogan came up to her and held out his right hand.
“He’s telling you the truth. My name is Raskhan, and I’m very pleased to meet you.”
Mouth dropping open, Liv automatically shook the proffered hand. Feeling kicked in the guts she shifted her gaze from one brother to the other. No difference. Not a single damn fucking little distinction to tell them apart—and both so strong and handsome. Raising her hands up as if to ward off demons, she took a step back and let out an astonished “Huh.”
At that moment, the vampire she had believed to be Raskhan motioned his brother to leave the room. Once alone he sat her on the edge of the bed, and knelt on the floor at her feet.
“Look at me, kitten.”
But she kept her head down, staring at the ripped black robe. He had to lift her chin up before she would meet his eyes. Shiny and golden, the freckles seemed to swim in dark liquid.
“It’s me, Rogan. I’ve never left you. It’s been me all along.”
“Rogan?”
“Yes, my love.”
Something genuine and pleading in his voice finally tore the lack of understanding she was plunged into. With trembling, careful fingers, she touched his cheek.
“I can’t believe it.”
“Listen to me, and think about it. Since the moment I pretended to be my brother, how many times have you called me Raskhan? How many times have you wished I was Rogan? Don’t you remember the night I made love to you as Raskhan and you cried out Rogan’s name!”
How could she ever forget that awesome night and his asking for her to love him? Even if their faces sometimes overlapped each other in her mind, she had never stopped thinking of Rogan. And, for a wonder, she suddenly realised she had never called him Raskhan out loud.
“Good point, although it could just have been my way of keeping you alive in my mind.”
“Haven’t you wondered why I haven’t kissed you since you’ve been in the Overworld? As much as I longed for a kiss, I didn’t dare. I was too afraid you’d recognise me.”
Holy mackerel, so that was the reason he had frustrated her time and again. But he had been so cruel to her at times, how could she have figured this out? The more he talked, the more she understood that on some deep level she had been deceiving herself. Listening to Rogan, she began to question her judgement. Had she known the truth all along?
“Remember when we said goodbye at the warehouse, I told you I’d find you anywhere because I could feel you inside.”
Looking at her intently, Rogan placed one of his hands on her stomach. “Don’t you feel me in there? Don’t you feel a special vibe between us?”
The damn vibe. From the start she had been convinced it was linked to Raskhan. Because her fear of being alone had been too strong when Rogan had left her at the warehouse, she’d been much too scared to feel it then. And that single instance had completely misled her. Yes, the vibe had always palpitated for Rogan. How else would she have fallen in love with such a rascal?
“Of course I do, but the first time I felt the vibe it was in the motel room with Raskhan… I mean you. But I didn’t know it was you.”
“I know. Actually I counted on that.”
Damn if that wasn’t a confession of his deceiving her into believing he was his brother. And she wanted more of that!
“Why?”
“I needed you to believe I was Raskhan. That was the only way I could ensure your safety in both universes. Khord wanted your hide, and the council was about to send a tracking team. The last thing I wanted was for you to spend your life running away.”
“I guess I am easy to fool, but how do you delude vampires? I mean Zontag told me your voice is unmistakably different from Raskhan’s, and that’s how they all tell you apart.”
“True. Although nobody is aware that Raskhan and I mastered that difference by the time we were five years old. It started out as a game. You know, we were kids back then and excited to play pranks on Zontag. However, the ability to imitate each other’s voice has proved extremely useful in the past few years. As it happens, we swap roles all the time.”
“What for?”
Rogan ran both hands through his thick, dark hair. His gorgeous features showing the trust he placed in her, he resumed his explanation.
“The Overworld is a harsh place. Here in the palace you’ve seen the good side, but out there in the darkness it’s a whole different story. Over the years, gangs of rogue vampires have formed. We’ve been able to stall them so far, but they’re a constant threat to your world.”
“In what way?”
“They refuse the Formula. Although it’s nourishment enough for all of us, they want to feed on humans.”
“Why?”
“The chase. The excitement. The kill.”
Recalling the band of vampires who had sided with Khord, Liv shivered. She had seen the hungry look in their eyes, the hunter’s stance about to kill a prey. With that in mind, she began to grasp Rogan’s forbidding, domineering, and almighty attitude when he ruled. In such a dangerous universe, he had to show his authority at all times. He wasn’t allowed to be king and lenient.
“I get that, but I’m sure Raskhan is a great king. Why does he have to rely on you to replace him?”
&
nbsp; “Because we’re half-human. Strictly speaking my brother is a minute older than me, but we’ve swapped places so many times that we’re both kings of the Overworld. And we’re also both deeply rooted to your world. As much as we belong here, we often need to cross over. It isn’t a mere attraction, it’s a part of our lives we need to fulfil.”
“So when one of you is away, the other has to be king. Tell me something, does Zontag know?”
“No. We’ve never told anyone, it’s the only way to avoid betrayal. Only you know our secret now.”
When he said the words, a warm sensation quickened Liv’s pulse. Although deceived like all the others, being trusted with their secret identities made her feel confident—and special in Rogan’s eyes.
“When we first met, Khord called you a traitor to your race. I assume you wanted everyone to think that, but what’s the point? I mean, why did you make all of them believe you hated your brother?”
“To ensure the king’s sole authority. We were afraid someone might discover our secret so we came up with this idea. If we loathed each other, nobody would ever doubt Raskhan’s identity and legitimacy. On the other hand, Rogan could come and go as he pleased without ever being questioned. Khord hated me on a personal level, and he was willing to use anything to declare me a traitor. Before he sided with rogues, I think he was the king’s most faithful warrior. He never realised he fought with Raskhan a lot, convinced he was me.”
As deeply as the monster vampire repulsed her, Liv wondered if killing him had been such a good move after all. Although thick-headed and vicious, Khord might still have had his uses.
“Did you want to kill him because he betrayed the king?”
Brow furrowed, Rogan shook his head. “I don’t know why he went with rogues. We might have been able to get him back on our side, but he made the only mistake he shouldn’t have.”