The Blood Diamond, page 13
part #1 of The Hunters Series
“I know you despise me, Henri, but that’s no reason to constantly avoid my invitations.” Gavin sounded almost disappointed in his twin. That didn’t sound genuine at all.
“It’s not as if you enjoy my presence,” Henri bit out, seeming more and more irritated as Gavin continued to speak. The other vampire merely laughed softly, so much so that I could barely hear it over my steady breaths.
“Henri, I’m not usually the one who invites members of the clan. And besides…what about Giselle? Don’t you still care for her?” Silence. Dreadful silence filled the void.
I had to hold my breath to conceal my presence. A vampire’s senses were at their highest right after a meal, but they were still better listeners than humans by far.
“That’s the past, Gavin,” was all Henri said before the sound of footsteps forced adrenaline through my veins. I wasn’t nearly fast enough in my attempted escape. The door flew open, and Henri stood there, stern eyes glaring into me immediately. I froze.
From behind Henri, his twin appeared, surprised at my appearance, but the look quickly shifted into amusement. “Would you look at that? Your Shadow became lonely downstairs, it seems.”
Henri moved past me, but not before grabbing my shoulder and hauling me to my feet. I barely made eye contact with Gavin before a cold hand snatched my free wrist and yanked me back with force. Biting back a yelp, I met the scarlet gaze of Henri’s brother.
Gavin’s grip tightened, and he smiled gently at me, concealing his deadly fangs. “What’s the rush, mon cher? Care to tell us how much you just overheard?”
I shifted in discomfort, and only Henri’s insistent pull on my arm dragged me down the lengthy corridor, and down the stairs once more.
Gavin’s eyes lit up, and his hold on my wrist loosened a bit. Before he could make a remark, Henri stopped to stare at me, his hardened gaze that of a statue. “What are you doing up here? I thought I told you to stay put.”
“I-I…” I stuttered. My mind grasped for a logical excuse, and my mouth opened before I’d given it much thought. “I had to go to the bathroom.” Henri didn’t respond. Gavin chuckled softly again, and released my wrist altogether. “Really? That’s it?”
I nodded. “Giselle told me there was one on the fourth floor, so here I am.”
Henri visibly flinched at the mention of Giselle.
“That doesn’t justify your eavesdropping, Antoinette,” Gavin admitted smugly, crossing his arms. He glanced over at his twin. “This one time, I’ll let you two go, but if your Shadow doesn’t learn some manners, Henri, I can always personally punish her for you.”
Henri’s frown deepened, and he glanced my way. “That won’t be necessary. Right?” I nodded quickly.
“I’d hope not,” Gavin drawled, gliding past us. “Dinner starts in ten. Don’t be late.” With that, the red-eyed monster vanished down the staircase, leaving me with Henri. I bit my lip. “Henri, I—”
“There’s a bathroom in Gavin’s guest bedroom,” the vampire explained stiffly, pointing at a door that I thought had been locked. I paused, and as Henri turned to go, I stopped him. “Henri?”
“What?”
I bit my lip slightly. “Who’s Robert? You and Gavin called him your ‘master.’”
Henri’s gaze sharpened on my face, and I dropped my eyes to the carpet out of habit. “So, you were listening in? Damn it, Toni, you know what Gavin said is true.” He shook his head. “I don’t want my brother anywhere near you.”
My face lifted, and I frowned. “But who is Robert? Have I met him?”
Henri didn’t turn back this time; he kept on walking. “Just drop the issue. You’ll be safer that way.” He paused. “Don’t give my brother a reason to target you.”
I couldn’t contain the scoff that threatened to escape me. “As if I’m safe right now. Yeah, I might be your Shadow and you did Mark me, but that didn’t seem to stop Gavin from looking at me like I was wounded prey.”
The vampire sighed, still not facing me. “That’s just my brother. He’s no doubt trying to intimidate you.” Another pause. “Just ignore him if you can.”
I tried to get more out of Henri, but he’d already disappeared from my sight.
Damn it.
I avoided going to the bathroom. Instead, I went to the other bedroom across the way from the study. The door was unlocked, but the room itself was pitch black inside. Upon turning around, I hit something hard and nearly fell backward. Catching myself in time, my head jerked upward to find the witch, Maria, staring me down. “What are you doing?” she asked slowly, carefully.
I swallowed, tried for a smile. “I’m a bit lost, actually. I think Henri was in one of these rooms.”
“Uh-huh,” the witch grunted, unconvinced, then took a step toward me, cornering me in the process. “Look, I’ve been wondering…what exactly is your relationship with Henri Sinclair?” When I kept my mouth shut, she continued. “I mean, you’re his Shadow, but I don’t see any bite marks on you other than the Mark itself. I haven’t seen him feed on you all night.” She shook her head. “It’s almost as if you’re his privileged pet rather than a low life slave he owns.”
I cleared my throat roughly. “Well…I…”
“You know what I think?” Maria moved even closer, locking hard gazes with me. “I don’t think you’re his Shadow at all. You don’t act like one.” I didn’t? What a relief…
Shaking my head, I muttered. “Henri treats me well…”
“Oh, really?” She took a step back, but a snap of her fingers brought my attention to her hands. They were glowing with pulsating orbs of light. The hall’s lighting flickered in and out, and Maria let out a sudden cackle of laughter. “Now that you’re all alone, I have a few questions for you.” When her eyes met mine again, I felt my limbs go stiff. I couldn’t move.
“Who are you, really?”
In my mind, I struggled to make sense of the situation, but the words came out like water, rushing out of my mouth before I could hope to stop them: “Antoinette Drake.”
Maria visibly flinched, but showed no other signs of surprise. “Drake, huh?” She kept her hands raised at me. “What are you?”
Don’t tell her, don’t tell her, don’t tell her, don’t you freaking tell her, Toni!
“A vampire hunter.”
Damn it!
The light faded to nothing, and I could suddenly breathe again. The witch before me glared at me through narrowed eyes. “Henri…that traitor…how could he—” She turned and bolted down the hall and out of sight, possibly running to tell Giselle, or maybe even Gavin.
My cover had been blown.
Damn it all.
I didn’t bother trying to run after the witch. My only option was to return to the dining room. I needed to get back to Henri, regardless if he could actually protect me or not.
Scrambling down the empty staircase, I reached the second floor at last. Sighing inwardly, I began to move toward the door of the dining room. It was cracked open. Just a bit further…
A clattering noise made me freeze. Immobilized, my ears strained for another sound, but now all I could hear was labored breathing, and a few low moans. A laugh clashed with it, a deep sound that belonged to a stranger.
I turned slightly, eyeing the alleged room where the noises originated from. In there. The door was open a crack, but I was too far away to catch anything. Curiosity ran through me, distracting me from my previous issue. The moans were gradually becoming louder, and they no longer sounded pleasant.
Biting my lip hard, I inched toward the door, hell-bent on running if someone caught me snooping around. Henri was probably wondering where I could be…unless Maria had already found him.
Damn.
I got to my knees before the slightly open door, keeping my breathing as silent and steady as possible. Besides the constant moan and occasional laugh or chuckle, there were no distinct voices coming from the room itself. On closer inspection, however, the light of the room revealed just a glimpse of the space’s inhabitants. Blond hair, pale skin…a man and a woman, obviously. No one I’d met yet, though.
There was a glint of light coming with the blond—the man—and I shuddered. He was a vampire, no doubt. The woman must’ve been his human slave. It was a clear educated guess.
I should’ve moved away then, but something deep within told me to open that door. No, I told myself mentally. It’s not as if I could stop the vampire from enjoying his meal. Especially when I wasn’t allowed to reveal my true identity as a hunter. An identity that had already been blown, but whatever.
The moans grew softer again, and a clear sound of struggling could be heard. Panting reached my ears, and my brow furrowed. What the…
I still couldn’t see inside, but the sounds, damn it…those were the warning signs that the human wasn’t enjoying her master’s touch. But why?
I tried to get a better look at the situation inside, but I couldn’t press myself against such a lightweight door. The vampire would sense me with ease…if he hadn’t already, of course. He must’ve been too busy feeding to notice.
The voice was so small, so weak that there was no way I could’ve heard it. Yet, the intention and meaning were as clear as day. The human was close to death, her moans transforming into whimpers, then she could barely speak at all. The vampire was draining her. My hands clenched into fists. No…
I wanted to stop it. I wanted to stop the vampire, but I couldn’t. I couldn’t draw more attention to myself. I couldn’t just go in there with my stake in hand and order the monster to release the human.
“Eavesdropping again?” an all-too-familiar voice rang out from behind me, and I stiffened.
Gavin.
A pale hand grabbed me by the shoulder and hauled me shakily to my feet. Before I could wrench myself free, Gavin’s face came into view. In my attempt to protect my neck, my eyes jerked up at the vampire before things locked into place. Gavin’s eyes were positively inviting, tempting.
He was hypnotizing.
I couldn’t seem to shake the underlying sense to run away. The vampire holding me smiled, his eyes pinpointed on my face. “Mon chéri, I thought you knew the rules. Didn’t your parents teach you that eavesdropping is extremely rude? And to commit it twice.” His grip tightened. “You must have a death wish.” Laughing, Gavin threw me at his feet, where he knelt down, all while keeping eye contact. His red eyes glimmered in the light. “As much as I’d love to see Henri punish you, I don’t think he’ll go through with it at all.”
Swallowing down fear, I opened my mouth to protest. “He won’t do anything.”
“Is that so?” Gavin asked with a quizzical brow cocked. “Why would you assume that?”
My jaw clenched. He was no longer trying to compel me, but his amused tone drove itself into the depths of my mind. I shook my head, lifting a hand to cover my throat. “He Marked me.”
“And that guarantees what, Antoinette?” My named rolled off of the vampire’s tongue, sending shivers down my spine. He caught my chin, and lifted my head. My eyes met his once more. “I’ll let you in on a little secret, petit agneau.” He leaned in, and his fangs came down. I was surprised to find that my body wasn’t jerking away; my limbs remained immobile.
Cool breath hit my face as Gavin leaned in closer, smiling all the while. “You think my brother means to protect you through the Mark?” He laughed softly. “I don’t think that’s the case, at least not entirely. You see,” he reached to touch my hand; the one that clutched my throat. I didn’t move. The vampire let out an amused sound. “Petit agneau, my brother doesn’t care for you at all. He’d never Mark someone so insignificant. And especially not a vampire hunter.”
I made no sound, even when Gavin’s hand ghosted over my scar. “Antoinette Drake,” he breathed. “You have a history with monsters, don’t you? Your poor parents tried to hide the truth from you, but in the end, it was pointless.” Laughing, Gavin rested his nails on the Mark. “Henri didn’t Mark you, Antoinette. He merely reopened the wound from your past. That scar…” His smile widened as he stroked the marred flesh. “It must bring back memories.”
His hold on me lessened somewhat, but I was still trying to understand the vampire’s words. So…Henri had lied about Marking me? But—
“Besides,” Gavin continued after releasing me. “It’s not as if he could Mark you. There has to be a true connection between you two, and I know what Henri thinks of you hunters, especially the Drake family line.”
I gained enough energy to scowl, but the vampire ignored it completely. His eyes traveled to the door, the one I’d been peeking through. “So, for your punishment…” Gavin trailed off in continuation, taking hold of my shoulder and pushing me forward. Suddenly, the door was open, and the light intensified. I flinched as the vampire holding me captive threw me on the carpet just inside the doorway of what appeared to be a spacious living room. Two couches flanked the walls, and my eyes soon shifted to the only inhabitants. A blond vampire I’d never seen before and an unconscious girl. She looked younger than me, but I couldn’t be sure.
Gavin cleared his throat behind me, and I forced myself not to turn my head. The real threat was the blond vampire. Power washed over me, causing my skin to tremble. My jaw clenched as I focused on the human. She must’ve been a Shadow, a clue given by the numerous fang marks on her arms, legs, and neck. A few of the wounds traveled lower, beneath the girl’s clothes.
Shit…
The blond vampire gave Gavin a hard look. “What the hell, Gavin? Don’t I have any privacy here?”
I felt Henri’s brother step forward, and the door slammed shut. Gavin chuckled, crimson eyes flickering down to me. “I’m sorry, Andrew. I hope I’m not interrupting something important.”
The other vampire—Andrew—shook his head, grunted softly, then peered down at me, crouched on the floor. The undead energy radiating from him was magnetic, and it threatened to drown me. He was older than Gavin and Henri. Hell, even older than Giselle. The only vampire who nearly matched his power was—
“Who’s this?” Andrew reached for me, and I drew back hurriedly, still managing to avoid direct eye contact.
Gavin laughed at my reaction. “Her? She’s no one, really. Just Henri’s beloved Shadow.” He hadn’t revealed my true identity yet, but it had to happen sometime. Soon, everyone attending would know exactly who I was…
Andrew made a satisfied sound, then glided over to where I sat. He towered over me, black eyes staining such a pretty face. He leaned over so that his shadow engulfed me. Swallowing, I dared a glance at the unconscious human, then focused on Andrew once more. “Is she dead?” I asked in a small voice.
The blond vampire grunted, surprised that I’d even noticed the defenseless human in the room. She didn’t appear to be moving.
“What I do with my Shadow shouldn’t concern you, human.” His faint British accent mellowed out with a forced sigh. Andrew glanced behind me. “So, this girl is Henri’s?”
“That she is,” Gavin confirmed, nearing my prone body with calculated steps. The older vampire’s power pressed me firmly against the mauve carpet, and I coughed loudly as the scent of blood filled my senses. Damn it, how many people had died in this position?! In this room…
Henri had been right all along, of course. Gavin was worse than I’d imagined. He wasn’t the only threat here. Andrew gave me a gentle, calming smile that reflected human warmth, but his eyes remained dark pits that went on forever. “What’s your name?”
“Antoinette Drake.”
Andrew cocked a golden eyebrow. “Drake?” he echoed. “You…you’re the one who took down Oliver Blackwell, am I right?”
I openly flinched, but didn’t look away from the vampire’s penetrating gaze. Oh, that’s right…most vampires were unaware of what happened to Oliver Blackwell, the oldest vampire in existence. Or, at least he used to be. It’d been only a few years back, but I remembered that monster’s voice, his touch…I could’ve died at any time. Andrew bringing up the elder vampire sent an involuntary shudder through me.
Gavin chuckled, forcing my attention on him. “I’m amazed the girl is still standing years after her encounter with your sire, Andrew.”
Wait…what?
I swallowed down bile as realization dawned. Oliver had sired Andrew?! That explained the vampire’s ancient aura. I attempted to move then, but time seemed to stop, at least for a while. Andrew grabbed onto my shoulder, and my body froze. This time, I had no hope of moving. Damn…
I let out a voiceless whimper as the blond vampire took my shoulder and threw me on the couch, beside the lifeless human body. Blood leaked out of her torn throat. Nausea threatened to hang over me, but the numbness took over. What the hell…what was happening?
Before my shaky vision, Andrew knelt in front of me, sliding himself between my legs and onto my lap. Vaguely, I heard Gavin chuckle in amusement as the blond vampire took my face in his hands. He leaned in. “Feel that numbness yet, Ms. Drake? That’s my gift as a vampire. I’m able to paralyze my victims.” Turning my head to the side, he caressed my neck with warm breath. “Do you know what happens next?”
Biting down…
I tried to tense for the feeling of teeth, but the paralysis had set in so tightly and quickly that my muscles were instantaneously relaxed, even as my pulse pounded with every second.
A pointed finger stroked my scar—what I’d thought was Henri’s Mark—and Andrew turned to Gavin for a moment. The raven-haired monster shrugged. “I wouldn’t worry about it, Andrew. Henri never had claim on her, so go right ahead.” A laugh. Then: “She interrupted your previous meal. It’s the least this hunter can do to right her wrong.”
Andrew laughed then, pressed his lips to my throat, gliding incisors against skin.
I couldn’t stop it. I couldn’t even move, much less avoid the incoming pain. Closing my eyes, I waited for the prick of pain followed by more and more numbness.
That’s when the numbness broke into a calm sensation. It couldn’t have been Andrew’s ability, but I still didn’t know for sure. The vampire held me tighter, but he’d definitely pulled away from my throat.
