Rogue (Relentless Book 3) (23 page)

Nikolas stopped at the motorcycle and looked at me. “So what would you like to do now?”

“We aren’t going home?” I asked hopefully.

“Not unless you want to.”

I didn’t want our date to be over. “Can we ride around and see the city?”

“Are you sure won’t be too cold?”

“Not if I can use your pockets again.” I slipped my helmet on. “How is it that you’re so hot…? I mean your skin is hot when mine is cold.” Heat scorched my cheeks, and I was so glad for the helmet that hid my face.

Nikolas grinned. “My Mori controls my body temperature,” he explained as he donned his own helmet. “You’ll be able to do that too, eventually.”

“That’ll come in handy.”

He straddled the seat, and I climbed up behind him, tucking my hands into his pockets again. The motorcycle purred to life and Nikolas pulled out of the parking lot, taking us on a slow tour of the city. Santa Cruz was very pretty at night, from what I saw. I spent most of the ride with my eyes closed, my arms around Nikolas, savoring the experience of the two of us alone out here.

“You’re not cold, are you?” he asked after a few minutes.

“No, this is great. It’s not as cold at this speed.”

“We’ll go slower on the way back. I should have taken one of the SUVs instead.”

“I’d rather ride a motorcycle than in a car,” I replied as we slowed for a red light. “Greg used to give me rides on his bike, and I loved it. I asked him to teach me to ride, but he didn’t want to upset Nate.”

He turned us down a different street, and I saw a lot of lights against the skyline. “I can teach you, if you still want to learn.”

A disbelieving laugh slipped out. “You’ll let me ride your motorcycle?”

His deep chuckle made warmth flood my belly.

“No, I’ll get you something smaller and less powerful than the Ducati to start on.”

A thrill went through me at the idea of the two of us riding our motorcycles side by side down a highway. “When can we start?”

Nikolas laughed again, but his reaction told me he was pleased by my eagerness. “Let’s focus on your training right now. Besides, I need to find the right bike for you first.”

We approached a brightly lit amusement park. “What is that?” I asked.

“That’s the Boardwalk. The rides are closed, but I thought you might like to walk through it.”

We parked the bike and began strolling through the colorful park. Nikolas asked if I wanted to check out some of the attractions, but I was happy just to walk with him. I did have to stop when I saw a vendor selling funnel cakes. I’d never had one and they smelled amazing. Nikolas smiled when I asked for one with powdered sugar and chocolate drizzled over it.

“Thank God for a high metabolism.” I bit into my cake. “This is so good. You sure you don’t want some?”

Humor flashed in his eyes. “No, thanks.”

I took another bite and licked chocolate off my lips. “You don’t know what you’re missing.”

I stopped chewing when he reached over and swiped his thumb across my chin. When he put his thumb to his mouth and licked off the chocolate he’d picked up, my stomach went to visit my feet.

“You’re right, it’s delicious.” He tore off a piece of the cake and bit into it as if he hadn’t just sent my insides into a tailspin.

We continued to the end of the Boardwalk, and then he suggested we walk back along the beach. Away from the people, we could talk without being overheard, and our conversation turned to less normal things, in particular my training with Aine.

“I don’t understand why I can heal things, but I can’t do anything else,” I vented. “Sometimes it feels like I’m going to explode if I don’t use my power. It’s so frustrating.”

“Is that why you were upset when you came to training today?”

I told him about snapping at Aine and then running away. “I feel awful about it. She’s been so good to me and I yelled at her.”

He stopped walking and tugged on my arm until I faced him. “Aine understands what you’re going through. I only wish there was something I could do to help you through this.”

“You are doing something,” I said quietly. “I needed this.”

We turned to continue our walk.

“What else is troubling you?” he asked.

“Nothing.”

“Liar.”

“It’s just that there’s not much to do at Eldeorin’s. I have my training during the day, but it’s kind of boring at night. I’m not used to being idle.” I fell silent, hating how silly my complaint sounded with everything that was going on. “Never mind. It’s nothing.”

“It’s not nothing if it’s bothering you. I know I’ve been spending a lot of time next door, and I’m sorry for leaving you alone so much.”

“It’s not that. You have an important job to do, and I don’t want to be coddled or entertained. I just need
something
to do. I need to feel useful.”

We reached a wharf and we wordlessly decided to take a stroll along it. A light wind tossed my hair around my face until I held it to the side with one hand.

“You and Jordan don’t have to stay at the house all the time. You can go next door whenever you want.”

“Oh.”

“The work we’re doing concerns you, too. I’m sorry you thought I didn’t want you there.”

His words warmed me despite the wind. “I should have asked instead of assuming it was off limits.”

At the end of the wharf, I walked to the rail and peered down at the foaming waves rushing between the pilings. It was too dark to see much, but I could feel the power of the waves. I’d always been drawn to the ocean, but since my
liannan
the pull was much stronger. The ocean teemed with so much life and magic it filled me with awe.

“You’re not planning on jumping, are you?”

The teasing question transported me back to the wharf in New Hastings when he’d asked me the same thing. All I’d wanted that day was for him to go away and let my life go back to normal. I’d been so angry and afraid of what he’d stood for, the changes he’d brought with him. Now, I couldn’t imagine him and the others not being in my life.

We stood quietly at the rail for a few minutes before he tapped my arm. “We should be heading back.”

“Okay.” I didn’t want this night to be over yet, but I knew he had work to do.

We made our way back to where he’d parked the motorcycle, and soon we were on the road back to the estate. Neither of us said much on the return trip. I hugged his waist and closed my eyes, wishing we could drive past the estate and keep going until we hit Canada. Just the two of us.

I held back a sigh of disappointment when we pulled up in front of the main entrance. Dismounting, I pulled off my helmet. “I had a great time tonight. Next time I’ll remember to bring gloves.”

His eyes were dark and unfathomable as he smoothed down some of my hair that had been mussed by the helmet. “I don’t mind if you forget them.”

My breath caught. It amazed me how the smallest touch or look from him could affect me so much. “I guess I should go in. Jordan’s probably waiting to grill me about every detail.”

A knowing smile curved his lips, and he put a hand under my chin to tilt my face toward his.

My stomach fluttered in anticipation. Any kiss from Nikolas was enough to turn my legs to jelly, but this would be my first date kiss.

“Good, you’re back at last.”

Eldeorin’s voice startled me so much that I took a step back from Nikolas to stare at the faerie. He hadn’t been around much in the last two weeks, and he never visited at at night. “What are you doing here?” I asked, unable to keep my irritation from my tone. I liked Eldeorin, but his timing really sucked. Didn’t he see we were in the middle of something important here?

He smiled indulgently. “I’ve been thinking about the problems you’ve been having with your magic, and I have an idea that will help you.”

“That’s great, but shouldn’t we talk about it tomorrow when Aine is here?”

“This is not part of Aine’s training.” He took my hand in his, ignoring the dark look Nikolas shot him. “It’s time for you to start your training with me.”

I realized Eldeorin’s intention a second too late. The last thing I saw was Nikolas’s surprised face as the familiar black void settled around me.

We reappeared in
the middle of what looked like a village. Around the small square were several brightly colored shops and some low buildings in need of repairs. Behind the buildings, I could see small mountains rising up in the darkness.

I yanked my hand from Eldeorin’s and turned on him. “What the hell? You can’t just grab people and disappear like that. Take me back.”

He shook his head calmly. “I apologize for interrupting your romantic moment, but this could not wait.”

I folded my arms across my chest and scowled at him. “The least you could have done is let me say goodbye. Nikolas is probably freaking out right now.”

“I am sure he is not.”

“You obviously don’t know him very well.”

Eldeorin smiled. “He may not like it, but he knows you are safe with me.”

“
I’m
not even sure I’m safe with you,” I muttered angrily, earning a laugh from him. I scanned the square, struck by how empty and quiet it was. A few lights lit up the square, but all the buildings were dark. A sign on one of the buildings was in another language that looked like Spanish. “Where the hell are we, and where are the people?”

Eldeorin leaned against a small fountain at the center of the square. “We are in Mexico. This village has been terrorized by a pair of vampires for a week, and the people hide in their homes after dark. Three people have been killed, and last night, the vampires took a young boy.”

“A boy?” Tears pricked my eyes at the thought of a child in the clutches of those monsters. “Are we here to find him?”
Please, say yes.

“No, it is too late for him,” he said regretfully.

My eyes welled. “If you knew about this, why didn’t you help them?”

He sighed softly. “Cousin, the Fae are powerful, but we are not all-knowing. I learned about this village’s troubles a few hours ago, which is why I came for you. We cannot return their loved ones, but we can avenge them and free these people from the threat to their village.”

“You don’t need me for that. Surely you can take out a couple of vampires?”

He huffed as if he couldn’t believe I would question his ability. “I can, but I’m not the one who needs an outlet for all the magic she has built up inside her.”

Nervous excitement flared in my chest. My body literally ached with the need to release some of this pent-up energy, but the idea of facing two vampires was terrifying, even if Eldeorin was with me. “Are we talking about baby vamps or mature vamps?”

Eldeorin shrugged. “Does it matter?”

I threw up my hands. “Of course it matters. Mature vamps are super-fast and strong, and I can’t take one down with just my power. In case you haven’t noticed, I’m not packing a weapon.”

“You are thinking like a Mohiri, like your power is finite.”

“Isn’t it? Healings don’t drain me anymore, but I still get tired if I used too much of my power. Westhorne was attacked before I left and I was barely standing by the end of it.”

“Your body was tired from channeling your magic, but you never could have depleted it. And now that you have been through
liannan
, your magic is purer and stronger, which is why you struggle with it.”

I stared at him. “If that’s true then why did I have to use a knife to finish off an old vampire I killed in New Mexico? I gave him what I had and it wasn’t enough.”

He shook his head slowly. “You gave him what you
thought
you had.”

“So I –” I broke off and spun around as cold blossomed in my chest. “They’re coming!”

“Good. It is time for you to ‘let off a little steam’, as they say.”

The cold spread until the vampires appeared between two of the buildings. The male was tall and blond and the female a few inches shorter with dark hair. Both wore jeans and knit tops, and if I hadn’t known better, I might have mistaken them for a couple of twenty-something American tourists. They spotted us and started walking leisurely in our direction.

My pulse raced, and my knees felt weak, but I held my ground. “Which one do you want?”

Silence.

“Eldeorin?” I looked behind me to discover I was alone. “Shit!” My heart hammered against my ribs.
Okay, calm down. You’ve got this.

Who was I kidding? I was going to die in the middle of God only knows where, and I hadn’t even gotten my first date kiss.

I’m going to come back and haunt that goddamn faerie for the rest of his immortal life.

“You’re not one of the locals,” the male said when they were within speaking distance.

“Are you lost, sweetie?” his companion asked in a falsely sweet voice. Both of them had what sounded like Texas accents, and I sent up a prayer that they were newly turned.

I swallowed and tried to control the tremble in my voice. “I think I am.”

They stopped about ten feet away, as if they were a kind human couple not wanting to frighten the poor lost girl. I resisted the urge to rub my chest where an icy lump was lodged.

The male looked around. “How did you get here? Are you alone?”

I scrambled for a believable story. “I’m on a road trip with my cousin. Our Jeep broke down a few miles away, and I walked here for help. But I can’t find anyone to help me.”

A look passed between them. “So it’s the two of you?” he asked. “Your cousin stayed with the car and you walked here alone?”

“Yes. He’s a lazy jerk who expects me to do all the work,” I said loudly, real annoyance clashing with my fear. “Last trip I take with him.”

The female smiled sympathetically. “We have a car. If you’d like, we can take you to your cousin. Douglas is great with cars, and I’m sure he can help you with yours.”

“That’s very kind of you, but I should stay here in case my cousin gets it running and comes looking for me.” I wondered why they were bothering to keep up the charade when they could have grabbed me and forced me to show them where my supposed cousin was.

They exchanged another look and Douglas said, “I tell you what. I’ll go and see if I can help your cousin, and Carla will stay here with you. We’d hate to leave a fellow American all alone here at night.”

They were going to split up? I might actually get out of this alive. “That would be great. Thanks.”

Douglas nodded in satisfaction. “Now, where is your car? You said it was a few miles from town.”

“I-I can’t remember.” I gave them what I hoped was a helpless look. “It was dark and I got all turned around. I really am lost.”

“No worries. There are only two roads in and out of town. I’ll find him.” He gave Carla a kiss and whispered something to her. Then he headed back the way they had come.

Carla smiled and took several steps toward me, and I backed up until my calves hit the fountain. She stopped a few feet away, and I gritted my teeth because it felt like ice was going to burst from my chest.

“Don’t worry. Douglas will take care of your cousin.” She gave me a small smile, and I knew she was thinking about exactly how her companion would “take care” of my cousin. She sniffed the air and leaned slightly toward me. “Do you smell that?”

I swallowed hard. “What?”

“I don’t know, but it smells amazing.” She took another step in my direction and sniffed again like a dog picking up a scent. Bile threatened to rise in my throat when she licked her lips. “I’ve never smelled anything like it. It’s –” She stopped and stared hungrily at me. “It’s you.”

She was on me before I could reach for my knife, and her speed and strength told me she had been a vampire for years. Her hands grabbed my shoulders in an iron grip, and she pressed her nose to my throat and inhaled deeply. A shudder passed through her as she breathed in the intoxicating scent of faerie that had probably grown stronger since my
liannan
. “What are you?” she moaned, her fangs distending to brush against my skin.

I resisted the urge to whimper as she pressed me back against the fountain. My mind threatened to blank out, and I battled with the memory of Eli holding me captive just like this.

“Douglas will be so angry if I don’t wait for him, but I have to taste you.” She pushed my head to the side. “Sorry, sweetheart, nothing personal.”

Her words brought me back to my senses. What was I doing? I was a vampire killer, not some defenseless girl ready to be their next meal.

Power roared through me. Carla’s hands were ripped from my shoulders, and she flew backward to land in the dirt a dozen feet away.
That’s more like it,
I thought as I watched the vampire sit up wearing a dazed expression.

“What-what did you do?”

“I decided I didn’t want to be tasted. I like my blood right where it is.” My hands began to glow as power filled them. It felt so good to be able to release my power without fear of hurting someone. Someone other than the vampire, that was.

Carla’s eyes narrowed in fear. “What the hell are you?”

Static rolled across my skin, and I resisted the urge to turn up the power. If I scared her too much she might run after Douglas and I’d have to face both of them at once. I needed to take care of her before her boyfriend discovered there was no cousin and came back for me.

“You have no idea how many times I get asked that. The way I heard it, one of my great grandmothers was a faerie. Can you believe that? I guess this” – I held up my hands – “is some kind of faerie thing. Beats the hell out of me, but it does come in handy.”

Hunger replaced the fear in Carla’s eyes. It looked like she had heard how yummy faerie blood was. She stood slowly, never taking her eyes from me. “So you are only half Fae?”

“Something like that.” I could see her mind working, calculating how strong a half faerie was compared to a vampire her age.
Come and get me.

Carla leapt at me. I raised my hands, but the force of her attack knocked me off balance, and I put out a hand to keep from falling backward into the fountain. My fingers touched the water, and it felt like I’d grasped a live power line as the water’s magic fed mine. The hand crushed between our bodies found Carla’s chest and my power pushed forward. She screamed, and I gagged as the stench of burnt flesh filled my nostrils.

Regaining my balance, I shoved her away from me and she toppled to the ground. A hole had been burnt through her top and my handprint was seared into her chest. She twitched and gasped for breath, her eyes full of pain and terror as I stood over her.

I crouched beside her, and all I could think about was the family hidden in one of those dark buildings, grieving for their little boy.

“Please...”

I laid my hands on her smoking chest and summoned my power. “Sorry, sweetheart, nothing personal.”

I was washing my hands in the fountain when I sensed Douglas’s return. He let out a howl of outrage when he spied the body of his girlfriend, and then he spun, searching the square for whoever had killed her.

“It’s just you and me,” I said with a calmness I’d never felt before when facing a vampire.

“How?” he demanded, hatred burning in his eyes.

I held up a hand and watched his eyes follow the blue sparks dancing across it. “Half Fae versus vampire. Fae wins.”

“Half Fae?” A familiar hunger filled his eyes.

I sighed at the single-mindedness of these vampires. They were so mesmerized by the chance to taste Fae blood they didn’t stop to consider the danger. Douglas’s girlfriend was dead at my hands, but instead of running, he was planning his attack on me.

This time I would be ready. My hand slipped behind me and touched the water again in preparation for the assault.

I was not, however, expecting the water to turn to ice, and I managed to yank my hand away just in time.
Stupid power!
What a time for it to act up.

Douglas grinned and sped toward me. I whirled to the side in a burst of speed and called on my power. I wasn’t fast enough to evade him, and he grabbed my right arm painfully. Lurching toward the fountain, I ducked to avoid the large icicles hanging from the second tier. Several broke and shattered on the icy surface. Instinct drove me and I grabbed for a long shard of ice, as Douglas jerked me toward him. I let momentum carry me to him and power the strike to his chest.

He shrieked and released me to grab at the icicle protruding from his chest. It took him several seconds to realize it was ice and not silver buried in his heart. His eyes gleamed with triumph when he looked at me. “Nice try, but ice can’t hurt me.”

“Maybe not, but this can.” I grabbed the end of the icicle and sent my power into it. The ice was a perfect conductor, amplifying my power and carrying it straight to the vamhir demon. Douglas didn’t even have time to scream before his heart and demon exploded in his chest. I jumped back as he fell across his dead girlfriend.

“Death by icicle. Very creative.”

I whirled on Eldeorin who stood a few feet away. “You left me! You... you asshole! I could have been killed.”

“Language, Cousin,” he reproached mildly. “I did not leave you. I was merely observing your training.”