Sweeter Than Wine (24 page)

“After the night we just had, I think I’m entitled to put my feet on the furniture, don’t you?”

“Oh, you’re entitled to more than that, my friend.” Sebastian’s voice came from the patio entry, where he drew the glass door open and stepped through.

Christy popped off the couch and went to him, hugging him in greeting as the others followed behind their host. Ian was there, with Hastings, Cameron, and a few other
were
she’d met in passing.

A dutiful host, Sebastian poured drinks for them all. He gave Cam the precious, two-hundred-year-old Scotch he favored and poured deep red wine for himself, his vampire brethren, and his lady. The
were
drank their choice of beers and liquors Sebastian kept on hand for guests, and chowed down on the various snacks stocked in the small bar at the side of the room. Some followed their noses to the kitchen for a meal with their fellows, who were cooking up a storm for the always hungry
were
folk.

“Everything’s settled then?” Hiro asked as he greeted his colleagues.

Sebastian nodded once as Ian answered for them both. “He’s never coming back.”

“Praise the Lady for that,” Matt said from the couch, succinctly summing up all their feelings on the matter.

“I still can’t believe how powerful that mage was.” Sebastian shook his head. “Cam, you did some amazing things tonight and I can never thank you enough.”

191

Cameron gestured with one weary hand and collapsed into an overstuffed chair.

Sebastian tucked Christy into his arms and sat on the couch beside Matt. The
were
cougar’s head rested against the back of the leather sofa, his eyes heavy-lidded.

“The pattern on Mario’s face was the key. The most important bit was the nine lines Christy described—signifying the nine realms to which Mario’s magic was connected.

I’m sorry to say, he was more powerful than any mage I’ve met before in this mortal realm. Few have connections to more than three or four other realms, but our boy Mario had a direct link to what I like to call the sixth level of hell. If I’m not much mistaken, that sixth line represented his link to the place where Elspeth is exiled. For a certainty, he was using Elspian magic of a kind not seen here for many generations.” Cam sighed, not liking the implications for the future. “Since Mario was mortal, I assume that base line—

the longest one and next powerful—was his link to this realm of his birth. The Lady only knows where those other lines led. I fear to think on it.” Cam shuddered in his seat.

“Once I was able to sever those two strongest links, the rest collapsed. It was a tricky piece of magic, and not my neatest by any means, but it did the trick. This time.” His mouth set in a grim line.

“It was like nothing I’ve ever seen.” Matt eyed him with both awe and suspicion.

“That sort of magic is not of this realm. For that matter,
I’m
not of this realm, laddie.” Cam winked. “It’s a case of fighting fire with fire. Otherrealm magic often can only be countered by similar means. That’s part of what I do here, playing about in your world. When I find out about evil from other places infiltrating here, one of my duties is to track it down and eliminate it, but I’m sorry to say, without your link to our Christina, all my magic would have been for naught this night. I’ve never faced an opponent like this one and I fear he’s not the last we will see. Tonight proved—as nothing else could—

that we’ll all have to work together. On my own, I could not have taken Mario down.”

Silence met that stark announcement. “His spell immobilized everything except his prey.

It even worked to keep me glued to my place, though I could move more than anyone else because of my ties to other realms beyond Mario’s reach. Still, if I’d been facing him alone, all he would’ve had to do is walk behind me where I couldn’t see him and stab me 192

in the back. He wouldn’t even have to do it magically. A simple knife would’ve worked at that point. I’ve never felt so powerless in all my long life.”

Cameron saw his words sink in. He’d meant his warning to sober them and judging by the looks on their faces, it had. He knew he had to impress upon them how important it was to keep their temporary alliance going.

Sebastian broke the uncomfortable silence. “Your words are troubling, old friend, but well taken. I think we’ve started something here, with this group of friends we’ve gathered together. I take your warning to mean we should probably expect to work together more often if Mario is just the tip of the evil iceberg we’ve yet to fully discover.”

“As usual, you see through to the heart of the thing, lad.” Cameron lifted the crystal glass and drained it. “This alliance between your kind and the
were
must continue. For my part, my few fey brethren in this realm are already allied with the
were
, we’d extend that to those bloodletters who are willing to work with us for the duration of this threat, as well.”

Sebastian nodded, his face grave. “I’ve always been a friend to
were
and fey. We’ll have to talk to Marc about formalizing relations, but I don’t think he’ll have any objection. He understands the threat we all face, though I don’t think any of us realized until just recently how dreadful the danger truly is.”

An hour or two before dawn, the informal gathering broke up. Most of them sought guest rooms to grab some much needed rest while the rest of the
were
took turns guarding the estate. Sebastian was grateful for their vigilance and willingness to lend a hand. He was wiped out from the adventures of the night, and in desperate need of some alone time with his new mate.

He led her to the large master bath in the underground chambers where they would sleep away the day in each other’s arms. But first, he very much needed to clean up, and to pamper his lady. He needed to do so, to reassure himself that all was once again well—

at least for now.

193

He drew a bath in the oversized tub while Christina undressed, lacing the warm water with lavender bath salts he had specially made with pure essential oils. There was nothing like the scent, and he loved the feel of the refreshing mixture of sea salt and cleansing lavender oil on his skin. It was something from his old life in England that he’d never been able to forget or cast aside.

His mother had grown lavender and used the essential oil from the plant for all kinds of things. She’d been an amateur herbalist and had taught her son many things about plants and their uses. Now, hundreds of years later, Sebastian used those same recipes, learned at his beloved mother’s knee, to have different creams and lotions made up for his personal use—and now for Christina’s.

In his day, lavender hadn’t been strictly a women’s scent, and he still loved it.

Certainly, he didn’t think he’d ever countenance going about smelling of roses or gardenias, but he knew some dandy recipes for things he would order at the first opportunity for Christina. He longed to spoil her in every way and protect her all their lives, however long that proved to be.

“Come, my love, the bath is ready.”

He knew he didn’t have to speak the words. Christina was in his mind at all times now, as he was in hers. It had been strange at first, until they’d learned how to manage the information overload. They’d worked over the past weeks at segregating each other’s thoughts to discrete areas so things were less confusing, but when they wanted to, they could open the channel wide and share everything they felt and thought with each other.

The best possible time for such deep sharing was in passion and they did so often, but each time it was special. Still new, their relationship was the deepest part of each of their souls. They were truly One, never to be parted, which made him feel both safe and utterly terrified of losing her.

The past hours had been a trial almost beyond bearing. Putting Christina deliberately in the path of danger had gone against every fiber of his being, but Sebastian knew it had to be done. When Mario had changed all the rules of their encounter and knocked Sebastian flat on his ass, he’d never been more frightened.

194

As he’d blacked out from the massive blow to his head, his last horrified thought had been that Christina must now face the monster alone. He could have wept then, if he could have remained conscious. As it was, when he finally woke up he couldn’t move, and the inability to see what was going on from inside the mangled container had sent terror streaking through him.

Until he heard her voice in his mind. The link that nothing short of death could destroy, had reassured him and alarmed him at the same time. Knowing his love was in mortal danger, facing a mage the likes of which they had not bargained for, all alone, terrified him. There was little in the world that could scare a vampire of his age and power, but his mate brought that uncomfortable feeling all too close for comfort.

“You’re so good to me, Sebastian.” Christina ran a gentle finger along his chin as she turned, dropping her silk robe. She climbed into the tub before he could waylay her, but she had his full attention. He could tell from the flirty look in her beautiful eyes and the connection they shared, that she was as needful of their joining as he was. It was nearly a physical ache. He needed to touch her, to be close to her, like he needed his next breath.

Sebastian shucked his clothes and stepped into the giant oval tub, settling behind her.

She was tucked into the V of his thighs, her luscious bottom resting against him. For a moment he let the scent of lavender and Christina waft over him as he rested his chin atop her head and folded his arms around her middle, hugging her close.

“I love you more than life, Christina. I couldn’t go on without you.”

“Same goes for me, Sebastian.” He couldn’t see her expression in this position, but felt the tremors in her small body and the anguish in her mind. “When you pushed me out of that container and it went flying…and then you weren’t in my mind…”

She hiccupped and Sebastian soothed her, rubbing her skin and murmuring soft sounds of comfort. “It’s all over now, my love, though I just about lost it when I realized you had to face that bastard all on your own. I never wanted that to happen. I’m sorry I failed you.” Deep shame filled him. He’d failed to protect his mate for those agonizing moments. It was something that made him feel less of a man and incompetent to be trusted with her precious life.

195

Christina turned in his arms in the slippery water and cupped his face. “No, Sebastian. Stop that right now. You’ve done nothing but shelter me and protect me from the moment you came to the hospital. You prepared me for any eventuality, though I know you would have died before deliberately putting me in the position we were in tonight. None of us—not even Cam—could have known Mario was such a threat. This was something new and unexpected. You should be proud you planned ahead and taught me how to take care of myself. I know I couldn’t be more grateful for your foresight.”

She leaned forward. “And you were there, with me, when it really mattered. You saved my life again, Sebastian, and I haven’t fully thanked you yet.”

She leaned closer, rubbing her slick breasts against his chest, locking lips with him and deepening the kiss. It was heaven, having his lady in his arms, safe and sound.

“My love, you honor me with your words and your love.” He stroked her cheek, tangling their legs beneath the water in the huge tub.

“As you honor me. Sebastian.” She lifted away to look deep into his eyes. “I know your heart. I know your soul. I know
you
. You’re the man I will spend the rest of my life with, however long that proves to be. Any time with you—whether an hour or a century—I’ll count as precious. Just as you’re precious to me in every way.”

If Sebastian were a weepy sort of man, he would’ve cried at the way her heart shone in her eyes and conviction rang in every syllable of her words. But he’d been born a British nobleman, so he showed his appreciation for her without words or overt displays.

He kissed her with all the passion locked inside, turning her in the big tub to straddle his thighs. Her heat enveloped him as he drove inside her, taking his time but leaving no doubt of his claim on her body, her soul…and her love.

Now that she was his, he would never let her go, even if he felt unworthy. He’d strive to be better than he was and with her to guide him and inspire him, he’d do his best to be deserving of her love forevermore. For he couldn’t let her go. It just wasn’t in him.

He wasn’t that strong.

He stroked within her welcoming heat, the scented water sloshing around them in undulating waves heady with fragrant steam. He felt enveloped both by her luscious body 196

and by the comforting embrace of the water—the recipe that scented it a thing from his past, the woman in his arms, the best part of his future. It was a melding of old and new that was both symbolic and very real, cleansing in more than just the obvious way. While the salted water cleansed their bodies, the breakthroughs within cleansed his very soul, old, dark and sorrowful as it had become over the centuries of his quest.