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CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Vampire Laboratory Compound, Friday, January 4, 2013
Nadya shot a flirtatious smile at Maksim as he droned on with another of his endless stories about his fool of a father. She couldn’t care less about the ridiculous Therian, but until Maksim had been changed, Nadya had to continue the seduction act. Avenging Timofey’s exile wouldn’t be enough to keep Maksim by her side. She needed him to fight Therians after he discovered her lies, and he would. Her compound was very secluded, and she’d forbidden her more savage children from coming here. Their nature was impossible to deny for long, though.
Her plan hinged on Maksim being too in love with her to care about her deception. Nadya was an exceptional actress, and she’d played her role flawlessly. Any vampires who were shocked by her change in behavior since Maksim’s arrival were wise enough to keep their opinions to themselves.
Nadya was sweet with the man, charming him with a false personality. She listened to him talk about his past and his hopes for the future. Without lying, she told him stories about her vampiric children, further cementing the idea that they’d been unfairly persecuted by the Therians.
Maksim fell for it all, hook, line, and sinker.
They’d spent every moment together since he arrived. She grinned as she recalled the first time she’d taken him to her bed. That, at least, had been a relatively enjoyable aspect of the charade, though she’d been forced to conceal her more unconventional tastes. While Maksim wasn’t a virgin, he’d never been seduced. Nadya had perfected her skills over centuries. There was nothing she wouldn’t do to accomplish her goals, so Maksim didn’t stand a chance.
Between the incredible sex, Nadya’s flawless performance, and the chance to avenge his father’s exile, Maksim was falling in love with the vampire queen. He was honored that she saw something special in him, and his devotion grew.
They were entwined on the sofa in her parlor when Nadya sensed Therians approaching. She now had so many under her control that it was no trouble to slip away from Maksim to drain one every so often, which maintained her ability to sense shapeshifters in the vicinity.
Nadya stiffened. “Someone’s coming,” she gasped, sitting up and calling for her guards. “I sense a dozen Therians approaching, and they’re moving fast. Prepare for battle.”
“What can I do to help?” Maksim asked anxiously.
She clutched him. “Stay inside with me, where you will be safe from the attack. I couldn’t bear it if something happened to you.” She dropped her eyes and made her voice break. “I-I don’t want to be alone again.”
He wrapped his arms around her and stared into her eyes. “I’m not going anywhere, Nadya. You don’t ever have to be alone again.”
She captured his mouth to thank her valiant protector while she imagined all the blood she would spill if she joined the fight. She quieted the bloodlust by promising herself that she would deal the entire Therian empire a decisive death blow.
As the battle began, Nadya forced herself to tremble like a storm-blown leaf in Maksim’s arms, though it galled her to act weak. She could have destroyed every Therian and vampire there. She was a goddess forced to play the role of a weak woman who needed a man to save her.
I need no one but myself.
The crash of glass breaking shattered the quiet, and they spun to see a lioness snarling on the carpet in Nadya’s parlor. She watched them warily, sniffing the air in confusion. She didn’t seem to know if Maksim was predator or prey, but Nadya smelled of blood and death.
The lioness lunged at them, and Nadya squealed in feigned terror. She hid behind Maksim, waiting to see how he’d handle the situation. He grabbed the closest object that could be used as a weapon and attacked. Nadya had to force herself not to laugh.
How pathetic.
The lioness looked at Maksim like he was an idiot and destroyed the wooden coat stand with a single swipe of her claws. The Therian seemed to judge Maksim to be an insignificant human since she turned away from him and focused on Nadya.
The vampire screamed and darted out of the way when the lioness lunged at her. She grabbed one of the swords displayed on the wall and tossed the weapon to Maksim. “Use this!”
He was so focused on wielding the sword that he didn’t see Nadya call her darkness to hold the lioness in place. The Therian howled in frustration and panic as Maksim approached, but the sound stopped when he severed her head.
From outside, they heard a Therian shout, “Die, vampire scum!” A moment later, a scream faded to blood-choked gurgles.
Nadya’s blood boiled with rage that Therians dared attack her. The dead lioness was oozing blood all over her favorite Turkish rug, but she pasted a grateful smile on her face and threw herself into her hero’s arms.
“Is it always like that?” he asked, rubbing gentle circles on her back. “No warning, then a vicious attack?”
Nadya nodded. “For thousands of years, it’s been like this. I am so tired of the fighting and the running and the constant struggle for the right to exist. Therians are pure evil, and they will never stop. All I want is peace.”
She saw no need to mention that her definition of peace would only come when all the Therians were either dead or under her control and she could do as she pleased with the world. Maksim would discover the truth when she changed him. Nadya schooled her face into an expression of loving devotion.
“What would I do without you?” She cupped his face with her palm.
He kissed her gently as the sounds of battle faded. “You’ll never have to find out. I love you, Nadya.”
She smiled and pulled him into a deep kiss. The charade hadn’t taken nearly as long as she’d thought it would, but she had been laying it on thick. Maybe she was a better seductress than she’d thought, or maybe Maksim was a gullible fool. He must be if he believed that the queen of the vampires was a helpless waif in need of a big, strong human to protect her.
