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Looking over the man’s head, she smiled at Tomás.
“Take him,” Tomás said. “You’ll never know what it’s truly like to be a vampire until you’ve made your first kill.”
Shirl licked her lips. The urge to drain her victims dry was always there when she fed, but so far, she hadn’t succumbed to it. She wasn’t sure why, but it was a line she was reluctant to cross.
“Are you a vampire or not?” Tomás challenged. “Sooner or later, you have to let go of your old notions of right and wrong. You’re a predator now. He’s prey. Take him!”
Shirl gazed into the frightened eyes of the man caught in the web of her embrace. She knew Tomás was watching her. How could she disappoint him again?
Experiencing a moment of regret, she smoothed the man’s hair from his brow, then glanced at the woman on the blanket. Was she his girlfriend? His wife? Did they have children waiting for them at home? Feeling the weight of Tomás’s gaze, she thrust the troubling questions from her mind.
After a murmured, “I’m sorry,” she lowered her head, sank her fangs into the man’s neck, and drank.
It was intoxicating, the taste of his blood, the thrill of power that moved through her as she subdued his struggles with her superior strength.
Chapter 32
Rhys didn’t have to wait long to discover Villagrande’s intentions. He had spent the evening with Megan, kissed her good night, and tucked her into bed a little after 1 A.M. He was outside, taking a turn around the house, when his cell phone rang.
“Costain? It’s Nicholas. Winchester has been destroyed.”
“How do you know?”
“Winchester wanted to watch the football game tonight, so the two of us went to his place. We were playing poker later when Villagrande showed up. He destroyed Winchester before I realized what was happening.”
“Why not you?”
“He needed a messenger boy. He told me to tell you he’s taking over the West Coast. He said you can either swear allegiance to him or he’s going to destroy the rest of us, one by one. And then you.”
“Where’s the rest of the Council?”
“Here, at the meeting house. We’re all here. What are you going to do about Villagrande?”
“I wish I knew.”
“None of us are strong enough to take him.”
“I know. Have you told the others what happened?”
“Not yet. I called you first.”
“What did you do with the body?”
“I left it where it was.”
“Okay, I’ll take care of it.”
“What do you want me to do?”
“Stay there until you hear from me. No one’s to leave the house, understood?”
“Yeah.”
“And don’t say anything until I get there.” Muttering an oath, Rhys ended the call. He lingered on the porch for several minutes, his brow furrowed. He needed to dispose of Winchester’s body, and then he should probably meet with the Council members and let them know what was going on.
“Dammit!” Rhys dragged a hand through his hair. He had to decide what he was going to do. Villagrande had laid down an unmistakable challenge, and it was up to Rhys to answer it.
“So, what’s it gonna be?” he muttered. “Stay and fight? Or tuck your tail between your legs and run like a damn dog?”
He grunted softly. Why hadn’t he thought of it before? There was a third option, and one he might have to use if things got any worse.
Chapter 33
Erik Delacourt frowned when his cell phone rang. When he read the time, he knew it couldn’t be good news.
Daisy looked up from the book she was reading, a question in her eyes.
“It’s Rhys.” Erik mouthed the words before he answered the phone. “What’s wrong?”
“I’m having a little trouble with Villagrande,” Rhys said. “I could use some backup from someone I can trust.”
“Villagrande!” Erik exclaimed. “What’s going on?”
“He’s after the West Coast.”
Erik uttered a short, pithy curse. “What makes you think that?”
“He said so.”
“The killings across the country?” Erik asked. “Were they…?
“Yeah. You’re lucky he didn’t get hungry in Boston. He made his way here one body at a time. Earlier tonight, he killed a Council member.” Rhys didn’t mention Adrianna. That feud had been between her and Villagrande, and Villagrande had the right to settle it as he saw fit, even if Rhys disagreed with his methods.
Erik swore again. “What do you want me to do?”
“Right now I’m only concerned about one thing.”
“And that would be?”
“A woman.”
Erik stared at the phone, wondering if he’d heard right. “A woman? You mean, a mortal woman?”
“Yeah.”
“Is she in danger?”
“I don’t know, but I don’t want to take any chances.”
“She means a lot to you.”
It wasn’t a question. And Rhys didn’t answer. “I was wondering if you’d come and work some of your black magick on her house. I’m not sure a threshold, even one I’ve warded, is strong enough to keep Villagrande out.”
“Do you think it’ll come to a fight?”
“I sure as hell hope not. I don’t think I could take him.”
“We’ll be there first thing tomorrow night.”
“Thanks. I’ll owe you one.”
“Right,” Erik said, chuckling. “Let’s just hope you’re around to pay up.”
“What was that all about?” Daisy asked after he ended the call.
“Do you remember Tomás Villagrande?”
“How could I forget him?”
Erik grunted softly. Not so long ago, Villagrande had kidnapped Daisy’s father and brother. He remembered it as if it had happened yesterday. He had tracked Daisy’s father and brother to Villagrande’s yacht….
Going below, Erik followed the vampire’s scent into a stateroom where he found the two O’Donnell men lying on the floor, bound and apparently under some kind of preternatural enchantment. He was moving toward them when he realized he was no longer alone.
Erik whirled around, fangs extended, and came face-to-face with one of his kind. Clad in a pair of black trousers and a loose-fitting white shirt, the vampire was tall and lean and looked to be in his late twenties, though his aura was much older.
