AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Sam sighed. He went back into the living room. Janos stood up. “That was awful,” he said in a low voice.
“I’m sorry you had to witness it,” Sam murmured, thinking to himself that in five years’ time, that would probably be him and Janos.
Chapter Fifteen
The next night, Istvan found Severin and Nikolaus already waiting outside the club when he arrived. He’d gone to see them at their hotel the previous night after he’d left Sam’s apartment. When Severin had seen his face, he’d asked him what was wrong. He looked so concerned that Istvan had broken down. He’d cried the way he hadn’t cried in hundreds of years. Cried for the loss of Stephen, and Severin had held him until the tears dried on his face and he was left feeling emptier than ever. Severin said that Stephen would see sense and come back, but Istvan had seen that look on his face and knew that Stephen would never come back. Not ever. He suspected that Severin and Nikolaus thought he was better off not having a human as a partner. Too risky and so much trouble. Stephen had been worth it though.
Neither Severin nor Nikolaus was keen to come here tonight. Severin had suggested they go back to Vienna and leave the warring humans and vampires to it, until Istvan pointed out that thebad blood, as Bela called it, might spread across Europe like the plague, leaving every vampire at risk of being staked in their bed by zealous hunters. Reluctantly, they agreed to accompany Istvan, but he guessed they had still made their plans to travel to Vienna. Privately, he thought he would join them.
They waited a few minutes in the cold. Nikolaus blew on his hands. “Colder than a witch’s tit,” he said and Severin smiled and hugged him for warmth.
Istvan had always been jealous of their love. While they fit together as one, he had to make do with a human who would never be truly his. He would have been better off being involved with Sam. He felt sorry for Sam that he had taken up with Janos, because unless Sam wanted to kill him, it would only end up the same way as Istvan and Stephen. Pointless to even start.
He didn’t expect Sam to show, not once he had had time to discuss the matter with Stephen. He would side with his friend against Istvan and maybe they would both leave Budapest together, with the other human tagging along. Istvan didn’t like the idea that Stephen was free to become involved with Sam now. He had no doubt that Sam would love having both Stephen and Janos in his bed every night. Istvan scowled to himself. He really hated that idea. But Sam had been sweet on Stephen when they had been soldiers in France together and Istvan knew he resented being left on the outside after some heavy ménages. He wanted Stephen for himself, but he had never got him body and soul the way Istvan had. Now the way was clear for Sam to take Stephen. The pain speared his chest and he could have wept.
He heard footsteps on the cobblestones and he turned to see Sam approaching, with both Janos and Stephen in tow. If he had had a functioning heart, it might have skipped a beat at that moment. He felt that very human feeling of nausea clawing in his stomach and rising up his oesophagus though, and worried he might vomit the very tasty meal he’d had in a back street near the Danube before coming here. He locked eyes with Stephen and Stephen looked away.
“Thanks for coming,” Istvan told Sam and included Janos in his glance.
Sam nodded. He put an arm around Janos and rubbed his back, a tender gesture that had Istvan aching all over again for what he’d lost. It was clear Sam was very fond of this human; Istvan felt sorry for him in anticipation of what was coming. Foolish to even start it. If so, did he wish the last five years with Stephen had never happened? Was the heartache at the end of the failed relationship worth the time he’d had with his beloved? He wasn’t sure.
Istvan turned and led the way into the club. It had been a while since he’d been here, before the war that changed everything. He remembered it as dark and bustling with that characteristic smell of blood and sex but now, although the scent lingered, the place was totally silent. The darkness prevailed though and Istvan walked through the dimly lit bar area and pushed the door open into the room beyond.
The red-lit room was as he remembered it and he guessed both Sam and Janos did too, because neither of them looked around with too much interest. Janos was grim-faced and pale and Sam touched his hand with a reassuring glance.
“Ah,” Severin said with a grin, “this place was a favourite watering hole of mine once upon a time.”
Nikolaus rolled his eyes and Severin laughed and kissed him.
“What happens here?” Stephen said.
“Humans pay for the privilege of being fed on by vampires,” Istvan said dryly.
Stephen blanched and said nothing else.
Sam looked around impatiently. “Where are these people, then?”
“They’re not here yet,” came a voice and Bela stepped out from the shadows on the farthest side of the room.
Sam gave him a dirty look and turned away.
“We won’t wait too long,” said Istvan.
“I’m sure you won’t need to.” Bela smiled.
Once again, that prickle of unease ran down Istvan’s spine. He looked around the darkness during the heartbeat of uncomfortable silence and the danger hit him like a punch to the middle of the chest.
No.No. He opened his mouth to cry out, to tell his friends to run.
But it was too late. A cough drew everyone’s attention up to the balcony at the top of the room.
There was a man standing there dressed all in black. The four vampires and two humans squinted up. Some recognised the figure and some didn’t.
Those that did gave a collective gasp of horror. Istvan felt his whole body turn ice cold with a fear that paralysed him. Severin staggered back with his hand over his mouth.
The tall, muscular man smiled. “Hello, gentlemen. Thank you so much for coming to my resurrection party.”
Chapter Sixteen
