Part 11 (1/2)
”What I want, I get.” She smiled, turned and ran through the open lobby door.
Hesitating only briefly, he flashed across the room after her. Just as he cleared the door, he sensed someone or something just beyond it. He turned to jump back inside. Before he could a series of brutal blows rained onto the back of his head.
He was unconscious before his body crumpled in the doorway.
”What do you mean you haven't seen or spoken to him since we all gathered at Aleksei's place?”
Derri Morgan sat in her office at Lewis, Beckmen and a.s.sociates, staring at the pretty, blonde, forty-something woman facing her with an anxious look in her eyes.
Derri turned her gaze to the exotic brunette with the vivid blue eyes who stood behind Erica Dumont's chair. Katie Dumont's gaze held open hostility.
Derri sighed. No matter how hard she tried, she and Katie were never going to be friends. Ignoring Katie's curt question, she turned her attention back to Erica. ”As I said, I haven't seen or talked to Mikhel since we all met at Aleksei's house. I have no idea where he is.”
”He called Erica at her sister's place three days ago and told her he was meeting you.” Katie moved from behind Erica's chair, placed her hands on the desk and glared directly into Derri's eyes. ”No one has seen or heard from him since. And we want to know where he is.”
Derri resisted the urge to reach out and slap Katie. As angry as Katie's hostility and suspicion made her, Derri knew it would be unwise to give the vampire a reason to attack her. She sat back in her chair, narrowing her gaze. ”You're in my personal s.p.a.ce.”
”Your personal s.p.a.ce?” Katie bared her incisors. ”My brother is missing-after arranging to meet you! Don't you talk to me about personal s.p.a.ce. You tell us where he is and what you did with him or-”
Erica rose and placed a hand on Katie's shoulder. ”That's enough, Katie. You can't really think Derri had anything to do with his disappearance.”
Katie swung around to face Erica. ”Stay out of this, Erica.”
”No, Katie, I won't.” Erica narrowed her gaze. ”You know how she and Mik feel about each other. Do you really think she'd have anything to do with his disappearance?”
”Why are you defending the hussy who l.u.s.ts after your husband?”
Derri sucked in a deep breath and exploded to her feet. ”Hussy? This from a woman who f.u.c.ked for a living? Get the h.e.l.l out of my office, Katie.”
Katie turned to face her. ”And just who is going to make me? You and what army?”
”There's no army available, but will I do?”
Startled, Derri jumped at the sound of the new voice. A tall woman with dark skin and blue eyes leaned against her closed office door. Derri released a soft breath at the sight of Katie and Mikhel's older sister, Tatiana.
Katie turned to face Tatiana. ”This b.i.t.c.h knows where Mikhel is and won't tell us.”
Tatiana moved across the room to stand in front of Derri, facing Katie. ”You don't believe that anymore than Erica does. You know she would never do anything to hurt Mikhel, and it's unworthy of you to attempt to frighten Serge's bloodl.u.s.t.”
”I don't care,” Katie cried, her voice rising. ”I'm afraid, Tat. Something awful is happening to Mik. If we don't find him soon-”
Tat put her arms around Katie and drew her close. ”We will find him, Katie. I promise. Now you and Erica go home.”
Erica turned to look at Derri. ”I'm sorry. I hope you-”
Derri shook her head, her eyes filling with tears. ”It's all right. If I knew anything, I'd tell you. I don't. I haven't talked to him in weeks. I'm not the one he was meeting.”
Left alone in her office with Tat, Derri sank down into her chair, allowing the tears to stream down her cheeks.
Tatiana frowned. ”Where is Serge?”
”He's in Africa.”
”Can you reach him?”
She shook her head. ”I tried when Erica first called. He must be someplace where there are no phones. He usually calls me every night, but I haven't heard from him in two days.” She gulped in a deep breath. ”Mikhel is missing and Serge...what if something has happened to Serge too?”
Tat shook her head. ”If it had, Katie would know. Serge is all right. It's Mikhel we have to worry about.”
”I don't know anything. G.o.d, I wish I did. If anything happens to him, I-”
Tat touched her cheek. ”Don't worry, little one. Even if we have to tear this city apart piece by piece, we'll find him.”
”Where's Aleksei? Is he helping with the search?”
She shook her head. ”No. He's with Acier and Dani and that's where he needs to be right now. We won't call him unless things get desperate.”
Derri bit her lip. As far as she was concerned, with Serge out of communication and Mikhel missing, things were already desperate.
Vladimir stood by the gla.s.s doors leading onto Tatiana's rooftop terrace. ”Why should I care what happens to that p.i.s.sy little baby vamp when I have troubles of my own?”
He watched Tat toss her head, her eyes flas.h.i.+ng angrily. ”You can say that about one of our brothers?” She leveled a finger at him. ”Do I need to remind you that he has been there every step of the way when one of us has had problems? Even though he and Serge must have known they were out of their league, they stood with us when we faced Santiago after he'd sent his hunters after you. He almost died trying to defend Aleksei. And do not forget that although he didn't even know him, he and Serge took their turn guarding Etienne. Why? Because Etienne, like Mikhel, is family.” She flashed across the room and glared up into his gaze. ”And we look out for family-no matter what. So don' t you dare stand there and tell me you won't help find him.”
He stared down at her, his own eyes glowing. ”I know all of that, Tat, but you don't understand.”
”What don't I understand?”
He sighed before he spoke. ”He took my place in Mother's affection.”
She grabbed him by the collar. ”I don't want to hear that. I know that thought hurts you, but right now, we don't have time to deal with that. Our little brother is missing. Now what the h.e.l.l are you planning to do about it, Vladimir? With Aleksei so far away, you're the elder sibling. It's your duty to protect those of us younger than you, including Mikhel. Mother, her husband and Katie are out looking for him. Are you going to take your rightful place as elder sibling and search for him, or must I do that?”
The anger and disappointment he saw in her gaze cut through him like a sword. He swallowed the taste of bile rising in his throat. Next to Aleksei, she was the one person whose good opinion he valued most. d.a.m.n if he would allow Mikhel to ruin his relations.h.i.+p with her.
He took several deep breaths. ”I'll do my best, but I'm no Aleksei.”
She smiled and stroked a finger along his cheek. ”I'll tell you something you keep forgetting. You don't need to be anyone but who you are. There is a wealth of goodness in you, Vladimir, waiting to be tapped. Don't think you need stand in Aleksei's shadow.”
”How can I avoid it when he casts such a large one?”
”Like Aleksei, you are our elder brother. Cast your own shadow, Vladimir, and we will follow you as we do Aleksei.”
She slipped her arms around him and pressed her cheek against his shoulder. ”You are as dear and as precious to us as Aleksei is.” She lifted her head and looked up at him, her eyes filled with tears. ”I know there was a time when I made the mistake of trying to distance myself from you. That was one of the biggest mistakes of my life and I... I hope you can forgive me.”
His heart ached at the mention of one of the darker periods of his life, when what he now knew was his aberrant behavior had alienated her and Andrei. He shook his head and cupped her face between his palms. ”You and Andrei had every right to want to keep a certain distance between us when I was at my darkest. And I-”