Part 12 (2/2)
Vlad paused in the lobby, listening. He sniffed the air and caught a familiar scent that sent him rus.h.i.+ng forward through the dark. He located a closed door secured with a chain, which he easily snapped. Pulling the door open, he quickly descended the stairs.
At the bottom of the cellar steps, a pair of glowing eyes stared at him from the dark bas.e.m.e.nt.
Mikhel, naked and bruised, sat up against the wall, a relieved sigh escaping his lips. ”Aleksei? I knew you'd come.”
Mikhel's a.s.sumption that Aleksei would come to his rescue annoyed the h.e.l.l out of Vlad. He was sick to death of hearing about Aleksei, as if his twin had no faults, and he himself had no virtues.
He shook his head. ”Sorry to disappoint you, but Aleksei is in Arizona.”
Noting the hope go out of Mikhel's eyes when he realized he was not Aleksei, Vlad felt a particular twisting in his chest. Ever since he had learned of Mikhel's existence, he had longed to see him injured or even killed. But seeing the baby vamp with whom he shared a bloodline injured and without hope, he felt an unexpected sense of rage.
Although he felt no great love for Mikhel, he knew Aleksei and Palea did.
”I see you've discovered our little pet. Would you like to have a go at him?”
At the amused voice, Vlad swung around and stared at the speaker, a tall, slim female he sensed was a nocturene. He stared at her. ”Pet? Did you say pet?”
”Yes.” She ran her tongue along her lips. ”At times we pet him. At others times we f.u.c.k him until his c.o.c.k goes limp. At other times, when he misbehaves, we beat him.”
”You what?”
”We beat him.”
Vlad swallowed slowly. ”Are you aware of who I am?”
”Yes. Even with the older vamps, you have quite a rep as a bad-a.s.s.”
”And do you know who he is?”
”He's our pet.”
A knot of rage rose in Vlad's throat. He gave into his instinct and backhanded the fem. Her slender body flew across the room. Even before she fell against the wall several feet from Mikhel, Vlad raced after her and reached down to close his fingers around her slender throat.
Ignoring her struggles, he lifted her in the air until her feet dangled a foot above the floor and he could stare into her eyes. ”Your pet is my brother, and I will be d.a.m.ned if I' ll stand by and watch you torture him.” He tossed her aside. He moved across the floor and bent down to Mikhel. He grabbed the chains securing Mikhel's ankle and wrist. Why hadn't Mikhel broken free? Even a baby vamp should be able to break crystal chains.
He soon learned they were not ordinary chains. As he struggled to snap them, the fem got to her feet and raced from the room. He could hear her calling for help.
Mikhel looked at him. ”She's getting help. There are too many of them. You should go.”
”And leave you? Aleksei would never forgive me.”
Mikhel swallowed hard. ”Is that the only reason you're trying to help me?”
”Yes.” He grabbed the chain again and this time managed to break the one around Mikhel's wrist. Next, he snapped the chain around Mikhel's foot.
Noting the bruises on Mikhel's naked body, he removed his jacket and draped it around his shoulders. Recalling Adam's concern, he studied Mikhel's face. ”Did they penetrate you?”
Mikhel shuddered but shook his head. ”No. Before she left, Deoctra warned them against it. She tried to help me-”
”It's her d.a.m.n fault you're here in the first place!”
”I know, but she tried to save me. And you're here because she called for help, aren' t you?”
”You talk too d.a.m.n much,” he said and lifted Mikhel in his arms.
He turned and found himself facing a tall, blond full-blood. ”Get out of my way, Marcello,” he warned, using the vamp's name as an insult.
”After you put him down.”
Vlad lowered Mikhel to his feet and stepped in front of him, using his body as a s.h.i.+eld. He leveled a finger and bared his incisors. ”Get out of my way, s.h.i.+fter, or I'll rip you into pieces so small, it will take your Heoptin an eternity to try to put your sad a.s.s back together again.”
”You're going to have to take on us as well, Vladimir.”
He sucked in a quick breath as Vitali and several other vamps entered the room and stood at Marcello's side. ”If you want to get out of here alive, you'll have to leave him.”
”I am not leaving him.”
Vitali arched a brow. ”You really want to die with someone who means so little to you?”
He felt Mikhel straighten against his back. Go, he urged. It's enough that you tried to help. It would devastate Mother if we both died here.
He ignored Mikhel and centered his gaze on Vitali. ”If you think I'm leaving him here with you, you don't know me at all. Whatever I think or feel, he is my brother-my little brother. That may mean nothing to you, but it does to me. Now get out of my way, or I'll go through you.”
Vitali shook his head. ”Even your crazy a.s.s can't expect to take us all on while trying to protect that liability leaning against your back. Walk away and I promise he'll get a swift, painless end. You have my word.”
”f.u.c.k you and your word. I'm not leaving without him.”
”Then you'll die with him.”
”Not so fast.”
Vlad stiffened. The vamps challenging Vlad turned. A tall vampire with short, brown hair, dark eyes and rather pale skin pushed his way through the others and stood by Vlad's side.
He brought his clenched right hand up to his chest. ”Do not make the mistake of forcing the issue, Vitali. Withdraw now and you just might live. Proceed, and I will kill every last one of you.”
”This does not concern you, Jacoby,” Vitali said.
”Anytime one of my brother vampires threatens another's life, it concerns me.”
”Then maybe you should spend your time talking to Santiago and his G.o.dd.a.m.ned hunters instead of challenging your brothers,” Vitali shot back.
Jacoby inclined his head. ”I will be speaking to Santiago, but right now I am speaking to you. Before you force me to kill you and those with you, carefully search your dormant memories, Vitali. Recent events should have begun to stir them. Search them carefully and quickly. And then stand aside.”
”Or?” Vitali challenged.
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