Chapter Eleven #2
She waited until he was out of sight, then whispered, “Is he a real Van Helsing?” An infamous name in paranormal circles. The Van Helsings had once been the most feared monster hunters out there, but that had all changed about two centuries ago.
They’d gotten out of the business, so to speak.
“Very real,” Devereaux assured her. “His family has been with me for a long time now.”
That didn’t make sense. “But Van Helsings hate vamps.”
“Feelings can change.” Devereaux twined his fingers with hers. “Maybe yours will change, too.”
Maybe they already were changing. Lark cleared her throat. “Let’s get to the basement, okay? I want to make sure no one has jumped the gun and started tearing the heart from that poor guy’s chest.”
“He’s not a ‘poor guy’ so don’t make that mistake.
Charles is a calculated killer. He wanted to take you for himself.
” A muscle flexed in Devereaux’s jaw. “Don’t fall for any sob story he gives you.
I don’t trust him. He never should have bitten you.
He had orders. He disobeyed, and I’m afraid of what he would have done to you if I hadn’t shown up outside of that building. ”
That brought up an interesting point. “How did you know to show up?”
“A tip from a vamp who followed my orders.” His eyes gleamed. “Charles was working his own agenda, and I intend to find out why.”
***
The basement wasn’t cold or dark or damp. It was brightly lit and warm, and Charles was restrained in a chair that sat in the middle of a big, wide room. Metal restraints circled his hands, his feet, and his waist. And a surgical tray waited near his chair.
The surgical tray completely creeped out Lark. It looked like something Dexter would use.
Salvatore was there, along with a few other vamps who stood near the far wall. When she and Devereaux walked in, the other vamps quickly straightened.
“Lark!” Charles called out as he strained against his restraints. “Thank goodness! Help me!”
She glared at him. “The last time I saw you, you were trying to drain me.”
He gave a rough, nervous laugh as his gaze jumped from her to Devereaux, then back to her.
“Total misunderstanding. I-I was just looking for you. The prince here—he’d sent out word that you had to be found ASAP.
Everyone knew that your big day was coming up, so it was a massive search.
I, uh, happened to find someone who knew you—or at least thought you were the woman I was seeking—so I went on the blind date to make absolutely, one hundred percent certain you were the woman Devereaux wanted, and then I—”
“Bit me,” Lark finished as she put her hands on her hips. “You bit me.”
“I’m a vampire! It’s what I do!” He heaved out a breath and strained against the metal binds around him once more. “Things only got…rough when you staked me.”
“Rough?” Devereaux repeated in his low, lethal voice.
It was a voice she was rather coming to love.
“What Charles means,” Lark explained carefully to Devereaux, “is that’s the point when I believe he told me that I wasn’t getting away because and I quote, ‘I got to you first. You’re mine!’” Charles had screamed that last bit at her. Now she cocked her head. “Do I look like I’m yours?”
Charles licked his lips. “N-no.”
“The fuck she was meant for you.” Devereaux lunged forward.
But Lark lunged, too. She threw up her hand and stopped Devereaux before he could plunge his fingers into the guy’s chest and rip out Charles’s heart.
She glared at Charles and snapped, “If you were trying to make me yours, then that would seem to mean you weren’t following Dev’s order. You weren’t just searching for me.”
Charles was sweating. “I made a mistake.” He swallowed. His Adam’s apple bobbed. “I mean, damn, a kingdom was at stake. Can’t a guy be tempted?”
“A kingdom?” Lark pushed.
Devereaux growled.
Charles puffed out his cheeks then said, “There’s another offer on the table for you, Lark.
I mean, it’s a really, really good one. Devereaux wanted you.
Everyone knew that. But…your old man…he’s running another deal.
Said that he would offer half of his kingdom to any vamp who could bring you to him.
I thought that if I could weaken you from the blood loss, then I could take you to him.
” He licked his lips again. “I could get my turn at some power. This whole royal bullshit—it was time for me to get a slice of that pie.”
Her father was trying to get her?
“You dad doesn’t want you bonding with Devereaux.” Charles focused totally on her. “Those two are at war again, did your new boyfriend tell you that? Your dad wants you away from Devereaux, and if he has to do it, he’ll destroy anyone in his path in order to get to you.”
Oh, God. Seriously? She put her hand to her chest and spun toward Devereaux. “My father is fighting you?”
His face hardened. “I can explain.”
“He’s coming after me?”
A nod. “He wants to void the deal he made with me. He wants to take you far away.”
A father who’d never bothered to see her before…now he was ready to kill in order to get her? Ready to kill Devereaux? “No.” Her shoulders straightened.
Charles laughed. “Take that, dumbass,” he sneered to Devereaux. “Always thinking you’re so big and bad. She doesn’t want you. She is going to run back to dear old dad and you’re going to—”
He stopped talking.
Mostly because Lark had wrapped her fingers around his throat.
She brought her face right next to his. “I don’t like you,” she snarled at Charles.
“And you don’t understand me. I said ‘no’ because I meant Devereaux wasn’t going to be hurt.
My father doesn’t want me with Dev? Too fucking bad.
” She tightened her hold on his neck. “This is what you’re going to do, Charles.
You’re going to leave. You’re going to carry your little rat bastard self back to my father.
You’re going to tell him that I choose to stay with Dev and that he isn’t going to touch a single vamp under Dev’s command. ”
“Wh-why…” Charles gasped.
“Because if you don’t, I won’t let Devereaux tear out your heart…”
Charles squinted at her.
“I’ll do that shit myself. Then I’ll burn you until only ash is left.” She let him go.
Charles bobbed his head, frantic. “I’ll tell him! I’ll tell him!”
“Good. We’re done.” She headed back toward Devereaux.
He was watching her with a faint smile on his face.
And admiration in his eyes. Her spine straightened a bit.
Oh, yeah, that had been her—monster hunter failure…
turned world class actress. Lark didn’t think she could ever actually rip out someone’s heart, but Charles didn’t need to know that particular truth.
She thought she’d just bluffed her way to an Oscar.
Or maybe…maybe she hadn’t bluffed.
If someone comes to attack Dev, what would I do? Lark wasn’t sure she really wanted to find out.
Devereaux caught her hand in his and brought it to his lips. “You are perfection.”
Not even close.
He kept his hold on her fingers as he glared at Charles. “You will deliver the message that Lark has given you. Then you’ll stay the hell away from her and me. Because if I ever see you again, the death I give you will be slow and far more painful than anything you can imagine.”
Charles whimpered.
“Good talk,” Devereaux said as he turned and casually strolled away with Lark. “I think we all understand each other now.”