Damn, maybe this hadn’t been a good idea. “Katy darlin’, that’s enough.”
It was the endearment that broke through the red haze of her hunger. Lifting her head, she stared at Zack in horror. “I didn’t want to stop,” she said, her voice little more than a hoarse whisper. “I could have killed you.”
“I don’t think so.”
“What if I hadn’t stopped?”
He laughed softly. “I don’t want to brag, darlin’, but I think I could take you down if I had to.”
“You’re making fun of me.”
“No.” He drew her into his arms and brushed the hair away from her face. “This is the first time you’ve really surrendered to your thirst, isn’t it?”
She nodded, still embarrassed. “I don’t know what came over me.” When her father had taken her hunting the first time, she had been careful to keep her hunger in check, perhaps because she knew he was watching, perhaps because she was afraid of losing control, of taking too much. Whatever the reason, she had never let her hunger get out of hand. At the Fortress, she preferred to drink from Northa or one of the other women. While living at Wolfram, she had occasionally hunted in the city; since coming to America, she had survived on bagged blood.
“It’s all right, Katy,” Zack assured her. “No harm done.”
“How do you stop when what you really want to do is take it all?”
“Willpower, darlin’. Lots and lots of willpower. And practice,” he added with a grin. “Don’t forget, I’ve got a couple of hundred years on you.”
A slow smile spread over her face. “Maybe I could practice on you again sometime.”
“Anytime, Katy darlin’. Anytime at all.” He stroked her cheek with his knuckles. “There’s a bond between us now.”
“What kind of bond?”
“A blood bond. Can’t you feel it?” It bound them together. Wherever she went in the future, he would always be able to find her.
“I don’t think so. What does it feel like?”
“It’s hard to explain.” His mind brushed hers experimentally; he still couldn’t read her thoughts, but he sensed her curiosity, her trepidation. “Try reading my mind.”
She sat up, her brow furrowed in concentration, and then she shook her head. “Nothing. Can you read my mind?”
“Not exactly, but I can feel the link between us,” he said, pulling her into his arms again. “I’ll always be able to find you. The bond between us will grow stronger every time we share blood. Perhaps one day the link will go both ways.”
Nodding, she rested her head against his shoulder. It just wasn’t fair, she thought. She should be the stronger one. She had been born a vampire, after all, and yet, because of her mortal blood, she lacked many of the preternatural powers the rest of her people possessed.
And if that wasn’t bad enough, it seemed even the Others had stronger powers than she did.
Chapter 15
Kaitlyn dreamed of Zack that night. No surprise, considering the effect his kisses—and his blood—had had on her senses. In her dream, they were walking hand in hand near the lake, pausing now and then to kiss in the shadows. A big gray cat followed them from a distance, its yellow eyes glinting golden in the light of the moon, its tail swishing with anger.
In the way of dreams, the scene shifted abruptly and she was in Zack’s bed, in Zack’s arms. He was kissing her to distraction when his eyes suddenly went bloodred. She screamed when his teeth turned to fangs.
In the blink of an eye, the gray cat sprang up on the bed. Back arched, the cat lunged at Zack, but Zack rolled out of the way, his body shifting, transforming almost instantly into a large black wolf.
Fangs bared, hackles raised, ears flat, feline and canine glared at each other, and then the wolf sprang forward....
Kaitlyn woke to the sound of her own screams.
Breathing heavily, her body damp with sweat, she sat up, one hand pressed to her heart.
“Just a dream,” she muttered. But what if it foreshadowed a future event?
Rising, she pulled on her robe and went into the kitchen. After fixing a cup of coffee, she carried it into the living room. She needed to call her father, to tell him about Korzha’s attack. It wasn’t a conversation she was looking forward to.
Drake sat on the dais, his expression solemn as he glanced at the assembled council members. He had spoken to Kaitlyn on the phone earlier, listened intently as she informed him of Korzha’s treachery and how the man, Zack Ravenscroft, had destroyed Korzha.
Listening carefully, Drake had been certain there was a part of the story Kaitlyn was holding back, something about Ravenscroft, but he had not pressed her on the matter. He trusted Kaitlyn’s instincts, her loyalty to the coven. In due time, she would tell him the rest. He had suggested she come home immediately. She had refused, of course, but that was no surprise. He could have insisted, but something had warned him that would only make her more determined to stay.
Aware of the council watching him, wondering why he had summoned them, he stood, his gaze resting on each of the thirteen members in turn. All were related to him, bound by the blood of the same sire. The majority of the people in the Fortress were related to him.
“I have called you here this evening on a matter that concerns me personally, and perhaps the coven, as well,” Drake began. “Nadiya’s youngest son has been killed and she has gone missing. I have no evidence, nothing but a strong suspicion that she is plotting revenge against me, whether for the death of her youngest son, or for the death of the son that was slain in the attempted coup against my father.”
“That was more than twenty years ago,” Andrei said. “Why would she wait so long?”
Drake shook his head. “I have no idea. Perhaps it has taken her this long to formulate a plan, or to gather an army against me. One thing I do know, her youngest son is dead, killed by a man I do not know.”
“What man?” Gregor asked.
“The one Kaitlyn is dating. When she was attacked, the man, Ravenscroft, defended her and somehow managed to kill Korzha. Kaitlyn was vague on how this was accomplished.”
“You are certain young Korzha intended to do her harm?”
“Yes.” Drake resumed his seat. “Elena wishes me to order Kaitlyn home.”
“Do you think that is necessary?” Ciprian asked.
Drake shrugged. “I have not yet decided. I want each of you to contact the leaders of the other Fortresses. Find out if they know anything of Nadiya’s whereabouts, or if they have heard anything suspicious. Marku, I want you to see if you can locate her other children. They all seem to have dropped out of sight about the same time.”