Eternal Kiss (New Orleans Vampire King)

Chapter Five

Dinah

My body was on fire with need, and my throat was parched. Where the fuck was I? I was lying on a bed, so I sat up. I was in a bedroom, one I didn’t recognize. A man stood watching. I hissed at him to stay away.

Holding his hands up, he said, “Dinah, it’s me, Lukas. You’re safe now.”

I got on my knees, ready to defend myself.

Luke.

He was safe.

Or was he? Scanning the room, I saw an open door.

I jumped down and rushed into a bathroom.

I needed water.

So thirsty. I made the mistake of looking in the mirror. My hair was tangled. When I reached up to brush it back from my face, I cringed at my nails. They were long and pointed, like…

Sharp claws grabbed my arms. A man with red eyes grabbed me and ran. Fast. Too fast. He dropped me. She’s all yours. A blonde woman. Mean.

Had sharp nails too. Ripped my throat. She killed my father. She killed me. How…? I reached for the tap. So thirsty.

I cupped the water in my ugly hand. When I tried to drink, I cut myself. Jerking back, I stared at the blood. How?

Looking at my reflection, I saw them. Long canines. Fangs. Too sharp. So hungry. Luke stood in the doorway.

“She ripped my throat open. She ripped my fucking throat. I died.”

I lunged for him, grabbing his arms with my long nails “How am I not dead? I’m not dead, but…”

I released him and turned to gaze at my reflection again.

“Why am I so hungry? My throat burns.”

I scratched at my throat, but it didn’t help.

“You need to feed.”

Luke released his own sharp nail and sliced his arm. Blood flowed freely. The tangy, coppery scent called to me. I grabbed his arm and pierced his skin with my teeth. I drank. And drank. And drank some more. I shouldn’t want blood. It should repulse me. Only vampires drank blood, and they weren’t real. I was dead, and this was my version of Hell. My hunger abated as Luke pushed my hair from my face. My body tingled at his nearness. I needed him naked. Flesh to flesh. His dick quenching a different need. But no. He didn’t want me. I was his boss. I pushed his arm away. I needed to get away from him.

Again.

Lukas

Where it took hours for someone to wake after being turned by a made vamp, Dinah roused after forty-five minutes. She jerked to a sitting position and hissed when she saw me. Her hair was wild, and her eyes were the same red as mine when the fury took over. I held up my hands to show her I meant no harm. As a newly turned vamp, she would be strong and unpredictable.

“Dinah, it’s me. Lukas. You’re safe now.”

She rose to her knees, staring at me. I didn’t want to hurt her, nor did I want her to harm herself. She jerked her head back and forth, then sprung from the bed and rushed into the bathroom. She stood in front of the mirror, rubbing her throat. She tried to drink from the faucet, scratching her hand with her fangs.

“She ripped my throat open. She ripped my fucking throat. I died.” Dinah surged forward, grabbing my arms with her claws. “How am I not dead? I’m not dead, but…” She released me and looked at her reflection again. “Why am I so hungry? My throat burns.” She scratched at her throat.

“You need to feed.”

I once again sliced my arm.

Before I could offer it to her, she latched on, her fangs piercing my skin.

My cock swelled with intense need as my female fed from me.

I had offered my blood to few beings over the course of my life, but never had them drinking affected me so.

I brushed her wild hair back with my free hand and pressed my lips to her forehead.

Dinah pushed my arm away and ran past me into the bedroom. I followed, slowly. She tried to lick the blood off her lips. When her tongue encountered her fangs, she flinched.

“Your teeth are very sharp, but you’ll get used to them.” She reached up to touch them, but I gently grabbed her wrist. “Like I said, they are sharp, and while you’d heal quickly, I want you to think about retracting them.”

“How?”

“Imagine them sliding back into your gums where they belong.”

Dinah closed her eyes, scrunching her forehead. Within seconds, the fangs receded. “Perfect.” I pressed my hand to her cheek, and she jerked back.

“Where am I?” she asked, pacing the room.

“One of my houses. Do you remember what happened after you left our table at the restaurant?”

She stared unseeing over my shoulder. “Dinner with you.” She turned her eyes to mine. I nodded. “You and Laurent. Talking about Ancients and Lillith creating you. You said…” She retreated to the other side of the room.

“I said?”

“I went to the bathroom. Called for a ride. When I went out the back, a monster grabbed me. Ran really fast. Took me to some blonde bitch who killed me. I died, Luke. But now I’m, what? Like them? Like you? A… vampire?”

“Yes. I never wanted this for you, but I was selfish. It was the only way I could save you. You were too close to being taken from me, and I couldn’t stand the thought of losing you so soon. I just found you, Dinah.”

“But at the restaurant, you told Laurent I was nothing more than the owner of the club. Your words cut me deep. It’s why I excused myself to the restroom. I had to get out of there before I made a bigger fool of myself.”

As glad as I was that she was coming back to herself, that was one part of the conversation I wish she hadn’t remembered. “If anyone knew what you truly meant to me, they would use you as a pawn, the way they did your father. Then again, they used you anyway. I’m so sorry.”

I looked away, sighing. Before I knew what was happening, she crossed the room, grabbed my shirt with both hands, and slammed her mouth to mine. I jerked back. “Mindful of the fangs, Sweetheart.”

“Fuck. I thought they were put away.” Her fangs disappeared into her gums, and I stared at her in amazement.

“How did you do that?” It took newbies a long time to get their fangs and claws under control, but Dinah retracted hers easily.

She tilted her head to the side. “Just thought they needed to go back into hiding. Can I kiss you now? Or is blood breath a thing?”

I couldn’t help but grin. “Considering I’m a vampire, I couldn’t care less about blood breath. And as much as I would love to kiss you, we need to talk.” And yes, I was an idiot for stopping my vixen from kissing me, but this shit was important. Once I figured out who the blonde bitch was and dispensed of her, there would be kissing and so much more.

“No,” she whined. “Those four words are the kiss of death. Well, I guess there’s another type of kiss that can kill you. One with fangs.”

“Who kissed you?” I growled.

“The woman who tried to kill me. Said my father was a sucker for a pretty face and so was she.” And now I had more reason to end this woman. No one touched what was mine.

Dinah ran her thumb across my bottom lip. “Did I hurt you?”

“No, Sweetheart. You can’t hurt me. Not physically, anyway.”

“You think I’d hurt you emotionally?”

“Only if you don’t return my feelings. Dinah, I felt drawn to you the first moment I spotted you outside The Limelight. And now I know why. You are my beloved, the one creature specifically created to be mine.”

“How do you know?”

I reached out and grasped one of her hands, cradling it between both of mine, thankful she didn’t pull away. “Compulsion doesn’t work on you. That should have clued me in that you were more special than I imagined. I tried it earlier when I told you that you should sell the club to me. And then Laurent compelled you to forget our conversation, only it didn’t work.

But what convinced me was when I tasted your blood. It was like taking a breath after holding it until I was going to pass out.” I needed to tell her about Doug, but now I needed to know more about the female who tried to kill Dinah. My phone rang, but I ignored it. This was too important.

“Can you tell me what the woman looked like?”

“Long blonde hair. Really sharp nails, and eyes that glowed. She must have been really pissed at you to kill me and my father.”

Dinah’s eyes snapped toward the door at the same time I heard the glass break. I rushed down the stairs with Dinah right behind me. Constantine’s former second swung a sword in a figure eight.

“Darius.” I was surprised he would risk coming back into my territory after I banished him.

Darius smirked. “Lukas.”

Dinah lunged for Darius, but I grabbed her around the waist. “Easy.”

Darius smirked, but there was also uncertainty in his eyes. Dinah’s strength was a wild card, one Darius hadn’t planned on.

“He’s the one who abducted me,” Dinah seethed. Another reason to end him permanently.

“Who are you working for?” I asked, doubting he would give up their name.

“What makes you think I’m working with someone?” He slid his finger along the edge of the blade, drawing blood.

When she didn’t take the bait, Darius licked his finger, eyeing Dinah. He had to be confused as to why she wasn’t out of her mind with hunger. I had to admit I was too, but the only thing that made sense was the fact that she was my beloved with my blood in her now, and that gave her strength and willpower she wouldn’t normally have. How much? I wasn’t sure. And that was what kept me from turning her loose.

“Because you were never a leader, always in Constantine’s shadow. And without someone pulling your strings, you wouldn’t be in my territory.”

“Let’s just say I’m not the only one tired of hiding my true nature. You should have left Con in charge. He knew vamps are the superior species.”

“We may be stronger and faster, but if humans found out about us, it would be chaos. Vamps are grossly outnumbered.”

“So what? Lillith created us to wreak havoc, not hide from the world. She grew tired of seeing her first Ancients cower, so she made a new batch. Ones who have the balls to be what we were meant to be.”

Fuck, the Ancient had shared what we are. That explained why a made vamp had a sword. “Did Lillith mention that her first Ancients are also stronger?” Deepening my voice, I commanded, “Toss the sword aside and get on your knees.”

Darius dropped down, the blade landing at my feet. Dinah picked it up, and I grabbed her free arm before she could take a stab at him. This time, I compelled him to answer. “Who are you working for?”

“Montrose Halligan.” I didn’t recognize the name, so I assumed he was the Ancient.

“What were your instructions?”

“To take Dinah to the female, then wait on you to find her. While you were distracted, take your head. Only you moved her before I could get to you. I followed you here, but there were too many guards to get inside quickly. I killed them.”

“And who is the female?”

“I never got her name.”

“Where can I find Halligan?”

“A house in the Garden District. Used to belong to a Doug Caan.”

“You should have stayed out of my territory.” I stepped forward, shoved a clawed hand into his chest, and removed his heart, dropping it in front of him. Within seconds, he was nothing but ash.

“Lukas?” Laurent appeared in my living room, and upon seeing Dinah with a sword, held his hands up. “Who was that?” He pointed at the ashes while eyeing Dinah, keeping his distance.

“Constantine’s old second, Darius. He was working with someone named Montrose Halligan.” I scrubbed my bloody hand down my face. “Why are you here? What about the restaurant?”

“The two males you had guarding Doug’s house didn’t report in on time, and when Stefan couldn’t get ahold of them, he went to Doug’s and found them dead. He tried calling to warn you, and when you didn’t answer, he came to the house. Since you weren’t there, he called all the vamps he had patrolling the city to check all your houses. When it was reported you were here, Stefan pulled up a map and showed me where this house was located. I grabbed my sword and ran like the wind. As for the restaurant, I ended each vampire. Thankfully, you stopped them before they killed any humans. I made sure that those who had been fed from healed. I instructed Justine and one of the other servers to vacuum up the ashes while I gathered the vamps’ clothes and took them out to your car. I convinced the manager to erase the security feed for the entire evening. When the restaurant was free from any evidence of what happened, I instructed them to return to the meals.”

“You have my gratitude. And Stefan’s.” I was thankful Stefan knew Laurent was trustworthy. They had met several times over the years.

Laurent waved him off. “It seems I was late to the party. Why didn’t your coven member who noticed you here step in after calling Stefan?”

“I can only assume he’s dead since Darius had a sword.”

“And if he had a sword, that means he got it from an ancient.” Laurent glanced at Dinah again who was swinging the weapon back and forth.

“That was my thinking. Darius said this Halligan is at Doug’s house.”

“Then that’s where we’ll start.”

“Dinah.” When she looked at me, I said, “Please give the sword to Laurent. I need to clean up, and you need to feed again.”

Dinah handed the sword over, then stalked off to the kitchen.

Laurent stared after her. “You turned her?”

“Yes. I found her left for dead among some bushes.”

“But she’s… How is she so calm?”

“Remember when Roberto turned Melisandre?”

“Yes, but she was— Lukas?” Laurent whispered.

“Dinah is my beloved.”