Eversong

Copyright © 2011 Eden Bradley
All rights reserved — a Samhain Publishing, Ltd. publication

Ever sipped from his own glass as images of Mercy’s lush and naked body filtered through his mind. Mercy and Deo, the two of them a contrast in hard and soft, fair and dark. Naked flesh and smooth skin. Her flowing red and gold hair, the sweet beauty of their faces like some shimmering mirage at the edges of his vision. He was hard for them both. But he had to concentrate. He refocused the lust raging in his system, channeling it into the task at hand. Along with the lust was something else…something more. A fierce protectiveness for this rare, young pair. His fingers curled into fists. “We must hunt this Gaius down. And dispose of him.”

“We don’t know how old he is. How powerful,” Ramsey said.

Ever nodded. “He is but one vampire. We are many. I don’t doubt that he can be dealt with, should we find him.”

“We will find him,” Ramsey answered, his low tone dangerous, his green gaze like a pair of sharp-edged peridots. “I hate that he is in my country, my jurisdiction, so to speak. I will not allow it. I will not allow him to wander. Killing at random. Turning so irresponsibly the way he did Mercy.”

Mercy. Another shaft of desire struck Ever like a blow to the chest simply hearing her name spoken aloud. He sucked in a breath.

“And what of this Mercy? What of her companion, Deo?” Chiara asked.

“She is innocent,” Ever said. “She had no idea what she was doing in Turning him.”

“You are saying she should suffer no consequences for her actions?” Chiara’s dark eyes glittered with barely banked animosity. “She broke the rules.”

“Rules she was not aware of. Rules we made. We can choose to govern their effect,” Ever answered, a rage growing in his chest. “I promised her she would not be made to pay for actions that were beyond her control. She had no way of knowing.” He leaned toward the female vampire, his teeth bared. “I will not allow it, Chiara. Do you hear me?”

Xavier laid a hand on Ever’s arm, but he shook him off.

“Ever,” the old French vampire said gently. “Calm yourself. I agree with you. The girl did not know the consequences of her actions. How could she? I do not hold her responsible but this rogue Gaius. And Deo is even more innocent of any wrongdoing than she is.”

“I feel the same, as you know already,” Aleron put in.

Ever’s gaze moved from one unearthly figure to the next, daring any to argue with him, but they all nodded their agreement. Chiara caught his eye, frowned at him, but he knew her well enough to understand she would back down. He would find some distraction for her from among the club’s members—that would soothe her.

“So, where do we begin?” Laurent asked quietly. Xavier’s partner was soft-spoken, but he was old in his own right. Powerful. Exquisite.

“I will gather my forces from the Madrid club,” Ramsey answered. “But I would welcome aid from your clubs, as well. The sooner we find this fiend, the better. We don’t even know yet if he is still in Spain.”

“I agree,” Ever said. He couldn’t stand the idea of this villain going unpunished. What he’d done to Mercy, and in turn, Deo. But if they hadn’t been Turned, they wouldn’t be there, in his club. And he wanted them both so badly. It was as if some wild animal tore at his insides. He truly could hardly wait to be with them.

Pure torture knowing they waited for him. Eager. Wanting.

Lovely.

“And until they know enough to decide for themselves,” he went on, “to go about the world on their own, I will watch over Mercy and Deo here in London.”

“It is decided, then,” Aleron said. “We join resources to hunt Gaius, and the young ones will remain here for the time being under Ever’s protection.”

“It is decided,” Chiara agreed grudgingly.

The others nodded, murmured their accord.

Ever stood. “I thank you all for coming. Enjoy my club for the night. For as long as you wish.”

Chiara rubbed up against him, as sleek as a cat. “You are anxious to leave us, Ever,” she purred. “Do you have an appointment elsewhere?”

“As a matter of fact, I do. Another time, perhaps? I’m certain we can find some entertainment for you downstairs.”

“Yes, I have no doubt. Or perhaps right here.” She gave him a small smile then slipped away to take Dane’s arm in hers as they walked from the room.

He was nearly breathless waiting for them all to go. His need was driving him. He didn’t like that he had so little control over it. It had been years since his desires were stronger than he was. But he didn’t want to think of it like that now. He didn’t want to think of anything but Mercy and Deo.

Another flash of Deo’s hands on her flesh. Hands so strong and beautiful. His golden skin against her paler flesh.

Yes. Must have them…

But he couldn’t think of it just yet. No, now he would do what he needed to in order to see that his esteemed guests, these leaders of the vampires from every corner of Europe, were comfortable. See them settled in their rooms. Or in the dungeons. Make sure they had plenty of partners to choose from. Blood. Wine. Whatever they wanted. That would keep him distracted for a little while. Keep his mind off the lovely, sweet Mercy. The equally sweet and stunning Deo. Their air of youth and vigor and innocence that drew him like some sort of magnetic current he could barely comprehend. That he couldn’t resist.

Yes, today he would play host, do what was expected of him. But tonight he would go to them and taste for himself the succulent fruit of their innocence and youth.