Annie Nicholas - Catch

“You belong to Tane—”

“No, I don’t. Do you see ‘Property of Tane’ stamped somewhere on my body? No one owns me.”

“Let me finish. By tonight all those in this nest, and I’m sure others, will know of your bond. It will only be a matter of time before someone tries to use you against Tane.

To hurt or kidnap you so they can gain power.” He rested his hands around my upper arms and drew me closer. “Nothing would make me happier than to go back to our old life, but I can’t protect you. Not by myself.”

“Finally, a voice of reason.” Tane came to stand by Rurik and placed a hand on his shoulder. “I can always count on you to figure things out on your own.” Without another word, he walked toward the bathroom and I assumed a bedroom, as if we’d been dismissed, but before reaching the door he turned. “There’s a party tonight celebrating my return.” He grinned at me. “Some people are happy I survived. Rabbit, I expect you to stay at my side and if you could mingle, Rurik, I’d appreciate it.”

Rurik glanced at me. “Are you sure? I can’t guarantee—”

“Rabbit and I have discussed our situation and have come to an agreement. Wear something different.” That last order he directed at me. Quiet as a nightmare, he left the room.

I leaned against my lover and tried to absorb his strength.

“Careful when making deals with a devil.” He wrapped his arm around my shoulder and kissed the top of my head. “Come on.” Leading me to the door, we left Tane’s apartment and returned to our bedroom. Already the place looked like a clothing department store disaster area, pants and shirts thrown over every possible surface.

“Ever hear of a closet?” I shoved a pile off the sofa and plunked onto the seat cushion.

He looked around the room as if seeing the mess for the first time. Rurik needed a maid. He couldn’t keep house if his life depended on it. “I was in a hurry. Someone will get it.”

He knelt in front of me. “What is your agreement with Tane?”

Sighing, I leaned my head back. “If I badmouth him in public then he’ll punish me in public.” I decided to leave out the gentleman part.

His fingers dug into my thighs as he massaged them. “Can you try not to piss off the Nosferatu for one night? Maybe give me a chance to figure out what is really going on?”

I nodded without lifting my head. “Shut up, look pretty and say please and thank you .”

“You’re the best.” He kissed one of my knees than made a nasty face before wiping his mouth on the back of his hand. “Where have you been crawling?”

“Oh honey, that must have tasted terrible.” I chuckled at his sour expression. “I crawled around the jungle with Gwen. We found a dead girl.” It was my turn to give a sour face.

“What?”

“Yeah, she’s going to take care of it. Apparently, there’s a vampire going around killing young women in Rio.”

“Really? How do you know all this and I don’t?” The change in his voice should have warned me, yet I was thinking about the body.

Dressed in a black and silver gown with her hair carefully braided and lipstick the shade of red wine, perhaps she’d been snatched from a party? She appeared so immaculate, like Snow White after she’d bitten the poisoned apple. Didn’t she struggle or fight? Did she even have a chance? Not many people could block a vampire’s mind without training. The image fit the other vampire murders in Rio.

“Rabbit?” The dark tone of his voice deepened.

I startled from my thoughts and met his piercing pale blue glare. The truth needed to come out. “I-I met Colby New Years Eve night.”

His eyes narrowed, but he stayed silent.

Swallowing, I tried to moisten the dryness in my throat. “He wanted to know if I could give him some information concerning these murders. Someone in Rio hired them to investigate and take out the problem.”

“Why the secret? You should have told me.”

“I know and I planned to, however Luckard attacked and the rest is history.” A small weight lifted from my shoulders. I’d been so distracted that I didn’t notice its existence until now. “I think the body we found today is connected with the others in the city.”

“How?”

“Her hair, it was braided in an intricate design. All the victims had this.”

He smirked.

“I know it’s weird.” Even though I had slept, a sense of weariness crept over me.

“Tane wants me to contact Colby.”

Silence grew heavy in the room as Rurik sat and stared at nothing for a moment. “Do you trust me?”

“Of course.”

“Nothing good will come if Tane and Colby meet in person again. Call Colby and tell him about the body. Act as the middleman between him and Tane. Help them by being the informant they need, but nothing else. And most importantly, keep me posted.”

This sneaky part of Rurik stayed hidden most of the time we’d been together. It triggered a memory of the night we met and what a slick bastard he’d been. How he drugged and snuck me out of the club under Colby’s nose. He rose to power and obtained being Overlord of Europe’s strongest vampire city in only four hundred years. According to Tane that was young.

“Okay, what if he wants to do more than investigate?”

“I’ll deal with that when the time comes.” He opened a small front pocket on one of the suitcases and slid out a cell phone, then handed it to me. “Call while I pick something out for you to wear to the party.”

My heels clicked on the white marble floors of the opulent hall as Rurik and I meandered deeper into the party. The walls reflected soft yellow lights set in small crystal chandeliers. Sheer sheets of fabric hung from the ceiling like temporary separations and gave the impression of intimacy.

Rurik moved to the side and allowed one to fall between us. He grinned at me and placed a hand against it to invite my touch.

I stepped closer and pressed against him with only the material between us. The shear fabric fell over my bare shoulders and blended with my white silk dress.

He leaned forward and kissed me.

The sensation of his soft lips came through the material, yet not his taste.

“If you’re trying to draw everyone’s attention, you’ve done an excellent job.” Tane’s voice crashed over my libido like a bucket of ice-cold water. He stood next to Rurik. I never noticed my lover stood a couple inches taller than Tane until that moment. “Rabbit, you look lovely, if a little pale.” He winked. “Rurik, elegant as always.” And he was. I could count on one hand the amount of times I’d seen him disheveled.

Dressed in tight black slacks with a white short-sleeved shirt, which made his dark hair and blue eyes more vivid, he drew the most glances.

Tane, dressed in a white button down linen shirt and matching pants, sauntered around the curtain to stand next to me. “I half expected you to wear your earlier outfit.”

He referred to Rurik’s oversized pants and t-shirt covered in jungle muck.

My temper flared, but Rurik flashed me a warning look. He was trying to tell me to keep my trap shut and play nice. “I would have if I’d known you wanted me to.” Giving Tane my sweetest smile, I batted my eyelashes at him.

He offered his hand. “You’ll be at my side tonight so Rurik can mingle and gather information, my pet .”

The second barb hit harder than the first. I ground my teeth and hoped I didn’t chip any, then placed my hand in his. “You’re going to make this the longest night of my life, aren’t you?”

With a sharp glint of amusement in his eyes, he pressed his firm lips to my hand. “Of course.” Nodding to Rurik, Tane led me farther into the party.