Annie Nicholas - Bait

Shit.

Rurik offered me a hand. “Come on, I’ll take you somewhere special.”

“This is one of my favorite places.”

We stood at the bottom of a stone staircase. It led up to what looked like a medieval rampart. Its worn projections and turrets rose above us, with the full moon behind them in the clear night sky. A light fog rose from the river as we climbed the stairs through a forest of silhouetted branches, they were full of spring blossoms, and a cool crisp breeze flowed through them.

My breath puffed out in little clouds as I tried to keep up with Rurik.

He turned to wait for me. No mist emerged from his mouth. “This is the Fishermen’s Bastion. The surrounding suburb used to be Fishermen’s Town and they held their market behind the ramparts.” He grinned and his eyes sparkled with the moonlight as he spoke. His hand found mine and we climbed the rest of the stairs together.

The top of the Bastion opened to a flat ambulatory-like gallery that offered a panoramic view of the city. Rurik led me to the wall and leaned out to watch his home. The fog swirled by the lit areas and we watched their patterns dissolve into one another. He appeared lost in his memories and a slight frown marred his forehead. They didn’t seem like happy ones

“I grew up here, in Fishermen’s town, with the Bastion guarding our home. So much has changed since then.” He glanced at me then pointed out across the fog-veiled river. “Margaret Island is hidden in there. The Romans used the thermal waters on the north side of it. Now a modern spa occupies the area.”

I stepped closer to peer at his face. “You were here with the Romans?”

A grim smile appeared. “They stole me away from my home to work at the springs. Some of them liked pretty, young men.”

I tried to hide the horror that fought to surface. “That must have been horrible for you.”

Our eyes met and I couldn’t help but flinch at the sight of the embedded pain lingering there. “My maker saved me from them. Brought me over and gave me a chance for a new existence. I left Budapest for a long while.” A wicked and familiar glint returned to his forlorn eyes and he chucked me under the chin. “Not before I got my revenge.” He turned and gave his back to the island as he leaned his elbows on the solid, stone wall. “This place always feels like home.”

Revenge, Romans, and vampires; sounded like a new movie release.

“Tane mentioned that he thought you were young to have become Overlord of Budapest. You must be a few hundred years old if you were around with the Romans.” Centuries. The word settled on my shoulders. He looked so young and I treated him like he was my age.

He laughed and it rang out against the empty surroundings. “Compared to Tane, I am young. Creatures like him and Dragos have been around for millennia. But he’s right, though. Budapest is a major hub in Europe, a powerful place to rule. An ancient master, like them, used to rule here before I took over a hundred years ago.”

“What happened to him?”

“Elizabeth.”

“Scary Lizzy from the party?” The arrogant dominatrix who tried to convince Rurik to give me to her instead of Dragos.

He looked down at his worn running shoes. “Dragos has ample reason to be angry with both of us.”

The wheels began to creak in my head. “Why is he in town?”

“Who?”

“Dragos. I get you’re not best friends. Why the visit?”

“There has been a lot of animosity between our people since my rule began. Incidents have occurred and we are trying to make amends.” He reached out and massaged between my eyebrows with his thumb.

I felt the tense small muscles there relax. Even that small touch electrified me.

“I didn’t bring you here to make you think so hard, Rabbit.”

I sighed. “I’m tired of these games. You said you wanted my help.”

He wrapped me in his arms. “To ask for a safe place to hide for a day until my people can gather at a safe haven tomorrow night. Not for you to save me from a millennia old rival.” He kissed the top of my head.

I melted into his embrace. It felt right to be here. “You call me infuriating.”

His chest vibrated with his chuckle. “What makes you think this is the first attempt to destroy me?”

I stiffened. That was an excellent question. It never occurred to me that there had been other attempts. “Well ... you’re still here.”

“Your opinion of me is that low?”

I regarded him. His beautiful, masculine face with ice blue eyes topped with his thick jet-black hair. “You obtained your power by seducing Lizzy.”

His eyebrows rose and he tilted his head to stare at me. The cocky smile faded.

I suddenly wished we were on the deck of the A38. The Fishermen’s Bastion was high enough that I would need to know how to fly to survive that fall.

He looked away and shook his head.

I gripped him tighter, afraid he’d let me go. “I’m sorry.” The words surprised both of us.

He leaned towards me and met my lips with hot passion. My ambivalence weakened with each touch and kiss. I never doubted he’d seduce me and maybe that’s what I needed, someone to pull me away from the past since I couldn’t let it go.

Still in each other’s arms, after the kiss, we looked out over the city. He whispered close to my ear. “I obtained and kept my power by being smart enough to stay ahead of my enemies. Don’t judge me with what little you know.”

Likewise. I was trapped in the center of Rurik, Tane, and Colby. Of the three, Rurik showed the most concern for me. “I need you to show me the real Rurik.”

“Sweet Rabbit, that would take a lifetime. Are you offering to stay with me that long?”

I thought he teased me but the loneliness I’d glimpsed at the bathhouse returned. This time he didn’t bother to hide it. My heart turned inside out. I didn’t know what to say so I did the next best thing and kissed him.

I molded my body to his. The touch of his full lips never lost their thrill. His hair felt as soft as it looked and I ran my hands through it, determined to mess it up.

My tongue caressed his lips and his mouth opened to invite me in. I explored each sharp, delicate fang with care yet still managed to nick myself.

A low growl purred in his throat and he crushed his lips to mine with the small taste of my blood. It caused him to lap at the little wound, to suck on it until it bled no longer.

He pushed himself away. His hands trembled on my shoulders.

“Are you okay?”

He nodded. “That’s the first time you kissed me.” He gave me a small, shy smile and this time the shy was for real. “Let me show you something else.”

Rurik gave me a wonderful gift, something I cherished. We toured the Fishermen’s Bastion and he told me of its history. Details I don’t think the official tour guides knew. I finally got to see a part of Budapest that wasn’t vampire related, not counting my guide. A place so old it made Rurik seem young. The history of this city made my bones ache with curiosity.

We stood in the middle of the promenade and he pointed to the seven towers. “Each one symbolizes the seven Magyar tribes that came to Hungary in Eight Hundred and Ninety-Six.” He glanced at me. “You don’t mind my telling you all this? You’re not bored?”

I laughed. “That’s the third time you’ve asked me. Now finish the story.”

He crossed his arms over his muscular chest. “I don’t mean to annoy you, Rabbit. This modern age has bred a generation uninterested in their past.”

I pursed my lips in thought and noticed the amused twinkle in his eyes. “I’ll admit listening to North American history puts me into a coma but we didn’t have Romans and Huns.”