Текст книги "Dark Seduction"

Автор книги: T. A. Grey

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DARK SEDUCTION
 THE KATEGAN ALPHAS 5
By
 T. A. Grey

Acknowledgments

Thank you to all my beta readers who have helped me to fine-tune this novel.

I appreciate everything you have done to help me more than I could possibly say.

This book is for the fans who kept saying “more Kategans!”

Glossary

B’lad! – Russian for ‘Fuck!’

Drook – Russian for ‘friend’

Millaya moya – A Russian term of endearment meaning ‘my sweet’

Ochen horosho – Russian for ‘very good’

Suka – Russian for ‘shit’

Chapter 1

“Take ten steps back and put your hands between the bars.” The heavy metal chains around the prisoner’s feet clinked as he shuffled back towards the bars. The guards’ eyes followed the prisoner as he took baby steps backwards to the bars. His hands and arms hung loosely at his sides, palms open. He lifted his hands, resting them between the bars.

“Do not move as the guard cuffs your wrists.”

The silver cuffs closed around his wrists with a clink.

“Stand back as we open the door,” the guard ordered.

The prisoner took ten steps forward and waited as the guard unlocked the door and came in. They grabbed him roughly by the arms and dragged him out. They spoke around him as if he weren’t there.

“Deb making BBQ tonight?”

The guard on the right smiled at the mention of his mate. “Sure is. You should come, bring that female you’ve been sniffin’ around.”

“Nah, we’ve already parted ways.”

The guard tossed back his head and laughed.

“You never cease to surprise me, Mark.”

“Yeah, that’s what I’m here for. That and your mate’s fine barbecued chicken. Mmm, mmm. That woman could steal my heart with that sauce of hers.” They made their way down the hall and through a security gate that led outside. The two guards waited with their prisoner inside the door as they looked outside. Two more guards armed with shotguns filled with silver bullets waited beside a secured van. The specially made vans were used for carrying their most dangerous prisoners. Claude Phelans was one of their worst.

The guards outside nodded and one moved to the van’s door to turn the handle. The solid mechanical door clanked, and then opened in a piercing squeal of metal.

The trio opened the final door, squinting at the blazing sunlight as they ushered the prisoner outside.

“It’s Justicar’s justice for you, Claude.”

The guards shoved the prisoner forward and he stumbled into the awaiting guards’ arms.

That’s when he made his attack.

In a quick, fluid move, the prisoner jabbed his elbow into the guard’s stomach at his left.

He caught him by surprise and snatched his silver-bullet loaded shotgun, pulled the trigger, then spun around shooting as shouts sounded.

Hot shards embedded into the prisoner’s back and hip as he lifted the gun and fired three rounds. One guard dropped to the ground. The guard behind him shouted for help as the prisoner turned to him. The guard fired, the shot landed in the prisoner’s chest burning like hot coals puncturing his skin. Only it was worse, the silver weakened him, draining his strength, and slowing his movements. But madness drove him. Insatiable determination drove him as he lifted the rifle at the only standing guard, aimed for his head, and pulled the trigger until it clicked empty.

He ignored the lifeless bodies around him and knelt to snatch the keys that would unlock his handcuffs. A loud, roaring siren sounded from the prison walls. Shouts sounded inside the prison walls. He didn’t rush but unshackled his bindings with slow precision before making his way to the driver’s door. He started the van with a rumbling purr then drove off the lot.

He had business to finish. His people depended on him to fix things. His eyes darted wildly across the road like a fly trying to get out a window. Only one thought ran through his mind over and over again–the Kategans. He had to kill the Kategans.

Chapter 2

Dmetri leaned back against the bar and motioned for the woman to come forward. She did with a small, sexy smile on her red painted lips. Tall and slender, she wore an elegant gold-sequined gown that fell across her high-heeled feet.

She stopped before him and gently laid her long finger-nailed hands on his chest. Her hair was made up into a fancy updo that swept her hair away from her neck, just as he’d ordered.

“Lovely,” he murmured.

Her eyes closed and a smiled widened at his compliment. Dmetri’s stomach rolled with hunger at the sight of her pulse beating at her bare neck. He’d been so busy lately he hadn’t had time to take fresh from the tap, so to speak.

If he were a more patient man he’d start with a kiss for what he had planned for his entertainment tonight, but his stomach panged and rolled making his decision for him. He cupped her jaw, feeling the baby soft skin and wrapped an arm around her slender waist to bring her closer. Her breaths came quicker in anticipation and his cock responded, hardening.

He tilted her head to the side, arched her delicate neck, and pressed his lips to her skin.

For a moment, he almost sighed in disappointment. Long ago memories hit him, reminding him of the feel of a fresh human beneath his lips. The thought was so surprising that he pulled back with a frown. Dammit, he wasn’t going to let that ruin his entertainment. Forcing the strange thought away, he pressed his lips back to her throat and didn’t hesitate any longer before sinking his teeth into her slender neck.

She made a soft sound that lengthened his cock even more. Her hands were gentle as she curled them into his suit jacket. Another wave of disappointment hit him and he growled with frustration and quickly took what he needed from her. She was sweet as a grape might be, not too sweet, not too tangy, and his tongue happily tasted her.

The rolling in his stomach stopped like a crashing wave coming to a soft lolling motion.

He pulled away from her and pushed her against the bar. She leaned onto it, her breaths erratic as he slid her gown up to her waist.

Just as ordered, she wore black stockings that stopped at her thighs and were held up by thin black straps from her garter belt. Her ass was pale and rounded but he didn’t care about that.

His cock was so hard he was going to go crazy if he didn’t get inside her now.

In a swish of soft fabric, he unbuckled his belt and dropped his expensive suit pants to the floor. Gripping her hips, he pulled her back. She arched back towards him, her head back, waiting for him.

Dmetri gripped her soft cheeks and pulled them apart as he found her wet entrance with his cock. His fingers tightened around her in response to the creamy wet heat he found there.

He pushed in—and stopped. A piercing, repetitive beep broke through the quiet room like a jackhammer. Cursing, he pulled up his pants and snatched his cell phone from the bar.

“What?” he growled.

“Lovely to speak with you as always,” a deep voice said.

Dmetri rolled his eyes at the sarcasm in his friend Brayden’s voice. The man was old as dirt, boring to boot, but excelled at sarcasm.

“Get on with it. I’m...busy.” He peered over at his entertainment to see her waiting in the same position; her expensive dress thrown up to her waist like a cheap harlot. He almost laughed.

She was anything but cheap. He gave her a nod and she pulled her dress down and rushed into the other room, closing the door quietly behind her.

“Of course you are. You waste resources on them, Dmetri.”

“I hardly see how fucking can be a waste of anything. I have too much money to count anyways. Just because you prefer the life of a hermit doesn’t mean I want to share any part of that, drook.”

Silence for a moment then, “I called to give you an assignment.” Dmetri glanced with longing at the bedroom. “I was in the middle of something.”

“You’re always in the middle of something. This has to do with your friends, the Kategans.”

Dmetri’s grin flattened. Instantly he thought of Vera, his ex. The lykaen and he had spent a year together. He’d enjoyed it, she was a joy to be around, but as with all things, he’d grown bored and restless. He’d broken her heart, which admittedly, he didn’t care much for. It wasn’t that he’d loved her, because he didn’t, but she was a good person and didn’t deserve what he did to her. It worked out for the best though, now she was happily mated—to a vampire thanks to him. He figured he’d owed her that much. They were loosely friends, which worked out best for both of them.

“What about them?”

“Claude Phelans escaped today and killed four guards.” Dmetri straightened, body going alert. “What the fuck? Four, why were there only four? I ordered at least eight guards to cover him.”

Brayden’s voice turned bitter. “Someone over there decided the crazy vamp didn’t need eight guards. He took off in the transportation van. We found it ditched off the side of the highway. I’ve sent trackers out but he’s good; he had them doubling back and running around in circles before they lost his scent completely.”

Dmetri thought back to the hearings with Master Claude Phelans. The vampire was fucking nuts. Mad and violent, he got the idea in his head that he needed the Kategan’s much bigger land to solve all his problems. He was willing to send in his guards to die, or to die himself, to see his cause come to fruition.

“You think he’ll head for the Kategans to finish what he started?” asked Dmetri.

“That’s what I would do.”

“I don’t get it. He said his women are infertile, that the land was corrupt. The man’s mad.”

“His insanity doesn’t matter. He’s violent and won’t stop until more people die. How many is up to you.”

Dmetri choked, not knowing whether to laugh or not. “What was that, my friend?”

“You’re new assignment is to go to the Kategans. I’ve already called Vane Kategan to give him a heads up. I want you there until we find him.” This time he did laugh. “I am not going to babysit an entire pack of lykaens.” Brayden interrupted quickly. “You doubt you can do it?” Dmetri’s jaw clenched. Of course Brayden would jab at his ego. “You know I can—”

“That’s exactly why I’m sending you. Just keep an eye on the place.”

“Fuck this. That isn’t my job, drook. Send another Justicar.” He glanced at the bedroom and sighed knowing he’d have no play tonight.

“The lykaens would never allow that many vampires on their land at once. You know how distrusting they can be. Vane agreed to allow you though. Listen, this is big, Dmetri. If he attacks the Kategans and rallies his clan, we’ll have a full-out war and we are responsible.”

“Shit. Sometimes I hate politics.”

“Get over there now; they’re expecting you.” Brayden hung up before he could think of a protest.

“Suka.”

Dmetri strolled into the bedroom and sent his entertainment away. Cursing, he started packing his suitcase. It looked like he was going to the Kategans.

Chapter 3

Dmetri pulled to a stop and rolled down his window at the guard’s request.

The sentry leaned down to peer into the driver side window. “What’s your business here?”

Dmetri cocked a brow. “My business is with the Kategans. And they’re expecting me.” The sentry wasn’t impressed; he eyed Dmetri hard then searched the front and back seats with a pensive eye. Satisfied with what he found, he stepped back and radioed in on a talkie.

“Sir, Dmetri Demidov is here. I’m sending him up.”

The sentry nodded and motioned him to drive on. Dmetri saluted the guard and pulled into the big lykaen community.

Kategan land was rich and fertile. Dmetri assessed the land as a surveyor or contractor might. According to his notes, the Kategans owned roughly 2,000 acres of land. He’d thought the problem with the vampire leader Claude Phelans was over after they arrested him and his clan for forgery and a host of other crimes. Damned if the man didn’t have an insane determination with his sights set on the Kategans.

Vane Kategan threw open the door on the second knock. Dmetri had known the alpha for years, had dealt with him during the peace treaty deliberations for too many years to count now.

He’d also dated his baby sister.

“Vane,” he acknowledged with a nod.

Vane looked grim, dark shadows formed under his pinched eyes, and his lips were pulled flat.

“Come on in and explain this shit storm to me.”

Dmetri followed Vane into the study off the living room. After declining a drink, since he really didn’t think Vane had anything he could stomach, he took a seat across from him.

Vane’s tense shoulders were slumped forward, his hair a mess as if he’d run his hand through it too many times.

“How bad is it?”

Dmetri shrugged. “We really won’t know until we find him. We think he has good reason to come here though. At least to him it is.”

Vane rolled his shoulders back, and then rubbed at his muscles like they were killing him.

“What’s going on? You seem pretty tense.”

Vane choked on a laugh. He sighed and cracked his neck. “It’s Sarina. She’s due any day now. I hate this feeling. I don’t know what’s going to happen. Fuck, I have no control over it.” Dmetri grimaced. “I don’t wish I was you. That’s for sure.” Vane gave him a hard look. “You should. She’s been a blessing in my empty life.” Dmetri laughed, leaning back in his seat. “No thanks. A mate doesn’t make sense to me. I enjoy having the option to switch up when I get bored with them.”

“Like you did with Vera,” he said with an edge to his voice.

Dmetri had to tread carefully here. “What happened in the past was for the best. She’s mated now, isn’t she? Happy and all that...good stuff.” Vane nodded, then stood to pace with hard steps. “This thing with Claude Phelans couldn’t have come at a worse time.”

“Is there ever a good time for something like this?”

Vane nodded in agreement. And then a piercing cry ripped through the house.

Vane was running through the house before the cry ended. Dmetri followed the alpha as he bound up the stairs into the bedroom. He expected to find the room drenched with blood, bodies lifeless on the floor, or twitching with the aftermath of death. What he did find shocked him so much more. He swore that if he still could, he’d vomit.

Sarina lay on the bed, the sheets drenched with watery fluid. Sweat matted her hair to her face and neck, and she clenched the bed sheets with enough force to make him cringe.

Vane ran to her side and wiped the hair out of her face. “My God what happened?” Sarina panted in sharp breaths, her face pinched with pain. “Water broke,” she choked.

Vane collapsed against the side of the bed, his head bowed. After a moment, he seemed to get a hold of himself. He turned to Dmetri with the commanding eyes of an alpha.

“Get the healer. Down the street and turn right. She’s the second house the on right. Get her now!”

Dmetri’s lip curled. “You don’t tell me what to do, alpha.” Sarina keened as a particularly hard contraction hit. Dmetri cringed. “On second thought, I think I’ll go.”

He was out the door a second later. He found the small cabin exactly where Vane said it would be. Unlike Vane who answered the door on the second knock, Dmetri had to bang harder and louder until finally he heard a voice grumbling inside.

The door swung open and for a moment Dmetri couldn’t find his tongue. The woman who answered was stunning with hair the color of wheat and eyes dark like chocolate with little flecks of gold.

She squinted at him as she braced herself on the doorway. She wore a little silk number that barely touched the tops of her legs. Dmetri appreciated the look—a lot—and was about to tell her so when she spoke.

“Are we under attack?”

Stunned, Dmetri pulled back to look up and down the quiet sunny street. “I think not.” She cocked her head at him. “Russian?”

He nodded and allowed his gaze to take in the incredible amount of bare skin she showed. Her arms were tanned and soft looking. She was short for him, but then most women were compared to his 6’3” frame. The silk wasn’t form fitting, which was a damn shame because he wanted to know what her body looked like under it.

She sniffed the air around him and then stood up straight, all traces of sleep gone in an instant. “Vampire.” There was no question in her tone.

Again, he nodded and struggled to remember why he came here. On closer inspection, he realized she wasn’t as stunning as he thought. She was pretty, no doubt about that, but it was a subtle beauty. The longer he looked at her, the more he realized just how pretty she was; she had a look that settled deep inside him. Her nose was pert, chin small and delicate, lips wide and slender. He’d love to see her in paint. The thought shocked him hard enough to make him remember why he was here.

“Vane sent me. His mate’s in labor.”

Her mouth dropped and eyes went wild. “Why the hell didn’t you say so?” She ran into the house and a moment later returned wearing a pair of jeans and a baggy shirt. She didn’t have shoes on. She pushed him to get past and closed the door behind her.

She looked at him when he only stood there. “Well come on!” She raced off towards the alpha’s house. Dmetri followed her. It wasn’t necessary at this point and he really did not intend to be in the same room, or even the same house, while Sarina gave birth, but he found himself following along anyway. She ran with quick steps, her ponytailed hair slapping her back as she moved.

They reached Vane’s house and she barged in without knocking. Curious, he followed after her even though he just told himself he wouldn’t.

A male shout and the woman’s hard voice brought him up the stairs quickly. He entered the bedroom and saw several other females there. Vera, he recognized. The other he scented as a vampire and had red hair; the woman beside her had long chestnut hair. They surrounded Sarina taking turns letting her squeeze the hell out of their hands.

Vane stood erect at the wall, his face a hard mask as he watched his mate.

“When did her water break?” asked the healer. She climbed onto the bed and opened Sarina’s legs to get a look. Dmetri immediately turned around and left the room. He stayed on the other side of the wall so he could listen. He almost laughed, he hadn’t been this curious in a long time.

“About fifteen minutes ago.”

The healer’s voice was calm as she took charge of the situation. She ordered the girls to get supplies, towels, and water.

* * *

Chaos reigned. Screams and shouts exploded at frantic intervals.

There was a complication with the birth.

Panic threatened to make Christine’s hands shake, but she controlled it—barely. Sarina was losing blood at an incredible rate. If she couldn’t stop it, she’d die.

Vane drew in hard breaths, his face on the edge of violence. “What’s happening?”

“The baby’s coming but she’s losing a lot of blood.” Somehow her voice didn’t shake when she said it.

“Stop it,” he ordered.

Christine ignored him. “All right Sarina, I want you to push really hard on this one.” Sarina screamed until her face turned red as she pushed. An awful amount of blood came but Christine knew the baby had dropped down and was close. Just a little more.

“Why is she bleeding so much?” Vane shouted.

Christine kept her voice calm. “I think the placenta tore or it’s a clot. I can’t be sure.” Panting, Sarina braced herself then screamed again as she pushed. But Sarina was weakening from the blood loss and the push wasn’t very strong. Christine prayed the baby would come through but it didn’t. She wiped the sweat from her brow and grabbed another towel to soak up the blood.

Vane came towards her, a mad look in his eyes. “You don’t know what you’re doing!” Christine took a deep breath. “Alpha Vane, I think you need to leave the room.” He clamped his mouth shut and came at her. She was so unprepared for it that she did nothing to protect herself as he shoved her away from the bed. She stumbled back but didn’t fall.

“Fuck this; we’re calling the human medics.”

“You can’t do that. Our anatomy is different internally. Their doctors would notice it.

You know that, Vane. Just stop and think.”

It was the wrong thing to say apparently because he roared and took an aggressive step towards her. Her heart kicked up with fear, but then the Russian vampire was in front of her.

“I mean no disrespect,” the vampire said and swung his fist so fast into Vane’s jaw that she barely saw the action. Vane’s head cracked hard to the side.

He slowly, so slowly turned back to glare at Dmetri with violence in his eyes. The alpha was about to pounce, it was in his tense stance, in the vibrancy of his muscles being barely controlled.

Then Sarina panted at him. “Get out, Vane.”

He turned to give her an astonished look. “I will not leave you.” Between erratic breaths she said, “Leave. Fight outside.” Vane shook visibly, and the vampire sighed as if bored. Then he struck Vane across the other cheek with a quick jab. With a roar, Vane exploded at him, tackling him to the floor. The floor shook and books from a shelf clattered to the floor.

“Outside!” Sarina panted.

Then men stumbled out of the room in a flurry of blows and deflections.

Christine ran back to Sarina’s side and joy filled her. “I see the head! Push good and hard, Sarina!”

Over the next several minutes, Sarina’s tired body pushed and pushed until finally the baby’s entire head poked out. Then in a quick rush, the baby came out. Christine caught the little babe in a clean cloth and cut the umbilical cord. With the waiting water in a bowl, she cleaned the baby and checked its eyes, mouth, nose, toes.

The baby’s small wrinkled face brought a big smile to hers. A burst of emotion filled her chest making it tight and hard to breath. Before her eyes could water, she went to Sarina who was so exhausted she was melting into the bed.

“Your baby, my Queen.”

Sarina’s lips trembled as she lifted her heavy arms to take the precious baby. Tears fell from her eyes as she laughed joyously. She coddled the baby in her arms and gazed down into its little face.

“My baby,” she said softly.

Vera, Alison, and Cassie all came forward to sit on the bed and sigh. After a moment, Sarina looked up confused.

“Vane?”

Christine moved to the door. “I’ll get him.”

Downstairs was eerily quiet. Christine made her way through the rooms feeling like she was trespassing going through her alpha’s house alone. In the kitchen, she heard noises out back and peered through the backdoor window. She spotted Vane and the Russian vampire sitting on the back steps talking.

It was rude of her to listen, but she couldn’t help her curiosity. It wouldn’t hurt to listen for just a minute.

“Thanks for getting me out of there. I wasn’t doing anyone any good.”

“No problem, drook. ”

Vane choked; it might have been a laugh if the alpha wasn’t so stressed. He buried his head in his hands. “You have no idea what it feels like.” Dmetri gave him a long, assessing look. “I suppose I don’t.” Christine almost snorted. He sounded like he hated to admit he didn’t know about something. This one must have a hell of an ego on him, not that she really minded that, but...he was so pale.

“I hope you do one day, Dmetri. You should experience it at least once in your life.” Silvery blonde hair whipped over his shoulder as he tossed back his head and laughed.

The sound was rich and thickly accented. His jaw was hard, nose straight, lips almost thin which spoke of his Slavic heritage. He was large too, though not as big as lykaen men were. He was taller than Vane by an inch or two and was lean like a swimmer, yet he didn’t give the appearance of being skinny.

He had an aura about him that spoke of strength and confidence. It was even in the way he sat, leaning back with his hands supporting him on either side, his long legs kicked out in front of him. Hell, he even wore a suit. The last time she’d seen a suit was at Darien Kategan’s wedding. And even then he’d worn no shoes with it.

“Been alive a long time, drook. Never needed a mate, don’t see the point in it.” Vane gave him a sarcastic grin. “Sometimes love just hits you. You never see it coming, never expect it. I hope it hits you—hard.”

Dmetri stood and rocked on his feet, then his gaze veered towards the window and landed directly on her. Pretending she hadn’t been standing there hoping to hear something juicy, she opened the door.

“Vane, your mate and new baby are ready to see you.”

He jumped up and ran past her. Right before he left the kitchen he turned back to her excitement, panic on his face. “Boy or girl?”

She smiled a little and shrugged. “You’ll have to see for yourself.” He gave a happy shout and ran upstairs. Christine started after him, to make sure everything was okay and to see if Sarina needed some blood to replace all she’d lost or maybe a couple of stitches if her perineum had torn. Her mind lost in thought, she didn’t hear the vampire approach.

“You like to eavesdrop.”

She embraced the blush that came over her and smiled at him. “Any good person does on occasion.”

“How’d you like to have dinner with me?”

Christine didn’t know who was more surprised by his question. She studied his face for a moment and decided him, definitely him. She laughed softly and turned away.

“I don’t think so,” she tossed over her shoulder.

She thought she heard him mutter “we’ll see about that” but she couldn’t be sure because her heart was pounding in her ears.

Just then a jovial shout sounded from upstairs. Vane shouted loud enough for the entire pack to hear. “It’s a boy!”