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  “Where are you going Kathrina?”

  “Get out of my way!” she yelled.

  Luciano shook his head. “You cannot run from what you are Kathrina.”

  “You are wrong. That is not what I am!”

  “It is not what I am that frightens you … it is the darkness … the hunger within you that you are afraid of,” he told her in a soft - sadistic voice.

  Kathrina shook her head, denying the truth of his words. How could she accept such an appalling reality? When she saw him feeding, she’d felt something creeping out from beneath the horror. She’d felt the hunger gnawing at her like some pestilence eating away at her soul.

  “I will never let that part of me take over!”

  “You must … or you will fail Kathrina,” he warned.

  “You are a monster!” She wanted to portray fury, but the lump in her throat made her words sound more like sobs.

  She hit a nerve. Though it was barely noticeable, Kathrina was sure she’d seen him flinch.

  “I will never let you turn me into a creature like you!”

  She’d finally cracked his cool composure. Luciano grabbed her arm and jerked her toward him. “In the end you will give in to your hunger,” he promised.

  “Never!” Kathrina said, glaring at him through narrowed eyes.

  Luciano said nothing, but he didn’t have to. His smile, and the anger that distorted his features said it all. He was going to make sure that she gave in to that dark part of her nature.

  As Kathrina stared into his cold - unyielding eyes, she became aware of the stillness and silence that surrounded them. The wind had stopped and the night had become so quiet that she could hear her own heart pounding within her chest.

  Something wasn’t right!

  The moment had a strange feeling to it - like the calm before the storm. It was almost as if the air was charge with a silent - invisible energy that would release its fury when you least expected it.

  “We need to go now,” he told her, obviously picking up on the same feeling that she had.

  Before Kathrina could say anything, the silence around them was shattered by a low - guttural growl. It seemed to come from somewhere off to her left, but before she could pinpoint the location, the snarls started coming from several different directions. They were surrounded.

  As if on cue, the beasts began emerging from behind the various tombs where they’d been hiding - their movements graceful - predatory. She saw at least half a dozen wolves - animals that were so huge they could not have been natural. The yellow glow within the beasts’ eyes reminded Kathrina of the vampire when they were about to feed. In that instant, she knew that these wolves intended to tear them to shreds.

  Luciano was fast enough that he could have fled and remained unscathed, but he hesitated just long enough to save Kathrina. He had a hold of her arm and was ascending into the air when a set of sharp teeth ripped the black leather of his pants away from the flesh.

  Kathrina saw him clench his teeth together, but it was the only sign he gave that he’d been injured. She closed her eyes so that she would not have to see the beasts leaping at them as they rose above the cemetery, but she could not block out the sound of their vicious snarls.

  Chapter Five

  She didn’t dare open her eyes until she felt her feet touchdown on the rooftop of the orphanage. Kathrina now knew where she was. When they’d left earlier in the evening, she’d recognized the building as the old St. Mark’s Orphanage.

  They’d gotten away this time, but she had no doubt that this was just the beginning. The wolves would make the immortals pay for what had happened to Summer. When the vampire Marius had turned Summer, he’d ignorantly led the immortals into another war.

  “It’s started,” she whispered.

  “And you still think that you’ll survive while holding onto your innocence?”

  Kathrina didn’t respond. Her eyes traveled from his face to his injured leg. “You’re bleeding,” she commented; as if she were seeing something that she couldn’t quite believe.

  “Yes … I bleed the same as you,” he said, a bitter tone to his voice. “Some monsters do bleed you know.”

  “Let’s get you inside.” Kathrina turned and headed for the window without waiting for a reply.

  Luciano’s voice stopped her just as she was ready to step through the window and into the dark attic.

  “Wait … let me go first. They may be waiting inside,” he explained.

  Kathrina stepped aside, though she had her doubts that the wolves had managed to track them to their hiding spot. She’d been raised by the wolves and was very familiar with their tactics. They were not narrowing in on specific targets, at least not yet. Right now there would be no rhyme or reason to the hunt. All immortals would be a target, but later that would change.

  She could not help but wonder what it must feel like to have the tables turned? What it was like to so quickly go from being the predator to being the prey?

  “It’s clear,” Luciano called to her from inside.

  Kathrina entered through the window. After her eyes adjusted to the dark, she went to the table and lit the candle.

  “That’s not a good idea,” he warned.

  “They won’t bother us here,” Kathrina told him. “Now let me take a look at your leg.”

  “Why do you care? I’m a killer … a monster remember.” Luciano’s amusement was written all over his face.

  “But I’m not … so will you let me look at the wound?” Kathrina was irritated more by the fact that she couldn’t be so callous as to ignore his injury, than she was by his sarcastic attitude.

  Luciano made no move to stop her when she carefully peeled away the bloody and torn leather from his leg. Though his leg was covered with blood, she could see that the torn flesh was already starting to heal.

  “The cells regenerate themselves in vampires,” Luciano told her.

  “I know … I guess I must have forgotten for a moment that you were invulnerable,” Kathrina told him as she stood up and turned away. “You’ll want to clean that blood or the scent will draw the wolves.”

  Luciano smiled. “My sweet innocent Kathrina … you are so well acquainted with my enemies that I have to wonder if you didn’t call them here somehow?”

  Kathrina laughed. “If I could have done so … I would have.”

  “Yet you worry about my injury? You are a walking contradiction, but I do find it very intriguing. You loathe the vampire, but it is what you are. You wish to destroy me, but long to discover my secrets?”

  “You flatter yourself,” Kathrina frowned.

  His dark laughter grated on her nerves, but when he stepped closer to her, she felt her senses spin out of control. He was right, she had no idea who or what she really was.

  “Before I take your life Kathrina, I’m going to watch you give in to that darkness that is inside of you. I’m going to enjoy it when you beg me to take your innocents … before I feed on you.”

  Luciano pulled her into his arms and his mouth came down on hers in a punishing - harsh kiss.

  Instead of cowering away from his touch, Kathrina licked at his lips with her tongue and returned his kiss. Instantly she was intoxicated by his nearness - his touch. That darkness that he spoke of crept over her and she wanted nothing more that to feel that thrilling sensation that could only be experienced when she became one with him - when she gave in and let him feed on her.

  As much as she wanted to deny this truth, she couldn’t. He was right. They were like two parts of one soul, and only by coming together could she ever truly live or feel joy. How ironic that she would experience death so soon after.

  Just like in her dream, all that existed for her was this vampire and the way it felt when he touched her.

  Finally Luciano pulled away, and when he did she was forced to clutch his arm to keep from falling.

  “You are mine,” he whispered. “You have always been mine.”

  “I don’t want t
o die a virgin.” Even Kathrina couldn’t believe what she was saying.

  Where had the thought come from?

  Luciano jerked away from her so quickly that her legs nearly collapsed beneath her.

  “What did you say?” he glared at her.

  “I want you to make love to me,” she told him. Kathrina suddenly realized what it was that she had to do to get through to him. A plan began to take shape. She had to make him see her as a person - a woman, and not just as a means to an end.

  There was no doubt that he had planned to take her all along, but he wasn’t prepared for it to be something that she actually wanted. To him it would all be part of the feeding ritual.

  “You’re playing with me again,” he growled. “Why would you want that from someone like me … a monster, as you so readily labeled me only a short time ago?”

  “I am a virgin. It is not fair that I should die not knowing what it’s like to be a woman … to feel what a woman feels.”

  “That’s unfortunate for you. Maybe you should have done a little more experimenting while you had the opportunity,” he told her, refusing to look into her eyes.

  “Luciano … please. I am giving up so much for you. The least you could do is help me to experience this.”

  “I can’t,” he whispered. She thought she detected regret in his voice and it spurred her on.

  “Then will you at least give me enough time to experience it with someone else?” she asked.

  Her head began to pound, but this time she was ready when he started probing her thoughts and she was able to force the door shut. The look on his face when he realized that she could stop him from barging into her head, almost made her laugh.

  “If you find someone to lay with you in the short time you have left … I won’t stop you,” he said, turning away from her. “But you are not fooling me Kathrina. I know that you have no intention of letting me take your life. When the time comes, you will put up a fight.”

  Without another word, he walked to the opposite end of the room and stared out the window. This window was intact, unlike the one they had entered through.

  Kathrina followed his gaze, but it was difficult to see anything but distorted light through the thick layer of dust that covered the small window.

  Luciano was silent, seemingly entranced by the radiant glow of the city lights.

  The more time she spent with him, the less she understood him. One moment he was a cold-blooded killer, the next he was angry because that is what she saw him to be. He would touch her intimately, but then push her away. Luciano intended to kill her, but seemed to worry about her safety at the same time. His actions contradicted his words, and that made her wonder if the icy indifference that he showed others was simply a barrier to hide behind.

  “You act like it will be difficult for me to find someone. Is that what you think?” she asked, ignoring the part about her ultimate defiance in the end. He was right about that.

  She waited for an answer, but he said nothing. Just as Kathrina opened her mouth to ask again, Luciano held up his hand to silence her.

  “We have company,” he warned.

  Kathrina stepped closer to him and listened, trying to detect whatever it was that had alarmed him. All she could hear was her own rapid breathing and the groaning of the floorboards as she shifted her weight from one foot to the other.

  Luciano gently grabbed her arm and moved her away from the window.

  “What is it?” she asked in hushed tones.

  Before she could get the last word out, she heard the shuffling of feet on the roof outside the window. Luciano’s eyes lit up with rage; at the same time he drew back his lips to reveal sharp - white fangs.

  She swallowed hard, trying to get rid of the tight feeling in her throat. Any second now the intruder would break through the window and she didn’t even want to imagine what would happen after that. The grisly images of her birthday party, and what she had witnessed earlier in the evening, were still too fresh in her mind.

  Kathrina yelped at the sound of a loud knock against the glass. The furious energy radiating from Luciano actually made the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. He was in full attack mode.

  It had probably been years since the window had been used; evident by the way the frame moaned in protest as it was forced open. A head emerged from the darkness beyond the window.

  “Wait!” Kathrina blurted out before her vampire captor could fly at the window.

  There was something familiar about the man that stuck his head inside, but in the dim light it was difficult to tell for sure. It was not until he spoke that Kathrina allowed herself to breathe a sigh of relief. It was Dash’s voice.

  “Thought you might need a little help … you know with all those rogue vampires and wolf men after you.”

  “How dare you come here and try to sneak up on me!” Luciano growled.

  “I don’t know if you’ve noticed … but you don’t exactly have a front door to knock on.” Dash defended himself.

  Luciano said nothing so Dash climbed through the window.

  “You okay?” Dash directed his question to Kathrina.

  Nodding, Kathrina rushed to Dash and threw her arms around his neck. “You shouldn’t have risked coming after me.”

  “Nonsense!” Dash winked. “You’re just a bit of a girl. Can’t see letting you deal with this all on your own.”

  “So what can I do to help?” Dash looked at Luciano.

  Luciano’s dark eyes bore into the other vampire. “Why are you so anxious to help? Are you planning to steal from me again?”

  A contrite grin spread over Dash’s face. “I’m sorry about that bit. That medallion was just sitting there in plain sight. I just thought I’d borrow it for a little while.”

  “Where is it now … if indeed you took it on loan … an unauthorized loan,” Luciano added.

  “Well now …” Dash shrugged his shoulders, “they kind of took it from me when I was in Outerlands.”

  A slight smile touched Luciano’s lips. “I’ve heard rumors about the foolish one that trespassed into the land of the wolves. Is that why they’re here?”

  Dash found a box and pulled it closer to the table where the candle burned. He sat down and made himself comfortable before returning his attention to Luciano. “Those wolves are not nearly as bad as most vamps make them out to be.” Dash waved his hand as if he were waving away a ridiculous notion. “There are even a few of those hairy creatures that would like to help us. That’s not why they’re here.” Dash smiled.

  “They are here because of a hormonal vamp that couldn’t resist turning their leader’s daughter,” Dash told him with a shrug of his shoulders. “From what I saw through the window … you’re a little hormonal yourself. You might want to get that under control … that is if you still plan to kill her.”

  Embarrassed, Kathrina’s face turned bright red.

  “I wonder if dear dad can guess what you’re up to?” Dash wagged his finger at her.

  “Your concern for her virtue is admirable,” Luciano said, a hard smile spreading across his face, “but I assure you … unnecessary.”

  For some reason Kathrina was hurt by the way Luciano dismissed the possibility of her virtue being in danger. Instead of raging like she felt like doing, she just smiled. He would succumb to her sooner or later. She could tell he wanted her; it was just a matter of him realizing that he did.

  “So what’s the plan to get rid of that pain in the ass bloodsucker, Omar … and stop the wolves?” Dash asked no one in particular.

  Kathrina turned her attention to Luciano. “If you stand against Omar, his followers will turn on him. No one will want to defy you.”

  “She’s got a point,” Dash commented.

  “I could do this yes, but then I would be interfering with the fate of the immortal sisters … wouldn’t I?” he asked in a mocking tone.

  “He plans to call the ancients back,” Dash gave Luciano a malicious grin.
/>   Luciano laughed. “And you think he will succeed? The ancients will return if and when they choose … even if you destroy Omar.”

  “Is that what you meant when you talked about the true immortals?” Kathrina wanted to know.

  Luciano nodded. “They are the fathers of all vampires. When they see what has become of their creations … these mutants will be wiped out.”

  “You mean those gross looking monsters … the ones that turn after they feed off of another vampire?” Kathrina’s features twisted in disgust at the memory of the thing that she’d discovered in her mother’s tomb.

  “No,” Luciano told her. “Not just them, but all vampires. They didn’t realize that their DNA would act as a virus to the human species, or I am sure the breeding between the two species would never have happened. It was not until it got out of hand that they left their creations to fend for themselves. They couldn’t have known how effectively the virus would spread. Its original intent was to destroy the born vampires.”

  “So what you are saying is that it never was a curse. We’re all some kind of accident?” Dash asked in disbelief.

  “Not really an accident … more like a side effect. The virus was created to kill the children of the immortals. The ancients felt that they were abominations, but instead of killing them, it made them carriers of a virus that could be spread through a bite.”

  “So what does all of this mean then? What do we do?” Kathrina asked him.

  “I don’t know what you are going to do, but I am going to give you the chance to kill your uncle like I promised … not that it will do you a lot of good.” Luciano told her. “Then I will cure myself with your blood,” he added.

  “You are one cold dude,” Dash glared at him.

  Turning to Dash, Kathrina chose to completely ignore Luciano’s words. “How did you know about the wolves?” she asked, suddenly remembering that he’d mentioned them.

  “Summer has returned with news from Outerlands,” Dash told her.

  “I have to go home,” Kathrina said to Luciano. “Summer might know what we can do about the wolves.”