A Fire in the Blood(57)
She wouldn’t have to worry about getting older when he never would. She wouldn’t have to worry about getting sick and becoming a burden to him. On the other hand, she would have to give up so much—all her favorite foods. Her job. Being able to go for a walk on a sunny day, going to church on Easter morning. Getting a tan in the summer. And what about a family? Since vampires couldn’t reproduce, she would never have children of her own. And what about her parents? What would they think?
“Would we still be able to be friends?” Jilly asked, her expression doubtful. “Or would you always be thinking about biting me?”
“I don’t know about the biting part, but I hope we’ll always be friends.”
Jilly nodded, then smothered a yawn.
“It’s late. Why don’t you go to bed?” Tessa suggested.
“Will you be all right?”
“Yeah. I think I’ll go wait for Andrei in my room.”
“Okay.”
Tessa bid Luke good night, hugged Bailey, then went into her room and closed the door. After changing into her nightgown, she brushed her teeth, then sat on the bed, her back against the headboard, wondering what was taking Andrei so long.
* * *
“You sent the three of them, didn’t you?” Andrei glared at Katerina. She sat on an elegant Louis XV armchair upholstered in burgundy silk, her back rigid, her expression icy. He couldn’t help thinking she looked every inch the queen she had always wanted to be. “Why?”
“My reasons are my own. I would have shared my thoughts with you, once upon a time. That time has passed. You are no longer welcome in my home. Begone.”
Andrei stared at her, his eyes narrowed. “So, we’re through with this charade?”
“I had hoped to rekindle the passion between us,” she said, her tone glacial. “I’ve come to realize that is impossible.”
“It always was,” he retorted, his voice as frosty as her own. “One word of caution. Leave Tessa and her friends alone. If you harm any of them, I will hunt you down and I will destroy you.”
Chin lifted defiantly, she glowered at him. “You may try.” Her power filled the room, skittering over his skin like the fingers of doom.
Andrei smiled inwardly. She was not as indomitable as she would have him believe. In spite of her haughty expression and bold words, he had seen the barest hint of fear reflected in the depths of her eyes.
* * *
Andrei found Tessa in her room, staring off into space. She smiled when he appeared on the bed beside her.
“You were gone so long, I was beginning to worry,” she said.
“No need.”
“Where were you?”
“After I disposed of the bodies, I went to see Katerina.”
“Oh.”
“We’re through.”
Tessa stared at him wide-eyed. “Really? No more playing house?”
He nodded. “I guess she realized my heart wasn’t in it. Listen,” he said, taking her hands in his, “I want to try a little experiment tomorrow.”
“What kind of experiment?”
“We’ve been going on the assumption that Madame Murga was right, and that your blood makes fledglings stronger, that it enhances their powers, because it added a little kick to mine.”
“So?”
“Hell, what if she made it all up? What if she’s wrong? What if it doesn’t work the same on every vampire?” He paused, his brow furrowed. “What if it makes some stronger and weakens others?”
“What makes you think that?”
“I don’t know. Just a hunch. We need to learn more about exactly what your blood can do.”
“We know it healed you.”
“Yes, but at first I didn’t think your blood had any other effect on me. I’m starting to believe I was wrong. Katerina used to be a lot more powerful than I am. But that’s not true anymore. I can feel the difference, and I think she can, too.”
“So, this experiment? What does it entail?”
“I want to use you as bait to lure four or five fledglings. When I have them under control, I’ll give a couple of them a little of your blood and see what happens.”
“You want me to let them bite me?” Good grief, that was almost as revolting as the idea of letting him turn her.
“Of course not. I’ll use a syringe to extract it and then have them drink it.”
“I don’t know . . .” Was there no end to this nightmare?
“It’s up to you, of course,” he said, squeezing her hands.
“How’s that going to help keep other vampires away from me?”
“I need to see what kind of reaction they have to your blood. If it doesn’t actually strengthen them, word that it failed will spread through the vampire population pretty fast.”