He gathered her in his arms, kissing her forehead. “Bad choice of words. You look edible, as always. Just a little on the peaked side.”
“I think it was just something I ate. My stomach’s a little sour, but I’m feeling better than I was. I’ll be fine.”
“Manny thinks he found Xavier and we need to strategize. Do you want to go lie down again and I can just update you later?”
“No. I’ll be fine. I want to come. But I think I’m out on chicken salad sandwiches for the near future. Just the thought of them makes me want to vomit.”
“Well, that’s easily solved, love. Don’t think about them.” He wrapped his arm around her waist, drawing her down tightly on his lap. “Let me hold you until everyone gathers.”
“Yes, I’d like that.”
Chapter 58
Xavier
The dreamwalker hadn’t returned for several nights. Too bad, that. He rather enjoyed taunting her last time and looked forward to doing it again. What really made him hard was the thought of taunting her in person. He could sense her goodness, and that needed to be stripped away. And he couldn’t wait to be the one to do it.
So, he’d decided to do something he’d never done in all of his years alive. Kate Martin was going to be his special pet, shackled and chained at his side at all times. Even when he fucked and fed. Hell, he might even make her partake.
She’d have her own nice cage in his quarters where he could keep an eye on her at all times. There was something special about this dreamwalker that he couldn’t quite put his finger on, and he couldn’t wait to find out what it was…and shred it from her until she was a shell of her former self. A mindless slut, doing whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted. The idea had merit. He should have taken a pet much, much earlier.
He looked forward to the day he had Ms. Katherine Martin in his possession. And that day should be this evening. His very powerful witch had done a locating spell, much to the detriment of her health, but no matter. He’d find another witch if she didn’t recover. She was going to die anyway, either by her hand or his. Too bad, really. He’d just acquired this particular witch only several short months ago after he’d killed his last one because she’d proven to be as useless as the warning on a pack of cigarettes. This particular one was supposed to excel at locating spells, and she’d tried to bullshit him that she couldn’t do a locating spell, saying the witch Devon was using to shroud himself was too powerful. He, of course, made her continually try.
And finally this evening…success! She’d found a hole in the shroud concealing Devon’s location. It appeared Devon’s witches’ power had faded somewhat…much to Devon’s misfortune.
Now not only would Katherine Martin be his, but he’d finally get his chance to destroy Devon Fallinsworth for good. The almighty, self-righteous and powerful lord. This was the opportunity he hadn’t gotten so very many centuries ago when he’d slaughtered the rest of Devon’s family.
1559
Devon was supposed to be here. Xavier yearned to cause him immense pain and agony and being unable to stop his family from being slaughtered while he was forced to watch would accomplish just that. Devon should feel the same pain Xavier felt at being betrayed. He had been hunted like an animal for the past month. Unable to return to the only place he’d called home. Abandoned by his real family, he had now been abandoned by his adopted family. And the blame lay squarely at Devon’s feet.
Xavier had only recently come into his unique powers, which was how he’d been able to kidnap multiple villagers at a time. He came across it quite by accident. His prey one evening wasn’t very amenable, the cock tease. She decided to run. He decided not to let her. Fuck, did he have fun that night. He’d vacillate between mobilizing and immobilizing her in various positions. It was electrifying.
So he decided to test his powers. See how many people he could immobilize at once. At first it was only a few, but as the months went by, his powers grew. The village where he abducted nineteen people was the most he’d been able to do so far. He was overjoyed! He couldn’t wait to share the information with his brother, but before he could, Devon started chattering about the kidnappings and how they needed to catch and destroy the rogue responsible. He wasn’t a motherfucking rogue! He was vampire! The strongest species that ever lived. Devon was so idealistic. Vampires could rule the world. They were not meant to live alongside undeserving humans, their food for fuck’s sake, like they were equals. They were not equal.