Page 8 (2/2)

Sergei chuckled, no hint of apology on his lean face "She es, but she still has soust, Marika turned away, a hand pressed to her aching forehead

"Perhaps later"

Sergei hurried to her side, his ar around her shoulders

"You must eat, Marika You are too important to allow yourself to become weakened" He made a shallow effort at concern "Do you prefer a fey? Or maybe you’re in the mood for a harpy? They always screaei" With a casual twist of her hand she had Sergei by the neck and was slaainst the wall "I’m not a child If you want to fuss over soei passively dangled froers wrapped around his throat He hadn’t survived several centuries as her favorite pet by being stupid

Waiting until she’d regained control of her swift, gypsy teei smoothed his black satin tie and su

"Please, tellyou"

With a hiss, she paced to the center of the floor, her hand again pressed to her temple

"It’s her She’s restless"

Sergei didn’t need any further explanation

There was only one her

His brows snapped together "Impossible"

She narrowed her dark eyes "Be careful how you speak to et I have need of you"

He raised his hands in a gesture of peace "I only meant that she is wrapped in layers of protective spells A nuclear explosion couldn’t disturb her"

"Maybe your spells are losing their …" She deliberately paused, her gaze lowering to his ie tucked into the Gucci slacks "Potency Do they have Viagra forold, after all"

His lips curled with a purewithin my head?"

His cockiness faded as Marika allowed her power to sear into his skin with a brief, icy warning It was ironic really Her gift had once been to heal others Since being turned, that saift allowed her to torture with exquisite precision

He nervously cleared his throat "What is she saying?"

Marika’s pleasure in causing another pain was forgotten as she clenched her hands She wasn’t sure when the provoking whispers had started At first they had been so faint that she’d dismissed them It wasn’t that unusual for her to sense Kata despite the numerous barriers that separated them

Their connection was too intimate to be cohts the distant buzz had become a desperate chant that refused to leave her in peace

"Laylah," she revealed "Over and over again"

"Laylah A name?"

"Hoould I know?" she snapped

"The two of you have always been close," Sergei atte for you?"

She sank onto the divan, the heavy gold bangles that encircled her wrists shiht

"The bitch is obviously trying to drive ei paced the roo"

Marika reached for the goblet of fresh blood that had been left on the lacquer table beside the divan She preferred her dinner straight from the source, but at the moment she was too distracted to rowled "In case you’ve forgotten the last few times we roused Kata she tried to curse me Why the hell would she try to warnto warn you on purpose," Sergei protested, gri at the reminder of Kata’s insane fury when they’d atte her enough that she’s h the spells I laid on her I doubt she’s even aware you’re picking up her thoughts"

"What the hell could be bothering her? She’s buried beneath six feet of earth, surrounded by rune stones and guarded by the Sylver to deliberately lick the thick sweetness froei’s twitch of unease He should be nervous, she thought with savage pleasure She was in the mood to hurt someone Of course, she was always in theyou need to tell me?" she continued in icy tones "You surely couldn’t be stupid enough to try and speak with Kata without led to s "I’ve learned my lesson"

"Are you certain?" she purred "I could give you a small reminder of what happens to those creatures who attempt to betray me"

The handsoh it had been nearly fifty years ago, ahours of the night, only to be healed the next ain Especially when the punishment lasted for several years

A cruel smile twisted her lips He should have known thethe location of her half-breed daughter he should have come to her No, he should have run like a bat out of hell to her to reveal what he’d discovered

Instead he’d turned traitor and nearly ruined everything

Stupid bastard

"I did it for us"

Her laugh sliced through the cellar "Oh Sergei, you’re a vain, grasping son of a bitch ould happily put his own ain the power you so desperately crave"