Immortal Debts

By David M. Bachman

"We're all going to the same place." Raina Fallamhain has already been through so much since her Change, only a few years since she became a vampire. And yet she must still endure so many more challenges, face so many new threats, and struggle with so much more loss. Living upon a razor's edge between surviving and succumbing to the strain of it all has been her norm for too long, and at last it may prove to be more than she can bear, both psychologically and physically. While still dealing with the aftermath of an unforeseen tragedy, the focus of an old grudge has boldly stepped to the forefront to threaten her and all she holds dear with pain, enslavement, and death. Sensing that things are reaching an apocalyptic zenith, Raina is desperate to set her life in order as best she can, atoning for past sins while doing her best to protect her vampiric family, before the time comes that she must face her final foe and perhaps draw her final breath. "Immortal Debts" is the exciting final chapter in the Raina series.

• Language: English
• Publisher: David M. Bachman
• Release date: Oct 30, 2015
• ISBN: 9781311844026

David M. Bachman

Born in the Midwest, and an avid writer since the age of 13, David M. Bachman's works of fiction span over 25 years. His first published work, "When Raindrops Come Crashing," marked the start of his foray into publishing in December 2000. Since then, he has written a number of other fiction novels and short stories, including the carefully-crafted "Raina Fallamhain" series that has involved well over a full decade of composition and over nine full-length novels. He currently resides in the East Valley area of Phoenix, AZ, where many of his recent stories are based.

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Immortal Debts

By David M. Bachman

Copyright 2015 David M. Bachman

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

Thank you for downloading this free ebook. Although this is a free book, it remains the copyrighted property of the author, and may not be reproduced, copied and distributed for commercial or non-commercial purposes. If you enjoyed this book, please encourage your friends to download their own copy at Smashwords.com, where they can also discover other works by this author. Thank you for your support.

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Chapter One

Mesa, Arizona

Waking up between two people in bed was a strange feeling with which Raina Fallamhain had quickly become comfortable. The first two or three times, it had felt shameful and embarrassing; now, it instead felt comforting and reassuring, even normal. Even their shared nudity was of no concern to her. The bedroom door was locked, and the heavy blinds were drawn over the darkly tinted windows. Nobody would see. And anyone who did see would not be surprised or offended by it. Well, except for perhaps Eve, who still didn't understand their relationship. Being honest with herself, even Raina didn't understand it. But she was done with questioning herself over it, too. She had just accepted it. And as far as she was concerned, that was all that really mattered.

Spooned up snugly against her backside was Raymond Fallamhain, better known as Ray, who was technically one of her servants. In turn, Raina was curled up against the backside of Katarina Fallamhain, or Kat, who was one of her other servants. She was still snoozing softly with Raina's arm wrapped around her. Ray's arm was draped across Raina's side, his hand resting upon the side of his wife, Kat. Sandwiched between the married couple, Raina didn't feel awkward or weird about this. She just felt warm. Very, very warm. Too warm, in fact, as she realized how much she'd begun to sweat in her sleep.

She opened her eyes and looked up to the ceiling. The fan was on, whirling lazily and quietly overhead. Alas, the thick comforter had been pulled over all three of them at some point. The only part of her that benefited from the airflow was her face, which was dotted with beads of perspiration. As a vampire, her body temperature already tended to run feverishly hot. Being wedged between two other vampires only added to this. And then having a thick comforter laid on top, and being on the top floor of a huge tri-level home in Arizona, where the temperatures still were in the seventies outside during the daytime … well, it was a bit much, even for her.

She felt Ray stirring behind her, felt him lean in close and kiss her shoulder. Sleep well, your grace?

Ugh. Please don't call me that, she groaned. I hate the royalty thing.

I know, he said.

She could sense his amusement without having to actually see his smile, knowing that he was just teasing her as usual. Emotional empathy, the ability to feel others' emotions within herself as if they were her own, was one of the more peculiar traits of the Fallamhain vampire race. Ray and Kat were Commoner vampires, not Fallamhain vamps, only sharing her last name by association rather than by blood. It was a hot, complicated mess.

Raina pushed the covers down a bit. Getting out from between two people in bed was one of the more awkward things about sharing a bed with more than one person. There was just no easy or graceful way to do it, especially when sheets and comforters were involved. Kat inhaled deeply and mumbled wordlessly in her sleep as soon as Raina moved the covers, latching onto them and pulling them right back up. Kat and Ray had both always been strangely comfortable with ridiculously high interior temperatures. Raina didn't like to keep the thermostat so low that the house felt like a refrigerator, but she also didn't like sweating in her sleep. Higher temperatures, for whatever reason, often contributed to her dreams becoming nightmares as she slept. Then again, even under perfectly ideal sleeping conditions, nightmares were the norm rather than the exception for her. At least this morning had been blessedly nightmare-free.

Looking back over her shoulder at him, she accepted a gentle, loving wake-up kiss. She gazed into his eyes for a few moments, stroking his face gently. His irises were mostly green, with flecks of blue and even a hint of hazel somewhere in there, though they were just narrow rings around the permanently dilated pupils that were a classic trait of most vampires. She often wondered how his eyes had looked when he had been a human, before his Change. Sure, she had seen pictures that he had shown her, but it just wasn't the same as seeing them for real, up close and in person. She also wondered about the rest of him, the physical traits he'd lost when he had become Kat's bloodspawn over a year ago. Kat had described some of those details to Raina, and they made her long for them in a strange way. But even so, she knew Ray as he was now, and she loved him just as he was … just as she also loved Kat, whom she had also tried to imagine as a human.

Not afraid of my morning breath? she asked with a smirk.

It's not morning, he replied, glancing over at the clock. It's after four in the afternoon.

That's not what I meant.

Ray smiled as he turned back to her, kissing her once more, a bit more deeply. I love you. All of you. Every detail.

Even my nasty wake-up breath? she asked with a grin, not caring if she flashed her fangs.

Especially that, he replied with a chuckle.

Kat and Ray were the only two people with whom she had ever formed a long-term relationship which had not begun with Raina becoming their Maker. That was to say, Kat and Ray had both already been vampires when she had met them. Her prior three relationships, all monogamous, had begun with humans that had soon become her bloodspawn. And it was for this reason, Raina believed, that Kat and Ray were all still alive, that they had not managed to get themselves killed on her behalf. Because, after all, anyone that received the curse of Raina's blood as well as her love had a tendency to wind up meeting an untimely end.

Of the only eight other Fallamhain vampires in the world besides herself, only five were still alive: Reuben, William, Fredrick, Terrance, and Miles. Or, as they were known informally: Ruby, Wild Bill, Freddy, Terry, and Sexy Black Giant, the last being Svetlana's pet name for Miles. Their survival was, by Raina's estimation, only due to the fact that she had neither been their lover nor their Maker. Everyone else before – Marco, Samantha, and Keith – had all met violent fates. Sam had killed Marco. Keith had killed Sam. And Keith, Raina's husband, had later killed himself. This bloody history was what had made up much of Raina's life in the four long, violent years since she'd had the Change forced upon her, been named as Duchess shortly before becoming Grand Duchess, abdicated her title, and then unwittingly become a Countess and then a Duchess again. Chaos and bloodshed seemed to find her more often than not, and it was those nearest and dearest to her that had a tendency to suffer the consequences.

But not these two. Not Kat and Ray. They were strong, smart, and capable. And they were not cursed with her blood. Technically, they were her servants, but practically, she saw them as equals. This was a problem for others, of course, being that she was a Duchess and a Fallamhain vampire, a hybrid of the High Court and Commoner races. But this was certainly no problem for her, at least not personally. She loved both Kat and Ray equally, although for very different reasons. Never mind the fact that Raina could not fully explain those reasons to herself, much less to Eve or anyone else. She knew that her feelings were true, and no one else could tell her otherwise.

It was nobody's business whom she loved or why, although the International Vampiric Council (IVC) seemed to think that it was their place to say otherwise. Exclusively comprised of vampires of the High Court race, the IVC looked down upon all other races – Commoners, Sabertooths, Nosferatu, and even humans. And while they approved of using members of lesser races for purposes of servitude and/or physical gratification, it was considered highly taboo to be bound to such individuals emotionally. As they saw it, to see such individuals as equals was to lower the status of the IVC as a whole, diminishing the power of the High Court. That sort of thing just did not bode well with the power-hungry elite.

As such, Raina had been keeping her relationship with them on the down-low, not out of shame but rather for the sake of keeping them safe. Technically, there were no vampiric laws against her being in love with Kat or Ray, or both. Interracial love was not forbidden by the Code, the ancient set of basic laws penned by Raina's predecessor and Maker-by-descent, Grand Duchess Duvessa Fallamhain. But just the same, the IVC had a far more complex and absurd set of standards than even the Code specified. Therein was the problem. Well, one of the bigger problems, anyhow.

True enough, the Grand Duke or Grand Duchess was who dictated law, as well as their interpretation of the Code, as far as how it applied to vampires worldwide. The current Grand Duke privately shared Raina's belief that all were equal, regardless of race. But the IVC Elders were somewhat of a power-check against the ruling individual, sort of a strange combination of Congress and the Supreme Court. They had all been around for quite a long time, some for over a century, and they were not exactly open-minded individuals, nor were they comfortable with changes. The Grand Duke could only do so much, and only at a certain rate, to steer their attitudes toward aligning with those of modern society. Thus, the IVC's traditions very nearly had the weight of actual law. The consequences of crossing the IVC were nearly as severe as those of the Code … usually involving bloodshed or death.

What's wrong? Ray asked her.

Raina blinked at him. What?

You got all serious-looking on me, he said, his hand gently caressing her flat, navel-less belly. Did you have another nightmare?

Not today, no, she said, shaking her head.

Then … what?

She shook her head, smiling as she gave him one more quick kiss before sitting up. I need out of bed. Kat's sort of got me trapped with the blankets here.

I like having you trapped here, Ray said, pulling himself closer to her. The firmness she felt pressing against her hip confirmed this. What's the matter? You don't like being in the middle?

I'm hot.

Indeed you are.

No, I mean literally, she said. I don't like being sweaty when I sleep. It gets the sheets all soaked.

They're washable, you know.

That's not the point. She rolled over and swung a leg over him. I need to get out of bed.

Ray put his hands around her waist, holding her against him so that she was straddling him. Are you sure you wouldn't rather stay here?

I would, but I've gotta pee.

You're coming back, though. Right?

Raina hesitated. I'd probably better get back to my room before Eve wakes up.

Ray frowned slightly as he sighed, You're not sheltering her from anything. She knows what's going on. It's not exactly a secret.

It's a secret to anyone outside of this house, Raina said. But yeah, she knows. And she's not okay with it. I don't want to make her uncomfortable by rubbing her nose in it. It's called being discrete and respectful. She tried to slide off of him, but he continued to hold her in place. Ray, please.

You don't have to be ashamed. And you don't have to treat her like a kid.

"She is a kid, Ray. She's barely sixteen."

She's old enough to understand, he said. And it's not like we're doing anything in front of her. We are being discrete, as you said.

Still, I just … I don't want her to think I'm weird or anything.

Raina. He shook his head, rolling his eyes as he finally let go of her. Whatever.

She slid off of him, sitting up on the edge of the bed as she looked back at him. I'm not ashamed. I'm just … not comfortable with exposing her to this. And when she asks questions, I never know how to answer them without sounding like I'm either insane or I'm just full of crap. She looked aside. It makes me start second-guessing what we're doing. And that's not how I want this to be. When I second-guess relationships, then I start looking for ways to sabotage them so I have an excuse to get out of them.

Do you want out of this? Ray asked, gesturing lightly toward himself and Kat.

Not at all.

Then relax. Stop over-thinking it so much. Just enjoy it. Live in the moment. He scooted over towards his wife, patting the space on the bed where he had previously laid. If you're too hot, then take the outside spot when you come back.

Kat rolled over with a soft groan, snuggling herself up against Ray's side and draping an arm over his chest. She slowly blinked her eyes open and lifted her head slightly, looking up at Raina. She smiled as she squinted up at her.

Hey, she said.

Hey, yourself, Raina said. She turned, leaned over Ray, and gave her a quick kiss on the lips. Sorry if I woke you up.

Everything okay?

Raina nodded as she got up, smoothing back her long, dark brown hair as she stood beside the bed. Just need a bathroom break.

You're going back to Eve again, Kat said. She shook her head lightly. Why do you always do that?

I'm just going to go check on her.

She's fine. She's safe, Kat assured her. You worry too much.

She has nightmares sometimes.

We all have nightmares, Ray said.

Yeah, but she's still new to this. She still needs someone to be there for her, Raina insisted. If she wakes up from a really bad one and I'm not there, she might flip out.

Kat shook her head. You treat her too much like a baby.

I treat her like a little sister, Raina said, because that's what she is to me.

I think you're taking this sister thing just a little bit too literally, Ray suggested. You're trying to shelter her from too much. From nightmares, from our relationship, from the media, from everyone else in the bloodline…

I have my reasons, okay?

Raina turned and began to step over toward the bathroom door when Kat's soft voice stopped her: You need to let her grow up.

I will, Raina said, glancing back at them both. When she's ready, I will. But I'm not going to rush her into it. She's already been rushed into everything else.

Like how you were? Ray asked pointedly. Raina just stared at him. She's not you, Raina. You might look a lot alike, but you've got totally different histories. You can't undo your past by changing her future. You need to remember that.

Raina narrowed her eyes at him as she stooped briefly to pick up her clothes from the floor, her movements quick and angry now. As if I could ever forget.

She stepped into the bathroom and fought the urge to slam the door behind her. She realized that she was probably being irrational about this. She resented her own frustration with Ray and Kat, who probably resented the way that she had been acting. She couldn't help it. Eve was precious to her. She knew that she was overcompensating for her own messed-up history, trying too hard to make sure that Eve's life went as smoothly and as perfectly as possible. It was too late to give Eve a perfect life. She had already been through so much, already experienced so much disappointment, even a bit of trauma. And she was already a vampire. But Raina still felt a duty to protect her from any and all potential threats … both real and imagined.

Raina relieved herself in the bathroom and slipped on her thong and black silk camisole before moving to the sink to brush out her hair in front of the mirror. She wasn't mad at either Ray or Kat. She couldn't be. In fact, they had more reason to be annoyed with her than she had to be upset with them. After all, they had been very patient and understanding in tolerating Raina's over-protectiveness of Eve, her adopted little sister. This had been going on for months, ever since Raina had taken the girl under her leathery little wing in lieu of her having any other sort of family.

Eve, formerly Yvette Inez, had been abducted by thugs hired by a sick and selfish scientist obsessed with researching vampirism. That madman had also been responsible for the abduction of many others, including Raina, for the sake of conducting experiments that he had hoped to exploit as a sort of Fountain of Youth, as well as a universal cure-all for nearly every disease and ailment known to mankind … except for the disease of vampirism itself, of course. Being that Raina was the first of a hybrid race, again a cross between the High Court and Commoner races, he had sought to use her blood by mixing it with that of another to create a hybrid of a hybrid, a forced evolution of sorts, with poor Yvette as his involuntary test subject. As a result, Yvette had become something altogether different, appearing outwardly to be somewhere between a human and a Commoner, with the addition of some Fallamhain traits. Knowing that others would seek to exploit the girl if they knew the truth about her condition, and because Yvette's own mother had disowned her after learning that she was now a vampire, Raina had made it her personal mission to keep the girl safe at all costs.

She had fabricated a basic cover story for Eve and legally changed the girl's name to Eve Fallamhain. She had done everything possible to minimize Eve's exposure to the media and other vampires, or anyone else who might look at her a bit too closely and begin to ask questions that could not easily be answered. Because it was Raina's blood that flowed through her veins (in addition to the blood of another), it was also imperative that they keep Eve's actual age a secret. If the authorities suspected that Raina had forced the Change upon a minor, she could have potentially been declared rogue by human authorities, a sure death sentence.

Thus far, Kat and Ray were the only others privy to Eve's true identity, being that they had been the ones to rescue Raina and the girl from the small private prison that they had been held in for those experiments. Raina worried that Simon, her dear friend and former servant, may have suspected or even known about Eve's identity as Yvette Inez. After all, Raina had entrusted him with the doctor's laptop, which contained all of the madman's research notes, photos, videos, and other digital evidence regarding the project that had resulted in her Change. But even if he did know, Simon was the one person whom Raina trusted to keep such secrets, for he had already been safeguarding a treasure trove of blackmail material against the IVC for a few years now.

As such, her worry was not so much about what Simon might do to reveal Eve's identity as much as it was that someone might threaten Simon to gain access to that knowledge. When Raina had released Simon and Jasmine, another longtime friend, from her bloodline so that the Grand Duke could claim them, she had expected to feel relieved, believing that they were safer overseas and as far away from her as possible. Instead, she worried far too much about them, and for a number of reasons, not the least of which was the possibility that Simon might be taken and exploited for the secrets that he safeguarded. She rarely heard from the loving couple, and the times between contacts had been growing longer and longer. They were half a world away from her, and she could do nothing to protect them or help them in any way. If anything happened to them, she would never forgive herself for putting them in such a vulnerable position, even though they supposedly were happier there.

Raina realized that she had been standing in the bathroom and staring at her own reflection for at least a couple of minutes at that point. She tied her dark brown, waist-length hair back into a ponytail again, turned on the tap, and splashed a bit of cold water upon her face to wake herself up.

She wasn't losing bits of time again. She was nowhere near the edge of bloodlust, having sated her urges quite thoroughly that morning. She was simply tired. Insomnia had always been a problem for her, even before her Change. Vampires were supposed to sleep at least ten hours per day. More often than not, Raina only averaged about six or seven, which seemed inadequate even for many humans. She made up for the difference with copious amounts of potent coffee, and occasionally a catnap if she was truly exhausted. Even so, she found herself spacing out and daydreaming far too often. It was in her nature to worry, to fret, to obsess, and to dwell. That was why she daydreamed. It was also half of the source of her insomnia, for it often seemed that her conscious mind just refused to switch off. Nightmares were the other reason why she often struggled to sleep well. That was more of a biological problem than a psychological one. Or at least that was what she had been telling herself, ever since her Change.

Raina quietly stepped out of the bathroom and paused to look at the married couple in the bed from which she had arisen. Kat had snuggled herself up against Ray in her favorite position, laying upon her side with a knee upon his thigh, her arm draped over his chest, and her cheek resting upon his shoulder. Standing still and listening closely with her tall, pointy, elf-like ears – another obvious visual trait of the Fallamhain and High Court vampire races – she could hear the steady, even rhythm of Kat's breathing as she had gone back to sleep. Ray was not asleep yet, but probably would be soon. He had already been awake when Raina's eyes had first opened. He'd likely awoken from a nightmare, though he seemed ashamed to ever admit it when he did. Instead, he claimed that he simply liked to watch her or Kat sleep – sweet, but a bit of a lie.

They both had nightmares from time to time – maybe once a week, if that – but never with the frequency and intensity that Raina did. It seemed to be every other day that she awoke abruptly, either gasping with panic, crying out in distress, or sobbing miserably. Most of the time, Kat and Ray slept right through it in total obliviousness, for all vampires tended to be very heavy sleepers. And so Raina usually just slipped out of bed discretely, brewed some coffee, and found ways to busy herself through the day (or night, depending upon her schedule). She had only slept for about six hours that day. She was tired, but there was no sense in trying to crawl back into bed. Her mind was running again. There was no way she could find her way back to sleep, not now, not until she was completely exhausted again.

Again, it had not been a nightmare to wake her prematurely that evening. She couldn't quite figure what it had been, really, aside from the uncomfortable temperature. She didn't sense any sort of emotional distress. She hadn't heard or seen anything unusual. Physically, she felt perfectly fine. And nothing was really weighing upon her mind, at least nothing very specific, just the usual underlying stress that she had accepted as the norm in her life, like white noise in the background of her thoughts. Still, she was awake, and so it was up to her to keep herself occupied throughout the rest of the evening until the sun fell and the others arose. And, as usual, checking on Eve was at the top of her to-do list.

Raina quietly slipped out of the bedroom, opening and closing the door with practiced silence. Glancing down the hallway, she could see that the door to Countess Seiko's room was closed, as it usually was, while the door to Sara and Faith's room was open, again as usual. Walking down the hallway, past the closed door of the master bedroom where Eve was likely still asleep, Raina peeked into the guest bedroom and saw that Sara was fast asleep in one twin-sized bed, snoring away soundly, but Faith was not in the other bed, nor was she anywhere in sight. She was probably up and about, having quietly volunteered to take the day shift.

It had been a policy for years that someone, at least one individual, should always awake in the house at all times, day or night, just in case of emergencies. Things happened. Unannounced visitors and urgent calls were sometimes a concern. And, of course, there were the usual worries about paparazzi committing acts of criminal trespass in pursuit of embarrassing photos, video footage, or even audio recordings. Simon had equipped the Fallamhain Estate with an extensive network of video cameras and alarms, but it never seemed to be enough. People still called. People still rang the buzzer at the gate. And people still occasionally hopped the perimeter fence.

As of yet, nobody had attempted a violent assault upon the house itself. There had, however, once been a deadly shootout at the end of the driveway involving almost her entire bloodline against a group of homicidal Christian fundamentalists that had ambushed them as they had tried to depart one night. The group responsible for that attack, the Christian Resistance of Sanguine Sin (CROSS), had since disbanded, following the death of its leader and the arrest of many of its senior members. Still, there was never a shortage of death threats, both direct and overt, from various hate groups, mentally ill fans, enemies in the IVC, and random crazy people in general. If just one person with a big container of flammable liquid and some matches hopped the fence and set the place alight, and nobody was awake to notice this and alert everyone else, then Raina and most of her bloodline could literally go up in smoke, dreaming their way right into death.

Raina reached in and pulled the door shut, giving Sara a bit more privacy. She had just turned to walk down the hall again when she jumped back with a sharp gasp, finding herself almost face-to-face with Faith.

Boo, Faith said softly with a fang-baring grin. You're up early. Nightmares again?

Raina laid a hand over her heart. No, but you scared the hell out of me, just the same.

Faith was an unapologetic Commoner vampire, more than happy to visually play up to all of the gothic fashion stereotypes. She was Raina's height and similarly slender, with shoulder-length light brown hair dyed jet-black, cut in a style somewhere between ancient Egyptian and rockabilly hot rod girl, and tied back in a high ponytail with a few loose, straight strands hanging down artfully on the sides. She had two streaks of color in her hair that she varied from one color to the next, depending upon her mood that week, and it always matched the color of her nail polish. This week, she was apparently on a florescent green kick. When she was fully done up in expectation of going anywhere outside the house, she always went heavy and dark with the eyeliner, eye shadow, and lipstick, and she preferred dresses or skirts with corsets; whenever she was in lazy mode around the house, she went bare-faced and opted for shorts and light shirts year-round. The difference between her two looks was astonishing, almost looking like two completely different people altogether. But in either case, she was undeniably beautiful.

What made Faith so unappealing to others, even ugly, was her blunt personality. More often than not, she tended to be very plain-spoken, even rude. Whatever she felt, she said, and she did so without the slightest hint of remorse. It wasn't that she didn't understand how others received her words, as was the case with Kat; rather, it was just that Faith simply didn't care most of the time what anyone thought about her.

It was more of a defensive mechanism than anything else. Faith was, at her core, a very sensitive and kind individual. In fact, in spite of her outgoing and oftentimes abrasive personality, she was actually quite submissive. She only seemed to share this side of herself with those with whom she truly felt comfortable … or those that maliciously took advantage of her. As an admitted masochist, she was dangerously attracted to people or situations where she potentially could be abused in ways that went beyond bondage, discipline, and other kinky fetish games.

It was for that reason that Raina had always kept her at arms' length, insisting that they only be casual friends. Faith was neither homosexual nor bisexual, supposedly just curious, but her interest in Raina was beyond physical. Because Raina had historically been a magnet for violence, and because she had fiercely defended herself and others in very brutal ways, Faith saw her as being extremely dangerous and, thus, incredibly appealing. Her dark motivations had always been a deal-breaker. Raina already saw herself as a monster of sorts for the terrible things that she had done over the years. For Faith to realize that, and to find that trait to be arousing, was just too disturbing for Raina to accept.

Faith stood with her hands upon her hips, smirking as she eyed Raina from head to toe approvingly. Is that your outfit for the day? Because it works.

No, no. I, ah … I was just heading back to my room, she said, feeling her cheeks grow warm. She didn't feel indecently exposed, but the way that Faith was looking at her, and the things she sensed from her, made her feel quite bare.

You mean, you're going back to Eve's room. Faith shook her head. You spend more time sleeping with the lovebirds than you do with your so-called sister. She pretty much has that room all to herself.

Raina frowned. And what's wrong with that?

Nothing, Faith said with a shrug, aside from the fact that you're being a little weird about this thing with you and them. You're acting like it's a secret, even though everyone knows what you're up to … including Eve. She's not a child, y'know.

I just went through this with Ray and Kat a minute ago. I'm really not in the mood to have the same conversation again, Raina sighed, folding her arms and cocking her hips.

Faith chuckled. Assuming a defensive stance, I see. Guess I hit a nerve.

Maybe.

Why are you so damned touchy about her?

Raina hesitated. It's hard to explain. I'd rather not go into detail.

That top secret mission you went on up in the mountains? Faith teased her, shaking her head. Are you ever going to tell me what the hell that was all about?

Eventually, she replied. Just not right now.

Top secret? Classified info? You could tell me, but then you'd have to kill me?

More like, need-to-know. Faith's smile instantly dropped into a frown at that. Raina reached out to lay a hand upon her shoulder gently, saying, I'm sorry. Just take my word for it when I say you're better off not knowing.

Yeah, whatever, she responded, rolling her eyes. So, are you up for the night already? Or going back to bed?

I guess I'm up.

Cool. There was a pause as Faith's smile returned, clearly a mischievous one. You're not gonna put on more clothes, are you?

Probably.

Damn. Because you really look good in this. She reached out and hooked a finger underneath one spaghetti strap of Raina's camisole, slowly moving it off her shoulder. It would look even better on the floor.

You've already seen me naked once before.

Only once. And in a different context. She gently ran her finger up and down Raina's shoulder. Naked or not, it doesn't matter. You're beautiful either way.

Raina shook her head, laughing softly as she brushed away her hand and pulled the strap back up. And here we go again with the flirting.

And there you go again with the denial, Faith retorted, stepping closer. Seriously, when are we going to stop playing games and just finish what we started?

I thought you liked games?

I do, she said, standing almost nose-to-nose with Raina now, just so long as I have a willing partner to play with me. So, how about it? Wanna play?

Raina shook her head, saying, We've already been through this, Faith. It's not happening. I'm sorry, I just can't.

Can't? Or won't?

She hesitated. Won't.

Why not? It's not like the attraction isn't mutual. Can't we just stop pretending? Faith asked. She rested her forehead gently against Raina's, closing her eyes and sighing. "You know I'd do anything for you, Raina. Anything. And I'd let you do anything you want to me. Good or bad. Especially the bad."

I know, she said, and that's why I can't do it.

Are you afraid of hurting me?

Raina hesitated again. A little.

Don't be. You shouldn't be afraid to give me something I want. And I know you want it, too. I know you want to taste my blood. And maybe a few other things. She rested her hands upon Raina's hips. Are you afraid of losing control?

Maybe.

Even though I want you to?

Especially because you want me to.

I trust you, Raina. I know you'd never take it too far. Faith nuzzled her face against Raina's, cat-like. And even if you did…

She pulled back from Faith, gently holding her away with a hand upon her shoulder as she took a step back. Stop. Just stop. Please. I already said no.

Faith frowned, tilting her head slightly. So, we're just going to keep playing the 'just friends' game? Is that it? We're going to keep letting the sexual tension build between us until we both go nuts?

It's not about sex, Faith. Not with you, it isn't. That's why it freaks me out, Raina said. She looked aside. Which is weird, really, because then it would be simpler if it was just about sex.

Why won't you at least mark me?

I've already marked you before. I did when I claimed you.

Yeah, but that was just a formality. And just tiny little marks. I want you to do it for real. She closed her eyes, wrapping her arms around herself. I want to really feel your teeth in me. I want to feel your fangs pushing into me. Penetrating me. I want to feel you suck on the wound, taking my blood into you. She shuddered visibly and audibly. When her eyes opened again, they were heavy with passion. Why won't you at least give me that?

Because you and I both know that it won't stop there. You know how blood affects me.

I know how it affects everyone. I mean, everyone with fangs, at least.

Well, it affects me a little more strongly than it does others, apparently, Raina said, and I don't like getting blood-drunk and doing things that I'll wind up regretting later.

She shrugged. Would it really be so terrible if we hooked up? Look, if it's just because I'm inexperienced…

No, Faith. End of discussion, Raina said softly but firmly, holding up her hands. She folded her arms again, shaking her head. I thought we had an understanding. Why are you being so pushy about this all of a sudden? You haven't been like this since Halloween. What brought this on?

Faith grinned. Would it be lame if I said Christmas?

Very lame.

Okay, she said, how about Hanukkah?

You're not Jewish.

Kwanzaa?

Raina narrowed her eyes at her. C'mon.

She rolled her eyes and let out a heavy sigh. At last, she admitted, Fine. It's because I heard you this morning. With Kat and Ray, I mean. It was pretty hardcore. Y'know, X-rated dialogue and juicy sound effects and everything. She shrugged. Guess I'm a little bit envious.

Raina instantly felt herself blushing. I'm sorry. I didn't think we were being that loud.

I've heard you be louder. But I don't think I've heard you sound that passionate. She shrugged again, and now she was the one that was blushing. I've, ah … kinda been a regular audience.

Ah, jeez, Raina groaned, putting a hand to her forehead.

Oh, relax. Don't be so embarrassed. I hear everyone up here when they're rocking out. The walls are insulated pretty well, but the doors are kinda thin. Sound carries out into the hallway. I just happened to hear you when I was coming up the stairs, and so I just … y'know … stood there and enjoyed the performance. It's not like I was really trying hard to eavesdrop or anything. She smirked. But Eve, on the other hand…

Raina felt her eyes go wide and her face turn slack with shock as she let her hand flop to her side. What? What about her?

I've caught Eve with her ear to the door at least a couple of times. And she was doing a hell of a lot more than just listening. Faith grinned. Your little sister's kind of a freak. Just like the rest of us.

* * *

Chapter Two

London, England

Please don't pout, love. There are cameras watching us right now. Think of the pictures they'll publish.

He caressed Rachel's face softly with the back of his knuckles as she glanced aside to the usual throng of reporters and fans. Still pouting, her lower lip jutting out cutely, she closed her eyes and gently grasped his wrist to hold it still while she softly kissed his hand.

But I don't want you to leave, she said – whined, actually. "I want you to stay here with me. Here, in this land, our land, where you belong. You're wasting your time by going on all of these silly trips."

Connor shook his head and smiled. Must I always remind you? I am the Grand Duke, dear. I have certain obligations, certain duties that I must fulfill. Things are expected of me. I have appearances to make, disputes to mediate, decrees to issue. We've been over this so many times before.

But I don't care about any of that, she insisted. I just want to be with you, my love. I want us to be together, always and forever.

He chuckled softly, taking his hand away and kissing her temple. We are, and we always shall be, love. Nothing will ever change that.

Then why must you leave me here? Why are you bringing her, instead? Rachel demanded, scowling jealously as she stabbed a finger in the direction of Struana, his other consort of equally exquisite beauty. Struana's face pinched slightly with disapproval at Rachel's tone, but she said nothing.

I have already explained this to you, Rachel. Twice over, in fact, he said. I need you to stay here and handle the situation with the House of Prochazka. That was your doing, and it is your responsibility to answer for it. She will be arriving later this evening. And even though she is perturbed, I am counting upon you to be on your best behavior. I expect you to handle the matter with diplomacy and respect. I do not want to hear that your blade ever cleared its sheath.

You're leaving me to deal with that wicked witch while you fly away with your old flame to holiday in the States. Rachel moved closer, putting her arms about Connor's waist as she asked, Have I not yet earned back my place at your side? Will my punishment never end?

It will, when you have convinced me that you have learned to respect me and to respect others. You should use this as an opportunity to demonstrate that, he informed her calmly. He reached down to try to pry her hands away. Please, dear. We need to go. The pilot is waiting for us to board, and he has a schedule to keep. As do you.

Rachel gazed at him with her beautiful blue-green eyes, shaking her head slightly. The chilling winter wind buffeted them, whipping her medium brunette hair about, filling it with half-melted snowflakes that glistened like diamonds, and ruining what had once been a very carefully arranged hairstyle. He could feel her trembling slightly from the cold of the windy, snowy December night. She had worn her long natural mink coat, but she had dressed rather scantily underneath it, as always favoring fashion over practicality. Her very short, form-fitting designer cocktail dress with its deep scoop-necked top had been selected, he was sure, to try to persuade him to stay, or at least to let her come along. She had wanted him to know what he was leaving behind, as if she figured he would never come back to her.

As much as he dearly loved her, Rachel's insecurity and immaturity were very trying. Connor now had only one other consort at that time, Struana, and he had figured that Seiko's departure to the House of Fallamhain would have made Rachel less prone to such absurd exhibitions of jealousy and resentment. Instead, she seemed to have only gotten worse over the past few months. Since he had confronted her for her indiscretions with the two Commoners, Sara and Faith, she had begun to act very badly in general. He had punished her for that, trying to teach her humility and respect. Then the reports, allegations, and even the lawsuits had begun to pour in – the very reason he was flying to New York City at that time, in fact. He had punished her again, and then yet again. And then this terrible thing had happened with the House of Prochazka. Every time, instead of correcting her behavior, he seemed to have only made it worse. It was sad that she had once been his dearest lover, but she now seemed to have become a most spoiled-rotten child of sorts.

Rachel had been victimizing so many people in so many cities, practically every place that she had visited. She had an appetite for sadism and blood that was truly disturbing, something that she had somehow managed to keep hidden from him for far too long. Her status as the Grand Duke's consort had given her too many opportunities to indulge in such things. He had always known her to be very short-tempered, prone to jealousy, and very accustomed to having her way in all matters. Born into and raised by wealth, she had never wanted for anything, and she had clearly never been told no often enough by her parents. Her sense of entitlement was undeserved, her opinion of herself was unrealistically high, and her treatment of others, especially those of lesser vampiric races, was truly despicable at times. How had he ever fallen in love with this woman? How on earth had she ever persuaded him to grant her the Communion of Blood, binding her to himself for all of eternity?

I will let you have me any way you want, my love, she told him. I will do the things for you that Struana has never done, the things she feels she is above doing. I will let you have your way with me, as long as you like, and in any way you like, for as many nights as you wish. I will gladly lower myself to being the most shameless, most depraved harlot you could ever dream of having, darling. If only you would just stay here. If only you would have me by your side again. Am I really asking for so much?

And there it was. This was exactly how she had won him over in the first place. He was loathe to admit it, but Connor was truly a helpless sap when it came to resisting the advances of a gorgeous woman. It wasn't that he could not say no, but rather that he could not say no firmly enough to convince someone as adamant and as determined as Rachel. When she wanted something, when she wanted someone, she would have it, and she would accept nothing less than absolute satisfaction. And indeed, she was not a tease. She did not promise things that she did not deliver. Fully and truly, Rachel was beyond amazing in the bedroom, so skilled, so passionate, so creative, and so enthusiastic that, more than a few times, he had actually been forced to beg her to stop. She had quite literally loved him raw on more occasions than he could remember, and even then, she had left him wanting for more and more. Truly, she was a sexual goddess.

I would bring you with me if I could, he said, but again, it is not possible tonight. You have things to do, as do I. We must part ways dear, but only for a brief while. I will be missing you every minute while we are apart.

No, you won't, she said bitterly. She squinted as she turned to look in Struana's direction, and not at all because the snow was getting in her eyes. You just want to be away with her again. You're back to loving her again. You're on your second honeymoon.

I never stopped loving Struana, dear. I have always loved her, and I always shall.

Then when did you stop loving me? She turned to look at him again, frowning sharply. Was it that night in Arizona? The night that ugly little half-breed and that bubble-headed twit of an Elder used a couple of pathetic Commoners to humiliate me?

You only humiliated yourself by doing the terrible things that you did to those poor women, he reminded her flatly. "You have no