Finally, I drag myself upright and look for them. In the middle of the next room my attacker sits, bound and whimpering. Sebastian and Aidan stand over him – he’s got a black eye and a swollen lip. His eyes are wide and frantic. Julian’s asking questions.

  “Are you ready to tell us what they plan to do with Lily?” Julian says, his voice is cold – I have never seen this side of him.

  “They didn’t tell me, I swear. They just wanted me to bring her to them. They said if I cut her up some that it was even better. They gave me this special knife. I could smell the magick on it. Then they put some spells on me to make me stronger, faster when I ambushed her. Just in case, they said. They wanted her alive, but she could suffer as much as I wanted her to.”

  “Festering puss of a diseased camel,” Aidan spits at him.

  Sebastian back hands my attacker. The man’s head snaps back and his fangs slip out. He isn’t in good enough shape to take Sebastian on.

  “Why are you doing this?” I ask.

  This startles all of them. The boys look a bit guilty.

  “We are trying to find out some information from your attacker,” Julian says, straightening his shirt.

  Helena comes up behind me and puts her hand on my back.

  “Hit him once for me,” she says.

  “Helena!” I can’t believe what’s coming out of her mouth.

  “This man would have hurt you, Lily, and he was going to turn you over for torture to Iris and Indio. They would have killed you.”

  “Where are you from?” Julian asks intent on information.

  “I’m rogue. I hire myself as a mercenary. I owed Alexander a favor and he sent me to the witches when they asked for a vampire to do a job for them.”

  A fleeting look of surprise washes across Sebastian’s face. Alexander was involved with this mess. The rogue’s head drops with weariness. I think he knew his fate was sealed. Aidan’s eyes were glowing, filled with hate. This is why he hunted vampires. I couldn’t blame him when presented with this man as an example of our kind.

  Sebastian lunges at the man, growling with his fangs bared. He is going to kill him but Aidan stops him. Julian moves with lightning speed to grab Sebastian’s other arm.

  “What do we do with him now?” I ask tentatively.

  “I will dispose of him,” Aidan says through clenched teeth.

  “You will not kill him, Aidan,” I say.

  He looks at me like I have lost my mind.

  “Dump him somewhere remote but let him survive. Don’t kill him. He wasn’t going to kill me.”

  “As you wish, love,” he says darkly.

  Sebastian is fit to be tied and leaves the room to calm down.

  Aidan doesn’t look happy. I know that djinn spend their long existence looking for loopholes in human master’s commands. I wonder what he will really do.

  Aidan grabs the sorry looking vamp by the hair and pops out. He is gone for a moment and then pops back into the library.

  “I left him on an island in the middle of the ocean. There was plenty of wildlife, so he can feed, but it won’t be pleasant,” he growls.

  “He might well wish he had died,” Julian comments.

  “How are you feeling, ma petite?” Sebastian says studying my arms. He is in control again. Fangs tucked away.

  “Like I will heal eventually. The coffee is warm, feels good,” I say bravely. Hey, I have the hurt. I might as well get some mileage from it.

  I can’t shake the thought of that man all alone in the middle of the ocean. All alone with wild animals as his only food source. I shouldn’t pity him, but I do. The real culprits are still sitting at home wondering why I haven’t shown up yet. I hope they paid in advance.

  I sit down on the couch flanked by Sebastian and Aidan. Aidan summons some pillows and then arranges them to support my arm. Then he reheats my coffee.

  “Thanks, Aidan,” I say.

  Sebastian squeezes my hand. They have called a truce, at least for now. Nice! I have to admit it’s handy to have a jinni when it comes to punishing bad guys. They can be very creative. Aidan summons my clothes and shoes from my condo because everyone informs me I’m under house arrest until I heal. I reluctantly agree. All their fussing makes me anxious. I want to be by myself so I head up to my room with my new iPad.

  I download a book and am a few chapters into it when there is a light knock on my door.

  “Come in.”

  “It’s me, Lilith. I’m going to go home for the evening. I need to replenish and you need to rest,” Aidan says.

  “Today has been a bit overwhelming,” I admit. “I need to detox, so to speak.”

  “I listen to jazz. It’s my salvation.”

  “I remember when jazz first came out. I used to love going out and listening to it, dancing all night,” I say.

  “I remember as well. Perhaps sometime we can go out and listen to some jazz. I would like to share that with you.”

  “I would like that too, Aidan.”

  His eyes promise to hold me to it. He kisses me chastely on the lips.

  “I know I’m cheating.” He smiles wickedly. I grin back.

  “I won’t tell, if you don’t,” I say.

  “Deal.”

  He’s gone before I can say another word. It is still hard to get used to his magick. I get a shiver every time he pops in and out of the room. I go back to my book and read a few more chapters before Sebastian comes in.

  “Could I lay with you a while?” he asks reasonably. His body language tells me he is ready to back down if I want it.

  “I think that would be okay.”

  I am still remembering last night and how much I had wanted him. I suspect he remembers it too from the look on his face. My slut side is out of commission thanks to my arm. No romance in my immediate future. Sebastian is still in jeans and a polo shirt and I am still in my dress, Aidan removed the blood - instant, non-chemical dry cleaning. Sebastian kicks his shoes off and crawls onto the bed next to me. I throw the chenille blanket over both of us and snuggle into him.

  “What book are you reading?” he asks looking over my head.

  “A book on rape crisis intervention, we get a lot of calls at work. I try to stay current.”

  “Not exactly bed time reading,” he notes.

  “No it isn’t,” I say.

  “You know if you feed off me you will heal faster,” Sebastian says.

  “I’ve never done that with a vampire before, Bast.”

  “I think it would be a good idea in this case. I hate seeing you hurt.” His eyes tell me that he wants this not for the sensual pleasure it will give him but because he really does want to help me. That’s enough to convince me.

  I move closer to him, nuzzling his neck to find a pulse point. Sebastian gasps. Clearly this will be enjoyable for him regardless of his intentions. I wrap my arms around him and press my body tight against his, then I gently bite into his neck. The taste of his body is like nothing I have ever encountered. The salty, sweet zing floats through me and I can feel myself responding to it. Sebastian groans and rubs his body against mine and I reciprocate. His blood moves through my veins setting my nerves on fire. Every inch of me now demands him. I slowly pull away, not wanting to take too much and Bast cries out.

  Sebastian quickly captures my mouth with his and kisses me deeply. Our tongues slide against each other and I know he can taste his blood on my lips. He moans as his tongue runs across my fangs. He pulls back and his fangs come out and before I can think about it he bites my shoulder gently. The air goes out of the room and light explodes in front of my eyes. Sebastian slips his arms around me and pulls me on top of him. I feel so connected to him while he is biting me. I feel his unconditional love, his fierce desire to protect me, his need for me. He pulls out his fangs and I gasp. The world seems less colorful. I hold onto Sebastian tightly.

  “Lily, my love, I love you.”

  “Oh my God, Sebastian. What happened to us?”

  “Something that has never happened to me before, ma Cherie.”

  “I felt you, inside of me. I…”

  “I know dearest, I felt it too,” Bast says. He nuzzles the bite mark sending shockwaves through me. “I’ve never felt anything like it, Lily. You and I were made for each other.”

  I pull a handi-wipe out from my bedside drawer and wipe the blood from his chin. Sebastian just sighs.

  “Hold me, Sebastian, while I sleep?”

  “Always, ma Cherie.”

  I slide into slumber in his arms. I wake up to a note lying on the pillow next to me.

  Dearest Love,

  Thank you for the best night of my life. I wanted to be here when you woke to make the morning even better, but something came up and I felt you would understand my absence. Iris said she must meet with Julian immediately over the texts. They would be attempting another summoning and she needed his help. I felt obliged to go with Julian.

  This might be the way to end our involvement with the girls. We had no way to contact Aidan so it is just us. Please do not worry. We will be back before you have time to get dressed. I love you, Cherie.

  Yours always and forever,

  Sebastian

  I can’t believe they were so stupid! Of course this is not a good idea. Male egos! Thinking they could handle it themselves. I get dressed in the first things I find and rush downstairs. Helena paces in the library. Andrew follows behind her in a frenzy trying to calm her down.

  “How long have they been gone?” I ask. “How long Helena?”

  “Four hours. They only expected to be gone two at the most. Sebastian only wrote the note as an afterthought. He expected to be back to explain in person.”

  “Fuck!” My fangs slide out.

  “Miss Lily, please we have to do something,” Andrew says.

  “Let me think! Aidan should be here soon.”

  “Did someone say my name?”

  Right on cue, Aidan pops in.

  “Aidan, we have a crisis on our hands,” I say turning to his warmth and the promise of all his vital powers.

  He notices my fangs and immediately loses his grin.

  “What’s going on?”

  “Julian and Sebastian have gone to meet Iris and Indio to go over the texts. Iris said it had to be this morning. Sebastian went along, they couldn’t wait for you. They should have been back two hours ago,” I say – my voice shaking.

  “Let me go and see what’s happened. Don’t worry, love. I will be right back.”

  He gives me a kiss goodbye, fangs and all.

  Helena and I can’t relax until Aidan brings them back. Andrew serves us some coffee and we wait and wait and still no Aidan. It isn’t like him to keep us waiting.

  “Something’s wrong,” I say. “Aidan wouldn’t take this long.”

  “I know. What should we do?” Helena wonders, an edge of steel in her tone.

  She’s changed into jeans and a tee shirt.

  “I want to go over there and kick some witch ass, but I need you to help me. They are going to use magick and we’ll only have you to battle them. I’ll fight my damnedest, I’ve got a few moves, but I can’t throw hexes.”

  “I can do that. Or die trying. I swore I would kill them if they hurt anyone of you and now they have my Jules. They thought Good Queen Bess was a bitch when she was angry, they haven’t met me.”

  30 . AIDAN

  Sebastian and Julian are in a hitch, to put it mildly. Julian sits inside the witches’ small, decrepit kitchen. His hands keep running across his shaven head while Indio stands over him with a cruel smile on her face and her hands on her hips. Julian translates the texts under some kind of duress, cursing at Indio. He demands to see Sebastian before he continues.

  “I am not translating another damn line until I know he is alive. I could snap your insignificant neck in a heartbeat and would happily do it if you weren’t holding him hostage,” Julian says.

  “I’ll take you to get a good look, leech. It’s what’s in store for you,” Indio says.

  “I do not think so, child.”

  “Don’t call me that! I’m not a child!”

  “As you wish.”

  “Come on, we don’t have all day,” Indio snarls as she grabs Julian’s arm and tries to drag him to the garage. Julian is at least holding his own and his dignity with it.

  We enter the garage. Sebastian sits chained in a chair that is bolted into the cement floor. They’ve put a hood on his head and Iris holds a stake to his chest. His shirt is in tatters and he has been cut up. Bruises cover his body and I sense more on his face.

  “Make one move, Julian, and I stake him,” Iris says.

  “I have no intentions of making that necessary, Iris. I merely wanted to ascertain his well being. Sebastian, can you hear me?”

  “I can mon frère. How is your work progressing?”

  “I am almost done with it.”

  “I fear for you when you are done, my good friend.”

  “I can hold my own, Sebastian. I am more worried about you.”

  “Shut up, get back to work,” Iris yells. There is a frantic note in her voice. Madness and fear.

  Indio takes Julian back to continue the translation. I stay with Sebastian.

  “You never told me how you found out about the goat’s blood, Iris? I assume that’s what you put into my wine.”

  “I found out on Wikipedia,” she shrugs.

  Sebastian laughs.

  “I will have to have a word with them. How did you keep me from smelling it?” he asks.

  “A simple spell, I was pleased it worked so well. The great Sebastian, taken out with a sip of Elderberry wine.”

  She gloats, almost high on her power trip. She has an evil smile.

  “You know these chains will not hold me.”

  “That’s what the stake is for, dear. Unless of course you will reconsider and become Indio’s lover?”

  “Never.”

  He’s brave, I will concede to that. Djinn have more vulnerability to psychic pain than the physical sort but it must have cost him. I have to admire his courage.

  That’s when I try to dematerialize so I can return to the manse and find out I can’t. I try again. Dammit! They must have put a containment spell on the house to keep Julian and Sebastian from being able to leave. I’m caught too!

  I know Lilith and Helena will be going out of their minds soon. We need their help. Without reinforcements I need to worry about what Julian is doing. I can’t let them bind me. All hell will break loose then. My power in their hands. How to tell Julian? I return to the kitchen.

  “Indio, you won’t get away with this. You love Sebastian, yet you allow your sister to torture him, drink his blood and hold a stake to his heart?” Julian says quietly. He bends over the texts under duress.

  “Shut up, Julian, she knows what she’s doing,” Indio hisses. “He’s a vampire, he’ll heal in no time and then he’ll be my own private party.”

  “I think not. Sebastian loves Lily. He will never truly belong to you as long as you know that.”

  “Shut up!” Indio throws her hands over her ears.

  “The other vampires you killed were young, inexperienced. Sebastian and I are older, wiser and quicker. We are not under your spells.”

  “Yes, that is an annoying little problem,” Indio confesses. “Enough talking, Julian. Concentrate on your translation. Iris wants this done.”

  “And what Iris wants, Iris gets, isn’t that right, Indio? What happens when she decides she wants Sebastian? What will you do then? You know it is only a matter of time. She always is taking things from you isn’t she? She’ll want him for her lover. She has a taste for blood now, Indio. You had better watch out or you might be next.”

  “Ugh! Stop that! Just Stop! She won’t take him! She won’t. I’ll make sure.” Julian is getting to her. “She can’t have him, he’s mine!”

  Julian works Indio into a frenzy trying to play the sisters against each other. Her actions become more agitated. Wiley vamp. She’s distracted by what’s happening in the garage.

  “Get back to the text, Julian, or I swear I will get Iris to stake you.”

  “Then where would you be?”

  “Dammit, just do what you’re told!”

  “As you wish.”

  “And stop saying that!” She paces to the doorway, peering around the corner, trying to see what Iris is doing.

  I turn into a fly and hover above the paper to get a closer look at what Julian is writing.

  “Aidan?” Julian whispers and I fly to his hand.

  “This is not a good situation, my friend,” he says in ancient Egyptian.

  “What are you saying?” Indio demands suspiciously.

  “Nothing, just reading back to myself, Indio. I need to double check. It wouldn’t do to get it wrong. You are much too jumpy,” Julian observes.

  Indio frowns - she is jumpy. She’s losing it. Julian says all the right things to push her buttons and get her on edge.

  “It sounded like you were casting a spell,” Indio says defensively.

  “I know no spells, Indio. That is my lover’s proficiency, not mine.”

  “Well, whatever you’re doing, stop it.”

  “Do you want me to do this correctly?”

  “Just hurry up.”

  “As you wish.”

  “Ahhh, stop saying that!”

  I’m busy reading Julian’s translations. He has done an accurate job, leaving me no wiggle room. It is gut wrenching seeing your name in a summoning. My mind expands and goes into overdrive. I begin speaking to Julian, using his own voice and the same dialect of Egyptian he has used. Julian plays along and Indio is clueless. He makes a few corrections and sits back. He sighs.

  “What is it?” Indio asks.

  “I’m finished,” Julian says.

  “Excellent! Iris, he’s done,” she shouts.

  “Bring him down here, Indio. Don’t forget the text,” Iris shouts back.

  Indio, Julian and I make our way down to the garage. I ride along as a tick on Indio’s leg. I figure I can at least bite her if I can’t vaporize her. The corrections will only give me a fifty-fifty chance at being able to kill them. It’s the only chance I am going to get though. The witches have drawn a large pentagram on the floor. Iris has taken off Sebastian’s hood so he can watch the proceedings. As I surmised, his face is covered in bruises and scrapes. She has really worked him over. Worse, he seems as weak as a kitten.