Provoked

CHAPTER 14

The ocean rolled far below them and sent the slightest spray of salt up to the small courtyard. Amber perched on a weathered bench to face the sea. She took a cleansing breath of fresh air and kicked her shoes along the frozen grass. There wasn’t snow on the cliffside, but the air was still cold. The sun shone weakly down, creating a lovely late afternoon with no real warmth while thick pine trees shielded her on either side. The rock entry to headquarters gaped open behind her.

She sighed and lifted her face to the sun. “I love this courtyard.”

Kane settled his bulk next to her. “You’re safe here. Well, now.”

“This area hasn’t always been safe?”

“No. We were breached a few years ago and had quite the battle right here. But we have sensors all around the forest as well as around our subdivision to the south, and we control several satellites. You’re definitely safe here now.”

“What about from an air attack?” she asked lazily, keeping her eyes closed. “I mean, what if a suicide bomber decided to hit your headquarters?”

“We have missiles in the ground to take out anybody we don’t recognize.”

Her eyes flipped open. “Really?”

“Sure.” Kane shrugged, his gaze remaining on the quiet ocean.

For some reason, he’d been avoiding her gaze since escorting her outside. She tilted her head to the side. “You mentioned a subdivision.”

“Yes. We own a small subdivision on the other side of the forest so we can live aboveground when it’s safe. The community is gated with excellent security. This is a nice place to live, Amber.”

The emphasis on the last sentence rose her chin. “I’m not mating someone for convenience, Kane.” The guy could at least try to get a little romantic considering the previous night was, well, freakin’ fantastic. Why couldn’t Kane be one of those guys who waxed poetic after a good romp?

“There’s nothing convenient about us,” he muttered. The sun danced around his chiseled face, angling in the hollows beneath his high cheekbones and along the strong line of his jaw. His forehead was broad, his face symmetrical, his lips full. The dark brows over his odd eyes showed masculinity, while his eyes glowed with pure intelligence.

She really needed to get a grip and stop mooning over the vampire. “You said I could teleconference with my grandmother today.”

“I’ll set the visit up after we practice your skills outside where we can relax. I don’t know about you, but I’m tired of the labs.”

A knuckle popped when she clenched her hands together. “You’re quite the scientist.”

“Yes.”

“Speaking of your labs, please tell me you don’t use animals in testing.”

He stiffened. “I do use animals. Mice, rabbits, and monkeys. But I don’t harm them in any way. My favorite monkey is a fellow named Walter.”

“Walter?” She grinned. “You let them have fresh air and organic food, right? No meat?”

“Tell you what. I’ll let you handle their diet from now on, if you continue to train.”

She sighed. That seemed like a fair deal. “So, are you going to attack my brain or try to seduce me again?”

“Attack.” His strong voice didn’t change. “If you’d just mate me, then you wouldn’t have to train.”

The guy wasn’t letting go of the thought. “I’ve seen Emma and Dage. They didn’t mate for convenience—they’re in love.” In fact, the air had almost combusted when Dage had kissed the queen.

“They believe in fate. I don’t.” Kane shoved his hair back from his face.

“You should. Fate exists.” She’d always known that fact, even without being aware of her gifts.

The wind whistled around them and shoved Kane’s hair into his face again. He sighed. “I need a haircut.”

“Yeah. You don’t seem like a long-hair type of guy.” The thought of running her fingers through his thick mane clenched her thighs together. Not a good idea. “I can cut hair.”

He finally looked at her—violet eyes serious. “I’ll take you up on that offer.”

She was a moron. “Great.”

“Thanks. I’ve been working so hard to find Jase, and then to find you, I’ve just let it grow.”

“So, brain attack?” She might as well get the pain over with.

He frowned. “I’m going to come at you like a demon. Fight me.”

She nodded, closing her eyes again. “Go for it.”

Nothing happened. The wind wandered over her face while the sun tried to warm her. Her shoes in the grass began to tingle in coldness. Yet, she waited. Finally, she opened her eyes to see Kane staring at her. “What—”

Invisible knives slashed into her brain. Horrible images of war, death, and dying filled her mind. She closed her eyes, screaming silently. Taking a deep breath, she imagined the sun increasing in strength and shoved heat through the images. Thinking of puppies and glowing fish, she replaced the pictures with scenes of kindness and love. As beauty defeated death, she shoved the pain into nothingness.

Her eyes flipped open to see a pale Kane. Oh, sending the images cost him . . . more than he probably knew.

He nodded, pride filling his smile. “Good job. Now attack back.”

“No.”

His bottom lip turned down. “This doesn’t work unless you incapacitate them. You have to fight back.”

“I don’t want to hurt you.”

His eyes softened. “I’m tough—this is important. Please.”

Man, if he used that voice on her again, she probably would mate him. “Okay.” Digging her nails into her palms, she recaptured the images he’d sent and tried to send them back. His expression didn’t change. She tried harder, a large knot of dread filling her stomach.

Nothing.

Her ears began to ring. Darkness dropped over her vision. She swayed.

“Amber, stop.” Kane slid an arm around her shoulder. “Really, take a deep breath.”

She breathed deep, her body shuddering. “Did you feel anything?”

“No. But we’ll try again later.” He pressed a hand against her forehead. “You’re burning up. Let’s get you inside, sweetheart.”

She tried to stand, but Kane was faster. Lifting her and striding for the rocks, he tucked her face into his neck. The scent of male and musk settled her, and she sighed right down to her toes. Why couldn’t fate exist?

After being poked and prodded by both Kane and Emma for nearly an hour, Amber was rethinking her stance on passivity. They’d taken blood, tissue samples, her blood pressure . . . as well as measured her brain waves. When she’d been ready to explode, Emma had finally led her to a plush sofa in a quiet room with a big-screen television. The door shut quietly behind the queen. Settling back in the cushions, Amber waited.

Grandma Hilde soon took up the entire screen. “Amber, sweetheart. Are you all right?”

Amber studied the woman who’d raised her. Hilde sat in a bed, her color strong, her pretty black eyes sparking. “Yes. How are you?”

“Good as new.” Hilde clapped her small hands together. “So, how angry are you?”

“Very. As well as feeling very betrayed.” She tried to keep her voice calm, but a low tenor of hurt cut through the words.

Hilde nodded, truly not looking very sorry. “I don’t blame you. But when your mother died, I decided to give you a good life, one without the craziness of demons, vampires, or the rest. You deserved a decent childhood, baby girl.”

Awareness sprang to life down the skin on Amber’s back. “How did my mother die?” she whispered.

Hilde shifted on the bed. “Well, now. Um . . .”

Hurt exploded fast and hard in Amber’s chest. “She didn’t have cancer.”

“No. She was, er, dating a vampire, and apparently he was also involved with a demon, and things got nasty.” Hilde’s eyes filled with tears. “Your mama and the demoness fought, and my baby’s brain was destroyed, and she died. So easily.” Hilde plucked a string from a pretty quilt. “I took you and ran, using the chants handed down from my great-grandmother’s grandmother to keep us safe. The demons knew we existed at that point. I promised myself someday I’d tell you everything, but our lives have been so full, I didn’t want to lose that. After losing your mama, I couldn’t lose you, too.”

Amber blinked twice. “Was my father a vampire?”

“God, no. Vampires only make male babies. Your mama, well, she had lots of boyfriends. Well, until she met the vampire. But she was already pregnant with you at that time.”

Great. Her mama got around. “So I’m all human.”

“Of course.” Hilde squinted her tiny nose. “Your gifts are passed down on your maternal side. I’m not sure if everyone knows this, but demon destroyers are enhanced human females only.” Pride lifted her chin.

“If I mated a vampire, he’d inherit my gifts, right?”

Horror widened Hilde’s eyes. “You are not mating a vampire, Amber. For goodness’ sake. Vampires are . . . well . . . the soldiers of the immortal world. You are not mating someone who’ll leave you and head off to war every other century or so.”

Kane might be a soldier, but he was also an intellectual. Though she was not mating a guy who didn’t believe in love. Why did Kane pop into her head, anyway? Amber gave Hilde her strongest glare. “I’ll mate who I want. Or marry. I’ll marry and mate whoever I want.”

Hilde rolled her eyes. “You always have been headstrong. Mate who you want. Make the same mistakes I did—” She gasped. “I mean, make new ones.”

Amber sat up. “What did you just say?”

“Nothing.” Hilde’s beautiful skin flushed a bright red. “I didn’t say anything.”

“Good God. You mated a vampire.” The room started spinning. Reality had just been shot to hell.

“Did not.”

“Did, too.” Amber shot to her feet. “Of course. This is why you never age. You still look freakin’ fifty.”

“Forty-five,” Hilde countered, throwing off the quilt. “Fine. Your mama’s daddy died in Afghanistan, and I was alone for so long. I shielded us well, but one night I was out, and I met, well, someone.”

“A vampire.” How in the world could this have happened?

Hilde rolled her eyes and blew out a strong breath. “Okay, yes. The women in our family have always been suckers for a handsome man—even worse, for handsome soldiers. We started dating, one thing led to another, and we mated.”

“Where’s your brand?” There was no marking on her grandmother.

Hilde tugged down her shirt to show twin puncture marks above her heart.

Heat filled Amber’s head. “You said that was from a car accident.”

“I lied.” Hilde smoothed her shirt back into place. “Most vampires mate with a good bite during sex. Only the Kayrs ruling family gets that funky mark that brands their women.”

“The marking isn’t funky.” Frankly, the mark was an intricate, beautiful design.

Hilde’s eyes widened until the pupils were nonexistent. “Oh God. You slept with a vampire—with a Kayrs brother.” Hilde shook her head. “End it, now. Trust me. End that affair now.”

Amber slammed her hands on her hips, embarrassment and anger flushing through her. While her grandmother had always been open and rather liberal when it came to sex, they still didn’t need to have this discussion. “I am not taking dating advice from a woman who has lied to me for twenty-five years.”

Hilde’s bottom lip trembled, and she pressed a hand to her chest. “That hurts. Oh, my heart.”

Fire almost exploded from Amber’s head. “Stop that. You’re immortal. You can’t have a heart attack.”

Hilde frowned. “Well, damn it. I guess that’s true.” She chortled, her eyes lighting and her mouth curving in a familiar smile. “I’m not sorry I gave you a secure childhood, sweetie. I’d do the same thing in a heartbeat.”

“Who did you mate, Grandma?”

Hilde sighed. “His name was Elliot Metrov, and he was a soldier. Not for the Realm, but his people aligned with the Realm.”

“Was?” Amber asked softly.

Hilde exhaled, sadness twisting her smile. “Yes. When your mama was killed, Elliot went after the demons by himself... he wasn’t thinking. He didn’t make it.”

Anger and hurt roared through Amber. “So the demons killed both my mother and your mate?”

“Yes.”

Amber shook her head. She needed to learn to fight, and now. “What about my gifts? What about yours?”

Hilde glanced down. “Well, now, that’s, ah, the other thing.”

Dread had Amber dropping back to the sofa. “What other thing?”

Twisting her lip and obviously biting her cheek, Hilde hunched her shoulders. “We’re not all that powerful. I mean, my older sister had the gift, not me. And she died years ago . . . long before your mama was born. I just have a little of the power.” She sighed, suddenly looking almost her age.

“Maybe I have more.”

“You do.” Hilde smiled, pride in her eyes. “You’re like a beacon, Amber. I have no doubt your power is exceptional, much more so than mine or your mother’s. But I’d always hoped you wouldn’t have to use the gift.”

“I promised,” Amber whispered. “I gave my word if they saved you, I’d help them.” Even if she hadn’t promised Kane, she’d want to help get his brother back safely. And now, after knowing how much the demons had taken from her, she wanted to be able to defend anybody she loved.

Hilde nodded. “I understand. But keep in mind, I don’t really know how to use the gift. My mother worked with my sister only, and I went on my own way. In fact, at that time, I never thought I’d pass on the gift, to be honest. My sister didn’t pass it on, either.”

“So I may be the only one left besides you.” The world suddenly became much heavier.

“Who knows?” Hilde shrugged. “But you have to understand, the demons are born to mess with minds, and learn to do so from birth. You aren’t trained, and even with your power, you’re in over your head.” She pursed her lips. “The whole mating a vampire and giving him your gifts is actually starting to make sense. I can’t lose you, pumpkin.”

“You won’t, I promise.”

Hilde’s gaze narrowed. “Which Kayrs did you sleep with? The king?”

Amber’s head jerked back. “Of course not. He has a mate.”

“Oh?” Hilde pursed her lips. “I’ve been out of the loop for a long time and hadn’t heard. So which brother?”

“Kane.”

“The smart one.”

“Yes.”

Hilde frowned. “Well, he’s a handsome vampire, but never forget, even if he is the smart one, he’s every bit the soldier as the rest of them. The Kayrs brothers were taught to fight first and rule second—as well as to sacrifice everything for the Realm. They will and they have.”

The words sent chills down Amber’s back. Kane did seem focused and absolutely determined. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Good.” Hilde sat back down on the bed. “So, er, about your night together. Vampires are amazing in bed, now, aren’t they?”