Provoked

CHAPTER 15

Away from the Kurjan encampment, Kalin stood in the rain, feet braced, water splashing his pale skin. The cloud-cover in Utah offered him a very rare moment of standing outside during the day, and enjoyment relaxed his muscles. As the leader of the Kurjan military, he never smiled in front of his troops unless the moment involved death. For now, at an odd moment, he stood alone and smiled into the storm.

He had complete faith that his researchers would create a cure for daylight. One day, he’d chase bikini-clad women by the ocean under the full rays of the sun. But for now, his people were cursed with parchment-white skin, blood-red hair, and purple eyes. They lived for the night. Well, most of his people. He had black hair tipped with red and odd green eyes like a human. Once in a while he wore makeup and actually walked among his prey.

And prey they were.

A signal beeped on his watch. So much for peace. He jerked around and stalked back to the rough cabin he’d taken as a temporary headquarters.

His smile disappeared.

Shoving open the door and clomping inside, he stood before a small computer. “Where is he?”

“Coming up,” said a computer tech who probably had a name.

Kalin forced down a growl and enjoyed as the man cringed away. The guy was what? Only six and a half feet tall? Very short for a Kurjan. “I told you not to bother me until the call went through.”

The screen wavered and a strong face filled the screen. “What the hell do you want, Kurjan?”

Kalin stepped forward, gaze on the man he hadn’t seen in years. “It’s good to see you, too, Suri.”

The demon leader stood straighter. “I asked you a question.”

What an asshole. The demon ruler had shockingly white hair, fathomless black eyes, and the mangled vocal cords of a purebred. Dressed in all black, a silver insignia above his left breast designated him as the leader.

Odd, but Kalin had never thought about the similarities in their soldier uniforms. Sure, the demons used silver for metals, and the Kurjans used red, but still, black uniforms were black uniforms.

Vampires didn’t have uniforms. Arrogant bastards didn’t think they needed them, probably.

Kalin forced a bored look on his face. “I have an offer. A demon destroyer for the youngest Kayrs brother.” The offer was too good for the demons to refuse.

Suri raised both white eyebrows. “You have the destroyer?”

“I will in about an hour.” Sure, he was going after the older one, but a demon destroyer she was. “You interested or not?”

“I am.” Suri nodded to someone off camera. “Call me back when you have her.” The screen fizzled to black.

“What a prick.” Kalin headed for the stairs. “Keep monitoring the situation, and we’ll head out when darkness falls.” Without waiting for acknowledgment of his orders, he jogged down the stairs to what had been a fruit cellar. Shoving open the door, he headed for the one cot in the small room. Lying on his back, he counted the divots in the ceiling. For the first time in a long time, he allowed himself to drop into sleep without shielding his mind.

The dream came easily, and he found himself walking in the sun, fighting true joy at the warmth. He wandered along a rough path by a raging river. Finally, he allowed a smile to cross his face.

“You look nicer when you smile.”

The feminine voice came from his left, and he turned to see a young woman sitting on a large rock. He paused. “Janie Kayrs. You’re even prettier than you were two years ago.”

She arched a delicate eyebrow. “I’ve been having some fairly strong visions concerning you, Kalin.”

He clasped his hands behind his back, settling his stance. She truly was beautiful. Long hair the color of burnished teak, deep blue eyes, and very delicate bone structure. “Have you, now? I’m assuming this is why you’ve met me in yet another dream world?”

“Yes.” She took him in, no expression on her flawless face.

“Does your father know we’re meeting?” No way in hell did either Talen or Dage know the Kayrs princess was meeting the Kurjan butcher in a dream world nobody controlled.

“Don’t be silly.” She swung a foot back and forth.

For some reason, the small tennis shoe she wore reminded him of their childhood meetings . . . when they were both young and innocent. He’d left innocent behind years ago. “Nobody has ever called me silly.”

Her eyes darkened. “Now that’s just sad.”

He frowned. “Why are you asleep in the middle of the day?”

“I’m getting a cold and needed rest. Plus, I’ve been trying to reach you for weeks.”

That thought should not send warmth through his chest. He didn’t care if she wanted to see him or not. Janie Kayrs was an end to a means, and someday he’d use everything she was to get what he wanted. But today he could allow himself some curiosity. “What do you want?”

She took a deep breath that emphasized pert breasts under a white T-shirt. For the first time since meeting her, he realized she was an adult. He flashed his fangs. “What are you now—about twenty?” More than old enough to take.

“Yes—I’m all grown up, Kalin.” Her small chin lowered. “And I have a grown-up offer to make you.”

Now this was getting interesting. “Is that a fact?” His gaze raked her from head to toe, lingering at the good parts. It was truly a nice surprise that there were so many good parts. “What kind of an offer?”

She waited until his gaze returned to her eyes, pure boredom on her face. “I know you’re in league with the demons, if not yet, then you will be.”

He kept his expression neutral. The oracles had been correct in that her psychic powers were impressive, far more impressive than anyone realized. To be able to take that gift and use it as the Kurjan leader would be worth all the time he’d waited to make his move. “And?”

“You get Jase home, and I’ll trade myself for him.”

Kalin’s upper lip twitched with the need to smile. He’d already set that plan in motion. Odd that they were on the same wavelength. “What makes you think I want you?”

She rolled her eyes. “Seriously?”

The tiny, defenseless human actually rolled her eyes at him. An unwilling laugh barked from his chest. “I’d kill anybody else who dared to make such a face at me.”

She leaned forward, her eyes intense, her voice soft. Her feminine gaze raked him from head to toe, pausing at the medals adorning his chest before heading up toward his eyes. “You don’t scare me—you never have.”

Odd, but that gave him feelings of both gratitude and irritation. “Then you’re not as smart as everyone predicted you’d be.”

“Maybe I’m just more powerful than any of you predicted.”

Perhaps so. A new burning filtered through his body. Oh, he wanted the little human, without question.

“So, my offer?” she asked.

Kalin sighed. “You’d willingly walk into the den of the enemy for Jase Kayrs, now, would you?” After all the years of them meeting, the little human still didn’t understand him. Not at all.

“Yes.”

“What about Zane?” There was no question the fate of the world would come down to Kalin, Janie, and Zane, a partial-vampire who’d also visited the dream world several times, first as a child and more recently as an adult soldier.

Janie blinked twice. “What about him?”

Oh, the girl still had a crush, did she? “I’m fairly certain I need to cut off his head in order for destiny to be fulfilled.”

Horror filled her eyes that she quickly banked. But not fast enough. She shrugged. “Zane can take care of himself just fine.”

“Deserted you, did he?”

She jumped from the rock and landed a foot away. Tilting her head back, she met Kalin’s gaze. “The offer will expire. Think about it.” With a sweep of her hand, the world disappeared.

Kalin sat up on the cot. Impressive little human. Yet what she didn’t understand was that the last thing he wanted was her cooperation. When he took her, and he would, the little female had better fight. Otherwise, what the hell was the point?