Sweeter than Wine

CHAPTER 11

Steel was impressed with the vineyard and cozy mansion Atticus called home. Never in his life would he have dreamed he'd be invited into a vampire's lair, but here he was. In the company of a fey, no less. Atticus met them at the door and ushered them inside. He sent Steel into the living room and took Cameron out back.

Steel saw the woman first. Luminous eyes haunted her beautiful face. He tried to shield himself as best he could from the influence of the vampiress, but it was no good. The men seemed to understand and reined in their natural magnetism, but this lady…she was different.

He stared at her, unable to look away. Sebastian tugged at her hand and drew her back into his arms. It was a clear, protective stance.

«My love,» Sebastian said in a gentle voice to the woman in his arms, «tamp down your energies if you can. You're having an effect on our mortal friend here.»

«I am?» Wide eyes turned to him. The beautiful woman's expression was truly innocent and Steel knew she wasn't doing it on purpose. That look alone made him relax. She blushed in an altogether appealing way. Then again, everything about her was appealing with the vampire magic drawing him in. «I'm sorry,» the goddess said. «You must be Mr. Steel. I apologize. It's just…I'm very new to all this. Up 'til last week I was as human as you.»

«Mortal, you mean.» Sebastian supplied the word they preferred, correcting the woman who looked very comfortable in his embrace.

Steel refocused on the man. «You changed her?»

«It was either that or let her die.»

Steel nodded. He didn't know the entire story, but he could fill in the blanks. For now, he was glad to feel the new female vampire rein in her seductive mojo. Her power drew back and he was able to breathe a bit easier.

He noticed the other woman for the first time, smiling at him from her perch on the arm of the couch. Damned if he didn't feel the heat of embarrassment in his cheeks. Hopefully they wouldn't notice, but then he kicked himself. These were vampires. They'd notice.

«I'm Lissa, Atticus's wife.» She held out a gracious hand. He shook it and tried to smile.

«Ma'am.»

She laughed and the sound shot down his spine. «Please, call me Lissa. Like my friend Christy here, I haven't been in the supernatural game too long myself.»

Atticus returned to the living room with Matt in tow, his face grim. «Cam's not having much luck either, though he's still trying a few things.»

«It looks like the son of a bitch got away.» Disgust was thick in Matt's voice.

«All right.» Sebastian sat back. «Let's take this from the beginning. First, are we certain the attacker was Mario Gonzalez?»

«Good point,» Steel agreed. «Ladies, can either of you describe the man?»

«Oh yeah,» Lissa said with relish. «I saw the whole thing from the window. He's about five foot ten, maybe a hundred and ninety pounds. Black hair. Curly. Cut neat, but not clean cut. A little shaggy. I assume brown eyes, but Christy got right up in his face. She saw his features better than I did.»

«His eyes were green. A kind of creepy aqua green.» Christy took up the description. «And it looked like his nose had been broken a few times.»

«That sounds like Mario,» Steel admitted. The eyes were distinctive.

«And he had a tattoo. Sort of a swirly pattern over his left eyebrow. It…»

«Go on, sweetheart.» Matt encouraged her.

«It glowed.» She looked at Sebastian and then over at Lissa, but the other woman was shaking her head.

«I didn't see anything like that,» Lissa said in a soft voice, as if afraid to contradict her friend.

«Gonzalez doesn't have any facial tattoos,» Steel confirmed, struck by the thoughtful look on Sebastian's face.

«What are you thinking, my friend?» Atticus asked Sebastian.

Sebastian stood. «We'll need Cam's help to prove my theory. I'll go see if he's done spinning his wheels in the backyard. Don't go anywhere.»

«Please have a seat, Mr. Steel,» Lissa invited.

Steel shrugged. The woman was soft spoken and gracious, even after the upset of being attacked and having her patio turned into a series of craters. He took a seat, observing everything. He was on new footing here and wasn't sure of exactly how he fit into this little unit. He'd be cautious until he knew best how he could contribute.

When Sebastian went outside it hit him just how serious the encounter had been. He'd been so focused on Christina he hadn't really taken in the wreckage left behind by the fireballs. Five-foot craters pocked the grounds in and around the patio area. Bricks and plants were strewn all around and loose dirt covered everything.

He found Cam cursing a few yards into the copse of woods surrounding the vineyard's main house. The fey warrior didn't look pleased. In fact, he looked downright pissed off. He was talking to Marc, and the Master Vampire looked as grim as the fey.

«This is strong magic, my friend.» Cameron nodded as Sebastian walked up to him. «It has an evil taint that goes deeper than a mere mortal mage should be able to reach.»

Hastings joined them. «We've had warnings from the Lords about some damn fool Venifucus plan to bring back The Destroyer of Worlds. I was told the bastard who tried to kill the newest priestess used some kind of dark fey magic connected to Elspeth. Think this is more of the same?»

«Aye, it could very well be.» Cameron shook his head, breaking a small twig he held in his fingers. A puff of foul smelling smoke rose from the ground not three feet away. «This one at least, is using something akin to an Elspian ring.» He threw the remnants away and turned back toward the house.

«All the more reason to consult with your Lords, Mr. Hastings.» Marc's reminder of the meeting Hastings had promised to set up was met with a tightening of the shapeshifter's lips.

Cameron stepped between the two men, facing Sebastian in an obvious ploy to alleviate some of the tension in the air. «What was on your mind, Sebastian? You came out here for something.»

«I want to know if you can devise a test for Christina. She says Mario had a glowing, swirling design tattooed above his left eyebrow, but Lissa and Steel never saw any mark on the man.»

«So you think your lady sees what cannot be seen?»

«I think it's a distinct possibility.»

«It is a rare gift, as you may know.» Cameron stroked his chin thoughtfully. «But if any newly turned was to be so blessed, it would be your lassie. With all that were blood in her, it's a wonder she doesn't howl at the moon.»

Hastings laughed, but Sebastian was too worried to find humor in anything at the moment. Marc stepped away from the group. «I'm heading home. I want to make sure my lady is secure. I think you have this well in hand for now. Mr. Hastings, I assume you'll be in touch when your Lords get in contact with you?»

Hastings bristled a little, but nodded. «I'll call.»

«Very well. Sebastian, keep me informed of any developments.»

Sebastian nodded as Marc turned and walked deeper into the wooded area behind the house. He'd probably shift form away from prying eyes so none could follow him to his lair.

«I'll gather up the troops and post a thick perimeter while you decide what to do next,» Hastings volunteered.

Sebastian stopped the man as he moved to leave them. «You have my thanks. I owe you and your people a debt of gratitude for coming to my lady's aid.»

Hastings held his gaze for a moment, nodded once and moved off into the night, calling softly for his were friends. The man was a skilled professional and Sebastian was glad to have him around.

«For a hawk, he's a sly one, that Hastings,» Cameron observed as they walked toward the house. «For all that, I like the man. He's sharp as they come.»

Sebastian nodded, allowing Cameron to precede him through the door. «I agree. Even though he doesn't trust me yet, I think I can trust him to be on the right side of things. He has a pure spirit.»

«Sometimes I forget you're only a youngster in the grand scheme of things, Sebastian.» Cameron raised his eyebrow. «You have an old soul. As, I think, does your lady. It's a good thing, too, for you both carry more burdens than your years should merit-and more power too.»

The men shared a sober look as they paused near the entrance to the living room. Cameron clapped Sebastian on the back and together they walked through the archway to the large room. Christina was sitting up, her color better. She smiled when she saw him and Sebastian's heart lightened. She could do that to him-make him happy with just a smile. She was a wonder to him.

«As you are to me, Sebastian.» Her voice sounded intimately in his mind.

Cameron sat before her, unceremoniously plopping down on the coffee table. Good thing the heavy wood was sturdy enough to hold the big man.

«Now, lassie, you say our boy Mario had a tattoo?» She nodded. «And it glowed?»

«Yes. Lissa didn't see it, but I was face to face with him. It was right here-« she gestured to the area above her own left eye, «-in a sort of wiggly pattern. It looked almost Celtic. Like a knotwork design or something, but slightly different.»

Cameron sat back and lifted the sleeve of his shirt, baring his forearm. «Something like this?»

Sebastian looked over the other man's shoulder. What he could see of Cameron's muscular forearm was unblemished by any sort of marking. Well, maybe a freckle or two, but apparently Christina saw something, judging by her gasp.

«Yes, very like that, but much darker. More sinister. What is it?»

«It's my mating mark. Part of the reason I stay here in the mortal realm and don't return to the land of the fey is this mark and the woman it represents. You see, I loved a mortal lass. I marked her as I marked myself, transferring some of my magic to her in an effort to extend her life. It worked…for a time. But as all mortal things, eventually she passed on to realms where I cannot follow.» Cameron's voice was wistful, his tone sad. Christina, compassionate little thing that she was, reached out to take Cameron's hand, offering comfort.

Cameron smiled at her, but it was a sad smile. He shook his head, making a visible effort to dispel the mood. «Did Mario's mark look like this? Can you remember any details?»

«It was sort of triangular, starting with his eyebrow as the base and working to a point, not circular like yours. And his was red, not golden.»

Cameron's face grew troubled as he lowered his sleeve. «Red means it's tainted. And a triangular shape could have several connotations, but at least now we know why this mortal has been around for a few centuries. He's probably being powered from somewhere in the fey realm.» Cameron's expression was hard as he sat back. «This is a bigger problem than you know, my friends. I'm not surprised this man has proven hard to pin down, but we must find a way.»

«In the meantime, might I suggest we all go to my house?» Sebastian looked around at those assembled. Atticus and his wife would need a place to stay since it was clear their home was no longer safe. Sebastian only hoped his own place would prove more secure. «Atticus and Lissa, you're welcome to stay with us as long as you'd like. I have a spare room you might like and I think Matt and some of his were friends will aid us during the day. They like to roam the woodlands around the house and the wall surrounding the property keeps all but the most determined trespassers out.»

Atticus nodded. «Thanks, Sebastian. We'll take you up on that.»

An hour later, everyone was settled in Sebastian's rambling home. Atticus and Lissa were given a basement room that was part of a different wing of the house than Sebastian's. He'd built the house with multiple secret chambers, some separated completely from the others, and some with small secret passageways connecting them. He'd made it as secure as he knew how and it looked like all his planning was coming in handy now.

Dawn approached, but Sebastian stayed in the upper rooms as long as he could, making certain of their protection for the day. Matt and some of his werecougar clan patrolled the perimeter and would for the remainder of this crisis.

Steel was paired off with Cameron for the time being, since Cameron could use his fey magic, if need be, to instantaneously transport them both in an emergency, though he seemed loathe to do so.

Hastings and his investigators were working with Steel and Cameron, back at their offices for the day. They'd suffered a bit of a setback when Mario got away, but they'd also learned a great deal.

Christy was still shaken, even after returning to Sebastian's house. She'd been in violent situations before, but being able to defend herself was still quite new.

At least with Jeff, she'd labored under the misconception that he wouldn't kill her. She'd always believed he wouldn't want to go to jail, but that last blow-up had proven her wrong. He'd killed her. Only Sebastian's intervention allowed her to continue drawing air.

Only Sebastian. Her savior.

«Fear not, my love.» He came to her in their underground chamber. She'd bathed the stink of fear and the clods of dirt from her skin while he'd dealt with the people above. But he'd been connected to her all the while, in her mind, calming her when fear threatened to take over.

Sebastian threw off his jacket and tugged her into his arms. She reached up to unbutton his shirt collar. She continued down the line of buttons until they were all undone, and pulled the shirt's tails out from his waistband so she could push the sides apart and snuggle into his warm chest.

«I was so scared.»

«I know.» He soothed her, running his palms over her shoulders and down her back, covered now only in a thin, white silk nightgown. «But you were brave. You stood your ground and used your wits. I'm incredibly proud of you.»

«I knew you'd come for me. I think that's why I was able to be brave. I knew all I had to do was hold on until you could get there.»

«Sweet stars above, I almost lost you tonight, my love.» Anguish filled Sebastian's whispered words.

Christy soothed him, stroking her fingers over his skin as she helped him out of his clothes. «I was frightened at the time, but I had faith in you, Sebastian.»

He captured her hand and brought it to his lips for a tender kiss. «You had more faith in me than I had in myself, Christina. Please, don't ever scare me like that again.»

She smiled. «Not by choice, lover. I didn't enjoy having fireballs lobbed at me anymore than you enjoyed seeing it happen.»

Sebastian covered her on the large bed, his body blanketing her in warmth. «I love you with all that I am, Christina. If anything ever happened to you-« He choked on the words.

Leaning up, she kissed his lips, then drew back to look deep into his eyes. «Nothing happened tonight. The care you took in turning me paid off in ways you never expected. My werecougar superpowers kicked into high gear when that jerk came at me. I acted on instinct that certainly didn't come from me, but the cat knew what to do. Sebastian, your foresight is what saved us tonight. Your generosity in giving me what I didn't know I needed. Matt's gift to us both.»

Sebastian's eyes darkened with emotion a moment before his lips claimed hers in a devastating kiss. It held all his worry, his torment, fear, love and the triumph he'd felt when she'd proven stronger and more clever than her adversary. She felt all of it again now, sharing his mind and heart as she did, and she gave him back all the confidence, pride in him, gratitude and love she had. Everything she had-everything she was-was for him. He'd given her enormous gifts, first by changing her, then by asking Matt to give her even more potent instincts than most vampires could claim. That alone had saved them tonight.

She owed it to Sebastian's generous spirit and to Matt as well, of course. Without Matt's friendship and willingness to participate in giving a newly turned vampire the benefit of his were blood, she would never have survived the encounter with Mario Gonzalez, and both she and Lissa would be dead.

Sebastian broke the kiss as tears formed in her eyes.

«Don't think like that, Christina. You saved both your lives this night, plus mine and Atticus's as well. Without you, I would not want to live. I'd hunt down those responsible and kill them in gruesome ways first, but then I'd join you in death, seeking your soul in the realms beyond. I couldn't go on without you and I'm pretty sure Atticus feels the same about your friend, Lissa.»

She leaned up and kissed his jaw. «Make love to me, Sebastian. Make me forget the fear. Make me yours.»

He pressed against her. «You are always mine, my love. From now until forever.» He kissed her again and this time there was no room for thought, no room for distraction. His kiss was her world, his warm body, her life.

Their loving was soft and gentle at first, then harsh and needy. Both reveled in the glory of each other and seemed to want to make up for the close call in a very physical way.

Cameron stuck to Steel's side like glue the rest of the night and into the next day. Around dawn, he let Steel go back to his hotel for a change of clothes.

«You guys may not need much sleep, but I need to recharge.» He yawned as he opened the door to his hotel room. He'd had about enough of his new babysitter.

«You can sleep. I'll just be making sure you don't leave or communicate with anyone while you're in this room.»

«You can do that?»

Cameron winked as he lifted one hand. «I can do much more than that, boyo. Now, personally, I feel like you can be trusted, but there's more than me to consider. So get yourself into the center of this room and be still for a moment while I do this.»

Cameron crowded Steel inside the room. He didn't like being ordered around, but he also didn't want to mess with the immense power he could feel building. This creature was downright scary.

The amount of magical energy he felt coming off Cameron was like nothing he'd ever experienced before. It also had a weird flavor, not quite of this world. The rise in power peaked and then suddenly…nothing.

Steel felt his skin crawl. After the intensity of the moments before, the room was now devoid of magic, but yet…

There was a small hum at the back of his mind. It was comforting, in a way.

«What is that?»

Cameron smiled. «A shield. In essence, you're in a magical bubble. This room, and the attached bath, are contained. No signals-magical or mundane-in or out until I release the shield. It's for your protection and ours. While you're in this room, you can't contact anyone by phone, computer, or even magically. Nor can anyone contact you. Or enter, without me knowing about it. Only someone with magic that rivals mine could hope to breach this shield and by the time they did, I'd be here.»

«Wait. What if Mario knocks on the door? He doesn't know I'm on to him. Maybe I could learn something.»

«Not a problem. You can still talk to people face to face, but keep him out in the hall. He should have no awareness of the shield unless he tries to cross the threshold. That's to protect you in case things go wrong. In that case, step back from the door and wait for me. Nothing he can throw at you should be able to penetrate my shield before I can get here.»

«How comforting.» Steel made a face, but the man only laughed. «Cameron, if you don't mind my asking, what the hell are you? No creature I ever saw has as much magical energy as I just felt.»

«I'm fey, lad, but more than that, I'm a Chevalier de Lumiere. And that's something even my supernatural friends don't know.» He winked with a sly grin.

Steel was shocked. «A Knight of the Light. Well, that explains a lot. Damn.» He looked at the older man with new respect. «But why tell me?»

«Despite all you've seen today, I sense you still need some convincing you're on the right side in this. Being what I am,» Cameron started to glow with magical energy that even Steel could see with mortal eyes-a sure indicator of his true power and affiliation with the Order, «I can see through to the heart of you, Benjamin. I know where you've been and can glimpse where you're going. You're at a turning point. Where you decide to go next will be crucial to the rest of your existence, and to that of many supernaturals in this realm. I reveal myself to you so you'll know you're on the right path. This is too important to leave to chance. For eons, Venifucus have used trickery to lead soldiers of the Light into darkness. You've come very close, but you still have a shot at redemption. Don't waste it.»

With his final words, the light began to fade and Cameron didn't seem quite so imposing. Steel guessed he'd only seen a small portion of Cam's true power, but it was enough. The AC's lessons had included information on the Order. They were even more secretive than the Venifucus, and had been fighting evil far longer than the Venifucus had been in existence. Even the AC was afraid of them, not even trying to ferret out who might be part of their ranks.

«Thanks, Cam. You're right. I did have questions, despite what I've seen so far.»

«That's understandable, lad. It's a lot to take in-especially for a mortal. Sensitive or not.»

Steel felt the magic die down and then disappear completely. Cameron had some amazing power there. «I won't say anything to the others about you.»

Cameron chuckled as he headed for the door. «I knew that already. You're the kind of man who knows how to keep a secret. I'll trust to your discretion. Now get some rest. I'll be back this afternoon to take down the shield and escort your sorry arse back to Sebastian's. I think you should consider moving in there until this is over. He's got the room and I believe a contingent of were are planning to prowl the grounds to help keep the bloodletters safe until we're ready to face your Mario again. Something tells me you need to make more friends among their numbers if you're going to be of help to us in the coming battle.»

«You mean against Mario?» Steel asked as the fey knight turned the doorknob.

Cameron's eyes narrowed. «Aye, in this fight, and the rest of what's coming. I don't see much beyond the next battle, except that there will be more.»

«You have the sight? What am I saying? You're fey. Can't all your people see the future? Or is that a myth?»

Cameron paused. «Most of us can see a bit, but it's not entirely reliable, you understand. And I've made my home in this realm, so I don't always interpret what I see clearly. All I can say for certain is that once we take care of Mario, there are more out there that need dealing with, but I didn't need the sight to tell me that. Your Altor Custodis has been corrupted, lad. A housecleaning is in order and I think you're just the man to do it.»

True to his word, Cameron picked Steel up several hours later. He felt good after a hot shower and some much needed sleep. Mario hadn't come by, but Steel wasn't really surprised. They'd had little contact except when Steel called on Mario for backup, which wasn't all that often.

He still couldn't quite believe he was traveling around town with a fey knight. He'd had minimal instruction on the fey realm when he'd joined the AC because the fey were said to be rarer than rare here in the mortal realm.

Of course, the AC had also taught him that weres and vamps didn't work together either, but he now knew that was false. At least in this instance. But then, these were extraordinary circumstances.

Steel took his duffle bag with him when they went down to the truck, but didn't bother checking out. For one thing, the room was on the AC's tab. For another, Mario might come looking for him and it would look strange if he'd checked out without telling his backup. He also wasn't certain of his welcome at the vampire's home, though Cameron seemed pretty sure of it.

It was late in the afternoon when they drove through the gates of an impressive estate in the hills outside town. Steel noted the tingle of magic as they went through and the creatures who paused to look at the truck as they drove up the long drive. Two hawks, an owl, a wolf or two, and some big cats that were most definitely werecreatures paused to allow themselves to be seen. He knew it was for his benefit. These special creatures would never have been spotted by a mortal in the thick forest unless they allowed it.

«Nice house,» Steel commented as the big mansion came into view. Surprisingly, he meant it. Most fancy places like this annoyed him, but there was something about Sebastian's home that seemed welcoming.

«It is, isn't it? Sebastian modeled it after his ancestral estate, but on a smaller scale. He's young enough to miss the comforts of his mortal life. From what I understand, he still pays for the upkeep of the old place in England through a blind trust or some such. After his mortality was forfeited, he gave up his claim to the lands and title, but he's kept it safe for his brother's heirs all these years.»

«So he was part of the aristocracy? What was he? A duke or something?» Steel chuckled at the idea.

«An earl, actually.» Cameron's tone was dry as he parked the truck by the side of the house. Nearby, a giant garage stood open to showcase one hell of a collection of high-priced automobiles. The Lamborghini especially, caught Steel's eye. «But he left England penniless, three centuries ago. All you see here, he earned himself.»

Steel caught the hint of pride in Cameron's voice. «You like the son of a bitch, don't you?»

Cameron laughed. «Aye, that I do. He's a special lad, for all that he's English.»

«He's got a lot of power for a vamp on the young side, doesn't he?»

Cameron nodded as they headed for the big house. «His conversion wasn't a pleasant one. His maker found him near death, turned him to save his life, and abandoned him deep in the woods, all in one night. Not many would survive that ordeal, but the lad not only survived, he saved the life of a hurt little werewolf girl in the process. He brought the girl home to her parents, though he was weak as a cub himself, and forged a friendship the likes of which hadn't been seen in this realm for centuries. It's my belief he was put there, in those woods three hundred years ago, for just that purpose. He's a proven friend to the were. He's never played a single one of them false and they trust him. The trust he forged over three centuries will be key in the troubled times ahead. Mark my words.»

Steel was startled by the idea, but if anyone could predict the future, he knew it would be a creature like Cameron. Steel stood beside him as he rang the bell at the front entrance.

Matt pulled open the heavy door a few moments later. They exchanged greetings and entered the spacious foyer.

«Hastings has set up an office of sorts in the media room. Sebastian already had these giant monitors, so we hooked up the computer to one so we could all look at the images and data together.» Matt strode down the wide hall, ushering Steel and Cameron to a large room near one end of the big house. «We've also got the kitchen working, so if you're hungry, food's available.» Steel's stomach growled at the mention of food and he knew he'd partake of dinner once he saw what the setup was.