"No, he won't, good guess. Asa will be close to the main building staying in one of the cabins."

Asa scratches his head and snorts, "Cabins? No, I'll stay in the main building or all bets are off and I leave."

Jeesh! He sure is a pushy thing. I hear Paul start to choke on his coffee in the kitchen. d.a.m.n, that jerk's laughing at me.

Remaining calm on the surface, I keep my face blank. "We can discuss things with Rafe. Nothing's set in stone. Let's continue on the tour." Without a backward glance, I head into the kitchen, expecting Asa to follow. Which, of course, he does. If I could kick the smiling Paul on my way past him, I would. That would make me look childish though, so I refrain.

"Our apartment is through here." Unlocking the door, I lean into the wood with my shoulder. "And there's another area I'd like to show you as well."

The door closes behind him and I'm glad I don't have to look at the astonished looks of Tommy and Paul any longer. In the years they've both worked here, we've never had a vampire employee. I'm betting the gossip will spread like wildfire through the ranks in no time.

"Love, is that you?" Rafe's voice calls out from our office.

He knows very well it's me. Rafe is calling out so our guest doesn't know the extent of our bond. I'm not concerned about it anymore, having made up my mind. But apparently someone is.

"Yes, Rafe, it is. I've got Asa with me. Giving him a quick tour."

We hear Rafe moving around in the far end of the suite as Asa and I move through the living area and enter the kitchen.

Rafe comes from the hall and the three of us meet by the rough, hand-hewn table in the center of the room. They make their introductions to each other, then Rafe asks, "Taking him down to the bas.e.m.e.nt next?"

"Yes, care to join us?" I say, already knowing his response.

Rafe walks over to the coffee pot and pours himself a full mug. "No, I'm good. Still catching up on some paperwork."

You showing him everything down there? Rafe inquires. Or just the basics?

In for a penny, in for a pound.

"This way, Asa." I lead him out to the hall and through a door leading to the bas.e.m.e.nt. I start down the stairs, flipping light switches as I go.

We descend the stairs and enter the room where Rafe and I had hot monkey s.e.x last night. Ah, good times.

"How did you manage this bas.e.m.e.nt with the permafrost?"

"Good question! You are the sharp one, eh?" I walk across the room to the workbench, turn, and lean back to face him as he approaches me. "Fire, and lots of it, all summer long. It was the only way to get through and make the foundation deep enough."

"Must be nice when money is no object."

"I wouldn't agree." Reaching up behind me to the pegboard, my fingers brush the antique hammer from Rafe's father.

Dria, you sure this is a good idea?

No, I'm not. I'll have to kill him if I'm wrong.

I grasp the handle and swing it away from the pegboard. The wall in the corner, right next to where I held on to the rafters, slides open to the left.

Asa's shock comes through in his next words. "Holy s.h.i.t, did that wall just open?"

I launch my body across the s.p.a.ce between us and before he can think skippity-doo-dah, my hands are around his throat and I'm lifting him off his feet. His eyes bug, both of his hands come up trying to pry my grip from beneath his jaw.

"You can't go forward from this point, lad. Not without some conditions. We're at the spot where you swear allegiance to me or I rip your head off and bury you in the north corner. Which is it to be?"

Chapter Nineteen.

"What the f.u.c.k is wrong with you, lady?" Asa chokes out. "Let me down!"

I drop him back to the floor, but it's not all that far because he's taller than me to begin with.

"Asa, this is the moment you've read about in history books."

He's rubbing his neck and glaring at me. Like I care. The finger marks heal before my eyes. I knew they wouldn't last long.

"What have I done? What brought this on?" His righteous indignation comes through with every crisp word.

"Nothing, darling. Did you really think I'd let you into every aspect of my security on Cy's say so?" I begin to pace around him, forcing him to turn and face me or risk having me at his back.

"I thought Cy was your friend?" His voice sounds a little squeaky. "I'm not sure what the h.e.l.l is going on. What books are you talking about?"

Do young people today not read about va.s.sals swearing fealty to a lord? Idiots. I finish the first circle and start again. I forgot how much fun it could be to mess with someone. Energy pulses under my skin and the tiny hairs lift on my nape. "He is my friend. I hold friends at arm's length, at best. I haven't lived this long by being stupid."

"I'm not here trying to insult your intelligence," he says. "I'm here to help solve a murder!"

Good, he's starting to sound ruffled. Which is exactly what I want.

"Are you so ignorant that you have not learned the ways of our world when going from one powerful vampire master to another?"

"What?!" He stops for a second and his eyes roll around the room before he responds, with a slightly calmer voice, "No, I guess I haven't."

"You are here, within my walls and you want to know my secrets."

Honestly, I am being a bit of a b.i.t.c.h here. Until I realized I had to show him all aspects of our security and the property, it hadn't occurred to me that there was no going back. Now I'm messing with him because the decision has been made.

"I come with the best of intentions," he says. "What do I need to do to prove it?"

"Did Cy release you from your bond before you got on the plane?"

"Yes! It was a precaution he said...in case..." The light dawns in his eyes and I can see he gets it.

Rafe interrupts in my mind. Dria! Is this what you truly want?

We pa.s.sed the point of no return when he got off that plane. Sorry, darling, he's just too d.a.m.n smart and observant. Are you okay with it?

You know this was what I wanted. You should know the answer.

I return to Asa's question on what he needs to do to prove his intentions, but I'm sure it is not what he thought he'd hear so early on in his stay. "You need to answer formally to my next question. And think carefully before you respond."

I take a deep breath, stop my circular pacing, and pull myself up to my full height.

My power pushes out from my inner cage and knocks the unsuspecting young vampire back on his heels. It wraps around his body and then straightens him up, against his will. His voice screeches out in a high-pitched whine of fear.

"f.u.c.king A! What the h.e.l.l is that? Is that you?"

It's kind of funny to see this muscle-bound, shaved head, bada.s.s-military guy getting fl.u.s.tered. d.a.m.n, wish I had more time to play. Did Asa know what Cy got him into when he got on that plane? Poor thing, I doubt it. Best to make the most of it now.

Rafe, come down to witness, please.

I hear a clattering of steps on the floor above. Rafe comes leaping down the steps and skitters to a halt a few feet from us.

"Didn't miss the good part yet, did I?" He has a gleam in his eye.

d.a.m.n him, he's enjoying this too. More vampires mean a safer seethe, and Rafe will sleep better at night knowing these vamps have our back.

"No," I reply. "The good part is coming up." I flex my power and Asa's body twitches forward.

"Will you give your life to serve and protect your new Vampire Master, Vivian Alexandria Ceara McAndrews, and place the needs of the seethe above your own?" I wait a moment to let that dramatic bit seep in.

I stand square, with my hands at my sides. Exerting more power, I force the young vampire to his knees. Is this display really necessary? I think so and I'm not willing to take any chances. Revealing my true age shows him the scope of my power, but not the deadly one of vampire mind control that I always hide. I think it's a safe compromise for now.

Stepping forward, I extend my left arm out and the nails of my right hand come to rest on my wrist. I lock gazes with Asa and raise an eyebrow. "Do you not know what comes next, my dear?"

Asa swallows, shifts his eyes to my wrist. "Just like this? You're willing to take me in already?" He starts to stammer. "I...I'm confused. I thought it would take longer."

"I'm sorry, but you really left me no option when you wanted to stay at the main building. I knew that in order for you to help solve the murder you would need to know everything. Staying here, as opposed to one of the cabins, meant you would need to know all our secrets built into this hotel. If you knew them all, I can't allow you to leave."

The truth of my words sinks in. I can tell he's mulling the prospect over in his mind. "What if I say no?" he inquires.

Little b.u.g.g.e.r is testing me now. If he says no, I really only have two options-kill him or wipe his mind and send him back to Cy. But he doesn't know that last one is a possibility.

"If you say no, I ask you to leave. After all, you haven't seen anything yet. Just a door in a bas.e.m.e.nt."

I know what he wants, deep inside. My touch in the grotto revealed all. He's wondering about my motives. Too d.a.m.n bad. I don't need to explain myself to the likes of him.

"How old are you?" His voice is calmer now, more controlled.

"Answer my question first, and no more dilly-dallying."

He bows his head, and his body loses the tension he had when I first unleashed my aura. He appears more accepting and certain about his choice. I rein my power back in and free him from my hold. He remains on his knees of his own free will, looking up at me a bit with his head still angled downward.

"I am honored to give my life for yours. I gladly accept the offer to enter the McAndrews seethe. I understand that one may only leave by death or by leave from the master. I am bound to you by blood and dishonored with penalty of death if I fail in my duty to protect."

I rip my nails down across my wrist, thrusting the arm forward as I do so. I state the expected archaic response: "Drink the rewards of your place within the seethe. Take some of my power to increase your own."

My blood wells up in the gash I've made, holding at the torn edges, but refusing to spill and drip to the ground. The air fills with the strong scent of my powerful blood. Asa's head comes up, quick as a wink, and his eyes go black with need.

I move closer so my wrist will be at his mouth, while signaling with my eyes that it's okay to drink. He reaches out and grasps my forearm to hold me in place, lowering his mouth to the jagged wound.

Rafe's voice cuts across the tension of the moment. "I hereby bear witness to the newest addition of the seethe and will report it to the tribunal record keeper."

Asa's lips lock onto my wrist, drawing in with a healthy pull of force. He coaxes out as much blood as he can before the cut heals. I feel his teeth nibble slightly at the flesh, trying to get out more before I refuse. These young ones are always so d.a.m.n greedy.

Guessing he's had about an ounce or so, I pull my half-healed wrist away from his mouth. He looks longingly at the skin as it knits back together, and he lets out a sigh as it closes. "That was unbelievable. I still have no idea how old you are, but I do know you're the oldest I have met."

I rub at the skin in an offhanded manner. It freaks me out a little to have someone other than Rafe bite me. Good G.o.d, it's been so long, I forgot this part. d.a.m.ned if I'm going to have to do this every month. Sheesh, a part of me thinks it would be easier to kill him when this is all said and done.

I look over at Rafe, who's smiling from ear to ear. He knows exactly what I'm thinking, but he's so darn happy he got his way that he isn't saying a word.

Rafe strides forward and smacks a palm on the back of Asa's shoulder. "Welcome to the family. Ready for that tour yet?"

His s.h.i.t-eating grin makes me want to smack him, but I manage to hold back.

The full force of my blood works its way into Asa's system and he looks like a giddy school-boy.

"This is so f.u.c.king cool, man, I haven't felt anything like this since I smoked some hash in Amsterdam once when I was on leave." He jumps up from the bas.e.m.e.nt floor in one swift movement. "Wow, I feel... feel... so ALIVE." He rushes forward and wraps me up in a big ol' bear hug, lifting my feet off the floor. "d.a.m.n, you're the best!"

His body is hard, all of it, every long inch. Yikes. The energy rolls off him in waves, the feel of his cheek on mine, it is all rather disconcerting. He brushes up against my ear, "It's you're turn now, right?"

Asa tilts his head and exposes his neck to me. I will not exchange blood with him. Guess I should have clarified that part first. He needs to redirect this rush of power, but not at me.

"Down, boy." My tone is firm, but he doesn't move. "Seriously, put me down. Now."

Asa lowers me to the concrete and takes a step back, confusion clear on his features. "I don't understand. Don't you want to seal the bond?"

"I do not require you to give me your blood." My voice comes out cool.

"Why not?"

"I refuse to take your will and make you my servant. I do not need to compel you to serve and protect. You will do so purely for the strength you gain in having my blood."

"I'm not sure I understand."

Ah, he's so young. The fool, he's lucky he made it out of the Middle East alive and not serving the vampire who turned him for all eternity.

"Do you know what a servant is, Asa?"

"You mean when a human and vampire exchange blood? Yes, of course I do."

"The bond compels the human to want to protect and serve the vampire." He's looking at me with his eyebrows raised. I don't think he gets it. "The human has no inner desire to kill the vampire because of this bond."

"Yeah, so?"