Longing for You, стр. 19
Drasas’s heart was pounding. This woman had such a powerful,sensual aura, and it was enveloping her.
“Please call me Anka.”
Anka’s bone structure, her dark make-up, and those eyes all drewDrasas in.
“Thank you for meeting with me,” Anka said.
“My pleasure, Anka. How can I help you?”
Anka lifted her hand and indicated to all the humans around them.“Look at them, Drasas. What do you see?”
“Pathetic, weak humans,” Drasas said.
“I see we are of the same mind, Drasas, and yet who is hiding inthe shadows? Vampires, witches, fae, werewolves, all of us who are the mostpowerful creatures in the world are skulking around, when those humans shouldbe worshipping at our feet.”
Drasas turned around and said excitedly, “Yes, exactly myfeelings.”
Anka placed the tips of her black polished nails on Drasas’s legand stroked her thigh up and down. A fire was ignited in her sex with thebarest touch. Drasas had sex on offer whenever she wanted from the vampiresunder her command and any human she fancied, but nothing had ever felt asexciting as that barest touch from Anka.
Anka suddenly pulled her hand away, and Drasas hated the loss. Shewanted more.
“I represent a group that believes the time for living in theshadows is over,” Anka said. “There was a time when the high priestess andother paranormal creatures were worshipped by humans, and now we are nothing.”
“Who is in your group?” Drasas asked.
“Oh, small groups of dark witches, some werewolves, manyshapeshifters, and more flock to us every day. We wish to bring a new age ofdarkness to the earth. One where we are the masters.”
“How can I help?”
“I would like a powerful vampire clan to join our numbers. Onewithout the sickening ideals of the Debreks,” Anka spat.
“I agree with that wholeheartedly, but why come to me and notVictorija? She is a born vampire.”
“Ah, yes. A born vampire, the most powerful vampires in theworld,” Anka said.
Drasas felt a pang of jealousy. She would never experience thefear of others that kind of power caused. She would always just be an ordinaryturned vampire.
“I’ve heard that Victorija has been indisposed lately and that youhave been virtually running the clan.”
Drasas sat a little taller in her seat. “Yes, I have been. Eversince my Principe visited the UK and killed her grandmother, she’s beendifferent. She can’t satiate her hunger and has no interest in striking back atthe Debreks.”
“The Debreks,” Anka said with disdain. “They behave like the humanworld they are part of. They don’t deserve the power that the Debrek bankbrings.”
“I’ve been telling my Principe that we need to strike against themwhile they are distracted, but she won’t listen,” Drasas said.
“Well, how about this. I visit your Principe, help you find outwhat’s wrong with her, and help you—I mean, help your clan step out of theDebrek shadow.”
Drasas got the feeling she shouldn’t be planning this withoutVictorija’s knowledge, but the Principe was ill, something was weakening her,so she had to step in.
Anka touched Drasas’s cheek, and she shivered. “I can make yougreat, Drasas. Imagine dark witches fighting alongside your vampires. It couldbe great.”
Anka had Drasas in the palm of her hand. She knew this was theperfect way into the Dred clan.
“I could be great…” Drasas said.
“Off you go then. I’ll visit you and Victorija soon.”
Once Drasas left her, Asha stepped out of the shadows. “Is sheeverything you thought she would be, Madam?”
“Oh yes. All that and more.” She looked down at the gold ring witha purple stone on her finger. “I’ve collected werewolf, witch, and fae power,and now I need a born vampire’s power. I need Victorija for that, but I’llcontrol Drasas, and she’ll make it so easy.” Anka laughed.
Chapter Seven
Katie walked through the entrance hallway of the Debrek mansion. Itwas eleven o’clock and everything was quiet. Once Byron and Amelia retired totheir room, most of the staff finished for the night, apart from a securityteam patrolling the house.
Katie had dismissed the housekeeping staff and was on her way tothe kitchen to make a cup of herbal tea before bed. She walked downstairs tothe kitchen, and only Dane and a junior chef were left.
“Evening, Katie, can I get you anything?” Dane asked.
“No, I’m just going to make a cup of tea.”
Dane stretched her arms and yawned. “We’ll leave you to it then.Goodnight, Katie.”
Once Dane and her junior chef left, the large old kitchen wasquiet as a grave. Katie pressed the kettle on and got a mug, teabag, and spoon.She brought them back over to the kettle and waited for the kettle to boil.
Katie liked this time of night for its quiet solitude. The Debrekhouse was always a busy place with vampires and housekeeping staff millingaround, not to mention the decorators they had in at the moment causing messeverywhere.
But this was her quiet time. She would often sit here in the emptykitchen listening to the radio, alone and absorbing the quiet, but tonight shewas tired, so she was going to take her tea back to her room and look at heriPad in bed.
The night before she hadn’t had much sleep after the incident withJosie, the pain in her wrist and the nagging feeling that Alexis was rightabout being careful keeping her awake. It was annoying when Alexis wasright—plus, she had to admit her body wanted Alexis. Since she was a teenager,she’d had complicated feelings over Alexis. Now her crush had developed intoneed and want, then hurt, anger, and frustration.
“Alexis.” Katie sighed.
No matter what stage she was at, Alexis always managed to stir upher passionate emotions, whether anger or want.
Katie filled her cup up with water. Hopefully the camomile teawould soothe her to a restful sleep. She felt a breeze and the hairs on theback of her neck stood up.
There was someone behind her, and she felt fear. It couldn’t be oneof the Debrek clan—she would never feel fear because of them—and Alexis wasmore likely to make her heart speed up with excitement than fear, she was loathto admit.
She