Chapter 14: To Give the Devil his Due

Domino stepped out of the car, his eyes upon the huge house that sat on a picturesque estate just beyond city limits. The lights were on and, with his excellent ears; he could hear the sounds of people talking and music being played. A disgusted sigh was wrestled from his chest and he glanced apologetically at the two that stepped out of the passenger side.

"My dinner must be entertaining again. I've asked her not to do such things when I'm not home. It's almost impossible to find humans that are trustworthy among the riches I have amassed. But no matter, now that I am home, I will take care of the situation. Do make yourselves at home." He headed toward the wide stairs and the double doors that opened into the house. Turning his head, he smiled at Arielle. "Of course, present company is very much excluded, my dear."

"Of course," Arielle muttered, rolling her eyes at the smoothness of his apology and at his opening words about his "dinner". She followed Nick's black leather clad form up the steps and stepped into luxury the likes she'd only imagined. Crystal chandeliers and a curved oak stairway were among the first things she saw. Then she heard the tinkling of water flowing and saw something that made her blink.

Two marble nymphs cavorted in the center of a large circular fountain. Each nymph held a simple jar tipped to its side, spilling the water into the pool. The thing that held Arielle's attention was the faces of the nymphs. Each was the same, delicate features, a heart shaped face, the hint of a dimple upon the smooth white cheeks. Each was smiling with full lips and perfect teeth. "Who is she?" she whispered to Nicky, motioning with her hand toward the pool.

Nicky let his hands come to rest upon Arielle's shoulders, turning her slightly as he gestured to the full length portrait of a woman who was a twin to those in the pool. "Selena," he whispered in her ear, but gave her no other information.

In color, her features were even more delicate and the artist had captured the life and beauty of her wide sea-green eyes. She was dressed in a full length gown, the cap sleeves off her shoulder, leaving her arms and her slim shoulders bare. Her neck was surrounded by emeralds in gold and more hung at her tiny, shell-like ears. She was slim, a wide green ribbon that matched the emeralds, circling her slender waist.

One hand was on an empty leather covered chair, the other was reaching out as if offering Arielle a place next to her upon the painted canvas. It was an exquisitely done piece and Arielle was intrigued by the mystery that she seemed shrouded in. "Who is Selena?" she asked aloud though she spoke only to herself.

But Domino heard and he turned, his darks eyes almost feral in a face that was no longer genial but full of anger and a strange longing. "She was my mate," he snarled. "And she was killed. You need to know nothing else, human."

Nick's hand shot out and he pulled Arielle behind him, feeling her crowd close to his back. She didn't take his arm and he was glad, if he needed to shove Domino away, to protect her, he didn't want to hurt her in the process. "Easy, Dom. She had no idea. Don't take it out on her."

Domino seemed to give himself a mental shake and his generous lips smoothed out, his teeth once more hid behind them. "I am sorry. To you both," he added. "Selena's loss was unexpected. We'd been together for some time as you know, Nick. I still feel as if she should skip down those stairs and into my arms."

Nicky nodded. He reached behind him now that Domino had control of his anger and drew Arielle beside him. "I shall miss her warmth and the sound of her laughter."

As he spoke, the sound of crashing crystal sounded and Dom grew tense, his eyebrows, as dark as his hair, drew together as he frowned. "That had better not be the crystal set my Mother bought for me," he growled and then headed toward the sound of partying.

He threw open the doors, took one look inside and roared. "Out! All of you, now! Or the next thing I will do is suck you all dry and leave you to rot in the sun!"

Nicky pulled Arielle to the side as a sudden exodus of men and women, all dressed in black, tattooed and pierced, hurried past them and to the door. Only one woman stopped in front of Dom. She was a gorgeous blonde, her hair curled and teased to frame her lovely face. Her model-slim body was showcased in a flowing red satin dress, the bodice exposing most of her bountiful breasts, barely covering the rouged colored nipples. Bite marks marred her smooth skin and her cheeks were flushed, a trail of red dripping from the side of her mouth.

"Callista," Dom growled. "I've told you and told you, keep those wannabes out of my house."

"But Dom," the blonde purred, her fingers coming up to trail down the front of his black shirt, teasing at the flat oval buttons. "You left me all alone. You know I hate being alone."

Domino didn't seem to be swayed. "I was gone less than two hours, Cal. You can control yourself for two hours, can't you? Now I have company. They will be staying with us for a while and I expect you on your best behavior. Arielle is human and you are not allowed to snack." He tapped her nose with one long, slender finger, laughing as her eyes crossed. "Clean up your mess, Callista. I'd better not find blood stains on that Oriental rug or I'll be taking the cleaning expense out of your hide."

Callista simpered, casting a smile toward Nicky but completely ignoring Arielle as if a simple human was beneath her unless she was food. "Yes, Dom, but you know how much I absolutely love it when you go animal on me."

Domino rolled his eyes and shook his head. Then he turned her, his hand coming down with a resounding smack upon her rounded ass. "I'm not having Maria and Theresa clean up after you again, Cal."

She went but with a sigh that seemed both forced and unnatural sounding. Then Dom turned toward Nicky and Arielle, waving them toward another closed door. "Shall we?"

"Definitely." Nicky sounded exhausted and Arielle glanced at him worriedly. He'd been through hell at that place they'd been held at and he still looked pale, even though she'd let him feed from her. She wrapped her arm around his waist and felt his go over her shoulders. Looking up, she tried to smile bravely for him but it had been a difficult night for her as well.

"Dom won't hurt you, Arielle. And he will keep Callista in line, don't worry. He will have a place for us to sleep and we'll get there soon enough. Can you hold on for a bit longer?"

"Together?" she asked, feeling a thrill of fear at the thought of staying in a room alone in the vastness of this house.

"If you want, it's what I'd prefer but I didn't want to take liberties." He smiled, his hand coming up to stroke her hair back from her face. He didn't like the paleness of her skin or the dark shadows that lay under her eyes.

"You aren't," she assured him. "I want to stay with you."

Her eyes grew wide again as she saw the room Domino was leading them in to. It looked like libraries she'd seen on television. The ones that soap opera stars lounged in their fictional estates. Those same stars that never seemed to have morning breath, or hair, whose make up never smudged, no matter how many fires or floods, or psycho stalker/killers were chasing them.

It was darkly paneled, book lined shelves covered wall upon wall. A huge fireplace sat unlit, the logs placed ever so careful to allow only a single match to start it to burn. Over that brick fireplace, another portrait of the stunning Selena hung. This time, she sat upon a horse, hunting dogs milling around her mount's legs.

Domino waved them into to maroon colored, leather covered easy chairs. "Sit, may I offer you something?" he asked, waving his hand at the small bar that held a variety of cut crystal decanters full of different colors of liquids. "Your usual, Nicky?"

Nick nodded, settling Arielle in one of the chairs before seated himself. He kept her hand, watching as she kicked off the shoes her sister had given her and curled her stocking covered feet under her.

"Arielle?"

"No, thank you. This night has been a bit surreal for me," she said almost apologetically. "I don't think alcohol would make it any less so."

Dom smiled and nodded, then reached down and into a small refrigerator, pulling out a plain glass bottle of thick red liquid. Pouring some in one of the tumblers, he held it out to Nicky and then poured more for himself before returning the bottle to the refrigerator.

Nicky swirled the glass for a moment then lifted it to his lips. A slight grimace crossed his face but it was gone as quickly as it had come and he nodded at Dom. "We have to thank you, Dom. I'm not sure what's going on or why that son of a bitch had me captured but I think it had something to do with that damned orange drug he gave me."

"Are you feeling any different, Nick?"

"Different?"

"Besides being a bit creeped out, no. I keep waiting for something to happen..."

"Such as?"

"I don't know ... ahh ... feeling stronger or weaker, feeling tired, hearing strange things, smelling something, growing another head? I'm as much in the dark as you are."

"Well, I know who took me and Arielle. Taylor Braxton. He'd invited me over, said he had a business deal he wanted to talk to me about. I can remember accepting a drink from him..."

"And then?" Domino urged, sinking down on a matching maroon sofa.

"Then I woke and he was standing over me. I was naked, tied down to a table and I had a tube in my arm feeding that orange bile into my system. Then I was in a cell and Arielle was there. She'd been attacked, ravaged by a vampire."

"And Nicky played hero," Domino added. He glanced at the heavy drapes that covered the windows. It's almost dawn, I should get you two settled and then check on Callie. She's not the brightest tool in the shed, but I've eaten worse." He rose, setting his empty glass on the small bar and then taking Nicky's from him. "Sleep as late as you want. When you are better rested, I will set up testing for you and we'll figure out what that bastard, Braxton, is doing."

He led the way out the doorway and then up the stairs, stopping in front of another set of wide double doors. He opened them and waved Nicky and Arielle in. "There are toothbrushes in the bathroom, Arielle. If you don't see what you need, Nicky should be able to help you with it. My servants will be here soon and I will let them know you are here. Ring the bell and they'll fix you whatever you want to eat."

"Thank you, Domino," she said almost shyly. Then she turned and walked into the bedroom, Nick on her heels.

"Mirage!"

Hunter felt a surge of panic twist inside of him. She couldn't be gone, she just couldn't. To lose her now, well, it would be devastating. He forced himself to be still in the dark tunnel, and made himself take three calming breaths. He would be no good to her if he allowed himself to foolishly dash into some gun battle and end up with his head splattered on one of the tunnel walls. He had to think, to clear his mind of panic and depend upon his skills. He wasn't called Hunter for nothing.

One last breath and he started moving again, though this time he was cautious, checking walls, floor and ceilings for traps, his head up, his nose in the air. He came to an intersection in the tunnels and for a moment, the fear rushed in but he pushed it back. Closing his eyes, he pushed out his thoughts, searching for her.

Mira felt a hint of something just at the edge of her consciousness. It was a tingle of little fingers in her mind and she mentally tasted it, instantly recognizing Hunter. He was coming and she breathed a silent pray of thank you as well as one for his safety as he pushed forward. "I'm here," she muttered softly, only glancing up when Taylor stepped in front of her.