As abhorrent as the outlawed practice of blood clubs was among Breed society, attempting to kill a first-generation vampire was an even bigger offense. Nikolai couldn't raise a hand against the bastard, no matter how badly he wanted to.
And Yakut knew as much. He wiped his mouth with the hem of his dark tunic, dabbing at Renata's sweet-scented blood.
"Hunting is in our nature, boy." Yakut's voice was deadly calm, utterly confident, as he strode toward Nikolai. "You are young, born of weaker stock than some of us. Maybe your blood is so diluted with humanity, you simply cannot understand the need in its purest form. Maybe if you had a taste of the hunt, you'd be less sanctimonious of those of us who prefer to live as we were meant to be."
Niko gave a slow shake of his head. "Blood clubs aren't about hunting. They're about slaughter. You can shovel your bullshit however deep you want it, but in the end, it's still bullshit. You're an animal. What you really need is a muzzle and a choke collar. Someone needs to shut you down."
"And you think that you or the Order is up for that task?"
"Do you think we're not?" Niko challenged, some reckless part of him hoping the Gen One would give him a reason to draw his weapons. He didn't expect he'd walk away from a confrontation with the elder vampire, but he sure as hell wouldn't go down without a damned vicious fight.
Instead, Yakut backed off, amber eyes blazing, their elliptical pupils tiny slivers of black. His bearded chin came up, head cocked severely to the side. His lips parted with his savage, fang-baring grin. Like this, it wasn't hard at all to see the alien part of him - the part that made him and all the rest of the Breed what they were: blood-drinking predators not quite belonging to this mortal, Earth-born world.
"I told you once that you were not welcome in my domain, warrior. I have no use for you, or for your proposed alliance with the Order. My patience is at its end, and so is your stay here."
"Yeah," Niko agreed. "I'm f**king gone from this place, and gladly. But don't think this is the last you'll hear from me." He couldn't help glancing over at Renata as he said it. As contemptuous as he found Yakut to be, he couldn't muster the same kind of fury for her. He waited for her to tell him that she didn't know about the crimes taking place on this patch of blood- soaked land. He wanted her to say that - to say anything to convince him that she wasn't actually a knowing party to Yakut's sick practices.
She merely stared back at him, her arms crossed over her chest. One hand reached up to idly finger the healing wound on her neck, but she remained silent.
Watching as Nikolai stalked out of the open door and past Yakut's befuddled guards.
"Return the warrior's personal effects and see that he leaves the property without incident," Yakut instructed the pair of armed men outside his private chamber.
When the two set off to carry out the command, Renata started to follow after them. Some unbalanced part of her hoped she might be able to catch up to Nikolai privately and...
And what?
Explain the truth of how things were for her here? Try to justify the choices she'd been forced to make? To what end?
Nikolai was leaving. He would never have to return to this place, while she would be here to her dying breath. What good would it do to explain any of this to him, a stranger who probably wouldn't understand, let alone care?
And still, Renata's feet kept moving.
She didn't even get as far as the door. Yakut's hand clamped down on her wrist, holding her back.
"Not you, Renata. You stay."
She glanced at him with a look she hoped was devoid of the queasiness she was trying so hard to tamp down. "I thought we had finished here. I thought maybe I should go along with the others, just to make sure the warrior doesn't decide to do anything stupid on his way off the property."
"You will stay." Yakut's smile chilled her to the bone. "Tread carefully, Renata. I wouldn't want you doing anything stupid either."
She swallowed the sudden lump of cold unease in her throat. "I'm sorry?"
"You will be," he answered, his grip tightening on her arm. "Your emotions betray you, beauty. I can feel the rise in your heart rate, the spike of adrenaline that's running through your veins even now. I felt the change in you from the moment the warrior entered the room. I felt it earlier as well. Care to tell me where you were tonight?"
"Training," she replied, quickly but firmly. Giving him no reason to doubt her, since it was essentially the truth. "Before you sent Lex to call for me, I was outside, running through my training exercises in the old kennel. It was a taxing workout. If you felt anything from me, that's all it was."
A long silence stretched, and still that hard grip stayed latched onto her wrist. "You know how much I value loyalty, don't you, Renata?"
She managed a brief nod.
"I value it as much as you value the life of that child sleeping in the other room," he said coldly. "I think it would destroy you if she should end up in the boneyard."
Renata's blood seemed to freeze in her veins at the threat. She stared up into the evil eyes of a monster - one who grinned at her now with sick pleasure.
"Like I said, dear Renata. Tread very carefully."
Chapter Nine
The city of Montreal, named for the broad mount that afforded such a royal view of the Saint Lawrence River and the valley below, glittered like a bowl of gemstones under the crescent sliver of the moon. Elegant skyscrapers. Gothic church spires. Verdant parkways, and, in the distance, a shimmering ribbon of water that nestled the city in its protective embrace. It truly was a spectacular view.