Why does the universe hate me?

Misha would laugh if he knew his gigantic bed had come in handy for something other than an orgy. As the vampires settled around me, I was reminded of that scene from The Sound of Music. Except I was no Julie Andrews, and I’d bet my life none of the von Trapp children ever tried to cop a feel.

“Edith?”

“Yes, Celia?”

“Get your hand off my butt.”

I was afraid to fall asleep, worried how the vamps would affect my dreams. Eventually exhaustion won and I drifted off. My mind wandered to that same open field from my visions. A high noon sun shone in the beautiful deep blue sky. Flowers surrounded the brass bed I lay in with Aric. He rested beneath a soft white sheet with his hands clasped behind his head, naked. Scars marred his face, arms, and chest, yet all I cared about was that he was with me. He watched me closely. I reached out to him with my fingertips, smiling when he allowed my touch.

“I’m sorry for how I’ve treated you,” I whispered.

He sat up and leaned toward me. “So am I,” he added quietly. His lips met mine. The dream was so real. That wonderful heat that bound us took away my pain, grief, and fear; only our passion remained. His sweet tongue tickled mine as he pulled me against him and unzipped my long white dress. My breasts fell against his chest. He deepened our kiss and rolled on top of me. “I want to make love,” he murmured between kisses.

“I do, too,” I moaned.

He pushed himself inside me and flipped me over, allowing me to take control. I arched my back, moving quickly, desperate for my release. Aric groaned and reached for my breasts. His rough hands scratched against my nipples. I didn’t care, I wanted him so much.

“You’re doing it all wrong,” Liz said from out of nowhere.

“I told you, I can give you pointers,” Maria chimed in.

I froze. They were leaning against the brass rails at the head of the bed. I yanked at the sheets, trying to cover us. “What are you doing here?”

Liz rolled her eyes. “Trying to help you.”

“Your technique needs serious work,” Maria said, pointing.

Aric moaned beneath me and spun me onto my back. “Just ignore them, they’re only vampires.”

“It’s no wonder you’ve only had sex twice.” Agnes stood before a fire pit roasting huge sausages. She lifted one in my direction. “I like to pretend they’re penises,” she admitted.

Aric continued to make love to me, but the presence of the schoolgirls freaked me out too much to enjoy it. “Aric, I can’t do this now….”

A horse whinnied from atop a grassy knoll. Coming at us full dash was Edith riding a giant pink unicorn. “Bear down, Celia. Bear down!” she yelled as she galloped past us.

Looming darkness and the smell of rot replaced the breathtaking sunshine. The only light flickered from a single burning candle. I walked toward it. Against its subtle glow, I found Misha, naked and dirty, kneeling on the cold stone floor. Thick, matted strands of dirty hair hung over his face. Except it wasn’t enough to camouflage his glowing eyes, shining bright green with bloodlust. Fear kept me from drawing too close, but I recognized his need to communicate. He pointed to the tequila bottle gripped in his hand, and I immediately woke up.

The vampires surrounded me protectively, crouching to attack and charged by my terror. “What is it, Celia?” Hank asked.

I tried to catch my breath. “It’s Misha….He’s in Mexico.”

Chapter Eighteen

The digital unicorn alarm clock told me it was only 6:30. “Liz, call Uri. Agnes, I need a map of Mexico and all the countries to the south of it.”

Tim moved closer to me. “Where is he, exactly?”

I closed my eyes. Words, thoughts, and images swarmed my brain in a mad rush. “In Palenque, but they’re planning to move him to Guatemala.”

“The shape-shifters?”

“No. There’s someone else involved…a witch and some vampires. Weres are there, too—” My lids flew open, stirring the tension and excitement around the room. “The Tribe! The Tribe is responsible.”

Hank leapt off the bed. “This means the Alliance has to help retrieve the master.”

Liz bolted back into the room with Emme right behind her. She handed me the phone. “The Grandmaster is on the phone.”

Agnes returned with several maps in her arms and spread the largest one on the bed. I scanned it quickly before taking the phone. “Have you found my son?” Uri asked anxiously.

“Sort of. Right now he’s in Palenque. They’re moving him sometime this morning to Panajachel in Guatemala.” I passed my finger down one of the highways. “Their ultimate destination seems to be somewhere in El Salvador.” I paused. “Uri, I saw Misha in my dreams. He has bloodlust.”

Everyone held their breaths, waiting for Uri to speak. “They are not fools, Celia,” he said. “They will feed my son if they expect to control him.” Uri was right; the more they starved Misha, the more dangerous he’d become. “Celia, I shall arrive in Tahoe by nightfall, but this matter cannot wait. Go to the Den and plead your case before the Elders. The sooner the Alliance assembles, the quicker we will retrieve my son.”

All the color drained from my face. Uri was literally asking me to throw myself to the wolves.

“Celia? Are you there, my sweet?”

Hank held me and kept me from falling over. “Celia doesn’t appear to be well, Grandmaster.” Like all the other vampires, he probably wondered what the hell was wrong with me.

I fought the urge to vomit. “It’s not a good idea for me to go, Uri. I’m not welcome at the Den.”

“Celia, it is my understanding that you and the Elders have had your differences as of late. Nevertheless, you should not fear. As members of the Alliance they are forbidden to harm you.”

Yeah, right.

Danny hurried into the room in full intellectual bullshit mode. “Uri, Celia’s emotions have been extremely fragile and unpredictable. I’m afraid if she has another outburst in front of the Elders, she may ruin your chances of getting Misha back. She’ll hold up better with you at her side and together you’ll present a united front.”

Uri and I weren’t close. He’d shown me respect only out of love for Misha and because he considered me a strong ally. While he appeared the charming and dashing gentleman in public, he still remained a grandmaster vampire—one of the world’s most lethal predators and one who didn’t appreciate a werewolf telling him what to do. I suspected some major fuming on the other end of the phone.