CLARA'S POV
I was confused. What are they talking about and who are those people?
"They're real," Taki confirmed, his jaw firming. "But I promise they won't hurt you, Jane. You're safe, on my life."
Every motherly instinct came alive in me when my daughter began to tremble. "Who the hell are the Kurgans?" I asked, slamming my hand on the table before rising.
"Sit down." I found myself obeying Taki's sharp command before thinking about it. He scowled. "The Kurgans are a mutual enemy. For reasons we don't need to go into now," he nodded subtly at Jane, "their main goal is to kidnap women. Those with enhanced abilities are especially sought. They now want you, Clara." He narrowed his gaze on me. "And your research abilities would be an added bonus."
The blood pounded in my head as my eyes widened on the two men. My research abilities? There was no way some Iraqi terrorist group was searching for women with enhanced abilities. Or for those, like me, working to alter plant genetics to be more resistant to diseases. What in the hell was going on? Fine, I'd play along for the moment, at least until I could grab my daughter and run. "What enhanced abilities?"
"Come on, Clara. You don't need to hide anymore." Taki's jaw hardened even more.
"It's okay, Mummy," Jane whispered, patting my knee. "He already knows."
"Fine." The one word was all I was willing to give at this point. "So, what now?"
Taki cleared his throat. "I need a list of your relatives."
"Excuse me?"
"A list. You mentioned your sister—is she an empath, too?" He continued.
Hell no. None of his freaking business. "No."
His massive shoulders straightened, and he leaned forward to grab my hand. "I'll take that as a 'yes.' If the Kurgans are after you, they'll search for your sister, too. Where is she?"
Raw and hot terror sped through my veins. I searched his face, seeking truth. "You'll help her?"
He gave a short nod. "Yes. I'll send someone immediately."
The moment mattered. Trust hurts. I gulped in air and gave Annie's work and home address. So close to my own house. "God, please let Annie be alright."I prayed silently
Taki nodded and grabbed a cell phone from his back pocket, using a speed dial before barking out orders. Soldiers would retrieve Annie the next day. He clicked it shut. "Any other relatives?" He asked.
Retrieve Annie? Boy, my sister wasn't going to like leave me like that, I panicked. "None that I know of." My mother had been an only child and who the hell knew about the bastard that had been my father. Who the hell cares? "What is really going on here?"
The director eyed the door. "Mr. Kayes can explain the whole situation to you while Jane and I hunt up more doughnuts." He stood.
"No, wait," I grabbed Jane's hand.
"Clara," Taki's deep voice thickened. "We need to talk. Alone."
Jane leaned forward. "It's okay, mummy. I've dreamt about Taki. He's okay. I know it."
I shook my head, dread pooling in my stomach as Jane left with the director. A slow anger began to burn away the dread. I glared at Taki. "So talk."
He took a deep breath. "The discovery of your daughter has ended nearly three centuries of peace between my people and the Kurgans."
"Jane? What people?" I was confused.
Taki pursed his lips, a frown settling between his eyes. Shrugging, he yanked a brown contact out of one eye, then the other.
"What the—" I gasped. Luminescent gold eyes glowed like molten lava. I pushed away from the table only to have Taki grab my wrist, flattening my hand under his.
"Stay. There's a lot more." He smirked and rolled my chair closer.
"This is a trick." I glared at the impossible golden hue, the heat of his hand overpowering the coolness of the table beneath my own.
"No trick, Clara. I am a protector of the Sanguisuga race."
"Sanguisuga? Isn't that Latin?" I had taken only two semesters of the language in college.
"Yes." He replied.
"For what?" I asked.
His grip tightened on my wrist. "Vampire."
I coughed out a laugh. "You're a vampire?" My gaze swung to the door. Where was Jane?
Issuing another of the deep sighs, I was starting to equate with him. He smiled and two sharp canines instantly emerged.
"Oh God." l struggled to yank back my hand.
"Do I need to bite you for you to believe me?" Interest and something darker like some sought of emotion wove through him, into me. I fought to block myself from his emotions.
"No. No biting." My mind reeled while reality spun away. "This can't be true." I shook my head. "But you were out in the sun. It was early, but the sun was out." This wasn't happening. If I had not seen the canines, I wouldn't believe what he said about being a vampire.
"The sun only bothers the Kurgans, Clara. We're fine with a day at the beach." He replied.
"They're vampires, too?" It came out more like a question than a statement.
He shrugged. "No. They're monsters." His canines retracted.
"But they have fangs and drink blood?" I asked again confused
"Yes." He replied.
"And you drink blood?" I needed to be sure.
"Only in extreme situations." He responded.
"Extreme?" This couldn't be happening.
"During a fight or sex." His voice lowered to the growl he'd uttered just before deepening our earlier kiss. Something skittered through my belly in response.
"Oh." My mind flashed, unbidden, to his fangs. And sex. My heart thumped once. Hard. "Why?" I stopped fighting. For the moment.
"Why what?" His thumb traced heated circles on the pulse point of my wrist, his golden gaze dropping to my neck.
"Why Jane? Why do they want women with odd abilities?"
He ran a hand over his jaw, his eyes returning to my face. "Jane is special. You know that. Her psychic abilities are the strongest we've ever seen."
I straightened my spine. As fear cascaded down it. "But how do you know? How did they find her?"
Taki scowled. "Both races can sense such abilities in humans, but we need to be in close proximity to do so. We don't know how they found Jane. It could've been a fluke, but I doubt it."
"How did you find us?" I asked, as curiosity slowly replaced the fear I had earlier.
"We have sources in the Meridoze gang; we heard about the extraction plan just in time."
I stamped down on the panic fighting to rise. "Your peace has ended?" I asked again.
"Yes. We were at war for hundreds of years until we both suffered too many losses. A treaty was signed prohibiting any contact with humans." He shrugged. "Peace lasted much longer than anyone predicted."
I narrowed my eyes. "You don't sound sorry that the peace is over."
Deceptively normal canines flashed in a grin. "We were made to fight. Plus, living among you, yet having no contact, has been difficult. We need humans." Golden heat ran over my face as he said that.
"For blood." Nausea rose within me as I said that.
"That too." His voice lowered.
Everything in me stilled, and even my heart may have stopped for a second. I lacked the focus to block the feelings coming from him now. "What else?" My voice cracked.
"Both races are born male. Only. Our mates are human. And Cara"—his voice dropped to a rumble—"you're mine."