Viktor gave a small chuckle and glanced to Quintus. “Yeah, yeah I did.”
“This human. You’ve tasted her?”
“I have, but only to seal a wound.” Viktor smiled, recalling the taste of his lovely human. “She’s delicious.”
“But you haven’t bitten her?”
“No.” He wouldn’t ask her. He’d told her she’d beg for it, and he meant it.
“May I suggest you fuck her and then leave her be,” Quintus advised. “PCAP is involved. They don’t need you.”
Viktor glared at his brother. “She needs me. That’s all that matters.”
“She will be fine,” he replied.
“A bloody sacrifice was left in her home. I hardly think that’s safe.”
“Let me see. You care for the human, yet you have not bitten her or bedded her?” he mused, his voice smug. “And you ate her food.” Quintus shook his head with a tight smile. “This is trouble.”
“Well, I attempted to cook for her, but it didn’t go very well.”
“Hold up. You cooked? You? Viktor Christianson?” Quintus laughed.
“It’s the effort that counts.”
“Where is my brother? You must be an imposter,” he joked. “Ah, Viktor, my oldest, favorite brother, I’m beginning to have suspicions about this human…she could be tied to you.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Viktor chided, secretly suspecting the same.
“You ate eggs.” Quintus shook his head with a smile and poured a cognac. “No wonder you sent your donor running. This is all making sense now.”
“Can we stop focusing on me? I need your help,” Viktor told him, attempting to change the subject.
“Oh, I suspect you’re going to get all the help you need from the human.”
“Be serious, brother. I’m perpetually single and enjoying every minute of it. Listen. I’ve got a painting. I’ve seen a similar piece once, a long time ago, but if I could only have someone else take a look at it for me. Someone who knows art. Someone who knows about the doings of the church.”
“No.” Quintus tapped at the face of his cell phone, not looking up at him.
“Greyson dabbled around the church for a time. If you could just reach out.”
“I’m not doing it.”
“He was no stranger to the nuns,” Viktor continued.
“They protected him.”
“This painting. I suspect it’s an original Plautilla Nelli. I’d like to have him look at it.”
“The woman is a curator, right? Let her look at it.”
“She is, but—"
“Then why do you need Greyson? You know he’s still angry with you.” Quintus laughed.
Viktor tilted his head, recalling the incident. “It wasn’t my fault.”
“You were drunk. Drunk as a skunk,” Quintus alleged.
“Young Edward was a right chap. I did him a favor,” Viktor claimed.
“By letting him know his fiancée was doing more than praying with Greyson?”
“She was on her knees.” A smile formed on Viktor’s lips. “The way I see it she was most certainly worshipping something.”
“I believe he’s still angry,” Quintus informed him.
“He should be grateful. We both know that no matter how infatuated he was with the lass, they couldn’t bond. She didn’t belong to him except to sate his thirst and his dick. I did what any brother should do. I did him a favor by nipping problems in the bud. One day he’ll meet the one woman for him, but we all know it wasn’t her.”
“I agree, but he doesn’t see it that way.”
“I need his help, so he’d better get over it.” Lady Chadwick was better off without Edward or Greyson. Baxter would have killed her the second he discovered his brother fancied her. Their brutal master had killed everyone they’d ever cared about, taking pleasure in torturing every one of the children he sired.
Viktor stood and set the glass on the table. “I need this favor, Quint. Contact him and tell him to meet me at my place.”
Quintus released an audible sigh, shaking his head. “I will try. But I can’t promise you anything.”
“Where is he, anyway?”
“Last I heard he was restoring a castle in Romania.”
“Well then, he should need a break from his project. I’m sure he’s got plenty of time to pop over for a chat.”
“Grudges die hard.” Quintus eyed the empty glass. “Do you need another donor?”
“No, this blood will do,” Viktor insisted, still craving the one human he could not have.
“It’s been some time since I’ve taken a donor myself…now that I’m bonded it’s not necessary.”
“Well, I’m not bonded. And it has worked well my entire immortal life and I don’t intend on changing.”
“How do you know this human isn’t yours?” Quintus asked, with a playful curiosity.
“I don’t want to talk about it,” Viktor replied.
“The hunger will grow. There will be no other who can satisfy you. This is how it works. The Goddess—”
“Don’t bring her into it. The Goddess knows what I like just fine. I don’t do relationships. Especially not with humans. It’s pointless.”
“You didn’t do food either, but apparently you’ve eaten eggs.” Quintus smiled knowingly.
“It’s complicated.” Viktor went silent and rubbed his hands together, recalling her energy. “She’s complicated.”
“This is going to be entertaining to watch.”
Viktor grumbled as he strode across the room and stared into a large round metal mirror that hung in Quintus’ study. He smoothed back his hair, attempting to appear nonchalant. “I’m going to help Dr. LaFleur stop whoever is threatening her. I’m not sure what they want with this painting, but I’m going to find out and put an end to the nonsense. I don’t care if humans are responsible or not.”
“Humans?”
“Yes, I believe some are involved. Paranormals too. Someone left a parting gift in her apartment. A ritual of some sort. You know how it goes, it’s all fun and games until you conjure a demon you can’t control. I’ve caught the scent both in Miami and San Diego.”
“Humans should be easy to track down.”
“The demons could cause issues,” Viktor countered. “One of her human friends is missing. And we’ve got this painting to deal with. At the museum, a detective was asking questions one minute and beating down an office door the next. Possessed.” He sighed. “It’s all a bit of a mystery at the moment. But I’m sure that painting has something to do with it.”
“You may need help. Perhaps Kellen has information.”
“The fae?” Viktor gave a curt laugh. “As if. He’s in Hell kissing Satan’s ass, just sitting there like a sticky charred marshmallow.”
“The high priestess? Samantha,” he specified.
“At some point, but right now, I think it’s best to talk to someone who knows demons.”