Richie's tongue swirls over her neck as he feeds from her. Kate ignores the instinctive shiver that runs through her body, forcing herself to remain calm. As if sensing her hesitation, he pulls away. His eyes settle on her face, his gaze intrusive, like he's trying to peek into her very soul.
"Are you okay?" he asks, cradling her face.
Her attention is drawn towards the floor of the dirty motel room they broke into. It smells damp and musty, the bed squeaks under their weight. Over the past few years she has stayed in numerous shitholes like this, each one blending into the other, and a part of her wonders if she'll ever have a home again. Home. Bethel. Family. Her parents. Scott. Once upon a time she was a happy girl who had a wonderful family and a beautiful home and now all that remains are painful memories of a long, forgotten life .
"Kate?"
She looks into Richie's eyes. "If anything happens to-"
"It won't. I promise you."
He lays his head down on her lap, seeking solace from her. The thought of Seth and Scott being in trouble makes her want to retch and scream, but she knows she can't give into her fears. Not right now. She runs her fingers through Richie's hair, thinking back to Carlos' cryptic words. Why did he say the Lords wanted her? What did she have that was so valuable to them?
"I know where to start looking for Seth," Richie declares.
"Where?"
"Santanico will make him go after the Ford ring. We just have to make sure we get there first."
"Maybe he has it already."
Richie sits up and gives her a pointed look. "The second he gives her what she wants, he's a dead man and he knows it. Seth will drag this shit out as long as possible."
She regards his words, mulling over the clear confidence Richie has in his brother. Richie and Seth share a bond that goes beyond the norm, and a part of her wishes she had the same kind of connection with Scott.
"What are you thinking about?"
She turns her focus back to Richie. "Scott."
"Now is not the time. You can't afford to be distracted."
Her temper flares right away. "I'm thinking about both Seth and Scott."
Richie looks like he's about to say something but then he remains quiet, as if gauging her reaction.
"What?" she demands. "What is it?"
"I need you clearheaded and focused."
"What makes you think I'm not?"
The unexpected knock on the door puts them both on high alert. Richie gestures for her to remain silent while he walks to the window to take a quick peek through the curtains. When he turns around to look at her, his face is covered in confusion.
An impatient voice calls out to them from the other side of the door. "Open the fucking door, Richie."
She locks eyes with Richie. "Is that Seth?"
Richie swings the door open to let his brother in but Seth isn't alone. Behind him is Santanico, dressed in a skintight black dress and stilettos, looking like she just stepped off a runway. Kate gets up, torn between wanting to hug Seth and slap him. He has a black eye, and his gaze brims with anger and guilt, and she can instinctively sense how much he hates himself for bringing Santanico to them.
"What's the matter, Richard? Aren't you going to hug your big brother?" Santanico taunts in her accented voice.
The threat of danger in the room is palpable as Kate takes in the scene in front of her. Richie and Seth are standing a few feet apart, facing each other.
"Did you have to bring her here?" Richie asks.
"I didn't have a fucking choice, Richard," Seth replies.
"What the hell were you thinking?"
"I was trying to save all our asses."
Both brothers tense up when Santanico starts to move, and Richie immediately pulls the vampire back.
"Easy there, lover," Santanico drawls, dragging a finger across his lips. "You don't want to rip my dress."
Red-hot rage rushes through Kate at seeing the woman she hates touch her Richie. "Get your fucking hands off of him."
Santanico turns to look at her. "You dare to tell me what to do?"
Kate starts marching towards the bitch but Seth immediately blocks her path, refusing to budge when she tries to push him away.
"Don't be a fucking idiot, Kate!" he growls.
All her pent-up frustration from the past few hours unravels as she glares up at Seth. "How long have you been working for her?"
"You think I'm happy about what I did?" Seth fires back, clutching her arms.
"You could've told me!"
"Like you would've listened? You're so hell-bent on revenge you can't think straight."
"I would've understood!" she yells back, her voice quivering with frustration. "Of course I don't want anything to happen to Richie. How could you not know that?" Seeing the guilt on Seth's face, and knowing how much contempt he held for Santanico, Kate realises how difficult this must have been for him. He would do anything to protect his brother - including working for Santanico - and that's one of the things she loves most about him. She reaches out to stroke his cheek. "I hate that you took this all upon yourself. You could've told me the truth."
His face crumbles. "I'm sorry," he whispers as he kisses her fingers - but the moment comes to an abrupt end a second later.
"Isn't that adorable?" Santanico's grating voice calls out from behind.
Immediately Seth pulls away, and Kate wants to kick herself for letting their intimate moment play out in front of Santanico. The last thing Seth needs, or wants, is to reveal any vulnerabilities and, instead of making things easier for him, she just gave Santanico more ammunition to use against them.
"Tell me, Kate, which brother is your favourite?" Santanico goads, smirking.
"Shut the fuck up!" Seth roars.
"Or maybe I should ask which one is the better lover. I've been very curious about that myself."
Kate glares at her. "Too bad you're never going to find out."
"Have you had them both at the same time?"
"None of your fucking business."
"Two men at once has not been a very enjoyable experience for me."
"Maybe the problem was you," Kate retorts.
"Kate." Seth's eyes burn with intensity as he compels her to keep quiet. "Shut. Up."
"He's already ordering you around." Santanico chuckles, shaking her head. "And soon, he will call you names. Whore, slut. This is what men do to women like us when we become more powerful than them."
"I'm nothing like you," Kate bites out, refusing to play Santanico's head games.
"Soon you will be, when the Lords get their hands on you."
Richie moves with lightning speed, breaking the wooden table next to him and using the broken leg as a weapon on Santanico as he pulls her into his arms from behind. "I'm going to end this bullshit right here, right now," he threatens, holding the stake to her heart.
"Richie, don't!" Seth warns, taking cautious steps towards his brother.
"Richie, put that down!" Kate orders, panicking.
"You hurt her, and you die too," Seth reminds Richie.
"Yeah well, maybe that's not so bad."
"Don't give me that shit," Seth yells at his brother. "You're not the suicidal type."
"But I am tired of being her goddamn puppet and getting you guys into this mess. Maybe it's time this shitshow finally ends."
Santanico laughs. "If you think killing me will stop them from coming after her, you're a bigger fool than I thought, Richard."
