Chapter 50

The Lamborghini sped down the Oxford roads, heading out of the city. Nick's pheremones had not let up and I knew not to question going with him. It made me wonder if he was going to kill me. Fear burned inside me to the point I felt like death itself, my stomach a pit - snarling and hollow.

He turns down a small road off the small roadway we had taken and away from the majority of the lights of civilization. The fields starting to take over, until finally he slams on the breaks, sending the beautiful car and its wheels screaming to a stop. His blue eyes, dark with anger turned to me as he says coldly, 'Get out.'

Without question, I open the door and jump out. Everything inside me said to run, fear and adrenline coursing through my veins as I look to the distant horizon and buildings among the low hung stars. Nick's shoes scuff softly on the tarred road, coming around the car. Steadying my breath, I try to relax my stiff and aching muscles. My eyes shutting, as I take in the smells of grass and breeze before Nick's brimstone anger filled it. My god this felt like being shot into the past.

Finally he asks coldly, 'Do you have what you need?'

Snapping my eyes open, I look up at him. His eyes were dark and hooded by the night, his jaw clenched as I ask with a frown, 'What? I don't... understand.'

'Why are you so keen on knowing if my clan lives?'

'I... I'm not!'

Snarling, he grabs me, nearly wrenching me from the ground and slams me against the vehicle and roars, 'What are you trying to pull? I feel like everything that is happening is because of you! You are sending us on a wild goose chase with no end. Are you stalling us, so the Phantasma can murder more of the Purebloods?!'

'W-what?!?' I yell back in shock and then continue, letting words spill from my mouth, 'Of course not! I know nothing of the vampire world. My teacher told me to stay clear of it because it's nothing but vipers and lions trying to kill you. So I ask to know the extent the Phantasma has taken over. Look around you, they have permeated it all! I'm simply trying to understand your motivation for trying to find them! You never said you were the last!'

'You never asked,' He growls out between his teeth, eyes lasered on my own.

'I asked how many Purebloods were left!'

'I told you a few. How can I trust a bitten clanless?'

'So what, how can I help if secrets like this are kept. And Vicktor and Igor don't count, do they?!'

Finally, I saw his anger flame hotter, and he grips me harder, making me yelp. Tears of pain burn at the back of my eyes. God! I needed to shut up but words kept rushing through me, 'What good are they?! They have taken their oaths to remain seperate and celibate for the remainder of their lives! So yes they don't count! Not only that but if you keep holding back, I will never know how deep of an impact the Phantasma is having on the vampire world!!'

Nick almost seems to hiss in rage as he says in an icy whisper, 'You little bitten clanless, what good will telling you anything about my clan do in getting us closer to the Phantasma?'

His power was growing, his anger surging hotter as I say, throat starting to constrict from his power, trying to keep the waver of fear out of my raspy voice, 'I don't know, call it curiousity.'

We were both breathing heavily, though mine was fear and the strangle hold from his powers were making it difficult. His was out of anger and the smells of pheremines both anger and fear mingling as his eyes, still dark with rage, growls out, 'Do not ask such questions with that Night Hunter around.'

'Why not!?' I croak out.

'Though Ki may seem kind, he is an extreme tactician. He puts on a calm demeanor but is colder than ice when the time comes to execute his plans. Do not be fooled, he seems relaxed to put you off him. If you have questions ask them of me. As you put it, we are only using them to put them off Jerry's scent.'

'But...'

'Only ask me,' he grounds out, fire in his eyes, though his power head lessened so I could take a deeper breath.

'Are you really the last?' I spit out in my own frustration, the lessening of his power making me too brave.

'I AM THE LAST!!!!'

The words rung in my ears as he had literally yelled them into my face. Panting with his rage that had sempt spint, we stare at each other, his pained eyes looking at me, as he says softly, 'I am the last.'

In that last word I saw the weight on his shoulders, the pain, the sorrow. He had lost everyone he loved and those that still lived where ghosts to him, shadows of his past. It had to be an accute reminder of what now weighed on him, seeing his brother and his cousin still living. He was the last with the Dracul name, if he died his family line would become non-existent. I stare at him, his power spent and now less pronounced, almost gone, and his pheremones were full of the rain smell of sorrow. I whisper softly, compassion filling me where the fear had been a moment ago, 'Nick...'

His eyes had gone down at saying the words a second time. Now they slowly look up at me and I see the loss and pain ten fold greater. His eyes red with tears unshed for those he had lost. It seemed to envelope me, so familiar, I knew had been my own years ago. Before I could say another word he let my wrists go, grabbed me by the waist and pulled me against him, crushing me in a hug. I try to say his name in a little shock and suprise, but before I knew what was happening his lips were on mine.

Shock stilled me.

--D--

We walk into the suite, Ki just ending a call. He says, picking up the files on the table, 'I have gotten word from my subordinates about the Tridium mines in the Won lands. It seems Dante was telling the truth. Tridium is being stolen right out from under the Royal clans nose.'

He stops when he see us. I knew my face had to still be flushed with embarrassment and we had an awkward barrier between us as Nick says, seemingly unfazed by what had taken place just half an hour before, 'Is that so, which mine?'

'The one outside Hong Kong. I'm planning on going there myself. Nina, you had said something about a district in Tokyo that has a large amount of missing people.'

I nod, not trusting my voice at the moment and Ki looks at Nick saying, 'I have already called for a flight to Tokyo. Hong Kong is a short flight from there, so while you two investigate Tokyo, I'll check out the mine.'

'Sounds good, when is the flight?'

'Two hours.'

Nick nods and I can't believe how icily calm he is, as he continues, 'Understood. I will call a few of my comrades to come and continue the line of inquiry.'

Ki looked a bit uneasy about that, but finally nods. He grabs up his book and walks to his room saying, 'Be at the front at 4am.'

He shuts the door behind him and I let out a sigh. Nick looks down at me and says, 'Just remember what I said earlier.'

The blush of embarrassment comes again and that icy pit in my stomach. I look up at him, and I see the determination, but the tick of his jaw said something else as he walks to his own room.