Free The Vampire Dimitri by Colleen Gleason Page B

replied.
    Makes were vampires who’d been “made” or sired by another Dracule. While enjoying the same characteristics as the original Draculia members—ones like Dimitri, Cale and Voss, who were invited into the brotherhood by Lucifer himself—these made vampires were less powerful and more susceptible to weakness.
    Sired vampires could also make their own minions, but the further down the chain of evolution, so to speak, the lesspowerful and slower they were. Each of them acquired not only their own Asthenia upon awakening after being made, but they also inherited any weakness of their sire, and his or her sire, and so on.
    â€œMoldavi acted more quickly in sending his men here than I’d anticipated, but it could have been worse if Iliana and I hadn’t been at the masquerade. She managed to alert me to their arrival, and staked one who apparently attempted to attack Angelica in the garden. And Dewhurst—er, Voss.
    He’s taken to using his title again.”
    â€œAnd now Voss has absconded with the younger one? Angelica?”
    Dimitri submerged the bubble of rage at the thought of Voss seducing his way beneath the skirts of Chas Woodmore’s sister while she was on Dimitri’s watch. Certainly Voss would have his own reasons for choosing her in particular, but knowing that it would infuriate Dimitri was justicing on the bastard’s cake.
    If he didn’t get to Voss first, Woodmore would do it—and shove a stake into his heart without hesitation. Good riddance, but Dimitri would rather have the honor himself if Angelica was ruined while he was responsible for her. Even though he didn’t hold Voss directly liable for Lerina’s death in Vienna, the tangled web of the other man’s games and manipulations had certainly set that path in motion. Since that night, Dimitri had been more than receptive to a reason for ridding the earth of the man’s presence.
    â€œVoss has sent word that he’ll return her when he’s certain I can assure him of her safety, but of course he has some other reason for abducting her.”
    â€œOf course he does. It’s Voss we’re speaking of. The man can’t keep his cock or his fangs put away,” Cale replied. “Buthe isn’t about to let Moldavi get to her any more than we are. So she’s safe—after a fashion.”
    Unfortunately Cale was correct. Voss would keep Angelica for his own purposes, and then drop her as if she were a hot coal when he was finished. Dimitri doubted even the threat of Chas Woodmore and his ash stake would cow Voss. “Which is precisely the reason I’ve told Miss Woodmore that all is under control.”
    â€œThree deaths last night at the hands—or should I say fangs—of Belial and his men?” Cale asked. “Or were there more?”
    â€œThree in total. Iliana got one in the garden, and Voss witnessed two in the ballroom while I was attending to Miss Woodmore and Mirabella. He claims there would have been further carnage if he hadn’t intervened.” Dimitri was inclined to believe him, much as he hated to give the man credit for anything productive. “Although, of course, he didn’t lift a stake to any of them.”
    â€œNo, he wouldn’t. They were after the Woodmore girls without a doubt?”
    â€œOf course. Now that Chas has run off with Narcise.” As he spoke, Dimitri watched Cale without appearing to do so. He wasn’t surprised when his friend’s face tightened almost imperceptibly, confirming his suspicion that Giordan Cale still had that unhealthy attachment to Narcise Moldavi.
    The question that Cale was likely asking, just as Dimitri was, was whether Chas had abducted Narcise against her will, or whether they had eloped. Either was possible, although the irony of a vampire hunter eloping with a vampire made the latter choice rather fascinating.
    â€œNaturally I spent the rest of the night