Three for Julie (Blissful Bets #4)

by Alaska Angelini

  Rawness gripped her throat, but she pushed through it. “You’re my master, my father, my…twin. I am you, only not.”

  Channing smiled. In appearance, especially. “Twins we shall be to anyone who meets you from now on.” He rubbed the dark hair away from her eyes. “Julie is no more. She died tonight. Do you understand?”

  A sadness overwhelmed her. What he said was the truth. She was no longer Julie. The woman she used to be wouldn’t even look like the person she was now. She hadn’t even seen what she looked like yet, but she knew from Channing’s memories that she’d look similar to his creations. Each one was slim, tall, and more beautiful than she could ever imagine being.

  “I understand. Can my name still be Julie though?”

  “Juliet. Julie for short. It can’t be too close.” Channing leaned forward and looked down at her chest. “How do you feel?”

  “I’m not sure yet. Can I try to move? I need to check on Taylor.”

  Blue eyes narrowed at her. “I feel your desperation to save him, and you heard what we said about changing him. You are not to attempt it, Juliet. Feeding, biting for pleasure, these are things you can do. To put poison into his blood is forbidden.”

  The order wasn’t just an absolute no. To Julie, the words erased any need to try. It was as if with him being her master, he manipulated and convinced her mind that she didn’t want to do it.

  “I promise I won’t try to change him.” Julie sat up slowly. Aston and Londyn hadn’t moved since the last time she’d seen them. “I’m so sorry,” Julie sobbed. “It was Corinne. I never thought she would—”

  Londyn picked her up and cradled her in his arms. He felt so perfect, Julie snuggled closer. Aston wrapped his arms around both of them, sandwiching her in the middle of their big chests. She moved her arm from across Londyn’s chest and used it to go around the back of her other mate’s neck. Anything to pull him closer.

  “Don’t ever scare either of us like that again,” Londyn whispered into her ear. “If we lost you it would kill us.”

  “I’m sorry. I just never thought she’d do that to me. I don’t even know why.” Julie gave them one last squeeze. “I need to check on Taylor.”

  “I’m not sure you should.” Ayden stood covering Devon and Taylor. She tried to look around him, but he kept blocking her view. “It might be too much.”

  Julie’s blood began to boil. A possessiveness she’d never felt before exploded from within. “Move, Ayden, or I’ll move you myself. I have to see him.”

  “Guys, I think maybe you should take her to the room.”

  Julie wasn’t sure how, but she wiggled out of Londyn’s arms. It felt like he had really been trying to keep her there too, but her mind was so worked up that she hardly noticed. Taylor’s name just kept repeating in her head.

  “I…can’t,” Londyn said, shocked.

  Ayden looked at her nervously. “Julie, I’m only thinking of you. It’s going to make you very upset.”

  Channing walked over and made her look into his eyes. “Juliet.” He placed his hands on the side of her face. “Et votre tendresse pour Taylor, est-ce qu’elle dépasse ce qu’elle était toujours?”

  Julie wasn’t sure why, but she heard everything he said as if he spoke to her in perfect English. Are your feelings for Taylor beyond what they’ve ever been?

  “You know they are.” Julie answered him in French. He nodded.

  “It’s as I suspected. He wasn’t meant to bond with you, Londyn, and Aston. You know this.”

  Julie shook her head. “Yes, I assumed as much. I didn’t want to admit it. I don’t think any of us did. We all love him.”

  “Then I guess this worked out for the best.” Channing smiled. “You see, as wolves have mates, so do we. I see you have found yours.”

  A throat cleared beside them. Ayden was standing there with his hands raised, confused. Hell, they’d been talking in French. The whole room looked a little shocked.

  “Let Julie see him. Only she can make him better.”

  “If you say so.” Ayden stepped aside and Julie gasped. Taylor’s body had been moved onto a sheet. His chest was covered with white gauze, but what caught her attention the most was how pale he was.

  “What have I done?” Julie dropped to her knees beside him. The room was completely silent, and yet there was this thumping sound she could hear in the distance. The closer she got to Taylor’s chest, the louder it became.

  Shuffling came from next to her and Devon lowered himself to the floor. “I removed the bullet, but the damage is done. He took it pretty good with as close up as he was shot. I think as long as we make sure it doesn’t get infected, he might be all right. The only thing that worries me is the amount of blood he’s lost. He needs a transfusion, but I don’t have the blood for that.”

  “Blood.” Julie placed her hand on his stomach, just above the waist line of his shorts. She closed her eyes and listened to his heart. It was weak, but still steady. Out of nowhere she knew what had to be done. “Channing?” She looked up and met his eyes. “There’s something I need to do. I don’t know why, but I have to.”

  A smile came to his face. “Ah, your instincts are good.”

  “Wait?” Aston came forward. “Can you read her mind?”

  Channing looked over at her mate. “Yes, I can. I know Julie as well as she knows herself. It’s part of the process.” He turned back to her. “Don’t get upset if nothing happens. Sometimes it doesn’t work, but the fact that you feel it so strongly means that there’s a possibility it’ll help.”

  Although Julie knew what she had to do, she wasn’t sure where to start. Did she get a knife? Maybe a scalpel out of Devon’s bag? Tears came to her eyes as she sat there wasting time. Suddenly, it dawned. Julie felt her fangs elongate and she dragged her wrist along one, breaking the skin.

  Blood oozed from the wound like a river of red. Before any dripped to the floor, she opened Taylor’s mouth and put the wound to his lips.

  “What is she doing?” Ayden asked nervously. “She’s not trying to change him, is she?” Footsteps got closer, but her master quickly stood between them.

  “No.” Channing said. “What she’s doing can only be done between mates. It’s a sort of healing remedy. Her blood will help strengthen him. That is all. To change Taylor, she would have to inject her venom into his blood. I assure you she won’t do that. She could bite him a million times. It wouldn’t mean she’d infect him. There has to be a conscious decision in her mind before the poison would come.”

  “Thank God. She scared the shit out of me there for a second.” Londyn walked to the other side of Taylor’s body. “Julie, we both know that Taylor wasn’t mated to you. Not before the shot, and not after. What if you hurt him with your blood?”

  “I won’t.” Julie let the blood continue to flow into his mouth. She felt herself getting lightheaded, but she wasn’t ready to stop. “He is my mate, Londyn. My vampire mate. I am yours and Aston’s.” She smiled. “Isn’t this wonderful? Now we really are all three mated.”

  A huge smile came to his face. Julie lifted her wrist and ran her tongue along the incision. The act came so naturally she hadn’t realized she’d done it until afterward. As she watched Taylor, she waited for some kind of change. She’d take anything, as long as it was good.

  “How long until we know something, Channing?” Julie made room for Aston and Londyn as they came to her side.

  “There’s no telling. It’s usually within a minute or two, but that’s if it even works. He was hurt really bad.”

  All Julie’s attention went to staring at Taylor’s body. Was his breathing becoming faster? Did his heart sound any stronger? Even with all of her heightened senses, she didn’t think she could tell. Thump-thump, thump-thump. Repeatedly she counted the beats. Out of nowhere it skipped. The pace increased rapidly, and Julie’s eyes shot to Channing. “Do you hear that?”

  “Yes, let’s give it some time and see what happens.”

  She started
watching again nervously. Hopefully the increasing was a good sign and not an omen. If she ended up making him any worse than what he already was, Julie didn’t know what she was going to do.

  Chapter 11

  The color began to return to Taylor’s skin slowly. Julie sighed a breath of relief and leaned against Londyn’s arm. She was feeling pretty weak herself and for some reason her throat was on fire.

  “You need to feed,” Channing whispered in her ear.” I think we’re pretty much done in here. Let’s talk to Ayden and get everyone to leave.” Julie nodded and let Channing take charge. She didn’t know the first thing about feeding.

  “Ayden, what do you want to do with Julie? They obviously can’t stay here.”

  Devon jumped to his feet. “You can’t move Taylor. At least not for another few hours. He’s a wolf, he’ll heal fast, but not that fast. I’d like him to stay bedridden for a least a few days.”

  The long breath came from Ayden. The dark bags under his eyes worried her. He’d obviously been under a lot of stress dealing with not only keeping Corpus Christi safe, but also taking care of the pack, and her mess.

  “Londyn, I need you and Aston to take Julie back to your place. Devon and Channing can stay here with Taylor. When it gets dark, if Taylor has stabilized some, we’ll have Channing do his disappearing act with him and show up at your place. Devon can lock up the apartment behind him. We’ll have Julie’s death report in the paper tomorrow.” He looked at her. “Anyone outside our circle will no longer believe you’re alive. Are you going to be okay with that?”

  Everyone she held dear was within their immediate circle. The only people that weren’t were her parents, and she had a falling out with them years ago. They hadn’t bothered to get ahold of her since. “Yeah, I’m perfectly okay with that.”

  “Good.” Ayden pointed to two officers with him. Julie could smell the wolf in them. “We’re out. Handle the press outside. You know the story. I want Corinne Garcia’s picture all over the local news tonight. You tell them there’s a ten-thousand-dollar reward for whoever can lead us to her arrest.”

  “Got it, Chief.” The officers walked out, and Ayden stood at the door. “Julie, I need you to change into something professional looking and take this pass. If anyone asks, you’re a crime scene technician and you can’t comment on anything you saw. Walk out of here and try not to look at anyone. I’m positive you won’t be recognized, but let’s not take any chances.”

  The burning was getting worse and Julie swallowed hard. She needed a shower first and foremost. Blood covered almost every part of her skin.

  Channing grabbed Londyn’s arm and stepped in close. “I need Julie to feed from you. Can she do that?”

  “Yeah, sure. I mean, I don’t mind at all, but isn’t she supposed to practice on you first?” Londyn’s worry almost made Julie laugh, but she held it in. He had every right to be nervous. What if she hurt him? Or worse?

  A laugh did come from Channing. “You see, I would, but I think it’s better if she uses you. Feeding can be very intimate, and as much as I know Melissa wouldn’t mind, I think you two need more of that. Am I wrong?”

  “Mind reader. I forgot.” Londyn winked at him. “I owe you one.”

  Channing pushed Julie forward, but she stopped and rushed up to him. “I don’t know what to do.”

  “Instincts, ma chérie. You’ll do great.”

  “I hope you’re right.” Julie stopped to look down at Taylor. He was almost back to his normal coloring already and his breathing was good. Comfort settled over her. She gave Aston a kiss and followed Londyn into her room.

  Facing her reflection in the dresser’s mirror caught Julie off guard. “There’s no way that’s me.” She walked closer, not believing her eyes. The woman who stared back at her had black hair, at least a few inches longer than what hers had been before her change. A thin, straight nose. The eyes made her widen her own. Light blue, the color of Channing’s, and they were illuminated by a slightly pale face. The rosiness in her cheeks looked airbrushed on. Hell, her coloring was perfect.

  If Julie would have seen this person standing before her, she’d have been in awe. As it was, the woman didn’t look anything like her. Julie got even closer to the mirror. “Oh, Londyn. I don’t know about this.”

  “Don’t be upset, Jules. You’re gorgeous.”

  “Yeah, that’s my point. It’s not me. I don’t know this person.”

  Londyn smiled tenderly. “It is you. I still see the person you were. Look.” He gently turned her back toward her reflection. “Look closely.” The new shoulder-length bangs kept falling in her face. Londyn pulled them back and placed his finger under her chin, tilting her. “Right here.” His finger traced along her cheek. “And here.” A smooth touch ran along her forehead. “And the shape, here.”

  “That’s the shape of my face, Londyn.”

  “Exactly. You see it?”

  Julie had to admit, when she turned like that, there was a slight resemblance, but barely. “I see it a fraction of a percent.” She sighed. “I’m sure I’ll get used to it. Don’t get me wrong. I hit the genetic lottery mixing my genes with Channing’s, but it’s just hard to see myself in the mirror and know that’s the new me.”

  The holes in her shirt were a sharp reminder of the damage her old body had undergone. Julie took off her tattered cloth and expected there to be some sort of scar, but there was nothing. Nothing except…. “Wow. Now, there’s those… Which I’m keeping.”

  Londyn’s eyes were like saucers as he stared at her breasts. They were overflowing from her B-cup bra. He shook his head hard and blinked a few times. “Wow, indeed,” he whispered. Julie swatted her hand at him and reached behind her to unclasp the bra. She didn’t wait to let it fall. They needed to hurry and the sooner she got him in the shower, the sooner she could feed. The burning was becoming excruciating.

  Clothes went flying behind her as Londyn stripped his off too. Julie started the water and faced him. “I think we should do the feeding in the shower, unless you’d prefer to do it right here.”

  It was obvious Londyn was trying not to stare. Julie pointed to her chest. “Get it over with.”

  “Oh, thank god.” He walked forward and ran his finger over the top of her light pink nipple. Julie couldn’t help but shiver. “Amazing. These are…”

  She sighed. “Great, yes. I think so too.” Laughter was ready to leave her, but she couldn’t follow through. Between worrying over Taylor, and wondering how Corrine could do this to her, the thoughts were fleeting compared to the pain in her throat. It took over all of her until she was ready to rush Londyn against the wall and have her way with him.

  Pressure gripped her nipple tore Julie from the trance. A mask she had never known before unveiled before her, rippling with possibilities. The personality was completely alien to any she had ever possessed, and it was so easy to slip into.

  “I’m a hunter.”

  “What?” Londyn looked at her confused.

  “I want to seduce you. To bend you to my will. Or, she did.” The creased brow indicated to Julie that he still didn’t understand. “Like a predator, Londyn. She’s inside me. It was scary. I almost lost myself.”

  He nodded. “Don’t worry, it’s natural to have that side of you. That’s exactly what you are. When I changed, I had to the same need. No worries. I trust you. The fact that you could even stop yourself and it was your first time ought to tell you something.”

  “You’re right. I’m the one in control.” Julie pulled up the lever for the shower and climbed in. “Her body was still tingling where her mate had touched her.

  Water sprayed over Julie’s head and she pulled his mouth to hers. Tingling covered her skin and she kissed Londyn deeply. He pulled back, blood on the outside of his lips. The vampire in Julie was in heaven. She collected the crimson drop with the tip of her tongue and moaned.

  “God, that actually felt really good.” Londyn pulled her mouth back to his and she lost again. �
��Don’t hold back with me, Jules.”

  She smiled and could feel the seductress predator practically purring on the inside. Julie grabbed Londyn’s hair and pulled, exposing his neck. Slowly, she ran her tongue over his racing pulse.

  “Pas encore, mon amour.”

  London immediately moaned. “What’d you say? That was so hot.”

  “I said, not yet.” Julie switched to French. To what she felt was suddenly natural, like the man by her side.

  Londyn lifted Julie so that she straddled him and pressed her against the wall of the shower. “I’ve waited so long for this.” His tongue traced her nipple and he sucked it into his mouth. Julie wiggled against him. The friction to her clit caused a light spasm to shake her legs.

  Leaning back, she reached down and began to stroke his cock. The weight in her palm felt so good. Londyn groaned and pushed the length through her grip. With one arm wrapped around her waist, he lowered the other and slid a finger deep inside of her.

  “After this, we’re never going to be apart again.” He increased the speed of his thrusts and Julie squirmed against him.

  “We don’t have a choice tonight.” She brought his cock to her entrance and he used both hands to grab onto her ass. Gently, she lowered herself down and let his length fill her.

  “Oh, fuck. Julie.”

  Her nails dug into his back as he began to thrust. Londyn lifted her to go faster. “Promise me after we finish, you’ll let me take my time on you.”

  Julie nodded as he slid his tongue into her mouth. The closer Julie came to having an orgasm, the more the burning in her throat increased. The steam was so thick she was afraid breathing was going to become impossible.

  A tightening erupted deep in her core and Julie grabbed on to Londyn’s shoulders for support. She was almost there, and she could tell her mate wasn’t far off either. “Faster, Londyn.” Julie’s back slid against the moisture of the shower wall as he followed her orders and pounded his cock into her.