Forsaken (Vampire Awakenings, Book 10)

by Brenda K. Davies

  So hungry. Thoughts of hurting him faded beneath her incessant thirst.

  She couldn’t stop herself from bringing his wrist to her mouth, and with a cautious flick of her tongue, she tasted his blood. Not only did hunger burn through her, but so did desire as his blood awakened another instinct—one that screamed at her to claim this man as hers.

  She lifted her eyes to his and bit into his wrist. Blood filled her mouth, and his breath hissed in, but it wasn’t from pain as his gaze remained riveted on her lips. She sighed when her hand landed on his thickening erection. She rubbed it through his sweatpants while his blood filled her arid veins and spread through her cells. Her lingering soreness faded away as his blood filled her.

  Her nipples hardened, and the stronger she felt, the wetter she became for him. Unable to stop herself, she tugged at his sweatpants as she grew desperate to get them off. He shifted on the mattress and tugged them down his legs before throwing them aside. Keeping hold of his wrist, she pulled him with her as she lay back on the bed and spread her legs.

  When she opened her legs, Julian climbed onto the bed. The scent of her arousal and the pull of his blood were pushing the boundaries of his restraint. He couldn’t hurt her, but he felt almost mindless in his desperation to complete the bond.

  When he buried his cock inside her and sank his fangs into her throat, a sense of calm descended over him. This was it! This was what the demon had been so desperate to achieve, and now, she was his.

  For the first time in months, all he felt was peace as the clamoring need to kill faded while Aida’s blood and love filled his body and mind.

  Every thrust and every drop of blood brought them closer. As their minds mingled, neither of them could tell whose pleasure and love they experienced… their own or that of their mate.

  CHAPTER 49

  Aida leaned against Julian’s side as Cassidy’s beautiful voice filled the barroom. Closing her eyes, she listened to the reassuring beat of his heart as it drowned out the numerous other heartbeats surrounding her.

  She wasn’t hungry, Julian kept her well-fed, but the rush of human blood filling the room was a temptation almost as loud as the piano. When her fangs tingled, she turned her head into Julian’s neck.

  Inhaling the scent of him, her stress eased. She felt more in control of herself when she turned back to the stage. Life as a vampire was strange, but with Julian, Cassidy, and Kyle to help guide her, she felt confident in her ability to control herself.

  After her transition, she decided to call out of work for the rest of the week. She’d required more time than she expected to adjust to the brightness of the world and the noise. She also couldn’t part from her mate.

  She returned to work today, and tonight was their first night out of the apartment since her transformation. Work was difficult at first, but she found herself slipping into her old role as easily as her favorite pair of jeans

  Before returning to work, Nicolette insisted she bring a doctor’s note with her. Aida was more than a little annoyed by this. She’d never called out before, and though she wasn’t really sick, Nicolette should have trusted her even if, in this case, that trust was misplaced.

  However, she couldn’t tell Nicolette the truth. She didn’t think “I might eat the customers” would go over too well with her boss.

  Besides, providing Nicolette with a note proved to be simple. By the time Julian finished speaking with her, Nicolette believed Aida had brought her a note stating she had pneumonia for the past week.

  Three days ago, Mollie, Mike, and Julian’s parents came for a visit. They only spent the night, but Aida loved seeing them again, especially Mollie. They sat on the roof and stayed up all night talking until they were too exhausted to speak. Then, they’d sat with their arms around each other and watched the sun glint off the windows as it rose over the city.

  In two weeks, when she had two days in a row off again, she and Julian were going to Maine for a visit. His siblings, nieces, and nephews were eager to see them, and he was excited to see them too.

  Aida was looking forward to the trip, but more, she was looking forward to their future. She’d never wanted to be a vampire, but she was so incredibly happy she got to spend the rest of her days loving this man.

  Julian draped his arm around her shoulders as Cassidy finished her song and gave an elegant bow. The young men at the front leaned forward in the hopes they could see down her shirt. Disappointed, they all leaned back again.

  Applause thundered through the packed bar. “Encore!” someone shouted, though it was still early and Cassidy was only getting started.

  “I’ll be back soon,” she said as she grinned at the crowd and gave a little wave before descending the stairs and heading for the hallway.

  “Are you ready to go home?” Julian inquired.

  She smiled as she turned to kiss him. “More than ready, and I’m not wearing any underwear.”

  Julian would have laughed if his mouth hadn’t gone dry. He gulped when she gave him a sultry smile. Digging into her purse, she pulled out her keys and dangled them before him.

  “I’m wearing a skirt, which makes running difficult, but I’ll still race you home,” she said. “Winner gets to make the loser do whatever they want in bed.”

  Grabbing her hand, Julian threw some money on the bar and waved to his brother before leading her out the front door. Once they were outside, Julian stopped beside her as she pulled her heels off and held them in her fingers. She’d prefer to be barefoot on a city street than lose this race.

  “Ready?” he asked, and she nodded. “On your marks. Ge—”

  She pushed him away from her and ran.

  “Cheater!” he yelled after her.

  She giggled and dashed in and out of the people strolling the sidewalks while he chased her down the street. Careful not to run too fast, she still poured on enough speed to stay ahead of him, but she suspected he was letting her win.

  He caught her at the outer apartment door and spun her into his arms before taking the keys from her to unlock the door. He carried her inside and up the stairs.

  “You may be a cheater, but I’m going to love you for the rest of my life,” he told her.

  She rested her hand against his bearded cheek. “All’s fair in love and all the devious things I’m going to make you do.”

  He laughed, and she kissed him. He’d been so much more relaxed since they completed their bond. She sensed his inward calm every time they exchanged blood or their minds brushed against each other. All the suffering it took for them to get here was worth it as every day, her love for him grew and their bond deepened.

  EPILOGUE

  One year later.

  The door to the bar opened, and a man with dark brown hair stepped into the shadowy interior. Before becoming a vampire, Aida never could have ascertained the color of his eyes from so far away, but the dim spotlight focused on Cassidy caught the corner of an eye so deep a brown it was nearly black.

  Aside from being incredibly handsome, nothing else made him stand out from the crowd. However, the hairs on her arms rose as Julian stiffened against her. In the middle of pouring a drink, Kyle ignored his customer’s protests as he set down the bottle and walked toward them.

  “Is that a…?” Aida started.

  “Vampire,” Julian murmured in her ear.

  “Is he a Savage?” she whispered.

  “No.”

  This confirmation didn’t cause him to relax. Instead, he became more rigid as the stranger’s eyes went to Cassidy and remained there. Kyle slammed his hand on the bar, and for a second, Aida thought he was going to launch himself over it. The muscles and veins in his corded arms stood out as the vamp continued to stare at Cassidy.

  It was only the second vampire, outside of the Byrne family and friends, that she’d encountered since turning. Though she had been a little concerned another vamp, seeking revenge like Gerald, might come after them, it hadn’t happened, and her worry lessened every day.r />
  Kyle and Julian didn’t relax when the stranger finally turned away from her to survey the crowd. When his gaze landed on them, a muscle jumped in his chiseled jaw.

  Julian removed his arm from her shoulders and rose. “Get behind me.”

  Aida started to protest, but the flash of red in his eyes stopped her. She’d learned arguing with him over her safety was as pointless as pet rocks. And just because she was behind him didn’t mean she couldn’t fight if it became necessary.

  But she didn’t think this vamp was here to fight. He wasn’t a Savage, and the place was crowded; no normal vamp would willingly draw attention to themselves by fighting other vamps in a human establishment.

  Aida edged behind Julian until she bumped into the chair he vacated. The vamp studied them before striding across the floor toward the bar. Julian placed his hand on the bar and moved to pin her in behind him. Aida glared at his back, but she didn’t dare take her eyes off the vamp for too long.

  The vampire stopped a foot away from them, and his eyes ran over the three of them. “Can I help you?” Julian asked.

  “Do you work here?” the man inquired.

  “No, but I do,” Kyle said.

  “I’d like a crown and ginger.”

  Kyle hesitated, but he couldn’t throw the man out of here when he hadn’t done anything wrong. It could create a scene if he tried, and women were already gravitating toward the vamp. Aida had to give him credit; he hadn’t walked out of here when he realized there were four other vampires in the bar, which meant he was either crazy or had balls of steel.

  One of the women Aida considered a resident cougar rested her hand on the man’s arm. She smiled sweetly as she fluttered her lashes. “You’re new here.”

  The man barely glanced at her. “I am.”

  Kyle returned with his drink, and the man set some money on the bar. Without another word, he turned and walked closer to the stage. When he slipped into the shadows between the booths and near one of the bar-top tables, the couple at the table closest to him glanced nervously in his direction.

  When the couple vacated the table, the vamp emerged from the shadows to sit at the table where he set his drink down. Cassidy glanced at the vamp before her eyes shot to her brothers. She didn’t miss a beat before focusing her attention back on the microphone as she belted out her tune.

  Julian kept Aida pinned behind him while he watched the vamp staring at his sister with far too much interest for his liking. Behind him, Aida relaxed enough to climb onto the chair he’d vacated. Kyle returned to work, but his attention remained mostly focused on the vamp.

  Julian didn’t like the vampire being here. He’d planned to take Aida home early, but there was no way he would leave his siblings while that man was in the bar. His fingers drummed against the surface of the bar while Cassidy started another song. A waitress approached the man, but he shook his head and turned to stare at Cassidy again.

  Julian’s teeth grated together, his fingers drumming faster. When Aida rested her hand on his back, some of his tension eased, but he wanted to get Aida and Cassidy away from this intruder. He wasn’t a Savage, but that didn’t mean he didn’t kill his kind.

  When Cassidy finished her song and descended from the stage. Julian rose, and from the corner of his eye, he saw Kyle flip open the trap door at the end of the bar and walk out of it while Cassidy strode through the crowd.

  What is she doing? She didn’t have to go past the vamp’s table; it was the quickest route and the one she usually took, but she could avoid his table, or she could have waited for one of them to meet her. Instead, she strode forward as if she didn’t have a care in the world. She’s far too trusting!

  “Stay here,” Julian said to Aida and started toward the tables as Kyle made his way around the other side of the bar.

  Cassidy stayed as far away from the vamp as she could, but as she was passing him, he rested a hand on her arm. Cassidy froze, Julian growled, and Kyle stormed forward. They both stalked toward their sister as the man pulled something from his pocket and handed it to her.

  Cassidy took it and stared at it. Then, she shook her head and broke away from the vamp. Julian and Kyle reached her side before she took two steps away from the vamp.

  “What were you thinking?” Julian demanded as he clasped her elbow.

  Cassidy rolled her eyes at him. “I can take care of myself, and it’s not like he’s going to do anything with all these people around.”

  Julian’s jaw clenched, and Kyle’s red face said he was trying not to explode. “You can’t know that for sure,” Kyle hissed.

  Aida met them at the corner of the bar. “Are you okay?” she asked when Cassidy gave her a pleading look.

  “I’m fine,” Cassidy said and shook off Julian’s hand.

  The look she gave him could freeze fire. Craning her head, she twisted to look at the vamp who sipped his drink before leaning over to the table next to him. The three girls there beamed at him as he unfolded whatever he’d shown to Cassidy and handed it to them.

  “What is he showing them?” Julian demanded.

  “It’s a picture of a missing woman. He’s trying to find her,” Cassidy said.

  “Did you recognize the woman?”

  “No.”

  “How strange,” Aida murmured. “Do you think she’s a vampire?”

  “I couldn’t tell from the picture.” There was something wistful and almost sad in her eyes. “I hope he finds her.”

  Cassidy turned away. Lifting Julian’s beer, she gulped down half of it before setting it on the bar. Aida’s eyebrows were in her hairline as Cassidy wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. She’d never seen Cassidy drink while working before and not because she only turned twenty-one a couple of months ago. No one here knew her or Kyle’s real names or ages. They made sure of that when they started working here.

  “What else did he say to you?” Kyle demanded when Cassidy finished the beer.

  Cassidy glanced over her shoulder to where a growing cluster of women was gathering around the vamp to examine the picture. They gave him sad looks as they rested their hands on his shoulders or brushed his back. With the way the women in this place were crawling all over him, Kyle might end up going home alone for a change.

  “He said I have a lovely voice,” Cassidy said.

  “Anything else?” Kyle pressed.

  A muscle in Cassidy’s jaw twitched as she faced her twin. “His name is Dante.”

  “And that’s it?” Julian asked.

  “Yes.”

  “Then why are you drinking?” Kyle asked. “You never drink when you’re singing.”

  “I’m just… I’m just…” Her hand trembled when she brushed back a strand of her sandy blonde hair. “I’m thirsty. Is that okay?”

  Kyle eyed her skeptically, but he must have realized that she might kick him in the nuts if he kept pushing her. “Whatever you say.”

  He lifted his hands in the air and returned to his position behind the bar. He got a few nasty looks from some of the guys who were waiting for their drinks, but he ignored them as he grinned at the women who melted before him.

  Julian eyed the vamp like a wolf protecting its pups, but Aida kept her attention on Cassidy. Her friend was paler than normal as she chewed on her bottom lip and eyed the wall over Aida’s shoulder.

  “Do you want to go to the bathroom?” she asked Cassidy.

  “Yes,” she replied.

  “Not without me,” Julian said.

  “We’ll be fine,” Aida assured him. “Stay here and keep your eye on him.”

  “He could have friends out back, or he could have sent in another vamp like Gerald did. You’re not going anywhere without me. Kyle can keep an eye on him.”

  “Fine,” she relented.

  She hooked her arm through Cassidy’s, and they strolled toward the back hallway. Julian kept himself firmly between her and the vamp as they went, but Dante didn’t pay them any attention as more women joined the cluster
of admirers.

  She lost sight of Dante when they stepped into the hallway. The walls muffled the din of voices as they strolled down the carpeted hall. Cassidy glanced over her shoulder, but there was nothing fearful in the glance. In fact, Aida sensed something almost hopeful in it.

  Cassidy pushed the bathroom door open, and when Julian went to follow her inside, Aida slammed her arm across the doorframe and leveled him with a look that froze him in place.

  “That’s far enough,” she said.

  “At least let me make sure no one’s inside,” he said.

  Aida glanced into the hallway before relenting. “Hurry.”

  He kissed her cheek before ducking into the room to check the empty stalls and the locked window. He eyed the glass in the window as he tugged at the lock.

  “For fuck's sake, Julian. If someone tries to break through the window, we’ll have plenty of time to escape or kill them. Now, get out,” Cassidy ordered and pointed at the door.

  “I’m trying to keep you safe,” he muttered as he strode toward the door.

  “We’re perfectly capable of protecting ourselves, but if we have any window crashers, you’ll be the first to know. Out!”

  He stepped into the hall and opened his mouth to protest, but before he could, Cassidy stormed over and shut the door in his face. Aida bit her lip to keep from laughing; Cassidy was anything but amused.

  Walking along the row of sinks, Cassidy turned on each one before stopping at the last one and gripping the sides of it. She bent forward and rested her head against the glass as she took a deep breath. Aida had never seen her friend so rattled before.

  “You sure you’re okay?” she asked.

  “Yeah,” Cassidy muttered as she released the sink to splash water on her face. When she finished, she grabbed some towels from the dispenser and dried her hands and face. “He just… he’s different in some way I can’t explain.”