by Leia King
“My help? Of course, my love.”
Free me, Ryan.
“How?” he pressed desperately.
My blood. I tried earlier, but you didn’t understand.
“The vampire version of you bit me. That was you guiding her?”
Yes. Let her drink and then take her. With love, Ryan. Not just “fucking,” as you call it.
Ryan laughed. She knew him too well.
And then he thought about what she was asking. She wanted him to take the disgusting demon version of her and love it while he did it?
“I can do the blood thing, but I can’t love that thing, Cora. It’s not you.”
Focus on her eyes. You’ll see me there. I know you did tonight.
“Cora… I miss you! So much!”
I know. I’ve seen you, baby.
“And I miss our son. Our son. I’ll teach you wolf. I’ll teach you everything. I’m so sorry.”
It’s okay. Listen, Ryan. Don’t let her drink too much or your blood won’t be able to regenerate. It’s the key to many things. Guard it.
“I will. I promise.”
I have to go. I love you.
“I love you.”
He felt an emptiness all of a sudden and he knew she’d left.
He took a moment to compose himself and then he rushed around, searching for some clothes to pull on.
“Stop!” the two vampire guards commanded as Ryan strode towards the gates of Luca’s mansion.
He didn’t even break his stride as he walked between them and thrust his hands out to the side, sending each one of them flying several feet back. He kicked at the gates with the full force of his wolf strength and they ripped off their hinges and flew into the courtyard.
He strode on through and sped up the steps towards the main doors of the mansion. It barely took him any effort to force them open. He smashed his fists into every one of the ten guards that tried to stop him as he barreled down the corridor towards Vampire Cora. He could smell her scent and it was strong this time.
He stopped outside the last door on the right and gritted his teeth, knowing it was Luca’s bedroom.
He pushed open the door and it was all he could do to stifle a ferocious growl as he caught sight of her.
She was sprawled out naked on her stomach, her face resting on Luca’s chest. Another woman lay on her thigh and another rested her head on her left tit. A fucking orgy had obviously taken place earlier.
He stormed towards the bed and gathered her into his arms. On his way out, he snatched a robe off the back of the door. He was halfway down the corridor when he heard Luca’s voice yelling at him to bring her back.
“You try to stop me and I’ll tear you apart. I swear to fuck, Luca.”
There was no movement, but he was sure he heard him crying as he walked through the entrance doors. He ignored it. He didn’t have time. He was on a mission.
As soon as they were past the gates, Vampire Cora started to struggle in his arms. He put her down and tossed her the robe.
“Put this on.”
She did as he asked with a little growl and then she demanded, “What are you doing?”
“Do you want my blood or not?”
She nodded excitedly.
“Good, then do exactly as I say. And if you’re thinking of taking it against my will, know that you can’t take more than a sip. I heal too fast. I need to be willing to give it to you.”
“Okay.”
He hesitated, sick to his stomach at the sight of her as a vampire. Fuck, I can’t do this.
Ryan!
“Ow! All right. Take it down a notch, my love.”
He grabbed Vampire Cora’s hand and pulled her along with him towards the forest that led back to his bar.
“Who were you talking to then?” she asked
“No one,” he snapped. “Just… don’t talk, okay?”
“Fine,” she said, sulking, and turned her face to the side as he continued to pull her along roughly.
They were ten minutes into their thirty-minute journey when Ryan suddenly asked, “What I walked in on… did you guys… did you fuck all of them? Luca and the women?”
“Yep,” she said simply. “Why?”
“I just wondered. Did he make you?”
“Luca?”
“Yeah.”
She laughed. “No, of course not, silly.”
“What’s funny about that?”
“He would never hurt me, wolf. He loves me.”
“Does he now?” Ryan asked, pissed. “So it was your idea then? The women?”
“Yeah.”
“Huh.”
Ryan! Stop it! Get your mind out of the gutter!
“Ow! Shit, woman! Stop doing that!”
Vampire Cora looked at him curiously.
“What?” he snapped at her.
“Nothing. Just that….”
She continued to talk after that, non-stop. He blocked her out, ignoring every word and focusing on the fact that his wife was alive. She’d come to him tonight! She’d finally been strong enough to contact him. And he knew it was because she’d tasted his blood earlier in that alley. He just had to carry out one task and she’d come back to him. And this time he’d make damned sure not to mess it up.
They finally reached his bar and he led her upstairs.
Once they were inside his apartment, he shed his jacket and pulled his shirt over his head. As soon as it hit the floor, she rushed at him in a sudden burst of vampire speed. His back jarred against the wall. Before he could catch his breath, her lips crashed against his, taking him in a ruthless, animal kiss. He was surprised that he wasn’t disgusted by it. Instead, the animal in her called to the animal within him and he deepened the kiss. And that was when he tasted Luca and the two women. Oh fuck. Gross. He fought to push past it.
It helped when she unbuckled his jeans, pushed her hand inside, and gripped his cock.
“Oh fuck,” he gasped. “Good grip, baby.”
He watched her eyes widen in surprise as she ran her hand along the length of him. He smiled inwardly. He knew that fucker, Luca, couldn’t compare to him.
He removed her hand and led her to his bed. “Lay down, sweetheart.”
He kicked off his jeans and boxers and snatched up a condom from his bedside table. There was no way he was doing it bareback, after she’d had three vampires fucking around with her. He rolled it on quickly and straddled her.
He took a breath to center himself and told her, “Keep your eyes open. Don’t look away.”
She nodded and he gazed deeply into those familiar blue eyes. He smiled. He could see his real wife there. He could also feel her. And as he thrust his cock into the vampire version of her and started to fuck her, he kept his gaze steady, determined to believe that he was really making love to his wife. And for the first time in a long time he felt a warmth envelope him. Her love.
Now! Let her feed!
At Cora’s voice, he lowered his neck to the demon’s mouth and looked away before he saw her vamp out. It would ruin his focus on the Cora he knew. He felt the sting of the bite. A second later, she came apart around him. It pushed him over the edge and he came with her, surprised that he’d managed it, given his recent track record of being unable to finish.
She clung to him then, pulling him down to her as she sucked harder, drawing more and more of his blood into her mouth. He rested his elbows on either side of her head. His claws dug into the sheets as he forced himself to push past his natural instincts to rip her from his neck. He had to allow her to continue. When he felt himself weakening slightly, Cora’s voice screamed through his head. Stop her! Now! That’s enough!
Ryan reacted instantly, weaving his fingers into Vampire Cora’s hair and ripping her fangs from his neck. He looked down at her and was shocked to see that her body was completely still, her eyes closed.
“Shit! Is she dead?”
“No,” a familiar voice came from behind him.
He craned his neck to see Nathanial
standing at his apartment door.
He hurriedly disposed of the condom in the trash can beside the bed, rolled off the bed, and pulled on his boxers.
“What the fuck? You can’t knock?” he demanded as he hurriedly pulled the duvet cover over her to shield her nakedness. Although it was the vampire version of her, not his actual wife, it was still her body.
“I felt a surge in white magic, so I came right away,” Nathanial said. “I apologize.”
“Did you see the whole show?”
“Too much,” he said, cringing.
“Great.”
“I can hear Cora’s thoughts too, Ryan,” Nathanial revealed as he joined him by the bed.
“You can?”
“Yes. I know what she’s trying to do here.”
“Well, is it working?”
“She’s fighting the vampire,” he reported. He stepped forward and laid his hand on her forehead. He smiled at Ryan and said, “I can help with that.”
“How?”
“By weakening the vampire she is trying to fight.”
Nathanial’s hand shook and he pulled back in surprise.
“What? What’s wrong?” Ryan asked worriedly.
Nathanial grinned. “She does not need my help and she just made it clear that she does not want it either. Her white light is strong. Very strong. She is angry.”
“Angry?”
“At being trapped.”
Ryan chuckled. “Yeah, sounds like Cora.” He started to tap his foot as more time went by without anything changing. “So, how long do you think this will take? How will we know it’s her?”
“I will know. I will be unable to feel any dark energy emanating from her.”
“Well, how much are you feeling now? Like, percentage-wise.”
Nathanial chuckled. “Percentage-wise? Less than twenty. Like I said, her power is strong.”
“Last time I saw her she was fighting to die. Now she’s fighting to live.”
“She would have spent some time in the Home of the Dead, Ryan. She would have been able to see things that we cannot.”
“Like what?”
“Certain truths.”
“Nathanial, you know I hate it when you get all fucking cryptic.”
“I will explain when she returns.”
“Would she have seen Orion?”
“I very much doubt it. He is with Oriana, so, knowing her, she would have found a way to conceal both herself and the child.”
As Nathanial stood with Ryan, watching and waiting, he felt the dark energy from the vampiric incarnation if Cora dissipate completely.
He could not believe it. Cora had accomplished the unthinkable. Transcending her vampire transformation. In effect, she had cured herself of vampirism.
Her power was incredible.
And then it dawned on him, exactly why Orion was invincible and eternal. It was not a special gift bestowed on him by the fates. It was purely Cora. Her blood, her power. Because, it was clear now that Cora bore the same abilities. She had risen above death itself.
It was a heavy revelation to absorb. He wanted to stay, to speak with her about it, but his son’s pain was calling to him. He needed him. He had to go to him.
“The vampire is gone, Ryan. I will leave you to your reunion.” He gripped his shoulders and told him urgently, “You must restore the bond. It is imperative.”
Before Ryan could utter a response, Nathanial teleported away.
He turned his attention back to Cora and his heart leapt. Her body stirred and her eyes fluttered open. As soon as her big, blue eyes looked his way, he knew it was her.
He dove onto the bed, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her up onto his lap. He kissed her all over, professing his love for her over and over again.
“Ryan,” she breathed, clutching him tightly to her.
He pulled back and brushed her hair away from her face. Tears pricked his eyes, emotion threatening to overwhelm him. “I thought I’d lost you. I can’t believe you’re here. You’re back, Cora. You’re back with me.”
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry I left you,” she murmured in his ear.
He held the back of her head and she nestled against his chest as she started to sob. Her body shuddered with the force of her raw emotion. When he felt her warm tears on his skin, he lost it. He joined her, letting all the weeks of pent-up pain, grief, and absolute agony loose.
“I’m so sorry for everything,” he choked out between sobs.
“Me too,” she cried. “I love you so much.”
“Oh, darlin’. I love you.”
Ryan walked to the bed with a glass of water in hand.
He smiled at his gorgeous wife sitting up in his bed, the sheets clutched tightly to her naked body.
She was so sweet with all her good-girl modesty. He’d missed that side of her. The real, stripped down side. It was the woman without all the baggage who he’d first met, before all the shit had hit the fan when she’d come into her powers. It was his girl in all her glory.
“Here, my love,” he said, handing her the glass.
“Thanks,” she said, taking it and gulping it down. “I guess coming back from the dead really dehydrates a person.”
He smiled as he crossed to his chest of drawers. He pulled out a pile of clothes and placed them down on the duvet cover in front of her.
She eyed him in surprise. “You kept my clothes here? I saw you, Ryan. You were adamant that I was dead. You told Luca to bury me. But you kept my clothes?” she said, her eyes flickering with amusement.
“Yeah, well. What we tell ourselves to believe and what we actually believe are sometimes two different things.”
She leaned into him and brushed her lips over his. He pulled away awkwardly.
“What?” she asked.
“You have no idea how badly I want to take you right now. But, can you take a shower and brush your teeth. Or, even wash your mouth out with soap, or something stronger?”
She brought her hand to her mouth with embarrassment. “Oh God, you can smell him on me?”
“Taste. Smell. Whatever. And them, you slut,” he jested. “Them.”
She laughed. “Yeah, I watched the whole thing. Quite the performance.”
Ryan held up his hand. “I don’t want to know. It was bad enough walking in at the end of the performance. It might’ve been the vampire version of you, but it was still your body lying on that bed.”
She looked away sheepishly and climbed off the bed, clutching the duvet to her shyly.
Ryan shook his head. “Uh uh,” he said before ripping it from her with one rough tug.
She gasped as it pooled at her feet.
His gaze raked over her slowly, appreciatively drinking in every inch of her sexy little body. His cock stirred at the delicious sight. “God, you’re beautiful.”
She smiled shyly.
“Don’t hide this perfect body from me.” He swallowed hard and forced his eyes back to hers. He held out his hand. “Come.”
She weaved her fingers in his and he led her into the ensuite bathroom. He turned on the shower, pulled the curtain aside, and then folded his arms across his chest as he leaned against the sink.
“You’re gonna watch me shower?” she asked nervously.
“You bet. I’m gonna enjoy the entire fucking show. Watching your wet, naked body moving under the shower as you soap yourself up.”
“You’re such a pervert.”
“Pervert?” he laughed. “I’m your husband. It’s my prerogative.”
He winked at her and watched as she stepped into the shower. He opened the cupboard above the sink and pulled out a tube of toothpaste and a purple toothbrush. “Here. This is a spare toothbrush that I kept in case we ever slept here together. You know, before we had to move to the compound and everything.”
“Really?” she asked as she took them from him.
“Yes,” he said. “Don’t make a big deal out of it.”
She laughed and pulle
d the curtain closed. Ryan rolled his eyes. It was cute. He’d seen her naked so many times, yet she was hiding from him as she took a shower? Adorable.
“So, you and Luca?”
“Uh huh?” she responded warily.
“Before you died, you slept with him.”
“You already know about it, Ryan. We were separated at the time. You had an entire relationship with another woman.”
“I know. We both fucked up. We let things get in the way. Let everyone else affect us. I want to put it behind us, but I just need to know why. Why him, Cora? Was it some sort of residual thing from the betrothal bond? Or, did you do it just to hurt me? If you did, it’s okay. I get it, believe me. I was a fucking asshole. I pushed you away.”
“It was solace, Ryan.”
Wow. “Okay, my love.” He moved closer to the shower. “Listen, what I said about Jada and me that night at the wolf compound? I was upset. I didn’t mean it.”
“So she wasn’t the best sex of your life then?” she asked with amusement.
Ryan chuckled. “No, I’m sorry I said that. I love you, Cora. It’s always been you.”
“I know. I watched you with her recently.”
“What?”
“You were mean to her.”
“I know. I’ll talk to her.”
“Good. It’s not her fault.”
“Really?”
“What?”
“I dunno. I thought you’d be jealous or something?”
“I was before I died. But I saw a lot of things, being dead and all.”
“Like what?”
“It was Oriana, Ryan. She did this. Sure, we had some issues between us, but it was her and Vazra that escalated them with their magic and their manipulations. The bond between you and Jada, which, in turn, pushed me towards Luca, left our son unguarded when he and I were together, and ultimately succeeded in getting me out of the way.”
“But why? She didn’t succeed. The Dark Realm still stands. Nathanial and Marella are fine.”
“Because she underestimated my power. I didn’t die completely. My magic still holds over the Dark Realm. She can’t breach it.”
She fell silent for a few moments and then he heard her spitting and he realized she was brushing her teeth. He crept towards the shower and pulled the curtain aside suddenly.
