by Pepper Pace
Letrelle gestured to Paul angrily. “What the hell is this?! Who is this? He’s not Vampire he has no say over what a Master does.”
“He’s my body guard, my assistant and my husband. If he tells you to sit down then you will sit.”
Letrelle grumbled but sat down grudgingly. “It’s obvious ‘Sister’, that you ain’t got my back.”
“If you were as smart as you think you are, you’d know that Carmine has your balls in a vice. You really would have to be a bad-ass to survive a battle with Carmine. You’re between a rock and a hard place. He just threw you a bone. Take it. If you don’t, I’ll arrange for a fair battle to be held tomorrow in Council chambers…and you won’t be sneaking in the night to get anyone. You can prove then who is the best.”
Letrelle was quiet as he thought about my words. “I’m not giving up half my land. Do what you gotta do and I’ll do what I gotta do.”
“So you intend to continue to enter Carmine’s territory?”
“I plan to visit my peeps tomorrow.” He said matter-of-factly.
“Tomorrow is Tuesday. Council meeting begins at 3:00. If I don’t see you there in Council chambers by three a.m.…then I’ll be forced to send out my First Lieutenant and Angel of Death to hunt you down and kill you.”
“Are we through here?” Letrelle said in a tight voice.
“Kim, let me kick his ass. He’s been nothing but disrespectful to you.” Paul spoke in my head. “I’m not going to allow it in my presence.” On this I had to stare at him.
“But you haven’t turned yet without the full moon-”
“Trust me, Baby.” More from a sense of curiosity then a need to put Letrelle in his place I decided to see what Paul was about.
“Okay, take care of your business.”
Paul smiled and cracked his knuckles.
“One quick thing.” Paul addressed Letrelle.
What he did next made my mouth drop open in complete surprise. Paul leaped over my desk and it was like he had springs in his feet. He moved almost as fast as I could. Letrelle came to his feet in time to catch Paul in his arms. They hit the floor with Paul on top. He growled and it wasn’t a human sound. Me and the ladies all leaped to our feet to see. Carmine had moved out of his chair and was standing at some distance watching the interaction with the rest of us.
Paul had all our complete attention. He wasn’t a Werewolf…he hadn’t morphed. But he was bigger and his mouth had widened and elongated until he almost appeared to have an animal’s mouth. But it was his teeth...his mouth was crowded with impossibly sharp teeth that dripped saliva onto a shocked Letrelle.
Paul slammed his head onto the floor and I heard a crack that made me grimace. Letrelle’s eyes seemed to glaze but he stayed pinned beneath Paul.
“Take this as a warning…” He glanced at Carmine. “Not to Letrelle but to you Carmine. I don’t think Letrelle is going to be around much longer to be able to pass this message on. But anyone that comes into the presence of my wife and doesn’t give her the utmost respect will get his throat ripped out by me.” Then he roared and I swear I thought I was hearing something from the depths of hell. The sound was loud enough that I almost covered my ears.
Paul stood and dusted off his sleeves. Carmine watched him with interest. His face slowly returned to normal but I could plainly see that he was still very angry.
After dusting off his sleeves Paul looked at Letrelle still on the floor with what appeared to be a crushed skull. Blood was pooling the floor beneath him rapidly.
“Get out. And don’t use the door. I don’t want you upsetting the liege.”
Letrelle looked at Paul then the rest of us with wide eyes. Our expressions were stern as we stared at him in turn.
Letrelle disappeared.
Carmine righted the chairs. “That man’s predecessor was a very good friend of mine. For hundreds of years we were allies. His weakness was beautiful women; human or Neratomay. Letrelle, a thug that enjoys impressing his thug family; which you heard him refer to as his ‘peeps’ sent a beautiful woman to ingratiate herself to my friend. I’ll admit that I was even fooled by her. My friend fell for her and they bonded. Two or three years into their relationship he; Letrelle came to my friend’s home and told him the truth. My friend, an old and powerful Neratomay was enraged. Letrelle, controlled and focused dispatched him swiftly. He now lives in my friend’s home with my friend’s woman and my friend’s property.”
Carmine’s lip curled slightly. “I will enjoy vindicating my friend tomorrow.” Carmine bowed to us then he disappeared.
Tyler blew out a long breath.
“Such treachery is common among us.” Julie spoke.
I was staring at Paul.
“Are you okay?” He asked.
“Yeah.”
“That was pretty cool, Paul.” Tyler said. “It wouldn’t be a bad thing to gain your ability.” She spoke the last thoughtfully.
I grimaced. Surprisingly, Paul did too. He put his arm around me briefly. “When I do turn it will be a lot like that.”
“It was quicker then I thought it would be.”
“Well…it will be much longer when I turn fully.” He gave me a quick peck. “Okay. Are we ready for round two?”
The next appointment was more common. A human donor was present without his Master. He wanted protection and a safehouse. His Master was only a second, not a true Master level Vampire. He was brutal and would often smack him around. Sometimes he bled him almost to the point of death. Whenever the donor tried to leave his master would find him and bring him back. He had just been recently returned after being in hiding for two years. This was his first opportunity to come to us for aid.
Tyler was seething. These were the appointments that were closest to her heart. One of her jobs was to take care of the Safe houses and to keep their Vampire Masters from getting to them. And because of her history she was ruthless when it came to protecting the people under her care. We even had a separate house for Vampire thirds that had been mistreated. Of those we only had ten or fifteen but we had hundreds of humans and sixty or seventy safe houses dotted all over our territory.
Tyler called Tige to accompany the human to a safehouse. We went on with the third meeting so I didn’t get a chance to talk to him. Because Tige made me I always got a thrill when he was around, but because of my scars it made him uncomfortable to be around me. He felt responsible for my punishment and it was something that he couldn’t shake.
The third appointment was also routine. Two Vampires were fighting over land. A super mall was being built on the one’s property but a portion of it did overlap on to the others territory, therefore the other Vampire thought that he should have a full share of the profits of the mall.
Kat offered to contact the County assessor’s office to find the exact dimensions of the mall and once we determined the exact portion that overlapped then Vampire number two would only get that percentage of the profit.
Vampire number one really hated that idea because it was his liege that would work the new mall not Vampire number two’s. Vampire number two’s people wouldn’t be allowed to enter the territory so he didn’t think it was fair to have to share any of the profits.
Paul said he thought that Vampire number two could pay rent to Vampire number one and allow a very few of his people to make a profit.
That made Vampire number one happy and Vampire number two grudgingly agreed.
Two more appointments settled their disputes in the living room and cancelled.
The next appointment ended in violence.
A Master accused me of unfairly stealing one of his donors. He claimed that I had allowed his donor to leave for a safe house without giving him an opportunity to tell his side.
I told him that slavery of donors had ended when I came into power. A donor was free to go at his own will.
He fucked up and referred to me as a mutt bitch. Paul leaped out of his chair. Since he looked like nothing more then a human to the master i
t totally caught him by surprise.
Paul back handed him and broke all the fine little bones in the man’s jaw. His mouth hung uselessly as he watched Paul in surprise.
The Vampire couldn’t drop teeth but he bulked up and clawed at Paul. Paul punched him in the chest…his hand went through the Vampire’s body…destroying his heart. The Vampire turned to dust.
“Shit.” Karen said in a shaky voice. “You didn’t even begin to change. You move fast and you’re stronger even…you know…in your human form.”
Paul dusted his hand in disgust. His face was twisted in anger. It seemed the lycan in him made him angry very easily. Yeah, I don’t like being called out of name…but I needed a better reason to kill then that. We’d have to have a sit down about that, I think.
Julie would be in charge of contacting the dead Vampire’s assistant to take his place. His assistant, thanks to Paul, had now become the Master.
The girls stretched then we called in the next appointment. The rest of the evening went relatively fast and we adjourned at just before six a.m.
The ladies went home and Monica went to her suite of rooms.
Paul was hungry and grilled himself a couple burgers. Again he just warmed it up and got grill marks on the pink meat before he placed it on bread.
“Tired?” I asked as I sat across from him.
“Yeah. I have to get used to staying awake all night, again.”
“How soon did you get up in the morning?”
“Today I slept until a little after one.”
“Remember how I used to give you a suggestion to feel awake.”
He smiled then chomped into his burger. “I remember. You were like a shot of espresso directly into the vein. But I plan on sleeping when you sleep, so that’s not going to work for now.”
As I watched him eat again my mouth began to water. My stomach had a strange feel to it suddenly and I recognized it as hunger. A Vampire’s hunger is different then a human’s. I liken it to going through some type of withdrawl.
“Come here, baby.” He said while watching me. I raised my brow and smiled, but I came around the bar and stopped next to where he was sitting.
He patted his leg indicating for me to sit on him. I did, getting comfortable and placing my arm around his shoulder. Paul looked deeply into my eyes.
“Mrs. Kim Kininsky.” My heart about leaped out of my chest and I smiled real giddy.
“That sounds so good. Kim Kininsky.”
Paul kissed me and the taste of his lips was like feasting! I found myself lapping at the taste of hamburger. He pulled back and picked up his burger.
“Is this what you want?”
I nodded.
He pulled the bread off and picked up the patty with his fingertip. I eyed it hungrily. I looked at him one more time unsure. But my eyes traveled back to the meat and I knew that I wanted it…even if it would eventually make me sick.
I reached for a small piece and nibbled it. But it was so delicious that I sucked every bit of juice from the meat before chewing it and swallowing it. Before I knew it I had eaten the remainder of Paul’s burger while he watched me curiously.
“I don’t understand why I want meat so much.” I said while licking my greasy finger tips. I put his fingertips into my mouth and sucked them clean as well.
Paul’s eyes fluttered and I felt a hardness prodding against my bottom. I froze for a moment then I rotated my pelvis against his hardening erection.
“How much time before sunrise?” He asked breathlessly.
“Maybe forty-five minutes…”
He stood up abruptly, gripping me to him effortlessly. The bar stool fell over with a thud that we both ignored. I wrapped my legs around him and he gripped my ass in his hands. We kissed again, frantically reaching for and touching each other.
“We’ve been married for over a year and we’ve never made love yet…not truly consummated our marriage.” I said.
Paul lowered me slowly. I could feel his pulse racing but a calm had taken over him.
“I’m not going to make love to you for the first time rushing to beat the sun. When I finally get to love you I want it to be like I dreamed every night for the last year. I want it to be more then a quickie in a kitchen.”
I listened to him quietly, loving him more with each word. I wanted him so much and I knew that he wanted me just as much. That he wanted it to be special meant the world to me.
I placed my head on his chest. “Will you hold me until I fall asleep?”
He placed his chin on the top of my head. “Like old times.”
We undressed down to underwear only because Paul said that he’d explode if his naked body touched my naked body. Then we climbed into my bed and he held me in his arms. I could still feel his erection straining against me but he controlled it. I ignored the throbbing between my legs, because I knew that there would be a tomorrow. And tomorrow I would have Paul every way that I had ever wanted him.
“When you awoke during the day with Alexis, do you think it was the sun that did it?”
I’d had my cheek against his hairy chest. I looked at him curiously.
“I have the impression that the sun burning me is what brought me out.”
Paul was frowning. “Pain?”
I nodded. “Even Monica said that when she was cleaning the burned skin from me during the day the pain seemed to wake me. Alexis told me that no one could show me how to wake up. I had to become strong enough to do it on my own.”
Paul sat up a bit so that he could rest his head on his hand and watch me. “Would you like me to try to wake you?”
“How?”
“I could start by shaking you. But you know I wouldn’t do anything to hurt you. I can try carrying you outside so that the sun shine touches you.”
I licked my lips. “Okay. But if I start burning-”
“I’ll rush you back in if that happens.”
I trusted Paul. “Okay.” I snuggled back into his arms and he held me to him tightly. “What do you think about me eating meat?”
“Kim, I think our bond has transferred some of my ability to you just like it transferred some of your ability to me.”
“But I’m a Vampire. I can’t digest food. Where is it going?”
“I think we’ll find out tomorrow.”
I grimaced. “I hope it’s not too gross.” I yawned. “The sun is rising.”
I felt him look down at me. “Then if it works okay, I’ll be seeing you in a few minutes.”
I smiled and snuggled up against him. Then I slept comfortably.
CHAPTER 12
I did feel different when I awoke. My limbs felt heavy and I was confused. I felt Paul’s hands stroking my hair. I focused on him.
“What time is it?”
“Night, but earlier then you usually wake.”
I sat up feeling tired. It wasn’t something Vampires felt when they rose. You were sleep then you were awake and that was that.
“How do you feel?” He asked.
“Like I could sleep a little longer.”
I slid out of the bed still wearing panties and a chemise.
“Did you take me outside dressed like this?”
He stayed in the bed and watched me. “Wrapped in a blanket.”
“I guess I didn’t wake during the day, but something happened because I’m up earlier then ever.”
Paul looked at me confused. “Kim…you did wake up.”
I sat back down. “Huh?”
“Honey, you don’t remember?”
“No.” I tried to concentrate…but there was nothing there. “W-what did I do?”
“You only woke for a minute, if that. After you went to sleep I waited until the sun was bright…truthfully I dozed for a few hours. When I woke up it was probably after nine and you were fully cold. I wrapped you in a blanket and carried you out to the back porch. Immediately you began to warm up. I sat down on one of the lawn chairs and sat you on my lap. You looked less dead and more asle
ep.
“After you warmed up you started breathing. It scared me because you’d be breathing and then you’d stop; like you had sleep apnea. I tried then to wake you up by calling you and shaking you a little. I even tried kissing you to see if lust would bring you out…but it didn’t.”
I listened completely enthralled and a bit nervous.
“I thought I’d try splashing you with cold water, but while I was carrying you back to the house your eyes opened, you gasped and then you covered your eyes like the sun was hurting you and you buried your face in my neck and started whimpering like it was really painful.
“When I got you back to the bedroom you were sleeping again, breathing, just like real sleep. I tried everything to wake you from yelling your name to splashing your face but you eventually grew cold and your breathing stopped. I’m not going to lie…part of me worried that you were…you know…really gone.
“Monica came down to check on you and she said that you’d be ash if you were really dead. Still…until you awoke just now I wasn’t 100% sure.”
I rubbed the back of my neck anxiously. “Maybe next time you’ll have to do something more…intense. You might have to bring me pain.”
Paul stood up and I noticed that he was dressed and looked nice in a pair of bootleg jeans and a black button down shirt. Around his neck was conk shells on black rawhide.
“I’m not going to do that. You can stay asleep all day if I have to do that.” He gripped my hand and pulled me up. “Come on, get dressed. I want to show you something.”
“Get dressed?” I almost whined. “I thought you were going to show me something…you know…here in the bed…without clothes.”
Paul grinned happily. “Monica told me about the house you’re going to buy. I really want to see it.” He looked around suddenly serious. “This house is great…but-”
“It’s not home.” I replied.
“No, it’s not…home. I want us to start our life together in our own home. That’s why I want to buy it for you-”
“It’s over two million dollars-”
“You’re not the only one in the family with money.” He pulled me into his arms, fingertips stroking my back. “I just don’t want Johan’s money touching our home.” I nodded in agreement. Maybe that was the key, living in Johan’s house and decorating it with Johan’s money even though it was in my own style…still made it essentially Johan’s.
